Third Annual Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T.) Sheep & Goat Festival

Today we attended the third annual Sheep and Goat festival.   Last year it was voted most outstanding one day event of the year by Southwest Virginia Tourism.  If this year was anything like last year it should win again.  This was Joe’s and mine first time attending, but we met up with Mike, Virginia, Sadie and Allie who had all gone last year.

Even with the overcast weather and little rainy morning there was a good crowd. 

There were lots of different breeds of sheep and goats on display.

A coworker was there with some of her sheep and her daughter had an angora rabbit.  Neither Sadie nor Allie would touch it though. 

Sadie was more interested in running up and down the hill.

Allie joined in on this too until they got tired and wanted lunch.

Mutton burgers were on the menu.  I thought they were tasty.  Joe said he would rather have a hamburger.

Allie on the other hand, enjoyed the cheese puffs.

After some cleaning up, we watched a bit of the sheep dog trials.  We didn’t stay long because the girls really were not that interested in sitting still to watch.

There were a couple of buildings with educational exhibits, an art contest and craft vendors.  

Sadie’s let me take her picture as a sheep.

They had painted pumpkins before we got there and we went to pick them up after they had dried. 

I think Allie really liked hers.  She was ready to go home and take a nap.

There were also starter flocks of several breeds for sale.

More educational exhibits, this one with the internal organs painted on the wool.

And this one with preserved rumens and stomachs. 

There was a prize wheel to spin.  First I picked a pair of socks.  But after seeing the vendors I went back and traded the socks for a $10 coupon for any vendor.  I know, I should have picked the coupon first, what was I thinking.  Anyway, I bought this adorable needle felted sheep.  There were three to choose from and it was a tough decision. 

Joe won a pick off the toy table and selected the horse finger puppet for Sadie.  I also got a couple of goat key chains.  And all of this for free admission!  What a fun day.
 

Three Things

I hung the laundry out on the line the other day.  Looks like the change of season is official.

I thought sister A might get a kick out of the lineup.

Walgreens has been having some free picture codes lately.  I have three accounts, so three pictures.  When I went to get them the cashier asked if I wanted my receipt.  I said it didn’t matter.  She replied, “you might want to post it on Facebook.”

Well, not Facebook, but here it is.  

Lastly, yet another cucumber and zucchini from the garden.  I think it is a record for how late they are producing.
 

Two Difficult Holes

I finally decided where to plant the azalea that I got in the spring.

The only problem is that it is under two trees.

You can imagine the roots that I am having to contend with.  I decided to save it for another day.

On a much sadder note we buried Jewel today.  She had been suffering with bone cancer for the last few months.  I had her on pain medication but is was no longer being effective enough.  So today I decided to not drag it out any longer and euthanize her.

She was only 6.  We lost her sister Jett 3 years ago.

We named her sister Jett because she was always running around.  We named Jewel because she was like a gem, pretty and in the center of things.

When the other dogs were working the perimeters, Jewel would usually be the one to stay closer to the goats.

She was very humble, a little shy but always friendly and gentle.

She took her job very seriously.

I think Jewel was  Power Puff Girl’s favorite.  I hope she was able to learn from her.  She will leave a big hole to fill. 

More With Hugo

Otoelene and Draper are both missing a front shoe since last week and the farrier can’t come until next week.   So Hugh is currently getting all of the riding attention.

It only took about 5 minutes today before I got him to stop lunging.  I didn’t even close the gate to the barn.  He never offers to run back out, just keeps trotting circles.

After some warmup in the barn we headed out and enjoyed the view.  The weather is quickly changing from needing to ride in the morning before it gets hot, to waiting to the afternoon after  warms up.  Today a long sleeve shirt felt good for a morning ride.

 Nothing else to report, it was a pretty uneventful ride.  That is what I like, uneventful.

Volunteers

This Spring I purchased several columbines from the clearance table at Lowe’s. 

They are purple.  Since purple is Sadie’s favorite color I have been trying to add more purple flowers to the yard.
 

After I dead headed them some are even blooming now.  They have an upright flower instead of the typical dangling one.  They all did well except one.  It had a sudden death mid summer. But when I was cleaning up the area I noticed a little volunteer in its place. 

I have never planted a pansy so I know it came from the dirt of the columbine.

And look, they are purple too! 

And with such cute faces.  I may have to start planting them now.

Hugo Monday

I have been a little off on blogging lately. I had to work an extra day last week and this week.  I have also had a bad cold and now a very painful ear infection.  But Monday I did manage a ride on Hugo. 

He doesn’t really need lunging but it is his idea.  He runs into the barn and just starts trotting circles.  Sometimes I am able to get him to stop quickly and get him caught.  But other times it can take up to 20 minutes before he will let me catch him.  He is an odd horse.  

 He is getting much better at stopping, backing, side passing, and moving off my leg.  He is still not much for cantering.  He usually starts pacing.  We are pretty sure he is part walking horse.  But his trot is pretty nice.   Now that I am on an antibiotic and ear drops maybe I will start feeling better and get back to blogging. 

Sadie Sunday

Sadie and Allie came over Saturday and Sadie wanted to spend the night again. 

She helped pick tomatoes in from the garden.  And we made rice crispy treats, no easy bake oven needed.  

Allie still has not overcome her fear of Kit Kat.

Sadie tried her best to show Allie that Kit would not hurt her but nothing worked, not even letting Allie see Kit lick her foot.

We played with the doll house. 

And checked out all of the animals.

Of course we rode Otoelene. 

Joe was there to help out too.  It was nice to have an extra pair of eyes on her. 

 She also loves to go feed her goat Glitter.   It works out that they can stick their heads though the gate and Sadie can feed them from her hand without getting pushed around.  We  also ran around in the yard, played on the swing, flew the kite, played hide and seek and watched The Aristocats and Spirit, Stallion of the Cimarron.  But it wasn’t all fun and games.  She threw up on the way to church.  Luckily, I had taken a back up outfit.  But when we got home I had to take apart the car seat to wash everything.  When she says her stomach hurts you better listen.

Foggy Morning Ride

Yesterday Otoelene  and I went out for a morning ride.  My goal was to ride while it was cool before the fog burned off.

There are fewer flies at this time too.  We just went on a short loop around the farm and gravel road. 

Remember the sign a few days ago that was up when I rode Hugo, “mowing ahead.”  Well, it was all a lie.  Can you tell where any mowing occurred?  Neither can I.  Joe said road maintenance has become a joke.  But I did have a nice ride.