Kidding

Today at 6:13am

I don't know why I ever assume that I have these creatures figured out. Look at the word 'capricious.' It means unpredictable and flighty, in a somewhat adorable way, or something like that. The root is from Latin (or Greek) capra, which is goat - caprine, capricious, Capricorn . . . all have to do with goats.

These goats we have are pretty awesome, for the most part. They have each their own personality. We raise them by hand to be friendly to humans. But when that goat decides she won't do something, you may as well give up and try to figure out a way to bribe her. They aren't small goats, these Nubians - our wether stands almost shoulder high to me, with the older does only a little shorter. So when they dig in, they will not be moved.

Sissy was due on Monday. Yesterday, she started her labor - dripping goo, laying down and getting back up repeatedly . . . I really thought yesterday would be the day. This morning, still no kids. So then there is all the anxiety of, am I doing the right thing for her, should I have the vet come in . . . ? Am I going to have to reach in there and straighten or pull something out? (Which scares me to pieces, by the way) But no, she is still her vigorous, snarky self, so we just watch and wait.

Erika is due Saturday. She has been fighting ketosis. It makes her weak and shaky, and she didn't really want to eat. We know we can bribe her with raisins, so that helped a little. We've been treating her with proplyene glycol, which sounds nasty, but that's what you do for ketosis. Yesterday when I walked up to the barn to check on Sissy, I saw that the goats had found a feed sack to tear up. Right in the middle of the torn up pile was Erika, looking prouder and happier than she has in a week. I'll give her a feed sack to tear up every day if that's what it takes for her.

So I start this day not knowing at all what to expect. I just have to remember to trust God for the outcome, even if its not comfortable. I have to put all this anxiety aside and trust the goats to know what to do. And hopefully, sometime in the next day or two I will be able to show off some of those adorable baby goats. Nothing that is going to happen today is surprising to God, so I have to do my best for Him and trust the rest will fall into place.

Deer, OH Deer!

This happened NewYear's Eve, the Jeep is in the body shop as I write this. They popped up out from behind a ridge, near here on pavemet, in the middle of the ever-lovin day. I tried to avoid them, but they had a vendetta. Two does slammed right into the side of the Jeep. You can see each of their imprints in each of the doors. When I got safely pulled over, I turned and saw one laying in the road. I thought, well, maybe ate least I'll get to process this one, some recompense for the damage. I started to dial my brother-in-law, who I knew was closeby and would be able to dispatch the infernal creature and help me get it home. However, when I opened my door, she got up and ran off. I imagine she had fallen down laughing anyway and scooted out when the joke on me had played out.

Pa-Pa Joe

Last night my husband's grandpa ended his struggle at the age of 91. We're happy for him, sad for us. We'll miss his humor, his guitar and harmonica playing. As a former Methodist minister, he married Andy and I, as well as Andy's brothers and their wives. Thanks to everyone who has been praying for our family as we were preparing to say goodbye. E4 was happy, she was seeing Grandma June on the other side jumping up and down, clapping, saying 'He's here! He's here!' She probably had the domino table all set up and ready for him.

Looking ahead

In a little over a month, we'll be kidding again. Can't believe it!

I hope all of our friends and loved ones had a great Christmas, blessed with peace. I'm hopeful for the New Year 2009, hoping for more peace and abundance. I'm already dreaming of the garden, what to plant and how to do it even better this coming year. I got out my sprouter and have started some salad sprouts, just because I feel I need to be growing something!

Thinking . . .

Yeah, I know, duck. No, there is nothing burning.

I am thinking of a name change for the farm, the website, etc. The house we live in used to house a gal named Catherine Buxbaum, and she wrote a book called Iowa Outpost. Its out of print, and hard to acquire, but I'm thinking of changing the name to Outpost Nubians. Amon Eruanna is proving to be too strange, too irksome to have to keep explaining, etc.

Here are some pictures of our last smoking adventure. The best batch yet. Very tasty venison summer sausage.


Night before last we had the killing frost. So a new season begins for me, as I can leave the canner put away, at least until after Thanksgiving when there will be venison to can again. We've been making the sausage from last season's venison from the freezer.

The apples are done. I've made over 50 quarts of applesauce, some apple jelly and apple butter, and baked goods here and there . . . Then, this past weekend the hubby and the children took the rest of our apples to a cider press, and we have over 27 gallons of cider in the freezer. Pretty nice!

All my balloons . . .

The above photo was taken on the first day of school. This little green guy, or maybe his brothers and sisters also, has been spotted all over the yard this summer. And now for a tangent jump . . .

Whee! So, I have this little punk imp that lives in the back of my head, and every once in a while she needs appeasment, so that's why my taste in music never seems to mature. Yes, you are shaking your head, and most the time I would agree with you.

So I have stumbled across a band, fairly new I believe, and now this song is stuck in my head, held there by the aforementioned imp.

So google Children 18:3 and listen to that song, or better yet, watch the video. Pretty fun!

first pangs of fall '08

My beloved geek gave me a whole new hard drive just for my photos, so I feel like I'm back in business. There have been a couple of tragedies in my extended family, a couple of funerals, so I'm definitely ready to get back to life here at Amon Eruanna.

Uncounted numbers of folk have waxed poetical about flowers, but have you noticed how they are always there, always able to incorporate some form of delicate beauty into the worst situations, or to celebrate any occasion? Birth, death, sickness, congratulations . . . more than likely you will find a flower of some kind there. Even an ordinary day is set apart when you take a few moments to observe a flower. From just a practical standpoint, they are there to ensure the next season's flowers. From a more abstract one, they remind us of God's diversity, His ability to contain power and emotion in the most delicate petal. Or maybe He just knew that something inside us craves beauty. Our Creator sure knew we needed them, and made them just right.


Ok, and just so you know I haven't been slacking, here is some of our lovely harvest.