Visitors!!

Fourteen years ago, when we first ventured into the goat

breeding business,

we did so with Hubbs' sister, Dr. Becky.

Our little herd consisted of her fainting goats

and my Nigerian Dwarf goats.

Today, all we have left are the 6 fainting goats that

inhabit one of our four upper pastures.

Of those goats, the only one of the original breeding stock

who is still with us is O'Malley.

She came to live on the farm at just a couple months of age,

and today is 14 years old.

Being the eldest, she is often picked upon by the other goats...

not by her daughter, Sally, but by the other four.

Yesterday, Dr. Becky moved O'Malley and Sally in what used to 

be the three Nigerian Dwarf yards.

Now, mother and daughter can live in peace

with no competition for food or space.

It's good to have a couple souls occupying these yards...

they have seemed awfully empty since we lost our last 

Nigerian Dwarfs.

Nestled between the two groups of goats,

the chickens remain on lockdown in their own yard.

I always prefer that they are out free-ranging,

but during fox season (with parents teaching kits how to hunt)

it is much safer that the chickens remain behind

fox-proof fencing.

The ducks, after deciding that the scary white fence

that suddenly appeared outside their yard

is not a monster...

have finally emerged and are enjoying life in the grass once again.

Life on the farm requires constant adjustments

to protect our beloved friends.

And speaking of friends,

we had our first visitors to the farm in over 8 weeks.

Friends stopped by the barn for a quick visit...

(stopping to borrow our old grazing muzzles).

We followed social distancing guidelines and conversed 

at a distance.

It's a weird experience - this staying so far apart,

but wonderful to have a visit.

We were introduced to their new puppy, Cora.

Cora the Corgi.

She is adorable and precious... and short!

Way too cute!

And because this is one of the big migratory weeks for birds,

I will share with you yesterday's bird feeder visitors.

A grey catbird... usually too shy to visit feeders.

It seems that everyone loves this citrus flavored suet cake

in the hanging platform feeder.

Downy woodpeckers are here year round...

such adorable little birds!

And, the most special is this Northern Parula,

of the warbler family!

This is a bird that I had never seen before yesterday.

Today, a cold front is moving in, bringing rain.

We are to have much colder temperatures this weekend...

with lows dipping down into the 20's once again.

Normally I would soon plant my tomatoes.

I am thinking that it might be prudent to hold off for a couple more weeks.

Luckily each of my plants (100+) - I've re-potted in large pots,

so they will just continue to grow in the greenhouse.

If the weather doesn't soon sort itself out, I may have tomatoes hanging

on the vines inside the greenhouse!

The spring veggies in the garden are all doing quite well...

with the onions popping up just this week.

It looks like our days in the sun are over for the

rest of the week.

The silver lining is... I don't have to water the garden.

The rain will take care of that!

This is Sammie's favorite napping spot...

amongst the flowers.

He's a special boy!