goats


On Wednesday Caper came to the end of his very long life. It was time. Nigerian Dwarf Goats can live a vibrant eight years. After that, it’s all a gift. Caper would have been thirteen this May. Ancient. He had a tumor in his mouth, few teeth, and was bow-legged […]

Caper


The Goat Boys are ancient. Twelve years of age. I’ve been told by their veterinarian (a woman who specializes in goats) that every year past eight is a gift. For most of their lives they lived in my backyard at Little Pond Farm. When I moved to Maine they came […]

The Goats Need Coats


Loving and caring for an animal that you know ages at a far faster rate than you is both joy and heartache. You go into it with eyes wide open, knowing that a human’s lifespan is longer than that of your animal companion and that you’ll watch as your friend […]

Old Faces



I was concerned about the twilight years for the Goat Boys. They’re not going to last forever, and one was sure to die before the other. What was going to happen to the remaining lone goat? I thought about adding to the herd before Pip and Caper were too old […]

The Plan Is Working!


In April, the Goat Boys, Pip and Caper, will be ten years old. They’re twins. They arrived here when they were 10-weeks old. They are delightful, charming, clever, and optimistic. I adore them.  Wethers (neutered male goats) can live to be twelve years old. Some live to be fourteen. So, the […]

A New Life For Old Goats


Here in the States it’s almost Thanksgiving, which means here in my home, it’s time to bake pie. A lot of pie. This makes my goats very happy. They don’t get pie, but they do get to indulge. I always make a few apple pies. Here’s my basic recipe, but […]

Pie and Happy Goats



I’ve got lots of serious blogpost topics swirling around in my brain. But it’s Monday. My first cup of coffee hasn’t done it’s job. I have a client to go see. Yoga to do first (trust me, that’s not my moment of meditative joy!) So, I’ve decided to blog something […]

A Goat Interlude


It doesn’t matter what species of animal is in your care – horse, dog, cat, iguana – the only way for them to thrive is for you to know them well and to pay attention. Sometimes, identifying what’s amiss and figuring out a remedy is like solving an Agatha Christie […]

Deducing What’s Wrong


I’ve had requests for an update on the animals that live with me. For ten years I wrote about the goings-on with my hens and other creatures that I’ve shared my home with. (You can find that blog here and the bios of critters here.) Everyone is showing signs of aging, […]

Little Pond Farm Faces