Annie

When the human came home and started doing chores, this is what she found.

It did not belong on the ground in the mud. This is where it belonged, on Annie Belle O'Boera.

This is the collar that Annie had been wearing since she first came to Eden Hills long before it was Eden Hills when she was only a few months old. She, Scarlet and Grace were not very friendly, so the human had to lock them in and put whatever collar she could find on them. They never had a new collar, just the leftover whatever was lying around collars.

Now Annie has lived here for for almost four years and become very nice. Last year, she had Sallie, who is standing behind her in the picture.

Isn't this much better? This year she'll have a Marley baby. You can see she is getting fairly close to having her baby. Anyhow, after four years, she lost that icky old collar.

Here Annie shows off not only her pretty new collar but also her flexibility.

Jungle Gym

All kids like to play. Here at Eden Hills, we are lucky enough to have a jungle gym for our kids to play on.

Sugar, Spice and Rover are the kids on the three big stumps in front. This tree was the victim of a storm two years ago. While we miss the shade, its leaves did taste good, and it is fun to play on.

Helen is a bit big to be playing with this year's kids. She doesn't play fair either. Ask Sugar if you don't believe me.

It doesn't take two nips of the tail to get Sugar to give up her top log. Is it me, or is Helen starting to get a baby tummy?

Now she's trying to get her first stump back from Sugar and her twin Spice. Oh, it's fun to see who is top goat!

Maggie, in the back, is a year old. Rover, white and red, and his twin Big Red, on the log, are two months old now. They are truly big handsome boys. Our human thinks they should find their own forever farm. She's even thinking of keeping one or both for a year.

I hope you all have as nice a place for your kids to play.

Life is Good

Thank you to Crystal Rainbow at Sparkle and Shine for this award. I must say these questions were quite fun to think about. Usually, I only have kids to watch and grass to munch.

1. What would your prefect day consist of?

Truly, I just had my perfect day--flowers to eat, a good rump scratching, and spending the day with my kids. Of course, it will be better when my new kid(s) arrive and I can scratch my back by myself.

2. How would you describe yourself if you were an item of clothing?

I think I would be a nice wooly sweater--warm and comfortable, surrounding you with love.

3. What hobbies are you currently working on?

I'm not sure it's a hobby; it's more of a passion. Music is my happiness. I can play my horns for hours on end. I just love tapping and scraping and banging. I must admit the cast on my horn does slow down the banging music.

4. Walking in the woods in wellies or bare foot on the beach?

I much prefer the woods. At least, I know I like climbing around the woods, playing on fallen trees and munching woodland flowers. I've never been to the beach, but I'd go visit if my human would take me.

5. Have you ever hugged or sang to a tree?

I always tap my beautiful music for the whole natural world--all creatures that will listen to me.

6. Growing your own veggies or nipping to the supermarket?

The human brings us corn from the mill. She does have a nice pasture for us and makes hay for the winter. She even brings us bread or veggies from her garden occasionally. I personally like when she gives us strawberries the best.

7. Have you found anyone exciting in your family tree?

Alas, I do not know my parents. As a dairy goat, I was taken from my nanny when I was very young. The only parent I know is my human. I'm certain my kids are destined for great things though.

8. Slap up meal in a posh restaurant or fish 'n' chips from the wrapper?

For some reason, goats are not allowed in restaurants. If we were, I don't think I'd like going to a posh one. I'm much more a homebody. As an herbivore, I don't eat fish, but I would like to try the chips.

9. Which element do you most resonate with, Earth, Air, Fire or water?

As an animal, I am very much in tune with all the elements; however, if I must pick one, I am definitely an Earth animal. I live solidly on the land and connect with it.

10. Do you believe in fairy's?

Of course! We share a pasture with all kinds of creatures. Well, the fairies spend more time in the yard where we don't eat the flowers.

I thought it might be hard to answer some of these questions, but it was really quite fun. I'll pass the award and questions on to:

my human Teresa at Eden Hills

my goat friend Pricilla at The Maaaaa of Pricilla

another goat friend at Isobelle Golightly the Beautiful Goat

I hope you all have as much fun as me!

Day at the Spa

Maybe it's because it was Mother's Day and my daughters, Joe and Pebbles, wanted to treat me special. Maybe it's because I am so wonderful and the human just couldn't live without me.

It started with a treat of dandelion.

They are so bright yellow and they taste just as sunny. Yummy, yummy. We don't have any of these left in the pasture. The kids eat them just as soon as they start to open, so we adults never get them.

After the delicious snack, it was on to the next event. I'm not quite as thrilled, but I decided to go along for the ride.

It was a pedicure. She started in the front and worked her way around to the back.

I am graceful, but it's kind of hard to balance on the other three feet when you are four months pregnant. That darn Pistol tried to butt in on my special spa treatment.

Oops, I went along with the pedicure because the Boy was straddling my neck. How humiliating! I must admit, I feel much better with the hooves nicely trimmed. What a day, and it wasn't over yet. Look at what came after the pedicure!

A good rump scratch! What a perfect way to end the day.

With the baby belly I'm growing, it's starting to get hard to reach back there with my horns, so it feels really good. I am a lucky goat!

Happy Mother's Day

Even though this is two years old, it's my favorite Mother's Day picture ever. It is Joe and me. From one mother to another, have a wonderful day.

Buzz Buzz

Lately, I've been seeing these. That scares me. Oh, sure, they are a lot smaller than me. I've never been hurt by one, but they still scare me.

Two years ago, when Pam was a baby, she had an accident with one of these. She got stung. At first, the human thought she had an infection in a horn injury. I tried to tell her what happened, but instead, she saw the vet who scrubbed Pam's horn and gave her antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory. By that night, her whole face was swollen. The human continued with the doctor's instructions of giving the anti-inflammatory and antibiotics. By the morning, her breathing was labored and her whole body was swollen.

I don't know why that silly human doesn't listen to me. It would make life much easier. Finally, she figured out that Pam was having an allergic reaction. There is nothing to be allergic to around here but bee stings. If you know anything about bee stings, the worst thing you can do is take an anti-inflammatory. The vet came out and gave her a different shot to help the swelling. Pam also got to go in the house to be in the air conditioning. That really helped the swelling and breathing. When she came back out into the heat and humidity later, she did swell back up again, but her breathing was no longer dangerous. She did recover.

I don't know why that silly human doesn't listen to me. Life would be easier. I hope I never get stung. I hope my babies aren't allergic to bee stings. Do you think they make Epi pens for goats?

What is That?

Sunday afternoon we were minding our own business, just lounging around waiting for our dinner, when the human came driving into the barnyard in the new red Ranger. She never drives into the barnyard, and here she was doing it twice in one day. This time, however, she drove right through the barnyard and up by the barn. I checked to see what she was doing.

There was some kind of box back there. I just couldn't quite tell what it was.

What could that possibly be?

Oh great, just what we need. It was finally quiet (not really quiet, but not quite so loud) around here. Now there's another one of those things to yell, "Help," all day long.