Saturday, October 21, 2023

A milking I Shall Go...

 My goats make me happy. I like to look at them in the pasture... grazing, snoozing, leaping, playing. I like to stroke them and feel their sleek fur. And I like milking them. It's a quiet time, the goat happily munching on grain and alfalfa pellets while the warm milk hisses into the pail. It's time for peaceful thoughts; the sweet smell of pine shavings, hay, and healthy animals wraps around me. But lately, milking time has been fraught with peril. 

I had a little wooden stool gleaned from an antique store that I would perch on while the goat, on her stand, enjoyed a meal. That stool got wobbly and worrisome. One day last summer, Chris took over milking chores while I was away. The sad little seat collapsed and broke, dumping Chris unceremoniously as it splintered. He replaced it with a previous milk stool he found in the garage. I had abandoned it because it was creaky and wobbly. Every time I sit on it, I wonder if it will hold me this time. So far, it has, but each time I sit, there is concern. 

Last night, our son-in-love popped in with a twinkle in his eye. "I hear your milk stool needs to be replaced," he said. And gave me this. 


Beautifully handmade by him, the lovely, smooth top is crafted from fine Fir, the legs sturdy Pine. It has been carefully oiled to protect it from the elements. I promptly tried it, and there wasn't a wobble anywhere in that excellent seat. I can hardly wait for milking time. The old scary stool will be relegated to the burn pile, and I can milk away, free of fear, with this handsome seat beneath my rear! 



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