Wild and Wooly

Happy Monday!
I hope your weather is as beautiful as ours has been these past few days.
Our days have been sunny and cool...
the wind blowing through the trees and the birds singing joyously!
I am once again loving hanging out the laundry and working in the garden.


A portion of my weekend was spent in the garden.
I planted carrots, beets, spinach, and some of the seedlings that were growing in the greenhouse.


Our garden boxes are now filling up with radishes, spinach, lettuce,
sugar peas, kale, chard, onions, garlic and perennial herbs.


We took the dogs for a hike.


Annie had her first hike off-leash through our woods.


She stayed pretty close to Oakley...so we had no worries.


Hiking was interspersed with horseplay with Sam.

Sadly, the most interesting story of the weekend is one for which I have no picture.
Hubbs came face to face with a black bear on Saturday night
while taking Annie out for her bedtime potty break.
The bear simply lumbered off into the woods...unafraid.
I know.... a picture would have been great!

It's that time of year when our goats look more like sheep
that are desperately in need of sheering.


With the frigid winter that we had,
they all grew a thick undercoating of fluff
that is starting to shed.


Feeding time usually ends up being a grooming session
as I pull handfuls of wool from their coats.


As soft as it feels in my hand, I would have thought it would make soft yarn,
but last year we had it spun into yarn...
and it ended up rather itchy.
So, I suspect this year's shedding will end up as lining in birds' nests.


In mid-shedding, Andy looks as though he has dreadlocks!
By the way, there has never been a goat more difficult to photograph than Andy.
He runs like the wind as soon as I point the camera in his direction.


By summer, everyone will be sleek and lovely again.
For now, though, they are a rag-tag bunch of wild and wooly goats.

You have probably figured out that I am just loving Springtime.
I'm even loving all of the work that goes along with it.
The work will pay off...
by mid summer everything should look spectacular!

Comments

Peter said…
I once had a sweater made of goat wool (not mohair) and whenever it got wet it smelled of goat!
jaz@octoberfarm said…
your goats look like teddy! as i was planting tray after tray of perennials yesterday, i was thinking, there is a lot to grow in such a short time!
Anonymous said…
Annie has to be loving her life. The love of a rescue is a feeling like no other. April
Shelley said…
I'm thinking about those pretty pink nails! Really? with gardening and wool tugging and piggies and equines and puppies and hanging out laundry? I love it!
Unknown said…
Wow, it sure does look like Spring there...lovely...lucky you! I love that you love all the simple things, hanging out the laundry, planting a veggie garden, romps out with the dogs...good for you! Sorry about the bear scare, glad hubby and Annie are ok.
Hi Bev,
Now you see, I had no idea that the goats sported a fluff coat for the harsh winter... A shame you can not use it, but I am sure the birds love the gift.. It looks like Annie is thriving out on the farm with you and family...

A BEAR! Oh my word... I would have been so scarred.. Glad he wandered off and your hubby and Annie are ok.. Speaking of bears, would love to have you pop over and say hello to Bernard if you have a moment.
Have a great day.
.
Country Gal said…
Glad the bear didn't get to nosey ! Lovely photos ! Still not quite as far with spring planting as you guys are but slowly getting there ! Our Miggs gets the same undercoat with her long winter fur, come spring I brush her every day till we get her shaved which she got her new do 2 weeks ago ! Thanks for sharing , Have a good day !
Laura Sudderth said…
A bear??? OMG. I am very afraid of bear. But I really want to see them in their own natural habitat, frolicking around, catching fish, somewhere in Alaska. But I would have to be with an experienced guide who had a multitude of guns handy. I remember my goats shedding and oh how they loved to be brushed. All but one, Sally. She instead wanted the chickens to preen her.
This N That said…
Sorry you missed the bear but I'm guessing it wasn't there for a photo op..Glad he kept going...Hope all your new plantings have raincoats..4 inches !!! I meant to take a "laundry " picture over the weekend..Forgot ...
jerilanders said…
Well your skies are blue and your laundry will smell fresh and wonderful! I too have been gardening and trying to figure out how to grow my pumpkins on a tidy trellis... I bet you have a good idea for that?!
Lynne said…
Fresh air dried laundry . . . isn't that the best fragrance ever! Love these cool blue sky days. It is easy and comfortable getting all the spring clean up chores accomplished. Looking forward to seeing your gardens and soon, "sleek goats."
Carine said…
what about using the goats' coat for felt rather than wool?
Bee Haven Bev said…
That is a great idea!!!