A Spiffy Sunday!

[toggpine]

I'm checking in while I wait for the milk to pasteurize. Our last set of babies was born tonight. It was an artificial insemination and I was really looking forward to the resulting purebred kids. The doe was adorable until she stood up. She has a wonky back leg. She is still cute, but I have to see if I can help splint the leg and hope that it was just the way she was crammed in there with her brother that caused it. He's not all that sharp either. He had big floppy ears and a screwy tail. I'll give them a few days to see how things straighten out. If not, then that buck goes up for sale to somebody who has a more complementary gene pool.

The baby shower for the "Baby Momma" is over. That is about all I'm gonna say on that subject. I just wonder how hard it would be for the son to get full custody of the baby....

I think after feeding the babies and a few Zzz's I'll finish cleaning the barn and then I can get back to sewing with less guilt. It is supposed to rain off and on most of the day. I think we skipped summer here. 3 days of 75+ does not a summer make.

You all have a great day & I'll check in later today!
Cathy

[Bubby]

Re: A Spiffy Sunday!

We have a lot of dairy farms in our area. I'm sure I don't have to tell you dairy farmers are the haardest working people on the planet. Those cows have to be milked twice a day 7 days a week. You have my admiration. Working as you do must make the time you have to sit down and sew all the more precious. Enjoy the time you have to quilt...Barb

[LynneLeavell]

Re: A Spiffy Sunday!

I'm glad the birth of the babies went well. If I understand right the only the son will get full custody of the baby is if The baby momma gives it to him. If they are not married it will be harder for him. I've been looking into myself because I keep hoping that my daughter will leave your two sons daddy. He has issues and I'm afraid he is going to hurt one of the boys or maybe her.

We have had cool weather here as well. But I understand it is suppose to get back up in the 90's tomorrow.

Hopefully I can get some sewing done today as well. I have a quilting retreat next weekend and need to get stuff together for that.

Hope everyone has a great day.

Lynne

[Monique]

Re: A Spiffy Sunday!

Another birthday BBQ today. I could get used to being fed all the time. Not much quilting until next week. Have a wonderful Sunday all.

[Blondie]

Re: A Spiffy Sunday!

Hey Ladies
Feeling kinda like this little baby; sleepy headed and yawning. Think I will toddle back to bed and I've only been up for a half hour or so! Long night. Suffice to say I spent the night in the ER with my Sis, who got bit by something and had a severe reaction as in anaphalactic shock.(sp) We never found what bit her but think it may have been a spider. Quite scarey to watch her swell so quickly. Thank Goodness we live close to the hospital and they wasted no time in getting her back. Shake your clothes out really good, ladies.

Cathy, glad the baby shower is over; you are far kinder than I would be. I am so thankful that while my DD was married, they had no children. I can always be foolish over everyone else's GK's.

Enjoy the BBQ, dear Monique! fun times to be had!!!!!! And Lynne, I wish I could be with you at that retreat. I think I may have to make one up for me! LOL.

Barb, hope your day is filled with good things knowing how you live under His graces with a grateful heart.

Everyone else! Guess what? It's Sunday, I picked berries yesterday with my friend, went out with Mom and others before the insect bite so Saturday was still a good day.

Back to lie down. I doubt there is enough coffee for me right now.

BIG HUGS TO ALL! MANY BLESSINGS TO YOU THIS DAY!!!!!

[Shannon]

Re: A Spiffy Sunday!

Too funny, I was just reading your comment on the weather and thought "yeah, it's be the same here"...then I noticed your location! No wonder the weather is the same, you are in the next county over.
It's early, what can I say?

[Lisaau]

Re: A Spiffy Sunday!

Blondie : "I am so thankful that while my DD was married, they had no children."...............thats a strange statement???????

[Dragonfly]

Re: A Spiffy Sunday!

Lisa I think what Blondie means is that children are often the unfortunate victims of a bad marriage, better that there were no children than to have children that need to suffer for the parents broken relationship.

[patticakes]

Re: A Spiffy Sunday!

Hi! Gonna be a hot one here today, they say the beginning of an 8-day hot streak of over 95 degree weather with humidity pushing the heat index to 105 and up! I have been trying to keep the air conditioning off but not in this weather.
Got some blocks done for the baby quilt. Decided that since I usually don't follow a pattern, why not just start and see where it leads. Trust my eye and be creative! Hopefully I can get the top done today.
Had a crowd of people over last night and am looking forward to a quiet Sunday but thinking a few might show up today just to swim in the pool and that always lead to a meal. Maybe just hot dogs and leftovers from yesterday.
Take care!

[Lola2Ace]

Re: A Spiffy Sunday!

Hello all! Prayers to all for healing and comfort. I have been trying to catch up, but there is alot to read. I've been sewing in little bits at a time. I have finished another little A-line dress for our little great niece and another for youngest DD to give to a new baby in her boyfriend's family. I am still working on the friendship braid quilt and have 2 baby set orders and I have 1 almost done and the other is in the fabric picking stage. My brother gave us some fresh green beans and garlic from his garden, so I am simmering 2 ham bones I had in the freezer for ham, green beans and potatoes for dinner and I can't wait! I have about 20 tomatoes on my topsy turvy but it will be awhile till they are ready for eating.

[SuzyQue]

Re: A Spiffy Sunday!

We have 120 degree heat index today with at least 10-14 days more of this. Summer is here. I will gladly send a little heat to whoever needs it!!!

[newbiequilter]

Re: A Spiffy Sunday!

Cathy, When you talk about the kids do you raise goats? What do you do with them? Since you mention pasteurizing milk I'm guessing you raise them for the milk. Have never had goat milk except in cheese. How does the milk compare with cow's milk?

[toggpine]

Re: A Spiffy Sunday!

Yes, we raise dairy goats. I have shown them and we do use the milk for the house. The flavor of the milk can vary from animal to animal. I don't like the funky/stinky goat cheeses and so I don't like the stronger flavored milk either. I have several of the girls that give milk that tastes just like whole cow milk. The butter-fat in our girls milk runs at about 3.5%. the funny thing is we drink the milk raw for ourselves, but pasteurize it for the babies. There is a goat-specific disease that can be passed from goat to goat. The most common way is from the mom to the kids via the milk. In it's worst form it causes encephalitis (brain swelling) in the kids, and debilitating arthritis in the older goats. If you keep your animals at home forever, don't bring in outside animals for breeding, and the whole herd tests negative for several years, then you don't have to worry so much. I judge a lot of small county fairs, and on occasion take my girls to shows, and will use bucks from outside herds to breed my girls. So I just keep on the prevention program so I don't have to worry as much.
We do pasteurize the milk if it will possibly be consumed in any form by other people though. I really don't want a lawsuit.

[newbiequilter]

Re: A Spiffy Sunday!

When you mentioned pasteurizing I figured it must be for yourselves and didn't realize you do it for the babies. So the babies don't nurse from mom? Don't people who raise cows for milk send it to a bottler who does the pasteurization? That's why I thought you must use it for your family.

[toggpine]

Re: A Spiffy Sunday!

It depends on how big your dairy operation is. Some places have a complete pipeline system and the milk barely touches the air until you crack the cap on it at home. Other dairies do ship in a bulk tank to a processor for packaging. There are not too many processors for goat milk, most of them are in California. Our operation is super simple. I wash the udder, squirt the first few streams into a strip cup, milk in to a sanitized stainless steel pail, filter it in to sanitized half-gallon glass jars and plunk it in to an ice water bath. Once I'm done in the milk room, I'll transfer the cold milk to the fridge. From there we drink it or cook with it just like you would milk from anywhere else.
Sorry to everyone for the rambling on about goat stuff!
Have a good night!
We don't dam raise the kids very often. The babies are less friendly and they will suck the life right out of the milkers. The kids are eating machines and the does will nearly starve themselves to keep up with the constant demand for milk. This way the babies easier to handle, as they think you are the only source of food. You can also balance out the milk among all of the kids so everybody gets to eat regardless if their mom is a first timer with less milk or a proven milker that kicks out nearly a gallon per milking. I can also feed the milker according to her production. Slackers get less feed than the top milkers.