After seeing all those long lines of cars and people camped out in longer lines, hoping to be chosen to receive the COVID vaccination, we were sure grateful to easily receive our vaccinations, without lines, waiting or stress. And it didn’t hurt one bit. I scarcely felt anything and my arm sure isn’t sore from it. We’ll see how tomorrow goes; often you’ll feel tired or sore after a vaccination but that’s sure better than getting COVID. Mike and Dara are signed up for the next clinic in a week. And we’ve already got an appointment for our booster next month. Wow, we feel so blessed and fortunate!

See, I’ve gotten my first COVID vaccination. How exciting!

For two nights now, our temps have dropped seriously to -31 degrees. And when I went out to check the goats, I found Nuevo flat on his side, moaning. Oh crap! He had been very active and nursing only hours before. I brought him into the house, and Dara and I soaked him in quite warm water for ten minutes. His whole body was immersed to counteract hypothermia. Then Dara dried him off and I heated a towel and brought a box in on a chair in front of the living room wood stove. We tucked him in, and I added a quart jar full of hot water to help warm him up. Then, when he was completely covered with the warm towel, we kept on packing seeds, checking on him from time to time. By the time Mike and Dara went home, he looked much better.

It’s still cold outside but warming up a lot. To be safe, we’ll have a house goat awhile longer.

And in half an hour, I warmed up a bottle of milk and he eagerly sucked it down! Whew, that was a close one. So now he’s a house goat until the temperature warms up quite a bit and Dara is making him an insulated goat coat to help keep him warm when he goes back with Mom. For now, he sure likes the wood stove, sleeping right behind it and standing next to it, half asleep. But Mittens sure doesn’t like having a house goat! She makes a crabby face and runs away from him. You can just see her thinking “What is that nasty thing? And in my house, too!” But a crabby cat is a small price to pay for a living baby goat.

Isn’t the headline photo pretty? Just a reminder that spring is coming. — Jackie

32 COMMENTS

  1. Hi Jackie. A bit late to the party here. I’m glad you are feeling well after your covid shot and hope that long-term trials indeed prove the vaccine is safe and effective. I regularly vaccinate all my kids and am not an anti vaxxer. However, what worries me about the covid vaccine is the government policy. I live in Israel, and as you may know we’re the vaccine pioneers. I think to this day about 40% of the population got the vaccine. So far so good. But the problem is, the campaign is getting aggressive. People who have reservations are shamed and blamed for being “disease spreaders”. Today I met a friend whose husband was threatened with losing his job (a/c installation) if he doesn’t get the vaccine. Soldiers on certain bases are required to wear a yellow vest so that others “get away from dangerous unvaccinated individuals”. Complaints about side effects are swept under the rug. In my book this is a violation of bodily autonomy. It is coercion. And I feel this has opened a very dark deep vortex my country is being sucked into.

  2. I just wanted to let you know all of the seeds came in pristine condition! I’m so happy! We are in the middle of moving from Colorado to North Dakota. It was slowed down, my husband needed a new knee. We were hoping to be in ND by Christmas. We’ll be able to start moving again at the end of April. I tried to get seeds that we could grown in ND. I will be getting the garden going first before unpacking!
    Congratulations becoming a grandma again!! All babies are welcomed two legged or four!

    • Oh heavens yes! The best of luck with your move and settling in, in North Dakota. May your garden be the best ever.

  3. My Dad is scheduled to get his this week. So glad you and Will were able to get yours. We all should do what we can as otherwise, things are going to get nothing but worse.

    • I agree. I worry that many folks are suspicious of the vaccine and will refuse to get it. Seriously, I’ve checked it out thoroughly and there’s NOTHING suspicious about it folks.

    • Could get one or would get one? We were surprised that a small clinic in the northwoods would even have them to offer us. My late husband was a bacteriologist/virologist and we talked about these things like most folks talk about what’s for dinner. I researched the vaccines thoroughly through reputable sources, known to me. The vaccine is the way to go, even if some folks think otherwise.

  4. Jackie, I sent an email to you about some very rare Cherokee Tan Pumpkin seeds I have that I want to share with you. I sent it to seedtreasures@yahoo.com on 01-30-21 at 12:52pm (CST). PLEASE READ ASAP and get back with me when you get the email. It is very very important & urgent that you get back with me. It was sent from Deep South Bama GRITS-(bamacherokeerosebud@gmail.com). Thank you kindly.

    • Would you resend that email to our current email? We abandoned the seedtreasures one as we always had a hard time getting to that address to retrieve our emails. Send it to jackieclay2007@yahoo.com. I’d love to try your Cherokee Tan Pumpkins!! Thank you for the offer.

    • We think so too. Today he went back with Mom, wearing a warm double layer coat. AND it’s in the mid-twenties. Above zero!

  5. I tended 500 rabbits daily when I was a kid, spent summers with
    grandparents with lots and lots baby chickens, sheep, calves, big hen house and more things to water and feed. Aunt had a Nanny to milk and the Billy to butt me! Just cannot get enough of baby animals. Sunday, I could not carry my purse walking to the car or the multitude of hens would run to me thinking my purse was some new kind of bucket of feed! LOL Glad you got your shot. Love your stories

    • Love your stories! Keep up with your comments and stories. This is the perfect place along side Jackie.

    • Yeah, when I go outside, now the flock of wild turkeys comes running full tilt, along with from 7 to 9 deer! They all know my first stop in the morning is the feed room where their breakfast comes from. And they know the difference between me and Will too as they never budge when he comes out. Spoiled critters!

  6. A bit jealous as well as happy you and Will got your shots. Got my Dad signed up and when a couple of other options appeared, he tried those but WHAT A PAIN! There are times living in a less populous area might pay off.
    Mittens nose will get back in joint – I swear there are times when the smallest thing displeases a cat. She tends to forget it isn’t really *her* house but your house (shhh.. don’t tell her I said that). As long as detente is reached, you’ll all be good.
    While I am not really a goat person, Nuevo is pretty darn cute. As with all animals, deserves to be taken care of.

  7. I always look forward to seeing your posts. It’s like watching for news about the family.
    I got my first Covid vaccination yesterday. Like you, no problems in the way the clinic was set up to insure safety and protocols. I was pleased. Nothing but a slightly tender injection site. The frustrating part was trying to get an appointment. After 3 weeks of numerous calls, it happened and I have an appointment for the second one in 4 weeks.

    I do have a question. Can I freeze pig fat and thaw it later to make lard when I have enough to work with? Thank you for your time.

    • Yes, Sheryl. I always stick the fat in the freezer after having a pig butchered for lard making later. Don’t wait too long, though. Fat doesn’t do as well in the freezer as meat.

    • Will got a slightly sore to the touch spot at the injection site but I didn’t even get that. And we both feel absolutely fine afterward. We were so thrilled when our clinic called us right out of the blue! Now we’re all set for our booster. Hooray!
      Yes, you can freeze your fat. But like Lisa said, fat freezer burns very easily and more quickly than does meat, being leaner.

  8. Oh Jackie that was a close call for the little fellow!!! Thank goodness you look in on them!

    Thank you so much for the seeds!! They got here already! Nicely wrapped.

    I can’t wait until we start using them. Thanks for the lovely picture at the beginning of this blog! Beautiful!!!

    Take care~

    • I can’t take credit for the photo. Lisa Nourse, who sets this blog pulled the photo from a stockpile of our old photos. It wowed me too. All those beautiful colors!! Spring will come again.

  9. Thirty-ish years ago one of my best Nubians was in labor in the middle of the night when the actual temp was negative 20s. I was camped out in the barn with a couple of heaters, blankets and hair dryer. My parents were visiting and my dad kept coming out to the barn to make sure I hadn’t frozen to death. He wasn’t very happy with me. My doe who had always had triplets finally delivered quads! What we won’t do for our animals.

    • That sounds like a snapshot from my past. When we first moved here, our goats’ home was our stock trailer while we were living in a camper trailer. My Nubian doe, who had always had twins surprised us one morning after a very long night for me, having quads. Every time I thought surely that was the end of her labor, another kid would pop out!

  10. Do you know which Covid shot you got? The one that has to be kept cold (starts with an F, I think) gives you 25% protection right after the first shot and the one that starts with an M gives you 50% protection from the first shot.
    Be safe.

  11. I’m glad you and Will got your shot. I will get one once it’s available. I’m glad the goat is ok too:)

    • Good for you, Billy. I’m hearing too many people saying they won’t get the vaccination for a lot of peculiar reasons. It’s a vast relief when folks say they will!!! The more of us that get vaccinated, the more COVID will be under control. It’s called “herd immunity”.

  12. Having just experienced hypothermia for the first time recently, I am so glad that you’re keeping the little goat warm. Now I can’t seem to leave our woodstove either!!!

    • Not fun, is it? I once ended up dumped in an ice-covered river and had to run half a mile to a campsite I’d used during the summer. By the time I got there, my clothes had frozen stiff. Luckily I had stockpiled tinder and kindling, along with dry firewood. I can tell you I couldn’t get that fire started fast enough nor shed my icy clothes fast enough. I still remember how my fingers were shaking before I got the fire roaring. A very close call.

  13. So glad you and Will were able to get the shot and already have appointments for the next round. Did I miss something in a post , what happened to Anos? Mittens maybe cranky about the baby goat being inside but l think Mittens will get used to it. Love the coloration on the baby goat. Looks like he got splattered but paint.

    • Año went to a pet home with kids to play with him. Mittens still doesn’t think goats should be in the house. She hates it when he runs after her, trying to suck on her tail!

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