After we left Jana and Peyton’s, we traveled down to Granbury where we visited my grandfather Charles and his wife Dominique. They recently installed a small elevator in their house and we got to ride in it. I was told I needed to get a goat to ride in it too, but even if Charles and Dominique had allowed it, I don’t think either one of our goats would’ve fit!

Sputnik took Dominique for a spin around her big, beautiful yard.

Dominique looks so dignified. I think she was born to ride a goat cart!

Charles was less dignified, probably because we had to bribe, threaten, and coax him to give it a try. We finally convinced him to take a short spin.

Not only were the goats supposed to ride the elevator, I was also told that we must have one of them pose on top of this big tortoise. Charles objected on the grounds that the goats’ hooves might damage the paint or dent the metal. So the goats stayed off the tortoise and Phil faked a shot of miniature Finn standing on giant shell.

Then I rode the tortoise!

After that we went for a walk around the property. In addition to the huge, beautiful lawn and gardens up top, Charles has a series of stone walkways going down to the lake. Finn and Sputnik love stone stairs, and Charles had no end of amusement watching them climb up and down, nibbling the variety of tasty overgrowth as they went.

Charles has several nice benches placed at strategic points along the pathway for both taking a rest and taking the view.

This overgrown patch of vetch was a particular favorite for the goats, and Charles loved watching them devour it.

We continued on to the boathouse where Finn made a thorough exploration of the dock.

Sputnik wasn’t so sure about getting too close to the edge near all that water.

Back to the top. Good boys!

I have always loved Finn’s intelligent, adoring eyes. He loves all things “people” and he looks for ways to engage.

Sputnik, on the other hand, just wants to find more delicious things to eat!

And here comes Charles!

We spent the rest of the afternoon lazing around in the sunshine on the grass, drinking in the sights and smells and sounds of Charles’ peaceful yard. It was a beautiful afternoon, and I just love Texas in the springtime.

Our stately goats look very content on this stately lawn, don’t they. I expected them to look out-of-place, but on the contrary they appear to fit right in.

During our time in the Dallas area, Phil and I stayed with my aunt Jana and uncle Peyton who live in Argyle. It used to be a small farming community near Denton, but it too is falling to the endless, creeping suburban beast. When I was a teenager I would visit during the summer and ride horses with my cousin Christy. There were many little farms and horse properties around the area, but now most of them appear to be gone or going. Jana and Peyton still have horses on their property, and it was a perfect place to keep Finn and Sputnik for a few days. The fencing was goat-proof and the pasture was full of clover so the goats were quite happy.

Hilariously, the goats spent a large part of their time hanging out near the dog pen because they liked teasing the dog. They would rear up with their front hooves on the dog fence and eat the oak leaf buds hanging above it–not because oak leaf buds are so incredibly delicious, but because it drove the dog mad and he would run back and forth, barking and barking to try to make them get down.

Jana and Peyton invited all their kids (my cousins) with their families and a few friends over one evening for dinner. Most were able to attend and we kicked off the festivities with a little goat show in the horse pasture. Sputnik was a real ham. I’m amazed that he can still jump through this tiny hoop. I just wish the photo were from a decent angle!

Well, Phil caught the angle this time, but the goat decided to turn his circus act into a comedy routine. He ran off with the hoop around his neck, leaving the audience in stitches.

Finn, his horns duded up, pulled the cart for everyone. My uncle Peyton was the first volunteer. He looks very proud perched on that seat!

The kids all had a great time.

My cousin Travis was a wild man. He waved one arm like he was riding a bull and got Finn excited enough to trot! They were all a bit more sedate by the time I snapped this picture, but the beginning of that ride was something to see! (Not many people can convince Finn to run away from his friend Sputnik and his crowd of admirers!)

Hold the reins tighter Ashley–he might run away with you!  

Phil and I usually take a spring vacation, but never before has it involved goats! Goat vacations are usually reserved for summer (NAPgA Rendezvous) and fall. But this happened to be a good year to include goats on our spring trip. Most of my grandparents are in their 90’s now and can’t travel any more, so if I want to see them, and if they want to see the goats, we and the goats have to do the traveling. All of my grandparents are fascinated by our goats and ask about them any time we talk. Some of them even rode Cuzco’s cart many years ago when we lived in Lake City. When I said I’d go down for a visit, all of them asked if I’d be bringing goats, so I said yes! And since I was headed to Texas with goats, it only seemed natural to also call up some NAPgA members and organize a small packgoat get-together while we were there!

The fun times started on the last day of March when I visited my mother’s mother, who we call Bitty. “Poppy” is no longer with us, but Bitty still lives in her own house in the suburban McKinney sprawl and my aunt Laura lives with her and takes care of her. Bitty was thrilled when I told her we were bringing the goats. She had us put them in her little back yard so we could watch them through the window while we visited.

Bitty spent some time petting Finn through the back door, but she couldn’t manage anything more because it was very cold and windy that day. We had been hoping to take her for a goat cart ride, and if the weather had been nice I’m sure she would have loved to take a spin through the neighborhood! But alas, it was not meant to be!

It’s a good thing Finn is gentle because he’s taller than Bitty!

My aunt Marva and my cousin Erin live a few miles from Bitty in an almost identical-looking suburban neighborhood in Frisco. Miles and miles of countryside north of Dallas have been carpeted by McMansions laid out in over-planned neighborhoods with mazes of streets and houses that all look alike. Goats are very out-of-place in these settings, but that’s one reason it’s fun to take them there and see the looks on people’s faces!

My cousin Erin has four kids and all of them were eager to see the goats! We started off with a little goat show, and Sputnik even shook hands with the older two girls, Kinsey and Hadley. Then I hitched Sputnik to the cart and we gave them a ride. “WEEEEE!” It’s a good thing I always hook the reins to the harness instead of the halter because kids sure love to haul away!

I think everyone is grinning in this picture–even Sputnik!

Erin rode with her daughter Findlay. Findlay was very upset when the ride was over and didn’t want to let anyone else take a turn. There was much weeping and gnashing of teeth when Erin made her get off and share, but she got to take another turn later, so it was ok! “Don’t worry, Findlay… I don’t like to take turns when it comes to goat rides either!”

My aunt Marva rode with the youngest, Becket. He didn’t seem overly impressed by the goats or the cart and he did not volunteer for a second ride, but Marva sure had a lot of fun!

Next day Phil and I visited Billie and Dan (my dad’s mother and stepfather) who live in downtown Dallas. They were really looking forward to seeing the goats, and we originally planned for all of us to go to the park and take a cart ride, but the weather remained cold and miserable so we had to leave the goats behind so we could all stay indoors. However, Phil made up for it by playing just about every fiddle tune he ever knew. Several other folks from the residence came out and enjoyed the music with us as well. It was a toe-tapping, hand-clapping good time!

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but then again, there hasn’t been a ton of activity around here lately. The piles of January snow melted into mud, and just as the grass started poking through and things began to dry out near the end of February, we got more snow! We’ve been very fortunate to have so much moisture this winter. I’ve been trying to keep up with the firewood. Snow came so early this year that I wasn’t prepared, so I’ve been having to cut wood through the winter as weather and ground conditions allow.

The goats enjoyed a little sunshine and dry ground in mid-February.

Hi TinCup!

I love how family groups stay together. Petunia, Sputnik, and Skeeter are always hanging out in a friendly little group. 

Sadie doesn’t have a family group, so she floats around from one friend to another. She goes back and forth between the herd social butterfly and the herd outcast. 

Sometime mid-February, someone had a birthday! Can you believe this guy is 40 years old?? The t-shirt seems appropriate. With a herd of goats outside his door, a magical unicorn cake ,and multi-colored cupcakes on his birthday, this man is definitely “living the dream!”  

The snow came back near the end of February. The sun came up like a pillar of fire and then vanished behind a heavy cloud bank. 

The fog monster descends… It was funny because the morning was filled with bright sunshine before the cloud bank rolled down the valley. Within a few short minutes, our house was engulfed and we couldn’t even see the trees in the foreground. 

On March 2nd, Phil and I participated in a play called, “Pirates, the Musical.” Believe it or not, Phil was the “King of the High C’s,” a famous pirate vocalist and the star of the show. I was but a lowly swab.  

It’s been pretty cold the last few days. We were treated to a beautiful sunrise yesterday morning. All the trees were covered in a thick layer of hoarfrost.

Yesterday was so cold I didn’t let the goats out of their pen, but little Coral (who we affectionately call “Fuzzy”) still had to come to the house to get milked. It’s a long way back to her pen and didn’t want to make her wait for me out in the cold by herself while I strained milk. So I let her follow me upstairs to the kitchen while I put the milk away. She’s a sweet, timid little goat and she doesn’t get into things when she’s in the house. Most of my goats would behave like a tornado, but Fuzzy just tiptoes around and carefully sniffs things but doesn’t mess with them. She’s completely adorable and if I were to choose one for a house goat, she would be it.

“Can I come in?”

“What’s in the sink?”

“Oooh… stovetop.”

“Did someone say I’m adorable?”

I love the lip-smacking.

Off to explore the rest of the house!

Don’t be jealous–Phil and I drove goats today! Finn and Sputnik haven’t been driven since Christmas time, and they haven’t pulled their single carts since sometime last summer I think. They did awesome and we even staged a couple of short races down the straightaway. I could tell that all the people driving by on the highway were green with envy.  

After we drove goats, I stopped to pick up something at the saddle club. It was muddy down there. VERY muddy. I started down the hill toward the arena on foot because I knew the truck would get stuck if I drove to the gate. About the time I was beginning to think maybe this was a bad idea, and perhaps I should fetch the item another day, my foot slipped and down I went, KERSPLATT! into liquid clay. Phil had a beautiful view of my acrobatic display from the warm, dry cab of the pickup truck. I decided I might as well walk the rest of the way to the arena because I couldn’t possibly get any muddier at that point. I was far too muddy to sit inside the truck. I had to ride in the bed with the goats. Luckily the thing I had picked up from the arena was a mounting block and it made a good seat. Once home, I stripped down outside and tossed my clothes over a plow blade so I could hose off the chunks of congealing mud. What a great day! We had a fabulous time goat carting, and we ended it with a hilarious new episode of “Disaster Wife” (one of me and Phil’s inside jokes).

As I look back on 2018, I see a year of contrasts: Joy and Sorrow; Gain and Loss; Triumph and Tragedy.

We started the kidding season early with Skeeter and Blackbird arriving February 1st and providing endless entertainment on long winter nights as we practically turned them into house goats. We’ve had a lot of fun baby goats over the years, but those two were in a league of their own!

In March I took my horse Jet to Denver for an obstacle competition at the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo. We didn’t win, but we had a blast and Jet got to be the star of a clicker training clinic. He hammed it up and won the hearts of both the trainer and the audience.

We returned home in high spirits, only to be met by the news that Tigerlily was miscarrying a month before her due date. There would be one less sweet baby to greet at Goat-O-Rama. He was black with a white belt, beautiful white markings on his face, and speckled ears.

We had no winter. Aside from a single frigid night so cold it burst a water line, the weather stayed warm and barely any snow came. A few feeble shoots of pale grass poked up timidly in April and were met by hot winds. They were scorched brown and dead by May. The ground stayed hard and bare. On June 1st I hosted a state-wide horse show at our saddle club and the rain poured down so hard we had to cancel the show halfway through. It was the only day of moisture in a four-month span that stretched from mid-March to late July.

Heavy as it was, our single day of rain was not enough to relieve the drought. Within hours, the parched ground had swallowed all the water and there was no relief. One consolation was that it was too dry even for the insects. There were no grasshoppers, flies, or mosquitoes. The sky was brassy and trees began to die. I stopped turning on our electric fences, afraid they might cause a spark in the hot wind. We were grateful for the scrub oak. Grass for the horses was able to grow in the shade beneath it, and the oak leaves provided forage for the goats. Most of my friends were having to feed hay.

In June Phil and I drove to Idaho with Finn and Sputnik for the North American Packgoat Association Rendezvous. It was a wonderful time to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. It’s aways fun to see people in person who you mostly hang out with online. Pounding rain and hail almost flooded out our camp the first day and night, and the weather stayed cold and the sky gloomy all weekend, but it didn’t dampen our spirits. Phil and I had almost forgotten what soggy ground looked like! I was glad I remembered my rubber boots.

A few days after we got home, Phil and I took a walk at night to avoid the relentless heat of the day. I smelled smoke and the moon looked eerie and unnatural. There was a faint but suspicious glow over the southwest shoulder of our mountain range. It was the start of the Spring Creek Wildfire, which ballooned in size over the next few days as hot winds drove it through forests that had become dry tinder. The brassy sky rained ash on a parched earth, and the horrifying thought of being unable to get back home to evacuate our animals kept us from going far. One or two fires did break out closer to home, but thankfully they were put out quickly.

After something like ten months of drought, we thought we might never see moisture again, but around July 20th the rains began to fall–in buckets! Within two days, a sparkling emerald sheen began to creep over the crinkly brown fields. The patient, hardy mountain grass had been waiting just off the wings to come bursting on-stage at the first opportunity. I walked over brown mud in the early afternoon and a few hours later I walked again over the same ground, now covered with little green loops pushing through the damp soil. By next morning they had popped their spiky heads up. Within a few short days they were several inches tall and the pastures took on a softer look.

But the blessed rain brought unexpected loss. On July 25, Jet and I came home from a triumphant night at Salida’s Chaffee County Fair where we claimed the Gambler’s Choice Obstacle Challenge jackpot. Next day we were hit by a blinding thunderstorm and Jet was gone in an instant when a bolt of lightning struck his tree. He is buried beneath it and Phil and I commemorate him by placing a rock on his grave each day when we go for our walk. He was the last in a line of horses that has been with me since I was three years old. His great grandmother April gave birth to Tuffy when I was almost four, and Tuffy gave birth to Easter a few days after my tenth birthday. Easter was my first “very own” horse. Jet was Easter’s only foal and I may dedicate many of this year’s blog posts to him as he was a magnificent and multi-talented horse. My inability to say goodbye made his death harder than any previous loss.

I was grateful to have planned a 4-day backpacking trip with a couple of other ladies that started only a few days after Jet died. It cut short my grieving but it also gave me something totally new to think about. It was a wonderful trip and my packgoats proved themselves mightily, especially when contrasted with the fussy, high maintenance llamas that also came along.

August, September, and October are a blur. After the backpacking trip my family and Phil’s vacationed on a houseboat at Lake Powell. We drove Finn and Sputnik in the Colorado State Fair parade. I sold a few baby goats and said goodbye to Nauti who was not thriving here. She went back to her original owner. Phil and I took our annual “goat vacation” in Taos in early October. I spent most of those months feeling depressed and it’s hard to remember all the fun things we did.

I knew I needed another horse. Skokie was lonesome and desperately needed a buddy, and I needed another horse to help me move on as well. In September a friend of mine offered up a horse I had been watching her daughter ride at Saddle Club all year. I had admired the horse, and when she came up for sale I gave her a try. She seemed very nice, my saddles both fit her, and the price was perfect. I brought her home September 15th and changed her name to Stardust. I call her “Dusty” because white horses never look clean.

Skokie was overjoyed when this beautiful white creature stepped out of the trailer.  

Winter started the day before Halloween. We got our first big 15″ snow on October 30. We had more snow in that one storm than we had during the entire previous winter! And it didn’t stop there. Several more large storms hit us in November and December with smaller ones scattered in between. We’ve hardly seen the ground. As soon as it melts off, another storm covers it again. It’s a proper winter the way Colorado winters should be.

“Adios, 2018!”