My Morning in Pictures

Mornings are my favorite time of day. I thought it would be fun to take the camera around with me this morning. I have posted just the minimal, otherwise there would be too many pictures!

So, here goes the gist of my morning.

Wake up, pour decaf coffee in the mug and add a splash of raw goat milk. Take my steaming mug back to bed to sip while I read the Bible. This is a morning ritual, and has been for a hundred years. When all my children were small and needed me in the morning, I got up at the crack of dawn to do this before they were awake.

After an hour and another refill in the mug, I get dressed and gather my gear for milking. A pail, a spray bottle filled with hot water and a drop each of bleach and dish soap (because I'm out of lavender and peppermint essential oils, which I prefer for teat washing-um, of the goats I mean.) Before I go outside I sample my raw oatmeal cookies from the dehydrater. YUM! I'll have to write down the recipe I made up. Tasty. I head out to the barn before I eat too many.

Out in the barn I bring a handful of food to the red hen ontop of the haystack. Yesterday I watched as a lighter red hen jumped up and got scolded for getting too close. I watched with my mouth hanging open as that hen ignored the warnings, and sidled up right next to the brooding hen, scootched her over with her rear, and layed an egg right next to her! The setting hen in the picture stopped scolding, looked down, and gently and lovingly rolled the new egg under her with her beak. I caught a glimpse under there...last week there was one egg.

Now there are at least a dozen. What do animals think and say to each other? This was a fascinating exchange. Next I go check in on the kittens. Darling! Their eyes are open now. But...

Who is the mamma? Three different females feed and care for the six kittens. So I make sure to feed them well and always offer them a bowl of fresh warm milk while I'm milking the goats.

This little hen always gets a drink too. She lives in the barn with the cats and bosses everyone terrible! Although the goose outranks her and will give her "what-for"if she catches her in the stalls. She's only allowed in the isleway of the barn- or else!

Before I leave I give all the mammas and babies a treat, and the goose of course has to get her share. She thinks she's a goat, so please don't tell her any different. .My youngest son says it would hurt her feelings. *U*

Now I upload pictures, blog, and head for the shower.