On homes...

A clutch or two of tree swallows called this little house home this season. As summer draws to a lovely close the house is empty, but a spider has decorated it with her home as she harvests flies.

In April, when we bought the lovely Luna goat, she came with a one week old buckling. I knew from the start I didn't have room for him, and our early plans were to raise him for the summer then send him to freezer camp. I tried my very best to not love him, but he is the most engaging little guy. If I sat outside he'd sit by my feet. If I were doing chores he was "helping." He licked my cheeks and legs and arms like a puppy. The thought of eating him was unappetizing. At the local farmers market I bought some goat chops so we could see if we even liked goat meat. To my delight, we didn't! However, the fate of male goats is generally not kind, so I was hesitant to give him away or sell him. I needed A PLAN.

Many years ago I had purchased this sweet little cart, thinking I'd train my Doberman to pull it. I never did. It has been sitting in my garage attic collecting dust and making me feel remorseful when I looked at it. I had the brilliant idea that if I sold the cart and the goat as a package deal, someone might take him on as a project and give him a good home. So I placed an advertisement in the local swap paper: He's too cute to send to freezer camp! I have a 6 month old Saanen wether. He is up to date on shots, and has been disbudded. I also have a very nice little cart that I could part with. If someone wanted to take this friendly, smart, very tame little guy and teach him to pull the cart, I'd be delighted.He is great with other animals, especially my horse. Please keep him out of the freezer! The very next day my phone rang, and a young woman told me that she and her husband had been talking about getting a little wether (castrated male goat) and training him to pull a cart. Before I could say lickity split she arrived with her two pretty little girls and her nice husband. They loaded the goat and the cart up and off they went. I think the wee goat guy will have a nice home on her small farm. She has other goats to keep him company and he was quite enchanted by the children. And today I am home, a rare Saturday off. I have a list of things I want to get accomplished in the hours that spill before me like a ripe promise. So I am up and away, "to do" list in hand