6/20/10

Departures

The first half of June was unusually wet and cool
making for foggy mornings
but there were enough sunny days
that  the neighboring hay fields are flourishing
as is the blueberry patch
and those parts of the gardens that don't appeal to gophers --
mainly the row of garlic.
The magnificent Mr T
surveys his domain
and accepts the admiration of his Gentlemen's Club mate Niblet.
The goslings have become teenagers
having grown out of the cute fuzzy yellow tennis ball stage
and the ugly tiny reptilian dinosaur stage.
They look more like Mom and Dad every day
and are getting as prolific about leaving deposits everywhere around the Farm.
Putting the goats to bed one nightfall, the Farmers spied a visitor in the weeping willow:
the porcupine who usually stays in the neighboring woods.
June was a bittersweet season of  departures.  One unplanned and very sad departure -- Dale Connelly from MPR's Radio Heartland -- spurred an impromptu get together of a few fans (Dale fans and goat fans) to raise a glass to Dale and to talk about his new blog Trail Baboon.  Cheers, Dale - and thanks for all those years of your whimsical humor, quirky music and goat promotion! We hope to hear your voice on the radio again soon.

And an agonizing but necessary departure of our beloved Dodger.  For the health of the herd (Dodger is CAE positive while Alba and Dream remain negative) and because we found a loving home where she can eat apple trees to her heart's content, Dodger left us to live with her kids Loki and Dancer at the Bayfield farm "Chanterelle Woods." Richard and Christal will milk her once a day and try to stay ahead of her mischief.  She will not be used for breeding stock, but will probably take on the "Chief Greeter" role at the farm.
Dodger took over from the day she arrived.  Here, on her first day, she is standing in the hay manger to keep Dream from eating.
She had attitude plus.
She always thought the mail was for her.
She disdained her keepers.
Stood in her food pan.
Wriggled out of her winter jacket.
and produced the cutest kids (2008 Niblet)
Artful
Dodger was a happy Mother
She was attentive and loving (2009 Artful and Tammy Waynette)
and she loved her goatmom
A hoard of Great Pyrenees dogs and puppies were there to greet her when she arrived at her new home
And her kids, Dancer and Loki (2010)
thought that end of her looked mighty familiar
Loki and Dancer have flourished under Richard and Christal's care
as has Violet (Pan x Majority), who came from Kirsten and Chad's
The three hang out together
And now Dodger will be the boss, as she always has, of another little herd.
We gave a quick lesson on milking to some newbies
while Dodger concentrated on eating.
Dodger should enjoy the laid-back atmosphere of her new home.  This puppy was so happy he/she needed a nap.
Auf Wiedersehen, Dodger.  Thank you for three challenging, fun, and emotional years with your spirit and energy.  Live long and prosper.
One week after Dodger left, the popcorns departed for their swanky new farm.
They spent their last days with us 
pretending to be lap goats
and joining Barb in the hammock
when they weren't trimming bushes in the front yard



and enjoying the expanded browsing pasture.

Of course, the grass remains greener on the other side of the fence.
Rosa and Luna show off their green cheeks -- collateral damage from getting their ears tattooed the day before with their ADGA registration numbers.
On June 19 they climbed into their carrier

for a short trip to their new home
where they are enjoying luxury accommodations
(this and following photos courtesy of Laura, their new GoatMom)
and new opportunities to play Queen of the Mountain.


Fare well, Crema, Rosa and Luna.
We're delighted that you get to stay together in the care of such devoted new owners.