tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83441661416864052782024-03-12T20:04:59.932-06:00The Jack Creek CoylesThe last best place.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-11731090791502602462011-12-10T15:22:00.001-07:002011-12-10T15:42:03.889-07:00Preparing for the Buck<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9K74uVw7aR8/TuPbRTQuM5I/AAAAAAAAAn4/mAJpxsS51bE/s1600/PC100021+%2528800x508%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9K74uVw7aR8/TuPbRTQuM5I/AAAAAAAAAn4/mAJpxsS51bE/s320/PC100021+%2528800x508%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> It's goat breeding season around the Coyle house! To breed our three does this year, we decided to rent a buck from a local breeder. We postponed our breeding season this year by about a month so as not to run into any 'birth' conflicts...if you know what I mean. With that in mind, we should see some baby goat kids running around the ranch sometime in May or June! How many cute babies can we handle in just a few short months, you may ask yourself! Uh....we may be asking ourselves the same question?....With the possibility of three does kidding this year, it is SURE to be an adventure.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Since we cannot expose our two nine-month-old doelings born last spring to the buck, we had to build a separate area for them to live while he joins the herd. This is their first time away from their mother doe, Janet, which will mean they will finally be officially weaned this week. It should prove to be a loud week around the Coyle homestead. Nubian goats are known for their, ahem, vocal skills...</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDa3jPnNc7c/TuPbTnC5dzI/AAAAAAAAAoA/rLOM4Z9vmQ4/s1600/PC100024+%2528800x638%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDa3jPnNc7c/TuPbTnC5dzI/AAAAAAAAAoA/rLOM4Z9vmQ4/s320/PC100024+%2528800x638%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Once we had a new area fenced in, and Pfeiffer approved it, we taught the doelings how to enter the shed through the small poultry door and find their food and water. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1qRx9sNWtQo/TuPbVXKPsTI/AAAAAAAAAoI/KougBq43a_8/s1600/PC100026+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1qRx9sNWtQo/TuPbVXKPsTI/AAAAAAAAAoI/KougBq43a_8/s320/PC100026+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Look how fat these two babies are! Janet obviously had no shortage of milk this fall but with their new diet of strictly hay, they should start to take on svelter figures soon enough.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hCB4fMhj5bI/TuPbkTuRZrI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/ZtoiR33SwWY/s1600/PC100036+%2528800x689%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hCB4fMhj5bI/TuPbkTuRZrI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/ZtoiR33SwWY/s320/PC100036+%2528800x689%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Flo. What a ham she is...Just like her mother Janet.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fGjG6Wqf-LY/TuPbnLgEP-I/AAAAAAAAAoY/YGEABPBZSTk/s1600/PC100037+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fGjG6Wqf-LY/TuPbnLgEP-I/AAAAAAAAAoY/YGEABPBZSTk/s320/PC100037+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Tomorrow we drive to Bozeman to pick out our buck of choice and bring him home for a month. Stay tuned for photos and news of buck happenings. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And brace yourself for a month of buck jokes....I've been saving up.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-74478203731157506002011-11-20T20:35:00.000-07:002011-11-20T20:35:49.551-07:00Consumer-Free Baby Thoughts, Elk Processing, and a New Mouser<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y5fPm3Hx-DE/TsmsHLkSNgI/AAAAAAAAAm4/PHHfgmcMRyI/s1600/PB200011+%2528800x657%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="262px" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y5fPm3Hx-DE/TsmsHLkSNgI/AAAAAAAAAm4/PHHfgmcMRyI/s320/PB200011+%2528800x657%2529.jpg" width="320px" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"Are you going to have a baby shower?" </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The question has been asked of me at least a dozen times. I consciously have to tell myself not to cringe.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don't get me wrong, I love parties, but what I DON'T love, often associated with said showers (whether it's a bridal, wedding, or baby shower) is the consumerism usually involved.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Yes, we are adding to population of humans. But do we really need to add to the population of baby crap on this earth? An avid reader of Craigslist, I often find myself perusing the 'Baby' section in complete amazement. Ad after ad selling 'necessary' baby items "New With Tags" or "Never Used"...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have to wonder, how many of these items people paid for full-price at the store to "not use"?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bizarre.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Plus, have you ever gone to the thrift store, or dump? They are chock FULL of baby gear, much of which is in near perfect, if not new, condition. Not only is this stuff purchased for almost EVERY baby but then discarded of after infancy passes, sometimes in as little as two months?! ACK! So much waste. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now I'm getting all worked up.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I guess my point with all this ranting is this: if a baby shower has to include a bunch of new baby items (in a bunch of packaging, grrrrr....) that most of us already owned once and discarded, then NO, I am not interested in a baby shower.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After explaining this theory as gently as I can (which sometimes isn't very gently) in response to proposed baby shower question, I am often met with either a confused, glazed-over look, or the beloved response "Well...we probably have some things for you from when so-and-so was little....".</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And...our journey towards a sustainable family progresses.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rcjm5_jxmUw/TsmsKH3iJkI/AAAAAAAAAnA/S4YPOKbPZ-E/s1600/PB200005+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="240px" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rcjm5_jxmUw/TsmsKH3iJkI/AAAAAAAAAnA/S4YPOKbPZ-E/s320/PB200005+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320px" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Although we have gotten a 'few' new items (as gifts) thus far, I can count them on one hand, the outpouring of support from friends with gently used baby gear to donate to our cause has been fantastic. Each week I take a quick tour through a thrift store, scoring a handful of items, or get an email from a friend or relative with something to 'give' the up and coming Coyle baby. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pictured above is just a portion of the infant clothing we have already acquired, spending only about $50.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The added challenge, is we are looking for gender-neutral items!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MgRnzSlR9Lc/TsmsMIdnOEI/AAAAAAAAAnI/d1yihAda1BY/s1600/PB200007+%2528800x475%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="190px" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MgRnzSlR9Lc/TsmsMIdnOEI/AAAAAAAAAnI/d1yihAda1BY/s320/PB200007+%2528800x475%2529.jpg" width="320px" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> With reusable diapers in the plan (I don't feel the need to explain this at all) we have had the GREAT fortune to be blessed with a huge lot of both prefolds and covers, ranging in size from new born to toddler from a few close friends. These washable cloth diapers are worth their weight in gold, being able to withstand hundreds of washings without wearing out, costing no money for several years. outside of the cost of the energy used to wash them, and creating almost no waste, besides grey water. And I haven't even touched on the health benefits cloth diapering has to offer... </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Best. Recycled. Gifts. Ever!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Money spent: $0 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">High Five.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ovXtZmhPVLE/TsmuTlWQi4I/AAAAAAAAAnQ/jNNU_0oha50/s1600/PB140012+%2528800x545%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="218px" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ovXtZmhPVLE/TsmuTlWQi4I/AAAAAAAAAnQ/jNNU_0oha50/s320/PB140012+%2528800x545%2529.jpg" width="320px" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Ed brought home half an Elk last week, and we had our work cut out for us at home for about three nights!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Here's some photos from the processing...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Doing it ourselves saved us about $300 compared to the (not very good) butcher trip last fall.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R7O3qOR_PIY/TsmuZIBHWuI/AAAAAAAAAnY/KHwG-MSArXQ/s1600/PB140031+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="240px" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R7O3qOR_PIY/TsmuZIBHWuI/AAAAAAAAAnY/KHwG-MSArXQ/s320/PB140031+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320px" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Ed's parents gave us a meat grinder attachment for our Kitchen Aid that we finally were able to put to work.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It worked great and was very easy to use! We also employed a used Food Saver my dad gave us last year....which we liked, for the vaccuum sealing purposes, but disliked, for the plastic used. You win some, you lose some. It ain't easy bein' green...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fZV03F5u_XI/TsmudI4mFBI/AAAAAAAAAng/abrUP-M5JXg/s1600/PB150007+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="320px" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fZV03F5u_XI/TsmudI4mFBI/AAAAAAAAAng/abrUP-M5JXg/s320/PB150007+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240px" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Elk burgers, anyone?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uwszOACmbPc/Tsmuh5aYZGI/AAAAAAAAAno/NID6yo0p4cU/s1600/PB180003+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="320px" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uwszOACmbPc/Tsmuh5aYZGI/AAAAAAAAAno/NID6yo0p4cU/s320/PB180003+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240px" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> A pre-Thanksgiving cocktail party this weekend gave me the excuse to experiment with some hor derv's. Above are Almond Crusted Chevre Grape Truffles. They were so easy to make and so yummy! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r6_h0ZOI8Yk/TsmulC9BZEI/AAAAAAAAAnw/JgDnNnlLwgY/s1600/PB190013+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="320px" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r6_h0ZOI8Yk/TsmulC9BZEI/AAAAAAAAAnw/JgDnNnlLwgY/s320/PB190013+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240px" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">With the upcoming usage of the "West Wing" of the cabin this spring, we decided it was time to get serious about the mice in our home. Welcome home, Martha Washington, our latest addition to the Coyle Clan, our first feline! Rescued from the barn of a local hay salesman, she is a three-month old Calico, and seems to be adjusting just fine to the move.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The dogs.....are still unsure.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well, that's all the news for now from our neck of the woods.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We hope this entry finds you well.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Hugs and Kitten Bites, The Jack Creek Coyles</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-18905380552931722112011-11-13T19:40:00.000-07:002011-11-13T19:40:26.734-07:00Redneck Weekends Happen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SgiL00SbhzQ/TsB77jD-oII/AAAAAAAAAmQ/hFnBXPwu--o/s1600/PB130003+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" nda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SgiL00SbhzQ/TsB77jD-oII/AAAAAAAAAmQ/hFnBXPwu--o/s320/PB130003+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div> This weekend's happenings.<br />
The does have recently decided to throw out some serious milk my way, so I made some cream cheese, pictured above. On the left is blueberry strawberry, and on the right is vegetable garlic (our favorite).<br />
These cheeses are the best, and a great excuse to splurge on bagels!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DjdcG9hYaY0/TsB7-GHgadI/AAAAAAAAAmY/kthd-PH8UQs/s1600/PB130005+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" nda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DjdcG9hYaY0/TsB7-GHgadI/AAAAAAAAAmY/kthd-PH8UQs/s320/PB130005+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div> With the leftover whey drained from the goat cheeses, I am experimenting with Lacto-fermentation?<br />
Apparently this makes super healthy goodies, quickly fermenting veggies, breaking down thier carbohydrates into lactic acid, which is ultra restorative to the digestive tract. Above are some half gallon jars of cabbage and carrot sauerkraut fermenting, both veggies harvested from the Coyle garden. I hope it turns out well and will keep you 'posted'. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gk87jfXNQT0/TsB8GsnbA4I/AAAAAAAAAmg/86Klzw8G-1s/s1600/PB120004+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" nda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gk87jfXNQT0/TsB8GsnbA4I/AAAAAAAAAmg/86Klzw8G-1s/s320/PB120004+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div> We brought home a splitter on Friday to work through our dozen or so cords of wood that ed harvested this summer and fall, and what do you know? A SNOW STORM. What a start to a long day we had. Our friend Kyle is helping me with the splitter in the photo above.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zU6xwGAQLBI/TsB8IxKwIXI/AAAAAAAAAmo/2yPzRbHKCBs/s1600/PB120007+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" nda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zU6xwGAQLBI/TsB8IxKwIXI/AAAAAAAAAmo/2yPzRbHKCBs/s320/PB120007+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div> Still have a long way to go!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aQdURPKsi4c/TsB8OHzFnxI/AAAAAAAAAmw/W5H52dcVJBM/s1600/PB120016+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" nda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aQdURPKsi4c/TsB8OHzFnxI/AAAAAAAAAmw/W5H52dcVJBM/s320/PB120016+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>By the end of the day, and with the help of our neighbor from Diamond J Ranch next door who brought a second splitter, we had gotten through all but two of the cords. Boy was I sore!<br />
On Sunday morning, Ed and Kyle (who spent the weekend at the ranch to help us with the wood) went out on an elk hunt and found success! Since we don't have much room in the freezer this year, as we are still eating our elk from last fall, Ed and Kyle are splitting the meat. <br />
We plan to try out our new meat grinder and food saver machines this week, processing our elk at the house this year for the first time. <br />
Pictures to come!<br />
Hugs and snow on your boots, <br />
The CoylesUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-71896013735766423202011-11-09T09:53:00.001-07:002011-11-09T09:58:48.238-07:00A Sustainable Pregnancy Diet?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yl_H52KCPY0/TrqkZ0lxhFI/AAAAAAAAAlw/HVGGkUxdJYc/s1600/ecopreg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ida="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yl_H52KCPY0/TrqkZ0lxhFI/AAAAAAAAAlw/HVGGkUxdJYc/s1600/ecopreg.jpg" /></a></div>Last weekend marked our halfway point through my first pregnancy. (20 weeks of 40, for those of you unfamiliar with human gestation, don't worry, sometimes I still count to five months like the goats...sigh)<br />
It has been a pretty uneventful and easy period of time so far for me and my body, compared to the horror we both expected, and we are GRATEFUL. No real sickness, no roller coaster hormones, no bizarre side-effects. The most notable attribute being the round ligament pain I experience in the evenings after, say, running four miles, take an 8 hr off-trail horse back ride, and mucking out the chicken coops. Who doesn't get sore from those things normally anyways, right? <br />
Although my physical and emotional well being has been pretty smooth sailing so far, I have had a few spiritual 'Green Guilt' battles along the way. What is Green Guilt, anyways? A newly coined term I learned from my ecological engineering professor, it is the feeling you have when you know something you are choosing to do isn't the best choice for the environment. The more you get into sustainable lifestyle choices, the worse they weigh on your conscience. And I have definitely had a few issues.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-STt3LWE-Wtw/Trqw4qnZCvI/AAAAAAAAAmI/TLqLa1SyI2Q/s1600/a_sad_face_of_vegetables_ie346-070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222px" ida="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-STt3LWE-Wtw/Trqw4qnZCvI/AAAAAAAAAmI/TLqLa1SyI2Q/s320/a_sad_face_of_vegetables_ie346-070.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>First off, during my first 12 weeks of pregnancy, known as the first trimester, my eating habits took a harsh U-turn for the WORST! Normally a wild game and vegetable girl, I could not tolerate either. With a freezer full of freshly harvested elk, venison, and our farm raised chicken, this was quite dismaying. Not to mention the garden was really kicking out loads of fresh goodies during those months, July through September...I couldn't even bring myself to weed, let alone harvest. My grief was palpable.<br />
Not only had I spent countless hours nurturing these plants from seed to maturity, time seemingly WASTED, but what type of example was I setting for this new life trying desperately to grow inside of me? <br />
What happened to the self-reliant healthy diet I loved?<br />
Pounds of fresh peas, spinach, lettuce, and scallions stared at me in through the kitchen window.<br />
Alot of the goodies went to waste, as Ed could only eat so much and the food preservation girl was lying face-down in the couch cushions.<br />
The word WASTE was big on my mind those months, and I did not enjoy it.<br />
Adding to the frustration of the garden and freezer, I was left with nothing at home that I wanted to eat. Unfortunately this was not an option, so I headed out to the grocery store and was met with my second WASTE challenge: packaging.<br />
OK, so we put behind us that I was not going to eat meat or vegetables, so what WAS I going to eat then?<br />
I cruised the aisles. Macaroni and Cheese, from a bag inside a box. Boxed Ice Cream, with hydrogenated oils, and boxes. Spaghettios, with food coloring, from a can. Cereal, with loads of sugar, more boxes. Fruit roll-ups, with loads of food coloring, and MORE packaging. Plastic, foil, AND cardboard, in fact. GREAT. I wanted to cry as I loaded my cart.<br />
At least I brought my own bags. (Annoyed snort.)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e3bSgJ4jpEY/TrqwDkvbW_I/AAAAAAAAAmA/1hGbgylmsos/s1600/paperearth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" ida="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e3bSgJ4jpEY/TrqwDkvbW_I/AAAAAAAAAmA/1hGbgylmsos/s320/paperearth.jpg" width="299px" /></a></div>It was a rough go for a month or so. With no energy to bake or cook actual, from scratch, meals, and even less of an appetite to eat I did create, I made do with horrible processed foods, and felt the climate warming up as I chewed each strawberry fruit roll-up. <br />
Have I even mentioned the amount of money I spent on these groceries during that time period? AWFUL.<br />
Packaging and processing equals money, so essentially you're paying alot more to F up the environment at a faster rate? UGH, maybe I just wouldn't eat anymore....<br />
And this too, shall pass.<br />
It did.<br />
Around week 11, I had the urge to eat some tomatoes. I started to sneak spinach into my sandwiches. I nibbled a banana. Some cooked broccoli? Smother it with cheese and hand it over! Chicken? You should try Ed's butter fried chicken fingers! I'm pretty sure in his last life he was a southerner! Things were certainly looking up.<br />
By fall, I had hit month 4, my first trimester was in the distant past, and I stepped into the untamed rain forest that was once my organized, impeccably garden. I harvested a ton of cabbage, onions, carrots, spinach, brussel sprouts, and tomatoes. It felt good. Maybe if I hadn't have been pregnant these crops would have already been picked during summer and we would not have benefited from a fall harvest, right?<br />
There was a good side to everything, I supposed.<br />
I eventually stopped with the packaged, processed food buying, and got back into the swing of whole foods. Our bank account thanked us, as did the environment.<br />
It should, however, be noted that I have not been able to yet stomach elk or venison still, but thankfully it's safely frozen away, for when the moment returns!<br />
Here's to the arrival of winter at Jack Creek.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fnlaJjDXAoo/TrqvTPDAwyI/AAAAAAAAAl4/v7VYZVVPvPI/s1600/PB050036+%2528477x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" ida="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fnlaJjDXAoo/TrqvTPDAwyI/AAAAAAAAAl4/v7VYZVVPvPI/s320/PB050036+%2528477x800%2529.jpg" width="190px" /></a></div>Have a great week everyone.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-88664597017749790622011-10-30T20:36:00.002-06:002011-10-31T05:06:14.545-06:00New, Improved, Jack Creek Coyles~ Version 2.5<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lXI-tBR-Ijk/Tq3i9fRWyAI/AAAAAAAAAhY/oqTf5GUnHN0/s1600/P5300008+%2528479x640%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lXI-tBR-Ijk/Tq3i9fRWyAI/AAAAAAAAAhY/oqTf5GUnHN0/s320/P5300008+%2528479x640%2529.jpg" width="239" height="320" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Yep. We been on a hiatus, I'll tell you WHAT! </div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">It's been five solid months since our last post.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">We got a little overwhelmed with it all, is the thing.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Spring picks up speed and before you know it, SUMMER!!!</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Let's give this entry a bit of a summer photo blog feel, shall we?</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Above, a mama elk, caught off-guard soon after birth.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">The first week of June.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xU6LqYDa5IY/Tq3jFu2mppI/AAAAAAAAAhg/5QBHal_jLXg/s1600/P5300014+%2528640x446%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xU6LqYDa5IY/Tq3jFu2mppI/AAAAAAAAAhg/5QBHal_jLXg/s320/P5300014+%2528640x446%2529.jpg" width="320" height="223" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--uxwRAhvyJo/Tq3jZwTWFkI/AAAAAAAAAho/MbEWQSOydc0/s1600/P6030017+%2528800x561%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--uxwRAhvyJo/Tq3jZwTWFkI/AAAAAAAAAho/MbEWQSOydc0/s320/P6030017+%2528800x561%2529.jpg" width="320" height="224" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">First few weeks of June bring many baby animals down to the flats...Elk, deer, and Antelope.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">It's a total cute-fest.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qOJRNHxZo4c/Tq3jgZVbcnI/AAAAAAAAAhw/yyRsmYagDSg/s1600/P6050005+%2528800x550%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qOJRNHxZo4c/Tq3jgZVbcnI/AAAAAAAAAhw/yyRsmYagDSg/s1600/P6050005+%2528800x550%2529.jpg" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">After putting my seeds in March first, babying them, hardening them, I eventually was able to put the hardy seedlings into the garden the first week of June! EARLY this year....but it was well worth it. They loved every minute of a our cool spring and flourished.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a_Ctk9B8yt8/Tq3jjdnKeNI/AAAAAAAAAh4/S-xYdE4iwXI/s1600/IM000010+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a_Ctk9B8yt8/Tq3jjdnKeNI/AAAAAAAAAh4/S-xYdE4iwXI/s320/IM000010+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" height="240" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Saw alot of bear this summer! Even lost a 200 pound pig to one....was it this guy?</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Maybe...</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ynAKxLJsP-E/Tq3ju10qlrI/AAAAAAAAAiA/X73sQTx5lUY/s1600/P6080009+%2528800x576%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ynAKxLJsP-E/Tq3ju10qlrI/AAAAAAAAAiA/X73sQTx5lUY/s320/P6080009+%2528800x576%2529.jpg" width="320" height="230" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Well, hey, our road's washed out, eh?</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Spring run-off was brutal around Jack Creek this year!</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-td3WKSeC5f8/Tq3jx5QLHTI/AAAAAAAAAiI/S17wbw3Ia-I/s1600/P6080003+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-td3WKSeC5f8/Tq3jx5QLHTI/AAAAAAAAAiI/S17wbw3Ia-I/s320/P6080003+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" height="320" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">My first batch of Feta Goat Cheese this spring. Many more batches ensued.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Delish!</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Although my forte, I found, is definitely cream cheese....MMMmmm....</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EM8_qbIlcJs/Tq3kA2hytwI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/0jn0CJEANA0/s1600/P6120008+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EM8_qbIlcJs/Tq3kA2hytwI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/0jn0CJEANA0/s320/P6120008+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" height="240" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">With all those fragile tomato plants flourishing, we had to build ourselves a first-ever Coyle Hoop House.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">What an awesome job that thing did keeping our tomatoes, basil, and cucumber plants happy and warm.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Hurray for 7 quarts of canned tomatoes this fall!!!</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BQXyWLrHjpU/Tq3kIWbRqWI/AAAAAAAAAiY/OKhJle0w1y4/s1600/P6160010+%2528800x669%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BQXyWLrHjpU/Tq3kIWbRqWI/AAAAAAAAAiY/OKhJle0w1y4/s1600/P6160010+%2528800x669%2529.jpg" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Um....apparently we had a moose visitor one evening in the garden. Luckily the dogs were ON IT and he didn't have time for seedling snacks.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8d53F0ODivU/Tq3kfGZRljI/AAAAAAAAAig/DEg8_Lx8uKE/s1600/P6250030+%2528800x671%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8d53F0ODivU/Tq3kfGZRljI/AAAAAAAAAig/DEg8_Lx8uKE/s320/P6250030+%2528800x671%2529.jpg" width="320" height="268" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Ed and I spent our three year anniversary at Bear Camp Cabin, and had a much needed wilderness weekend, with no bear sightings but PLENTY of moose. (which are my favorite)</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6DhVROsfIzI/Tq3kn02O79I/AAAAAAAAAio/3Opwp8xFQYM/s1600/P7020025+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6DhVROsfIzI/Tq3kn02O79I/AAAAAAAAAio/3Opwp8xFQYM/s320/P7020025+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" height="240" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Visitors for summer! We were lucky to have SEVERAL (you know who you are) summer visitors this year, in particular my dad and step mom Denise, pictured above made a cross country trek in their Volkswagon, which included a nice stay at the Double F Ranch! We took them out on a wilderness trail (mostly off-trail) ride with the horses and had a great week in general.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CQlybX0WO14/Tq3kzANDAoI/AAAAAAAAAiw/Ljc5OiIY7DA/s1600/P7060009+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CQlybX0WO14/Tq3kzANDAoI/AAAAAAAAAiw/Ljc5OiIY7DA/s320/P7060009+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" height="320" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Goat Farmhouse Cheddar! I learned SO MUCH about cheese making this summer with two does in milk. I made Feta, Ricotta, cream cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, monteray jack and above I am hanging my first batch of cheddar. We have yet to cut into this baby, aging makes it better, right?</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pnx9cGfSWi4/Tq3k9y7XbZI/AAAAAAAAAi4/qYVRuGFzspo/s1600/P7090040+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pnx9cGfSWi4/Tq3k9y7XbZI/AAAAAAAAAi4/qYVRuGFzspo/s320/P7090040+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" height="240" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Summer in all it's glory. Don't blink or it'll all pass you by...</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--YaTygPcJ2I/Tq3lJ7ZkEtI/AAAAAAAAAjA/b79p0illKr8/s1600/P7100030+%2528578x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--YaTygPcJ2I/Tq3lJ7ZkEtI/AAAAAAAAAjA/b79p0illKr8/s320/P7100030+%2528578x800%2529.jpg" width="231" height="320" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">My new-found riding partner this summer, Navajo the paint horse. Love him, and all his fat guy goodness. We spent many a good days in the company of Ed and Irish out in the mountains. By the end of the summer, Mr. Navajo was confident enough for some equestrian hopping of logs and such...I'm not too fond of that new-found skill, personally.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6y6dLPa7an0/Tq3lcGJ7nmI/AAAAAAAAAjI/pBM_Ouo2Nt8/s1600/P7200006+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6y6dLPa7an0/Tq3lcGJ7nmI/AAAAAAAAAjI/pBM_Ouo2Nt8/s320/P7200006+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" height="240" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Above, with the Ennis Institute of the Arts in full swing all summer, we spy a life-sized horse built by a small group of my third, fourth, and fifth graders. We studied local (and largely world renown) artist Deborah Butterfield with this project. Huge success. Huge.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f36wHcK3LmM/Tq3mAQKGr-I/AAAAAAAAAjQ/QzZHIim_blA/s1600/P7230123.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f36wHcK3LmM/Tq3mAQKGr-I/AAAAAAAAAjQ/QzZHIim_blA/s320/P7230123.JPG" width="320" height="240" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">The baby doelings, Pinky and Flo, out at pasture. They were NOT the best at staying INSIDE of the electric fenced pasture this summer, I might add. Resulting in many a headache of the goatkeeper!</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4_4Vt_zkBH8/Tq3mL_aXpaI/AAAAAAAAAjY/e1ffh8LmyEo/s1600/P8030002+%2528800x672%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4_4Vt_zkBH8/Tq3mL_aXpaI/AAAAAAAAAjY/e1ffh8LmyEo/s320/P8030002+%2528800x672%2529.jpg" width="320" height="268" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Taking advantage of the summer weather, we squeezed in several outdoor art lessons, with nature as our classroom.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CdMtZu-lO7I/Tq3mSt1IA5I/AAAAAAAAAjg/qvYAcK8ZQhg/s1600/P8060010+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CdMtZu-lO7I/Tq3mSt1IA5I/AAAAAAAAAjg/qvYAcK8ZQhg/s320/P8060010+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" height="240" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Coyote pup, resting near the roadside, on our way to Big Sky one morning.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2yWZfN4CfEA/Tq3mcUbBHbI/AAAAAAAAAjo/vBm877qT-Rg/s1600/P8130039+%2528800x570%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2yWZfN4CfEA/Tq3mcUbBHbI/AAAAAAAAAjo/vBm877qT-Rg/s320/P8130039+%2528800x570%2529.jpg" width="320" height="228" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Targhee Bluegrass Festival weekend. Our favorite bluegrass festival ever.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YvkowScQzJg/Tq3nG-A9kVI/AAAAAAAAAjw/nvlRJCR9Q1s/s1600/P8140014.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YvkowScQzJg/Tq3nG-A9kVI/AAAAAAAAAjw/nvlRJCR9Q1s/s320/P8140014.JPG" width="320" height="240" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">One Big Bear print!</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GA52Nv_8d3I/Tq3nPssFR1I/AAAAAAAAAj4/8nCr6b3PT7c/s1600/P9020001+%2528509x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GA52Nv_8d3I/Tq3nPssFR1I/AAAAAAAAAj4/8nCr6b3PT7c/s320/P9020001+%2528509x800%2529.jpg" width="203" height="320" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Alas, what do we have here? The premier tomatoes of the season, mid August.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uGEtp84BlUQ/Tq3nhtY2mbI/AAAAAAAAAkA/mNWfoVmQUVo/s1600/P9170006+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uGEtp84BlUQ/Tq3nhtY2mbI/AAAAAAAAAkA/mNWfoVmQUVo/s320/P9170006+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" height="240" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Fall is coming...our first dusting of snow.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eNNIsbLyWAM/Tq3nmBmyytI/AAAAAAAAAkI/YEOZI4L_7Ak/s1600/P9190008+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eNNIsbLyWAM/Tq3nmBmyytI/AAAAAAAAAkI/YEOZI4L_7Ak/s320/P9190008+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" height="240" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Ed's brother Frank arrives for a visit after working this past summer in Alaska. The boys get out in the hills for some elk hunting.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X4hPB2RbeQ0/Tq3ntuSA4vI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/Zuy_vPQ55L8/s1600/P9250007+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X4hPB2RbeQ0/Tq3ntuSA4vI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/Zuy_vPQ55L8/s320/P9250007+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" height="240" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">We found out in late July that we are expecting a third Coyle! Due date is around March 28, when winter will still be in full swing, BBRRRRRRrrrrr!!! Dusting off my sewing machine, I experiment with some warmly insulated baby blankets at home...</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8CTIJUIw3mo/Tq3n0yfHbcI/AAAAAAAAAkY/ROHD_HbkaVQ/s1600/P9260012+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8CTIJUIw3mo/Tq3n0yfHbcI/AAAAAAAAAkY/ROHD_HbkaVQ/s320/P9260012+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" height="240" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">We ring in the school year with a bang at the Ennis Institute of the Arts. Full classes, returning students, and a newly added ceramics medium. The kids are full of excitement, bringing me full-speed out of my first trimester energy slump. And away we go!</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PyPtHNd3oMM/Tq3oBY_Jv8I/AAAAAAAAAkg/r9m2GjfYKjw/s1600/P9300003+%2528583x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PyPtHNd3oMM/Tq3oBY_Jv8I/AAAAAAAAAkg/r9m2GjfYKjw/s320/P9300003+%2528583x800%2529.jpg" width="233" height="320" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Four months along in-utero, baby Coyle is beginning to make an appearance to the innocent bystander.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TegsBROwNMA/Tq3oW9ksp7I/AAAAAAAAAko/0CzU57zXRSU/s1600/PA040001+%2528711x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TegsBROwNMA/Tq3oW9ksp7I/AAAAAAAAAko/0CzU57zXRSU/s320/PA040001+%2528711x800%2529.jpg" width="284" height="320" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">September 2nd marks the first day of our integrated Music Program at Ennis Institute of the Arts. With a music teacher giving private lessons on Tuesdays at the school, I am able to fill his schedule with children learning Piano, Fiddle, and Guitar. Feeling lucky to have found a wonderful teacher and to have parents in our small Ennis community who fully support the ARTS!</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1cPccpp_4WU/Tq3oioWEpkI/AAAAAAAAAkw/o7II_ybjXYc/s1600/PA090014+%2528701x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1cPccpp_4WU/Tq3oioWEpkI/AAAAAAAAAkw/o7II_ybjXYc/s320/PA090014+%2528701x800%2529.jpg" width="280" height="320" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">We have had a colorful and warm fall, rare for us! Very much enjoyed by all.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MERo-8A6-YM/Tq3owUnLmqI/AAAAAAAAAk4/i7zXTYC9MxM/s1600/PA150055+%2528800x640%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MERo-8A6-YM/Tq3owUnLmqI/AAAAAAAAAk4/i7zXTYC9MxM/s320/PA150055+%2528800x640%2529.jpg" width="320" height="256" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Pfeiffer the dog plays King of the Log Pile. Winter is on it's way which means firewood season for Ed. Lots of work to heat our home for nine months of the year. Plus, with the addition of a tiny Coyle this upcoming winter, our house will need to be a bit warmer than usual...resulting in more wood and power consumption getting thrown in that direction. Where can we cut back?</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6pz4tNzWxk0/Tq3o6y74uJI/AAAAAAAAAlA/o1WCSXdKR4E/s1600/PA170043+%2528800x662%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6pz4tNzWxk0/Tq3o6y74uJI/AAAAAAAAAlA/o1WCSXdKR4E/s320/PA170043+%2528800x662%2529.jpg" width="320" height="264" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">A first grader is inspired by Edward Munch's painting The Scream....just in time for Halloween!</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qx3dHCJHUB4/Tq3pDug2r4I/AAAAAAAAAlI/kJw86QgVDvM/s1600/PA180085+%2528800x573%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qx3dHCJHUB4/Tq3pDug2r4I/AAAAAAAAAlI/kJw86QgVDvM/s320/PA180085+%2528800x573%2529.jpg" width="320" height="229" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Ed has an eventful Elk bow hunting season, and we eagerly await our taxidermist treasure!</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tHeMzHGUlfs/Tq3pNY4LHFI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/sDCB2DjV4uQ/s1600/PA190046+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tHeMzHGUlfs/Tq3pNY4LHFI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/sDCB2DjV4uQ/s320/PA190046+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" height="240" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Plaster masks for Dia de los Muertos at EIA.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BEKL5YzHvMA/Tq3pSPSvm9I/AAAAAAAAAlY/K3Q5Qeva5bE/s1600/PA200029+%2528504x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BEKL5YzHvMA/Tq3pSPSvm9I/AAAAAAAAAlY/K3Q5Qeva5bE/s320/PA200029+%2528504x800%2529.jpg" width="201" height="320" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Feeling good enough to run still at 18 weeks along. Although I love to run, I look forward to gliding along over the snow this upcoming snow season. Enough of this bouncing exercise, let's do something a little more smooth for this baby! Ed and I both count the days down to the opening ski season at Big Sky Resort.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X0TzNRzyVto/Tq3pfPNkKDI/AAAAAAAAAlg/2zddv2CEdKM/s1600/PA290037+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X0TzNRzyVto/Tq3pfPNkKDI/AAAAAAAAAlg/2zddv2CEdKM/s320/PA290037+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" height="240" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Our garden produced alot this summer, but due to my lack of interest in either eating or harvesting much, we didn't celebrate our bounties to their worth. My first trimester of pregnancy unfortunately led my stomach on a very picky journey of needs and wants, none of which included the fresh veggies we were surrounded by.</div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Luckily, as my taste buds recovered this fall, the neglected patch of plants out front decided to throw out a great fall crop. </div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wBQ-G0l2lLg/Tq3pqMo-XpI/AAAAAAAAAlo/5Z9bp7EZEpA/s1600/PA290034.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wBQ-G0l2lLg/Tq3pqMo-XpI/AAAAAAAAAlo/5Z9bp7EZEpA/s320/PA290034.JPG" width="320" height="240" ida="true" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Meatbirds! We raised and butchered 31 Freedom Ranger Chickens this summer and fall. I'm not sure I can go back to the fat behemoths we experienced last summer, with only ONE Freedom Ranger loss out of the bunch this season. These birds were hardy, healthy, and happy, right up to 18 weeks. A great crop.<br /><br />Well, there you have the short version!<br />Our summer.<br />The thing about Sustainability, which was the founding principal behind this blog, is that it takes TIME and ENERGY to succeed. With both of these aspects of life waxing and waning, in a constant battle for more of the other, sometimes you can lose sight of why you are even doing it all.<br />Wouldn't it just be easier to NOT do all this?<br />Maybe. Maybe it wouldn't be easy at all.<br />Maybe it would wreak havoc on our lives, in fact.<br />Wasn't that the problem in the first place?<br />Yes.<br />We have been over the moon the last four and a half months, expecting our first child.<br />Then, the other night, I sat idly on the couch, watching a PBS new program about the horrifyingly fast population growth.<br />Tomorrow, Halloween 2011, marks the day the world population will reach 7 billion.<br />SEVEN. BILLION. PEOPLE.<br />The baby kicked.<br />What are we doing? Are we part of the problem? Should we have done this?<br />I panicked. I felt sick. I instantly worried about our baby's future on this overcrowded planet.<br />Trying to clear my mind of the invasive thoughts, I went down to take care of our livestock for the evening.<br />Somewhere between milking the goats, counting the hens, and turning off my flashlight to listen to night birds, I remembered; It is the future that counts.<br />Though we cannot change the choices of others, we can strongly influence them through knowledge and teaching.<br />The problem with population growth is SUSTAINABILITY. How long can the earth sustain without action?<br />If we can instill our ideas, our values, our choices in this child, who is to say he or she wont make a difference in the sustainable choices of others ?<br />What if we could shift ourselves from being 'part of the problem' to 'part of the solution'?<br />A teaching challenge? For a teacher?<br />(cue: shit-eating grin)<br /><br />A quote I read from Jon Edwards that recently overwhelmed me:<br />Surely there is something in the unruffled calm of nature that overawes our little anxieties and doubts: the sight of the deep-blue sky, and the clustering stars above, seems to impart a quiet to the mind.<br /><br />As our lives become even more multi-faceted, sustainability takes on more of a focus and meaning than ever before.<br />Come with us.<br />(bring some ice cream if you think of it) </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-28757612751577787572011-05-29T15:48:00.001-06:002011-05-29T18:49:52.534-06:00A Very Busy Spring<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;">I am sure you have figured out that we are having a crazy spring here at Jack Creek,and as a result have suffered from a serious case of 'lack-of-blogging'. With the first session of classes at the newly opened art school and a very busy trip to Connecticut, we have barely had time to breath this May. Whew! I will try to catch you up with all the happenings on the ranch witht his short entry.</span><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bWp-B65A-SM/TeK1XucBCLI/AAAAAAAAAhA/unBh6UCTQZ0/s1600/P5290003+%2528800x598%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bWp-B65A-SM/TeK1XucBCLI/AAAAAAAAAhA/unBh6UCTQZ0/s320/P5290003+%2528800x598%2529.jpg" width="320" height="239" t8="true" /></span></a></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;">Pinky and Flo have been growing like weeds. They are so heavy that I can barely pick them up! I am still locking them away from mom for half of the day and they are successfully weaning themselves and you can see how big they are growing in the photo above. Finally tall enough to eat from the hay bin with the "Big Goats", they enjoy some snacks and look very cute trying to be adults. They also love to snack on grass and weeds out at pasture (when it isn't downpouring). Too bad it's been raining alot lately and I don't have any great photos to post of them eating grass right now. I'm just happy that with all the flooding we haven't had any problems with our pasture and they can still go out when it's nice for a few hours. It's important in the spring to introduce your flock to lush spring grasses in small increments so that they do not overdo it and suffer from bloat, which can be deadly. I have been putting the goats out for no more than 4 hours at a clip to keep everyone healthy until thier rumens are used to the greens again.</span></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--1LASiWSAWs/TeK1i7igk_I/AAAAAAAAAhE/Og2ug-6BlMo/s1600/P5290004+%2528800x641%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--1LASiWSAWs/TeK1i7igk_I/AAAAAAAAAhE/Og2ug-6BlMo/s320/P5290004+%2528800x641%2529.jpg" width="320" height="256" t8="true" /></span></a></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;">Ummmm....? I guess I have some laundry to do. Look at the baby chicks out and about in the background! I guess they really aren't babies anymore...</span></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8oKd9j1BBg/TeK1tum5uxI/AAAAAAAAAhI/i23Dd8NEbE0/s1600/P5290012+%2528800x675%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8oKd9j1BBg/TeK1tum5uxI/AAAAAAAAAhI/i23Dd8NEbE0/s320/P5290012+%2528800x675%2529.jpg" width="320" height="270" t8="true" /></span></a></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;">We lost one of our turkey poults who suffered a splayed leg at 8 weeks of age, but our remaining turkey is growing pretty huge. He is on the right in the photo above, the ugly looking one! You can see that the barred rock chick in the foreground is almost the same size as Delilah Jones, my adult hen. I just love those barred rocks.</span></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d9Lmy6LHttM/TeK17c1XqpI/AAAAAAAAAhM/wdWEuR1AZGk/s1600/P5290019+%2528800x768%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d9Lmy6LHttM/TeK17c1XqpI/AAAAAAAAAhM/wdWEuR1AZGk/s320/P5290019+%2528800x768%2529.jpg" width="320" height="307" t8="true" /></span></a></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;">Well...out of the four barred rock chicks, it looks like only one turned out to be a rooster. Sigh.</span></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;">He is already crowing. ALOT.</span></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;">Will we ever rid ourselves of roosters!?</span></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U9m4eAZ8SOw/TeK2GUIs1nI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/V2S7gJWbeOw/s1600/P5290026+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U9m4eAZ8SOw/TeK2GUIs1nI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/V2S7gJWbeOw/s320/P5290026+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" height="240" t8="true" /></span></a><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;">Apparently this secret snuggle spot is popular.</span></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; CLEAR: both" class="separator"><a style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i189dP2gy6E/TeK7E6N2UgI/AAAAAAAAAhU/sGAQ_B-eHfQ/s1600/P5270014+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i189dP2gy6E/TeK7E6N2UgI/AAAAAAAAAhU/sGAQ_B-eHfQ/s320/P5270014+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" height="320" t8="true" /></span></a></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;">And one last parting shot of the local elk we have been invaded with as of late. I can't wait for them to starting calving, the baby elk are so cute and we see them often on our road.</span></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;">Unfortunately this is all the info I have the time and energy for this weekend in blog land, but with school ending next week, I will be working many less hours and can spend more time catching up on our posts and working outside if this rain would ever stop.</span></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;">Coming soon: Freedom Ranger meat birds! (due to arrive around June 15) and Gardening! (my peas are coming up and look GREAT)</span></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><span style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;color:#990000;">take care now~ The Jack Creek Coyles</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-17651337256816459372011-05-11T18:09:00.000-06:002011-05-13T14:27:48.883-06:00Skunk Terror Alert Reduced to Low<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Love for the Sandhill Crane</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thought I'd start out with some cool shots of this cool bird, the Sandhill Crane. I have been fascinated by them since I've moved here. There loud calls are very cool to me. Last night I came upon one nesting, and quickly got outta there so I didn't disturb her or him. She seemed to really be hunkering down and hoping I wasn't seeing her. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tMVhXoRZGKA/TcsoFKHPkTI/AAAAAAAAAg0/6cviTPp4sNo/s1600/P5100003+%2528800x575%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tMVhXoRZGKA/TcsoFKHPkTI/AAAAAAAAAg0/6cviTPp4sNo/s320/P5100003+%2528800x575%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's the beautiful nesting zone, zoomed out. What a spot!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j7dsDbx9gjo/TcsqMp-tKII/AAAAAAAAAg8/bdhKzHynQhQ/s1600/P5100005+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j7dsDbx9gjo/TcsqMp-tKII/AAAAAAAAAg8/bdhKzHynQhQ/s320/P5100005+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Skunkers Log</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I don't know what it is. The fellow I work for, who owns the property I take care of, and recreates on it frequently, has told me he never saw skunks before I got here. I feel like I'm always running into them. The last few months, we've had numerous run ins with a skunk. Once, he came all the way up on the back deck, while Katie and Andrea made jellies in the kitchen. Another time, he sprayed the driveway area for reasons I don't know. Another time, he ran under my legs as Katie climbed up the ladder to the hay barn. You could only the imagine the screaming that took place as I begged her to go faster up the ladder.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After the ladder incident, I figured it was time to get rid of him. I set up a live trap with a small cup of pig feed in it. After a few failed attempts, this morning I opened up the doors to the barn to this:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oU9XEIzPp1Y/TcsnAct7LXI/AAAAAAAAAgc/UdFcal6JOjE/s1600/P5110020+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oU9XEIzPp1Y/TcsnAct7LXI/AAAAAAAAAgc/UdFcal6JOjE/s320/P5110020+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Luckily I tied a long length of bailing twine to the trap before I set it so that I could drag him out of the barn. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E7_YAIqWkoA/TcsnITtELdI/AAAAAAAAAgg/hG9rc8sa2mE/s1600/P5110023+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E7_YAIqWkoA/TcsnITtELdI/AAAAAAAAAgg/hG9rc8sa2mE/s320/P5110023+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Here's my first real look at him. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ILwOqJ9wykE/Tcsnb_wQ45I/AAAAAAAAAgo/UmjdCbNMe7s/s1600/P5110028+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ILwOqJ9wykE/Tcsnb_wQ45I/AAAAAAAAAgo/UmjdCbNMe7s/s320/P5110028+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> During his commute to the truck, he passed by the horses, who wanted NO part of this scene! Very upset.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8dxyfarakuI/TcsnlN3aKiI/AAAAAAAAAgs/tnxvu3GQdzw/s1600/P5110031+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8dxyfarakuI/TcsnlN3aKiI/AAAAAAAAAgs/tnxvu3GQdzw/s320/P5110031+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> After only a small release of skunk essence, I realized that he couldn't spray while he was in the trap. I think because he couldn't raise his tail high enough. However, I wasn't totally convinced. I sat here for a few minutes debating how to get the trap into the truck. I wanted to bring him somewhere far away from where I work every morning. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">People recommend drowning a skunk so that he doesn't release his essence upon death. I thought about that, but really had a hard time putting him in the creek. I kind of felt that it wasn't a humane thing to do. I actually contemplated driving far off and dropping him off. I know, he's a skunk, but I am a bit sensitive to living animals. He is stinky, but really kind of cool. And he eats bugs, snakes, small mice.....and chickens. Oh yeah!! He eats chickens. And he ate some of OUR chickens. So I decided to drive him up the road a way, with a .22 in the truck.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2xSS4yfFi2g/Tcsn70dz5EI/AAAAAAAAAgw/TX63vTBJzpY/s1600/P5110033+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2xSS4yfFi2g/Tcsn70dz5EI/AAAAAAAAAgw/TX63vTBJzpY/s320/P5110033+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> RIP Little Fella. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y90huB9K5IQ/Tcsow3VVv3I/AAAAAAAAAg4/tq4uW0r_32U/s1600/P5110027+%2528800x632%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y90huB9K5IQ/Tcsow3VVv3I/AAAAAAAAAg4/tq4uW0r_32U/s320/P5110027+%2528800x632%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center">The animal lover in me got a bit sad from this photo. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-78974598693465978532011-05-08T15:13:00.000-06:002011-05-08T15:13:13.152-06:00Some Things Were Never Meant to Grow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Life around the Double F has been nothing short of busy as of late.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Let's see here, since my last post we have: welcomed a new baby doeling into our lives, successfully opened a local children's art school, lost the same newborn baby doeling at only five days old, had our first disbudding experience with our two week old doeling kids, received about 20 inches of new snow, and sowed our first seeds into the garden.</span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0p2p0ShWtKc/Tcb6YQMuwEI/AAAAAAAAAfk/d77UBw0Fjgc/s1600/P5080062+%2528588x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0p2p0ShWtKc/Tcb6YQMuwEI/AAAAAAAAAfk/d77UBw0Fjgc/s320/P5080062+%2528588x800%2529.jpg" width="235" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Runty ended up giving birth to a single baby doeling the last Friday in April. She had an easy delivery, with Madeline up and standing within minutes of being born. Unfortunately, by the following morning newborn Madeline was showing signs of weakness, and we never saw her feed on her own again.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">With several days of attempted bottle feedings, additional heat lamps installed, and forced vitamin drenches already behind us, we lost Madeline on Tuesday evening.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We did all that we could, and she most likely had some sort of internal birth defect that would not allow her to digest properly. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It was a very sad experience, with lots of sleep lost, and stressed foreheads rubbed.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In the end, however, I realize everything happens for a reason, and Runty being only 2 years old, has many more breeding seasons to look forward to.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">She was a very good mother while it lasted and still producing about 3 quarts of milk a day for us.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Happy to be let out of the kidding pen in which she was on lock down for the five days Madeline was with us, she has taken to watching after Janet's very busy kids when Janet is in need of a break. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Teamwork!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N1F4NayLbGo/Tcb6K3oegSI/AAAAAAAAAfg/vClIbwfyBDM/s1600/P4290057+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N1F4NayLbGo/Tcb6K3oegSI/AAAAAAAAAfg/vClIbwfyBDM/s320/P4290057+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Here is a shot of Runty with Madeline just seconds after her birth. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LFzv1KChVfU/Tcb6vWm2eNI/AAAAAAAAAfs/XCeIhXi9v-c/s1600/P5080012+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LFzv1KChVfU/Tcb6vWm2eNI/AAAAAAAAAfs/XCeIhXi9v-c/s320/P5080012+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Look at how big our chicks and poults are getting! They recently have started going outside their little coop for some leg and wing stretching. The turkeys are the big ones on the right in the photo above and are quite vocal lately.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IooPO-pFBbI/Tcb7PtwFblI/AAAAAAAAAf4/Hqa-SeZ-unI/s1600/P5080041+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IooPO-pFBbI/Tcb7PtwFblI/AAAAAAAAAf4/Hqa-SeZ-unI/s320/P5080041+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Baby Flo and Pinkie and getting huge. We used our new electric dehorner to brand their incoming horn buds on Tuesday. This activity, called dis budding, will permanently damage the incoming horns at the skull, not allowing them grow at all. While some people allow their goats to grow their horns, they can be a major nuisance if you plan to spend alot of time around your herd. Being aggressive animals, horns can cause serious damage to other animals and humans. As long as you protect your herd adequately from predators, there is no need for them to ever grow. This can be thought of as similar to declawing a cat. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And yes, the branding hurts, for ten seconds. We then spray them down with a burn spray like Solarcaine to prevent infection and cool off the painful burn, and off they go, like nothing even happened. The scab will form in about a day, heal in about a week, and there you go. No horns!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0mZ6LGdOSOg/Tcb7XmjbddI/AAAAAAAAAf8/LZ5K9FEVqWs/s1600/P5080048+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0mZ6LGdOSOg/Tcb7XmjbddI/AAAAAAAAAf8/LZ5K9FEVqWs/s320/P5080048+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Above you can see Flo not having too many hard feelings for me even though I burned her head with a hot branding iron. The pink ring around the horn bud is the scab. I know it doesn't bother her at all, as she is CONSTANTLY playing the 'head-butt game' with me, Pinkie, trees, and anything else she finds in front of her.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sV7VnZQWNPM/Tcb7kRsjMOI/AAAAAAAAAgA/4hL6V5oN9LY/s1600/P5080055+%2528747x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sV7VnZQWNPM/Tcb7kRsjMOI/AAAAAAAAAgA/4hL6V5oN9LY/s320/P5080055+%2528747x800%2529.jpg" width="298" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> You can only imagine how impossible it is to take a picture of these two lately. The only time they are still is when they are asleep. Speaking of, as of Wednesday evening, I have started separating Flo and Pinkie from Janet for 12 hours per night to aid in the weaning process. This also ensures that I will get a good surplus of milk first thing in the AM from Janet, as the kids have not had a chance to nurse since the prior afternoon.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As of today I am getting about 2 quarts of milk in the AM and 1 quart of milk in the PM from the combined does. I can say enough how much we are LOVING it.....long overdue!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hn7cO-z3RD0/Tcb7ua6hqMI/AAAAAAAAAgE/TSujhX9uCYY/s1600/P5080006+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hn7cO-z3RD0/Tcb7ua6hqMI/AAAAAAAAAgE/TSujhX9uCYY/s320/P5080006+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Bok Bok Bok...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-isyUYm7HGxg/Tcb75oapzzI/AAAAAAAAAgI/IeywrwG06RY/s1600/P5080022+%2528800x567%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="226" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-isyUYm7HGxg/Tcb75oapzzI/AAAAAAAAAgI/IeywrwG06RY/s320/P5080022+%2528800x567%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">You can see above how the little chicks and poults have their own separate area from the adults. This helps with the socialization process, and bullying can really be a problem among birds of different ages.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cKuGuHhMnUE/Tcb88bbNZFI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/gM9qNjtiaJI/s1600/P5080032+%2528800x703%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="281" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cKuGuHhMnUE/Tcb88bbNZFI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/gM9qNjtiaJI/s320/P5080032+%2528800x703%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Janet with Pinkie and Flo. They are getting so big they can barely fit underneath her! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M2ZuvwfdIqA/Tcb961M6uZI/AAAAAAAAAgU/_0G5W9jdmtg/s1600/P5080070+%2528800x470%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="188" j8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M2ZuvwfdIqA/Tcb961M6uZI/AAAAAAAAAgU/_0G5W9jdmtg/s320/P5080070+%2528800x470%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The garden soil is looking great lately. Although I still have a house full of strong green seedlings, and the garden soil is more than ready, I refuse to put them in the ground before June! I did, however plant my peas and beet seeds yesterday, and can't wait to see what happens. Well, I think that's all for now, and I should probably get back to planning my next art lessons. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I hope this spring finds everyone doing well, and I hope to catch up on our blog very soon.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hugs and muddy boots~ The Jack Creek Coyles</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=3286&pw=42211"><img alt="" height="250" src="http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/10239/3286/32155/42211/image.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="300" /></a></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-86770649425169156542011-05-07T09:50:00.001-06:002011-05-07T10:00:46.568-06:00Springtime Relief<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Crazy Days</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So much has happened. So much to tell you about. I know Katie has plans to write this weekend, so I wanted to keep this to a minimum, so that she can have the opportunity to tell you all about it. Things are very good though. Life is great. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Things are busy from my perspective. Work has picked up around the ranch. I've been meaning to head out with the camera to take photos of the newly arrived angus calf, 5 bum lambs, and Pfeiffer The Dogs favorite, two pigs. I don't know what it is about those piglets, but they drive him crazy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wildlife has begun to migrate up into the mountains. The two sandhill cranes (I swear they're the same two from last spring) have been flying overhead making their incredible pre-historic rackett. They are so loud! I've been seeing the moose more active, and the deer have been everywhere. The elk are still in the flats, and I've yet to see any up here, but they will soon be making their way up to have their calves! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've been out spring bear hunting a few nights a week and I was rewarded with one of the most incredible scenes the other night. After noticing a bear den on an adjacent snowy slope with my binoculars, I spotted a sow and two cubs not 50 yards above the den. It seemed as though it was one of the first nights out of their den. The sow seemed incredibly lethargic and had a hard time keeping up with her energetic bear cubs. The cubs (one black and one brown) sprinted up and down a fir tree in between trying to wrestle with momma, only to be swatted away as they tumbled across the hillside. I sat and watched through my spotting scope for close to two hours, as momma climbed up and down the tree, breaking off branches and dropping them to the ground. She then gathered them up and seemed to be making a bed. Maybe their first night out of the den? The next evening they were gone, and I'm hoping they don't find their way 2 miles down the creek bed to our pasture. I've seen one other bear since and it makes me excited to see spring has arrived. As I was telling an old friend in an email the other night, the definition of spring in Montana, is incredibly different from where I grew up in Orange, CT!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's a photo of our herd of nubian goats, a day or so before Runty gave birth: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5WXJuRtHm6U/TcVhVk9XhhI/AAAAAAAAAfE/hq3nhVRx9rQ/s1600/P4280015+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5WXJuRtHm6U/TcVhVk9XhhI/AAAAAAAAAfE/hq3nhVRx9rQ/s320/P4280015+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">It's good to see green</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Woke up this morning to our first real rain of the season. It feels really good. I turned over the soil in one of our gardens and this pile of horse manure is waiting to be spread so it can sit for the next 5 or 6 weeks when we the fear of frost is gone and we can finally put our plants in. Our soil seems great this year after adding much to it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ggHTwHwoXxo/TcVhfZ_HM0I/AAAAAAAAAfI/k0ITNar6i4Q/s1600/P5070004+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ggHTwHwoXxo/TcVhfZ_HM0I/AAAAAAAAAfI/k0ITNar6i4Q/s320/P5070004+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
The snow has finally melted off of the picnic table. An elk didn't shed his antler there, it just ended up on the table the other night. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-196B8rDsAyU/TcVhpGRJYZI/AAAAAAAAAfM/7Ct09ndzjuI/s1600/P5070008+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-196B8rDsAyU/TcVhpGRJYZI/AAAAAAAAAfM/7Ct09ndzjuI/s320/P5070008+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Water that isn't frozen!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G_bWux8FriY/TcVhtcfBnEI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/Z2y70n8kHG0/s1600/P5070014+%2528800x584%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G_bWux8FriY/TcVhtcfBnEI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/Z2y70n8kHG0/s320/P5070014+%2528800x584%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Apparently you can eat juniper berries? Something that we should definitely look into. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-InzS6-H2T-Y/TcVh0pmBCGI/AAAAAAAAAfU/bgzVe5Tq1ZU/s1600/P5070016+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-InzS6-H2T-Y/TcVh0pmBCGI/AAAAAAAAAfU/bgzVe5Tq1ZU/s320/P5070016+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> I'm not sure what it is, but WET seems to feel really good to me during spring. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9K3SkjOn3Ww/TcViA1iHtaI/AAAAAAAAAfY/ABTTawUDJ4E/s1600/P5070018+%2528680x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9K3SkjOn3Ww/TcViA1iHtaI/AAAAAAAAAfY/ABTTawUDJ4E/s320/P5070018+%2528680x800%2529.jpg" width="272" /></a></div> The grass actually has begun to grow in the south facing front yard. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rpYt_XxBEQQ/TcViIXw_FJI/AAAAAAAAAfc/UTvFKsOReeo/s1600/P5070019+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rpYt_XxBEQQ/TcViIXw_FJI/AAAAAAAAAfc/UTvFKsOReeo/s320/P5070019+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We're back to having delicious goat milk and it's amazing! I tried to make ice cream the other night, but it turned into more of a milkshake than ice cream. Still really good though. Looking for goat milk ice cream recipes if you know of any. Hope you have a great Saturday, and check back soon, cause Katie has plans to get you all up to speed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-45605316511906424482011-04-26T10:54:00.001-06:002011-04-26T10:55:19.845-06:00Spring Snow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>April 26, 2011</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Woke up to yet another snowstorm this morning. It seems like the snow hasn't stopped since November. I've been reading articles lately about snowpack in the mountains being way above normal and wildlife extending their stays in their wintering grounds. Living at 6000 feet, I believe it. I was hiking last night in knee deep snow in areas at this time last year were completely dry. I've learned to embrace it, for it does nothing but put you in a bad mood if you don't. It's all part of the game. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've decided to try to write as little as possible for this blog post, and let some of you just enjoy some photos. Or hate them, if you're sick of the snow, as it seems from 99% of the people on Facebook. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I did want to mention how cool I thought it was that there are over 5,000 page views on this blog. Some of them from far off countries. It would be pretty cool to know who you are, but I guess we may never know. Maybe we should include some sort of discussion forum on here?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The other day Katie mentioned how she thought it was so cool when a Robin perches on the very tops of trees. I love her, she is the best. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Enjoy:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kCcwnyz6G3E/Tbbuxx07rcI/AAAAAAAAAd8/zCONhn5Yfdc/s1600/P4260032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kCcwnyz6G3E/Tbbuxx07rcI/AAAAAAAAAd8/zCONhn5Yfdc/s320/P4260032.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-803tnFFLYOM/Tbbvk2anaaI/AAAAAAAAAeA/iVavOJqkhMw/s1600/P4260006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-803tnFFLYOM/Tbbvk2anaaI/AAAAAAAAAeA/iVavOJqkhMw/s320/P4260006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rJ18QhBuqvk/TbbxXXKAuLI/AAAAAAAAAeM/pKujdtjpplI/s1600/P4260011+%2528648x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rJ18QhBuqvk/TbbxXXKAuLI/AAAAAAAAAeM/pKujdtjpplI/s320/P4260011+%2528648x800%2529.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VHmiXmc3-fI/Tbbxe96aQgI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/dEleHn-FYVk/s1600/P4260009+%2528800x601%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VHmiXmc3-fI/Tbbxe96aQgI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/dEleHn-FYVk/s320/P4260009+%2528800x601%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curious about the snow</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZtokJhq7c0/TbbxnZFdm6I/AAAAAAAAAeU/uOK1AOS8hyw/s1600/P4260013+%2528800x601%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZtokJhq7c0/TbbxnZFdm6I/AAAAAAAAAeU/uOK1AOS8hyw/s320/P4260013+%2528800x601%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QyMad6IVrzg/TbbxuDzuZaI/AAAAAAAAAeY/Bocqm0oQpbs/s1600/P4260014+%2528800x592%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" i8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QyMad6IVrzg/TbbxuDzuZaI/AAAAAAAAAeY/Bocqm0oQpbs/s320/P4260014+%2528800x592%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Probably not for Katie, but Janet has been surprising me with her skills as a mother</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Agag8VK3uw/Tbbx4bU00AI/AAAAAAAAAec/Wfjd-pj4o4w/s1600/P4260017+%2528639x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9Agag8VK3uw/Tbbx4bU00AI/AAAAAAAAAec/Wfjd-pj4o4w/s320/P4260017+%2528639x800%2529.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--i3OlutFLpk/TbbyVF1Jq3I/AAAAAAAAAek/5GxFuvdXgSA/s1600/P4260025+%2528517x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--i3OlutFLpk/TbbyVF1Jq3I/AAAAAAAAAek/5GxFuvdXgSA/s320/P4260025+%2528517x800%2529.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N6m4tglc5gI/Tbbyd_PyjYI/AAAAAAAAAeo/BNwyFObHYlg/s1600/P4260028+%2528800x695%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" i8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N6m4tglc5gI/Tbbyd_PyjYI/AAAAAAAAAeo/BNwyFObHYlg/s320/P4260028+%2528800x695%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty sure this turkey thinks he's a chicken</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oYK8xSM6wS4/TbbymkMoXOI/AAAAAAAAAes/uPpL0sD75Xg/s1600/P4260030+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oYK8xSM6wS4/TbbymkMoXOI/AAAAAAAAAes/uPpL0sD75Xg/s320/P4260030+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pbKb1yrE8F0/Tbbyy3h5DHI/AAAAAAAAAew/oLNzLmoHTFk/s1600/P4260022+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pbKb1yrE8F0/Tbbyy3h5DHI/AAAAAAAAAew/oLNzLmoHTFk/s320/P4260022+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you guess which one's are turkeys? The baby chicks are growing fast!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I_ZSN0S3P6c/Tbby7EBzaVI/AAAAAAAAAe0/_uDUun4d0FQ/s1600/P4260034+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I_ZSN0S3P6c/Tbby7EBzaVI/AAAAAAAAAe0/_uDUun4d0FQ/s320/P4260034+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The path down to the goats and chickens can be treacherous this time of year</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6tCBdcff3Og/TbbzD13avBI/AAAAAAAAAe4/W4Lqh5Hn1KU/s1600/P4260038+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6tCBdcff3Og/TbbzD13avBI/AAAAAAAAAe4/W4Lqh5Hn1KU/s320/P4260038+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our home tends to blend in with the snow</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Eu6htLLyeY/TbbzJ_aW4TI/AAAAAAAAAe8/njxwLMBZP0s/s1600/P4260048+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Eu6htLLyeY/TbbzJ_aW4TI/AAAAAAAAAe8/njxwLMBZP0s/s320/P4260048+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ofO4qpRXirU/TbbzR4Y2CGI/AAAAAAAAAfA/q_SQ6yR-C5E/s1600/P4260054+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ofO4qpRXirU/TbbzR4Y2CGI/AAAAAAAAAfA/q_SQ6yR-C5E/s320/P4260054+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wish we all could have the happy spirit of our dogs. It seems like nothing ever bothers them.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-46398515605391390562011-04-23T20:51:00.000-06:002011-04-23T20:51:23.249-06:00Dairy Trims and Waiting on Runty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E2QZxOrNyqA/TbOKbs5-JsI/AAAAAAAAAdg/ej4ugzf-zpE/s1600/P4220001+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E2QZxOrNyqA/TbOKbs5-JsI/AAAAAAAAAdg/ej4ugzf-zpE/s320/P4220001+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Since Tuesday, we haven't had any more goat kids born. I have been paying close attention to Runty, as I noticed her udder developing in the past week, which usually means kidding is imminent. On Friday Ed helped me to give both Mama Janet and Mama-to-be Runty dairy trims. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A dairy trim serves two purposes. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">First of all, it allows the milking doe to more easily be milked by her goat keeper, by keeping the area above the milk pail free of hair, and debris that can spoil the milk if it falls in. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Secondly, during the birthing process and for a few weeks afterwards the doe will be much easier to clean up as her body naturally purges itself of unnecessary birthing tissues. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The area of the goat that are trimmed using a standard electric trimmer are udder, tail, and stomach.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Above you can see Janet lined up next to Wild Child to see how nicely her trim ended up.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Wild Child did not take from our fall breeding with the buck and we hope to breed her in the next two weeks as she goes into her spring heat.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dLA1Ocr9OqI/TbOKoqGLKII/AAAAAAAAAdk/Bj8YvsJ1O-Y/s1600/P4220009+%2528633x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dLA1Ocr9OqI/TbOKoqGLKII/AAAAAAAAAdk/Bj8YvsJ1O-Y/s320/P4220009+%2528633x800%2529.jpg" width="253" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Another shot of Janet and her newly useful udder! She looks great and producing a fantastic amount of milk already for a first time freshener. To freshen means to breed a doe, there fore refreshing her milk production.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zrb0BADovd4/TbOKyiOTCRI/AAAAAAAAAdo/aOkPxxTnPjk/s1600/P4220010+%2528511x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zrb0BADovd4/TbOKyiOTCRI/AAAAAAAAAdo/aOkPxxTnPjk/s320/P4220010+%2528511x800%2529.jpg" width="204" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Excellent balance on her udder. My good looking girl!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hvv0HJhoBy8/TbOK9SldRlI/AAAAAAAAAds/V9vKiLfcu3Y/s1600/P4220007+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hvv0HJhoBy8/TbOK9SldRlI/AAAAAAAAAds/V9vKiLfcu3Y/s320/P4220007+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Poor Runty. Definitely pregnant, and now uncomfortable. She can be found lounging around the goat pen, usually grumpy looking. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iuGYSL9dEUw/TbOLIYP1Q0I/AAAAAAAAAdw/pGMlOt_h5o4/s1600/P4220011+%2528800x671%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="268" i8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iuGYSL9dEUw/TbOLIYP1Q0I/AAAAAAAAAdw/pGMlOt_h5o4/s320/P4220011+%2528800x671%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Grumpy smurf. I hope she kids soon! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-onUkTiDcExk/TbOLUMOoTHI/AAAAAAAAAd0/sEUuniqj6HE/s1600/P4230007+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-onUkTiDcExk/TbOLUMOoTHI/AAAAAAAAAd0/sEUuniqj6HE/s320/P4230007+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Did I mention we got 8 inches of snow on Wednesday? Yup. We did.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vcEJGijBN10/TbOLeR5p4EI/AAAAAAAAAd4/kQxrOLINrLw/s1600/P4210015+%2528800x622%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="248" i8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vcEJGijBN10/TbOLeR5p4EI/AAAAAAAAAd4/kQxrOLINrLw/s320/P4210015+%2528800x622%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A final parting shot of the pregnant Runty. Hopefully next time I blog she will be a happy mama.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The two 5-day-old doelings are doing really great, by the way, happily pouncing, running, and bleating their way through the day. Completely indifferent to the snow we recently experienced, I finally decided to take their fancy sweaters off today. I decided to name them Flo and Pinkie, and will post recent Flo and Pinkie photos soon! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">That's all for today.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Hugs and Hay in your gloves~ The Jack Creek Coyles</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=4284&pw=42211"><img alt="" height="200" src="http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/10272/4284/32155/42211/image.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="140" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-71206677976154448132011-04-21T16:42:00.002-06:002011-04-21T16:47:54.756-06:00Life Outside the Kidding Pen<span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Venturing Into the Wild</strong></span><br /><br />After a day and a half cooped up in their kidding pens, the new kids decided today was the big day to head out into the wild. Janet has been great so far, not venturing far at all from her kids. Here she is checking out the scene:<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6OP-Wa_OVpiVHyQ68DhyphenhyphenYwISkS2ZBwDdoGFgwHAdcFrPZcAo0tR_k_eG6zJQP9jlKhXqI4H_ICnXTJgLmAcNdIbM3f5bDgKinsZxbcsIwJ00BtYVeuFUyPWO1488FjSqKotg4CbIp17X/s1600/P4210032.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598166055546085506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6OP-Wa_OVpiVHyQ68DhyphenhyphenYwISkS2ZBwDdoGFgwHAdcFrPZcAo0tR_k_eG6zJQP9jlKhXqI4H_ICnXTJgLmAcNdIbM3f5bDgKinsZxbcsIwJ00BtYVeuFUyPWO1488FjSqKotg4CbIp17X/s200/P4210032.JPG" /></a></p><br /><br /><p>Here's General Tsao, our mean rooster, checking out the scene as well, making sure there isn't anything dangerous for the little ones. Orrrrrr, just planning his next sneak attack on me. This guy loves to pretend he's eating bugs till you walk by then WAMMO, he attacks from behind.<br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJ11xGsUMxdoZm0-oRA0UVhAWq2C59yzvJ0GPIuOMue8CB-BlUj_9kiFaPn-jyvZMhoCjIMy_BbT3VSrPHjasfviSoOC21RIKpge5KRKfG1qxjtncZR60l3KV4vtsw7c8Xa57x8YeCFI9/s1600/P4210033.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598164504546965698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJ11xGsUMxdoZm0-oRA0UVhAWq2C59yzvJ0GPIuOMue8CB-BlUj_9kiFaPn-jyvZMhoCjIMy_BbT3VSrPHjasfviSoOC21RIKpge5KRKfG1qxjtncZR60l3KV4vtsw7c8Xa57x8YeCFI9/s200/P4210033.JPG" /></a><br />The one in the green sweater, possibly named Flo, after a marking on her head that resembles the state of Florida, has been the brave one so far:<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OoW4xIm7YRl4gUU2qFEqbcj1r9UzhbqtZY3C60N5iXQwXm-itIvrM149zLLXww2DzboC4BnSSxxpYMNcg_BQGi9sdrhNUtUruDl7cxdgAhTyPDbQ3VKYys9A5ycPdFRkhoKlSCCUx7A1/s1600/P4210020.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598164493504542226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OoW4xIm7YRl4gUU2qFEqbcj1r9UzhbqtZY3C60N5iXQwXm-itIvrM149zLLXww2DzboC4BnSSxxpYMNcg_BQGi9sdrhNUtUruDl7cxdgAhTyPDbQ3VKYys9A5ycPdFRkhoKlSCCUx7A1/s200/P4210020.JPG" /></a> </div><br /><br /><br /><div>Tentatively named Pinky, is a little more timid:<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPNoTtE4k7bV-VSVdGjLhLSdrO1vQJ7SbNFucTIfB7EzqhRNdR5udpx1kg4_Pyz-sj3Qx4-PdpnjYH2_cNPEBjZlYIOXqhpweHWWCp-nbNfUVvqDw4QR9l-zMqo2QXs2GK0lBBIP6oOmIP/s1600/P4210028.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 142px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598164486114488642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPNoTtE4k7bV-VSVdGjLhLSdrO1vQJ7SbNFucTIfB7EzqhRNdR5udpx1kg4_Pyz-sj3Qx4-PdpnjYH2_cNPEBjZlYIOXqhpweHWWCp-nbNfUVvqDw4QR9l-zMqo2QXs2GK0lBBIP6oOmIP/s200/P4210028.JPG" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><div>Janet seems to be telling her it's ok to go outside:<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPj0-kqrWsFTu7QRsP6BOLg0zx3VdaOYaidinfZAbA0n58gdz2_MMrw0Wh6zMbopsY3f-MbthH7qFJBj_ry7h24t0aqYdV4jEwyamWz_ZUpP_O3rHAU2Hs8_1oGfzDiGHN2mcpy630PaCZ/s1600/P4210027.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598164480489975842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPj0-kqrWsFTu7QRsP6BOLg0zx3VdaOYaidinfZAbA0n58gdz2_MMrw0Wh6zMbopsY3f-MbthH7qFJBj_ry7h24t0aqYdV4jEwyamWz_ZUpP_O3rHAU2Hs8_1oGfzDiGHN2mcpy630PaCZ/s200/P4210027.JPG" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Here Flo tries to make friends with Wild Child. "Hey, ummm, I like green too"<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rlzJx7G66sqzGgiIiZPUkI9E7jC2Jn8iAnes_mEo6dYjlJLD2MJiRpU5OivBZ7ZvcppVxbqrlfIBQ6wL7lqBw6WUM5WwBnLyncWBhuWQtRJ2cNj2xIx-HdUwxexfqWNMM3f1liWsG_ED/s1600/P4210025.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 143px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5598164470675568514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-rlzJx7G66sqzGgiIiZPUkI9E7jC2Jn8iAnes_mEo6dYjlJLD2MJiRpU5OivBZ7ZvcppVxbqrlfIBQ6wL7lqBw6WUM5WwBnLyncWBhuWQtRJ2cNj2xIx-HdUwxexfqWNMM3f1liWsG_ED/s200/P4210025.JPG" /></a><br />And I'll leave you with a video I took this morning. If you click on the link below, it should take you right to it. Enjoy!</div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZfkGT3WHXw">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZfkGT3WHXw</a></div><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Ed Coylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06172587823551380227noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-12149938410642240432011-04-19T21:38:00.001-06:002011-04-19T21:42:32.233-06:00JANET DELIVERS! (2 baby doelings!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Janet had her kids today! She had a rough night last night, as we could hear over the baby monitor, she was very uncomfortable, tossing and turning....</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Today, I noticed she was going into labor as I left for a few hours of work.... </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">(Trust me when I say, I was NOT HAPPY TO LEAVE!) </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Ed came home from skiing, to oversee the laboring doe in the event I didn't make it home from work on time, THANK GOODNESS! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Janet delivered her two baby doelings just moments before I pulled (a million miles an hour) into our driveway this afternoon. She did a great job, needing no assistance, which made our complicated situation much less complicated.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8zXWXk0QKd4/Ta5L5L8J8II/AAAAAAAAAc0/fWY75OGKEQY/s1600/P4190016+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8zXWXk0QKd4/Ta5L5L8J8II/AAAAAAAAAc0/fWY75OGKEQY/s320/P4190016+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> The two doelings just moments after birth, already standing!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VUWw6qngGCk/Ta5NEKtP6DI/AAAAAAAAAc8/xwpFXItj-zk/s1600/P4190025+%2528800x666%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="266" i8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VUWw6qngGCk/Ta5NEKtP6DI/AAAAAAAAAc8/xwpFXItj-zk/s320/P4190025+%2528800x666%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Here, I am introducing each doeling to Janet's udder. They required almost no assistance at all and were very quick learners. (I attribute this fully to the fact they are females.)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TPPzGnwcB4Y/Ta5NerkPqhI/AAAAAAAAAdA/Q1CYloNAzrI/s1600/P4190038+%2528536x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TPPzGnwcB4Y/Ta5NerkPqhI/AAAAAAAAAdA/Q1CYloNAzrI/s320/P4190038+%2528536x800%2529.jpg" width="214" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Happy goat keeper! See the other doeling already nursing...Janet looks tired. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OdbrEpnO2dE/Ta5NxPUwvxI/AAAAAAAAAdE/D2g8C3uWyAk/s1600/P4190039+%2528770x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OdbrEpnO2dE/Ta5NxPUwvxI/AAAAAAAAAdE/D2g8C3uWyAk/s320/P4190039+%2528770x800%2529.jpg" width="308" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> I put the hobble on for just a moment or two to keep Janet from kicking off her baby girls. As soon as she realized 'the program' she was way into it, and I removed the hobble. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y6QqpvP3zfs/Ta5OG1-lCmI/AAAAAAAAAdI/stv2_PoU9Hw/s1600/P4190046+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y6QqpvP3zfs/Ta5OG1-lCmI/AAAAAAAAAdI/stv2_PoU9Hw/s320/P4190046+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Once the girls has fed a little bit, Janet decided it was cleaning hour and proceeded to lick every square inch of her fuzzy new baby girls....and my entire face as well. She was VERY glad to see me finally I think!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e6ftyg7oUs4/Ta5PMRTWrQI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/i8ItjYCTGr8/s1600/P4190075+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e6ftyg7oUs4/Ta5PMRTWrQI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/i8ItjYCTGr8/s320/P4190075+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Both doelings still have about 6 inches of umbilical cord attached, which I doused in Iodine and antiseptic spray to keep out bacteria. They should fall off in the next few days, just like humans.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pHpbSdOgGqw/Ta5PZQf4C4I/AAAAAAAAAdU/dOkHPfa076k/s1600/P4190108+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pHpbSdOgGqw/Ta5PZQf4C4I/AAAAAAAAAdU/dOkHPfa076k/s320/P4190108+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> The proud mama with her girls.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Those small doggie sweaters are coming in MIGHTY handy on this cold, snowy afternoon and evening!</span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AtQVBZK2-Rg/Ta5PlAONMwI/AAAAAAAAAdY/KnNPDiU8PdU/s1600/P4190012+%2528800x601%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AtQVBZK2-Rg/Ta5PlAONMwI/AAAAAAAAAdY/KnNPDiU8PdU/s320/P4190012+%2528800x601%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d79QhPJBijs/Ta5QGMSzLiI/AAAAAAAAAdc/wdnIjgwVrFM/s1600/P4190008+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d79QhPJBijs/Ta5QGMSzLiI/AAAAAAAAAdc/wdnIjgwVrFM/s320/P4190008+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Needless to say, I am bummed to have just barely missed the actual births of these two gorgeous doelings. BUT could not be happier to have had our first successful kidding, not to mention TWO GIRLS!!! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">So happy. La La La...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Stay tuned for 'The Runty Situation'...until then, we adore and play with our newest additions.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Hugs and Warm Molasses Water~ The Jack Creek Coyles</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-33063925736311059652011-04-17T13:49:00.000-06:002011-04-17T13:49:29.701-06:00Seedlings Love Fish Fertilizer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TH5yognPPGU/Tas8SsDAkbI/AAAAAAAAAcc/1IvRR7S1heQ/s1600/P4170012+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TH5yognPPGU/Tas8SsDAkbI/AAAAAAAAAcc/1IvRR7S1heQ/s320/P4170012+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Here's a couple shots of some of our seedlings at six weeks of age. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They are starting to go crazy...and the snow still flies outside.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We are planning on making long, narrow hoop houses to cover each row in our garden this spring, rather than one huge greenhouse structure. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The local winds, heavy spring snow storms, and wide array of temperature needs of our plants has greatly affected our decision to spend alot of money on a huge, high-profile structure. Instead, we will work with each type of plant individually under each tunnel to better meet that specific plants' needs.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n8WLsR4_yLw/Tas8evhLzqI/AAAAAAAAAcg/3jaP59lC8_8/s1600/P4170016+%2528607x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n8WLsR4_yLw/Tas8evhLzqI/AAAAAAAAAcg/3jaP59lC8_8/s320/P4170016+%2528607x800%2529.jpg" width="242" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> The broccoli, cabbage, and tomatoes and really beginning to get strong, and will be moved into our cooler mudroom in a short few weeks.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=4440&pw=42211"><img alt="" height="180" src="http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/10049/4440/32155/42211/image.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="90" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9u4_4uTECHw/Tas9PQr0fOI/AAAAAAAAAck/f1ZQYjbh0GQ/s1600/P3270007+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9u4_4uTECHw/Tas9PQr0fOI/AAAAAAAAAck/f1ZQYjbh0GQ/s320/P3270007+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Some of the random items I have recently purchased in preparation for our goat kids: a baby monitor, to listen for signs of midnight labor from the goat shed routed straight to our bedroom, a nasal aspirator, to clear mucousy new born airways, some cute and ridiculous XS doggie sweaters for tiny kids born on cold Montana nights, and last but not least, WINE for the stressed out goat keeper to sip after kidding!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-35Xf0pJQve8/Tas9f6z98wI/AAAAAAAAAco/gorxZAidACo/s1600/P3270004+%2528800x765%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="306" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-35Xf0pJQve8/Tas9f6z98wI/AAAAAAAAAco/gorxZAidACo/s320/P3270004+%2528800x765%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Here's our favorite fertilizer to hit our veggie plants with once a month or so....totally cheap and worth every penny! (be warned, very stinky, dogs love.....)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o8qZS03pFdQ/Tas-UE7O5bI/AAAAAAAAAcs/EfM7f9awd-M/s1600/P4110027+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o8qZS03pFdQ/Tas-UE7O5bI/AAAAAAAAAcs/EfM7f9awd-M/s320/P4110027+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Hey look! Our turkey poults are getting big! As you can see from the photo, the two turkey poults in front are really starting to take off in size. I think we may have one Tom as well because one of the poults is much larger than the other, with some crazy tail feathers developing....</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--XBYDQO1nyY/Tas-gr3qZAI/AAAAAAAAAcw/F9Tyfq1S0ds/s1600/P4110030+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--XBYDQO1nyY/Tas-gr3qZAI/AAAAAAAAAcw/F9Tyfq1S0ds/s320/P4110030+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Last weekend we moved our chicks and poults from the chick brooder to this larger chicken tractor.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The advantage of owning a chicken tractor (Ed made this one for me) is that they don't have a bottom, making them ideal for putting the chickens out in the yard anywhere you want them. It is very light and easy to move around so that your grass doesn't get ruined. Right now, we have the tractor on the ground inside our chicken coop, with some hay layed down for warmth. Also, there is still snow on the ground outside....</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sorry this post is a little all over the place, but I was up until 4 AM last night as we sent off our good friend Joe with a going away party. Joe is moving to Mount Hood, in Oregon, for the summer and working as a Rock Climbing, Back Country Skiing, and Mountaineering Guide. He's awfully fun, and we will miss him, but hope he has a great season out there.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Have a happy Sunday~ The Jack Creek Coyles</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=63069&pw=42211"><img alt="" height="120" src="http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/11055/63069/32155/42211/image.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-8297595223708962932011-04-16T14:23:00.000-06:002011-04-16T14:23:14.687-06:00Pregnant Doe(s)?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5sEePo-Cp3s/Tan1NB03PRI/AAAAAAAAAcA/JiJ959pBPb8/s1600/P4160003+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5sEePo-Cp3s/Tan1NB03PRI/AAAAAAAAAcA/JiJ959pBPb8/s320/P4160003+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Hey there. Katie here. First off, sorry about this month and the lack of communication via blog.</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I am finally taking the leap and starting my own art school for children here in Ennis, and my life has been a whirlwind of crazy lately. </span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">I have a degree in Art Education, NOT business, so this has very much been a (semi-stressful) learning experience. Every day I am facing new, awkward challenges, and just hope that by the end of summer, I will have everything running smoothly and an overload of eager students to contend with. Our school officially opens on May 2nd, with classes running after school until the first week of June when school closes. Then summer programs will commence...</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">That said, the action has been few and far between with these dang goats!!!</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">As you can see from the top photo, Janet, Miss Jackson if you're nasty, is not getting any smaller.</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">She pretty much groans whenever she sees me coming at this point, as if to say "Do I really have to get up??"</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RHEFolD5HNQ/Tan1XAX8loI/AAAAAAAAAcE/VCm141A2-9c/s1600/P4160025+%2528433x640%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RHEFolD5HNQ/Tan1XAX8loI/AAAAAAAAAcE/VCm141A2-9c/s320/P4160025+%2528433x640%2529.jpg" width="216" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> Little Miss Runty remains a big question mark in my brain. Although she has definitely gained weight over the last month, I can't help but wonder if it is because of the extra grain I have been giving her...</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">The one thing I CAN say, is that she ACTS pregnant. Lying around the pen with the same lack of energy and luster as Janet exudes. They are two peas in a pod lately, and it just makes me wonder. Maybe she is indeed expecting?</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3efOvbKcNLM/Tan1gHiO3lI/AAAAAAAAAcI/GxFUnyDzjKE/s1600/P4160026+%2528640x590%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="295" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3efOvbKcNLM/Tan1gHiO3lI/AAAAAAAAAcI/GxFUnyDzjKE/s320/P4160026+%2528640x590%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> Seriously wide load. Look out for this one. She'll take out your ACL if you're not paying attention.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iC7YSsT_iAs/Tan1paXovbI/AAAAAAAAAcM/F-4nwLplOgw/s1600/P4160029+%2528640x448%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="224" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iC7YSsT_iAs/Tan1paXovbI/AAAAAAAAAcM/F-4nwLplOgw/s320/P4160029+%2528640x448%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> What do you think? Pregnant, or just finally up to size?</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OZeKtgnn3bU/Tan1xHgF25I/AAAAAAAAAcQ/xo_BXgo2VcI/s1600/P4160033+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OZeKtgnn3bU/Tan1xHgF25I/AAAAAAAAAcQ/xo_BXgo2VcI/s320/P4160033+%2528480x640%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> At this point she has trouble getting up on the milking stand. It's a little bit amusing/mean to watch actually.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hf7kqNzugyc/Tan14iH_OxI/AAAAAAAAAcU/phiSLp7Ds1g/s1600/P4160037+%2528390x640%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hf7kqNzugyc/Tan14iH_OxI/AAAAAAAAAcU/phiSLp7Ds1g/s320/P4160037+%2528390x640%2529.jpg" width="195" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> An aerial shot of the mini.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z_QRaITprXY/Tan2AYOzWuI/AAAAAAAAAcY/qirfivfoPWI/s1600/P4160044+%2528640x390%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="195" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z_QRaITprXY/Tan2AYOzWuI/AAAAAAAAAcY/qirfivfoPWI/s320/P4160044+%2528640x390%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Let me know what you think!</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Also, our sister herd, in Bozeman had their first kid on Tuesday and I was lucky enough to make it over to their farm to witness it! So amazing. </span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">And so it begins...</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Again, my life is a bit crazy right now, with two weeks until go time with a new business, but I will keep you posted on any kids that drop in the near future in Jack Creek.</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Hugs and manure on your jeans, The Jack Creek Coyles<a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=57577&pw=42211"><img alt="" height="60" src="http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/10083/57577/32155/42211/image.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="120" /></a></span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-207164604190738342011-03-28T20:47:00.000-06:002011-03-28T20:47:59.975-06:00Finished Goat Kidding Pen!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-igxCVac_Ux4/TZFCrPOTFuI/AAAAAAAAAbo/6MpmhAzUyD8/s1600/P3280002+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-igxCVac_Ux4/TZFCrPOTFuI/AAAAAAAAAbo/6MpmhAzUyD8/s320/P3280002+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> OK, so I'm posting twice in one day. Someone alert the press, right?</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Thing is, we finished the kidding pens today and I'm all excited about it. </span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Above is Ed putting the finishing touches on one of the kidding pen doors. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I_vGGV5WV48/TZFCzobbf6I/AAAAAAAAAbs/WW4VLbZGzW8/s1600/P3280026+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I_vGGV5WV48/TZFCzobbf6I/AAAAAAAAAbs/WW4VLbZGzW8/s320/P3280026+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Feeding some snacks to the herd. Always a popular event.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Crlxaggu8jc/TZFDApuD8gI/AAAAAAAAAbw/D38BTm4GYo8/s1600/P3280023+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Crlxaggu8jc/TZFDApuD8gI/AAAAAAAAAbw/D38BTm4GYo8/s320/P3280023+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Rounding up the pregnant doe to test out our completed kidding pen. She's almost in at this point.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B8OQZS33iiY/TZFDM4sQ7uI/AAAAAAAAAb0/5FYvTx_k6Mc/s1600/P3280010+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B8OQZS33iiY/TZFDM4sQ7uI/AAAAAAAAAb0/5FYvTx_k6Mc/s320/P3280010+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> She likes it! (As long as there is food involved, Janet likes ANYTHING.)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kAhojKpT6uQ/TZFDZilcrBI/AAAAAAAAAb4/7TNF9w8ysqg/s1600/P3280011+%2528800x701%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="280" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kAhojKpT6uQ/TZFDZilcrBI/AAAAAAAAAb4/7TNF9w8ysqg/s320/P3280011+%2528800x701%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> On the top is her water bucket (right now it has food in it though to lure her in...), on the bottom right is the heat lamp, and on the left is the door!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DkewkoC_YAw/TZFDpnY-MwI/AAAAAAAAAb8/NkpmTAI09_E/s1600/P3280016+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DkewkoC_YAw/TZFDpnY-MwI/AAAAAAAAAb8/NkpmTAI09_E/s320/P3280016+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Wide Load!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">For the first time since we have gotten our goats (ten months), we filtered some power into the goat shed today. Just before sunset this evening, I hooked up a small light bulb from the ceiling, and a baby monitor (receiving end) on a tall shelf inside the shed. We lured the herd inside and locked them in for the night! This is a long overdue action, and we are SO lucky that we have not had any predator problems over the last year while allowing the goats to bed down wherever they want at night 'in the wild'. I was not ready to take the chance during kidding season, however. </span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">After turning on our end of the monitor system in the house, we laughed as the goats crashed around inside the shed and munched on hay, both events easily audible in our bedroom. I feel happy they are not spending their first night locked in a completely darkened shed, but amidst the luxury of the small 14watt bulb instead.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">As they become accustomed to sleeping locked in, however, I think I will opt out of an all night lit atmosphere for them. But, for now, I uphold my nightlight requirement for my little buddies.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">New bedrooms can sometimes be creepy.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Anywho, just wanted to share.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Happy and Hippy~ The Jack Creek Coyles</span><br />
<a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=34337&pw=42211"><img alt="" height="250" src="http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/10248/34337/32155/42211/image.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="300" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-54520658451254870122011-03-28T14:33:00.000-06:002011-03-28T14:33:21.813-06:00Elk, Antelope, and Mule Deer~ OH MY!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6SkcTqytQMk/TZDr4NUrRJI/AAAAAAAAAbA/P1icscCxtg0/s1600/P3280008+%2528800x494%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="246" r6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6SkcTqytQMk/TZDr4NUrRJI/AAAAAAAAAbA/P1icscCxtg0/s400/P3280008+%2528800x494%2529.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> Sometimes just a simple drive to town seems like a ride through a wild safari. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">First, we ran into a herd of Elk attempting to cross the road...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oLfTJMGaHvo/TZDsBXWnilI/AAAAAAAAAbE/rg37kfPtfd4/s1600/P3280009+%2528800x569%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="283" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oLfTJMGaHvo/TZDsBXWnilI/AAAAAAAAAbE/rg37kfPtfd4/s400/P3280009+%2528800x569%2529.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> I like their noses.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-atBlqrTZu0U/TZDsMdlyRbI/AAAAAAAAAbI/iASt9WUIeS0/s1600/P3280012+%2528800x568%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="454" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-atBlqrTZu0U/TZDsMdlyRbI/AAAAAAAAAbI/iASt9WUIeS0/s640/P3280012+%2528800x568%2529.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> That's the rest of the herd, way off in the distance.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-klSuBlSUSSg/TZDsWqbTRuI/AAAAAAAAAbM/A5qZCeG6078/s1600/P3280014+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-klSuBlSUSSg/TZDsWqbTRuI/AAAAAAAAAbM/A5qZCeG6078/s400/P3280014+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> Next, a small herd of antelope also decide the grass must be greener (or least less frozen) on the other side.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VmoWkM98Npo/TZDsfoAnMgI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/cjSxanepevc/s1600/P3280013+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VmoWkM98Npo/TZDsfoAnMgI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/cjSxanepevc/s400/P3280013+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cUC0d_leJ4w/TZDsqZlS32I/AAAAAAAAAbU/DCK-7oVrELw/s1600/P3280017+%2528800x572%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="285" r6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cUC0d_leJ4w/TZDsqZlS32I/AAAAAAAAAbU/DCK-7oVrELw/s400/P3280017+%2528800x572%2529.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-75mHs52XFtM/TZDs27JreSI/AAAAAAAAAbY/xOCWUW7rb5o/s1600/P3280018+%2528800x661%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="330" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-75mHs52XFtM/TZDs27JreSI/AAAAAAAAAbY/xOCWUW7rb5o/s400/P3280018+%2528800x661%2529.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-17aIwimXRs4/TZDtKD7PcWI/AAAAAAAAAbc/BvW3lYgqIv4/s1600/P3280024+%2528800x637%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="317" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-17aIwimXRs4/TZDtKD7PcWI/AAAAAAAAAbc/BvW3lYgqIv4/s400/P3280024+%2528800x637%2529.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">And lastly, our local herd of Mule deer fording the Jack Creek. They don't care if the water is 40 degrees.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Our work today on the goat shed has been temporarily halted due to inclement weather, if you can imagine that. I think I may hunker down inside this afternoon for some tomato plant transplanting and some fiddle time. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Take care, and don't worry, Monday's almost over.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">~J.C.C.'s</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Courier New; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=60733&pw=42211"><img alt="" height="600" src="http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/11017/60733/32155/42211/image.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="300" /></a></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-66995898577503137472011-03-27T19:33:00.000-06:002011-03-27T19:37:34.789-06:00Building Goat Kidding Pens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lEmMwvm1Emc/TY_drERiLeI/AAAAAAAAAac/9bT8OcetUXQ/s1600/P3270012+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lEmMwvm1Emc/TY_drERiLeI/AAAAAAAAAac/9bT8OcetUXQ/s320/P3270012+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Spent the day working on our kidding pens. Even though we only have one doe showing, we are being positive and building two pens. In the very least, we will use both next year and not have to build again, right??</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">We started the day by deciding where in our existing goat shed we would put the enclosures, and how big they were going to be. The dimensions of the pens are ending up being 3 ft by 4 ft, which we hope will be an appropriate size. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The goal behind the kidding pens, are to keep a doe safe while kidding by not moving around very much. You want her to be separated to keep the other goats from stepping on any newborn kids, helping a new mom to appropriately care for and bond with the little ones.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Basically, when I feel Janet is close to kidding time (within a few days) I will keep her mostly enclosed in her pen, which will provide access to food, water, a heat lamp, and clean dry bedding, which is of the utmost importance.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NT6R6DGNdOk/TY_d3sXqWcI/AAAAAAAAAag/Q15rQMZXFKU/s1600/P3270020+%2528508x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NT6R6DGNdOk/TY_d3sXqWcI/AAAAAAAAAag/Q15rQMZXFKU/s320/P3270020+%2528508x800%2529.jpg" width="203" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Above you can see our resident carpenter at work building a small wall dividing the two pens.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">It was REALLY fun to shovel the forty bazillion tons of goat manure out of this shed today.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Nope, not really! But it will make GREAT compost for the garden, so there you have it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GwW1po5baK8/TY_eGqd0SZI/AAAAAAAAAak/8DUw3d4BaDg/s1600/P3270024+%2528677x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GwW1po5baK8/TY_eGqd0SZI/AAAAAAAAAak/8DUw3d4BaDg/s320/P3270024+%2528677x800%2529.jpg" width="270" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Here I'm brainstorming how to make our pens more goat friendly... </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">We decided to make the doors have a big window of chicken wire to let the sun shine in, which made me pretty happy to think about. The afternoon sun does a great job of warming up the goat shed and will be great for the little ones to thrive in.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uknHouOzdtw/TY_eY-T9rxI/AAAAAAAAAao/AtlPZ0ff7iA/s1600/P3270013+%2528800x769%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="307" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uknHouOzdtw/TY_eY-T9rxI/AAAAAAAAAao/AtlPZ0ff7iA/s320/P3270013+%2528800x769%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> The herd wasn't too pleased with the saw and drill-clad duo that invaded their space today, but after a while got too hungry to stay away from us. The wide doe in front will be our first 'kidding pen' resident!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OedaB2Sijos/TY_enChJDxI/AAAAAAAAAas/9kKIscZ8n4I/s1600/P3270022+%2528800x539%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="215" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OedaB2Sijos/TY_enChJDxI/AAAAAAAAAas/9kKIscZ8n4I/s320/P3270022+%2528800x539%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> I decided the warm and mild weather today required all chickens to be outside and promptly threw them all out the chicken house door and locked it behind them! General Tsoa, our big black rooster, was not at all happy about us in such proximity of his 'harem' today, and spent the day rounding the girls up. Not to mention the fact our German Shepard Hattie decided she wanted to be a part of the construction process as well and spent the day within the fence boundaries. I was just WAITING for him to attack her, but it never happened. She's off the hook for now!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s5tHvzcEBi4/TY_e2Hng2TI/AAAAAAAAAaw/ar2x01RBoKA/s1600/P3270034+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s5tHvzcEBi4/TY_e2Hng2TI/AAAAAAAAAaw/ar2x01RBoKA/s320/P3270034+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Here's a shot of our garden grounds today! It's so nice to see the actual dirt in action. We have been dumping our wood burning stove ashes on the site all winter, and are getting ready to dump a few truckloads of goat and chicken manure on top before the spring rains start. I cant even imagine summer at this point.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g4DgXFoQFrU/TY_fBqXlpqI/AAAAAAAAAa0/PJLMWzMp5HQ/s1600/P3270036+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g4DgXFoQFrU/TY_fBqXlpqI/AAAAAAAAAa0/PJLMWzMp5HQ/s320/P3270036+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Ed stirs up our compost bucket. This will go on the gardens this year too! I think we may be in business this summer, don't you? High Five!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SWE_f09eV9Q/TY_fKSZ7zfI/AAAAAAAAAa4/UX5ekXCvPkI/s1600/P3260004+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SWE_f09eV9Q/TY_fKSZ7zfI/AAAAAAAAAa4/UX5ekXCvPkI/s320/P3260004+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> And now some parting shots of our Mule Deer visitors last night. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Biggest ears in the land! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Very cute.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fSlIHfT9loo/TY_fTJtc0yI/AAAAAAAAAa8/SH37OSCVyg8/s1600/P3260003+%2528800x557%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="222" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fSlIHfT9loo/TY_fTJtc0yI/AAAAAAAAAa8/SH37OSCVyg8/s320/P3260003+%2528800x557%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Hope everyone enjoyed their Sunday as much as we did.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Cheers!~ The J.C.C.'s<a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=1569&pw=42211"><img alt="" height="125" src="http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/10049/1569/32155/42211/image.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Courier New;">P.S. Remember, you can always click the photos to make them bigger :)</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-74387149322235651182011-03-26T12:26:00.000-06:002011-03-26T12:28:40.946-06:00Bok.. Bok.. Bagok!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-WUOk7buBb2c/TY4s29OYSaI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/KtdA4vpMh_w/s1600/P3260002+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-WUOk7buBb2c/TY4s29OYSaI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/KtdA4vpMh_w/s320/P3260002+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Here's more chick and poult photos from this gorgeous spring morning.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">First of all, wanted to let you know we started all of our chicks (turkeys included) on Flock Raiser, which is the same feed we give our grown poultry. Normally with layer chicks, we start them on a medicated chick starter feed, but since we plan to eat the turkeys someday, we can't give them anything medicated. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Also in the photo above you can see they type of chick feeder use in the brooder.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-CRr9SScXw5g/TY4YiLrbxgI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/koVSs9EIPTI/s1600/P3260004+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-CRr9SScXw5g/TY4YiLrbxgI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/koVSs9EIPTI/s320/P3260004+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">The flock is very interested in the brooder, especially Delilah Jones, our barred rock. I am hoping this will cause her to go broody this spring and maybe we can even hatch some chicks here at home!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FU_cwZu4ERk/TY4lDvF2S5I/AAAAAAAAAaA/TVA6aIH3zt4/s1600/P3260008+%2528800x665%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="266" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FU_cwZu4ERk/TY4lDvF2S5I/AAAAAAAAAaA/TVA6aIH3zt4/s320/P3260008+%2528800x665%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Cheep-Cheep!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-oZmJTMwKu5E/TY4lQXKYobI/AAAAAAAAAaE/Npl9_C3mk5U/s1600/P3260009+%2528800x710%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="284" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-oZmJTMwKu5E/TY4lQXKYobI/AAAAAAAAAaE/Npl9_C3mk5U/s320/P3260009+%2528800x710%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">The turkeys are the stripey ones that have little feathers on their wings already.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-U2Gjy3KKFGQ/TY4ldsdPFVI/AAAAAAAAAaI/m0Fmi2MLOOM/s1600/P3260012+%2528776x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-U2Gjy3KKFGQ/TY4ldsdPFVI/AAAAAAAAAaI/m0Fmi2MLOOM/s320/P3260012+%2528776x800%2529.jpg" width="310" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">One of my buff orpingtons getting to work in the nesting box.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IWC9I6xr2Ew/TY4lnW7_bmI/AAAAAAAAAaM/dxmeb-BaIRA/s1600/P3260014+%2528800x587%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="234" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IWC9I6xr2Ew/TY4lnW7_bmI/AAAAAAAAAaM/dxmeb-BaIRA/s320/P3260014+%2528800x587%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">WookieFoot keeps a close eye on the brooder chicks from above.<a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=3412&pw=42211"><img alt="" height="250" src="http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/10248/3412/32155/42211/image.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="300" /></a></span></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-30494009260967696532011-03-25T21:10:00.000-06:002011-03-25T21:10:58.969-06:00Layer Chicks and Turkey Poults!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1euWNw84hbs/TY1UnBro-FI/AAAAAAAAAZs/7sLoqWZxIIo/s1600/P3250078+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1euWNw84hbs/TY1UnBro-FI/AAAAAAAAAZs/7sLoqWZxIIo/s320/P3250078+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> We brought home ten new babies today to the Double F! We ended up with 4 barred rock pullets, 2 Rhode Island Red Pullets, 2 Silver Laced Wyandottes, and a first for us...2 Turkey poults! (I realized on the way home that we had no idea the breed, whoops!) In the photo above I am getting everybody settled in thr brooder in the chicken house. For the first time ever we are starting the chicks out in the ACTUAL chicken house, as opposed to keeping them in the house for the first few weeks. Having a nice chicken house has been a major bonus for us this spring and there is plenty of room for the small brooder on the floor. The rest of the flock seems very interested, and I am happy that everybody has the chance to hear eachother right from the beginning. Hopefully this will make the chick introduction even smoother in a few months.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-5Vsr_l2G4CQ/TY1UyUXPE7I/AAAAAAAAAZw/z6tMxVvH63s/s1600/P3250080+%2528606x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-5Vsr_l2G4CQ/TY1UyUXPE7I/AAAAAAAAAZw/z6tMxVvH63s/s320/P3250080+%2528606x800%2529.jpg" width="242" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Here's one of our turkey poults! Very cute, which I am savoring since I think grown turkeys are the UGLIEST things ever! (but very tastey) I wonder if we have males or females, but only time will tell. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-gdYTHaTiwo8/TY1U74jHlzI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/XPHsLDbVp4s/s1600/P3250084+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-gdYTHaTiwo8/TY1U74jHlzI/AAAAAAAAAZ0/XPHsLDbVp4s/s320/P3250084+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As you can probably gather from the number of chicks we brought home, I decided to get 8 more laying hens, bring our hen to rooster ratio back down to 8:1, and hopefully making everyone happy come summer. Above you can see Mr. WookieFoot in the rafters, our 'new' rooster....Here's to hoping these new girls will bring him down into the flock more often. He has always been a little aloof, and now we know why.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well, for now, we are off and running with the spring babies on the ranch! Stay tuned for the arrival of: baby meat birds, weaner piglets, and Nubian kids someday soon!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hugs and dog hair~ The Jack Creek Coyles</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=35725&pw=42211"><img alt="" height="250" src="http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/10665/35725/32155/42211/image.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="300" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-7884156463546593902011-03-20T16:09:00.000-06:002011-03-23T08:37:50.382-06:00Hoegger Dairy Kidding Supply Order<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">FYI: Here is a copy of my kidding order from Hoegger Goat Supply!</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Times; font-size: large;">Pretty excited about all our new stuff on the way, and free shipping to boot! Awesome company for us goat dairy folk, highly recommended.</span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;">Products ordered:</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">SKU Product Item price Quantity Total </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">10F Two Compartment Mineral Feeder Options: 3 pack Option: Single </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">$5.95 1 $5.95 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">9K Cable Clamp Options: Choose single or discount 10 pack: Single </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">$0.70 3 $2.10 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">8J Hanging Bucket Holders Options: Select: Single [2x4] </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">$7.95 3 $23.85 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">30C A.I. Lube Jelly (5 oz.) $4.75 1 $4.75 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">3B Metal Elastrator with rings $14.85 1 $14.85 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">4F Rhinehart X30 Dehorner Options: Tip Size: Regular Tip </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">$72.95 1 $72.95 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">6G Double End Chain Lead $5.95 3 $17.85 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">20F-1 Herbal Wormer Options: Quantity: 1/2 lb </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">$10.95 1 $10.95 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">19C Goatade Options: Size: 8oz </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">$9.35 1 $9.35 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">22C-1 Probios Powder (1 lb. jar) $12.00 1 $12.00 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">7C-1BL Nylon Kid Collars Options: Color: Black </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">Quantity discount: Single </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">$2.85 3 $8.55 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">32G Organic Iodine (1 lb.) $3.55 1 $3.55 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">20A-1 TODAY Mastitis Treatment Options: Choose single or discount Dozen: Single </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">$2.95 1 $2.95 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">Subtotal: $189.65 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">Shipping cost: $0.00 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">Total: $189.65 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">Thank you for your purchase! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=2147&pw=42211"><img alt="" height="250" src="http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/10086/2147/32155/42211/image.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="300" /></a><script src="http://www.avantlink.com/affiliate_app_confirm.php?mode=js&authResponse=b3f1653b2d8b36774861c776a439b9b95b80f6ad" type="text/javascript">
</script> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-46513976531859642562011-03-20T13:36:00.000-06:002011-03-23T08:39:43.355-06:00March in Montana: In like a Mountain Lion...Out like a Mountain Goat <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NdldeoCosTU/TYUFnxapksI/AAAAAAAAAYs/GkSgAwCzWMU/s1600/P3080039+%2528800x506%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" r6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NdldeoCosTU/TYUFnxapksI/AAAAAAAAAYs/GkSgAwCzWMU/s320/P3080039+%2528800x506%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack Creek mountain goat herd, with new buddy, front and center.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I remember when March meant warm temps, sun burnt cheeks, and Capri pants...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">March in Montana brings different types of changes than our old New England stomping grounds did. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We welcome warmer temperatures sure, if you mean closer to the freezing point of 32 degrees. While we are super happy to not constantly worry about pipes, vehicles, and pets freezing in sub-zero temps, we are still living fully in winter mode around here with daily snow melts, followed by afternoon and evening snow squalls. Average nightly temperatures dip only down to the 10's and 20's at this point. A welcome change for sure!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Also with March's arrival is mud's arrival. Not alot of roads are paved around these parts, living most of the winter months under a solid sheet of ice and snow, we are recently starting to see muddy roads instead. I much prefer to drive on packed snow than mud, which can be tricky, even with the best vehicle. At least in packed snow, you don't sink.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Bring out the galoshes, folks. This could get messy.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Recently in our local newspaper, The Madisonian (we live in the Madison Valley, cut by the Madison River) we read an article about a mountain goat kid that seemed to lose its way, and after getting separated from it's herd, somehow ended up on the ski slopes at Moonlight Basin Resort, about 13 miles past our driveway.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This story hits close to home, literally, as we also have a local mountain goat herd that lives in our own canyon here in Jack Creek. During the winter months, its fun to watch them as we drive into town, perched high on the cliffs just above our road. They seem to defy gravity on the littlest hooves you can imagine, hopping and skipping care-free along mere centimeters of rock ledges.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In the springtime, we have the luck of seeing all the newly 'hatched' white puffs of kids, bouncing to and fro right along with their mama's, its really the cutest thing to see! So tiny, and so agile, within hours of being born.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyways, I digress. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So after the concerned skiers of Moonlight Basin decided skiing wasn't the BEST activity for a young mountain goat kid to take up, Fish and Wildlife authorities were called and came to pluck the young buckling off the trails. Not being able to locate the original herd to which this little guy belonged, they decided to reintroduce him to the Jack Creek herd in our canyon. Luckily, he took right away to a new and accepting mama, and here are some photos of the herd and the newest member, fitting right in. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Adoption, I love it!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-u7ibrRrNsd4/TYUFycv2h4I/AAAAAAAAAYw/L_AkTBQEhXY/s1600/P3080045+%2528800x491%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="196" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-u7ibrRrNsd4/TYUFycv2h4I/AAAAAAAAAYw/L_AkTBQEhXY/s320/P3080045+%2528800x491%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Maaaaa can I have five bucks?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In other news, I put my first seeds in seed trays to germinate a few weeks ago! I decided to concentrate on primarily the hardiest plants, with which we had the most success with last season, and throw in a few of the more mild-mannered veggies to grow in containers this time. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The seeds I planted alot of: Broccoli, Green Cabbage, Red Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts, Basil, Cilantro, and Lettuce.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The seeds I skimped on since they <strike>died to death</strike> didn't do so well last time: Tomatoes, Jalapenos, Bell Peppers, Scallions, and Celery.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">And OF COURSE my tomato seedlings look like they are on steroids. It's a trick, I can tell.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We are hoping to put up some type of hoop house concoction this spring/summer to shield our plants from the weather and hold in more heat once they are transplanted.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As soon as the icebergs can broken up on the far side of the garden, I'm putting my peas in! I'm hoping for the beginning of April!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">You BETCHA</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lxeOMFUnuZg/TYUGLEnjw-I/AAAAAAAAAY0/wRWI0C7hbNw/s1600/P3150011+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lxeOMFUnuZg/TYUGLEnjw-I/AAAAAAAAAY0/wRWI0C7hbNw/s320/P3150011+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Some spring seedlings</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well. It's official. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Wookie-Foot (my fluffy-footed free exotic chick from last summer) is a rooster! It has taken him nine months of gestation to birth out his first crows, and I am bummed about it. Here we are, finally thinking we are at the correct 1:9 ratio of rooster to hens for flock happiness, when this happens. I had already decided that in addition to the Freedom Ranger meat birds we would raise this spring, I was also going to get myself a couple of Barred Rocks and Auracana pullet chicks, and now, this. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The thing that bugs me is that Wookie-Foot is a GORGEOUS bird. He is big, and fluffy, and rainbowy, with fancy feet, and a super mild character. Now I have to either get rid of him, get rid of General Tsao (my other huge black roo), or commit to another 9 or so layers. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sigh.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Decisions, decisions. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now you may be saying to yourself "Well, why can't you just keep them all?". </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">And I could. But if I'm going to keep this flock of working birds in captivity year-round and expect them to produce endless eggs for the Coyle clan, the least I can do is make their environment as stress-free as possible. And if that means getting rid of one of the dominating, stress-causing males on the scene, or introducing a new harem of females to one of those males to keep him busy, so be it. Animals cannot speak, not in human language at least. It is up to us, to understand what will make a working animal happiest and produce that environment for them. It's the least we can do.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In the photo below you can see I'm getting ready for some spring chicks by cleaning out the chick brooder. Chicks are fragile little beings that are quite susceptible to disease. With each new flock of chicks you must be sure your brooder is properly cleaned out and as dry as possible before introducing new chicks to it. I mixed up a bucket of hot water, with a cup of bleach and a few squirts of dish soap, and went to town on our brooder with a paint scraper, Brillo pad, and finally a sponge. Allowing it to air dry really didn't work out for me with the impromptu snow storm that decided to grace our area though.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Grumble grumble.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-g7IqHvoJfNs/TYUGfos-lQI/AAAAAAAAAY4/nFWFpNRUrnU/s1600/P3160001+%2528684x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-g7IqHvoJfNs/TYUGfos-lQI/AAAAAAAAAY4/nFWFpNRUrnU/s320/P3160001+%2528684x800%2529.jpg" width="273" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Pfieffer, can you get that end?!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In goat news: kidding season is coming!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Although Janet continues to be the only doe to show thus far, we aren't getting terribly worried about the other two. Because we left our girls at the love farm for a solid 5 weeks, their kidding period goes clear to the middle of May. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">During their last 'potential' month of gestation, however, you must supplement their hay with some more nutritious grains. This month of daily special feedings also allows you to connect physically (and spiritually I think) with your potential mamas.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Each evening, around sunset, I traipse down to the goat shed and bring out my favorite three does to give them each a chance on the milking stand.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">While on the milk stand, they are petted, brushed, hugged, snuggled, and given an udder check-up. It is ideal to get the girls very used to having their udder, and body in general, touched and <strike>harassed</strike> manipulated prior to kidding time so as not to upset or stress them out when it comes time to 'help out' a little. They also start out on the right <strike>foot</strike> hoof, associating the milking stanchion with "FOOD!!!" and "TREATS!!!" As opposed to an after kidding introduction, associating it with "MY MILK IS BEING STOLEN!!!" </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's a little farmer trick we like to play. They never figure it out.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-LEFTsPAQmpU/TYUGwCSgujI/AAAAAAAAAY8/xSjW7k3nInU/s1600/P3180005+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-LEFTsPAQmpU/TYUGwCSgujI/AAAAAAAAAY8/xSjW7k3nInU/s320/P3180005+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Fatty McEatsalot</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Above you can spy on Janet. She is QUITE the boss of the <strike>world</strike> milking stand, refusing to get down, even after the food is LONG gone. Somehow, I knew she would be like this! I'm going to guess that she kids around mid-April, which is about 4 weeks away. EEEK! We are really hoping for some girls out of her...although she mentioned naming her first-born Jerry?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-deflgclp0KQ/TYUG_2MLVLI/AAAAAAAAAZA/jwGgSFYO5Nk/s1600/P3180020+%2528800x717%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="286" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-deflgclp0KQ/TYUG_2MLVLI/AAAAAAAAAZA/jwGgSFYO5Nk/s320/P3180020+%2528800x717%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Not seeing much belly action on Wild Child</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Wild Child, above, still has yet to show any sort of plumpness. We can only hope, as she is a great mom with experience, and produces some nice kids. She is still a bear on the milk stand though. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Dq53iuZvFO4/TYUHKb-a1-I/AAAAAAAAAZE/XWBz1j4cmbM/s1600/P3180031+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Dq53iuZvFO4/TYUHKb-a1-I/AAAAAAAAAZE/XWBz1j4cmbM/s320/P3180031+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Runty clearly needs a mini milking stand</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And now, a poem:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Here stands Little Miss Runty</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> How I love thee</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Could that little belly</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> growing ever so slowly</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> hold an even tinier goat than she?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Maybe! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Runty has come a long way since getting a daily grain ration. She is starting to allow me to pet her, and seems to like the special attention. Alot. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7nStbk6xtEM/TYUHYEoDtJI/AAAAAAAAAZI/lMMSF91MBBQ/s1600/P3180016+%2528800x695%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="278" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7nStbk6xtEM/TYUHYEoDtJI/AAAAAAAAAZI/lMMSF91MBBQ/s320/P3180016+%2528800x695%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Hungry?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Here is a breakdown of what I feed the does:</span></div><ul><li><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/3 Wet Cob (mixture of Corn, Oats, and Barley coated with molasses)</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/3 regular rolled Oats</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1/3 regular Barley</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">a sprinkling of Black Oiled Sunflower Seeds</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">a few tablespoons of Yeast Culture (think: probiotics)</span></div></li>
<li><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">a few tablespoons of Kelp (think: super greens)</span></div></li>
</ul><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I don't measure out how much I give really, I more or less eyeball the animal and decide how hungry they look/act as to how much I dish out. With Janet's girth growing by day, the amount of grain she gets is slowly climbing so as to properly care for the other life forms inside of her. Runty also gets a little more feed than average, as I am trying to get her up to size while she is still young and Runt-like.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"></span></div><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nkvkU4LBW-A/TYUHmV-yx6I/AAAAAAAAAZM/MhLHE_bHBEE/s1600/P3180018+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nkvkU4LBW-A/TYUHmV-yx6I/AAAAAAAAAZM/MhLHE_bHBEE/s320/P3180018+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Kelp topping- yum-OH!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don't you just want to shove YOUR face in there?! Don't lie. You do.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dJxlViI435Y/TYUH1IxhaKI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/UWFPPKtrIlY/s1600/P3180025+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dJxlViI435Y/TYUH1IxhaKI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/UWFPPKtrIlY/s320/P3180025+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Cheese!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We are very happy to finally have our milking stand INSIDE this year! Ed was kind enough to put a wall up in the chicken house to get the birds contained on one side of the house, while I dragged the milk stand into the other side to use for the goats. We have windows, electricity, all our feed, and even a few mouse friends. It's quite luxurious, all would agree. Especially in bad weather, which wouldn't you guess, is extremely frequent around these parts.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_gDlU7thncI/TYUI7vQfAhI/AAAAAAAAAZU/6AbNpA8MtHg/s1600/P3180016+%2528800x656%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="262" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_gDlU7thncI/TYUI7vQfAhI/AAAAAAAAAZU/6AbNpA8MtHg/s320/P3180016+%2528800x656%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Local geese</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;">Honk Honk</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a7lO5vgRUpg/TYUJHvrHodI/AAAAAAAAAZY/3figmoRKRAA/s1600/P3180013+%2528563x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a7lO5vgRUpg/TYUJHvrHodI/AAAAAAAAAZY/3figmoRKRAA/s320/P3180013+%2528563x800%2529.jpg" width="225" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-RkaBbPQlLI4/TYULToHQRPI/AAAAAAAAAZc/BYZQEVS99-8/s1600/P3040030+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-RkaBbPQlLI4/TYULToHQRPI/AAAAAAAAAZc/BYZQEVS99-8/s320/P3040030+%2528600x800%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Dinner for a crowd!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A few weeks back we had some of our very favorite Vermont friends visit us for a week. After a successful day of fishing under the dam, the boys brought home a couple of trout for dinner. Coating them in breadcrumbs, stuffing them with lemons and onions, and frying them up in butter brought some delicious eats I'll tell you what!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I'll leave you with a nice image from last weekend's snowshoe/muddy/elk shed hunting/dog walking adventure that Ed and I had in the backyard. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Not much more time for snow shoes from the back door left!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Cheers~ J.C.C.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MSzdgZZed1Q/TYULf0Hyv2I/AAAAAAAAAZg/saMPHg1FnI8/s1600/P3130056+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MSzdgZZed1Q/TYULf0Hyv2I/AAAAAAAAAZg/saMPHg1FnI8/s320/P3130056+%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Snow shoe on a bluebird day</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div></div><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=17251&pw=42211"><img alt="" height="125" src="http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/10086/17251/32155/42211/image.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-22608175416195372142011-03-19T08:20:00.000-06:002011-03-23T08:59:55.734-06:00Rant of a So-Called FishermanWhat makes a good fisherman? As with any sport or activity, there are so many different aspects to this question. With some people, it may be how good you look on the river with all your fancy new Orvis gear. It could be how much fun you've had on the river that day. It could be how many fish in a day you catch. Some people are big counters in life. It could be the size of the fish you caught. Many people in this sport are big on measuring the length of things, and most often seem to be proven wrong by about 2-5 inches when the truthful tape measure comes out, myself included. So bad that I've started carrying a small tape measure in my bag.<br />
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I could go on and on, but I think what it really comes down to is catching fish and doing what ever you have to do to catch them, hopefully nice fish like these:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6tHzI_g0HK8/TYSos5AArcI/AAAAAAAAAYE/-pUDnGdgHc4/s1600/P3180005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6tHzI_g0HK8/TYSos5AArcI/AAAAAAAAAYE/-pUDnGdgHc4/s320/P3180005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
Madison River rainbow trout caught on a size 20 midge in March </td></tr>
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Some people will spend hours and hours working on their casting techniques. I never quite got that. I feel like there is definitely no such thing as a perfect cast. Only a cast that catches trout. Even if you have a line tied on to a tree branch, Huck Finn style, as long as your bug somehow gets in the middle of the shipping lane, the fish are gonna look at it, and maybe even eat it! This could be argued by the Trout Unlimited-Orvis wearing-net hanging off the back-has every fishing gadget ever invented-dry fly fisherman. <br />
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Living in a fishing community, all summer long you can see the buggy whipping fools out there on the front lawn of their hotels and motels working on their casts, less than a half of a mile away from the actual river, where they might have a bit more luck catching fish during casting practice.<br />
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The bottom line is good presentation, reading the water, and of course, fly selection. If you start trying to feed the fish some kind of bug in June that isn't active in the river til August, your odds are pretty slim.<br />
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Winter time fishing is tough. About the only bugs you'll see on the river are midges. If you include that on your rig, your chances will greatly increase. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Here's a step by step to tying a midge. You can enlarge the photo by clicking on it:</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-A5y2XKopjCE/TYSsP6PYQcI/AAAAAAAAAYo/zLrIy5Jzk_w/s1600/P3190002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-A5y2XKopjCE/TYSsP6PYQcI/AAAAAAAAAYo/zLrIy5Jzk_w/s320/P3190002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I use a size 20 hook with a natural bend, put a small white bead on it, and wrap the hook with some black 8/0 uni thread</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tie on some silver/gold tinsel, then a few strands of peacock herl</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o8Ki2CvpMtY/TYSrjDE-NoI/AAAAAAAAAYg/6NsMMhGPxps/s1600/P3190006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o8Ki2CvpMtY/TYSrjDE-NoI/AAAAAAAAAYg/6NsMMhGPxps/s320/P3190006.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twist your strands of peacock herl (I only use 2 strands on this pattern) and start wrapping. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yTnZoE5LC40/TYSrGciaxKI/AAAAAAAAAYc/yr2n8xXhb1E/s1600/P3190009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yTnZoE5LC40/TYSrGciaxKI/AAAAAAAAAYc/yr2n8xXhb1E/s320/P3190009.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then I wrap my tinsel with some even spacing, all the way to the head</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HfiD4Go08ms/TYSqsjFFHQI/AAAAAAAAAYY/DxFwuvUmsjA/s1600/P3190010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HfiD4Go08ms/TYSqsjFFHQI/AAAAAAAAAYY/DxFwuvUmsjA/s320/P3190010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add a whip finish to tie it off and.....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xL1mfCGeJVs/TYSqUa6_IXI/AAAAAAAAAYU/khUERARkk6c/s1600/P3190011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xL1mfCGeJVs/TYSqUa6_IXI/AAAAAAAAAYU/khUERARkk6c/s320/P3190011.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's your finished midge</td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">If you want a fancy variation, you can go outside and track down a hungarian partridge, grab one of his feathers and add some hackle to your bug: </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QPvtd6spxP4/TYSp-QHBgEI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/jfVZB8kU3_E/s1600/P3190013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QPvtd6spxP4/TYSp-QHBgEI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/jfVZB8kU3_E/s320/P3190013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LTKQv9nQGw0/TYSpnw3FKzI/AAAAAAAAAYM/C_0cw1YcocE/s1600/P3190015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LTKQv9nQGw0/TYSpnw3FKzI/AAAAAAAAAYM/C_0cw1YcocE/s320/P3190015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The length of the feathers may be a bit long in this one, but it'll still work</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's what the midge pattern looks like in action:</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-cYJPepffINU/TYSpRqUduVI/AAAAAAAAAYI/873Z0V7H-n0/s1600/P3180004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-cYJPepffINU/TYSpRqUduVI/AAAAAAAAAYI/873Z0V7H-n0/s320/P3180004.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This guy ate the midge mere hours after I tied it up.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, I know most of you aren't fisherman. I'm pretty sure Katie Rose has some plans to work on another blog entry this weekend, so this one will soon be buried in the archives, giving you something to look forward to other than my ranting and raving.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">I'll leave you with a really cool shot I took coming home from the river last night. I think these guys/gals are snow geese? I don't know? Maybe you can help me out. They're pretty beautiful birds.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Hope you all have a great weekend....</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=29825&pw=42211"><img alt="" height="240" src="http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/10085/29825/32155/42211/image.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="120" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-9622707995045627952011-03-14T09:44:00.001-06:002011-03-23T08:46:49.244-06:00Looking at Life With An Open MindI read this column the other day in our local newspaper Big Sky Weekly written by Jeni West. Not sure if it was my mood, or the fact that it's something I think about often, but it touched me. I thought it was important enough to post it on our blog, in attempt to share it with a few people who would never have the chance to read it in the paper. I tried to post it as link, but was only able to get the link for the whole issue, making it harder for you to read the specific article I'm talking about. So, I'm gonna completely copy and paste it here......<br />
<a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=54751&pw=42211"><img alt="" height="125" src="http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/10060/54751/32155/42211/image.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;"><strong>Getting over the Fear Factor</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;">Learning to look at life with an open mind</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;">BY JENI WEST</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Satellites falling out of the sky, every inactive volcano becoming active, the earth spinning completely off its axis... Somewhere between morning sickness and finally being able to hold my newborn son, I believed whole-heartedly in these fear-based thoughts I'd contrived from hearsay, media, and hype. I'd stay up for hours at night thinking about what to do and where to run and I was projecting all these fears onto my son.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Then, something changed. With a shift in conciousness, I began looking at life differently. It was the beginning of something new: letting go of that which I could not change, and just accepting what is.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">How did I get to that realization? I was tired of feeling so low. Horrified to look at myself, I was always seeking change in others. But when I did finally look inward, I found the key, and answers to lifelong questions. Listening to my body instead of my ego, I became sensitive to the world around me. As a result, I am a better mother, a better friend, and life is good. Is it perfect? No way, not even close. I wouldn't have it any other way.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Change is certain. We are in continuous motion and evolution. By accepting this, we can embrace a new way of life, become more in touch with our rhythms, as well as the world's. Stop and listen to yourself, listen to your children. We can make decisions that honor our bodies, mind, and spirit. Ghandi said, 'Be the Change you wish to see in the world'. It begins with me. It begins with you. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Begin by being present. You may find yourself in the tram line, impatient, or in line at the post office, in disbelief the person in front of you needs to mail 37 letters, all weighed individually-and all you need is one stamp. In those moments, take a deep breath and remember, 'nothing is next'. Take a look around and realize you are here, nowhere else. How does that feel?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Eckhart Tolle said, 'There was never a time when your life was not now, nor will there ever be.'</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Don't let one moment go un-noticed. When we're present, we're at ease, focused, and in alignment with the universe and ourselves. In those moments we radiate, open in heart and mind. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Practice being present for one moment a day. It is remarkable, uplifting, and will come easier and easier.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;"></span><br />
<em><span style="font-size: 85%;">Jeni West spent most of her life romping around the mountains of Northwestern Montana, and has lived full time in Big Sky since 2006. She is a mother of a beautiful three-year-old boy and is a certified Yoga Instructer under Yogi Amrit Desai.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-size: 85%;"></span></em><br />
<span style="font-size: 85%;">Thoughts??</span><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: 85%;">As I was writing this, I recieved a phone call about a search and rescue operation for a 24 year old male that has been missing since Wednesday. (Today is Monday) They were seeking permission to extend the search onto the property I caretake. I am hoping to go out and lend any hand that I can. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: 85%;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: 85%;">All the more reason to practice being present. Life is precious, and you only have one chance.</span></strong><br />
<a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=ml&ti=28953&pw=42211"><img alt="" height="250" src="http://www.avantlink.com/gbi/10063/28953/32155/42211/image.jpg" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="300" /></a>Ed Coylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06172587823551380227noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8344166141686405278.post-33391900031673092162011-02-25T17:54:00.000-07:002011-02-25T18:25:10.670-07:00Febru-WHERE?-y<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zY_jztku7DA/TWhDx07iRVI/AAAAAAAAAXo/H_sBG1-CkJQ/s1600/P2170007+%2528640x597%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="298" l6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zY_jztku7DA/TWhDx07iRVI/AAAAAAAAAXo/H_sBG1-CkJQ/s320/P2170007+%2528640x597%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Seriously though, WHERE did the month of February go???</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">We had an absolute blast last week with a big ol' buncha music friends in town.</span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Courier New;">Some of our buds were nominated for a GRAMMY(!) a few months back and attended the awards show a couple weeks ago, just before headin' to Montana to play in a festival. Watch <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0uukT_rAgk">Video for Magic #9</a> (the grammy nominated tune) here! It's rad, but the videographer cut off Travis' head. Whoopsy.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">In the photo above you can see members of the bluegrass bands Crooked Still(watch the latest awesome <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcYhmOhf96g">Crooked Still Video</a>) , The Emmit-Nershi Band, and our favorites, The Infamous Stringdusters having a low-key fireside jam one evening prior to festy time. There aren't a whole lot of places we'd rather be then listening to that ruckus.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Courier New;">("sir can you DESCRIBE the ruckus?")</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Each year Big Sky Resort throws an awesome bluegrass festival called Big Sky Big Grass. We countdown the days all winter to it, and relish in the fact that sometimes your favorite things (in our case, skiing and bluegrass) CAN collide. What could be better?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Not too much I'll tell you what.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ygCs9Lt6DHk/TWhD7jz0VKI/AAAAAAAAAXs/wh2Vi5Hx_4Y/s1600/P2170011+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ygCs9Lt6DHk/TWhD7jz0VKI/AAAAAAAAAXs/wh2Vi5Hx_4Y/s320/P2170011+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #783f04;"> Above from left to right: Aoife O'Donovan from Crooked Still, Chris Pandolfi (</span><a href="http://www.chrispandolfi.com/"><span style="color: #783f04;">www.chrispandolfi.com</span></a><span style="color: #783f04;">) from The Infamous Stringdusters, and Bill Nershi from The Emmit-Nershi band.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Aoife (pronounced EEF-ah) and I had some great 'maiden' time skiing together, while Chris ("Panda") and Ed tore up the more gnarly terrain together along with Travis Book, also from the Duster crew, and Corey Dimario from Crooked Still.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Overall we had some awesome snows, killer shows, and made ALOT of great memories!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t7erMatznOA/TWhED0t_oVI/AAAAAAAAAXw/mKYL_4gAV0Q/s1600/P2230021+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t7erMatznOA/TWhED0t_oVI/AAAAAAAAAXw/mKYL_4gAV0Q/s320/P2230021+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> So...recently I have noticed a bit of 'growth' in my nubian goats!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">If you remember to November, we had sent our three does off to Farm 51 in Bozeman for 'dating' purposes. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Having a 5 month gestation period, our girls could start kidding in about 4-5 weeks! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Runty, the spotted mini girl on the right above is one of our potential mamas.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I really cannot imagine her fitting a kid inside of that tiny body of hers, but only time will tell.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p1FcliTmE8Y/TWhELeYCwPI/AAAAAAAAAX0/3_tgKlccWec/s1600/P2230033+%2528335x640%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p1FcliTmE8Y/TWhELeYCwPI/AAAAAAAAAX0/3_tgKlccWec/s320/P2230033+%2528335x640%2529.jpg" width="167" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Janet, as you can see above, has most definitely started to show! I wonder if that means she has more than one kid inside of her!? She is my most social doe, and I hope she has at least one little girl, or doeling, for us to keep. Her shape is fantastic with wide hips and perfect proportion, making her an ideal candidate for some gorgeous Nubian kids.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FgvR1jJsQJI/TWhEUGm32_I/AAAAAAAAAX4/XdJoWQvv92I/s1600/P2230036+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FgvR1jJsQJI/TWhEUGm32_I/AAAAAAAAAX4/XdJoWQvv92I/s320/P2230036+%2528640x480%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Wild Child, above, my veteran doe, has not yet started to show. This comes as no surprise to me, however, as she is much larger than the other two does. She will be the one to show the others the ropes, as she has already experienced the miracle of life last spring when she gave birth to Cheap Trick, our token wether.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Well....I suppose only time will tell as to who is carrying baby goats inside of her and I will try to keep on with the pictures of their growth over the month of March.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">We are about to place a large 'kidding order' with our favorite goat dairying supply company: <a href="http://hoeggergoatsupply.com/xcart/home.php">Hoegger Dairy Goat Supply</a>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">As the supplies roll in, I will be sure to detail the things that we order, why, and how they are used in the kidding processes. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Meanwhile, you get yourselves ready for some cute kids to arrive!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P30CtwpLE4A/TWhEexSIn2I/AAAAAAAAAX8/1AIIwD3QlSI/s1600/P2150005+%2528640x349%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><img border="0" height="174" l6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P30CtwpLE4A/TWhEexSIn2I/AAAAAAAAAX8/1AIIwD3QlSI/s320/P2150005+%2528640x349%2529.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">A parting shot foreshadows to some new Infamous Stringduster action.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Stay tuned.</span></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Hugs and hay in your pockets~ The Coyles</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1