Yesterday I noticed that Big Red had a goopy discharge - go Red! I can't wait to see her babies and to see how many... probably just two, but she could feed triplets pretty easily. I checked on her during the night and just ran home at lunch to check her again. Her ligaments are really soft, but still there. Her due date isn't until Monday - but I have jury duty Monday so I hope she'll get it over with before then. The grandbabies are coming to visit this weekend and it'd be really cool if she'd put on a private showing of the 'miracle of birth' for them!
The big garden has been getting into production this week. At least with squash and green beans. I picked about 6 squash yesterday; one white patty pan, 2 zucchini, and three yellow crookneck and there are plenty more wherethose came from. I think we'll be having squash for din-din pretty soon. I've got a mess of green beans too. Think I'll cook some of those up this weekend while my daughter is here. We'll throw in some of that home raised/cured bacon and she'll think she's a kid again. She has always loved eating fresh from the garden. I'm sure when she leaves some of my fresh veggies will find a hiding place in her car, lol.
Blackberries are blooming like crazy and I notice little volunteer shoots coming up all over the place. So, my small garden may be converted to a serious berry patch. Oh, and the asparagus is in there too... so it'd have to be an asparagus vs. blackberry contest for space. I don't even care who wins - I love them both!
I've been semi-milking some of the gals. Spooky and Lil Bit both kidded with kinda congested udders so I've been working on those and milking them out. They're both looking a lot better now and I could probably stop milking and let their kids take over - but this is good training for them . I really thought Spooky would be the bad one on the milk stand, but she's turned into a different goat since she kidded. Now Lil Bit, on the other hand has morphed into a total witch! She was a bottle baby and was spoiled rotten before I got her. Her little prima donna attitude is NOT gonna last at my house or she's not gonna last. I've got some folks who desperately want a milk goat and I told them to come see me this month and I'd decide which, or if, I have a goat for sale. Lil Bit better watch out! Only thing that would be in her favor of staying is that she's got the biggest teats on the place and is sooooo easy to milk out (when she's not turning sumersaults) because you can use your whole hand on her teat.
Now Cocoa is a whole 'nother story. She's the frst of the kinder-types to kid. She's got the most beeee-you-teeee-fullll udder you ever did see... but finding them itsy bitsy tiny teats is a real pain in the patookis. She's a 'milk her with two fingers' kinda gal. She's really a doll on the stand, but until yesterday hadn't totally let her milk down for me. When she did the milk flowed a lot better and it wasn't such a pain to milk her. AND, I only milked one side (she had just one kid who has just been nursing from one side only) and got over a pint of milk - and I didn't even strip her out! I have high hopes for this little missy!
It's raining again today.. not a bad rain...just a few gentle showers - but just in time for grandbabies and muddy shoes....geeze! I don't care though, it's worth every speck of mud on the floor to get to squeeze those little darlings! Is it Friday yet?????
I could always do my "I love the death penalty - let's hang 'em all" act....
Anyway, I checked her ligamets again a minute ago and they're still there... geeze, I love this goat, but she's tryig to push my last button! GRRR
