I'll take even the smallest victories

in #homesteading5 years ago

I did go back last night to finish clipping a path through the blackberries, but I was thwarted once again. For one thing, I always feel like I'm clipping in more or less a straight line, but that often turns out not to be the case. Last night my path was spectacularly awry. I clipped and clipped and kept thinking I should be coming out into fresh air, and it kept not happening. I finally realized that I had been moving steadily downhill, making my job that much longer.

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After a fair amount of despair, a lot of sweat, and a whole bunch more scratches, I finally got to a place where I could see light at the end of the tunnel. I was about at the end of my rope, energy-wise, and was so relieved to be so close to the end, when something buzzed around my head. I have a little PTSD about things buzzing around my head, but most of the time they are flies and I can just ignore them. This was a little bigger. I scampered back down the tunnel a few feet and carefully watched to see who was strafing me. I didn't see anything so I carefully walked back, keeping low and keeping a close watch. Then I saw the hornet nest, hanging like a little paper Death Star right over my head. I can't believe I didn't get stung, but that was the end of that path, at least until the little buggers are removed. I tried to clip a path diagonally that would meet up with my tunnel before the Death Star, but I was too exhausted, so I gave up and just fed them.

On the way out there last night, I got a call from the kid who is farm sitting for my friend Tracy, whose puppies I have for two weeks. He said one of the goats had a nasty cut on her ear and was looking for guidance. So after the blackberry/hornet debacle, I went over there to take a look. It was pretty gnarly.

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Sadly, it was pretty obvious that the injury had occurred a couple of days ago, and was too scabbed over to be stitched up. She will have to live with a funky scar. I put antibiotic ointment on it, but that's about all I can do without a suture kit and a time machine.

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This morning we had more rain, which kept it cooler, and I went back out to tackle the impossible fence move. I gave up on the path I had been cutting, and instead followed the original path up the hill over the big rocks. Once I got it cleared, I ran the fence through and jammed the spikes between the rocks. It should hold pretty well, but I will be keeping my fingers crossed until I go back to check it tomorrow. The goats were over the moon about all the new salad. They have been pretty bored and hungry for the last couple of days while I have been dealing with all of the above.

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I realize that the first half of this post was heavy on narrative and short on pictures, but I have trouble remembering to take pictures when I am so tired and frustrated that I am fighting an urge to find a tall bridge.

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I'll shut up for a minute and just show you pictures of very happy goats.

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I went up on the second story deck of the house to take a couple of shots with more perspective. In this one, the goats are standing at the edge of their fenced area, wondering what on earth I am doing.

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This one is a panoramic shot that shows most of the area I am working on. There is more behind the trailer.

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After all the fence drama, I went to check on the little herd, who were also out of snacks. I figured I would execute the super cool move where I pinch off the fence, blocking them in, and move the remaining fence to better grazing. Works like a charm and I don't have to slog up and down the hill to lock them in the trailer and then let them back out. This time, however, they were carefully watching me and when I touched the fence without getting zapped, they figured they wouldn't get zapped either! So they plowed through the fence and went rogue while I did all the work.

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This next shot is for @carolkean. This whole field is canary grass! The goats like it, but that doesn't make it any less invasive!

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I got their fence adjusted and I managed to lure them back where they belong. This whole adventure today took about three hours, but it felt so very much longer. Here's a little shot of yellow, just because it's Wednesday.

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Good night, everyone! I will go pass out as soon as I figure out why all six dogs are barking!

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Sometimes I want to be there with you. I love a day of hard yard work, when you feel yourself worked to the very end of your rope, and then you crash and you just suck in all that peace that comes with not moving. Sometimes, as in one day out of the month or so...otherwise I'd be glad to be waiting on the porch with lemonade :)

I would love to have you be here with me! Although it's considerably more than one day a month that I get to this point. And there's a certain amount of weeping involved. Maybe I should just join you on the porch for lemonade...

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Yes, but I only want to do one day a month of hard labor ;) I'm okay with weeping, I would have to be, because I would be weeping too.

I have lemonade and wine here. Ready to go.

You have no idea how much I need your goats in my backyard right now! The weather here is very crazy and all grows extremely quick so my backyard looks like a jungle! I have to cut all with a machete aaaaah

There’s so much food for these goats! You need a small bulldozer sometimes!!

Sometimes a large bulldozer!

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Oh! They look like they have their work cut out for them!!!!

That is a definite ouchie! Goats will clear that land pronto, right. :)

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Would you have stitched the goat's ear yourself? Just thinking about it has made me a little faint.

The goats seem to be eating a lot. I am surprise the grass grow quickly enough for them. You must have got a big field area.

It does sound like an awful lot. I laughed out loud when you said you would shut up for a minute and just show pix.
So why were the dogs barking?

Existential angst, I think. Nothing more obvious ever showed up!

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Haha the death star got me giggling and your exit was so well described.

It's a busy and exciting life by the sound of it? Not the pastoral idyl we may imagine? 😋

There are idyllic moments, but they are often preceded by bloodshed! I wish I had taken a picture of the hornet nest, but I was too anxious to leave the premises!

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This would make a great movie. Especially the bloodshed bits 😂👍

Looks like a nasty tear on the ear. It’s a lot of hard physical work for you @goat-girlz to keep the goats with areas to clear. Nice you are up for the challenge.