Visitors..!

 A long-awaited visit from two of Chris's beloved sisters is happening now. The third sister couldn't make it, and we miss her, but we are having fun with the two we have! 

They fell prey to one of the thousands of current flight cancellations, so their trip was cut short. We are trying to make the most of the time we have. I baked bread to help welcome them. 

Chris, the "baby" of the family, towers over Meg and Brenda. They bring much sweetness, chatter, and laughter when they come. 

We celebrated Father's Day with a family breakfast. Evans received a new gardening hat for his first Father's Day. It boasts a big brim to keep the sun off his face and neck.  The Owlet will have to get a bit bigger before she can borrow it. 

We have 50 broiler chicks growing, growing in the yard. I'll move them to the pasture next week, so they have more room to waddle about. This batch has been the most healthy and active we've had. They range all over, grabbing bugs and gobbling greens. Although they eat obscene amounts of food and produce unimaginable amounts of manure, I enjoy watching their antics.  The dogs do, too. I titled this photo "Guardian of the Flock. And a poodle." 

My sister wondered about the size difference between the new Nigerian Dwarf goats and my older Saanen ladies. It can be hard to imagine if you have not met them in person. This photo illustrates it nicely, I think.  On the left is Plenty, a full-grown doe. Beside her is Glory, an almost 3-month-old kid. Bliss, the Saanen towers over them both. She's also obese, but we won't discuss that just now. 

I was reminded tonight why the smaller goats are a better idea for me. I took a scoop of grain out to feed Plenty while milking her. The Saanens wanted some and got very pushy about it. Literally. Bliss rammed me to nab the grain, and I narrowly caught my balance just before falling face-first into the wall. I might trip over a small goat, but don't risk as much of an injury as one of the big girls could ladle out in a greedy moment. I need to develop a plan to prevent such problems in the future. At the time, a sledge hammer sounded good, but a cooler head prevailed, and I will develop a less violent plan. 

The baby goat, Glory, is shy about being petted or picked up. I nabbed her today and invited her to the backyard for a snuggle. The weather was perfect, cool breeze, warm sun. She protested initially but then settled in for an extended session of affection.  

There is a lot of love flowing around these days as we enjoy the farmlette, family time, and a delightful sister visit. Blessings abound.