Visit From The Little People

This year we have had baby goats, baby lambs, and the usual baby calves, so, naturally it was time for our first visit this year from the little people.

The little people arrived late at nite after a very long, very, very long drive. About 14 hours and for little people, that is a lifetime. Randyman, or “Papa Randy” as he is often referred to, was promptly attacked in an effort to work out the kinks from the drive. He didn’t go down without a fight.We had lamb kebabs ready at the house and we all ate heartily then put the little people on the shelf and bedded down for the night. You never know what you are going to find around here. I hope I don't run into any little people I put away and forgot about!

The next morning began with some happy singing, a little bit of skipping and a pinch of whining to balance it all out. We made bottles for the leppie calves and all headed out to feed them, then put together the bucket milker and milked EmmaLouMoo Cow. She gave us  2 ½ gallons that morning, of which we promptly drank a gallon and a half. Once the milking equipment was cleaned up and EmmaLou headed back to her buddies in the pasture, the meatie chicks had to be captured and carried out to forage a bit and get some sunshine. The little people did a fine job of pulling that off.

With the milk piling up in the refrigerator, thanks to the generosity of EmmaLou, we had to do something, so we made mozzarella string cheese. That was much enjoyed by the little people who ate enough to short one of our pizzas the next night. Ricotta was also made with the whey left over from the Mozzarella, and we made cheese blintzes for breakfast with that. We also made a big bucket of boule bread to make loaves for dinner and for pizza crust.

We made some soap, played with the Maremma puppies who seem quite pleased to have little people to add to their band of critters to guard and learned to crochet. Necklaces of chain crochet were made in various colors by the largest of the little people, for herself and the other little people. 

Picking strawberries proved to be one of the most difficult chores, as it doesn’t seem possible to get more than one a day back to the house. Strawberry shortcake may be just a dream.

We drove down to watch part of the branding one day to find them very short handed. Papa Randy and myself jumped in to help. The little people's daddy, who is a very big marine, jumped in to help 'mug' the calves. The calves never stood a chance.
We ran out of vaccine so went back for lunch to return and brand the rest of the calves later in the day, this time little people's mom pitched in to help.

Papa Randy found a snake sneaking out of the laundry room, so  he brought it through the house to show the little people, before turning it loose in the garden to kill the gophers who have shown up this year. The little people were surprised at how soft the skin was.

 One of the little people got her dream come true and got to go horsebackriding with #5

 It was not all fun and games tho. There was work to be done.

There was a good deal of interaction with the chickens. Cletus did a fine job of guarding and diligently protecting them.

 

Bruno volunteered for the job of body-guarding the little people.

 

All in all it was a wonderful visit. We are still waiting to see one more very, very special little person and our year will have been perfect.