Let me explain the quiet...

I've been quiet because there's been a lot to consume our thoughts...
1. Our neighbor's dogs attacked all three of our adult does the day of my last posting. We could see that Chochi put up a good fight. All three does, Chochi, Timi, and Alita were killed. It was a difficult time shortly thereafter. While as much as I would like to say that this blog is completely about me, the Maine Coon watch-cat of this farm, truth be told this farm revolved around Chochi and keeping her happy as the matriarch of the goat family. Chochi came into our lives two weeks after we moved to this farm and pretty much everything revolved around her because she provided us humor, reality checks, fertilizer, copious quantities of milk which in turn allowed us to benefit from making an endless supply of cheese, and she provided us with four sets of adorable kids.

We miss each one of these ladies daily, but we especially miss the matriarch of this farm.

Sonny, our billy (and Chochi's son), and Chochi's last set of kids were what remained of the goat population.

2. Sonny was attacked by the same dogs about 10 days later, but managed to free his stake and did a good job in fending for his life. The Handlers got to him and chased off the dogs before too much damage was done.

3.The Handlers had the opportunity to trade Sonny in October for another billy and they decided it was a good idea to bring in outside blood. Sonny went to live on a farm with 13 does; what's not to love about that situation? In return, Mochi (our new billy) came to reside at our farm. Mochi is also a Saanen, but without horns. Mochi was a tad feral so there were many months of adjustment. Not all of it was easy during a time when the Handlers were hyper vigilant about another attack.

4. In mid December the neighbor who owned the dogs was admitted into a mental hospital after his house and a couple of other structures on his property burned down. With no one left to care for the dogs, they then started disappearing.

5. By mid January the Handlers finally had the confidence that Mochi would not bolt, if given the opportunity. Mochi had settled in, and decided this was actually a good gig. The kids had also accepted him.

6. Five months on, and peace has settled on the farm.

I'm back, and I promise to bring you up to speed in due time. In the meantime, I leave you with a picture of the evening that Chochi came into our lives. Little did we know that one goat could redefine the direction of this farm and what was really important to its inhabitants.