I went to the local goat breeder association with the intention of joining. After the meeting I asked for time to consider before paying any dues.
It was an interesting group of diverse personalities. The one common connection that they had, was, they were all milk and/or meat goat breeders so of course the topic and conversation at the meeting was about that.
I was the only pet and fiber person there, so felt out of cync with the group.
I am still uncertain as to what to do but glad I asked for time before just deciding not to join, which is almost what I did at the end of the meeting. Maybe I would be a good addition with my fiber goats. I will go next month and decide then.

My friend Sharon said it is time I left Butterfly World and updated my blog.!!!

Not a lot going on with me or my critters lately. Other than the fact the mink are back and have killed all my ducks. Except Duke.

We called Fish and Wild life to ask if they would come and set traps.
We were told our neibours live too close and may have cats or small dogs that could end up dead rather than the mink.
It is not legal for them to set traps here. All we can do is set live traps.
That is what we are doing with out much success.

We have a friend with a gun and a permit to use it.
I think it is time to call him to come over and wait for the mink to show up!

As an animal lover I never thought I would ever want, or see, an animal killed, after the slaughter I see the mink get away with, I believe if I knew how to fire a gun I would be able to shot them myself

I went with my daughter and her boys to Butterfly World in combs last week. combs is a nice 45 min drive from home.
We got there about 11 00. It is not a big place but it was a very pleasant place to spend a couple of hours. There are lots of birds flying free, mostly finches. There are a couple of ponds with fish and turtles in them.
I think it would be neat to have some turtles in our pond but don't think they could survive our winters.
I particularly liked watching the button quail running around. I would love to have an aviary outside, If we ever get one built, button quail will be a must in it.

On our way home we stopped at a market and browsed through lots of quaint little shops. I was very tempted to buy myself a lovely red alpaca sweater. I thought about the cost of it and although it really was a good deal I decided against it because I wouldn't wear it at home for fear one of my critters would ruin it and not sure I go out enough to justify buying it!

The rabbit man called to say he couldn't come out last Sunday to pick up the rabbits but that he will be coming our way some time in the week.
I am looking forward to reducing the rabbit population around here so really hope he follows through and comes to get some of them soon.

I collected up the 5 new baby bunnies that I had and took them to the pet store.
The store took them all and will sell them.

I told the owner of the pet store that I had several more rabbits that I would like to find homes for.
She told me about a fellow that loves rabbits. Said his back yard is set up for rabbits to run free in.
She gave me his phone number and I called him when I got home.

He is very interested in having some of my rabbits.
I am not sure how many he wants, I am hoping he will take all I have available. He and his wife are coming over on Sunday to pick them up.

Their yard sounds wonderful.
Several hutches are set up for the rabbits to come and go into. Also, he said he has platforms around the yard for them to jump up and walk along.
I know my rabbits like to jump and sit up on things so the ones he takes with him on Sunday are going to a Rabbit paradise by the sound of it.

Rita, a fellow blogger, asked how Frankie the dog was with the goats.
He is fine with the goats but not so good with the chickens! He came to visit the other day, we took him down to the creek and let him off his leash.
He was very inquisitive about everything around him. He seems to have no fear of the water as he walked right in to get a drink. Didn't do so well on the rocks and boulders but that will probably change next summer when his beloved boys are running all over them.

He started heading back to the house before us, we called him just as he saw a chicken, we were able to get to him and leash him before he gave chase.

The kitchen door was open and Frankie, we thought, was on the deck.
We heard a commotion in the yard and ran out to see him in hot pursuit of a chicken.
Calling and yelling we ran after him. I saw loads of feather in clumps and feared the worst for the poor bird. Anyway, Frankie was caught and taken home while I searched for a dead chicken without success.

The next morning when I went out to feed everyone, there was the chicken, featherless on the rear end and looking kinda sore and sorry for herself but alive at least.

Frankie will not be allowed out with a leash until he is trained NOT TO CHASE my critters!

If a greyhound can be train not the chase the rabbits I am hopeful that Frankie will also learn to get along with them all.

After our disappointing visit to the SPCA my daughter, her boys and I went to the city dog pound.
We had already contacted another rescue society looking to adopt a dog. They had no dogs at all which was a good thing to hear.

At the pound we were taken into the dog shelter area. The barking started immediately with each dog trying to get the most of our attention. Tails were waging and most were jumping up at their gates.
I don't think I would be able to work in a place with animal that are in need of new homes. I would want to take then all home with me!

There was a large long haired shepard cross that the boys liked right away. I thought he was going to be 'The One' until the fellow showing us the dogs said there was one other dog in the next room that he would show us.

Frankie, is a large white husky, crossed with something equally as large.
The guy asked if we would like to take him out for a walk. Which we did.
He is well behaved and walks well on leash.
When we got back to the pound he sat down and refused to budge! No way did he want to go back in there.

Smart dog. My daughter said she would just have to keep him seeing she could get him back in the door. !!

Inside or out Frankie is never far from the boys. He is only a year old so hopefully he will be apart of their lives for a long time yet.
Nothing better than to see kids and animals bonding and growing together.

My daughter and I went to the SPCA the other day to look at the dogs that were available for adoption.
There was a sweet looking Dalmation with brown spots, two large Rotties, a magnificent looking Coonhound as well as cross bred dogs.
One of the cross breed was a Black Lab cross. His name was Jeeves. He was just the sweetest calmest boy.
We took him out on his leash to the exercise yard and my daughter decided to adopt him.
We told the office we would be back in an hour, that we were going to pick up the boys from school and bring them to see the dog to make sure the dog and the boys would get along together.

When we got back, the boys were excited about Jeeves and asked to take him in the yard on his leash.
I went to the office to ask for help doing that and they said ' You know he has to go with the dog he was brought in with, they are a package deal.'

Now, If the dogs were inseparable, I would think they should have been in the same run together, also it would have been nice if we had been told that when we first showed an interest in Jeeves.

Talking to one of the volunteers after the fact, we were told a lady had been in at the same time as us that morning, wanting to adopt the other little dog.

Neither my daughter or the other lady were interested in having two dogs. Both left without adopting a dog.

Both these dogs could have been adopted out that day. I wonder how long they will sit in their cages, alone, before they are inevitable, I believe, be sold as individuals.

Weather is changing. Raining here today but that's not a bad thing. We have had such a dry summer.
The creek that runs through the back of our property is a salmon spawning water way. If we don't get more rain soon there will not be enough water for the salmon to enter the creek.

We had the vet here last week. Saline the goat has a cough. He said her lungs sounded slightly off but nothing to worry about. He gave her a shot with instuctions for me to give her another one today. Not something I feel totally comfortable with but I can do it.

I am still rounding up loose rabbits. Have most of them now sexed and separated.
No new babies seen running around for a long time. Progress!!! At least that's what I thought.
Benjamin, the lop eared bunny is is a run next to Nutmeg. Nutmeg found a way to get in with Benjamin. Just when I thought I was getting them all under control, nutmeg has 5 new babies.

I went out to try and get a picture of the bull frog that has shown up in our pond.

It is usually sat in the same place when ever I go out to the pond.
The one time I go out with the camera the darn thing was under the water.
However, I did get a picture of one of the regular frogs that live in the pond.

Also took this picture of my very handsome Hey Babe.