Goat Herdess

 So a week ago I was invited to help tend some goats.  I helped to feed them grains and hay, and I even cleaned a stall.

The place I went to is not a large farm, rather it is a little hobby setup for gathering milk.

Have you ever used goats milk soap?  It feels wonderful.

The does have fun loving dispositions, but the bucks (not shown in these photos) can be aggressive and they stink.  Their vile odours were stuck in my brain for days.  Both does and bucks show stubborn attitudes. They do not go where you want them to.

The little goat "camp" cares for a variety of small breeds:Nigerian Dwarf, Nubian, Boer.

 

Happily living among the goats is a Great Pyrenee named Sasha.  She sleeps in the middle of the herd at night.  Protection is her primary service.  Protection from what?  Coyotes! When the sun sets these wild predators rise up howling and hungry!  Sasha looks sad in this picture but she is a very happy dog.

Sasha is fulfilling her calling.  Dogs want meaningful lives too.    

It is funny that I had this goat tending experience.  Goats have been showing up in my travels.  I saw a picture of my mom as a little girl sitting in a wagon being pulled by a goat.  This was a professional photograph as sales men used to bring horses and goats with wagons into cities (like Battle Creek) and parents would have their children's picture taken in a mock rural setting.

Then I came across the Coco the Goat by Rhea Wells which has charming illustrations.

All this goat talk makes me want to dig out my Goat Rodeo CD.

The day of no striving

I am tired from striving.

Pinecone on Skates

The grandkids say I look like a pinecone in my snow suit; I really filled it out this year.  (It was encouraging to learn that Princess Grace struggled with her weight.)  After getting a shot in my foot for plantar fac . . . I was able to skate.  My first outing was at Adrian College.  This picture was taken the night of New Years Day in Jacob's back yard.  He put in a little rink and is already thinking of biggerin for next year.  Still, it is a good size for brushing up on your balancing skills. 

This was the first year the grandkids came over for New Years Eve.  We played wii and I got exhausted and fell asleep before the ball dropped.  Does the ball click up the rest of the year?  I woke up when the grandkids were screaming and making racket, I sent them on the porch with horns, hats, and vintage clanging things. 

I think when they are older they will really appreciate the ways we live well.

Peace

The Lion and Lamb symbolism of Peace, was my Christmas theme this year.  I look to God for peace his is my lion and my lamb.  

Christmas Train

Christmas Train which is an entertainment train that runs a canned food drive for the needy, passes through Lenawee County.  My camera fstop wasn't fast enough, but the image sums up the sudden thrill of colored lights flashing by like a shooting star.

Evelyn and Steve

For the much anticipated wedding of Evelyn and Steve I decided to make another pastel painting.  I was in a huge rush (again) and did the whole thing the day OF the wedding.  This is based on a photo I took of them when they first began courting in October 2013.  That year there was a GREAT crop of apples.  The fruit was so abundant it couldn't be used up.  Many folks were making apple sauce and Steve offered Evelyn and I some. 
On the back I wrote that I hoped that their lives would be filled with more blessings then they could utilize. 
I felt a little insecure about my gift so I gave them a Lowe's gift card too.

I have this problem of not feeling like enough.  That is a sad admission.  

Cranberry Birthday Theme

For Maripat's birthday I selected a cranberry theme.  I found the tin at a thrift store, the tea was new  this year from Celestial Seasonings, I got the face cloth and little book from Golden Hobby in Columbus, OH.  I bought the sugar scrub with extra bucks, I made cranberry pistachios biscotti, and included a recipe for my favorite cranberry relish that my grandma used to make. I also made the pastel painting of the cup filled with cranberries.  So much fun to compile this gift for my dear friend.

Grandma's Cookie House

I have been wanting to make a gingerbread house with my grandkids.  When? How? What? This year it was now!   The what was a gingerbread version of my house -pink with green shutters.  Above are pictures of how it was done.  I am having trouble with blogger and am unable to upload certain pictures.  I'm a person in a rush most of the time so I haven't taken the time to figure out this problem, so the image of my grandkids decorating the house is not provided.

Taking a cue from a friend I constructed the house before the grandkids decorated it.  This was a good move because construction took several days and two concrete mixtures.  It was a bit frustrating, but I persevered.

The gingerbread house was entered into the Adrian Public Library gingerbread contest.  The contest raised money for library services - mostly the summer reading program.  Friends of the Library sold five tickets for a dollar and the public voted for their favorite by putting a ticket in a canning jar.  We didn't win the community favorite award, but we did win first prize in the multi-generational catagory with the special distinction of being "The Most Elaborate."  The grandkids were surprised by our win.

On the base I attached a lable on which I wrote a quote from Arianna, "Grandma's house always smells like cookies."

I hope they will remember the experience.