Slice of Almost Heaven Blog

Someone Watching Over Me

7/31/2022

Photo by Brynja Eldon you can see her other work at https://www.flickr.com/photos/brynja_eldon/

I have had a keen interest in reading about the gallant men who fought to keep this nation free during World War 2. This is in large part from my late father being a combat veteran of that same war. At the end of one of the books I was reading, the author mentioned something that sparked a long forgotten memory. He said doing the right thing can be the sweetest when your actions are known only to God!

For me this started at a very young age. Culturally, Where I grew up, it was acceptable to play pranks on the night before Halloween (called Mischief Night). These were mostly harmless pranks, but one year it took on a far more sinister bent. Across from where we lived was an elderly couple. The husband was gruff and not very likable to the neighborhood kids. For some reason that year, these kids singled out his house for their pranks. It started off small, each time he would charge out of his house yelling at the pranksters as they ran away. This year it did not stop, it went on for weeks till the wee hours of the morning, I never knew for sure who was doing it. This went on until one night after taunting him, he stormed out of his house yelling and then went inside, collapsed and died.

Even thought at the time I was only 7 years old. I understood what they had done to this man and his wife. For some reason I felt a sense of guilt for not stopping them. There was no way I could have stopped them.

The memory of this event had faded from the local culture, and as I entered my early teens, I made a vow that no one would ever bother that house again. For many years I would stand guard over that house from the shadows of my parents property I would watch. If anyone approached that house to do the widow or her sister harm, a brilliant blinding light would strike perpatrator and they would run off. They never knew who was behind that beam and no one ever bothered them again. One day, years later, while taking over produce from our garden. I got up the courage to tell them why no one ever bothered them. The sisters did not say a word, but the gratitude they showed was deafening.

Even though in the end I did tell them who was behind their hedge of protection for all that time before it was only known to God. It was sweet to know that they were safe.

A View from the Farm

6/30/2022

If you look at this picture you can imagine the view we are greeted with many evenings. It is a sight that never get old. It changes from season to season, but all in their way are beautiful. As I stare at the view, I marvel at our Lord's creation. We call this farm Slice of Almost Heaven for good reason. It is not big, but it suits our needs. It is a place we call home, a place to grow and mature. A place to live life with your soulmate on this side of heaven.

What will heaven be like, my finite brain can not fathom. Considering this world in all of its beauty is fallen how much more can it be? Beauty beyond my understanding and comprehension, every sense will be involved, including some I don't know about. What if you could smell the color purple? Then to be greeted by my Lord and Savior, I may begin to understand what kept him on that cross. It was to pay for a dept that was mine and my alone. No man has greater love them to willingly give their's so other can live with the blessed assurance that they will one day be in heaven instead of just almost heaven.....

Ponder this as you go about your day.

Shocking Discovery!

5/31/2022

You have heard of the adage, "laughter makes for the best medicine". Well here on the farm that is so true. A few days ago, I was trimming the grass behind the goats area. As I worked I broke one of the "hot wires". After I repaired the wire I went to check the voltage.

I switched on the fence and for a moment the voltage drops. I say to myself good someone got lit up! (I feel this way do due to the fact that goats being the sneaky creatures that they are will check to see if the fence is off so they can stick their heads through the fence and eat the much better grass on the other side). After the third drop I hear a blood curdling scream, "TURN OFF THE FENCE!!!". I sheepishly poke my head around the corner. My eyes behold my better half. One peek and I see that a cat dipped in hot oil would be less peeved. I ask her innocently, are you ok? She uses some colorful metaphors. I then start to laugh, first a small giggle, but then a big belly laugh! It is in all good fun and the only thing hurt was her pride! (she does not agree with this statement!)

Isn't love grand!

Hold Me Mommy

4/16/2022

Vicki gave birth today, we induced her yesterday so she could give birth today. We do this so we can be there when they give birth, just in case there are any problems we can assist. Vicki is called in the goating world a "First Freshener". That means this was her first time kidding and she was a bit a scared. She had cried all night trying to figure things out. It was mid-afternoon and Michelle knew the time was close. She sat down on a bucket and started to pet and hold Vicki to comfort her. Vicki knew that now with Mommy here all was well. She relaxed and got to the task at hand. Within 30 minutes she gave us a beautiful buckling.

We raise all of our kids on a bottle so they associate Michelle as "mommy" and they never forget that mommy was there when they were born and she will be with them when they have their own kids. This bond of trust forms at birth and lasts a lifetime. They will always remember!

Haulin' Water

3/19/2022

This may not look like much, but for us this is a wonderful thing. As temperatures have moderated, we have been able to turn the water on to the barns. This saves us from hauling water out to all the buildings. For us this is a wonderful sight.

But just in case we have a cold snap, we have heat tape in the does barn and we run the tap when the temperatures drop below freezing.

Now if we could just get an automated system for when the goats poop in their water! But that is another story!!

Goat Boxing

2/28/2022

You have heard of Kick Boxing and Shadow Boxing, but have you heard of Goat Boxing??

Our bucks, are lovable furry fuzz balls. They are so sweet to us, but they love to fight! It is not that they hate each other, but they just love a good fight! During breeding season they fight to see who will get a girlfriend, an endeavor that is fruitless since they have pre-arranged girlfriends. Then at meal time they fight over food, flinging buckets, snorting and head bashing you would think they are starving. Just a bunch of drama! It reminds you of a bunch of HS boys in the school cafeteria, they even throw food at each other. We have resigned ourselves that they just like to fight. When the dust clears and everyone has eaten they all curl up in a pile and sleep off dinner, just to start again come morning.

Afraid of the Dark

1/25/2022

This morning when I went to take care of the goats. If you look close you can see one of them looking at me.

We are currently having an interesting problem here at Slice of Almost Heaven. You see the farm is set up with three different areas containing goats. In the front (closest to the house and milk barn) is the does barn. Here is where the adult females (adult meaning over a year old and have had kids) reside. They are closest to the milk barn since their job is to feed kids and us yummy milk. Usually in the middle area where we have a calf hutch we keep the doelings (females less than a year and have not kidded). Most seasons I keep 2-3 doelings, but this year I kept 5 so I had to move the bucks to the middle area. This means the doelings are in the buck barn. The buck barn is the structure farthest away from the house because bucks STINK during rut. There is no nice way to explain it, they are gross (they pee on themselves, aka "cologne") and are just generally greasy. But this year the buck barn smells nice (for a barn) since the doelings are there. But I digress, so because of playing shuffleboard with the goats the doelings are lucky enough to be in the larger buck barn. So they are also lucky that Peter installed lights in the barn so it would be easier for me to take care of the animals. Up until this point, we would occasionally find the lights on but it could be an any time of day or night. There was no rhyme or reason, most likely someone got lucky and flicked on the lights.

That was until the doelings moved in.......

But now we have someone who is intentionally turning on the lights. How do I know it is intentional? Because they only turn them on at night! What I figure happened is someone (and I have my "suspects") got lucky when they were bored and turned on the light. This smart cookie did it again the next night and now it is every night. Right now it is ok that they are "Afraid of the dark" but come spring we will have to figure something out, because one of the lights she turns on is attached to a solar cell in the warm months and we do not want her to drain the battery. Thankfully right now it is attached to a battery tender so the battery stays charged.

They said "Get Goats", since that time 12 years ago we have had antics of one sort or another to keep life interesting.

Christmas of the Farm

12/25/2021

Today is Christmas, the day we celebrate the earthly birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus. Michelle and I observe most holidays here at home. Being up in the mountains, you would think it would be cold and snowy, and we would be enjoying a White Christmas. Well, not this year; it has been cool and dreary all day. Light rain has been falling. The goats are bedded down in their barns, munching on hay. The chickens walk around searching for seeds while the ducks play in the mud. We have lots of mud. That is why we long for the colder weather to freeze the mud. Michelle is cooking a duck for dinner and making cookies. The cookies are from a recipe that has been handed down over four generations. The smell of the duck in the oven and the sweet aroma of the cookies waft into the office.

I am at my desk with a pencil and paper. I am laying out a new barn to build in the spring. Michelle wants a separate kidding barn and a new place to house the newly born goat kids. As I look down on the paper it is slowly forming from my mind's eye. All the measurements are done now; it is put to paper. We will break ground in April.

As I take a moment's break, I ponder the day. For us, it is now not what we receive this day, but what we already have. A bit of land, livestock to care for, a warm home, and for me, the love of my life near. With that, I do not need anymore.

Put Another Cat on the Bed

11/20/2021

There is an old country song, "Throw Another Log on the Fire." Around here, it is "Throw, Another Cat on the Bed!" As the weather turns cooler, they come. One by one, they jump up into bed. As the night passes, more come. Soon you wake up sweating and not being able to move. In the inky darkness, you peer down at a whole clowder of cats snuggled up next and on top of you. Too bad for you if you want to move or, worse yet have to visit the facilities. They are quite comfortable and not in any mood to move. With great difficulty, you extract yourself from the tangle. As you return, you are cold and would like nothing better than to slip under the nice warm covers. To your dismay, you find your spot taken now. You must unload cats to get into bed, and fight to not to be hanging off the edge of the bed. Then the alarm goes off, and they pile out of bed. They are well-rested and ready for a snack before going back to bed. Cats have it tuff around here!

Goat Kisses

10/16/2021

You probably heard of butterfly kisses. But have you heard of goat kissies?

Our milking does, and sometimes the bucks will give you kisses. What this is as you get your face close to theirs, they raise up and nuzzle you. They press their wet nose to yours. It is a sign of affection and trust. All of them will give you some, but some that you have a special bond with will provide you with more.

This picture is of “Big Moma,” aka Lois, our herd queen. She is a gentle giant who rules with an iron hoof and a heart of gold. She gives lots of kissies!