Friday, May 16, 2008

Rain, Rain, Rain and Run Away Goat!


The other night it poured down rain. There was a spectacular lightning show followed by loud thunder. I was so blessed to be able to watch this display of nature at 3 am because I was up making a bottle for Cowpokette who still refuses to sleep all night. Then at around 4 am I was greeted in bed by a scared toddler and an even more frightened mutt dog. So, there I laid, on the edge of my king sized bed with a boy snoring and a shaking dog breathing on me. They both had to be touching me because of their deep fear for their lives. I really need to do something about that dog. He really is scared of storms and he really does have the nastiest dog breath ever. It rained for a few hours. Not just a sprinkle rain, but a full on down pour. When we finally got up we looked out the window and saw lots of water.





You can see where our "real" pond is by the horses. All that other water is flooding due to the rains.

That water there is pretty deep. It's about mid calf deep. And that is if you wish to wade in it. With all that rain water and really no where for it all to go, all the animals were wet. And this even met Joe. Joe doesn't like to wade in the water. Goats don't like to go swimming. And this is what his pen looked like.

Nice an wet. That is the low spot in the run in shed. Joe was camped out on the feed trough waiting for his rescuers.

After a speedy rescue, Joe still found himself unhappy about his living accommodations. So, Little Cowpoke and I went to the barn to get some tools to dig a small trench. Here is what I found.

Not the best trenching tools but they had to work. The work began, while holding Cowpokette on my left side, I took the rake in the right hand and we began to dig. I was too lazy to go back to the house and get her stroller. I wasn't expecting my trenching to take very long. But I was so wrong. I didn't seem to be getting anywhere.

Joe was grateful for my efforts. He is such a sweet goat, who is beginning to show his true goat colors. He climbs everything and tries to eat everything. But still he is sweet. Finally after about 30 minutes and my left arm ready to fall off I declared my efforts done.

The water was going out. Not fast but it was going out. At this point Little Cowpoke declared that he was going inside and he was hungry. I felt bad about putting Joe back in his watery home, so, I let him follow us back home. There Joe hung out on the back porch for a while. I would go out and check on him and he would be there eating weeds or laying in the shade. He was staying around. At that moment Little Cowpoke asked for a drink. I went back inside and got him a drink. I looked back outside and Joe was gone. I walked outside and called for him. And no Joe. Little Cowpoke said, "Joe Gone! We must find Him!"

We walked around the house and yelled and searched but no Joe. He really was gone. I told Little Cowpoke that he must have run back to the barn. Little Cowpoke decided that he was not walking back over there with me and he went back inside the house through the garage door. I made one more pass around the side of the house and a quick look at the barn and no Joe. I had to go back inside to the kids so, I went back in through the back door.

There in my living room was Little Cowpoke and Joe, watching tv. Little Cowpoke said, "JOOOOE is in here with me! I found him in house!"

Nice. Now I have a goat who likes to come in my house. I really do not know how he got in, but he is not aloud to come inside.

Naughty goat!

8 comments:

Amanda said...

How is it that you have kids that act like animals and animals that act like kids? It's all mess up there on the farm. :)

Karen said...

Well, DUH! His house is flooded. Why wouldn't Joe be in yours?

Wendy said...

Hey, YOU wanted the goat! ;-)

Callie said...

LOL, I remember some cousins as a kid and they kept the goat in the basement of the newly built house! I remember my Mother was mortified!

Pony Girl said...

Joe is living quite the life! My sister's goats hate the rain and mud, too. They stay in the shed unless the sun is shining. I wonder why goats are like that?
Well I am glad you found your Joe. I hope he's not afraid of thunderstorms, or you might have to make room in that king-sized bed for him, lol! ;)

kdwhorses said...

Oh come on mom! LOL! Hubby says that if our little farm house would hold the horses I would have them in the house! I did have my chickens in the kitchen one day. It was a nice cool day and I had the front door and kitchen door open letting the air circulate. And I was in the other room and I told hubby the chickens sure do sound close! I went into the chicken a few minutes later and there were about 10 in there! They had found the bread and was helping themselves! Luckily no poop on the floor! I got them out and they kept trying to come back in, so I had to shut the door!

Danielle Michelle said...

Ha ha! Sounds like my house! I have guineas in the spare bedroom, a kitten under the bed, a young turkey in a kennel in the living room, and we recently had a calf in the mudroom...I need goats...mainly because if I put them in the EXTEMELY large chicken coop bigger birds (like hawks and owls) will stay out. Reading about your goat has been making me envious.

Send some rain THIS WAY! PLEASE!

TjandMark/AKA PearlandHawkeye said...

Try diapers on the goat for house time. I had a friend who did that with her goat. For real. Truly a cute story and I love all of your reader's charming animal stories as well. I love animals too and have shared my home and bed with them as well.