Today when I got home from work the house was remarkably quiet with almost everyone out and about. Curious as to how my nearly 12 year old Beardie Lily would react without a fence between herself and livestock, I took the opportunity to introduce them all in the back yard. I had already shown the goats to the dog while they were safe in their paddock.
I figured the back yard would be a good neutral place for them to rub noses. Mama goat especially has had to endure many changes and I want her to feel her enclosure is a totally safe place.
Just as an aside: before I got the goats I kept imagining what having a baby would be like. It never occurred to me what it would be like for the mother. But she left her mother behind who was the herd leader plus 2 sister goats who also liked to be boss over her. Because Lunar Eclipse is so laid back she was very content letting someone else be in charge. However now she is the leader and not a role she is comfortable with. It is clear she misses her people family and her goat family.
She does appear most content if I simply join her in her pen. She then lays down to doze or heads over to her food to eat, apparently relaxed that someone else is in charge. Back to the dog and goat story…
I also wanted the opportunity to see how Lunar Eclipse walked on a lead and if her little son would indeed stay next to her. I need not have worried about Galaxy. He was thrilled to be having an adventure and did not stray from his mother’s side until she allowed it.
I put the leash on and Don stood ready to play goat catcher if necessary. The goats were happy to check out the yard until Mama spotted Lily. Donnie had to shoo Lil off the back porch where she had been snoozing in the sun. Mama immediately began to make a little snorting sound and protectively moved in front of her baby. It took me almost a half hour before I realized that she also kept getting between the dog and I. She was protecting me too! Isn’t that amazing?
Lily pretended not to see Mama but she was fascinated by the baby. Once mama stopped snorting Lily walked a few paces away and then lay down, watching the baby intently. Emboldened by the submissive dog Galaxy immediately went up to bump noses. Mama allowed this and thus began our slow dance. The goats and I moved as one unit and Lil would carefully try to circle us, all the while avoiding eye contact with mom. Each animal briefly sniffed each other and while neither Lily nor Lunar Eclipse (nor I for that matter!) totally relaxed Galaxy became quite confident.
After 20 minutes or so Lily finally disappeared up the steps and Mama began the important task of browsing for things to munch on. A short while later a more confident Lily decided on the tail wagging friendly dog approach. Galaxy was game but Mama was not. This time when she snorted Lily chose to ignore it. When Mama put her head down in warning and shake it at Lily she then decided now or never. She stepped right up to Mama with a Beardie happy face (bearded collies can smile, honest!). Mama gave a more emphatic glowering shake of her lowered head which Lily noted but she had to take one step closer. CLIP Lunar Eclipse neatly butted her head into Lily’s jaw. Lil gave a yelp and with a sad look at me she went back up the porch. What an adventure!!!!
After supper I got all the broccoli seedlings into the garden and transplanted the basil which had been growing this winter in the living room. I even managed to plant a few young tomato plants and started to plant bush cucumbers and pea seeds.
I kept wishing I had the goats with me but they would have made short work of the garden! I did prune a few apple tree branches and let me tell you Lunar Eclipse practically inhaled them. We better make darn sure unattended goats do not discover the garden.
All in all it was a lovely afternoon tending goats, collecting eggs, checking on bunnies (babies due next week) and working on the vegetable garden. We are a farm for sure now!
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