Monday was an interesting day…just one of those days…and I
had my camera along with me.
***
There is a saying about goats and fencing that goes “if the
fence can’t hold water, it can’t hold a goat.” Ellen set out to prove that to
me a day ago. She pushed herself under the back pasture fencing and into my
garden. No big deal I thought; I would just fix the fence and be done with it.
I re-stretched and re-stapled the fence to the posts so that it wouldn’t bow
out at the bottom, assuming that would stop her from squeezing underneath to
her new found “freedom”, or at least to the garden and the garden goodies.
Needless to say, my repairs didn’t hold water…er, I mean Ellen. After I was
finished, I put the goats back out in the back pasture and got busy doing
something else. The next time I looked up I could only see three goats in the
back pasture – Frances, Irene, and Mary. I looked over into the garden and
there was Ellen, happily nibbling away at the strawberries! I was so impressed
that she had found her way out again that I let her nibble her prize for a bit
longer before going in and getting her. So now it’s back to the drawing board
for me - how to design a fence that can hold water.
***
While I was watching Ellen nibbling away at the strawberry
patch, I turned back to look at the other goats and Frances began playing hide and seek
with me. She was literally trying to hide herself behind the old standpipe in
the back pasture, and peek round it to see if I could see her. I know you don’t
believe me, but to be honest, goats do these kinds of things. They can be
pretty playful and pretty funny. Get a few of your own and see for yourself!
You’ll realize pretty fast that I am not making this up.
***
Later on I inadvertently left Paddie Pant’s (Patrick) stall
door unlatched. When he came in from the paddock he gave the sliding door a
nudge and it slid open much to his delight. At the time, I was slowly making my
way back to the stable, struggling through the thick mud in the paddock and so
I had no chance of getting to him fast enough to catch him. I watched him though
the stable windows as he trotted down the midway and out the back stable door
that opens to the back field. Once outside the door, he made a quick left and
shimmied himself through the walk -in door to the chicken coop. The gals who
were inside roosting were caught unawares and began scattering out, clucking
loudly with their wings flapping wildly. Pat calmly and happily began eating
whatever chicken feed he could find. So, now I had an 1100 lb horse in the chicken
coop to deal with The thing is, Paddie Pants is way too big for the door and
the chicken coop – and it’s a pain to squeeze him out of there. But with a
little patience I did. He had had his
fun, and seemed all proud of himself and content with his little adventure.
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