I understand that I am a goat.  (well, sort of, I'm a special goat, but more on that later)  Goats are livestock.  We are virtually SLAVES to people and go where they tell us.  Sometimes, the people are the slaves, and that's usually the case around here, but... I digress.  In this month's news I have a disturbing announcement.  My sister, MISS MAE has gone to live over in Elk Creek.  I can't believe it.  Well, yes I can believe it, for several reasons: This is not a 1000 acre farm.  So that means that not everyone can be born and live here forever (like me).  When babies are born, they grow up and move on to start herds for other fiber artists.  It's what we do.  So, this year, a fiber farm over in Elk Creek needed a couple of does, to go with the buckling they got from us last year.  We had four doelings born this year:  Bluebell (a/k/a Sapphire)

and Ruby:

and Hope's little Hera:

and Venus:

Ruby and Sapphire are destined to stay here, replacement does (if you will) for Hope and Faith.  So that left Venus and Hera.  Hera, who is the daughter of Hope, is so TINY that Wench won't let her go without her brother, Neptune.  These two could start a new line of angora goats called miniatures, they are so small.  We think it is because their momma, Hope, is rather elderly, and this is her last hurrah for the motherhood department.  She'll be moving to Pennsylvania next month to join her babies from previous years, Pinky and Gary, at the farm of our friend Charlotte, where she will live in the lap of luxury for her golden years.

ANYWAY, so that left us a new dilemma.  Wench is pretty particular about where we go and how we live, and one doe on her own never leaves here... we are very family oriented so we have to go with a buddy.  (bucks are the exception because they have one mission in life, and can stand alone, although a friend is nice)  So Mae was it.  She went with her daughter Venus to live in Elk Creek and start a new fiber farm over there.  The folks that bought them are very nice, and they have four little girls to love my sister and niece, so, I'm ok with it, but I'll miss them.  So long, Miss Mae and Venus..... you are already missed:

but probably not by Hope, because you never really liked Hope, and were always trying to boss her around.  hehehe.

Speaking of Hope, her two little monsters have discovered what cookies are.  The problem is that they are so tiny they can still fit between the gate and the barn door, so, now they can come looking for cookies whenever they feel like it.

So Jupiter is now on his own, and hopefully he'll be going to live on an alpaca farm over in Dobson, with Hera and Neptune.  We'll see.  If not, the three of them will be for sale.  Wench wants to keep Moondancer, and make him a wether (like ME) but she and builder are continuing to discuss this.  Builder, you see, is rather opposed to castration (can you blame him?) but wench is trying to convince him that the fiber stays so nice for so long..... just look at my fleece.  You don't get much better than what I've got.  just sayin.

 

In bunny news, we have four litters of french angoras now about 3 weeks old.  Bronwen has five torts, Kerry Megan has seven whites, some pointed, some REW, Ultana has some torts, some brokens and one solid; and Mikimoto has five as well, one sable, one blue and three pointed.  Up next is Julianna (yeah, I know, fat chance), Duncan's Delanna and Clems Sophia; they get nestboxes on July 5th.  Then we have Sparkle, Tolinka and miss Daisy on the July 11th nestbox date.  So, we'll see.

 

With any luck, my August report will be FILLED with rabbit pictures - babies!  yay.

 

Until then, stay cool, and thanks for reading Frankly speaking!