Oct. 3,  ’09-Filling the pets water buckets I stooped over and picked up the woolly bear caterpillar. It wrapped it’s hold tighter around my pointer finger and I admired the orange and black. I gently placed the creature under the canopied protection of one of Tom’s giant hosta leaves. I chose the striped hosta to shelter the caterpillar. A Sharp-Shinned Hawk landed in the  Spruce trees by our house.  Billy Goat peeked out and stood on the edge of his hut. His pristene beard boasting that he can still blast his head and horns forcefully into his hut.  I remember  Doc Tom telling me goats don’t have good vision. This goat rammed that silly notion out of the good Dr., when  Tom felt himself growing un-easy by the our kitchen sink and by his work desk. The feeling of being watched was intensified when Tom was being openly affectionate to me in front of the windows, by the previously mentioned areas in our home.  It has been humorous over the last 8 years of marriage to Tommy to watch Billie grow jealous and BAM-he would paste the side of his wooden hut. Then he’d come out and look if Tom was done hugging me. If not, back in-side WHAM, another WHAM and he’d sneak a look and pretend to gaze out to Muir Creek.  He’s mellowed some and the goat has too.  SMILE!  Our friend Dave Lesky attended the Oct. Open House here.  I toured him around the farm and he so delicately asked, “What’s with the goat? Why a goat for a pet?”  I eagerly answered, “He’s price-less! Anyone can get a dog or cat. I didn’t know anyone that had a goat for a pet when I bought him 16 years ago.”  Mid-afternoon I noticed Dave bringing Basha, his lab dog on a leash by Billie’s hut.  Billie stamped dis-approval. Dave commented, “Basha’s never met a Billie Goat and I thought she should!”  I’m sure Dave and Kathy will be phoned first if we ever decide to get female goats and intact males to fill his followup inquiry about getting a kid goat from us.  There’s a pulling sensation @ my coat and I know it’s Jake the regular sized Houdini Goat.  I itch his horns and he stretches his neck for a rub. I bribe him back in Cherry Hill Goat Pen with grain. Then Clancy Goat slips out while I’m shoving Jake’s butt in the gate. Start over and now Jasper is out and head butting with Billy. The chickens cluck their interest and Peter Pan kitty watches the morning event.  Swing the gate open and say “Here now, you guys that’s enough!” They succumb to their desire for more ground feed and pounding on Billy and running loses its appeal for now and all are contained. I walk their fence and see the whole top part of barb wire is too droopy.  Time to call Patzie, but he’s off for another month. It’s open duck hunting @ 9 AM and Greg and Tom have plans to hunt our waters.  Hawken and I pack up car camp and head to the Recycling Center to drop off garbage. We head up the Arcadia dugway and take County E for we are going to Grandma and Grandpa Salwey’s house in Yaeger Valley. Our ride is a nice volley of comments about the crops, weather, birds, ABC’s and a ding dong song I make up. He rides high in this carseat and is quick to point out all the tractors parked in people’s yards. On the other side of the Arcadia Dugway, I felt my thoughts break free as water that has pushed open the flood gates. Just plopped up and over and I said, “Feel so blessed to have you and Greg as our sons. I accept you as you are. Please forgive me when I grow impatient-that’s my lesson!” I hear his voice say, “Hey Mama-look-deer!” Standing @ the edge of the woods, along the road, were 2 deer. I slowed and stopped to watch the two Whitetail bucks with Hawken. I looked the bucks in the eyes, rolled the van window down and sang.  They stood and listened mesmerized by car camp woman and a just turned 3 year old boy. There’s signposts all over if we are operating with a level of consiousness and acceptance. What a blessed sign that I’ll cherish forever.

Get a goat!

Sue Roskos