Euro Vision Song Contest 2013 Malmö Sweden
Last evening was an evening when most, if not all of Europe was glued to their TV. It was the final of the Euro Vision Song Contest and as a Swede , I can say that we were happy to be the host country this year. I want to share some of the music, my particular favorites , but first for those not familiar with this event, I have added a detailed description.
This is a complete description Euro Vision Contest courtesy of Wikipedia:
The Eurovision Song Contest (French: Concours Eurovision de la Chanson)[1] is an annual singing competition held among many of the active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and radio and then casts votes for the other countries’ songs to determine the most popular song in the competition. The contest has been broadcast every year since its inauguration in 1956 and is one of the longest-running television programmes in the world. It is also one of the most watched non-sporting events in the world,[2]with audience figures having been quoted in recent years as anything between 100 million and 600 million internationally.[3][4] Eurovision has also been broadcast outside Europe to such places as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Egypt, India, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States, Uruguay and Venezuela despite the fact that they do not compete.[5][6][7] Since 2000, the contest has also been broadcast over the Internet,[8] with more than 74,000 people in almost 140 countries having watched the 2006 edition online.[9]
In the 1950s, as a war-torn Europe rebuilt itself, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU)—based in Switzerland—set up an ad-hoccommittee to search for ways of bringing together the countries of the EBU around a “light entertainment programme”.[12] At a committee meeting held in Monaco in January 1955, director general of Swiss television and committee chairman Marcel Bezençon conceived the idea of an international song contest where countries would participate in one television programme, to be transmitted simultaneously to all countries of the union.[12][13] The competition was based upon the existing Sanremo Music Festival held in Italy,[14] and was also seen as a technological experiment in live television: as in those days, it was a very ambitious project to join many countries together in a wide-area international network. Satellite television did not exist, and the so-called Eurovision Network comprised a terrestrial microwave network.[15]The concept, then known as “Eurovision Grand Prix”, was approved by the EBU General Assembly in a meeting held in Rome on 19 October 1955 and it was decided that the first contest would take place in spring 1956 in Lugano, Switzerland.[12] The name “Eurovision” was first used in relation to the EBU’s network by British journalist George Campey in the London Evening Standard in 1951.[13]
Origins:
The first contest was held in the town of Lugano, Switzerland, on 24 May 1956. Seven countries participated—each submitting two songs, for a total of 14. This was the only contest in which more than one song per country was performed: since 1957 all contests have allowed one entry per country. The 1956 Contest was won by the host nation, Switzerland.[16]
The programme was first known as the “Eurovision Grand Prix”. This “Grand Prix” name was adopted by Denmark, Norway and theFrancophone countries, with the French designation being “Le Grand-Prix Eurovision de la Chanson Européenne“.[17] The “Grand Prix” has since been dropped and replaced with “Concours” (contest) in French, but not in Danish or Norwegian. The Eurovision Network is used to carry many news and sports programmes internationally, among other specialised events organised by the EBU.[18] However, in the minds of the public, the name “Eurovision” is most closely associated with the song contest.[15]
Now, here are all the songs that were heard last evening:
Here is a cute skit about Swedes:
Sweden’s contribution to the Song contest 2013:
Here are my 3 favorites:
And finally, the Winner of Euro Vision 2013
Drama at Gullringstorp
All the drama at Gullringstorp, revolve around the goats. Everyone else seems to settle issues without too much drama. But with my ladies in the stable, there can be some dram and I do mean drama!
Ok here we go: Iris has two tiny new babies that are growing like little weeds. Iris’ box is now separated by a fence to give her the comfort and safety she seems to need with her new family. As her babies get bigger and stronger, it occurred to me that this box was a sub-herd within my larger herd. I remembered when I was in London and our little Ivy had a tiny baby girl. There was no fence put up during that period and there was no drama. So I thought that these two new little ones needed to become integrated into the sub-herd ASAP. First step, take down the fence.
All was fine for just about 5 minutes then the bully in iris came out after she cleaned up the grain bowls on the other side of the box. She became the bully that I though would have calmed down once she became a mother. No such luck.. She was a holy terror. She unleashed such anger and singled out one to attack; little Surprise. She had it in her mind that Surprise was going to hurt her babies.So untrue.
Little Surprise ran to mommy for protection. She was no real help
I hope Surprise felt some safety snuggled up behind mommy
All three girls cower in the corner
Well this wasn’t working and I seemed to have unleashed a real bully on my little girls. Iris decided to add barking to her bully repertoire . That was a new one. She actually threw her head back and growled like a dog, a big dog. So I needed a Plan B. Iris wasn’t being very nice even with the fence up. She would head butt it and scare all the girls on the other side.
I put the fences back up into place and took the evening to come up with a Plan B. Ok so Iris was not so happy behind her fence, because she was no longer in control of the entire box. then the idea hit me; Nanna has a box to herself and she likes the 3 little ladies in Iris’ box. So the next morning when all the other goats were out, I moved Iris and her two babies into Nanna’s box.
All seemed alright , but that was just because iris was enjoying the grain left in Nanna’s food tray. Once she finished her breakfast, the fun of the new home wore off. She yelled and yelled and yelled some more. She’s a yeller. Her babies Florian and Blossom were really having fun and enjoyed the ledge to hop of and on to. It didn’t take long and Florian was up on the ledge with Iris.
Florian and Blossom like the new apartment
.
When it was time to bring in the goats, I skillfully ushered Nanna in with the other little girls in the first box. She seemed so happy. What made this little piggy happy was all the grain bowls in that box. She ran from one to the next. once that fun wore off and she realized the door was closed, she became a bully.
Oh no, not again! Look at my little ladies cowering in the corner , again!
I had unknowingly brought in another bully. Look at my sweet Nanna on the right in a very aggressive stance!
Well I had seen enough. My Plan B wasn’t working. You are supposed to give any changes some time to settle down, but it was me who could not take the few days needed to see “what would happen”. Iris was not happy in Nanna’s box, but what worried me most was that she seemed not to come down from her perch and her babies needed her down to nurse. I could have handled her yelling but I was worried about her babies’ meals.
Nana was just another bully who I had introduced into the box. My little ladies were once again being attacked. this was not working. I did the only thing I could think of: the fence went back up, Iris and her babies were back in their own home, the three girls were happy on the “other “side of the fence from Iris and Nanna was happily back in her home.
Bottom line, I just worried too much and realized that when the babies are big enough, they will be integrated into that little sub-herd and the balance would be just fine.
I hate to admit it , but my boys are really not as much trouble as my girls. I am not sure if it’s hormonal or what but my girls can really be a challenge and you need to stay alert to all the nuances and be prepared to act, if needed.
Drama over…
Babies, Babies, Babies !!!
Our new babies are growing and developing so quickly:
Iris and her babies Blossom and Florian. Today it feels like rain, cold and windy so those little ones needed coats:
Florian makes a squeak when he is ready to run real fast. So cute!
Poppy and Pansy With Lilly and Huckleberry; since they share a box separated by a fence, it’s best they can come out and socialize together. they are sisters and love each other. Now they need to learn to love each other’s baby:
Djursdagen StallMagasinet
I was invited to introduce and sell my Li’l Sis Goat Milk Soap at Animals Day at our local freed and grain farm. This was our first time to display our soaps in this kind of venue. There were all kinds of preparations to be made. I needed a folding table, and some kind of trim, containers to hold the different soaps, put together my information sheets in both Swedish and English and several other need-to-have goods. It was a day of triumphs and lessons and future opportunities. I met wonderful new customers who were not only brave enough to show their curiosity about my new product, but to embrace it. Goat Milk Soap is very new in Sweden so I am not only selling soap but an entirely new concept. A lot has to do with my persona and my husband’s. It is appreciated when I attempt to hold our conversation in my broken Swedish and my husband’s help was priceless today. Most everyone who learned that not only was this new product goat Milk Soap , but that we actually had a herd of GOATS! Everyone wanted directions to our farm to be able to come and visit the goats.We have recently had new roads built-in our area, so I am as lost as a baby when it comes to directing people to our farm. We did our very best at an event that was not a craft fair nor was it a goods fair, it was an animal day for families to enjoy animal events:
- Mini pig races
- Bunny races
- Donkey rides
- Dog agility events
- Horse drawn wagon rides
- Pony rides
- Viewing the farm’s many sheep in the barn
- The highlight of the day was the annual Spring release of sheep into the pasture
It was a wonderful and fun day for everyone:
Li’l Sis Goat Milk Soap stand
This was how I had intended to display my soaps, but in the end , I was unable to use the wooden blocks due to space issues. We will need a larger table for future events
A curious guest
On a visit to the bunnies, I met this cutie on a leash!
Meet Mini!
What a sweet little bunny
Bunny display
Tiny bunnies
Mini piggies
Too cute…
These sheep were in a petting pen for small children to pat
The sheep in the pen got lots of visitors
There were dogs everywhere of all sizes
Our breeder Waffotis Kennels where we bought our dear Max was there and was so happy to see Max again
Max and his daddy at the event
Doggie agility events
Beautiful horse in the adjacent field
Look at this beauty
That beauty had a job at the event…to pull a wagon full of people
Ponies for the pony rides
The pony is all ready for little riders
The kids enjoyed donkey rides also
I heard sounds from the barn and just had to take a peek… Sheep. lots of sheep
OMG what cute faces !!!
No countryside event would be complete without a big red tractor
Then the big event of the day, the Spring Release of the sheep :
This is Helena the owner at StällMagasinet in the black work pants preparing the fencing for the sheep
The crowd line the fencing in anticipation of the release
And here they come !
They may not look it but i am sure they are so happy to be released into the semi-sunshine and grass
They must be smiling, inside…
This face stands out in a crowd……
Sheep in the Spring green grass
It was a lovely day full of new acquaintances, lessons learned and such cute animals. And we had NO rain! Thank you Helene and Stallmagasinet from Li’l Sis Goat Milk Soap, for such a wonderful day!
Another Sunny Spring Day at Gullringstorp!
It’s so nice to finally have sunny Spring days here at Gullringstorp.
We had such as nice day recently that Tasha went out for a quick trip on the deck and grass. She was so happy!
Tasha and her pal Max. As you can see, we might have some sunshine but it’s not that warm yet, here at Gullringstorp
One of our neighbor cats was enjoying the Springtime sun in our back yard
We have 2 Black & White cats, so when I see this little fella , I think one of ours has gotten out. Our cats are all house cats
This little fella loves to play in our stable.
With our Winter officially over, it was time to change our Winter tires to our Summer tires. By law we have to use snow tires during the Winter but after a certain date, they must come off and be replaced with Summer tires. Regular passenger cars do not use chains so we must take off the Winter tires. I was happy when Leif changed my Li’l Sis Goat Milk Soap car tires to Summer tires. Li’l Sis Goat Milk Soap car is ready for the Summertime roads:
We are finally getting some Spring blooms coming up:
Tulips are finally coming up
HAPPY SPRING !!
Spring Weekend at Gullringstorp May 4 & 5
This is a typical Spring weekend here at Gullringstorp. We have the goats and chickens to care for and the property. There are the usual chores on a farm property. Things need mending, fixing and just plain tending to.
The cats and fish that are in the house get fed first thing. Then off to the stable with my bucket of chopped veggies and fruit and molasses water for the mothers. Max always joins me and Leif follows later. I make a quick check on the new mothers and their new babies and when all is fine, I say hello to all the others on the other side of the stable. Max and I fill a wheelbarrow full with hay to take out to prepare the enclosure for everyone who goes out. The boys were so happy to go out as were the other ladies and girls.
We have with the help of Leif and my daughter, finally got names for all the new babies, even the little boy who will be sold.
Iris’ daughter is Blossom and her son who will be sold to a good home is Florian
Pansy’s daughter is Lilly
Poppy’s son is Huckleberry
Pumpkin’s daughters are, Willow and Violet
Peanut is still a mystery, no babies and no heats for the past 5 months! Hummmmmm
Once everyone is out and happy, I returned to the stable to tend to the new mommies and babies.
Iris and her babies :
A fun place to snuggle
Blossom and Florian rest with mommy not too far away
Pansy and Lilly:
Pansy never lets Lilly out of her sight
Pansy’s food station: grain, treats and molasses water
Pumpkin and her daughters, Willow and Violet :
Pumpkin is our wild child goat, but oh what a mommy she is !
Time for a snack
What a cute little bottom !
Willow, with the white front paw like mommy is the little baby that required a splint on her leg. she is fine and her foot is as it should be
Willow and Violet are so cute
Pumpkin is always talking to her daughters
Even when she is eating
This baby wants to try mommy’s food
Willow wants to see what’s in the container also
Mommy gets a kiss from Willow
After I take care of Iris and her children, I work on the other 3 families, starting with Pansy. Then I took care of the box of Poppy and her baby boy. I took all that was needed into Poppy’s box to be able to take care of both boxes. It’s just easier for me.
Poppy wants to see what I’m doing in Pumpkin’s box
Poppy’s son Huckleberry decides to see what’s in all those baskets
What a cutie!
Huckleberry tries to get into the grain bucket
Poppy checks on me in Pumpkin’s box
Huckleberry is determined to jump in t he grain bucket
Mother and son
After the mothers and babies have been taken care of, I went to check on the other goats in the enclosure. They had run themselves out and all resting:
My bucks Toby, Baby Boy(Bear), Little Man in the back and Pip relax in the Springtime sun
Little Surprise and Nanna found a nice place to rest
Petunia found a nice place in the sun
I was a bit worried about some of the ladies out in the enclosure:
Petunia, Surprise and Ivy have never been separated from Iris. They are doing fine as long as they can hold conversations with her from the stable.
Rose is such a mamma’s baby that she never likes to be without Pumpkin. She is doing better than I though, finding a little group to attach herself to in the enclosure. She will stand and eat hay with Peanut and her mother Hilda.
Leif has been busy with our firewood supply. this weekend he has been cleaving the logs he cut earlier. I think I posted earlier that he was cleaving the wood, mistake, he was chopping.This weekend he cleaved the logs with his new machine:
He has a neat old tool that helps lift the heavy logs
Once the log was cleaved in half it was cleaved again into smaller logs to fit into our burner in the basement
Leif was smart and set up the cleaving machine right in front of the outdoor wood storage. After the log has been cleaved, he can just toss it in the storage
Looking at all those beautiful logs, I got an idea; why not bring ion some logs for the babies to play on. Poor Leif, I never run out of ideas and ways for him to help. But he was kind and asked me to pick out the logs I wanted from the big pile. When I found the 3 perfect ones he brought them into the stable and placed them where they belonged. He thought he should cleave them in half so they would have a flat bottom to sit stable in the boxes. When I said no , they are fine as they are he was not so sure. I was.
Here are my 3 beautiful logs
Here is the log for little Lilly
Pansy was so nice, she thanked us for her log which she nibbled the bark off
Poppy and her son huckleberry check out their new log
Look at that baby!! I could just eat him up!!
Pansy says thank you also
Leif had concerns about these logs, he didn’t think they would be appreciated. Well, just look at Huckleberry:
I hope you had sunshine for this this Spring weekend and you were able to be out enjoying it!
More Updates From the Nursery Ward at Gullringstorp May 2
How are our new babies and new mommies? Everyone is happy and healthy:
Pumpkin’s daughter born with an under-turned little foot has had a splint on for a few days. i took it off today and she seems to be fine.
We have a removable opening between boxes so I can enter Pumpkin’s box from Poppy and Pansy’s box
The boards between boxes can be removed, set aside and I can climb into Pumpkin’s box from Poppy’s
Poppy and her son:
I apologize for the lighting in these videos, not very much natural light available in this box.
Pansy is a very fine mother and her little baby girl Lilly is doing wonderful! :
Iris and her new daughter and son
While her roommates, Petunia, ivy and Surprise are out in the enclosure, I have opened the barrier so they can play in the entire box:
,,
As you can see, all our new babies are doing so well. So far, only one baby has been named; that baby is Pansy’s little girl. For some reason, she looked like a Lilly from the very first day. Names will come for the others.
We are still waiting for Peanut to deliver. She was bred once but went into heat again so she was bred a second time. We have hot seen another heat but she has not delivered.
Was she successfully bred or not? that is the question. Hummmmm
Welcome back for updates from our Maternity Ward with only one doe left, Peanut.
Updates From the Maternity and Nursery Wards at Gullringstorp May 1
Oh my, what can I say? Our stable here at Gullringstorp is alive with the sounds tiny hooves and sweet sounds from our new babies.
I had a shock last evening on my evening rounds to feed and get everyone ready for bed. When I entered the stable, the very first box holds our first mother to deliver, Iris with her little girl and boy. One peak in said it all; the babies were happy, running and hopping all over the box. Next box, Peanut was relaxing with her mommy Hilda. No baby has come yet, still waiting. All the while I was hearing a sound that I was not so sure was Poppy chatting with her baby boy. I knew it wasn’t Pumpkin, I recognize all their voices. As I peaked in to say hej to Pansy and look through the fence to check on Poppy and her son, I noticed a different look on Pansy’s face as she looked up at me. She looked like, “well…?”I looked down and saw a baby snuggled up against her box door. First thought, Oh no Poppy’s boy got through the barrier ! Then I was afraid that Pansy might injure this little baby. Oh my heart was beating so fast , I can’t tell you. then all of a sudden, Poppy’s baby boy hopped out into view just where he was supposed to be, on his side of the barrier with his mommy, safe and sound.
After the shock wore off and Leif had arrived and we enjoyed the new baby, I continued my trip down the stable and Pumpkin and her daughters were doing very well. Rose was getting more and more used to the barrier. the second half of our stable is now known as the low maintenance wing. Nanna was in heat , but no problem with that, just loud, the boys were out of hay, not at all unusual, Alika, Keriana and her daughter Fiona were just waiting for their dinner. I asked Leif to stay and keep a close eye on baby Lilly and mommy while I took care of the rest.
Pansy had a baby approximately 6:30 pm April 30, 2013 !
Pansy showed absolutely no signs she was going into labor so in between our checks on the goats throughout the day, she decided to have a baby. Her baby was still wet and she was busy cleaning up the after birth. Of course I went to the stable without my camera. Once I caught my breath, I ran back to the house to grab my camera. When I returned, I panicked. The baby was laying flat as a pancake while Pansy was frantically licking the baby. I was so afraid that the baby hadn’t made it. I was alone so I called my husband in the house. In the meanwhile, I couldn’t wait for him so I went in and lifted up that tiny head and up the baby got. Oh be still my heart. this baby was up on those tiny legs and began talking to mommy. By t he time Leif made it down to the stable the baby was actually walking around and exploring . When I aroused the baby, I picked the baby up and did a quick inspection. A GIRL !!!!! Oh happy day! I named her right away.
Meet Lilly and happy proud mother Pansy:
Pansy is as wonderful mother as was her own, Frida. She and Poppy had the best teacher there could possibly be.
You can see Poppy loving her little boy in the other half of the box as Pansy tends to her new daughter
Looking so cute Lilly!
Baby knew there was milk somewhere, but couldn’t find it or just hadn’t yet
Pansy’s mouth was constantly going, either chatting or cleaning her baby
Happy Birthday Lilly !
Lilly waits while mommy continues to clean up all evidence of a birth. She even cleaned the blood of the boards on the side of the box
Constant licking dries the baby quite quickly. Good thing because even though it’s Spring, we have winter temperatures during the evenings and nights
Lilly decides to take a walk as mommy calls to her
An exhausted Pansy gets the Gullringstorp birthing molasses and warm water with chopped veggies and fruit. Baby takes a well deserved rest
After some time, Lilly found the milk store had a drink or two and was looking stronger.
Lilly is so beautiful with coloring from her father Balder and she’s a large baby that she got from her mommy.
I went to bed last night with joy and trepidation in my heart. I hoped that what I saw in Lilly and her mother was just temporary. I was so afraid that we had a weak baby and a mother who may not have survived her delivery. I woke up this morning and sat on the edge of my bed a bit terrified to dress and make my way top the stable. For the first time, I was actually afraid of what I might find.
We are still blessed…. Lilly was fine and happy this morning as was her beautiful loving mother Pansy.
Thank you, Thank you from the bottom of my heart…
Updates from the Nursery at Gullringstorp and a bit More
I am so very happy to report that all the babies and new mommies are doing well here at Gullringstorp!
Iris’ little ones are so cute and bouncy and so curious. They eat well, plenty of mommy’s milk and starting to nibble on the hay. They watch mommy and try to do as she does. Iris is a surprise to us both; this wild child has become a wonderful first time mother . I am so proud of her.
Iris and her babies
Poppy is a wonderful mother as was her own mother, Frida. She is all about her little son and always keeps him under her chin as she rests and he naps. She is constantly chatting to him and licking him all over, even while he sleeps. I am so pleased to see her as great a first time mother as Frida. She had an excellent teacher. Both Poppy and her sister Pansy miss their mother so much, it is evident in their eyes since they lost her. I am so glad they will have their new babies to keep them occupied and happier than I could ever have made them. We are still waiting for Pansy to deliver. Soon we hope.
A rare photo of Poppy’s son . He is usually tucked up nice and cozy under mommy’s chin
Pumpkin is doing as well as always with her two daughters. She is a joy to watch as she tends to each little girl with lots of love and conversation. The girls are flourishing in her loving care. Even our little one with the foot issue. She is bouncing around her space and jumping everywhere. We appear to have two healthy little babies and we are just keeping our fingers crossed that the little foot will be the only issue we and Pumpkin have to face.
Pumpkin has a very lovely udder and her teats are just the right size for her tiny babies
This is our little one with a splint on her leg. She is getting around just fine.
As with all the new mothers, we have had to place up fences or barriers to keep the other goats away while they bond with their new babies. Pumpkin was no different. As much as Pumpkin loves her adult daughter Rose, she is a new mother and as such is very protective. There was need to take risks that Rose might hurt the babies or Pumpkin become angry with her daughter Rose. I hated to ask Leif after many hours spent cleaning out the boy’s box and stable of old straw, to help and put up a barrier in Pumpkin’s box before we brought the goats in for the evening. He wasn’t happy, I know because he was tired, but we had no choice. It would make Pumpkin feel safe with her babies but it would not be fun for Rose and it wasn’t when she was brought in. She will get used to it. She has already broken down the door area so she can see her mommy. I just think that she gets instructions from Pumpkin to stay put on her side of the fence. So far, so good. She will soon become used to it and won’t be so upset as long as she can see Pumpkin and talk with her.
We had run out of see through metal fencing that would fit in the boxes so we used the sunscreen board from the front baby play yard. No one is out there yet and there is no sun. I don’t really like it but it’s temporary
Leif has been busy with other things as well here at Gullringstorp. We are always fixing and repairing after the winter and oddly enough we are preparing now for the next winter. We have a furnace in the basement where a lot of firewood is brought in from the outdoor storage and burned to heat the entire house including the water:
We usually purchased wood that has already been chopped for our home the past winters, but this winter my husband decided to buy logs and cleave them himself; more cost efficient and I think fun for him
These logs will remain in our outdoor storage area to dry out before being brought inside to the basement storage and held there for future use..
I hope you have enjoyed some of the updates from Gullringstorp.
Updates From the Nursery Ward at Gullringstorp Part 5
Last evening on night rounds, I had a feeling that one or both of my does would deliver, soon. Pumpkin and Peanut are my two does who are due to deliver next. Pumpkin lays down a lot just before she goes into labor. Peanut is a first time fresher so I have no history yet on how she will labor and deliver. Pansy will be the last doe to deliver near toward the first of May.
It was a beautiful sunny morning and we planned for the goats to go out and for Leif to not only clean out a box but take away all the straw that has been accumulating in the corridors on both wings of the stable. The winter has prevented us removing the straw that was pulled out of each box to be able to close the doors. Once the snow melted , we have had either rain or wind that made the removal not possible. Leif went out to let our bucks out first and start on their box when lo and behold there were two new residents in our stable!
Pumpkin had given birth within the hour before we were there in the stable. Sneaky little lady, second time she delivered on her own , in privacy. She looked well and her two babies look nothing like her. They are identical clones to their father Little Man. This is Pumpkin’s second pregnancy and delivery here at Gullringstorp. Her first pregnancy went well with the delivery of a boy and a girl. We unfortunately lost her little boy within a month due to a heart defect. That changed Pumpkin and she became very protective of her remaining baby, Rose.
This morning around 0730 April 28, 2013 our Pumpkin gave birth to 2 baby girls!
I had enjoyed the babies for a bit and made sure that Pumpkin had hay and grain where she was comfortable, then I placed fresh straw in for her and the babies. Leif was putting hay out for the boys so it was time to take them out. I hated to leave the babies but the boys were waiting:
Once the boys were settled in their enclosure, we prepared to take out the girls. I was a bit worried about some of our girls today. Pansy would be out without her sister Poppy for the first time. Petunia, Ivy and Surprise would be out without Iris for the first time. Rose would be out for the very first time without her mother Pumpkin. Each of these young ladies is very close to their box partner. Petunia, Ivy and Surprise make up a sub-herd within our herd because of the number of goats that share the same box.
We were so happy to see them all outside and enjoying themselves in the sunshine!
While the boys and girls enjoyed themselves in the enclosure, Leif began his job of removing straw and cleaning out the boy’s box. All the straw went out to the fields:
I finally had the time to go in and really check on our new babies. They looked so beautiful and so very much like their father Little Man:
Little Man
On closer inspection of our new baby girls, I noticed that one little one had a turned under foot. I manipulated her foot to make sure it was pliable and it was. It may have been the way she was delivered or she might just need help in straightening that little foot out. My Internet was down , temporarily but I just instinctively knew that if I could straighten the foot, then she just might need a splint. Now to find tiny wood or something else sturdy to use. I found cute tiny emery boards and grabbed the electrical tape. It went very smoothly when I placed the splint on that tiny leg. She was not upset at all. Pumpkin was curious but she trusts me so she was not really worried or concerned.
This little girl was relaxing as I fixed her sister’s little leg
Pumpkin did come over just to make sure all was well with her little baby
Pumpkin returned to check on her other little baby
Once I saw that the little baby could get around with the splint on, I was back to the house to make Pumpkin her birth morning breakfast. I arrived back to the stable with warm water and molasses and a nice bowl of chopped fruit and veggies actually all three new mothers got the same thing):
I went back into the house started this post and had a call from my daughter . She wanted to Skype but I had a strange feeling and had to run back to the stable. I hadn’t remembered seeing both babies nursing. I was worried about the little girl with the splint.
I needn’t have worried:
So there it is, Updates from the Nursery Ward at Gullringstorp and a bit more.
Updates From the Nursery Ward at Gullringstorp Part 4
I arrived home from London quite late last night and was just too beat to make it out to the stable. I went to bad feeling like a real bad “goat mamma”. I knew I would see Iris and her babies first thing in the morning. We had no sooner entered the stable when I was able to only get a glimpse of Iris and her two new babies, when things were not quite right in Poppy and Pansy’s box. Well, it was right , actually.
Poppy is a brand new mommy for the very first time!
She had been in labor for the early morning hours and by the time we entered the stable, she was in the last moments of her labor and delivery was just a few moments away. I looked and she was laying down and I knew immediately that our little girl, now an adult doe was about to have a baby. I was in her box in a flash and down on the straw and talking to her to sooth her and massaging her tummy and hips. She was glad to see me and oh was I so glad not to have missed her delivery. As I watched and listened, I saw her mother Frida. I saw her tilt of her head, and listened to her stoic soft moans. She is her mother when she delivers.
I had my iPhone in my pocket and tried to take some photos before the baby was born. Unfortunately, it was not so well , lit due to our overcast day. Leif was kind to run back to the house and get my camera. First photos are a bit dark:
Poppy’s last moments of labor
Poppy is pushing and there are tiny hooves out already
At this point, Poppy got up and labored to a new location and by the time Leif came back, we had a baby!
- Brand new baby
What a great mommy. Poppy is busy cleaning her new baby
Poppy’s sister Pansy is a bit unsure with this new little noisy creature arrived
We will have a clean dry baby, real soon
..
Baby is stil in a part of the sac as the search for milk begins
New baby stands on those tiny legs within 5 minutes of birth
We had a scary moment when Pansy head butted the new baby. Well that was all we needed to see to realize we needed a fence. Luckily we have lots of items in our workshop and on the property. I decided the box should be split in half and Leif found just the right size piece.
After Pansy had her time on the milk stand, the new fence was placed in the box. I feel quite comfortable with it.
New baby stands quite firmly on those tiny legs
Look at our new cute baby !
Poppy got her warm molasses water, grain and she cleaned up her after birth as every mother does
Baby rests after a busy morning getting born
Everyone in the surrounding boxes were really affected by the new baby sounds. Hilda and Peanut were listening as well as Pumpkin. We had a curious doe who was also in heat :
Rose in heat but still curious about the happenings in the next box. She is looking more and more like her mother Pumpkin
As things were settled in Pansy and Poppy’s box, I turned my attentions on Iris, her babies and her box.
We had placed a temporary fence up for Iris to feel safe and secure, but it was now time for a better fence and one that gave her and her twins a larger area to move around in. So back to the drawing board… what did we have available that would work to keep Iris in and the others from getting to her new babies. We needed length as well as height to make my vision work. We ended up with two fences pieces that work together, quite well. The babies are so happy to have the space to run, jump and spring as they need to.
There we have two fences pieces that work well together. The one on the far right acts as our door
Iris’ new enclosure
Iris and her babies
A little doeling on the left and a little buckling on the left
What cuties we have!
Our new little buckling
‘
He looks like Iris!
Iris’ roommates, Petunia, Ivy and Surprise were away, on the other side of the stable having fun with Nanna while we fenced off the box. We also made some adjustments to their hay supply
It was a busy morning here in the Nursery at Gullringstorp. It was not a day for the goats to be out so everyone was made happy and comfy, inside.
Rain was certainly on its way
We have learned that Poppy’s new baby is a boy. I can not say how disappointed I am. He is beautiful and I will give all the love he needs , but he will not stay at Gullringstorp. We have 7 buck now and that is way over the normal limit in any goat farm. I just couldn’t part with them. Phillip and Winston are my last baby boys I was allowed to keep. My promise to my husband and myself was that I would bite the bullet and sell any bucklings that come. So now, so far, we have 2 bucklings to 1 doeling. Of course I was hoping for more doelings but I can not control nature. We have 3 more does to deliver , please keep your fingers crossed for ALL doelings!
In spite of the bucklings being born, both mothers and all 3 babies are doing beautifully.
Updates From the Nursery at Gullringstorp Part 3
Hej from London !
We enjoyed a bit of euphoria with the birth of our newest babies, here at Gullringstorp.
The biggest hurdles have thankfully come and gone. Iris who is a first time Fresher, had a trouble free delivery. Our two new babies were born without difficulty, stood right away and from the sound I heard, had healthy lungs. Most importantly, they located the milk quickly and Iris shows no difficulties nursing her twins.
All of this allowed us both to sigh a huge sigh of relief and this makes us both happy.
Iris’ roommates, Petunia, Ivy and little Surprise have been kind and given Iris her privacy with her babies. Well that didn’t last long. Iris decided that our youngest, Surprise was now a threat to her babies so a bit if bullying has developed. This is not good for the overall mood in the box where several tiny goats call home and defiantly not good for our sweet little Surprise. What to do?
A barrier to allow Iris to feel secure and unthreatened. She needs to feel calm with her babies and I don’t want feeding issues to develop.
We have had to utilize a barrier a while back to help Hilda bond with her sons on her second delivery here at Gullringstorp. It was a challenge to do a barrier in Iris’ box, but Leif managed.
Here is today’s update via e-mail:
Honey, I fenced off a corner for Iris and the kids this morning. I put up another waterbowl for her only and moved a graincontainer to the other side of the box. See pictures. It seems to work so far. Today is a cold day and it started to drizzle, so it is an indoor day.
Talk later
Leif
The new section may look small but it is temporary and when the babies are a bit bigger the fence will come down.
This is a way to insure harmony in this box full of touchy females.
Thank you for the update and photos Leif.
Updates From the Nursery at Gullringstorp Part 2
Hej from London !
Today was a day of sun, not so cold temperatures and barely any wind .
Today was a day with a bit of challenge. This would be the first day that Iris’ roommates Petunia, Ivy and Surprise went outside to the enclosure, without Iris. I was so worried that they would not go without her, but they did. Then I was afraid they would get outside and realize that Iris had not followed. I was prepared for yelling for Iris from the enclosure as well as yells from Iris to her pals outside.
To my surprise and my husband’s, there was no problem at all ! Iris was even able to enjoy her new mommy meal of chopped carrots. apples and raisins. Iris was so happy to have the box to herself with her new babies.
We have new photos of our new mommy and her beautiful new babies.
Leif says that Iris is an ex excellent new mother.
Thank you so much for the beautiful photos Leif !
Updates from the Nursery at Gullringstorp 2013
Hej from London :
I am getting updates on Iris and her babies throughout the day from Leif.
Iris is a fine mother, very attentive to her two new babies. She is constantly licking and cleaning them as their bond grows stronger. Unlike our Nigerian Dwarf new mothers, who are always heard quite loudly chatting with their babies. Our normally very talkative Iris, who is one of our Pygmy goats, has a very different verbal communication with her babies. Apparently her chatter is low and intimate and for her babies tiny ears only. It is becoming more apparent some differences between the two breeds. As goat owners, with close observation, you are bound to pick up on the tiniest of differences between the breeds and become better prepared for what to expect in any situation.
Leif is enjoying a very important and fun task of handling the babies. They need gentle handling to start their socialization with humans from as early an age as possible. This is not a practice of all goat owners but we believe very strongly in this here at Gullringstorp. We raise our babies to be as comfortable with us as with their mommy.
Our two new babies are a girl and a boy . The little brown and grey one who is the spitting image of mommy Iris is our new little boy. As promised, because we have already exceeded our number of bucks, this little fellow will be available for sale. I must stick to my promise made to my husband when I was allowed to keep Phillip and Winston. This little fella will receive all our love and care while with us and will be a gentle loving buckling when sold to a new family. I will not lie and say that when the time comes for him to leave that I will not be a wreck because I will. It will be a sad day for us at Gullringstorp while at the same time we will be happy with the new family we have chosen for him.
Our new little girl will remain with Iris and her extended family within the box in our stable where she was born . She will be welcomed onto the herd as time continues and she is introduced to each goat, one by one.
This is a very happy time for all of us at Gullringstorp!! Here are some photos sent to me yesterday :
Thank you Leif for the beautiful updated photos of our new family at Gullringstorp. I am so happy and worry free while here in London. Please give Iris a kiss from me and give our new babies a kiss and a hug each from me.
More updates as I receive them.
Iris is a New Mommy !!!
Hej from London!!!!
It’s has become increasingly more difficult to make any trips away from Gullringstorp. It is important to keep your marriage strong to weather the separations and you must be able to leave knowing all will be taken care of in your absence. With my miscalculation on the approximate date for Iris to deliver, I had planned my travel to be after her delivery. When I realized my error, tickets were booked . I have been in London since the 16th and have received daily reports on our does .
Yesterday was a very cold windy and rainy day so the goats were not out. I received a call from Leif that Iris had her babies as close as he can figure around 6:30 last evening April 18, 2013 !!!! Leif went to check everyone and saw that our Iris was laying in the straw each time he went to check so he remembered me saying , we must be observant to see where our mothers, nest and that is where must place new straw. He did that. He came to check her around 6;45 and there they were, two lively little babies, only minutes old, wet, on their feet and hungry!!!
Here is the e-mail I received:
Honey, we have two beautiful babies and they seem just fine. Cleaned up by Iris and they had their first milk. I gave Iris water with plenty of syrup and she drank it very fast, so I made some more for her. I tried to send a picture from my phone, but I think I was not successful.
Leif
I was just going into a movie when I spoke to Leif and could not contain my overwhelming joy! Amidst my euphoria I remember Leif saying the babies were up on their feet while iris was still laying down. Them it hit me…. Iris should be on her feet also! I began to worry…. Was she ok? Why wasn’t she up? Was she just exhausted ? Every possibility of what can go wrong flooded into my head.
I found out later that she did get up and cleaned her new babies and fed them. My husband also remembered to give her what every new mother at Gullringstorp gets right after delivery, warm water and molasses. Iris loved it!
I look forward to updates on our little Iris and her new babies. I will do my best to keep you posted from London.
Thank you Leif for taking such good care of everyone, Iris especially, in my absence and thank you so much for the beautiful photos !!
On a more somber note, my heart goes out to you, Boston…
What’s Happening With the Goats Today at Gullringstorp ?
After a couple of days of wind, snow and rain, the goats were let out this morning. the conditions were not ideal but our goats were getting cabin fever. You can always tell on morning rounds just what the mood is when you enter the stable.We have most of the girls in the first section of the stable so when you enter there, quite often the ladies are all still “in bed”. They look so cute all snuggled up together. There are two to a box except our 4 tiniest ladies share a very large box.
Entering the next section of the stable is another story completely. We have had the occasion to enter and fine everyone still “in bed”. But usually as I stop and say good morning Pumpkin and Rose who are in the last box in the first section, I can hear the commotion in the next section of the stable. Nanna, if not in heat is usually relaxing on her “perch”. The boys have been “in bed” on some mornings but that is not always the case. Like this morning, they were up and spunky! Alika is head butting her door making quite a noise.
After all my mothers to-be , have been on the Milk Stand, Max our dog and I go out and walk the enclosure to access the condition after the last two days. It is still wet in some sections, but overall it would not be a day that the goats were forced to remain indoors. I grab my wheel barrel and Max and start to fill the boys hay rack and then take the boys out first. Boy are they ever happy to be out. I just hope it doesn’t rain. But if it does, we have two wonderful deep outdoor shelters for all the goats to get in and stay out of the rain. Most of my goats do not like the rain. Fingers crossed. There was a time in our goat raising that we would run out of the house at the first drop of rain and run the goats in. I soon realized that our goats cold withstand the elements to a degree and they did have more than adequate shelter from the elements.
The girls were also eager to be outside. They ran for the enclosure while kicking up their cute little heels! It’s always a sight that gives me immense pleasure.
Remember when it was time to place my two little boys in with the big boys and I was so upset?
Here they were as bucklings just before they made the transition:
My husband with little Phillip
My husband with little Winston
Now by little babies are no longer bucklings,, they are bucks ready to spar at any given moment for dominance :
Phillip
Winston
I led the boys over to their new hay rack and they followed like little I was the pied piper.
Some stand at the hay rack like little gentlemen and others just dive in
Just look how our little Winston has grown…
Phillip was thirsty so he left his palls eating
It wasn’t long before his pals came to join him. Everyone was thirsty , all of a sudden
Pip,, Toby and Balder wait patiently for their turn
The boys settled in and enjoyed being outside. The girls soon followed:
Mother-to be Iris, found a place to enjoy her hay
As you can see there is no grass anywhere, yet. Our enclosure is as barren as the surrounding fields so there is no grazing for our goats. The hay is important
My husband was trying to see if the outdoor hose was able to be used yet…unfortunately, it is still frozen somewhere on the line. All the girls are interested in what he is doing.
Keriana’s fur is taking a dramatic turn in looks, color and texture. She is a mixed breed goat with mother Frida a full bred Nigerian Dwarf and her father Julius was a white pure bred Swedish Lantras goat. At 4 yrs old, my black goat is now a fluffy grey goat resembling a Black-Faced sheep.
Mother-to-be Pumpkin is happy to be outside
Sorry, just had to get another shot of Keriana’s fluffy new coat with the silky black strip running down her spine, black face and stockings
Mother-to-be Iris looking just as she should, round and full of babies. We think she will either have a very large baby or twins
We are continually making improvements around Gullringstorp and many of them are goat related. One of the biggest issues facing goat owners is wasted hay supplies. So often it falls through large hay racks that have large openings between the bars. You see, they don’t make hay racks for these small livestock. All of us have to improvise or try at building our own. We have a two-sided wooden rack that Leif built that fits one in Pumpkin and Rose’s box and the other side fits the sister’s Pansy and Poppy’s box. They have been working well except some waste in the sister’s box. The boys have the conventional horse hay rack which works fine ever since Leif had some bars welded on to help keep the hay in. That was a good idea. The problem in this box is 7 bucks. They can’t all eat at one hay rack and I don’t like to make situations that could prove volatile. So we tried horse hay bags. They worked fine for a while until the boys decided to sharpen their horns on them and rip them causing the hay to fall out. Alika, Keriana and Fiona have bags; they are not without their issues. Alika’s is always turned around. You see there is a nice round opening for the goat to stick their nose in to eat. This means she has to stand up and stick her head in from the top and eat. Keriana and her daughter Fiona have ripped he side of their bag loosing hay .
We bought 5 new hay racks and my husband has welded the bars on all of them. We won’t be placing them in the boxes until the weather gets better and our road gets better to be able to drive the tractor with the hay from the boxes. They still have the winter full level of hay and straw that keeps the goats warm during the winter. With the level up so high we can’t place them in till the level is where it should be, much lower.
New hay racks for the boxes in the stable
These hay racks are quite large but if you look closely you can see where my husband welded on additional bars
These hay racks are not complete yet. There will be a fencing material with smaller openings fit inside each rack. These are just the beginning of repairs and improvements that will need to be done here at Gullringstorp after the long cold winter.
Something I Just Had to Share
I have been at my desk working really hard preparing to take my Lil Sis Goat Milk Soaps to a local festival. Our local feed and grain farm, StallMagasinet is having a Djur Dagen ( Animal Day) on their grounds. It will be a big day for people of all the surrounding communities to come and enjoy. I was hoping to be able to bring one of my best behaved young ladies but was asked if I could present and sell my new Li’l Sis Goat Milk Soaps. This event is not until May but I am traveling soon to visit my daughter in London so I am getting as much done now, as possible.
While I work wrapping soaps and preparing paperwork at my desk, I have on YouTube and just let my 384 Favorites play. I had to stop my work to either sing along with a music video or listen to a motivational speaker. This particular video is so touching, I had to stop and watch as if it were the very first time. I have always had an interest in puppets and have a large hand puppet collection all of which I enjoy bringing to life. It is a dream of mine to learn how to operate a marionette.
It’s just so beautiful and sad, at the same time.
Snowy and Windy Day Keeps Gullringstorp Goats Inside
Yesterday was not a day for our goats to go outside. After a couple of beautiful , warm and sunny days, our goats were not able to come outside. It’s always a shame when we start new routines like the new hay rack for the boys. They really need to have consistency with their routine. I wanted them to get used to the new location for the hay. Oh well, we can only wait for the good days to come. For now they relax in the stable:
Mother-to-be Pumpkin and her daughter Rosie relax
Ivy and her daughter Surprise relax while mother-to-be is wide awake
Keriana with her daughter Fiona sleep close to fence to be close to Alika
Mothers-to-be sisters Poppy and her sister Pansy (kind of hidden)
Hilda and her daughter, mother-to-be-Peanut live in box which doesn’t get much light from the light fixtures. It was just too dark to photograph., but they were resting close together as usual.
Nanna was NOT resting at all. She was in heat. This was a relatively mild heat so far, because her cries are not nearly as loud as normal, for her. Notice he flicking of her tail, this is called “flagging”.
Balder is up and wide awake. Look at those beautiful eyes!
Baby Boy is also wide awake
Little Man rests by himself while Toby and Pip like to snuggle
Toby and Pip
Winston, Philip my little boys love to sleep close together while Little Man lays close by
We hope for better weather so our goats can be out for more than one or two days at a time.
Maternity Ward Updates and Improvements at Gullringstorp
Oh dear, the first thing I must do is apologize to everyone waiting for Iris to give birth. With all that has been going on and being indisposed for nearly a month, I was way off in my calculation for her delivery date. I had it in my head all this time that Iris had been bred in the first week of November when in reality, according to my records, she was bred twice, once on Nov. 25, and again on the 26th. This places her delivery date around April 19th or 20th. Darn!!! No one is more disappointed than I. Well I am back on track and it looks as if Iris was the only one on track all this time.
Iris and all our mothers-to-be are doing quite well . We are happy that all the goats have been able to get out of the stable and enjoy fresh air, run, play and relax in the sun. We are especially happy for the mothers -to – be.
Iris happy outside with her sister Petunia
While we wait for our new babies to arrive, there is much to do around the farm. One of the things I make a point of doing, is putting into service, items that we bought with the property that we had not yet used. One such item is a large cattle feeder that sits in the boy’s enclosure.
I have looked at it for years and wondered just how could we use it. There must be something we could use it for. The previous owner had steers at one point, so this was for them. First issue with this large piece of equipment was its location. I felt it was too close to the fence. We have young boys that live next door and I just wouldn’t want the goats startled by their playtime.
Then I got an idea, (poor husband hates when I “get ideas”, he knows what that means for him). Ok, we will just move it further into the enclosure. Well, that was a no go! The piece of equipment was set in concrete beneath the soil. It was there to stay! Darn!!!
My youngest boys are no longer bucklings, they are strapping bucks now, so I it came to me , why not use this wonderful piece of equipment for the boy’s hay supply. There were a few posts in the front, that were in question, so my husband used a hack saw to remove them . They were oddly placed, not far enough apart, and just close enough for a mishap. For us a mishap usually means a head getting stuck. So I am so glad those posts have been removed. My husband saw another potential issue; because the unit is so close to the fence, there was the possibility that a goat could get into the unit and somehow jump over the fence. Well, that problem is now fixed. Now there is a large plank of wood attached to the backside so that even if they get the notion to jump, they can’t.
This morning the hay went into the equipment. My boys were not so sure, so I had to coax them toward the new hay location. Goats love and thrive on consistency so any change is received slowly. It might take a few days for the boys to catch on to the new routine, and they will be comfortable with the new location of their hay supply. It’s just like my mothers-to-be learning the Milk Stand routine. It was not so easy in the beginning with them. Some arrived at the Stand on t heir knees, all were led by leash, some laid down on the stand and some wouldn’t eat. Now I don’t need a leash, they walk or run by themselves to the stand, hop up unassisted and begin eating. Just as the ladies learned , so will the boys.
Today was a real good start :
There was once a function to lock in the steer’s heads but we will not be using that . There’s room enough for our 7 bucks
I know, I know, who has 7 bucks?? Well, I do. I have made a promise that any bucklings born this year will be sold. We have more than enough bucks.
This is what I wanted to see. They finally got the idea!
Baby Boy enjoying some hay
Toby at the new outdoor hay rack
Little Pip has understood where the hay is
Look at my boys ! From the left; Phillip, Toby, Little Man and Baby Boy
Such good little fellows
The boys have to walk a bit of a distance to get to the hay. They are used to the hay being in 4 piles on the ground just inside the gate.
Winston decided to try the back side of the hay rack. He was lucky the power hadn’t been turned on yet. If he tries it later, he will have a shock to that cute little bottom
Welcome back later in the month for Updates from the Maternity Ward and soon the Nursery Ward at Gullringstorp.
A Birthday at Gullringstorp, continued…
First, I would like to thank all the lovely Birthday wishes for husband. So very nice of you. He was really surprised by the post here and the post I placed on my Facebook page. Throughout the day, he received Birthday wishes from all over the world, Pakistan, Canada, NY, USA, London, Paris, Iran and of course Sweden.
It was a lovely day to be out and about the property yesterday, so that’s where Leif was most of the day. The evening was spent a beautiful and romantic restaurant, in the biggest city nearest to us. Sitting there amid the dimly lit, very beautiful restaurant, I couldn’t help thinking of that cute children’s book: The City Mouse and the Country Mouse. There we sat two little Country mice amidst the lovely City Mice. Heehee. Actually we do “clean up” nicely and you couldn’t tell we were actually Country Mice in disguise. I promise we left our overalls in the country.
We had a wonderful evening, meal, wine and atmosphere:
Leif’s Förrätt / Starter
Terrin på oxsvans av Herford från Viking-Vänga, morotscrème, gelé på pressgurka
(Terrine made from slow-cooked ox tail of Hereford from local area, carrot cream, pickled cucumber jelly served on a granite slate)
My Förrätt / Starter
Musselsoppa med roatad bröd och aoli
(clam soup with toast and aoli)
Leif’s Huvudrätter / Main Course
Rosatekt ankbröst, vincottosky smaksatt med hallon, hasslbackpotatis, presskål
(Pink.fried breast of duck, vincotto jus seasoned with raspberries, Hasselback potatoes, cabbage)
Mu Huvudrätter / Main Course
Halstrad gösfilé från Hjälmaren, bryntsmör, laxromscitronette, gösmousseline, murkelrisotto
(Grilled fillet of pike-perch from Lake Hjälmaren, browned butter, salmon roe citronette, pike perch mousse-like, morel risotto)
What a beautiful dish, it was almost to beautiful to eat…almost.
All this wonderful food was accompanied by a lovely Ripasso red wine.
Some photos of the interior of the restaurant. Please take into consideration that the photos were taken a totally candle lit restaurant with my iPhone. (wish I had brought my canon for sharper photos)
A wall of fine wines…made my husband very happy to look at that
Once we were home, we had a lovely classic Swedish desert :
Princess Tårta ( Princess Cake)
En grädd och marsipandröm ( A cream and marsipan dream)
Härligt gräddig varvat med lager av saftig sockerkaksbotten och lite hallonssylt under det goda lagret marsipan
(Wonderfully creamy interspersed with layers of moist sponge cake and some raspberry jam for the good marzipan layer )
A very classic Swedish celebration cake
Yummy
First thing we did when we arrived home was to check in on Iris. She has decided to hang onto her little babies even longer. So as of last night and today, no babies yet.
Be sure to check back for Updates from the Maternity Ward or announcements from the Nursery at Gullringstorp !
A Birthday at Gullringstorp !!
Today is my husband’s Birthday ! Please join me in wishing Leif a wonderful 70th Birthday! He is a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and a real hard worker for us here at Gullringstorp. We couldn’t be Gullringstorp without him! We love you and wish you a wonderful 70th Birthday and may you have many more!
Updates From the Maternity Ward at Gullringstorp 2013
With a bit of disappointment I must report that our little Iris did not have her babies last night. It just goes to show you, no matter how you may want babies to be born, they will always come when they are ready .
We checked Iris several times last night and again this morning. I can say that she is due quite soon, just when, only Mother Nature knows for certain.
We had yet another lovely Spring day and all our goats were out till nearly 8 pm this evening.
Here are our mothers-to-be :
Iris
There’s that beautiful Baby Bump
Iris enjoying some hay with her sister
Smile for the camera Iris !
That tummy can’t get any rounder
Another view of our Iris and her Baby Bump
Iris is so big, she seems a bit uncomfortable
Pumpkin
This is Pumpkins second pregnancy at Gullringstorp and she like to lay down a lot inside or out
Pumpkin resting but keeping a close eye on her 2 yr old daughter Rose
Pumpkin having a hay snack with Rose
Peanut
Peanut, our mystery mother-to-be-maybe. She has been bred but came into heat at least once, so we are not completely sure she is pregnant
Pansy
Pansy is very much like her mother Frida and not showing very much
Poppy
Poppy, Pansy’s sister enjoying some hay
Here are four of our five mothers-to-be :
Poppy, Iris, Pansy and Pumpkin with her daughter Rose. Peanut is not in this photo
I will keep you updated with post from the Maternity Ward at Gullringstorp and share all the news.
Sorry no babies yet, but, they are coming!!
News from our Maternity Ward at Gullringstorp
I have several ladies who are due to deliver during the first week of April, by my calculations. Nature always has the upper hand in the situation, but I like to think I can pin point the tim frame of deliveries. What I do is watch and keep a very close eye on my ladies. I know them all intimately; how they sound, how they eat, how they drink, how they interact with others and even how they go down to rest. I look for any subtle changes to let me know that she may be getting close to labor.
The feelings came over me yesterday with our little Pygmy doe Iris. I knew she would be the first of my 4 does or maybe 5. She is quite wide and he baby bump is very pronounced. I watched her and how she was out in the enclosure. She was licking at her teats, and looking at her rear end. I said to myself, hummm, looks like she will be any day now. We checked her often out in the enclosure and during the night even when she and the others were back in the stable. She was resting easy. I had placed a large amount of fresh clean straw in one corner for her just in case. Nothing happened during the night and she was quite eager to hop up on that Milk Stand for her grain this morning. I massaged her as she ate and kissed he baby bump and had a bit of a chat with her babies. I love my goats and am always so excited when they are due to deliver. it’s a special time in our stable.
Iris is out in the enclosure on this beautiful Spring day. I sat with them for some time, as always, but kept a particularly close eye on iris to see subtle changes in he behaviour. There were some changes:
- a bit of a discharge
- I could see she was a bit uncomfortable when she went down to rest
- Unable to decide where to lay down
- Other goats came to sniff her
- Her pals who share her large box came to stay by her side
With all these developments, my husband decided that today was the day to clean out her box and place all clean straw down for he delivery. We have been lucky and been able to change boxes for all our pregnant does. We have just come into Spring and our boxes have not been cleaned out for 6 months. Let me explain: we clean up poopies in every box everyday, but we do allow the hay and straw to build up during the winter months. This is very important in providing our goats with a really warm bed to sleep the night in. All the urine and poopies that fall through the straw will ferment and help keep them warm. Spring time is a busy time here at Gullringstorp with box cleaning.
Iris’s box is done and when she comes in she will have a clean house to deliver in, today or tomorrow.
After a bit of playing, Iris settles down for a rest
Her sister Petunia come to keep Iris company
Even Peanut comes to check on Iris
While I am out with the goats, Leif has started on Iris’ box. There is much to remove, but he has the procedure down. It is a big job and I always ask if I may help him. The answer is always a flat NO and he means NO. I have asthma and not only this, but when I got my first goats several years ago, I was having trouble breathing and felt quite winded as I would walk back to the house. I eventually went in to have a check up and I wasn’t just winded, I was having real trouble but didn’t realize it. I was sent in for allergy testing. I felt like a kid! I was tested for so many things and I was so afraid that I would be told that I had an allergy to my beloved goats. Well time for celebration !!! I had allergies, but NOT to my goats. Boy was I relieved ! I did get some difficult news. I have allergies to both hay and straw! Lord, what kind of farmer could I be. Well I soon learned from my doctor at the Lung Clinic that I was required to wear masks when I am in the stable and handling hay or straw. No problem!! Nothing stops this country gal!
I wear 3M filter masks when I am dealing with hay and straw both indoors and outdoors. I have done so for nearly 5 years now and no more problems. When we have visitors to Gullringstorp to visit our goats, I don’t wear my mask because I am not handling straw or hay, just talking. My masks get quite expensive because they only come in boxes of 10, and they are not included in the national prescription plan. It is a bit of a problem, but a necessity. So now you can understand why my husband says NO to the cleaning up of boxes. I can however, lay down the calcium on the box floor and fresh straw, with my filter mask on.
I can’t help clear the box, but I can prepare a nice lunch for my husband for when he is finished.
I don’t really have any idea how many scoops are filled when cleaning out a box
My husband uses a large wheel barrel to help in removing the old straw
Filling the wheel barrel
Way in t he distance, we have a track on the property , about a mile long, that was once used for trotters before we bought the property. This is where my husband drives the tractor to dump the used straw near the forest and there it is set on fire.
It will be my pleasure to keep you updated on Iris and our other does who are in the Maternity Ward at Gullringstorp!
So don’t forget to check back for updates!
Easter Sunday Dinner at Gullringstorp
My husband was our chef for this Easter dinner. I did help a bit but this was My husband’s choice for the evening. It was delicious and we really enjoyed it.
The lamb roast was wrapped with kitchen twine
Once the twine was done, the lamb was pierced and slivers of garlic were inserted for added flavor and small twigs of fresh Rosemary also inserted for flavor
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After preparing the lamb, it was placed in a pot with sizzling olive oil and butter. the lamb was turned and browned on all sides to seal in the flavor and juices
I looked at that lamb roast and felt it looked a bit lonely. I decided to add some fresh carrots, celery, potatoes and the remaining rosemary and garlic.
After the veggies went in, my husband poured in the finishing ingredient, red wine
We had a lovely Easter dinner and we hope everyone had a delicious Easter dinner also.
GullringstorpGoatGal
