Sneaky Bill is Gonna Get His!

 

SNEAKY BILL IS BACK!

 

Sneaky Bill is mean, rotten and should be stepped on! I dream of killing him- but that would just be wrong on a lot of levels.  First off, it would be messy and I would have to watch him die. Now that might not be a bad thing, but there are so many ways to choose from - a quick death - slow - tortuous. Bill is not kind to others - he himself has killed. But he has managed to escape punishment or retribution for a long time.

 

 

 

Sneaky Bill has no conscience, no morals, no sense of social responsibility. He is an opportunist, a complete narcissist and 100% lacking in empathy or compassion.  Oh yah, he thinks he's smart and artistic and talented, but he has nothing going for him that 1000's  of others don't have.  In fact on most levels, Bill is mediocre.  No one has the courage to tell Bill this to his face though. Because Sneaky Bill is quick to avenge and carries a grudge to extreme.

 

No one is safe around Sneaky Bill.  

 

Oh yah, I know he probably has someone out there who thinks I am being harsh...but you don't know Bill...He acts benign and even sometimes even shy and retiring. But beneath that facade lurks a scheming, plotting character that is only waiting for an opportunity to show his true talents and character.  

 

Sneaky Bill is ugly too. He is squat, fat and bald...well a few little hairs on his chin maybe...but on top - bald as an egg. He has beady little eyes. He is low-slung so moves with no grace at all.  Maybe he drinks too much...probably.

 

He moved away for a while, but recently returned..and has built himself a magnificent home...large and quite airy with at least 6 entrances. And while his home has been destroyed several times - each day he is back........I hope that a bird or lizard eats Bill soon because I am sick and tired or running into his stupid web every morning!

 

 



 

 

How to Turn a Goat into a Hat

 

 

It has been ages since I have had the time to get back to this blog. Loads of things have been happening - mostly good- that have kept us hopping.  Also I found out that a few people are actually reading this Blog. And these people started asking me what was going on...so I thought I'd better get back to work here.
 
First of all an evil person got into our lives and tried to do a lot of harm...but we prevailed and while we wasted a lot of time on this person, it was ultimately time well spent. It was an adventure of sorts and what my mom would have referred to as a"learning experience". Onward and upward.

And now, for the goat fan club - Fritz, Fred, Louise, Berta, Tillie and Bessie are doing well, fat and sassy and very very fuzzy.  Which brings me to the point of this Blog...how I made a hat out of  Fred....or, 

How To Turn a Goat Into a Hat.

First.  Get a fuzzy type goat and put a huge amount of time and anxiety into caring for this goat. Lose sleep and spend $$$ on vet bills, medicine and feed and vast amounts of internet time in goat groups and internet research on goat care.

Oh..and I forgot to mention...get several goats because they are herd animals and need companions to thrive.  They also need a ton of other stuff and equipment and fencing and bedding and shots and worm medicine and if you get one you might as well get.............


But my gosh they are cute, funny, smart and cunning. They eat a bunch of nasty brush and bushes, but will just as likely eat your most valuable shrubbery too as they are gourmands. Look it up.

Second. Shear this animal to get his  beautiful hair (mohair/cashmere). Now this is where it gets complicated because you need to restrain the goat...no easy task...and develop some skill at separating hair from goat without injuring yourself or the goat. We struggled with this with moderate success until one of our B&B guests confessed to being a skilled shearer! No joke.

So last spring Mr. W came to our rescue and sheared the 6 goats in less than 2 hours. For Ed and I it usually takes about 5 hours and significant risk to our marriage!

Third. Send the fleece out to a processor to dehair and clean it and wait 3 months to get it back. It will be soft, luxurious and cost a lot of money to be processed. But it will be worth it as this hair is so amazing that it is almost obscene.

Fourth. Turn the hair into yarn. Now, if you don't know how to spin your own yarn you may have to learn or ask someone to do it for you. Learning will require the purchase of a drop spindle or $$$$ spinning wheel and many hours of swearing and frustration, but eventually you will produce some fabulous yarn - which after washing, fulling and otherwise prepping will be ready to knit or crochet with.

Fifth. Knit or crochet something with this yarn. 

Well, as it turns out, our friend Mr. W and his wife were expecting a baby and I, in a moment of wild enthusiasm promised that I would make a little cap for new arrival out of the hair we all worked to remove from the goats.  It only took me about 5 days of frustration and hair pulling (mine and the yarn) for me to relearn how to crochet (after 20 years of trying hard to forget it) and then three tries at figuring out the instructions until at last a soft, cute little baby cap, albeit not perfect...emerged.

Little cap went out in the mail this morning to baby W. 

And that my friends is how to turn a goat into a hat!

 Cider Mill Blog

The Amazing Blindy

Blindy. That is her name because that is what she is. Blind. She should be dead. If my husband and I were not such wimps we would have dispatched her to the hereafter when she first went blind. After all she just requires more attention and special care because of her disability. And, on a farm, or at least a proper farm, there is little room for the slow, infirm or disabled.  Especially a blind chicken!

 

The Amazing Blindy

 Ours is not the proper farm. In fact, I hate to, but must admit that I am probably the worst farmer on the earth. I am too tender hearted. But, back to blindy.  I don't remember how she ended up with our other chickens. Our flock is mixed...some "strays" a rescue or two and a couple of our own home grown. We noticed one day that she was having some problems seeing the food, etc and realized that she was going blind. Once we determined that it was not something that was going to infect or effect the whole chicken gang we thought we would just take a wait and see approach.  I was sure that she would be picked off by a hawk or wander off into the woods. None of that happened.


Blindy, free from the human tendency toward self-pity, has soldiered on. She began making her way along carefully feeling each step with her long toes and memorizing her paths. We found ourselves making sure that the water bowl outside the pen and the chicken "snack station" at the back porch was always in the same place so she could find it. Then we noticed that the other chickens were actually looking out for her and calling to her so she could keep up.  Early on there were the occasional slip-ups when she got turned around and headed in the wrong direction, got tangled in undergrowth or got out of ear shot of the others. But for the most part, when we went looking for her and called for her she would reorient and find her way back. The worst incident was when she wandered out with the cows.  Now cows are pretty tough, especially to little things that walk right toward them, and they were sort of playing soccer with her. Fortunately I saw the weird soccer game and rescued her.

That was year 1. We are now in year 3 since she went blind. I never expected that she would get along so well this long. She has weathered the weather...although she did need to be rescued from hurricane Sandy. She has continued to be a good egg layer, heading into her nesting box every day to leave us fine eggs. She free ranges with all the other chickens and while the foxes have taken a few of our Guineas, Blindy marches on. What a treat she has been, kind of a chicken inspiration to us. She likes to ride in the truck with Ed and is happy to be picked up and carried as long as you don't sneak up on her. She is a survivor.

So while I am a wimpy farmer, I am gaining from our animals,worlds of experience in just plain courage and resilience. They amaze and astound me on a daily basis. Blindy doesn't know that she is blind..or what blind is. I have no idea how long we will have Blindy...but I'm glad we have her amd all our animals today.

Lessons From a Blind Chicken

OK..so this is going to be about a blind chicken...the light colored one in the photo.  And no, it doesn't end badly.

Our chickens all have really really boring and descriptive names, Red, Sonny, Cher, (of course), Sneezy,Floppy, Beaky, Augie,Pretty and...Blindy. All of them came to us by accident. We never intended to raise chickens, but they selected us, so we were stuck.  Since then I have become quite attached to them and discovered that chickens are really quite personable and surprisingly smart.  And, they have a very complex social life...pecking order as it were...that very much mirrors that of humans... scarey.  Plus..they look silly when they run (also like some humans I know).

So...about a year and a half ago, we noticed that one of the hens was developing a cloudy color to her eyes and definitely going blind...but she was otherwise healthy and the other chickens showed no sign of illness, so we watched and waited. We thought we were going to have to "put her down", but she seemed to be adjusting and like any sightless being, orienting through sound and using her feet to feel carefully along. And better still, we noticed that the other chickens were looking after her and directing her. How neat was that.

Still we expected she would not make it through the winter...but she continued to surprise us. She thrived. When  it was icy or snowy, she simply stayed at the coop when the other chickens went out to scratch around.  And, while she occasionally went astray, if we called, "here chick chick" for a couple of minutes she would find her way to us.  She has learned the sound of our voices and sometimes just "coos" and waits to be picked up and carried to the coop.

Why some fox or hawk or other predator has not grabbed her while she is out and about in the daytime is a mystery to us. But she is now going into her second winter as a blind chicken and doing quite well navigating about and scratching around happily for whatever it is that chickens scratch up to eat, with her feathered friends.

 Our wonderful animals here continue to put me to shame with their resilience and optimistic approach to life. They are brave and smart and funny and never waste time feeling sorry for themselves  (well, at least they don't seem to) or trying to be what they are not.  Every day they teach me lessons about living a rich life. I am so honored to know Blindy!

Rediscovering the Broom

A while back I was cleaning house at the B&B only to discover that I was out of vacuum cleaner bags. Now, this is a problem because the vacuum is ancient and bags can only be purchased on the Internet.

As I kicked the vacuum cleaner  into the closet, I happened to notice a broom and dustpan leaning against the back wall. Childhood memories rushed back to me...days when my mother actually swept the floor. Humm. It was an unpreposing broom, just the simple kind made with broomstraw and the dustpan was one of those copper colored things with dents and odd stains.

So just for laughs, I decided to see if the old broom had what it takes to clean up as well as the vacuum. And, much to my surprise it did and a whole lot more to boot.  First, I found that it was easy to use...much easier than wrestling the vacuum cleaner around and fighting with the cord and bumping into walls.  The broom was 100% portable and did just what I wanted it to do instead of having a mind of it's own.  Plus, it went places the vacuum cleaner would never reach..under radiators, behind the refrigerator, along the wood mouldings...even along the ceiling.

Than it was light weight..not hard on my back, or arms. It worked fabulously on rugs as I could turn it so that it fluffed up the rug and got out all sorts of crumbs, etc. If there was something stuck to the floor, the broom scratched it off. What an amazing invention.

Last but not least, it was insanely quiet. No whirring, no screeching. It made it's on little rhythmic noise, swish, swish, swish, tap tap. I could hear the radio while I worked. I could hear the phone ring. I could hear the birds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was easy exercise while I worked. And, it didn't make a lot of dust or belch out odd smells or hot air.

So I have gone green with my broom and dust pan. I am saving money on electricity and vacuum bags. I'm not sneezing and my cleaning stress level is down. I actually have time to think and problem solve while I am sweeping with MY BROOM.

Now all I need is one of those dust pans with the long handle so I don't have to bend down to scoop up the fruits of my labor!

I'm Positive..Maybe

Negativity is all around..It is coming at us from every direction. Bad things are happening. Extraordinarily bad things are happening.
Really?
Faced with all this input of dire predictions and bad news, I see two options:
A. Run around waving my hands over my head, shrieking in panic
B. Finding some logical way to cope with what may or may not be real.

As humans, we have one huge thing working against us..our brains, our imaginative brains, where we can conjure up huge anxieties, misunderstandings, dire anticipations and all sorts of creepy crawly scary scenarios.  Why do we do this to ourselves?  Is this some cruel joke of nature to give us this brain which can create works of art and brilliance as well as anger and misunderstanding?  OK..relax, I'm not going all philosophical.

I do think though, that we should give ourselves a break and try to calm down and realize that most of the information we get, we filter through our less than perfect brain and it never occurs to us that we can chose to see good as well as bad. Admittedly, being scared gives an adrenalin rush, but being happy and positive gives  a much better endorphine party.

The weather is hot...crops and animals are dying and people are really suffering. This is a truth. But it is also a fact of life on this planet that can be dealt with and overcome. It is not a signal of the end of the world...it probably is a signal of global warming...also something that can be dealt with. It is difficult and uncomfortable and economically troubling...but again, it is survivable and can or might just end up in the long run, being a benefit if we chose to learn from it and cope.

Look at your dog, cat, goat, whatever. He lives in the moment. He doesn't torture himself with "what ifs". His only anxiety surfaces when he realizes he is on his way to the vet's office and that even disappears if another dog is there. Animals don't get up in the morning and say,"oh gosh, I hope I don't have a stroke and die today", or "It looks like it's going to rain today and my hair will be ruined and all that money I spent on a great haircut will be wasted and everyone will look at me and laugh at me and think I am ugly and then I won't get the job I need and I will STARVE AND DIE and no one will care or come to my funeral and my greedy relative will steal the inheritance that I wanted to save for my son, if I ever got married, which I never will because I'm ugly and no guy will ever want to marry me".

See what I mean here?

The world and life have always been tough. Really tough. There are no guarantees of happiness, wealth, success, long life, steady job, a roof over your head, the love of your life, fair weather everyday. Life isn't fair to anyone. It is full of crazies, war, nasty relatives, unfaithful friends and lovers, rain, wind snow, accidents and generally things that are nonsensical and unreasonable.

So experts tell us to destress and give all manner of destressing suggestions..few of which really work well if you are stressed, but instead intensify the stress because you feel guilty that you are unable to destress.  Instead, next time you find yourself holding your breath while watching FOX or any nightly news, or hear someone telling you the latest horrible news over your first cup of coffee, take a deep breath and ask yourself - is what you are hearing REAL or is it entertainment, is it something that you can do anything about or change in any way? If not, let it go. Just let it go. Then go and do something positive for someone or something else. Give your dog a pat, or a treat. Call your mom and listen patiently while she tells you it is the end of the world and then comfort her. Bake some cookies to take to work and just hand out for the heck of it. Do something creative...doodle, sing, cook. Extend yourself out into the world instead of retreating from the scary stuff. This doesn't require any bravery, just calmness when everyone else is panicking. 

Pretty soon you'll find out that all the scary stuff really is quite manageable. That being focused and calm gives you an incredible amount of strength and resilience to cope with all the gritty things in life.

Mr. Franklin's Journey

Mr. Franklin is driving me crazy.

No,not Ben Franklin....Mr. Franklin, the goat, our goat. One of our seven Pygoras.

Mr. Franklin has been having "issues" since January.

On New Year's Day, I went out to feed the gang and Frank was limping slightly on his right rear leg. OK..I'll watch it for a couple of days and see how he does.

Next day, no problem.

The day after...BIG problem. Frank could hardly walk.. Indeed he wobbles and yet his appetite is good. He can stand and lie down, but his hind end is "disconnected". He stands hunched up with his head pressed against the shed wall. He is miserable as am I.

Then begins the mysterious journey that all goat owners take at one time or other. It starts with eliminating all the possible causes...disease, no(although Ed suspects Lyme disease), poisoning, probably not, moldy hay or food reaction, not likely or he would be dead, injury, probably. Feel for broken bones, look for injured foot, no no. Then a dive into the goat owner's bag of tricks...probiotics,nutrition supplement, aspirin, electrolytes, benamine and watchful, watchful waiting. A kiss on the nose for Mr. Franklin at night, presuming he would not be with us the next morning...a kiss on the nose for Mr. Franklin in morning to celebrate his survival.

He has stopped coming to breakfast with the other goats and shuns all grain...but will eat a pretzel and apple and orange peels and hay.

Thus it continues..one day good, one day bad and Mr. Franklin looks so unhappy and he is losing weight because the other goats intimidate him and he is in pain, obviously and does not want to do anything but stick close to the hay bin.

April..shearing time and vet visit. Goody, the Vet will answer this mystery. Blood samples taken and the Vet pokes and peeks and says hmmmmmm. Blood tests come back...Frank is healthy. Hmmmmmm. And still he limps along. I am thinking dislocated hip at some point, from a fall or from being snagged by another's horns. Or maybe back injury.

Twice I have picked up the phone to call the Vet to euthanize Frank...only to see him rise up and take a brief stroll.

And then two days ago, Mr. Franklin trotted up to his breakfast bowl and waited expectantly for me to hand out some grain and sunflower seeds, just as if nothing ever happened. He was bright eyed and happy...a little unsteady on the fast turns, but he actually even joined the herd for a meadow snack excursion and cantered home with them! He is healed??!!!

Not! Yesterday he was immobilized again and had to spend the day "in bed". His buddy, Tillie spent the day with him and she nuzzled him now and then.

Today, he is up and walking, but limping and moving slowly. He was interested in breakfast, but had to have it brought to him and he is spending more time lying down than up and moving.

Did I mention that Mr. Franklin was driving me crazy?

Coyote Radio

We have a very important piece of hi-tech equipment outside, on our front porch. It is one weapon in our arsenal of equipment (along with a night vision scope and 1 million power spot light) used to spy on and alert us to attack. It is the all powerful, baby monitor!

Because we are raising tasty snacks like goats, chickens and Guinea hens, we are constantly watchful for foxes, owls, hawks, stray dogs, weasels, fisher cats, bears!, racoons, 'possums and last but NOT least, Mr. Coyote.

For those who have not heard the "call" of the Eastern Coyote, I can only describe it as blood curdling. It isn't at all like that of the Western Coyote..more like a combination of screaming cat being eaten by a laughing hyena. They are bigger too..like a small German Shepherd. And they are very vocal..screeching loudly at 2:00 in the morning..."here we come to eat something, ha ha ha...catch us if you can."

Usually a quick dash onto the porch with the spotlight aimed at them is enough to scatter them off for a few hours...they are too smart to double back and will just wait until another time. But then back to bed I go and lie awake, waiting to hear the monitor broadcast another screech or scream.

All of this has led me to the murky world of late night AM radio. To calm my nerves and get back to sleep I eavesdrop in on the likes of Coast to Coast AM or Michael Savage (although he is as bad as the coyotes for my nerves), WBZ out of Boston, or WLS Chicago. Last night, coincidentally, I learned that a coyote!!! was rescued from the icy waters of Lake Michigan. Coincidence or conspirancy?

On late night radio I learn about alien invasion and abductions, all sorts of information on ghostly occurances, out of body experiences, mind travel, government AND anti-government plots, everything I ever wanted to know trivia wise, how to survive a nuclear attack (I already learned how to do this in 2nd grade..does that date me?), and of course minute by minute updates on the end of the world 12/21/12! I get the latest news?? on politics, religion, right wing, left wing doings and find out where I can buy prepackaged survival food and gear. whew. And, if that does not interest me,there are enough religious broadcasts that if , so inclined, I could get saved, damned, or doomed.

What I like is the idea that there are sooooo many people awake, listening and participating in this whole midnight culture. I feel like I am eavesdropping on some other world inhabited by a lot of people that look and act perfectly normal by day but let it all go after dark. I'm glad they are there to calm my jangled nerves after my encounter with the real predators in life.

I think I'll tune into my Coyote Radio again tonight.

Bullies

I've been thinking about bullies a lot lately...maybe because it is in the news so much.

The interesting thing is that you are never really free of bullies. No matter how old (or young) you are there is always some insecure, narcissistic individual lurking out there who needs to feed his or her own failures by degrading someone else. They are destructive time wasters..a co-worker, boss even siblings.

There are even bullies in the animal world. I watch the goats and chickens settle their disputes and there is always one individual that lives to push the less aggressive around - or even kill them in extreme cases. Of course, as their caretakers, we intervene to make sure the bullied animal gets protection, or even get rid of the bully altogether.

When I was 7 years old, I was bullied ruthlessly by an older kid. Got to the point where I refused to go to school. My mother turned into a tiger and went on a serious mission on my behalf. The bullying stopped and my relationship with and admiration for my mom went to a new level. But the process taught me a lot. I was never bullied again and I never will be.

Sometimes it does no good to stand up to a bully...especially if they have alliances or are bigger or can actually do you physical harm, but there are lots of ways to creatively deflate them. And, of course, sooner or later they will run into a bully themselves.

Bullies are always more scared than you are. But they are scared of different stuff, like authority figures, rejection, failure and loss of control. They really do need to be in control of people, situations and emotions. They walk a fragile line of fear...like a trapped animal. More to be pitied than feared.

The old adage of standing up to a bully does work...just be sure he isn't holding a weapon when you make your stand. But for kids, getting an authority figure involved, school, police officer, parent, really does work.

Bullies prey on the lone animal..the kid or individual that doesn't have a support group or supportive siblings. Children should be encouraged to join church groups, scouts, 4H, or other social network groups that make them feel less vulnerable to bullying. Kids aren't often quick to tell their parents..but they may tell their friends.

If you have a child or friend that is being bullied you really do need to rally to their defense and be determined about it. Don't trust others to do the job...see it through yourself. Don't be afraid to wade into the situation and get help from any authority figure you need, teacher, police, parent, whatever to conquer the bully. Don't yield and don't back down until the job is done and the bully has moved on and your child, friend, parent is safe and happy and their self-esteem is back on track.

In my life I have had to cope with several bullies and find that now I look forward to the challenge of deflating them. Learn to be a Bully Buster!

How to Trap a Monkey

I am a collector of useful, yet useless knowledge. It has been a great benefit to me and made for great party chit chat. It also drives my husband nuts. And yet, some of it is downright helpful. For instance, knowing how to trap a monkey.

Monkeys are smart, inquisitive and totally self-serving...or just plain greedy..whatever. Sound like someone you might know? Coincidence. We all have those people in our lives.

Back to the trap...so you get some food treat that the monkey is crazy for. Then you get a log, or board and place a hole in it that is big enough for the monkey to put his paw through, but smaller than the food item. Place the food behind the board, beyond the hole so that Mr. Monkey can see it. Monkey reaches through the hole, grasps the food in his fist and tries to pull it through the hole..but alas the hand and food are now too large to fit through the hole.

The monkey, because he IS a monkey, but also incredibly greedy will scream and yell and throw a fit, tug at the board....but not let go. Greed. He is unable to do the one thing that will set him free, drop the food. Trapped.

You, of course, see where I am going with this. Greed'll get ya in the end. Always has, always will. Whenever I have to cope with a greedy individual, or animal (I apologize to the animals) I think of the monkey trap and let them trip over their own greed. The goats are totally greedy...but for them it is reality based in the need to survive. As a prey animal the best fed, healthiest is the one that will survive. So there is no altruism in the goat world. Chickens I have found to be a bit more considerate. Roosters put a great deal of effort into watching over the hens and hens over the chicks.

So what do you do if you have a greedy person in your life? Not much, except avoid them like the plague. Greed is a choice, not a disease and to my mind, anyone who has chosen to be greedy will also be jealous, devious and mean. It takes a lot of everything and everyone to feed greed. You can't talk someone out of being greedy; you can't shame them; you can't reason with them. They create havoc and sadness wherever they go. Pretty awful.

Charles Dickens tried like the dickens (sorry, I couldn't resist) to bring greed to light in "The Christmas Carol" and Scrooge was cured...gosh I wish it were so in real life. Take heart. If you are bedeviled by someone who's greed overruns common sense or decency, be assured that out there in the world , waiting somewhere for them is a monkey trap. You can be sure it will get them.

Trust

Our summer has been really rough, dry, dry and glaring heat. We lost a lot of pasture, trees and bushes to the drought. It finally rained a little and things have greened somewhat, but I have had to take the goats on our walks, farther and farther from the house.

This requires a great deal of trust on their part. Because the farther we go from their home the more vulnerable they are to danger and the more they have to rely on me to keep them safe. Some dangers ARE really bad, like predators, and some, (as with humans too) are things only goats can envision in their imagination. Now I have seen them deal calmly with howling wind and crashing thunder & lightning then practically have a heart attack over a blowing leaf. Horses will do this too. I'm sure it has something to do with being a prey animal and instinctive reflexes that kick the flee response into overdrive.

Which makes it all the more remarkable that they trust me to lead them out of their pen and off into the wild twice a day. I appreciate it and am flattered. This was no easy trust to win. When they came to me as babies, they had not had a lot of human interaction. They were whisked away from mama, stabbed with hypodermic needles and stashed in the back of my car and then put into a pasture where nothing was recognizable. They huddled together and glared at me...and ran from me...and screamed bloody murder when I tried to pick them up- no joke if you haven't heard a kid goat cry out in fright or pain, you haven't heard anything. It is heart wrenching - They ran as if I was a goat eating tiger.

Those smart little goats made me work for their trust. It didn't come easy...and even now 3 1/2 years later, Bessie is a hold out..who frequently gives me the evil eye and snorts at me. It has taken it's toll on me. I have had to give up a lot for them..sleep, time, money. I have been knocked down, tripped, had to dig through 4 ft of snow, made emergency vet trips, learned to give shots, spend hours and hours giving comfort and aid...only to be snorted at and glared at and rejected.

And then one day, Fritz, my big black wether, walked up to me and rubbed his head on my leg and nibbled on my shirt sleeve and I melted. And we started taking our walks, me and 7 very interesting goats.

Every day I learn something from the animals on our farm..patience, perserverence,courage, but their trust is a gift...AND an obligation because now I have to live up to that trust. Everything in the animal world mirrors ours. We have predators after us too and problems and dangerous situations and people in our lives. We should all demand that the people we bring into our lives earn our trust and renew it daily. Just I have to do every morning and evening when I go to the goat pen and say, "Come on goats, let's go walkies!"

Prairie Madness

This morning Ed & I got up at 5:30. Not so unusual on a farm. But not something I LIKE to do.

Anyway, today was summer shearing for the goats and it needs to be done while it's still cool outside.

Did I mention that we have been dealing with temperatures in the high 90's (two days of over 102) and no rain for about 2 months now? It's not the end of the world and it's not as bad as the 4 feet of snow last winter, but it makes everything a challenge. Sure, there will be no second cutting of hay..uh...actually there is no grass. And sure, the ponds have dried up and the trees are starting to drop leaves early...but it could always be worse. Think Sahara.




Living on a farm makes you a philosopher, like it or not. You have no choice but to accept whatever is thrown at you and deal with it. Nobody but you cares if you are having a crappy day or a crappy life. No sympathy from the goats, that's for sure. Chickens could care less whether your sweating your butt off. So you are left to draw on your own resources. Doesn't mean you can't rant and rave...just that there is no one to listen or care.

I often think of the early settlers that went out to homestead in The Dakotas and Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska. Tough people. The women frequently went nuts from the ordeal. They called it Prairie Madness. I can believe it. I have driven across Kansas and it was an ordeal in a comfortable car.

Anyway, we got up and out early to shear the goats. They were up too, but just. Yawning and stretching and looking at me as if to say "whaaaa"? (they don't have a big vocabulary). But then we all got to work...us doing our job, catching goats, checking eyes & ears, trimming little cloven hooves, feeling for lumps, cuts, ticks, shearing, scissor trimming,dusting for parasites, giving worm meds, hugs and pets...and them doing their job, jumping, snorting, pretending to hate the attention and snapping up the pretzel treats being handed out. And then I saw the sun coming up behind the trees and it was beautiful and we all stopped to look. Two humans and seven goats all took a moment to breathe. And it was very very nice.

Now it is 98 degrees...the goats are all resting very quietly in the shade...I am resting quietly in the air conditioned house, all of us fending off Prairie Madness.

Why Did You Move Here? A Rant From WV

OK...so here's the question heard in every rural community in America, "If you think we're such hillbillies and living here is such a pain, why did you move here"?

A nasty rumor reached me yesterday...now the first thing I must say is that rumors abound in the country. While they are seldom entirely correct, there is always a kernal of truth lurking.

So this nasty rumor was that a neighbor, a "city feller" recently moved here, has joined ranks with some land grabbing developers and vowed to work to get rid of all the hillbillies here once and for all. I would have dismissed this rumor as it goes around periodically, but I know this neighbor well and wouldn't put it past 'im.

I wasn't born here. I was transplanted as a tween by my parents over 50 years ago and things were rough and ready here then. Our nextdoor neighbor was cooking moonshine, there was no indoor plumbing in our house, a tweaky coal furnace, woodstove in the kitchen and questionable electricity here and there. No phone, no TV.

What we had was amazing neighbors and some of the kindest most generous, funloving,smartest people I have ever known in my life. They are my neighbors, my family, my friends and I love them dearly. They didn't care that I was a city kid. They took pity on me and laughed at me and loved me. They played jokes on me, molded me, taught me about the land and animals and farming and canning and gardening and how to laugh. They enriched my life beyond words.

Now some people take to this lifestyle and some don't. My brother, never quite made the connection. Maybe he's just not the sort of person that can let go of himself. Or maybe he just takes after my dad...more of a spectator and commentator than participant. But my mom and I dove in with whole hearts and planted our gardens, canned beans, tomatoes, made jam...the whole nine yards.

So here's the paradox...all these hardworking people, the "hillbillies" and their ancestors, made this area and land what it is. They created the whole atmosphere that the city transplants and intellectual snobs seek to make themselves whole. So the elite move here and then begin to whine and complain about the very things and people that made the place attractive to them in the first place. My neighbor wants to get rid of the hillbillies and get more people like himself here so that he can grow to dislike them and go off in search of more hillbillies to look down on and displace.

My theory is that all the overeducated, self righteous, wine snob types move here because they need someone to be better than so they won't dislike themselves so much.
Or maybe whining just comes with the territory and lifestyle of these folks. I feel so sorry for them. They are missing the core of life.

My education in anthropology tells me that this pattern is eternal. I envision the cavemen, yog and og sneering at each other's lifestyle. It is, after all, human nature, to disagree. Every two year old, in every society, thinks they are the cat's meow and few get over it.

I firmly believe in positive thinking. Although I do enjoy a good rant now and then.I often wonder why people choose to make themselves unhappy, when it is so easy not to? Why choose to live where you are not happy? Anger, is the wind that blows out the candle of the mind. Envy eats the soul. No one lives forever. Why waste the precious minutes of life fighting with people or trying to change people or get even? Why not die knowing you did the best you could and tried like hell not to harm anyone along the way? My mom died with a smile on her face. I know why.

Winter Over?

Yep...well, it's been an awful winter. Very tough on people and animals alike. As you can see, Fritz..our biggest Wether, at almost 120 lbs, is dwarfed by the snow banks.

We lost trees, fences and business because of two tough months of snow...finally, just today, washing away under torrential rain. YIPES.

The B&B business has taken a huge hit from the economy, as has most of the travel and tourism industry. It has affected us as well, but fortunately we planned for slow times and are still running the Inn and using downtime to our advantage. Besides, the animals don't care about the economy and demand just as much from us as they always have. So here is the animal update:

The goats got through winter in pretty good shape. Berta caught pneumonia in December, but a course of antibiotics, nutridrench, probiotics and B12...plus a LOT of TLC got her safely through. We battled a minor outbreak of foot scald, and some leg mange (Berta, AGAIN), but all in all the gang seems to be in good shape. Next comes the joy of shearing...ooooh nooooo. They all have long long shaggy coats ready to be shorn.

The chickens and Guinea hens did well also. We lost one Guinea to an owl. Despite the fact that we had to confine them all to their coops for 4 weeks, snowed in, they came through like troopers and are rewarding us with dozens and dozens of eggs.

The cows had a rougher time as they are pastured on an upslope and caught the worst of the snowy weather. We brought them into the barn several times, but they are not used to being confined and protested by trying to destroy the barn..ha ha. Several of the cows have gone off to market and the herd will be considerably smaller this year. Again...the economy has taken it's toll on them as well.



So THIS is what I have been doing with my time...working on Kat'z Kritterz ragdolls!
They have helped pass the time and are actually selling! So I have added them to my inventory of studio "output" and will be taking them along with me to shows this year. And yes, I have been painting, but it has been difficult with all the distractions and snow shovelling to get in any quality studio time. I do have a couple of paintings going to the Millwood VA show and have some great ideas for more work this summer.

Any Uncle Wiggly fans out there? Well, If Mr. Fungus (and you know who you are) doesn't spread and cause the little spring plants to hide under the leaves, I'll be back soon with another update!

Thoughts on Rag Dolls

My mother was born in San Francisco in 1912. She died last year, here at home, peacefully in her sleep. I miss her companionship and her always good advice.

My mother and I had a great relationship...not always the case with mother and daughter. I have a brother. To her he was the "cat's meow"..but I was the whiskers!!She said that I came out of an anniversary champagne bottle! Always partial to boys (she ADORED my husband and took his side on every decision) she found a kindred female spirit in me and we had some great times and a lot of laughs together. She was smart and funny and a superb straight man.

When I was about 8 years old, she made a rag doll for me.

Every Thursday afternoon a few of the neighbor gals got together to visit and chat and sew while waiting for all the kids to get home from school. Dubbed the "Busy Fingers and Fancy Doers", many a sad tale, family crisis, health problem and loving advice was aired over darned socks, embroidery projects and mending. It was here that my rag doll was born and lovingly sewn. Named Drucilla, by my mother, she appeared in my Christmas stocking. It was the best Christmas present I have ever received. Drucilla lived a long and happy life!

Recently, my mother whispered in my ear...make a rag doll. OK..so it wasn't quite that clear...actually I was in Michaels and saw a book on how to make rag dolls...The image of Drucilla came flooding back and I found myself irresistably drawn. With granddaughters and Christmas looming, I thought I would try to see if I could work some rag doll magic. What a treat it was to make those dolls..it came easily and I thought of what fun my mother must have had making my doll for me. It really is the little things. Before I knew it, my husband was involved, making little beds for the dolls. He even donated a couple of old sweaters so that I could make cheerful winter dresses for them.

Maybe I should channel the spirit of my paternal grandfather, a tailor, because I don't think my dolls are quite as expertly made as Drucilla was..but the love is in there passed on to me from all my female ancesters. And now I cannot stop making them. It's like a flood gate has been opened and I am finding real joy in creating these little rag beauties. Thanks ma...once again you have given me the best Christmas present ever!

Nobody Reads This Anyway....

OK..since nobody really reads these blogs anyway, it gives me a chance to let off some steam or go all poetic without fear of offending anyone.
This is a beautiful time of year and the trees and woods are putting on a spectacular show. It's 75 degrees and sunny and balmy and it is positively hypnotic.

Because of the slow economy, our usual rush of leaf peeping visitors (those who have "leafer madness") is just not here. Now, I like peace and quiet and enjoy having the down time to do repairs and play with the goats...but I cannot help but think that things are far from getting better.

One good thing about living here is that we have amazing friends and neighbors who are there for us and we for them. Farm living is the best! You have to give up a certain degree of personal privacy...but sometimes having everyone know your business provides a level of security found nowhere else. You get used to it. And while it may seem to our B&B guests that we are out in the middle of nowhere, nothing could be farther from the truth. Although I will admit that farm life isn't for everyone.

A couple of weeks ago our neighbor came over and helped Ed and I "dispatch" 6 nice fat hens. None of us relished the task, but it's just one of those jobs that needs to be done now and then. I don't like killing animals, but there is a certain confidence that comes with knowing that if needed, I have the tools and know how to take care of myself. I am not a gun nut or a hunter..but every farm has to have at least one good rifle and people who know how to use it.

Lately we have been awakened at 4:00 am by a very lively coyote, singing loudly. It is the eeriest sound. It is not a good sound. It means a very skilled predator is out and about and casing the joint. We have predator lights at intervals along the goat fencing and lock up the Guinea Hens and Chickens at night...but Mr. C. has struck at several other places, taking a cat, chickens, whatever he can nab. We have tried to see him with the spotlight but he is a ghost and yowls at us from behind trees about 100 ft from the house. He has several people gunning for him and a trapper on his trail. Poor coyote. I feel for him. But he must go. If he can he will kill our goats and chickens. He will kill our baby calves if momma cow is not alert. And he will bring in other coyotes with his calls. He is big..bigger than his Western cousin by far and very dangerous.

That's the way it is out in the country..the very beautiful and serene and the very dangerous and wild. It is an amazing gift to be surrounded by nature.

October!

Yes indeed, we have been busy. Fall is so beautiful up here that we always get a lot of visitors and guests at the B&B. This year has been no exception. Wellll, that is until this week when it has been coooold and raining.
The goats are very unhappy, as they hate rain and are like a bunch of 5 year olds trapped indoors.
We have had Ed's relatives visiting from Wisconsin. They, of course, have been wowed by all the wonderful sights and people here in West Virginia. Not what they were expecting at all.
We have also had some of the most interesting guests at the B&B. What a fun crowd the last couple of weeks. Lots of laughs and smiles. And, a lot of them from New Jersey.

As for the farm work, we are getting our Fall chores done and trying to prepare for winter. Trying to anticipate how much hay and straw we will need for the animals' comfort and how many piles of warm clothes for us. I am NOT a fan of cold weather, frozen water buckets, ice and snow. The goats are growing thick thick coats of cashmere and mohair and we have winterized the chicken houses. All the farm equipment has been made winter ready..the plow blade on the tractor. So now we just wait to see what Mother Nature has in store for us.

Fall Is In The Air

Cider Mill House now has an ARTISAN SHOP! In addition to my original artwork and reprints, guests can now see and buy the beautiful glasswork of Denise O'brien, unique jewelry made from semiprecious stones by Sherry Evasic and luxurious hand spun wool and woolen wear from Andrea Minicozzi, of Rare Wear! We also have wildcrafted catnip and catnip mice, greeting cards and other goodies. Each artist will do custom work and design as well. Each of these creative people work from their own studios ...the wool is hand spun from sheep that Andrea raises.

The walnut tree leaves are turning yellow and the nights are getting cooler. The goats are starting to grow their winter coats. All too soon we will be chipping ice and shoveling snow....BUT before that happens we will get to see the best show nature has to offer here. All the beautiful fall colors!

It is my favorite time of the year. Also we get most of our B&B guests this time of year as well. Our vegetable and fruit gardens are at their peak and we are hatching out some baby Guinea Hens and chickens as well.

Tipi's for sale! We have had to scale back our operations at Willow Run Farms, LLC.
So we will be selling all three of our Tipis. We are not closing down the campground operations all together, just making things a little more manageable for us here.

Pygora fleeces for sale! Yes..I let another summer go by without spinning my own mohair/cashmere from our goats. I have 6 lovely fleeces, white, grey, or brown, for sale. They have not been cleaned or dehaired, so I would let them go for a good price.

Last, but not least...notice the Newsletter subscription button on this post???? Yep, we have started a Newsletter as well. So if you want to hear from us on a regular basis, just sign up and we will take it from there.

WOW IT'S HOT

96 degrees here today!!!!!!! After a cool summer we are getting an August blast.

Fortunately we sheared the goats yesterday. So they are probably a little more comfortable. They started growing early winter coats and matting up badly, so it was time to give 'em a haircut.

A couple of weeks ago we hosted a very interesting workshop here. The WV state Dept. of Environmental Protection sent an instructor to show all interested in how to take samples and analyze stream water quality.
We have a wonderful little stream that crosses our property and we have been concerned about the quality and future of the stream...given all the new developments that have gone in here.



This is my neighbor, Andrea, handing over a water sample to our instructor! We tested these samples for a number of indicators including Ph and conductivity - then collected a sample of the pond critters. Lots of cool little fish, crayfish, caddis flys, dragonflies, etc, were in our sample. We counted and recorded them and YAY!! It turns out that our little stream is actually pretty healthy! We will need to address some erosion issues and plant some trees in the near future. But for now our stream is happy and so are we.

Water quality is a big issue for everyone these days. So we are committed to looking after our stream as a tributary to other waterways, eventually ending up in the Chesapeake Bay.

We will be finishing our survey in mid-September and then be monitoring the water on a regular basis for the DEP after that.

Next big event coming along up here of course is our huge local bluegrass and barbeque festival, Pickn' in the Panhandle. The Charlie Daniels Band will be there and it should be a super event Sept. 12 & 13.

Lyme Disease Has Struck

OK So I am going to go all serious here and remind everyone to be very diligent about using bug repellent, etc. whenever you are out in the countryside, woods or grassy fields.
One of our family members has just come down with Lyme Disease and it is as serious as a disease can get. He will be on antibiotics for weeks and if the disease is not caught in time can end up being a life threatening or life long disease.
You may never see the tick that delivers the bite. They are infinitismal, sometimes no bigger than the dot at the end of this sentence. But the reaction to the bite (which can take days or weeks to appear) is a giveaway that you have been bitten. Look for a raised rash with a white area around it and finally a red ring around that...looks like a target bullseye. It can start small and increase in size until it is several inches in diameter. This is followed by a nasty fever and flu-like symptoms. DO NOT IGNORE THESE SYMPTOMS. Get to a doctor ASAP.
If you think you might have had a deer tick bite in the past, don't be shy about asking your doctor to run the blood test to see if you are carrying the antibodies. If you have undiagnosed Lyme disease it can manifest itself as arthritic problems, joint paing and even psychological problems.

Having said all that though..I do not want to discourage people from enjoying the outdoors and all the pleasure that can be derived from camping, hiking, etc. We're all just a little more careful to remember to put on the bug repellent before venturing out. A little common sense goes a long way.

We are just finishing baling hay here and it has been a super year. Lots of rain and perfect sunny days have made this one of the better crops. The Guinea hens have been following the tractor, eating all the bugs that are stirred up (hopefully gobbling up those ticks) and the cows are enjoying the leftover grasses. The goats love to go out early in the morning for their weed and browse breakfast and then doze through the warm afternoons. Sounds like a plan to me!