We had more hours and inches of snow yesterday, but the forecast is for flurries only for the rest of the week. So just one more roof-edge snap of the total accumulation:
I've been trying to persuade Violet, one of my two oldest goats, to wear a coat - made from my old fleece coat - at least at night in this ongoing extremely cold weather. So far I am having limited success. She has been patient about fittings only up til the moment when a girth strap of soft fleece goes around her rib cage, and then she says NO THANK YOU GO AWAY and we have to negotiate every time. I am persisting because I am worried about her, and one night last week I got out of bed and shuffled along the ice-path to the barn because I saw on the barncam that the coat had shifted around and was bunched up and Violet was looked justifiably unhappy. The design modifications have been ongoing; during evening chores tonight I was out there with a needle and thread making on-the-spot adjustments by the light of my headlamp, with Mallow as spellbound audience. The temp is dropping into negative degrees again tonight, so fingers crossed the coat stays in place this time and Violet enjoys the warmth.
Remember when I used to make little fleece coats for the babies who were born during very cold weather? I distinctly remember kneeling on the hard cold ground in the original paddock, cutting up fleece scarfs and designing on the spot. Very quickly, very simply. Turns out cobbling together a coat to fit a 120 pound doe is a little more complicated. Who knew?
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You're a great goat caregiver!
ReplyDeleteA friend always used to follow up observations like that with a sad, "Too bad there's no market for it. ;)
DeleteWow, that's some snow! We were blessed with freezing rain instead, fortunately not as much as predicted. I've got pics to post tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI worry about my goats too, although we're far enough south to remain above zero. Still, acclimation. It's a lot what everyone is used to.
I hope you aren't dealing with ice after that freezing rain - we've still got an icepack under all this snow.
DeleteI may be concerned unnecessarily, but Violet is getting on in years, has a short top coat, and is not producing cashmere the way she did when she was younger. It's the cashmere "underwear" that keeps my goats warm in frigid weather.
Funny how animals can be extremely touchy about certain areas. And funny that it was easier to wrap up kids easier than an adult!
ReplyDeleteI know! The kids weren't bothered a bit by their little coats, although if LeShodu felt it was not needed on one of her babies she would grab the end of the coat and peel it off like taking a sweater off a toddler!
DeleteTurns out getting the 120 pound doe to accept the coat is even more complicated. Dear Violet! I hope your frigid temperatures moderate soon.
ReplyDeleteChris from Boise
I hope so too, but the forecast is not going in that direction.
DeleteViolet is lucky to have a caregiver that cares enough to make her a coat!
ReplyDelete