More Rain

Yesterday, right after I finished my post, I went to the garden. I don’t know what I was thinking because I had just finished canning all the tomatoes. And I ended up picking a bunch more.

Then, in the evening the rain started again, driving everyone in the barn overnight.  I was surprised to see that Miss Goose joined everyone in the barn.  They all look so happy together.

Odie, Maybeline, Cinnamon and Miss Goose

Anyhow, this morning as I was checking on everyone after the rains, I nearly walked into a spider web.

I do not know how the spider managed to build such a big web from the gate clear up into the trees between last night’s chores and this morning.

I was rather impressed.

Sadly, I did have to go in to feed the goats, so I had to remove the web.  Hopefully, the spider picks a better location next time.

Sophia and Bumble on the Quonset hut

And with the extra rain, it was too muddy to do much outside, so I started canning those tomatoes again.

Another Rainy Saturday

Last weekend’s rain was thankfully enough to keep us out of the moderate drought category for another week.

This morning, I woke up. No wait.  I got woke up early this morning by Herbie sticking his nose up my nose.  Since it was the third time, I finally got up and threw him out of my bedroom.  That’s when I noticed there was lightning outside.

Herbie

It was raining when I got up to let the dog out to go to the bathroom.

Sky being a lazy bum in the house.

Then I got up a little later than usual to milk the girls because I was waiting for the lull I saw on radar.

The rain kept building in.

By the time it was done we had between a quarter and a third of an inch.  And it looks like there could be more later this evening.

I am not complaining. I am grateful for every drop, but I would really appreciate it if we could scootch the rainy days off of the weekend.  I really need to sell bucks and do a lot of other work out in the barnyard (and it’s hard to take blog pictures).

Howie, Crystal, and Terry (They are still here but look horrible)

Instead, I did use the time to make two more batches of mozzarella and can another six pints of tomato juice and eight half-pints of taco sauce.

And that took every single tomato left in my house!

Canning and Milking

Well, last Sunday was too wet for me to dig potatoes, but I ended up picking more bell peppers and tomatoes.

Salem checking it out

So I made my taco sauce.  It’s good.

Look at all those spices!

I might have to make another batch.

I have adjusted whose getting milked.  I had already cut Antigone and Astra down to once a day because I wasn’t getting very much from them.  Then one afternoon Antigone didn’t come up to get milked when I called, so I just quit milking her.

Antigone regrets her decision. She’s still begging to come in.

My other girls are not about to skip getting milked.  Ava and Astra were waiting under the walnut tree for me to come out to the barnyard and start milking.

Ava and Astra

Astra is still getting milked once a day.  She doesn’t give me a lot, but it is a bit more.  And it’s good for her to come in and eat.

I try to do her last and let her eat a bit longer when I can.  But sometimes Joy makes me call to her.  Then she’s last.

Joy coming up; Astra leaving the milk room

I am thrilled to have all this milk for mozzarella and yogurt.

starting a two-gallon batch of mozzarella

And I am getting my freezer filled back up. in case of bottle kids next year. And I’ll still get to add Zinnia to the lineup when I wean her girls!