I know, I know...

Goats goats goats, it's all about the goats! But I've been having to spend a lot of time with them lately. But here, have a pony...

Finney is channelling his inner Barry Manilow!

But I particularly like this photo of Geoff... 

There has been an awful lot of goat cuteness going on around here lately...

I mean, take Debbie!

She's irresistible! And Emmeline...

Too sweet for words!

And little Pierre has me reaching for the insulin! ;)

Yesterday I went to fill the hay feeder and found this...

Emmerson is VERY goat positive!

Rudy the pig wanted to get in on the fun!

And then there were three! Emerson, Emmeline and Pierre. And yes, that's snow. We got a bunch of snow yesterday. Ugh.

Emmeline has a heart on her back!

Kevin loves me.

I wasn't sure if the younger kids were smart enough to get out of the bad weather and go into the little house out in the pig/goat pasture, but apparently they are!

I found the four little ones frolicking in there this afternoon. There's a board in half the window because some idiot (not a baby) pushed out half the glass a little while back.

Hawkeye

Daphne is doing a lot better. I am so glad. I was really afraid I was going to lose her, but she is finally getting some colour back in her gums, and is eating and drinking well and hanging with her friends.

I am, however, thinking that this will be infinitely less amusing when Annabelle weighs 150 lbs instead of 50...

Today I sat in the little goat house for a bit to take a break while doing chores. Then Penny and the triplets all decided to curl up next to me for a nap...

...which was REALLY adorable!

Luc using Rosie as a pillow. He's quite the handsome young fellow!

There's my sweet girl!

She has been through so much! But the stitches are out, the C-section incision is healing well, her iron count is up... I can't ask for much more at this point. SO grateful she is still with us, even if we did lose her kids.

Speaking of kids...

Hawkeye saw me hanging with Penny and the triplets and decided to stake out my lap!

And you never know what you might see around here...

Last night my friend Rose asked for some goat milk for a foal in need, so my friend Luc (after whom little Luc is named!) came over to give me a hand with milking. I don't yet have a milking stand, so I had to restrain the girl while Luc milked them. That's what's going on her. Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Sadly, the foal is an orphan today. My friend's horse gave birth a couple of weeks back, then starting having problems yesterday. This afternoon, they lost her... turned out her stomach and ruptured and there was nothing they could do. The mare had excellent vet care from the very start, but had more than one problem on the go, and the rupture wasn't discovered until they did an autopsy. So I'm sad for my friend tonight, and for the little foal who has lost her mama. It's magic when the births go well, but it's heartbreaking and nerve-wracking when they don't. I went through a version of this with Daphne. We are just grateful the little foal is strong and doing well, and long may it continue. She will have to be bottle-fed now but she will get lots of love and spoiling at her barn.

I love the community I live in. It's a place where friends will spend 12 hours in your barn helping you with a goat in labour,  and it's a place where you don't think twice about milking your goat for some emergency rations for a foal. This is the place that most feels like home to me and I am happiest when I'm in my manure-smeared coveralls, hanging with my animals and a good friend or two (and Gordon!)

Rest in peace, sweet girl. Your foal will be loved and cared for.