Year End Visitors & Hello 2013!!

December was cold and dry, perfect for some great pictures and I just never got around to uploading them and blogging due to the hustle and bustle of holiday fun! I made the most perfect and delicious gluten-free soft baked ginger snaps......

.....and I am ALWAYS happy to decorate for Christmas!!!!

The goats didn't seem to really appreciate my fondness of Christmas fun......

We had company on a few occasions out at the farm in December - out of town family, a student doing a report for her Science Agriculture project and an owl - YES! - a Great Horned Owl!!

The animals were all delighted to see new faces and Delia and Bryn came with treats and plenty of attention to give to them all!

Delia drew quite the crowd once she started snapping photos - ALL of the farm babies are total hams.....

Bryn with Pancha, the one-eyed girl we adopted a while back! She is a real sweetie and we are so happy she came to live out at the 'acre'!

Milly sure does love her snacks! She is the least picky among the girls.... she will eat just about anything!

Even though I don't let anyone in the pasture with Eli (mainly because he is so playful and with those horns, it is quite scary!!), everyone that comes out is drawn to him - he is a stunning little devil!

 Misty thought that Delia's notepad was quite tasty....

Christian's family came out all the way from Louisiana and got to spend a day in the field with the critters too!

Misty gets some lovin' from Teresa......

....while Milly's only concern is smiling for the camera!

Baby is loving all the attention William is giving her...........

...and again, Misty will not miss an opportunity for love...

...more Misty lovin'.... making her rounds and making sure everyone has gotten THEIR chance... lol.

Now on to the last visitor of the year...... a Great Horned Owl!

I was out running with Baby and the younger goats and I spotted what looked like a cat.... as I got closer, I saw it was an OWL!!

First I got Baby out of the field - I did not want any new vet bills from an owl encounter with the animals! I thought the goats wouldn't be too phased, but they were all curious and I had to put them up as well.

 I called my stepdad to get advice on what to do - the poor little owl seemed injured and couldn't fly away..

My stepdad, Shane, came out and caught Mr. Owl and took him to the UGA vet school where it would be stabilized and then picked up by this couple in Buford that were certified owl rehabilitators.

I talked with one of the rehab specialists and they said that it was a juvenile owl that had just gotten over-exhausted and would have probably just starved to death - that only about 20% of owls ever make it to be an adult.

Well, luckily I was able to save this one!

Now on to 2013....It has been almost TWO YEARS since I got Eli and Ellie.... I have had so much fun writing about them  and my learning experiences out on the farm. I can't believe that this time in 2011, I was merely considering acquiring a little farm of my own and then a few weeks later, I went and rescued Eli & Ellie!!

Milly still has issues stemming from her battle with the meningeal worm, and I am starting to think that because she was just a baby when she got infected, she will always be 'special'. She walks funny, is weaker than the others, and has to wear a shirt to keep her from chewing herself up, BUT she has a very healthy appetite and for every checkup from the veterinarian, she gets a good bill of health.

I am starting her on a powerful probiotic and B-complex vitamins this week to see if that helps with her joints and strength. She is supplemented with black oil sunflower seeds for her skin issues and she LOVES that part of therapy!

Here she is without her shirt - sweet baby girl.... unfortunately she can't go too long without a shirt...

Misty has grown into such a beautiful and perfect princess little Saanen ............

The chickens have just started to lay again.....very....slowly..... I was so desperate for eggs that I broke down last weekend and bought some special 'maran eggs' from Fresh Market and then on Monday, my girls started laying again! Whew! I really was having a hard time bringing myself to eat a store bought egg, even if it was free range, cage free, or organic. There is something about a backyard egg that makes you never want to eat another store bought egg ever again.

 Ellen is also beautiful, although her spunkiness and wild nature would never allow me to milk her peacefully! She is a straight up wild one!!

Ellen does give me the most adorable smiles, though...........

Now on to the others out at the farm.......Swirls says hello.......

...and Mini, disappeared from the farm about a year ago and now has reappeared! We are glad she is OK and decided to come back home!

Baby LOVES her playtime with Austin and Dale....

.........and Milly..........

....and Forest and Speckles have fully grown their winter coats again............

Earlier in the month we had a most magical looking fairy tale morning at the acre.......

......and then one day, the sun came back for a visit!!!!!

Bye sweet, smiling babies! We always have tons of fun!! See ya tomorrow!!! 

After a long, fun-filled day at the farm, Baby is always ready to go home and nap...

I am getting excited to germinate seeds.....for now, my little windowsill herb garden will have to do....