Nature’s design can prove cruel at times, today was one of those days. Within an hour of this happy photo being taken of Caroline bottle-feeding a cast-off baby goat, something in the formula wasn’t compatible with this poor little kid. It pains me to even write this sad eulogy as the goat being fed was to die shortly after this peaceful moment. Something about the formula caused two of the goats to suffer from rumen bloat that despite Celia’s valiant efforts, caused these barely one-week-old goats to pass on. We buried the two departed goats and Celia said a small silent prayer on their behalf. Fortunately, it was only a couple whose mothers had rejected and the rest of the babies went happily about their day nursing on their momma goats.

After checking out the horses and Priscilla the Pig we moved over to corral the goats in our best effort to move the herd to a nice fresh green pasture. With six of us out trying to convince the goats that they wanted to cross the road, it was of course the babies who ended up giving us the hardest time. We’d run one way, they the other. And while the rest of the herd was busy chomping succulent greens, we frantically chased through the dusty overeaten side of the pasture until each and every little kid was cajoled into performing that old chicken joke, why did the (insert animal of choice) cross the road?

Now in their new home, these little guys vied for who would be alpha baby and stand tall on the highest log. These goats’ sense of play is already well established and they know that a good head butting is the second best thing next to feeding off mom. In between Celia had made lunch for the six of us and we once again joined the Petersens out here at Chile Acres around their dining table for an all too infrequent visit.