In Bloom At The 4Rs

Sadie hasn’t picked all of my flowers yet.  I still have a few to share.

The apple trees have been full of blooms.

I hope this means lots of apples later.
 

The clematis is prettier than it has ever been.

I love how large the blooms are.

I have some pink tulips,

and some very dark purple.  I know some people treat tulips like annuals, but these have been coming back for years.  Maybe I can remember to plant more this fall.

To continue with the purple theme, the columbines I planted last year are doing great.

They are loving the rock garden. 

As is the candy tuff.

This rock foil is a new addition this year.  I need to check out the clearance rack a Lowe’s and see if they have any creeping phlox.  I think that would look nice in the rocks.

And speaking of the rock garden, the eastward expansion phase is completed. I ended up adding about 5-6 feet which amounted to about 20 more rocks and 20 more trips up and down the hill dragging my snow sled.  I might be done for now, at least until I decide to expand southward.

Sadie And Allie Sunday

I had offered to keep the girls a couple of weeks ago for Virginia’s birthday so Mike could take her out but she was sick that weekend.  The next weekend I was too busy.  She finally took me up on the offer today and brought them over after I got back from church at 10:30.  But Virginia and Mike decided to work on their house all day with just a break for lunch at a Mexican restaurant. 

Sadie and Allie had fun playing inside then ate lunch.  After that it was time to go check the goats.  The girls helped make the bottles.

Sadie got sidetracked out in the yard looking at flowers.

But we finally got her and Allie headed down the driveway.  Sadie volunteered to carry the bucket.

Allie wouldn’t even get on the ground near the goats.

Meanwhile, Sadie was trying to pick them up herself to get them back in the pen after they finished their bottles. 

Joe carried Allie around the field.

And Sadie fed all of the outside hungry goats.

Allie was not impressed. 

Sadie also wanted to try to pet all of the baby goats.  She found these three that didn’t jump up and run off.

Back in the yard it was time to pick flowers.  This was something Allie could participate in.

Joe even got them to sit still for a second for a picture.  Then it was more inside time, a nap for Allie, Toy Story for Sadie, book reading, fort making and playing dress up. 

After supper it was time to head back to the barn, this time on the 4 wheeler.  She may not look it, but Allie was very happy about riding it.

This time she even touched a goat.

And she was more interested in watching Sadie feed the outside ones.  Allie may make a farm girl yet.  Sadie is certainly setting a fine example for her to follow.  It was a fun filled action packed 10 hour visit. 
 

The 4-Ts

Joe turned out the two sets of twins into a larger field a couple of days ago. 

Today they all hung out together.  Their ear tags are 4-T1 to 4-T4.  The 4 for 2024, the T for twin and the 1-4 for the individual.  I just like that it sounds like forty one, forty two…

 

Goats, Cattle and Rabbits

Despite making every effort to avoid having any bottle goats, I have ended up with three so far.

 I took some pictures of them today to advertise on Facebook.  I found a site that was call “Bottle Baby Goats For Sale.”  

Who wouldn’t love to take these home. 

Spring cattle working began today with the replacement heifers.

Four shots each, long acting dewormer, 10 way breeding vac, 7 way clostridial, and a multi mineral shot. 

Things went well and it only took an hour.  

Then they were turned out to the back 40.

That left me with some time to work on the eastward expansion of my rock garden.  At least the rabbits seem to like it.

I am going to have to make sure rabbits don’t like whatever I end up planting.

Untouched

While checking the goats this evening I could not help but notice all of the beauty that surrounds us.  The photos are all untouched.  Plus, it is easier to appreciate the scenery when the weather is nice.

The setting sun was highlighting the mountains.

The views seemed limitless. 

The trees were silhouettes.  

And the sky was purple.   It made me think of Sadie and purple being her favorite color.  The other day when she was here in the evening she said she needed to get home so she could see the sky change colors.  I have realized one of the things that makes her so special is her appreciation of beauty at such a young age.

Two Good Days

Well, our tiny goat didn’t make it.  But she had two good days.

She spent the day outside all day yesterday. 

There was another set of twins born yesterday, one was dead and one was nearly dead.  I was able to revive the nearly dead one.  He is back with his mom now.  But while he was convalescing he kept tiny goat company. 

You can appreciate how tiny, tiny goat was.

Then in the evening we had a neighbor bring over a little girl she babysits to see the goats.  Her mother came too.  They just loved tiny goat.  At bedtime she even nursed well.  I guess that was her last hurrah.  I buried her in the flower garden. 

Then, because I needed to do something other than dealing with goats, I rode Otoelene.  We had fertilizer spread on about 65 acres.  That is the fertilizer truck down there in the bottom.

There was a second set of twins.

And can you tell what this is?  The wildlife brush pile is still standing even with the cows in that field.

You never know what each day will bring.  We just have to deal with what comes. 

Birthdays And Other Stuff

We headed to Blacksburg today to celebrate the family April birthdays. 

Three different generations were represented. 

The forth generation enjoyed petting the tiny goat, 

Picking lots of flowers, 

and playing on the swing set.

A neighbor suggested a picture in front of the mill stone that is part of the wall my father built.  I thought that was a fantastic idea. 

I guess I come by my love of rocks naturally.  I remember my father always stopping by the side of the road to pick up a special rock.  I have always thought that this wall was amazing. 

Then it was back to the real world.  Heading up the driveway, Joe noticed a new set of twins.  Cow twins that is, not goat.

As we were getting them to the barn we got covered in ticks.  I really hate theses ticks.

But the twins looked great and the mom was taking them both.  

Then we checked the barn and found a new set of triplets.  This time it was the goats.