and again . . .

Another snow day. My hubby was going to work when he got a call that my fil and mil are stuck in a truck-hood-high drift east of us, so he went to go help them instead. Anyone that has seen my fil's work truck will be impressed with the size of that drift; he is a traveling mechanic and has a heavy equipment repair truck. The east road was the one that was fine last night . . . actually, both the roads out of Amon Eruanna were passable last night, but we got a little more snow and the wind kicked up again. So the 4E's and I are at home together again. At least we got out last night for a bit.

I want to add that it is insanely cold outside. I am NOT looking forward to walking to the barn this morning. Usually it is warmer and a little more protected inside, but getting there will undoubtedly be painfully cold.

The photo above is one my hubby took on the north road on the way to work before the snowplow came through. We've had enough snow that the ditches are full, and now there is no barrier to the blowing snow, so it creeps across the road and drifts. Most cars, vans, buses, and trucks can't take that on. 4WD is a requirement. Which is why we are home. All together. Again.

ssssnnnnoooooowwww dddaaaaazzzzeeeeeuuuhhh

From the snow we had on Sunday, we are still waiting for the roads to be decent enough to get out. So, here we are, no school, getting sick of each other and staring at another potential system coming through on the weekend. At least hubby can get out; he drives his 4WD pickup out. He's brought back supplies for us, and valiantly braved the drifts and made it to work twice and back once. Hopefully he makes it back OK tonight, as he has promised to take us out for supper. OUT! FOR SUPPER!

I know I promised more pictures of the baby goats, but haven't got that done yet. Hubby took the camera today to get pictures of the drifts. The babies are doing fine, still in the mudroom.

I've filled all the birdfeeders and have been enjoying trying out my zoom lens. This poor nuthatch blinked for just a second, but that's all it took to lose that seed. Fortunately, there were plenty more there for him. The feeders are busy with dozens of goldfinches, a pair of hairy woodpeckers, a couple pairs of downy woodpeckers, a red-bellied woodpecker, purple and house finches, several pairs of cardinals, blue jays, juncoes and chickadees. I'm hoping for a return of a couple of rarer visitors, being the red-breasted nuthatch and the tufted titmouse, but time will tell. Haven't seen them yet this year.

Still cold

It is still pretty cold, and we are going to get more snow.

I'm consoling myself with this picture I took of a rainbow over our prairie. Last summer was pretty stormy, and this happened to be one of the tamer showers we had. And it was a morning rainbow, something I haven't witnessed too often myself. It was 'originating' right in the prairie!

The baby goats are doing great, still enjoying the relative warmth of the mud room. Even Mangus, even though he is a month old. But we have yet to construct pens for the babies in the barn, and it seems too cold anyway. We don't keep them toasty warm in the mud room, though; it gets down to 50 F at night in there, but we don't want them to be pansies either!

I'll try to get more pictures up of the babies soon . . .

Piper!

Aunty Shahan suggested Piper, from the Latin name for black pepper, and that's just what we were after. So Erika's does are Nutmeg and Piper. Thanks!

We are home on a snow day again. I'm sending a photo from July . . . Picnics in the park, Kool-Aid . . . ahhhh. I miss July.

Baby's babies

Tell Me Baby, otherwise know as Baby, delivered her kids this afternoon shortly after two. At least she had the decency to deliver in the afternoon! We are grateful.

The one on the left we won't keep. We can't keep them all! But the one on the right we have named Cocoa Bean, after Baby's mom Cocoa, whom we lost last year. We are tickled to have a descendant of Cocoa's that so closely resembles her.

So in addition to two more does, we got around 12" of snow! The two legged kids were home from school today, and we still don't know about tomorrow. The roads are pretty tough to pass right now, and the wind is supposed to blow a bit over night.

We have a name for at least one of Erika's does: The brown one we'd like to call Nutmeg, since her coloring resembles a nutmeg nut. The black one I'd like to call Pepper, and keep with the spice naming theme we have going for Erika's babies (e.g. Ginger from last year), but the rest of us are not sure they like that name. Below is another picture of Baby's babies.

Two new doelings

Two little doelings from our Erika! No names yet, but I'm sure that will come along. The little brown one is really fiesty, as you can tell from the one picture. It was hard to get her to be still for a picture. The bigger black one isn't too far behind. The first one born was a little doe that was born dead, unfortunately. But then came the black one, followed directly by the little brown one. Lil brownie weighs 5 1/2 # and lil blackie 7 1/2#. Momma Erika is doing fine.
The two-legged kids got a snow day home from school today. Can we say cabin fever? The weather is pitiful here today. Yesterday we had heavy snowfall, at least 4". Counties directly north and west got up to 13". This morning we had thunderstorms and fog. Now we are having fog, and tomorrow we are supposed to get more heavy snow. We are wondering if the next big storm system we get our Baby going. She has the same due date as Erika, so any day now . . .
Compared to last year, this has gone so well. If all goes without a hitch with Baby, I think I'll party till I'm purple! Seriously, I know for sure the hardships of last year have taught us to appreciate the blessings of this one so very much!

When its 2:30 AM and Stormy . . .

you can just about bet that one of your pregnant does will decide its her time. Pictures to come later . . .