Procrastinating about taxes...

Yeah,  we didn't finish our income taxes before our Spain trip, so guess what we're up to this weekend? Blech... but for the moment, I am procrastinating by blogging!

Is Saul not the most handsome donkey in the universe? I love him to bits!

Penny and kids. The family that chews cud together, stays together.

Look at Keaton the goat-stalker! He was running after his buddy Rosie. That cat just LOVES goats. 

He caught up with her and they went for a walk. All that green land beyond the fence is the new goat pasture. We are fencing about three acres for them. We are also getting...

...a PUPPY! 

Yep, next month we're getting a Maremma puppy to bring up as a guardian dog for the goats. My friend Laurie, who raises sheep, is getting a pup from the same litter. We had to think long and hard about this; I have never bought a dog in my life; I've always rescued them. But this dog is going to be a working dog who lives with the goats (never in the house) and we wanted an animal with solid breeding and instincts. The pup we are adopting, a boy named Monty, is already being exposed to goats (and children and other animals,  ha ha!) at his home in Alberta. In May, he and his sibling will be flown out here and Laurie and I will pick them up at the airport. Eventually we want to get a second guardian dog. We looked at other potential guardian animals but decided dogs were really the only way to go for us. 

And Saul the donkey is useless as a guardian! Last year he watched a coyote saunter through his paddock and did absolutely NOTHING. Some donkeys might kill coyotes but apparently not this donkey!

The last thing I want is to come out and find my goats ripped to shreds by coyotes (we also have wolf/coyote hybrids around here) so I'm hoping the dog will do the trick. Fortunately I have some good people around here to give me advice on bringing up and training a livestock guardian dog.

In the meantime...

...Rudy was sopping up the sun yesterday.

And remind me again why I have cats?

The bees are doing well. Unfortunately I lost one of my eight hives while I was away in Spain but the remaining seven are doing well...

The girls were bringing in lots of pollen yesterday!

I walked to the back pasture yesterday. The pond was looking serene.

And back to the livestock...

Saul is jealous of Finney's luxurious mane.

Er, Finney has been eating a little too well this winter!

This nose is very velvety, but Saul's is even softer!

Finney is about to be an ass, which is why Saul is pinning back his ears.

He looks so sweet and innocent here. HAHAHAHAHAHA. Not.

I love this guy so much.

So does my friend Gail, who visited yesterday. And I believe Saul loves her right back.

My friend Penny was visiting too with Gail. Finney was very interested in her! :)

Penny (for whom my mama goat is named, by the way!) made these beautiful leash holders for our Homes With Woofs fundraiser on June 18th:

...and she also made me this WONDERFUL present:

Isn't it great? She wood-burned our farm logo for us. She's very talented and one of the nicest people I know.

Gail also brought some things for the silent auction at the Homes with Woofs. Thank you, Peggy and Gail, for your generosity!!

Now back to my taxes... have a great weekend!