March came in like a lamb, goes out like a lamb (pursued by cute baby goats)

Except for the brutal 2-week arctic blast in February, we enjoyed an unusually mild winter 

and now an early spring.

From a record low of  -35 on Feb 13 we climbed to a high of 62 on March 9 –

an almost 100-degree swing in less than one month on the meteorological roller coaster.

The snow pack quickly scampered away.  On the first day of official spring, ice still covered our local bodies of water

Spring Lake

Sandy Lake

and the front pond.

A lone goose checked out the pond but decided not to wait and moved on.

Just a few days later the pond had thawed and various waterfowl visited on their way further north. 

With our dry, windy conditions before the spring green-up, 

we get occasional “red flag” warnings of fire danger

so of course we had to confiscate the goats’ Marlboros and Zippo lighters.

To be on the safe side, we also got rid of their old combustible bedding.

Laveau Excavating arrived for the annual spring cleaning

scooping up a winter’s worth of poopy hay

(under watchful eyes)

and depositing it on Mount Compost well away from the barn.

The goats returned to their sparkling new quarters

and immediately started to redecorate with fresh pellets.

We’re amazed and grateful that all the babies are doing so well after their difficult deliveries.  They’re healthy, peppy and growing by the minute.

Cheeky’s orphans slurp down 2 big bottles of milk replacer each day.

while Kuiper takes good care of her own kids

with milk that was just rated highly by the Minnesota DHIA.

All the kids are now nibbling on hay and feed to supplement the milk.

Excursions out of the barn are fun if chaotic,

as the kids race up and down their own Talladega Superspeedway.

Nine always makes a beeline to nibble on the Xmas tree

and is soon joined by Kuiper & Kidz.

Then it's time to mob Barb.

I'm ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille.

Barb still supplies suet for the birds and wondered why it kept disappearing so rapidly

since the usual suspects don't consume that much during the day.

Turns out a gang of masked bandits goes marauding each night and makes short work of the suet even when it’s secured to the holder.

Momma Kitty will soon start shedding her luxuriant winter coat as the days grow warmer.

It was hard to tell Dustin from a meat loaf as he baked in his oven all winter

but now he's spending more and more time hogging the study desk. 

He objects to the recent study claiming that cats are disloyal, and says we can foster his loyalty

by buying him those two pairs of Lil Nas X’s ‘Satan Shoes’ that he craves (@$1,018/pair).

On St. Patrick’s Day Barb celebrated her 75th (!) birthday.

To mark the occasion, artist extra ordinaire, friend and fellow goat enthusiast Adam Swanson painted a double portrait of Cheeky – 

as an airborne youngster and mature queen of the herd.

We had no idea when the portrait was commissioned how poignant it would turn out to be.  Cheeky hangs prominently in the kitchen, where she can look over the yard and meadows she enjoyed for so many years. 

Next up: Planet Nine, getting ready to add cute babies of her own on April 13.