Herding Goats

As soon as Jordan and I arrived at the farm today, he headed for the tramponline. He loves bouncing and doing all kinds of tricks on it. It's good exercise and he is careful. Next we decided to go and see the new horse. He is a belgium and about sixteen hands high. They've named him King Arthur and the name surely fits him. I took a photo of him in his stall. Thought he is very large, he is a gentle giant. We are careful around him as we don't know him well yet.

While I was taking the photo of King Arthur, Jordan decided to go back to the trampoline. He missed the fun. I happen to look out the door of the barn and there were the goats scooting under the gate and heading down the lane. We managed to get them in and we just turned around and there they were heading out of their pen again. Seems a farm hand had made a feeding trough by sectioning off a piece of the pen and nailing a few wooden slats to it to keep the goats from escaping. He installed the slats 9 inches apart. He thought this would give them enough room to get their heads through to eat the hay. However, he didn't take into consideration that some of the goats are very tiny and that even William the Ram could get through those slots.

I told him I thought he should put another slat between those but he insisted 6 inches was perfect. I'll wait and see what happens because the smaller goats (some of them are still babies) will be able to get through those as well.

Sad news at the farm again today. Queenie, one of the horses that the boys got to know last spring has died. She wasn't staying at the farm at the present time, but she was a lovely horse and we'll all miss her.

Along with the sad news came good news. Three of the goats are pregnant and will give birth around late February or March. I looked the gestation time for a goat up on Google and it says 5 months. Something nice to look forward to over the winter.

When I finally was finished helping herd the goats back where they belonged for the third time, it was time to round up Jordan and head for home. He was still enjoying his time on the trampoline. The day was beautiful and a good time was had by all. I had never herded goats before, but as the saying goes, there's a first time for everything.

Awards and Gifts Page Three

This is page three of my Awards and Gifts page. Each award means a lot to me. I've truly been blessed with great blogging friends and appreciate each of you. These awards are truly cherished.

Thank You, Storyteller!Thank You, Pea!
Thank You, Anni!

Thank You, Mari!

Thank You, Mike!

Another from Mike, Thanks!

Thank You, Pea!

Thank You, Grams!

Thank You, Mike!

Thank You, Lady Di!

Thank you, Sharon! Christmas 2008

Thank you, Sharon! Christmas 2008!

Thank you, Storyteller!

Thank you, Anni! Christmas 2008!

Thank you, Renie!

Thank you, Jackie!

Thank you, Renie!

Thank you, Peggy and Storyteller!

Thank you, Storyteller!

Thank you, Storyteller!

Thank you, Storyteller!

Thank you, Shortybear!

Thank you, Storyteller!

Thank you, Tina!

Thank you, Peggy!

Thank you, Pea! It was a great party.

Thank you, Shortybear!

Thank you, Mari!

Thank you, Shortybear!
Thank you, Storyteller!

Thank you, Anni!
Thank you, Mike!

Tuffy the Tornado

At the end of August, my Mom and I took my grandsons, Brandon and Jordan to the Killman Zoo, located in Caledonia, Ontario. We had a great time looking at all the animals. We visit the Zoo every other year. My how it had changed this year. The Zoo had expanded and there was a sign that said that it houses the most Big Cats in Ontario. It also houses a lot of other species.
Each time we go, Mom and I always ask the boys what their favorite animal was. Often they each choose a different one. This year, it was unanimous. Both Brandon and Jordan chose Tuffy Tornado as their favorite animal.
Tuffy the Tornado is a female tiger who was born at the Zoo on June 28, 2007. She is a darling. While we were at the Zoo, Mark Killman, who owns the Zoo with his wife, asked if anyone would like to watch him feed Tuffy. Her mother was also born at the zoo. However, Babuska didn't want Tuffy to feed, so Mark had to bottle feed her.
Tuffy got her name because she moves as fast as a tornado and is a very tough little girl. Before she was fed, she ran around between the people and had a great time. She would run at Mark and put her paws around his leg. Finally, he picked her up and gave her some of her bottle. She wrapped her arms around his hands and the bottle during feeding time.
Mark allowed all the kids to pet Tuffy and a few of the adults too. I couldn't resist. When else would I ever have the opportunity to touch a tiger. Her fur was soft and you could tell she was well taken care of.
Mark let Tuffy down to roam. She ran with some of the kids and had a great time. It was like playing with an overgrown kitten. Then she ran and hid in some raspberry bushes. Mark, not wanting her to be scratched, picked her up by the loose fur at the back of her neck - just as Mama tiger would do in the wild. Tuffy liked playing in the raspberry bushes and was perturbed at Mark for removing her from her hiding place. She clamped onto his arm and bit him a good one.
When she bit Mark, I commented to the boys that in the wild Mama tiger would have swatted her with her paw and sent her rolling across the yard. Mark told the boys that I was correct. Mama takes no biting or scratching off the cubs. Tuffy is going to have to learn proper manners and because her mother rejected her, Mark is going to have to be her teacher.
Soon Tuffy was back in her cage and we went on to visit all of the other animals that live at the Zoo. What a wonderful time we had - and a very unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

My Loyal Companions

Let me introduce you to Meeko, my loyal companion. We brought Meeko, an Alaskan malamute into our family in November 2000. He has been a big part of our lives ever since.

Meeko has been taught good manners. Though he was a bit stubborn as a pup, we worked with him and have raised him to be a well-mannered pet. He would like to chase cats, squirrels and other animals, but when he reacts to their presence, I make him sit until they are safely out of reach. Over the years he has come to know that this behavior is unacceptable.

Meeko's predecesor was Snowball, an American Eskimo. We had the privledge of having Snowball as part of our family for 13 years. He was a faithful companion and the hardest thing we ever had to do was put him down. Snowball had renal kidney disease and was self-mutilating. We had to put our feelings aside and do him the honor of relieving his pain and suffering. He will live in our hearts forever.

At the same time we had Meeko, we had another dog, Cheyenne. She was half dog, half wolf. Her mother was a timber wolf that had been brought south from the Yukon. When I first saw Cheyenne, she was a fat little ball of fur. My husband fell in love with her. At first, I didn't, but she soon captured my heart. Cheyenne lived to be 12 years old and lived out her last years on a farm where she was able to run free. The farmer made a sled for her to pull his small children. Cheyenne was a beauty and was very protective of her "Pack." The only photo that I have of her on my computer is one that a friend of mine made into a background for a webpage. To learn more about Cheyenne, read her story here: http://www.geocities.com/marysnewplace/cheyenne.html?200726

Dogs are faithful companions. They make us laugh with their antics. They comfort us when we shed tears. The protect our property and keep us safe from harm. Dogs have been a big part of my life. We had a dog when I was a child. My grandparents kept several dogs on their farm.

I miss everyone of my canine companions and hope to always have at least one dog in my life. Life just isn't the same without a loyal companion by your side.