Ragdollcatlady's Just a Little Patch of Weeds Farm journal

[Four Winds Ranch]

I'll have to drag you over to the Sebastopol side! Nessie looks all scrungy (my BFFs word...it is a cross between scruffy and grungy) because she was showering in the water as I was watering the left over plants from their weeding effort! That and she is a sebbie so they have the morning bedhead look all the time. She looks like she has a little helmet right now. Her feathers are coming in and the fuzz is moving back. Interesting look.

I agree on the vehicle thing. I try not to let too much junk collect inside, but I have almost given up on the dust out here. I don't mind hauling anything inside....well maybe I wouldn't want to haul a pig, even in a crate, but everything we need is either for us or the critters. And I need the critters so they get to ride too! ..... One year my minivan was out of commission during the county fair. We hauled everyone...all the animals even, in my DH's little Altima. I felt bad though. He doesn't even like the animals much and we had to put Bambi, our nubian in the backseat! She was fine of course. And she was my sons showmanship goat so we couldn't just leave her out. I really try to not wash the outside very much as I grew up with the chronic drought here in California, but I do like it when she is clean. Now that she is clean I am going to put the crates in to haul some animals around! Nessie and Teddy are going on the Northern Adventure so they get to be the first critters inside.

I would love to have a truck full of babies and toddlers again...all the carseats and stale snacks stuck in the seats....and lost toys......and the hilarious things they say!

Lol, and don't miss out the fights and arguing!!!! It is all good though, I know it wont last forever!!

 

[ragdollcatlady]

I got a new heeler on my Northern adventure! She is on my heels better than any dog!

My trip went really well. My DD learned to milk for me the week before so I could stay a little longer, but I still couldn't get the night off work so I went up the night before.

I took Nessie and Teddy and dropped in to see grandma as soon as I got to San Jose. She let Nessie swim in her pond! Nessie was so excited! Teddy walked all around the edge of the pond, following Nessie and eating bugs and whatnot on the way. Grandma made us fruit smoothies, then we spent a few hours visiting while she watered her yard and we kept an eye on Nessie and Teddy while they were eating and exploring.

I got to moms around 6:30 and my dad was upset that I didn't have a cell phone as I was traveling alone, so he took me down and hooked me up with a new one. I have a number that my grandma and family can call that will not be long distance for them and with family share, we can talk for cheap.

Mom and dad also hooked me up with sweetlix minerals. I have a hard time getting them down here so I let them know I needed to pick some up before I came home. They bought me 4 bags! I did finally get the feed store a town over, to agree to order them if I get him the numbers (product ID) that I need. Now I will have the numbers so hopefully I can get ahold of them easier.

Three of my brothers and sister in law came by to visit since I was just there for a few hours. I think they are hilarious...I always have a good time hanging out with my siblings.

Grandma wanted to leave at 5 in the morning and my aunt was able to come too! We got started OK but I got a migraine and carsick within about 10 minutes of leaving so mom ended up driving the whole way up! We stopped in Fairfield and dropped the birds off to their new owners, then made it up to Oroville in a few more hours. We were there just before 10 I think. Between stopping to switch drivers, drop off the baby birds and stretch our legs, we made pretty decent time.

Grandma K was sooo happy to see us! I haven't seen her in several years so it was really great to get to visit. We had a few other family members stop by to visit while we were there too. I love having a family that is happy to have you drop in anytime you can! We were able to visit for about 3 hours.

While we were there I had a delivery of my new baby goat! Thanks Barbara! I think my grandma was even more excited than I was and I was/am pretty excited! She offered to hold her on the way home cause she was crying. My poor aunt would doze off and then I would drive over a bump or something and wake up the baby. She would end up crying right in my aunts ear! It is a good thing we are all true animal lovers! Everyone just felt bad that she was scared. Grandma was disappointed that I only got one!

We made it back in about 4 hours with a starbucks and a gas detour, so again, good time. When we dropped off grandma and my aunt, grandma asked if I needed gas money. I thanked her, but she had just filled my tank and it was still full so I was fine. So then she asked if I needed more goat money! I laughed out load and said sure, but save it til I come again...it will be a good excuse to come visit! Before we left grandma Ks she had also insisted that I should buy another goat soon so I can combine trips and stop in again! I know y'all think I was joking about the blaming my family for enabling my addiction, but they really are wonderfully helpful in this department!!! LOL I couldn't ask for a better family!

I stopped in at my DH favorite little villa for his number one favorite meal from there Raviolis. They have really good raviolis...for $53 dollars they better be!!!! That was for 4 quarts! Talk about an expensive bribe! (But my DD confessed to me that my home made raviolis are actually better!!! yeah for that!)

Maybe I should name my new baby Ravioli!

When I ran to buy the raviolis, mom and dad babysat for me and let my new baby run around a bit. This little girl loved my dad! He sure liked her too. I grabbed a few bites of KFC and then hit the road again.

I made it home OK but that last half hour was rough. I was getting tired. I got home with just enough time to shower, tuck my new baby in and take a half hour nap before work...

It was a great trip. I got to visit and had a good time.

And now I have a cute new baby too! She took the bottle for me really well so that is good. She is 7 weeks old. My twins think she is pretty neat.

Mission Northern Adventure was a success...one more night of work and then I am going to sleep for 2 days straight.....

 

[ragdollcatlady]

Sooooo sad!

My little dog, Rinky Dinky got out and was hit by a car last night! We had him for around 10 years or so. He was originally a pound puppy (adult actually). He was a great little dog. I miss him already. Whiskey used to give him the stink eye, on the sly, under my chair when she was a puppy. She is very subdued today.

Raine is a very quiet cat most of the time, but he is my medicine man. Whenever I am sad or sick, he will shove everyone else out of the way to come love on me and try to make me feel better. He knew I was upset and was in my face today.

 

[ragdollcatlady]

My DH was trying to (almost) console me and pointed out that I will always remember Dinky when I look at the stains on the carpet...uhhh.....yeah. I assured my beloved DH that when he is old and has accidents on my carpet, even if they are on purpose accidents, I won't yell at him either....and when he smells like a stinky old dog....I will still pet him and love on him too!

I buried my little friend under my avocado tree.

I am pretty sure he was gone instantly. He was starting to have a difficult time walking once in a while so we built him a ramp up the front steps and occasionally he would forget things and act lost in the front yard or look confused. We guesstimate that he was near 15 or 16 easily and was starting to show his age. When we got him his muzzle was all black. Today as I said me goodbyes and stroked his muzzle, it was almost pure white. I was starting to dread watching him fade away and having to try and balance the quality of life versus how much I wanted him with me....... but what I wouldn't give to have just a few more days and weeks with him.

 

[ragdollcatlady]

I couldn't rest today so I decided to help prep the kids goats for the 4 h fair this next weekend. We shaved Reese and Spellbound and their 2 little girls naked! Oh the crying and carrying on! The big girls look so sleek! I can't wait to wash them up and get some pics.

I think I am going to suggest that my DD wash her birds a few days early and just cage them til the show. We are usually up all night the night before but we are only taking about 5 birds this time I think.

My neighbor gave me another pigeon for my DD. It is a pretty brown and white male with a frilly row of feathers surrounding his head....hard to describe but a beautiful bird. And tame! I am pretty sure she will want to take him to the county fair this year. She has one female with blue eyes and feathered feet and one brown and white regular pigeon. then she has the baby of those 2.

 

[ragdollcatlady]

I love the rain! It poured last night. It feels so fresh and clean outside right now...

BUT!!!! We had just shaved 4 goats....So tonight all the girls are in the garage. The new baby is outside the pen cause the big mean girls would ram her. She is sad about that. She has been spending nights in the pen with the other 2 little stinkers. They sometimes push her around a little and she will push back cause she is bigger so that all works out OK. The big girls were trying to ram her through the pen...I bought 2 little dress/ sweaters at Petsmart today for the big girls, but they were a little too small for them so I tried them on the babies...Too cute! I will try to get a few pics to share before they get too dirty. They didn't care for the skirt part of the dresses and were trying to pull them off of themselves, then they each grabbed the others skirt and tried to help each other! I was afraid of someone catching them on something and getting hurt so I didn't leave them on, but I will take them with in case we need them on friday night at the 4 h fair.

One of my little call girls Sterling, was breathing funny so she was on antibiotics and penned up for a few days. She was sooooo vocal today! Telling me how upset she was that I had locked her up and she missed playing in the middle of the rain storm!!! Oh the indignation! Just because she was sick didn't mean I had the right to keep her from rain! She was clearly feeling better so I let her loose and her posse collected her and they all went for a swim, then literally ran to the back to look for more rain or mud or something....

Since I officially made back my investment on my Sebastopol geese, I want to find another gander for this fall. I really want to find a smooth breasted lavender male. I would like other colors too....but I gotta go slow. I also want to either build some official goose nest boxes for them or buy more doghouses... and a stronger pool/ swimming trough....Since they can (almost) pay for themselves, they should have some better accommodations.

Still no babies from Georgia, but her udder is still filling and getting squishier by the day. She really can't run now. When we let the girls out to come up for milking, they all run and leave her in the dust. She tries to run, but it ends up being a very moderate waddle.

 

[ragdollcatlady]

We just got back from the 4h fair.

DS got a 2nd in dairy goat showmanship, Nellie got a first in her class (but there weren't any other goats in there so it is a little hollow :/) and Spelly got a 3rd.

DD got 1st in poultry showmanship and her pigeon Rousseau got 1st and reserve of the show. She got 1st also for Alexis black ameraucana, Queen Elizabeth old english bantam, Hannibal showgirl, Skittles her female pigeon, and Purple Poppy lav ameraucana got 2nd.

She got 1st in dairy goat showmanship, Reese got 3rd for her udder being lopsided (forgot to check and milk down the one side before she went in) and Stinkerbelle got 1st but again she was the only one in her class so The judge did say that he was basically biased against the ND...nothing personal but he doesn't know much about them and would always place the larger animals over them..:/ I do appreciate that he was honest about it, as they are all volunteers and we totally appreciate the work they do. But I would have liked a better idea of Reese faults and better points.

This morning during the small animal round robin, they needed another goat so Raviolianna got to pretend to be a pygmy goat. Then in the large animal round robin they needed 2 more goats so Spelly and Raviolianna got to help out again too. Everyone loved Rav and she got lots of compliments. I felt a little sorry for the kids that ended up showing our ND goats....they aren't the most cooperative for us on their better days. The judge had the kids keep Spell behind Reese and they were mostly alright. Being smaller even the littler kids were OK handling them when they acted up a little.

DD ended up having one of the market steers give her a hard time. He jumped up on her and smashed her cheek good. She was showing him after the dairy cow so maybe she smelled like a pretty girl cow to him. She was hurt and cried a little but we iced her cheek and she went back to try again. He started up again, so they let her just trade for the other one and she did OK. She got 1st in the small animal round robin and 6th in the large animal round robin .

We don't have any of the large animals (besides ND dairy goats ) that they show so she is at a disadvantage in handling them, but she isn't afraid to get in there and try it. This is the second time she has done the large animal round robin and I hope she still does it next year. She loves the cows and enjoyed that the best. Maybe next year if we sell enough goats we can buy a cow.

I am going to take the girl out for a ice cream or something. She worked really hard.

 

[ragdollcatlady]

Before the camera batteries pooped out I had taken a few pics of the DDs birds.

This is Rousseau the reserve for the whole show

This is Skittles her female blue eyed pigeon

And of course as soon as she saw Hannibal, my friend Janice mentioned that we are having an ugliest chicken contest at this years county fair....I have to bet that Hannibal would win as he is absolutely the UGLIEST chicken I have ever seen.... but of course, he is the SWEETEST rooster ever! He runs to my feet whenever I am outside and shows me all the grain and dirt and tasty tidbits on the ground...especially the imaginary ones ....and he will adopt little chicks that just need a friend. I love his ugly mug!

DD and I grabbed a frappachino at Starbucks and went to Chili's for dinner to celebrate. It was nice just the 2 of us.

Happy Mothers Day everyone!

 

[ragdollcatlady]

My new little Raviolianna sounds like a horse to me..... She makes these little mummbly "mmmmhhhhmmmhhhmmhhmm" sounds that remind me of the sounds the neighbors horses make...It is pretty cute!...I guess she figures that if she wanted to fit in, she should act like something other than a goat.... Everyone else that lives here thinks they are something other than what they are supposed to be so it makes sense..... if they weren't confused before they got here, they will be soon!

 

[Bridgemoof]

Raviolianna is a good name for your new little goat! Love it. Sounds like you had a really nice trip up north.

So sorry about your Rinky Dinky.