Too Funny!!!

Ben at the Teat-ie Bar!! I have the best husband in the world.  He's willing to help me milk the girls.  Such a relief and he was very good at it.  But not without some chaos...

The girls show up for their evening treat and milking and Missy is missing.   We call for her and don't find her anywhere.  I help Ben help me get started on milking.  He takes over, then head to the bottom of the pasture, on foot, to see if I can find her.  Nothing - back up to the front pasture, still nothing.  We switch places and he goes to get the truck to drive the pasture fence line to see if I could have missed her.  While I'm milking -- I hear a "MWAHAH", which sounds like a moo and a bhaaa together; coming from an area of the barn there are no goats quarantined.  Sure enough; Missy climbed into the back window of the tack room, what we fondly call "Eddie's room" where we has placed the feed for easy access during milking.   She was happy for the moment; but I'm sure hurting later.  She ate at least 1/4th of the 50# bag.  So we had to get a new strategy with storing the feed.  BUT, at least she was safe and I'm guess unharmed. 

So how much can the -- now know as "crazy goat lady" do between 6 and 8 AM?
The irony: city-girl/techno-geek meets the farm life.

1. turn on sprinklers for garden
2. make smoothies
3. start database purge project at work
4. kiss husband good-bye
5. do dishes
6. make bed
7. feed cats
8. feed chickens
9. milk 3 goats & feed the other 2
10. check honey bee syrup supply
11. check back into work on project status - start another task
12. feed dog
13. fill bird seed in feeders
14. make hummingbird water
15. battle red wasps
16. change bird bath water (mosquito larva growing)
17. sit a minute with a cup of tea and enjoy the farm and all the animals
18. take a shower
19. get to work for the day.

Whew!  Fortunately -- this is not a typical day.  I usually do only 1/2 that much in the mornings!



Girls waiting on their moms' release.

Hoss patiently waiting for breakfast.



Neighbors come by to check out the commotion.

Mom drops by with Candy!   CandyCots  that is!!! 

Out of jars - sterilizing 750ml Vodka bottles -- YUM  good milk!  Have been saving up my blue glass vodka bottles for a blue glass art project; but now they come in to immediate need.  Ran out of quart jars this morning to milk the goats with.  We like having the lids and getting a quart at a time.  They are easier to hold and once full can be secured with the lid to keep safe from any kicks, hungry chickens or airborne particles that may find their way into the milk.  I sterilized them in boiling water. 

Ok- yes I have a spaghetti pot so big it will hold these bottles.  I feel like everything I own is having a re-purpose in life.  I think I can get rid of it -- then wait!! I need that for....

• Mason Jars for Milking Jugs instead of canning
• Spaghetti Pot for Sterilizing Bottles instead of making spaghetti
• Vodka Bottles for storing Milk instead of me hoarding them for an art project
• Old tee-shirts become rags instead of straight to the burn pile.
• Old clothes dress a scare crow.

Nothing goes to waste...  Always reminds me when Grandma saved tin foil to reuse. 

Before tonight's milking there is 4 -1/2 gallons of milk in the refrigerator.  So making Butter -- or something tonight and this weekend is a must!!!  Time to start cooking.