The bees are coming in today!!! They were picked up in California yesterday, traveled overnight with the cooler temps, and are ready to go to their homes at noon today. Watson is 90% excited and 10% nervous. He will put them into their hive today - I feel lots of lively photo opportunities coming on.
I did ask if maybe Watson could also play his violin when he gets suited up; it was met with a disgruntled "'No." You know, it might keep the bees calm. Ummmmmm, maybe not.....
Friday, April 16, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Stewey
Have I mentioned our geese? You know, those beautiful, graceful, personable, and LOUD geese? Currently, they have a lovely pen inside our barn, completely safe from any type of predators that might enjoy goose, with their own window, and direct access to their outside pen area for daytime wanderings. If someone is out and about on the farm they also get to enjoy checking things out in one of the big pastures. In other words, this gaggle of four live the 'life of Riley'. (Okay, I'm not sure who Riley actually was, but I always hear that he had a really, really terrific life!)
The geese are about a year old now. They are American Buff, an endangered breed, and Lexie had bought two show quality breeding pairs, therefore, we have two geese and two ganders. She gave them beautiful names to go with her high expectations for breeding and showing them. Her favorite was a male named Bergamot. He tolerated being held in her arms and lap, would fall asleep when she petted him, and she was just sure that he would always be sweet and gentle with her.
Bergamot has grown into a nice size gander and he just loves his gaggle of friends. (Interpretation: he is HUGE when he spreads his wings and comes at you with his head down and neck stretched, which is often as he has the feeling that we are out to get him and his feathered friends.) Lexie has become most reluctant to walk through the pastures if Bergamot is loose in them! So, with the most loving intentions, she has 'gifted' him to her husband, Watson, and changed his name to Stewey (for possibly obvious reasons.)
At 6'1" Watson has a distinct advantage over Stewey and hisses right back at him; I think that the two are becoming quite attached to each other. I'm also suspicious that Stewey is beginning to ponder whether or not Watson might not just be a really large gander....
The geese are about a year old now. They are American Buff, an endangered breed, and Lexie had bought two show quality breeding pairs, therefore, we have two geese and two ganders. She gave them beautiful names to go with her high expectations for breeding and showing them. Her favorite was a male named Bergamot. He tolerated being held in her arms and lap, would fall asleep when she petted him, and she was just sure that he would always be sweet and gentle with her.
Bergamot has grown into a nice size gander and he just loves his gaggle of friends. (Interpretation: he is HUGE when he spreads his wings and comes at you with his head down and neck stretched, which is often as he has the feeling that we are out to get him and his feathered friends.) Lexie has become most reluctant to walk through the pastures if Bergamot is loose in them! So, with the most loving intentions, she has 'gifted' him to her husband, Watson, and changed his name to Stewey (for possibly obvious reasons.)
At 6'1" Watson has a distinct advantage over Stewey and hisses right back at him; I think that the two are becoming quite attached to each other. I'm also suspicious that Stewey is beginning to ponder whether or not Watson might not just be a really large gander....
Saturday, April 10, 2010
New Arrivals
Babette decided to finally let her little ones see the light of day! Day 151 arrived and she started becoming talkative and wanting lots and lots of petting and loving. She decided to just keep holding off having those babies until late in the evening....
Interestingly, she labored quite happily throughout the day. Towards the end, she continued to eat and want lots of pets. We could see that she was having strong contractions, but she'd just keep her head in my lap, raise her tail, and tuck her bums, all the while standing.
Finally, she lay down and immediately pushed out a water sac, soon followed by two babies, a doe and a buck. The doe presented incorrectly, but Lexie saw the baby and Babette through it and all was well. The buck, well, he just about came flying out! The photo above shows the kids at about 30 minutes old, the doe is the right top one.
Babette is a great mom, very gentle and patient with her babies. They are all thriving and how lucky are we to be able to witness something so wonderful?!?
Monday, April 5, 2010
Toilettage D'Oie
Spring is definitely here; the goat girls are shedding their undercoats. Some are like fuzzy cotton balls, others just shed a finer coat. Fannie, of the finer coat, appears to be especially itchy; the hair on both sides of her neck is 'rubbed' down, as well as along both sides of her withers. An interesting aspect though, all of the areas are about 20 inches from the ground.
Yesterday was beautiful here in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. The weather was warmish, a little bit breezy, and lovely blue skies. I went down to the barn to check on Babette (no baby happenings yet but tail ligaments tell me birth will be anytime now.) All of the goat girls came up to say hello, as well as the geese in the adjacent pasture. Fannie did a funny thing - she literally plastered herself along the fence, including her lowered head. It was the strangest thing, that is, until I saw an even stranger thing....
The geese ran up, Fannie stayed plastered, and then the ganders started to groom her! This involved their sort of 'niggling' at her and pulling out little bits of hair. It was the funniest thing and she LOVED it! I'm calling it Wild Rabbit Farm Toilettage D-Oie.
Yesterday was beautiful here in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. The weather was warmish, a little bit breezy, and lovely blue skies. I went down to the barn to check on Babette (no baby happenings yet but tail ligaments tell me birth will be anytime now.) All of the goat girls came up to say hello, as well as the geese in the adjacent pasture. Fannie did a funny thing - she literally plastered herself along the fence, including her lowered head. It was the strangest thing, that is, until I saw an even stranger thing....
The geese ran up, Fannie stayed plastered, and then the ganders started to groom her! This involved their sort of 'niggling' at her and pulling out little bits of hair. It was the funniest thing and she LOVED it! I'm calling it Wild Rabbit Farm Toilettage D-Oie.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Kidding Date -6
We now have less than a week to the 150 day gestation date for Babette. She continues with her bright and chipper personality; I even saw her race down the hill yesterday, though I must say that it was not accompanied by her typical little mid-flight side kick.
I'm excited for her to be a mom. Although I love all of our girls, Babette is my special baby. Her personality is gentle, loving, and a little playful too. She makes me feel happy when I'm around her. I wonder if I bring something to her too? I'd like to think so.
The maternity kit is all ready to go and the VVDH put the audio monitor up in the barn. She spends her nights in the kidding pen which she loves - no sharing of the delicious orchard grass hay, and she's the only one pooping in the water bucket! Speaking of which, just how do these goats end up each morning with poops in the water? They have luxurious pens: large, fresh air coming through the grilled window, deep bedding completely cleaned every week, and fresh water morning and night. So, exactly how does one go about aiming for what seems like a very small target in a very large area? Lest you think that it may be due to crowding - ha - these pens were originally designed for a large draft horse and there are only four goats in there, including a short but stout pygmy! So go figure.... unless of course, they do it on purpose....
I'm excited for her to be a mom. Although I love all of our girls, Babette is my special baby. Her personality is gentle, loving, and a little playful too. She makes me feel happy when I'm around her. I wonder if I bring something to her too? I'd like to think so.
The maternity kit is all ready to go and the VVDH put the audio monitor up in the barn. She spends her nights in the kidding pen which she loves - no sharing of the delicious orchard grass hay, and she's the only one pooping in the water bucket! Speaking of which, just how do these goats end up each morning with poops in the water? They have luxurious pens: large, fresh air coming through the grilled window, deep bedding completely cleaned every week, and fresh water morning and night. So, exactly how does one go about aiming for what seems like a very small target in a very large area? Lest you think that it may be due to crowding - ha - these pens were originally designed for a large draft horse and there are only four goats in there, including a short but stout pygmy! So go figure.... unless of course, they do it on purpose....
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