Yup, that's Lilith. She smacked me good on two fingers on the right hand, when I was trying to get her off the inflation tubing. Whoops, she kicked, caught my hand, and the back of my hand caught a metal post. Swollen knuckles, and I feel lucky (albeit a bit stoopid). I yelled, and put the inflation back on her, and tried my best to figure out how to get milk out of a horse, I mean, cow. I made one dumb mistake after another, and ended by losing my temper, and telling her rather strongly what I thought of her, while I let her out of the barn.
That was yesterday morning, and I went back in yesterday evening with Debbie, one of the supermilkers of the universe, and she had similar problems, minus the dumb mistakes. And this morning, Rusty (one of the other supermilkers, and more) came down and showed me how to milk a horse, I mean cow. Holy spumoni. She's a two-person cow, it turns out.
She's wonderful, Lilith is. She's a big healthy Holstein, in her first milking. And hopefully she'll unlearn her fighting. Me, too. I hope to unlearn my fighting. Fortunately, Rusty and Debbie are good at teaching. I feel bad, because she'd been making progress, learning to settle in, and then I come in with been-away-at-camp brains, and boom, lose it. At least I knew I'd been doing something wrong -- I'd been tying the training rope incorrectly, and basically milking her sans rope.
Okeydokey artichokey, I'm sure Lilith will learn, and I hope she learns faster than I do!
much love,
Kelpie
Monday, August 17, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Blueberries, conferences, buildings
Another hot day, but at least better than yesterday. And Zadek, Biddy and I went blueberrying then, so now I've got a tubful of yummmmmm. It's making us pretty happy. Big ol' cold bloobs. We had them for breakfast.
Biddy's a new member, and she can sing just about anything, and when she does, you want to listen. She's got an amazing voice. Wow, that's very exciting.
And what else? The Communities Conference is starting on Friday, so there'll be many many people at the conf site, and there'll be a whole bunch of women at the conf site... um... the weekend after, I think. For the Women's Gathering. I don't go to that Gathering much anymore. My family can't go, 'cause they're all boys, basically. Oh well. Then in October, there's a new gathering, of permaculture folks starting to build a strawbale shelter. I've been in strawbale shelters, but haven't watched them go up. It'll be interesting.
Years ago, I helped stuff leaves into walls, to make a wonderful house bigger and better. That was really fun, and a lot of work. Took a lot of chicken wire fencing, and some two-by-fours. The structure's still up and looking good!!
Okey dokey artichokeys, looks like I'm off to the races. Hope my pony wins. So far, I'm feeling pretty lucky.
much love,
Kelpie
Biddy's a new member, and she can sing just about anything, and when she does, you want to listen. She's got an amazing voice. Wow, that's very exciting.
And what else? The Communities Conference is starting on Friday, so there'll be many many people at the conf site, and there'll be a whole bunch of women at the conf site... um... the weekend after, I think. For the Women's Gathering. I don't go to that Gathering much anymore. My family can't go, 'cause they're all boys, basically. Oh well. Then in October, there's a new gathering, of permaculture folks starting to build a strawbale shelter. I've been in strawbale shelters, but haven't watched them go up. It'll be interesting.
Years ago, I helped stuff leaves into walls, to make a wonderful house bigger and better. That was really fun, and a lot of work. Took a lot of chicken wire fencing, and some two-by-fours. The structure's still up and looking good!!
Okey dokey artichokeys, looks like I'm off to the races. Hope my pony wins. So far, I'm feeling pretty lucky.
much love,
Kelpie
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Sup
Ok, Mom, I'm writing, I'm writing. Look at me writing!!
Knowing now what it is to be a mother, I have more sympathy, of course. Empathy, even. Yup. AND I got an email from Rowan last night, that asked me "sup" and told me that he loved me. I'm not bragging or anything. It's true. And "sup," for those of you who don't know, is short for "what is up?"
I'm home from camp. I was gone for about a very long time (decades, at least), and am ticked pink to be back. I found a new ability to shine, which is the whole point of going to camp. My family's pretty happy to have me home again, also. And I went to the ZK dance floor last night and danced and danced, so I really feel home again.
What will next year's camp bring, I wonder? I'd like to bring Rowan, or Arlo, but neither can go until they're 18. Maybe 16 (if I pull some strings). I'd like to bring Keenan, but then who stays with Arlo and Rowan? At least I have Wild Child for Rowan to attend with me.
okey dokey artichokeys,
much love,
Kelpie
Knowing now what it is to be a mother, I have more sympathy, of course. Empathy, even. Yup. AND I got an email from Rowan last night, that asked me "sup" and told me that he loved me. I'm not bragging or anything. It's true. And "sup," for those of you who don't know, is short for "what is up?"
I'm home from camp. I was gone for about a very long time (decades, at least), and am ticked pink to be back. I found a new ability to shine, which is the whole point of going to camp. My family's pretty happy to have me home again, also. And I went to the ZK dance floor last night and danced and danced, so I really feel home again.
What will next year's camp bring, I wonder? I'd like to bring Rowan, or Arlo, but neither can go until they're 18. Maybe 16 (if I pull some strings). I'd like to bring Keenan, but then who stays with Arlo and Rowan? At least I have Wild Child for Rowan to attend with me.
okey dokey artichokeys,
much love,
Kelpie
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