The drive and hike up Greenhorn Mountain were so beautiful last week that we had to do it again yesterday when we knew the aspen leaves would be at their peak. This time Phil and I had company! The couple who bought Snickers, Sledge, and Hammer from us last month also came on this hike. The weather was fabulous once again, and even up top the wind was not too bad.

James has made good friends with Snickers and had him carrying a small dog pack with lunch and water for our trip. We all lamented the shortcomings of dog packs, but they are better than nothing. James is unable to carry any pack at all, so having a goat that can carry even a few things for him is the only way he can get into the mountains.

Sledge came along on our hike too (Hammer is on the verge of losing his manhood and had to stay home for this trip until that issue is resolved). Sledge carried James’ fanny pack around his neck for almost the entire hike. I thought it was hilarious. He’s still a love bug and wants to sit in Deirdre’s lap at every opportunity.

The big boys all remembered each other, and Snickers immediately went about putting Sputnik in his place, right after Finn put Snickers in his place. Old pecking orders die hard! Sputnik cried for his brother for a few minutes when we all went home, but the tears did not last long. I think they are both secretly glad to be rid of the competition.

James leads the troupe of young packgoats back down the trail. James’ and Deirdre’s other little baby packgoat, Frodo, brings up the rear. He is also an Alpine/Nubian cross and is as sweet as he can be.

Deirdre and I stopped to chat and take in the view before heading down the trail after the boys. A few minutes later, we heard worried baa-aa-ing and Finn poked his head around the hilltop. He was upset we weren’t with the herd and had left the others to come back up the trail to check on us, which we found very touching. I like a goat that looks after his humans.

Today was gorgeous, and Phil and I decided not to waste it. We drove up Ophir Creek Road to the short but spectacular hiking trail up Greenhorn Mountain. We took Finn and Sputnik, and I decided that Sputnik would be the special goat who carried out water bottles today. This was the first time I’ve ever put a pack on him, and although he was a bit skittish about the fastening and loading part, once it was installed he wore it like a champ. I’m feeling more and more confident than Sputnik will become a good packgoat if we keep working with him.

A trio of cute guys at the trailhead:

A pause to look at the view…

And what a view!

Sputnik rockin’ the pack.

We found a memorial at the top of the mountain that was put there just this year. Finn paid his respects.

Sputnik was very excited about this cairn and ran ahead to check it out.

Sputnik gave Phil a kiss… what a sweetie!

Finn practiced posing… what a ham!

Sputnik marched down the hill to take in the view.

He looked this way and that…

…Then looked back to tell me the view was awesome.

He was right.

And after about five or ten minutes he decided he’d seen it all.

Finn told me to quit taking pictures of Sputnik… the best view was of HIM!

It took Finn forever to find a spot where he could lay down comfortably. There is an overabundance of sharp rocks on this mountain. And as soon as he found it, it was time to head back.

Sputnik told me he was too awesome to lay down–he’s a packgoat!

One last photo by the cairn, and then the wind kicked up and it was really time to head back. But what a wonderful day on the mountain! We couldn’t have asked for a prettier day.

Phil and I took Finn and Sputnik for a little hike out to a local arch this afternoon. The boys did very well and stayed behind us almost the entire time. Looks like they’re learning!

Me and the goats and the last of the wildflowers.

Rock climbing under the arch.

Finn is too much like Cuzco. He’s always posing for the camera.

Sputnik doesn’t have the posing thing down so well, but he’s photogenic nonetheless.

It was a fun weekend at the Colorado State Fair. Phil and I took Nubbin and Petunia for the milking competition. I have high hopes that Petunia can get her milk star this year since she’s been in lactation for so long (440 days or so at this point), but we’ll see. Naturally the girls give less milk the moment they get to fair.

The most important event of the day was of course the costume class. As usual, Phil and I were the only adults competing. We did a group costume this time. I was Cinderedna, Phil was Prince Capricornicus, Nubbin was the Fairy Goat-Mother, and Petunia was a pumkin. There’s nothing quite like shuffling through shavings and goat poo in high heels and a floor-length gown!

The highlight of the fair was when we saw the couple who bought Snickers, Sledge, and Hammer. The boys are doing very well and their new owners adore them. They’ve already taken the boys out hiking several times, including a pretty long hike with several water crossings, and they have nothing but good things to say about their new hiking companions. The boys follow them everywhere and come running for loves (especially Sledge). They agree with us that goats are therapeutic. They’ve hiked more miles now with the goats than they have in ages. They’re even talking about taking them on a trip to Utah this fall. It thrills me to no end that the boys are happy and thriving with people who love them.

Today was bittersweet, for three of our beautiful packgoat prospects went to a new home. It is exhilarating to finally come full circle and sell our first goats when all we’ve done to this point is buy and breed. But it was also sad to say goodbye. I’ll miss the playful, romping babies, Sledge and Hammer. Tigerlily misses them too, and Jezebel spent all afternoon softly crying for them because she’s not sure what she’s going to do now that her kid has no playmates. Nubbin is taking it in stride.

I’m going to especially miss Snickers. He’s been sweet, gentle, and easy-going since he first came into this world, and he may well be the best prospect among our three 2014 boys because of his good and willing attitude. I am going to miss his gentle eyes and unassuming nature. I am so happy that Phil and I took him hiking with us yesterday. We had no idea it would be the last time, and we got some fun pictures.

I know this is Colorado, but no, we’re not sharing a joint! I put a cookie in my lips to see if he would “kiss” me. Yes, he certainly did!

The nice couple who bought the goats originally only called about Sledge and Hammer, and they were thinking they would only buy one. But they fell in love with all three and couldn’t decide between them, so they bought the lot. I wish the new owners all the best as they start their new adventures in goat packing! And maybe we’ll even see our boys on the trail in the coming years since the couple lives on the other side of our own mountain range.

We had a lovely campfire a few weeks ago, and Cuzco joined us as usual.

Afterwards Phil brought out the fiddle, and as always, Cuzco parked himself front and center for the music.

Finn and Snickers eventually came over to check out the music too.

Phil wandered out into the meadow and played for the entire herd.

Meet Pluto!

He’s named in honor of the recent first close-up photographs of the most distant member of our Solar System. He’s a little forlorn right now and I keep hearing him cry and howl, but hopefully he’ll settle in soon.

Pluto was curious about the goats at first, but the moment he went to greet them they all went into panic mode and it was contagious. Now the goats and puppy are terrified of each other. The goats magnetized into a tightly-packed goat block any time Pluto crept out from beneath the horse trailer he hid under all day. This is about as close as any of the goats came to saying “Hi”.

Pluto is an Anatolian Shepherd, and we got him because we’re not sure what our dear Daisy’s future holds. She has had mystery health problems since April and three different vets haven’t figured out what’s wrong. The trouble seems to be in her hips and back, but there is no actual joint problem anyone can find. We’ve had x-rays taken and we had her on anti-inflammatory pain killers at first, thinking maybe she’d been trampled by one of the horses. But she got worse so we went back to the vet. The lameness moved from leg to leg so we thought perhaps we were dealing with a tick-borne illness and put her on a four-week course of antibiotics back in May. It helped a lot and she was almost back to normal until late June when she went lame again. We put her on a different type of antibiotic for two weeks with no effect, and now we’re back to the one that seemed to help the first time. She’s been back on this one for one week and so far she’s still getting progressively worse, so I’m not confident we’re going to beat this thing. She’ll be getting blood work done this week and I hope we can figure this out and make her better, but Phil and I decided that if this is the end of the line for Daisy, we’d better get a pup ASAP so she can start training it while she’s still able.

So far she’s doing a good job. She’s polite with Pluto (I think she secretly loves him) but she’s trying to maintain a cool detachment until he knows who’s boss around this place. She can’t fool me! Still, she’s doing a good job as disciplinarian. Pluto tried to eat from her food bucket and Daisy snapped and snarled at him. After one meal, I couldn’t even feed him from her dish after I put her out of the pen. I had to get him his own fresh bowl from the kitchen because he’s terrified even to clean the bottom of The Big Dog’s bucket. I’m very pleased that the pup is inspiring Daisy to finish her food. I’ve had a hard time getting her to eat enough recently because she doesn’t feel good and she’s dropping weight badly. With Pluto hovering near her food bowl, Daisy is determinedly forcing down every morsel.