Preparing For Roundup...

It's getting closer...Friday night is the 4-H Roundup where Jenna will show her goats.

There's a lot to do to get ready.  Last week we clipped their hooves and weighed both goats.  Dilly weighed in at 68 lbs. and Pickles at 66 lbs. so they're right on target.  Weighing is "interesting". They're heavy enough that I can't lift them very easily any more, so Jim holds them and steps on the scales with and without a goat.  They don't exactly like to be held!

On Monday, Jenna's 4-H leader came to help clip the goats, answer any last minute questions and give pointers for the show on Friday.  I must say, she has a great leader...he goes above and beyond to help out, especially with new(er) members.  It's a priority for him to help the kids have a good experience so that they continue with the program.

Monday morning bright and early, Jenna gave both goats a bath...it's easier to clip them if their coats are clean.  Surprisingly, for as much as goats don't like water, they actually seemed to enjoy their baths!  Maybe they just liked the attention...

Dilly is always a bit more high strung for things like this, but he did well.  Look how his ears are at attention...

Of course Murphy always needs to be in the middle of it all.  She parked herself a few feet away to make sure everything went well...

The goats had a little while to dry before Jenna's leader arrived for clipping. The cows were out of the barn this morning, so we put the blocking stand inside the barn and out of the sun for this job.  It's a time consuming job, about an hour total between the two goats, but it went pretty well.  Pickles did great.  Look who had to be right in the middle of things again. Can you find her?

While Dilly got clipped, Pickles was bored, but he found ways to amuse himself...

After they were all clipped, they got another dose of wormer, which Pickles immediately spit out.  We use "brand A" and Jenna's leader brought "brand B" along to dose them with, as it's good to use different kinds.  Some kinds work better on different types of worms, so this way our bases are covered.

Then Jenna did a brief run through of showing, with her leader pretending to be the judge.  The goats need to be used to being "set up" and touched.  If they freak out when the judge touches them, we have a problem!

The rest of the week here we'll continue walking them, wash them again on Friday, and head over to the fairgrounds for weigh in around 4 pm on Friday afternoon.  If you're not doing anything Friday night, come on over and watch the show!

On another note...an update on my friend Glenda...


After being in a medically induced coma for 7 days, all sedation has now been stopped, and they are waiting for her to wake up.  We are waiting with her family, hoping and praying for her recovery.  Yesterday she began wiggling her toes and jerking her arm when a main nerve was pinched.  I haven't heard any updates on her progress today, as they are 3 hours behind us out in Oregon.  If you'd like to read her story and follow her progress, here is the Caring Bridge website.  Thanks for your prayers on her behalf!