Snow and farm stuff

Hi Friends! 

It's our first snow day of the season.   For about a week the weathermen have been saying snow was on the way.  Each day that the ground was bare the kids were so disappointed. 

When we woke up this morning it looked just like a snow globe outside with flurries swirling in the wind.  Baby, it's COLD outside! 

Sometimes the snow is fun.  Other times it is just bitter cold and makes some hard jobs even harder. 

This was one of those times.  This morning we discovered one of our goats had died.  

We started our herd with three goats.  She was one of the three.

Zuma (03/2005 - 12/2016)

She was a sweet and gentle goat, and patient and agreeable on the milkstand. 

Life on a farm may often seem idyllic, but the harsh reality is that chores need to be done in all kinds of weather.   The water buckets freeze and chores take much longer.  Digging a grave in the hard, frozen ground is no exception! It's not easy!  Hard work does build character though.  Hard work is not bad, though we are led to believe it is.  God created work for us and I believe it to be satisfying...when done well. 

 I'm proud of Dan for managing this.  He is strong.  He is also astute.  He mentioned to me last night that he thought Zuma wouldn't be with us much longer.  She was acting unusual yesterday- not greeting him, not even getting up to eat when he filled the trough with hay.  It was like she was just too tired.   Last evening when securing them all in the barn, he gave her an extra hug and gently talked with her.

Zuma had a funny personality.  She was so docile, but also either deaf or indignant.  If you had something of interest to her, she may come to see you, but otherwise she would just continue on grazing without a care in the world - even if you were honking the car horn for her to move.

Silly Zuma, we'll miss you!