Snapshots

In the midst of all the crazy business of spring, it's rare to get time to myself.  In the past, especially as a new mother, I didn't make alone time a habit.  But now?  If I don't get that time, it's not only me who suffers.  It's the whole family.  Ask Steve.
So this week, I walked the magical, mossy fairy land I call my backyard, and this is what restored peace to my soul:

I knew that upon returning, plenty of children or critters would require my newfound peace and energy.  The pesky goats especially.  I bought a new goat called Quasar so I would have enough milk for cheese making.  After loading her into my minivan and schlepping her home, I had to protect her from the other two goats, who beat the #@%^ out of her. It's customary for goats to do this in order to establish pecking order, but Oh!  Ouch!  It's hard to watch the head butting and biting and bossing around.  And on top of that, my goat Gracie got sick, and I had to give her antibiotics for the first time ever.  Boy, do I ever stress out about sick animals and sick children...
On a positive note, I sold all my baby goats, and although the boys miss them, I am happy about not having to go out and bottle feed them four times a day!

We have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of our new piglets, but it won't happen til next week.  Steve and neighbor Rich built a pig tractor, in which the porkers will live and be moved to new pasture regularly.  They will have an incredible life with us!  Here are Eva and her friend playing at the pond, with the pig tractor in the background.  It's fun to have little visitors and show them all the animals.

This week has been busy with farming, goat husbandry, cheese making, home schooling and spinning.  I usually hand paint my own roving for my yarn, but at the Vogue knitting convention in Seattle last week, I fell in love with a hand painted merino and silk roving, which I promptly purchased and spun up at home.  It turned out gorgeous, and I might just have to knit myself a hat with it!