Heat Wave

Everything in life is relative. When you are broke finding a $20 bill in your purse is a windfall. When you've had 6 bottle lambs to feed, two is a piece of cake. When you are used to working in single digits, 36 degrees is a heat wave. I found a cute little black buck kid with his mother in the hay mow yesterday. I was walking the dogs past the big north side doors into the hay mow and heard a loud waaaahhhhh coming from inside. Had to be a baby in there. I got the dogs back in the house, ran back to the hay mow and sure enough, there was a teeny tiny black kid under a doe with the most mohair I have ever seen on a goat. Did I tell you I did not shear this fall? This goat looked like Cousin It on the Addams Family...and a first time mom, too. I checked the boy and he looked good. There was no way I could clip the mom without help. I decided to wait until Matt got home. After dinner and chores, which was several hours later as Matt doesn't get home until almost seven, we finally got to the mom. We brought her into the "goat room" next to the apt. and I clipped her while Matt sat on a chair and held her horns. I was hanging upside down for a while and sweating bullets with this heat wave. Little baby was standing by next to mom so she wouldn't have a fit, but it didn't stop her from giving me all the trouble she possibly could. When I uncovered her udder and clipped a window through the mass of 8 inch long mohair locks, I proceeded to nurse out some colostrum for the little one. I really had to squeeze and pull a bit, but I got enough to fill his belly. Mom was not amused, but she got over it, and he looks good today. The two moms in the room like to hide behind a big breakfront cabinet (intended for inside the apartment someday)while Monkey - mom in waiting - intimidates them from the other side. When the babies venture out the moms come with them and eat their corn and hay. I can't wait to see what Monkey is carrying. Last year she had a white buck kid, Jean - Jean, with pretty blue eyes. I wouldn't mind a pair of doe twins this year. I hope Monkey got the memo this time!