Happenings

   All sorts of things have been happening this month!  I had a great time on our "fibery" week-end get-away.  It was so much fun to be with like-minded people.  The weather wasn't the greatest, but it was okay.  Got a lot of spinning done, ate quite well, and did lots of talking, well, mostly listening, on my part.  I usually don't say a lot in a group setting.  
  I got a newer computer now.  It's so fast compared to the old one!  I didn't realize how slow and outdated my old one was till I started using this one.  I am sometimes slow to accept change.  Then other times I'm all for it.  
  It has been snowing a bit here and there.  It's also got above freezing during the day, so the road is rather interesting again.  Not too bad yet, but the potential is there.  
  The goats are doing well, except for Ariel.  She aborted her babies 38 days early, then went blind right afterwards!  Miss April really nailed her one day last week, and I was afraid this was going to happen.  I was watching her carefully over the next few days, and sure enough, she lost the babies.  Two little doelings.  She pinched a nerve in her neck during the birthing, which has made her temporarily blind.  I wasn't out there when she had the second one, I had gone inside for a minute, so I didn't see how she pinched it.  She's starting to get some sight back.  She can definitely tell light and dark, and she's seeing some shapes again.  Poor goat.  I have her in the grooming area so no one can bother her.  She's got a pretty comfortable spot in there.  I've been massaging her neck and giving her herbs to help her get her eyesight back.  Ming had this happen a couple of years ago, too.  She went blind for two weeks, then got her sight back.  I do not know why this happens, but at least they come out of it. Ariel throws really nice fiber in her kids so I am very sad these girls didn't make it.  One was going to be a tan color, and the other was a dark brown with a white stocking on one front leg and a white ankle bracelet on the other.  Everything happens for a reason, so we'll see what that reason is at some point.  
   
  I have ended up with a very bad cold this week.  I haven't been sick in years!  This is not fun.  I had forgotten what it felt like to be sick, I am ready to be well again.  I've been downing tons of Vitamin C, Cayenne, Echinacea,  and eating good foods, so I'm almost well.  


   I am now busy getting my cashmere processed and making things.  Got one order for a customer done, now it's time to start on the next.  The kids are due to start coming out in two weeks, so I want to be ahead of the game a little so I can spend time with the newborns.   I'm starting to line up dehairing customers now, too.  It's going to be a busy, fun year!  I do love my job. :-)  
  Spring is almost here.  Although up here it won't show up till sometime in April.  We've had a pretty mild winter so far.  There is 12 inches of snow on the ground here.  There isn't hardly any at all down in the valley.  All the fields are bare, the roads are clear, then I come home and it's all white.  The avalanche danger is really high now for elevations above 4500 feet.  We are at 4700 feet, but I don't think there is enough snow on the hill behind the house to cause an avalanche.   The dogs run up there after deer and don't trigger any, so I think I am safe.  Of course the deer have been going back and forth across there all winter and haven't caused anything.  
  I was watching Nellie today barking at a deer.  The deer are not afraid of her at all.  She gets within 5 feet of them barking her head off, and they just look at her and go about their business.  Grandma deer taught her offspring well.  She chased Nellie and Dani so they are afraid of all deer, for the most part.  They bark at them, but if the deer turn towards them, they back off rapidly.  
  H&C's dog Ryder, on the other hand, goes after them and they run.  He's not afraid at all.  I think I'll employ him to guard the gardens this summer.
  Well, that's it for now.  Think Spring....