My goats have been testing my nerves today, and not because they have been doing anything different than they have always done, but because I am reacting to their behavior in a different way. I went to the barn to do chores this morning to find a significant portion of our hay stack fallen down. Well, I immediately panicked, doing a head count and finding everyone thankfully safe and sound. This was my fault because, I had moved things around in the barn yesterday to set up my birthing pen. This in itself was an adventure. Each goat wanted to be on top of me to assist with the moving and construction of the pen. Zoey is due on March 11th and I like to start separating them at night almost a month before their due date just in case something happens early. This is especially important for Zoey who is the lowest one on our pecking order. Even both of her daughters I have retained are above her. This means she needs some added protection anytime she is not at the top of her game.
To make matters more interesting, the goats kept jumping into the hay that I had restacked, to the point where I restacked the same pile at least 4 times today before I came to the realization that I needed to move the stanchion! They were jumping on the stanchion and catapulting themselves into the hay! Due to the reconfiguration of part of the barn I had several more loads of manure to take out today compared to my normal one load per day. I had not accounted for in the time I allotted for chores this morning. The stress of the extra work compounded by the decreased timeline, made me a little snippy with the goats this morning. All it took to make my heart melt was my husband pointing out to me poor Stella crying from the overhang of the barn. The other goats had closed the man door and were not allowing her into the barn. As my husband walked up to the barn to let her in the whole herd followed him out, the kids spunking the whole way down the road. But what really made my smile light up, was Moots. She took one look at that 4 wheeler sitting there in front of the barn, where it does not belong, and saw it as an opportunity! She jumped on top and was standing chewing her cud surveying her paradise. She saw it as a fun change not a fault like I was. All I could see was a chore I neglected to do, due to poor timing, but she saw the beauty and advantage of it
. Goats remind me each and every day to enjoy the small things, and appreciate what others take for granted. Each moment of each day is a gift, and one I am glad to share with my mischievous, entertaining, loving and sometimes butt headed goats!
Happy Goating!