Long awaited and much needed update
Welcome Home Tulips!
Good Afternoon! I’m excited to be writing to you all again and to catch everyone up on all the happenings around here. There has been a lot going on…. But, before we get into the details, I can’t wait to tell you all that Chino has a girlfriend!! And what a sweetie pie she is. Her name is Tulips, Chino LOVES Tulips (the flower), so that was our first instinct he might approve J. She is an older gal that came from a working farm. Her owner passed away and so she was taken in by Whatcom Humane Society in Bellingham, WA. She has been in a foster home for the last few months where she was being well taken care. She came in about 30 lbs. underweight, her coat a mess and she has a couple enlarged tits that are likely a sign that she was impregnated quite a few times and has had a number of kids. (actual term for a baby goat) She is a Cashmere goat, quite fitting that she is now living in Cashmere, WA.
Fun Fact: Cashmere wool is produced from goat hair, not from sheep.
It was advertised that she was a bit nervous of people and kept her distance, so the 3 ½ hour car ride we had to start bonding must have helped, she will follow me around, rub up on my legs and loves cuddles and pets. She loves Eric too. She also loves Chino, but Chino seems to be having a bit of a difficult time with the transition from dog life in the backyard to goat life in the pasture. The introduction was seamless, but when it was bed time and I tried to leave them in the pasture Chino was less than pleased. His bleeting and standing at the fence was too much for me, so up they came, yep, both of them. They came back up to the house where Chino is comfortable and spent their first night together in Chino’s old digs. He was a gentleman for about 10 minutes and let her sleep on ”his” (he stole it from Maya) dog bed on the porch, but it didn’t last. She was soon nudged off the bed and shunned to the lawn next to him. I set my alarm for every 2 hours to wake up and check on them. I wanted to make sure Tulips seemed comfortable enough and not too stressed. I also, wanted to be sure she wasn’t going to try to jump the fence. I don’t think she got much shut eye that first night, but she laid and looked out at the view and seemed quite content. Ole Chino was sound asleep on his dog bed. They were up early and ready to start browsing around, so about 6:30am we headed back down to the pasture, so they could adjust to their new space. They discovered that at the top of their fence, next to the pig yard, they are close to us and can see everything happening at the house, so that has been their favorite place and their hangout spot each day, all day long. Luckily it is nice and shady and yesterday the two of them, both the pigs, and Pearl, the cat, were all out laying together in the shade.
Last night was night #2….what a dilemma that was….I’ve noticed how quickly all the animals adjust to a routine and how much they disapprove when that is changed or altered. Therefore, the backyard was out of the question for tonight. I felt they needed to get used to their new home. So, the pasture it was, but Chino had started showing signs of perhaps jealousy, resentment, dissatisfaction ? with Tulips. I think it is because when she showed up he now is away from the house, and this makes him displeased. So, I was nervous to leave them in the barn together all night alone, in case he decided to continue to be rude. We tried it out for a while with me in there as well, trying to play guardian,…..lets just say, that option was now also out. But, I didn’t want to leave them both out at pasture all night because since Tulips is a smaller goat (110lbs) I am concerned about a coyote getting to her at night, even though our fencing is quite predator proof. So, after a few hours, lots of contemplation, and testing a few scenarios I decided to lock her safely in the barn and put Chino’s (dog) bed outside the door. A coyote would be silly to try to get Chino, as he is the size of a pony and has very large horns. There are a lot smaller goats around us that have easier fencing to get through, so Chino I am not as concerned about. It seemed everyone, including me, would get some good rest this way and tomorrow night we would reassess.
About 5:30am I woke up to a glowing red sky, damp air, the wonderful smell of fresh rain, a lightning bolt on the horizon shortly followed by a loud BOOM! “This is amazing, we are getting an epic thunderstorm”, I thought, which immediately turned to, “Oh, shit, Chino can’t get in the barn.” Luckily it hadn’t started to rain much at all yet, but I threw on some clothes and ran out the door, still half asleep and ran down to the pasture to let Chino in the barn. He came running and bleeting, like I had just saved his life – big baby. Chino, like most goats, hate the rain and don’t want to be wet. I opened the barn door and he ran inside, not even seeming to care or notice that Tulips was quietly hangingout inside. I stood in the barn with them for an hour ½ or so enjoying the beauty of the storm and appreciating the fresh rain. Comforting them, keeping them dry….well,mostly. The metal roofing hasn’t been completed due to having to wait to take down Chino’s shelter in the back yard where we are currently using the metal to then use the metal on the roof of his new barn. Rain in July in Cashmere? That was not forecasted, but much appreciated and is now in the low 90s, so everything has dried out and the roof will be completed tonight. J
Chino & Tulips have been laying together all day in the shade up by the pig yard. Tonight will be night #3, so we will see what it brings and how they’ll chose to sleep.
I feel this is probably long enough for now & don’t want anyone getting sleeping reading this, so I will wait to update you on the mission of ridding toxic weeds, the bucket of metal we pulled from the pasture, the house warming gifts given to the goats from our neighbor, Tulips first bath, the injured fawn, and whatever else will come up in the days ahead.
It’s a wonderful feeling to watch them together, in their own proper home and know they have the company of each other. Thank you again to all of you. I will write sooner, now that their pasture is done I am hoping to have just a little bit more time. ;)
p.s. Please notice the beautiful ‘Welcome Home’ sign my amazing husband surprised us with when Tulips and I pulled up to her new home.
Until next time ~ Namaste