Hey, good news! We found the camera. And it looks like some kid took a picture of the goats before they left. That's right, it was time to go. They did an awesome job of eating those weeds and turning them into fertilizer. They even took out a bunch of privet on the side of the yard (good goats!) But then those two little ones started getting really squirrely. They were jumping the newly installed fence into the chicken area and chowing down on that organic chicken feed like it was potato chips. Then they got into the shed and ate an entire 50lb back of rabbit food. The last resort was when I came home from dropping the kids at school one day last week and found the back screen door had been nosed open. All three of the varmints were standing in my living room looking very surprised that I happened to be there. Fortunately, they hadn't been in there long enough to eat anything. But they did drop a load by which to remember them on the carpet.
So, last Saturday I prepped the van for a trip back up the hill to return the goats from whence they came. I put a tarp down and some cardboard and gave them some alfalfa hay and carrots to make the ride easier for all of us. They did a pretty good job. But in the last 90 seconds of the trip all three of them decided to let loose and my van officially smells like a zoo. Well, I cleaned it out very well when I got home. It was smelling better. But then a skunk came by the other night. I'm not sure at what it was aiming, but it definitely nailed the van. Kids/Goats/Skunks. Dang. It's stanky!
Once I sent the goats back home I was able to really till up the yard and prep my garden for a winter planting. I put in a variety of lettuce starts, pansies, kale, red chard, Egyptian walking onions (thanks, Elizabeth!), parsley, lemon grass, dill and a bunch of seeds for carrots and other winter greens. Oh, I put in a couple brussel sprouts (much to Michael's chagrin) and then I got some purple cauliflower and broccoli starts. I left room for garlic, potatoes and peas. Also, I put some nice mums on the bed heads and ends of the garden. I have 10 rows each about 28 feet long. (I know it sounds a little ambitious ... especially considering all the bermuda grass surrounding it). I'm going to invest in a decent hoe.
Kids are back in school and doing well. Girls start piano lessons today. Valerie will continue in her third season and Amira will start. Poor Amira just realized that by taking piano on Wednesdays, she won't be able to play cello in the orchestra this year. Valerie swore she didn't want to do orchestra and piano this year. And just so she could do both, the orchestra teacher let her move to the "advanced" orchestra that meets on Mondays.
Okay, next post will put up some of those pix that are on the camera of the house in progress. And I will also put in some pix of the chix and garden.
Next big project will be the back yard, AKA: the Dustbowl!
