Oh, sometimes things simply don’t go the way you planned. Sometimes they’re a little wrong, sometimes they veer WAY off course. This is one of those WAY off course tales.
To start this tale, you need to know I wear a ratty North Face black puffy jacket in the winter in the barnyard. It’s like the official Colorado State Uniform. It keeps me warm and it was too big when I got it so I can wear lots of layers under it when it’s crazy cold outside. I’ve ripped it numerous times and it patched it with a complete lack of skill. I’m thinking it may have lost half its down/feathers. Still, it keeps me warm. And I love it.
This jacket has nice big pockets, and in the right pocket I stash dog treats. I have a crabby neighbor who thinks Keela should not bark, not even one bark, before 10am. (It’s a long, boring story. I may tell it one day.) Anyway, I have dog treats in my right pocket so that if Keela barks (even ONCE) I can call her and she will stop barking and come for a treat.
A few days ago, Jessie the goat discovered the dog treats in my pocket. She was doing her usual “sticking like glue” to my leg as I walked around the barnyard and her nose met the pocket. It was a match made in heaven.
Jessie nudged around my hip, got his nose into the pocket and grabbed a treat. How CUTE! How SWEET! How SMART!
Oh, the joy of a new discovery!
I apparently don’t know much about goats.
The first few times it was cute. The next few times it was sweet. The next few, less sweet. Then, I had a stalker goat. He started going to that pocket the second I stepped foot in the barnyard. Smart? Yeah, the goat knows the right pocket from the left.
I got it! I GOT IT!
My oh my. Jessie’s not the only smart animal in the barnyard. Doink has a sixth sense about food. “WHAT, LADY??? YOU HOLDIN’ OUT ON ME?? YOU GOT SOME TREATS IN THAT POCKET YOU’RE NOT SHARIN’ WITH ME?”
Doink gets no respect. He’s ready to chomp my leg off for a treat, and Lucy goes for the photo bomb.
The pockets on the jacket have zippers. As soon as I realized I had a problem, I zipped up the zippers. This did not solve the problem. In fact, Jessie has come close to unzipping the zipper.
Now if I can just get a hold of that zipper pull…I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…
I cannot move in the barnyard. I have a goat or another goat or a pig two inches from my leg the moment I step inside. Doink has no idea what he’s chomping at, but he wants what Jessie wants. Brandy doesn’t even like the dog treats, but doesn’t want to be left out of the “fun”.
5000 square feet of barnyard, and we’re occupying about 3 of it.
If you don’t hear from me in a few days, alert the authorities. Please 🙂
(Shared at Clever Chicks Hop, Homestead Barn Hop, Backyard Farming Connection, Maple Hill Hop, Tuesdays With A Twist, Down Home Hop, HomeAcre Hop, Frugal Days Sustainable Ways, From the Farm Hop, Farmgirl Friday and Simple Saturdays!)
Funny! I would love a couple of goats but remember a friend of mine years ago being beaten up by hers … They look so cute, though and I’d love to have a go at making goat’s cheese. 🙂
I’m not brave enough to take on the twice daily milking! They are cute and sweet and funny and wonderful. I would recommend goats to anyone 🙂
Cute!!! We have a ugly neighbor that took us to court over a dog that found a squirrel in the roller. The judge threw the case out and told her to wake up before noon and start her day as normal person. She also tried to get us from baling the hay, planting corn, grazing the cows …. you name it. She needs to go back to town and let the farmers live life.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Linda recently posted…The Letter G — January 19, 2014
It is frustrating to have a neighbor’s personal issues encroach on your life. I don’t get it. But I gotta live with it. I wish you the best with your neighbor!
Goats eat anything. Watch out for chewed up pockets on your favorite jacket. Mom hung Pop’s shirts on the clothes line and the darn goats chewed off all the sleeves. Come to think of it, I never saw goats on the farm after that! Guess it was cheaper to get rid of the goats and buy new shirts than spend the money on materials for a fence around the yard!
Haha! It’s funny, because Brandy is a VERY picky goat when it comes to food. Until I got Jessie, I was used to a goat turning up her nose at a cherry tomato that was a bit too ripe for her taste. My, how things change!
Fantastically hilarious post that I look forward to when visiting you. I so appreciate the morning chuckle with my cup of coffee. My internet was down yesterday so I’m late but here now :). Too funny they now know where the goods are. Good luck with using up more the 3 sqft haha. Happy Monday friend!
Jen recently posted…Wishing it was still Sunday
Today our little bunch got close to the fence and Keela on the other side was like, “HEY, what’s he doing? Those are MY treats!” Good grief! The last thing I need is the dog jumping the fence to protect her precious biscuits 🙂
Oh my gosh, that is too funny! What a smart boy. I used to think my chickens genuinely were happy to see me, but now I’ve figured out it’s just because I am the bearer of food. Oh well, it still makes me happy when they all come running to me 🙂
Tammy/Our Neck of the Woods recently posted…Digging In: Visiting A Goat Farm
The chickens always run to the gate when I come outside even though I don’t always have treats for them. They are always optimistic!
Ha! What clever ones you are surrounded by! Thanks for sharing this on The Maple Hill Hop!
daisy recently posted…The Maple Hill Hop 14
Just stopped by to check out your blog….love, love Doink!!!
Beverly recently posted…Too Many Shades of Gray!
Very cute story and I can certainly relate, I used to give my goats peanuts in the shell as treats but had to stop for fear they would knock me down and trample me in their enthusiasm to get to them! 🙂
Candy C. recently posted…New Bathroom Curtains
I have heard that goats are very smart, one story talks about the goat that would turn on all the water spickets, but could not turn them off, or didn’t. Thanks for sharing again on Tuesdays With a Twist.
Joyce @ It’s Your Life recently posted…Real Food Fridays #22 Link Up
So cute 🙂 Thanks for sharing on The HomeAcre Hop! Hope to see you again today! We have a brand new giveaway going on…be sure to enter for a chance to win!
http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2014/01/anniversary-giveaway-week-2-the-homeacre-hop-55.html
lisa lynn recently posted…Anniversary Giveaway Week 2 & The HomeAcre Hop #55
I had to laugh at your caption on that last photo. My daughter and 2 grandchildren recently came to stay with my husband and I (and our two Pibbles). Quite often I find myself so closely surrounded and cornered in the house that I “whuff” in frustration and say in a loud voice “3000 square feet (the area of the house) – 5 square feet! (the amount of space ALL of us are currently occupying)”. At that point, everybody scatters and I can breathe again. For about half an hour. I know EXACTLY how you feel!