Out to Pasture: The Big Chill Redux

This month’s title refers first to winter,

which is on the way.

For much of October we enjoyed temperate fallish weather and colors.

A pleasant hike through Moose Lake State Park

included gorgeous autumnal scenery

as well as a less than graceful clamber over a culvert where the trail had recently been washed out.

A dusting of snow on Oct 12 reminded us of what’s ahead.

In some ways, this is Dustin’s favorite time of year. As temps drop, rodents come looking for a warm winter retreat, sneaking into the basement. Dustin sez:

He stalks the intruders patiently for hours on end

and then leaves the trophies for us to dispose of

while he snoozes with evidence on his face of the remote, neglected nooks and crannies he’s patrolled.

Even with the cooler weather, he continues to ignore his new bed. Shakespeare must have had his own cats, Graymalkin and Tybalt, in mind when he wrote King Lear:

While ground squirrels and other critters have begun to hibernate, Pepé Le Pew and friends remain active in the garage attached to the goat barn. We suspected that Pepé was not alone

but were gobsmacked by how many skunks have shown up on the barn cam:

Despite the increased traffic in her domain, Momma Kitty coexists peacefully with the skunks and Yellow Intruder Cat. The latter have dug a new burrow at the foot of the compost pile; we hope they're moving out there for the winter:

MeadowWild has shifted into Little House on the Prairie mode, with cottage industries in full steam.

The abundant apple harvest

has morphed into bag after bag of dehydrated treats that will last well into winter

with plenty left over for a yummy pie

as well as for the neighbors, the deer and the skunks.

Cheeky and Kuiper prefer the tree bark to the apples.

Barb is crafting batch after batch of goat milk soap ahead of the holiday demand.

Her creations can be viewed (and ordered!) at https://meadowwildsoaps.ecwid.com/.

As October draws to a close, highs are reaching only the 30s by day and lows sink well below freezing at night. The goats are drinking out of a heated bucket, and the outside taps are turned off.

Leaves are pretty much gone now

and the landscape palette is reduced to yellows and browns, ahead of the white that will last far too long.

Seasonal preparations continue. Lightning Bolt took its final spin around the lawn and now sits drained for a long winter’s nap

along with the other mowers/trimmers. Shovels and the snow-thrower are dusted off ahead of the Big Chill

and what is predicted to be a snowier than average winter.

The title of this month’s entry refers also to the return of big Chill:

Regal Katan LysanstoChill.

This handsome buck first came to MeadowWild in April 2016 as a little feller

accompanying another Regal Katan cutie, Kuiper Belt.

Both have grown considerably since then.

Chill left MeadowWild in Dec 2017 after he bashed in a heavy cattle panel trying to murder Mojo. Since Mojo moved to his new home last March, MeadowWild has been without a buck.

Because the girls need some help producing cute little babies in the spring

on Oct 19 the Goatmobile zipped down to the McCann Farm and picked up Chill for breeding duties

returning with his pervasive lingering cologne

which reaches Lady Macbeth levels.

The big guy got right to work, romancing Cheeky

and chasing her around the barn before the two agreed to negotiate.

Kuiper at first was not quite sure about this courtship business, but eventually also succumbed to the visiting charmer. We're hoping for bundles of joy on or around Barb's St. Paddy's Day birthday.

After 10 days all that male attention began to wear on the ladies. While Chill hung out at the east end of the yard

Kuiper and Cheeky stayed far as they could away on the west side.

Mission accomplished, big Chill boarded the goatmobile again for the 90-mile trip back home to Milaca.

Which brings us to the next Big Chill implication of our entry title, inspired by the 1983 film

concerning friends gathered together for a funeral, an icy reminder of mortality.

About 1.5 miles from McCann Farm a big dump truck pulled out from a stop sign just as the goatmobile was entering the intersection. Barb accelerated and swerved to avoid a likely fatal t-bone collision

but the truck smashed into the left rear of the van, sending it into a cornfield. Fortunately, neither Barb nor her caprine passenger was injured,

but the accident was a chilling reminder that life is fragile, contingent, and not always under our own control.

Now comes the fun of getting the van repaired and dealing with two insurance companies.

On a cheerier final note, Halloween offers its own big chills. We always take this opportunity to reprint the scary costumes with which Dale Connelly outfitted the MeadowWild herd some years ago.