Collie Jollies

It's baby goat season, so we had to go to Split Creek Farms to check out the newcomers.  BABIES!!

Of course, I was crazy about the beautifully-colored birds.

Todd made a new friend, and the experience was immortalized in sketch.

Yes, we were able to buy a border collie post card, which I have hanging on our refrigerator.  It reminds me of our happy day!

Many more creatures around the house.  Lots of deer are passing through, looking for tender green shoots.  The first here is female, but look at the little stubs on the second one...definitely male!

A lovely red-tailed hawk, watching the squirrels.

Oh, my favorite...the Eastern towhee!

Lots of bluebirds flitting around.

Check out this downy woodpecker, nicely blending in between these two smaller tree trunks!

I'm bringing in a few of these guys when I gather flowers...a green magnolia jumping spider [look away if you're spider-averse!]:

I see a lot of these, because I bring in a lot of flowers.  We're in the waning days of camellia bouquet season, so I'm bringing in as many as I can...

At least it's almost azalea time!  :)

Have a great week!

Goats, Hens, Odds and Ends

It was a cool, dry weekend, so I thought it might be fun to go back to Split Creek Farm.  It's all about the goats!

Well, that's not true.  We saw some feathered friends...

...and a few other odds and ends.

I love the "guard animals" there.  So sweet.  What a pair!

Todd, as always, was a big hit.

At home, though, it's all about the turkeys.  It's been raining a lot, so on some days I've just gotten a glimpse of them feeding through my office window.  I counted 14 here!

Sometimes they come out into the sun.

It's been really busy here, with the uptick in business sales and the usual hustle-bustle that comes with the holidays.  But I'm more organized this year.  Christmas cards - mailed!  Christmas gifts - purchased, and some are actually wrapped!  I finished up a few last-minute craft projects and have started mailing them out.  I embroidered these napkins for a housewarming gift.  I *love* them and I think I'm going to make some for myself!

But for the most part, I haven't worked on anything for myself in about 2 weeks, and I might not have a chance until after the new year.  I have 2 quilts in the works, the ornament project from last week's blog, a knitted cowl I want to make, and some random embroidery projects...not to mention the massive cross stitch project I bought earlier this year that I'd like to start on soon!  So next year will be a busy one! 

But for now, I'm just going to make notes and prepare my project list.  It makes me feel organized and creates a great sense of anticipation!

Have a great week!

Split Creek Thrill Seek

The heat mainly keeps us indoors, but last weekend we got up early and decided to make a quick run to Split Creek Goat Farm.  I've been there many times, coming home with arms full of goat cheese and fudge, but Todd had never been.  Time to remedy that!

Split Creek Farm has been around since 1985.  Their pastures are herbicide- and pesticide-free, and they don't feed hormones to the female goats to increase their milk production.  They started with 3 goats and are now up to almost 400!

 One of the natural methods of pest control used on the farm is utilizing guinea fowl.

They run wild, eating mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.  Some farmers swear by them to discourage poisonous snakes and rodents, and they drive off intruding birds, too.  Their eggs are supposed to be richer than chicken eggs, but they're hard to find - they lay them in the woods in a rather disorganized fashion.  When Todd and I have our small farm, I WANT GUINEA FOWL.

They have delightfully dotted feathers and I filled my pockets with strays found on the ground.

Here's a female, hunkered down in a grass clump.  What a beauty!

Check out those exotic face wattles!

A farm just isn't a farm without chickens and roosters rambling about.   So many different types, and the sun on their feathers is so beautiful!

Nest boxes are built onto the sides of several barns. I usually peek to see if there are any fresh eggs, but this weekend most nests were occupied.  Sorry, ladies!

Time for a drink!

Baby piglets - both spotted and solid-colored - ran and squealed in their enclosure.

Farms have to have farm dogs, and Split Creek has several.  One was obviously an older dog, but still actively doing her work.  We watched her make the rounds, checking on the various enclosures.

Have you ever met an unfriendly farm dog?  I haven't!

After carefully ensuring that everything was running smoothly, she had a quick back scratch before starting her rounds again! 

Todd was a big hit with the ladies...the lady goats, I mean.

They have a wide variety of breeds, and so many different colors!  Love!  

Apparently every group of goats has a "herd queen" that determines the timing of the daily activities.  It's true!  One goat got up and ambled away from the main fence to the interior of the pasture.  Suddenly, the hundred or so lazing goats were on their feet and following.

Check out the tusks on this pot-bellied pig!

All in all, it was a very enjoyable morning and great fun!  If you'd like to check it out for yourself, here is their web site.  

Have a great week!