Popular culture

When I was a teenager it was the "thing" for girls to read Seventeen magazine, so I got a copy. 

It was dumb. Stupid gossip, articles encouraging drool over Bobby Sherman or the Monkeys (I know I'm dating myself badly here). A few articles on how to make yourself more appealing. I tossed my copy out with the cat litter, and never got another. Being popular wasn't worth if I had to read that crap.

So I wrote poetry, read my Bible, and listened to Hank Williams (Sr.) and a lot of other dumb stuff that didn't make me popular. 

Plus I liked to read, I read every Hardy Boys mystery on the library bookshelf. I fell head-over-heals with Bed Knobs and Broomsticks. I played with insects and collected rocks. In short, I was a nerd, even in those early days.

I did like television though. Every Sunday my dad and I would watch stupid Japanese Sci-Fi and eat ice cream. I liked the Avengers, the Man from U.N.C.L.E., Bewitched, and the Twilight Zone. Oh and I loved Hogan's Heroes. I still do, actually. But I never went to the movies.

It's surprising really how useful popular culture can be. During my travels, after I'm asked my age, people I meet usually want me to discuss politics or popular culture - neither of which I care anything much about. Which is funny because most of my kids really get into one or both of those things. I don't want to be an Ol' Fogey, so I'm trying to learn new things every day.

Last night Michelle planned a party. A fun one for just the three of us (plus baby) where we watched the Oscars and ate all sorts of foods relating to the movies being nominated. I really enjoyed learning about all the movies, watching the trailers beforehand, voting on which ones I thought might win, and watching everyone (on TV and at home) get all dressed up for the occasion. 

Michelle and William made the most fun foods (far too much of it), decorated it all with Oscars tags and labels, and we even took pictures in front of our "Bansky wall" in honor of that movie being nominated. 

If you don't know which movies won you'll have to find out for yourselves. The only thing I'm going to say is, after all that, 

I really want to see the King's Speech. That story looks amazing.

All this to say, popular culture isn't really all bad, it's the way you use it in life that makes it worthwhile.

Waiting and Jumping

While waiting to see if my last doe would give her kids today, I sat outside and let the mommas take their babies out in the sun. They were SO excited about it. They stayed out all afternoon, taking little naps by a tree then getting up to play again.

In the meantime, I expect the last baby/babies tomorrow.  Hopefully.  So far we have 4 sets of twins in six days.

The two in this video were born Monday, our first set, so they're 5 days old today. This is Cocoa and Cordelia. The splint hasn't slowed Cocoa down a bit.

Twin set number 4

Kyla had twin boys this morning. 9 lbs. each.

Seeing, and believing

When I went to the Pantanal (Brazil) in 2004, one of the required pieces of equipment was a good set of binoculars. I had no idea what we would do with them, but being a good little student I went and bought myself a couple of decent pair. One set was pocket sized that I carried everyplace we went, including being submerged in a salt marsh on several occasions. The first time that pair got wet I thought they were ruined, but they dried out and still work today.

The other set, these larger ones, were useful in birdwatching and looking for the elusive reptiles, like turtles and anaconda, found in that region of Brazil.

 
I still use the bigger set. This week I keep them perched on my bath tub.
My bathroom has a nice window that overlooks the barnyard. If you stand on the tub you can use the binoculars to see right into the goat pen from the house, instead of traipsing out there when it's not convenient (such as 3 or 4 in the morning - or when baby is eating breakfast). Today, Michelle found out just how useful those puppies are in the bathroom, when she peered out there and saw one of my momma goats about to give birth.

Alone in the house, Michelle scrambled to get out there, just in time to meet the birth of twins. These two are full blooded Boer, weighing about 9 pounds each. Their mother, Leia, did a brave job by herself, although she was very glad for Michelle's assistance, getting her babies out of the slime, and our pesky dog to leave her alone.

William and I managed to miss the birth, too. We had taken two other goats to the vet, so missed the actual event, although we did return just in time to help with another placenta, get the babies to nurse, and take some lovely pictures.


Two more pregos to go. The weekend is just beginning.

 

Happy Daddy

My goats were kind enough to let me have a break yesterday. I expect my weekend to be busy, but Thursday and even Thursday night, it was quiet in the barn. All the momma's left ready to kid now are experienced. Knowing that lets me sleep a little better.

It's interesting to see the different colors of new babies. Their daddy isn't anything out of the ordinary in looks; he's large and friendly but otherwise looks like a typical Boer.

This is Buckwheat, during breeding week, October 1. I love the way he blubbers, trying to get the ladies interested.

Rewards

I have never been so glad to have a jacuzzi bathtub as I was today. Soaking in bubbly-bath with a hot toddy, trying to figure out why every muscle in my body aches, mulling over the day.

Sorry, no pictures.

I never really understood what farmers (like my friend Jenny) meant, when they would say that calving time is so hard. I didn't disbelieve her at all but I didn't fully understand all it takes until this year, to have multiple livestock due all the same week. Between going to the barn several times in the middle of the night to check rear-ends, sleeping with a baby monitor in my room and listening to goat noises in my half-sleep, staying up late, getting up early, working half the night - then delivering babies all day, I sort of understand a little better now. 

Last year was simple. I had only two goats who gave birth and not in the same week. Plus they had one kid each. This year (more like this week) I've already got 2 sets of twins, and expecting at least 2 sets more before Saturday.

It's a great experience, don't misunderstand my story as a complaint. I love it, even though it's hard work. I love sitting in the goat pee, sticking my hand up the wrong end of a goat, chasing a momma goat around so I can yank a baby out, getting sprayed with green goo, wrestling a mother goat to squeeze out a placenta - plus holding those precious babies, teaching them to nurse, watching momma goat eat a disgusting afterbirth, seeing her bond with the babies, and watching them grow before my eyes. I wouldn't give it up for anything. 

Yes, I ache in places I didn't know existed on my body. And yes, I smell probably far worse than the goat I assisted today, but hey, it's so rewarding. And I'll be doing it all again tomorrow.


This is Clara (left) and Clarence (with Michelle), today's rewards. I sure was glad Michelle was there to help today. I can't think how sore I might be had I been by myself. You can read more about this day on her blog, linked on the right of this page.

Dad's Irish Tea

Actually, this is British tea but no one really cares. It's in an Irish tea set, that's all that matters.

Michelle got some special Chocolates for Christmas and one of them said, "for the best taste experience, eat with Earl Gray tea."

So I broke out Steve's tea set (yes, this is Steve's, got it as a result of our trip to Ireland). Of course, I enjoy the set, too. I prepared a full pot of Earl Gray, complete with cream and sugar.  And the dark chocolate. A nice way to end a tiring day.


Too bad Steve wasn't here to enjoy it with us.  At least baby enjoyed it. A little too much.

Knees

Cocoa has a problem.  Knees are meant to bend in only one direction, but she didn't seem to know that.

Just after birth her leg didn't look quite right. Sometimes these things fix themselves after a day but in observing her walking today we decided she needed a visit to the vet. 

Now, wearing her splint, she's able to get to momma and stand long enough to nurse. Poor baby.  

Weather fun

For a few years I really wanted this rain and snow gauge. I know it seems like a strange thing to put on a wish list, but I wanted one, nevertheless. It's very accurate, and used by the National Weather Service to measure precipitation. Michelle finally felt sorry for me this year, and got me one for Christmas.

Every morning now I go out and look at the gauge. Then I log in to the CoCoRaHS website where I'm registered as a reporting site, and I log the amount of stuff that falls from the sky. The data I add feeds information to the National Weather Service. You can find out more about it by clicking the link.

I realize that my idea of fun is a little odd, but It's pretty fun to see a chart over time of the rain and snow in our area. I also enjoy watching the weather - actual weather - really happen.

The gauge is larger than you would think.  At first glance it looks like this rainfall measures over an inch of water but according to the gauge, it's only 1/4 inch (.25).  It's accurate because the width of the gauge where the water falls is 4" in diameter. A funnel forces the water into an inner tube, making measurement a cinch.

When snow falls, measurement is a bit more work. First, you take the funnel out and let the snow go inside. If snow piles up on the sides, there are special directions on how to measure the actual snowfall, and other directions to measure the water content: It's all part of the CoCoRaHS training.  Anyone can join, it's a great way to contribute for any location.

Calibrating the scale

Before we could tell how big our babies were with the scale, we first had to weigh something we knew about. 
Baby Bonnie fit the bill.

Twins today

Meet Cocoa and Cordelia, first babies this year. Cocoa weighs 9 1/2 lb. Cordelia (named by Michelle) weighs 6 lbs.

Cocoa is, of course, the brown one.

Things in high places

When I was in college we had this place in the wall we called a closet. It was just an opening along the width of the room, with a long, heavy pole attached up high to hang a curtain or sheet. The ceilings we had were high, maybe 10 feet, and the pole was right up along the top. Our room came with an existing bed-sheet hanging from the pole, which we left. I found out sometime during the school year that the curtain pole was heavy. 
Very heavy. 
Heavy enough to break a nose. 

Two lessons stand out in my memory from that year. 
First; never yank a curtain, especially if it's hanging on a heavy rod. 
Second; that things up high usually find their way down. 

If they do, it's a good idea to not be in the way.

I'm not fond of storing things up high as a result of that year. It's not just hanging things that bother me, either. Even putting stuff on the tops of things, like the refrigerator, or shelves with no door scare me. It's more than just being annoyed how stuff stored up high looks junky. And it's not merely about my frustration of not being able to see anything when its up high (I don't have the luxury of being from the Amazon). My main issue with sticking things in high places is that, sooner or later, one or more of those things is going to fall down.

I should have remembered that when I stored the caulking gun on a shelf 8 feet up. A caulking gun with a full tube of caulking is a lot heavier than you might think. Especially when it hits you in the nose. 
Why is it always the nose?

The good news is, I don't look like Barbara Streisand. At least, not from today's incident.

Man vs. Mud

Mud is an amazing substance. It can be used to make mortar, huts, ceramics and even pies. It has been known to smash houses and cover cities. In California most homes are covered with mud - people call it stucco.  You can paint it and even shape it. Mud is a lot like glue.

Many animals - and people - bathe in mud. Even William.
It's supposed to have beautifying qualities. 

Mud has not made our equipment very beautiful.
William's been outside for hours by now - trying to get the mud off the track hoe treads. It's difficult to even drive this beast with the amount of mud it accumulated over the last several weeks.

William is also covered in mud. I would not be surprised if Michelle meets him at the back door and demands he removes his clothing before stepping inside. 

I guess I'll stay in the back bedroom a while.

Wonder weather

I love Tennessee weather.  It's hot, freezing, dry, humid, rainy, snowy, muddy, windy, and still. Sometimes we even get to experience all of these conditions in a single week. Like this week.

Wednesday it was 5 degrees at the coldest part of the day. We got 3 inches of snow, gusty winds, freezing ponds. 

Sassy thought it great fun to run across the frozen pond and chase leaves or bubbles beneath the surface. At eleven pounds, I hope he's a good swimmer. Another day he might not be so lucky.







Now it's thawing.
Yesterday it was in the 40's all day. 

I wonder how long the snow will last today. Right now it's 53. The sun is shining, yet the pond is still frozen over, although it's slushy around the edges and the mud around it is soggy, just waiting for feet to sink in.

I just saw the cat go out there, I hope he realizes those rocks sitting on top of the pond are going to sink today, along with him if he tries sliding around out there.

Felix thinks that's silly, it's far more entertaining to lie around on the hay, like a goat. She's a lot more sensible than her cross-eyed cousins.

In another week it might be freezing again, but for now I'm enjoying the early spring day. I know it won't last, it's only February, but a person - or cat - can imagine.

What's a barn for anyway?

My neighbor has a cow. 

 A steer actually, a young one, with long, soft fur. That neighbor also has a barn. But the cow is not allowed to go into the barn, he is fenced away from it. The barn is used to store important things like 4-wheelers and hunting gear, and who-knows-what-all. Sometimes Yogi brings me samples from that barn. I have a single hunting glove and a feeding bottle for the cow. Plus a couple of torn up boxes with the neighbor's name on them. Yogi is very proud.


Yesterday it snowed. I went down to the mailbox and the cow was standing there looking pathetic with 2 inches of snow on his furry back. Poor thing. Just because you plan on eating someone doesn't mean you have to be inhumane.

I have goats. Ten to be exact. Last night I knew it was going to get extra cold so I put a heat lamp in the barn. Since the barn only has three sides they needed extra help to keep warm. I know they are technically wild animals, but not while they live with me. They are pets. They are breeders. They are also pregnant. And they are spoiled. 


I admit to taking special care of my animals. I admit to not liking it when other people don't. I would never tell my neighbor I don't approve, because of course, I don't know what I'm talking about. After all, I don't plan on eating any of my animals.

My goats would love to have a barn like my neighbor's. So would I. It sure would make birthing babies easier in a couple of weeks. I bet the cow wishes he had a barn like that, too. It might make him fatter. And happier.

Tree

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

~Joyce Kilmer, "Trees," 1914

Chinese New Year in Nashville

Mostly I think Michelle and William are glad to be back in the states, but some days I think they miss China - their friends, the food, and all the hustle-bustle, even just having their own private life. Especially around holidays.
Chinese New Year is a big deal in China - it's like Christmas is for westerners.  It's when families get together. People decorate homes, businesses, even cities, and children look forward to things like traditional music and events. 

Like the Lion Dance.

In China everything has a story. Stories are told to pass tradition and general Chinese heritage. At New Year performers dress up and dance the story of the lions.

The story goes something like this: 

Once upon a time a monk had a dream. In the dream many evils plagued the land. The monk prayed and asked the gods how he could prevent these evils. The gods told him that a lion would protect the people and keep them safe. The Chinese people (and the monk) had never see a lion before, but had heard stories that the lion was the king of all other animals, so the monk decided to make a lion, and combined all the traits of good and magical animals he could think of. 
Thus, the costume you see here.

This is the lion that came to life to protect the land. The lion was grand but soon grew very proud. The lion was said to have a great horn in the center of his head that gave him great power. With his power he protected the land until one day he grew so arrogant he told the gods he was more powerful then all of them combined. That made the gods a bit angry so they cut off his horn. Now the lion could no longer protect the people and the land from evil and people began dying.  The goddess of Mercy felt sorry for the people losing their protector, and for the lion, so she tied his horn back on with a red sash. That way the lion would once again be able to protect the people and the land from evil. And that's why the lion wears a red sash on his horn.  

Wikipedia tells a lot more detail about this traditional story and how it's performed in different parts of China. In the North of China, for instance, performers use more acrobatics. In Southern China the dance is more symbolic and superstitious. Each region uses the story in slightly differing ways. Wikipedia, however, didn't mention how the Chinese Arts Alliance performs the Lion Dance in Nashville, but I'll just say we enjoyed it. You can read more about our day on Michelle's blog. 

Chinese New Year took us to two libraries to see the Lion Dance performed, then to a fabulous - and fairly authentic Chinese Restaurant (the Lucky Dragon on Charlotte Pike). It was a lovely way to celebrate the New Year. I hope it made Michelle and William feel a little more at home.