Sometimes the Natural Order of Things Sucks.

Man what a season. You remember that Coffee had puppies? Or perhaps I haven't even gotten around to telling you...anyway, Coffee had some puppies right before Halloween. We ended up with five or six of them, and had given all but one away. Last Sunday was the last time we saw the fat little guy. We looked for him for days, but couldn't find him. Here are our best guesses:

- He tried to follow Donut (the 10-mile+ adventure dog) and got lost.
- The bald eagle Number One's been seeing around finally caught him alone and out in the open.
- He just wandered off and got lost.

My bet is on number two, but we will never know. The cute little pup is just gone. It's difficult and sad, but these sorts of things happen on ranches sometimes.

Now that Coffee doesn't have any puppies left, she apparently was wont for something to do. And the something she chose to occupy her time was horrible. You may recall that some time ago Coffee turned into a sheep-killer. And convinced some of the other dogs to join her, until we were forced to give the remaining sheep away (or bury them one by one).

Today, Coffee became a goat-killer. The goats, we thought, were safe in the orchard. Somehow, either Coffee got in or poor Jessie got out, or both. Woody came to the front door this morning, freaking out, trying to get our attention. Knocking on the door with his horns and hooves. Jumping up like a dog to peer in the window. Climbing on the grill.

Number One went out to put Woody back in the orchard, where he realized Jessie was missing. He took Woody around the ranch, looking for Jessie. Finally, after an exhaustive search, he found her, dead.

Jessie, top, with Woody

We are very sad and will miss this sweet little goat. Woody is distraught and lonely. He keeps trying to come in the house.

Number One isn't sure what to do about Coffee, who is currently locked in a kennel indefinitely. And I'm not sure what to do about Woody...there is a possibility we could find him a couple goat friends (I saw a sign at the grocery store a while back) or we may give him to the same lady who took our sheep. I'll let you know. You can be sure that no other goat will be as sweet as our little Jessie.

Downsizing.

This is a process that's been going on for a while. I think it all began when we were out of town and CG decided to give away every single one of our puppies. H-Bomb and Sawed Off were devastated that they didn't get to say goodbye. They LOVED those puppies. And I was devastated at the method of "giving away" that was employed: a cardboard box, unattended, in the hot sun with no water, outside a Walmart which resulted in the Humane Society being called. Seriously. That is exactly what happened, and I am not yet over the cruelty and irresponsibility of it all.

And then, Coffee and Jack decided it was really super fun to attack and kill the sheep. One by one. At first, we thought it was just an "accident," cow dogs are too rough for sheep, sheep are more fragile than cows. We found one of our sheep had gotten out of the pen, and figured she had gotten cornered by the dogs. Then we found our lamb, in the pen, dead. Then there was a night of massacre, we lost another sheep and three of the four remaining were limping around and bleeding.

We put all the dogs on lock-down. Shortly thereafter we left for our scheduled vacation. While we were gone, it happened again. Despite our explicit instructions, more than one dog was out of the kennel at the same time. I believe three dogs were out at once, and they packed up and went after the sheep. Again. We lost another one.

We are down to three ewes now, and we are going to sell them. They are just not compatible with our current dog situation, and it is better to get rid of them now than to haul off their corpses later, honestly.

Then there are the goats, Woody and Jessie. I am really torn about this one. Since H-Bomb has started going to Kindergarten, I have felt like I just can't take care of the darn goats by myself. It's just too much. And Wifey is afraid of them, ever since Woody pinned her leg against the fence with his horns (I think he just wanted her to give him some attention) and then knocked her down and out of her shoes as she was running away from him. At least she is able to laugh about it, but she doesn't want to take care of them while I'm gone.

If the goats are staked out during the day, someone has to keep an eye on them so they don't get too tangled up and don't knock over their water. At night, they have to be run over to their little pen near the sheep. In the morning, they have to be run over to wherever it is they are to be staked out. It doesn't sound like a lot, and perhaps it's not, but day in and day out, it does get old and tedious.

I told CG that we needed to get rid of them, but now I'm having second thoughts. Maybe I could do it. I'll try it and see. If I get into the groove of taking H-Bomb to school, get organized, perhaps I could still put the goats in and out. I was really looking forward to trying to make goat cheese.

So anyway, as soon as we find a buyer, we won't have any more sheep. I'm not sure about the goats, and as affectionate as they are, we will miss them if they go. I'll keep you posted.

UPDATE: I asked Wifey if she would help with the goats one or two nights a week, and she said yes. And then later, she said no. So, unless I can find someone on the ranch who is willing to help with the goats...they're going to have to go. =(

Aah, Spring!

In reality it's only 44 degrees here, so it sure doesn't feel like Spring at all. I'm cold! I'm wishing I had put my long underwear on today, and I still just might. But things are happening on the ranch that are making me hopeful.

Sometime in the past couple days, little Coffee had a litter of puppies! Five cowdogs in all, the last legacy of dear Stanley. I haven't been able to get in there to take pictures of them, because Coffee is a good mama who's keeping her babies warm and snug in the hay.


There are two that look like Donut, two that look like Jack, and one that looks like Nut, from the last batch of puppies. Here are pictures of those older pups so you can be reminded of the coloring. Of course I will update with pictures of the actual puppies when Coffee lets me get in there. I believe the sun will have to come out before that's going to happen.

Nut, left, and Jack, right

Donut

This morning, Number One was out feeding the horses and sheep, and he noticed that the sheep we call Ma was having a lamb! We gave her some time and space, and the cute little thing came out quick. I took some 35mm pictures that will be better than these, but it was fun to watch the little lambie trying to stand up, then taking his/her first steps (too early to tell). So sweet.



All this makes me hopeful that one day, Spring Will Arrive. And it will bring the sun and some warmer weather too.

(stay tuned for sheep/lamb video. blogger is tempermental at the moment.)

Fresh Snow

We awoke this morning to fresh snow on the ground and sunshine! It was a perfect day for photography, so I left the boys with Number One and headed out. I took more pictures with my "real" camera, but since Costco is so far away and we have no plans to get up there any time soon (March?? April???) you'll have to settle for these digital shots.






The sheep are so cute when their backs are all snow-covered. They don't mind a bit. I took better photos of them with the other camera, but I couldn't resist posting this one. And below, our cat Li'l Bugger, laying in the sun. She has taken to living with the sheep, and it is the sweetest thing you ever saw. She rubs up against them, and they nuzzle her with their little black noses. Bugger's trademark is kind of a jumping rub--she'll be rubbing on you the way cats do and then sort of leap into it while rubbing. She does this with the sheep and the dogs also. Precious. Living out in the long shed the way she does, there's a chance she's starved for attention. At least she has the sheep to keep her warm at night.