Announcing the arrival of Peter and Tink

Congrates to Sarah Goat on becoming a momma today sometime between 8.30 am and 11am...I looked out the kitchen window and there was a new little goat running (or trying to) around the outside of the play house...Sarah was inside...when I got out there, I found she had a second baby inside with her...both still had goop on them.

 We are now offically a herd, we have our own little buckling Peter Pan
First born at 2lb 15 3/8oz

And Doeling Tinker Bell, second born at 3lb 2oz

I promise to get better photos with my good camera tomorrow...I snapped these with my point and shoot.

Maternity Session, Dog Surgery and New Gate.

My new lens arrived and I needed a model to test it out on...So Miss Sarah Goat had a Maternity Photoshoot of her very own....She is just 5days from her due date.

This next section would be

The faces of Sarah Goat

This is her, I am pooping face.

This is her, I am eating and thinking face.

This is her, I want more treats face.

Which is my absolute favorite because she will come to the fence and stick her head thru and lick her lips at you lol.

Here is Farmer Brown and his helpers installing a new gate to the grazing area.

Master Boots was less than impressed with this new gate.

In other news, Rocky dog got snipped today...he looks rather pitiful and annoyed at the world....Bad cellphone photo of him in his cone of shame...Poor baby

Blessings Kelsie

Linking up to
Farm Girl Fridays

Creating a workspace...

I am in the process of removing all my crafting and doll clutter to make the space into a mini Photography studio...I love doing outside photo shoots but I also love doing babies and the wee ones and they require an indoor space...and after 10 months of setting up and breaking down in the family living area I thought it was time to officially reclaim my space...Evicted hubbies computer desk and sorting thru my sewing supplies.

(pull back using kit lens at 18mm)
To make sure the space would even work, I put up a make shift backdrop stand using my tripods and a curtain rod (this setup will be used tomorrow for a cake smash too lol.
The floor lamp contains 3 "daylight" bulbs and has my defuser panel hung in front of it.
My studio umbrellas and lights plus backdrop stand are due to be delivered next week.

The Wee One agreed to help me test it...I used my 50mm for this shot..Definitely need the 35mm for this space...So that is also due to arrive next week.

Promise to share more photos as I get the rest of the space set up with a work table (for creating hair pieces, props and framing) and of course my computer will finally be moved from the dinning room and into my space...might even make an open/closed sign for my door lol.

Blessings Kelsie

New Toy for the Goats

A friend of mine had this in her backyard and her kids have not played on it for years so asked if I would like it for the goats.

 Hmmm seems like all the "kids" like it.

Bonding of Bread

Sarah goat (white goat with brown sox and black mask) took a big step forward in her trust of humans today...She came forward and jumped up on hubby to get some bread...Sarah came from a large herd situation (30+) and was only ever handled to get shots, so was very wary when she arrived mid Dec.
She still backed off when hubby tried to pet her head, but this is was still a big step.



Boots and Deenie however have no fear of humans and that can pose a whole different set of challenges, like when a 4yr old has goat treats and trips over her own feet.

Blessings Kelsie

The flock

Are you sick of the chickens and the coop yet?

Promise to not share any more chicken posts after this one, until some serious painting and decorating has happened in the coop *grin*

After being "cooped" up all day yesterday, I let the girls our to roam in the yard today.

They are not sure what to make of it, as their old coop was in a wooded area and here they are in the open...The "yard" area is actually the smaller goat/dog pen and also has another small house in it, that will be used short term to separate the goats during kidding...and become the feed store house long term.

Talking of goats, Sarah Goat (on the left) and Boots are very curious why I am in the small goat yard and they are not...They know the grass is greener in here...literally...we have been keeping them out of here so when we separate during kidding the goats in here will have some good grazing.

The HenPals Nest Box from https://www.facebook.com/gafarmwoman are currently sitting on top of the an old desk, which doubles as a good place for the ducks to sleep under....As you can see they seem to have adapted quickly and have been coming and going from the new coop all morning...fingers crossed...I would really prefer not to have to trim wings.

Once they are fully settled they will have full range of the back grazing fields..where-ever the goats can roam, so too shall the chickens.

Blessings Kelsie

The Coop so far

The Coop is not 100% finished...I still want to paint the walls (inside and out) and it needs one more panel added to the west side to keep out any bad weather...But they are more safe and secure in here than they have ever been before.

Sleeping quarters were moved over from the old coop...Each perch easily lifts out to make cleaning easier...We put a half sheet of plywood to make the 3rd wall.

I seems a little cramped for 9 chickens and 2 ducks, but after a couple of days (and some wing) trimming, they will be free range again...Well a little less range than they are used to, because before they had the entire world, and they would range up and down the road and anywhere else they pleased...now they will be contained to the back 3acres...poor birdies lol.

Snapped this lastnight with my phone...gives you another view of the perches in the sleeping area

I am waiting for the laying box to dry out because I just finished hosing it out and then will put it in place...not that I expect the girls to lay for me the next couple of days...they was pretty annoyed at being moved.

Blessings Kelsie

Fencing and Chicken Coop

I know I have been pretty absent since June and have no explanation but life got busy...My photography business took off quicker than I ever dreamed...Feel so blessed to be able to turn something I love into my "job"...Right now I am enjoying a little quiet time after the Christmas rush...I have paperwork to catch up on and still a couple of sessions to edit, but my heart and brain need a little good ole quiet country time.

 In some area's things have been going rapidly around here and others slower than wet Saturday afternoon.

Today I just wanted to share a couple of things happening this week/month at Our Country Home.

Rocky the PITA Blue Healer (is that a breed hehe) on one of the last round bale that will be cut on our property....The 55acres behind us is going to be cow pasture...So they (the neighbors) will no longer be cutting hay...which means they will not be cutting our back 3 acres either...That is why the goats (and future sheep) are going to be so important to us...They will provide a lawn mowing service during the summer months and come fall fill our freezer...the sheep will that is...the goats get to stay year round.

So you see we are fixing to get fenced in...Today we picked up the rolls of Sheep/Goat wire and an another gate...We are providing the fence wire for our section of the fences and they (the neighbors) are providing most of the posts and the labor.

 The corner posts are set...He does nice work...a kazillion times better than we could have done.

Also we are working on a new chicken house...This was originally another neighbors dove/quail house...it had a mesh floor but hubby replaced that with wood and some sturdy floor paint...as for the lovely blue...let's just say, I was less than impressed, as I wanted it and the walls to be white...just as well for him the floor will be covered in wood shavings.

The goats are not convinced the chickens should have this new house, maybe it would make a good goat house...and that is something we have gone back and forth about...it would be a good place to separate the birthing does and new kids into...decisions decisions...but then what do we do with the chickens...the "temp" house is falling down and they need to be moved soon.(like last month)

And this is a new face to yall...Sara Goat...She is a gorgeous triple registered 4yr old Nigerian Dwarf Doe...She is due on the 29th of Jan 2013...I can not begin to tell you how exciting this is for us...Her babies will be our first ones born on OUR farm...having been working and saving for this for almost 9yrs...first to buy the land...then build the house...then to have enough fencing to add the goats...THIS IS IT...babies on the way.

Blessings Kelsie

Christmas 2012 recap

Little late, but here are some pix of Christmas at Our Country Home 2012



Sara decorated the tree mostly by herself...the boxes came out of the attic and she took over.

These gorgeous teapot and cup ornaments were a gift from my MIL in 2011 so this is their first Christmas on the tree...I had intended to put them on the 3ft tree by themselves but the head decorator (see above) informed me other wise.



Lovely new handmade piece curtsy of Sara's wonderful teacher...adore this one so much and know it will just be more and more precious as time goes on.



I had to let go of my control freak ways...the ginger bread house by Sara and Daddy...*twitch twitch*
Notice how little it looks like the inset photo from the box.



Sara gave Santa her wish list 4 TIMES...this was at her school Christmas Party.

Gifts got unwrapped

Hugs exchanged

Mom was humored with a family photo on my Christmas Set...we were family number 23 to use it this yr.

Then we spend the day chilling and playing with all the new toys.

Blessings Kelsie

PS: Since we attend church regularly ,Sunday school, Awana and Sara is already in choir, she knows the real reason for Christmas is to give thanks and celebrate the birth of our Savior...So though my photos depict the more mainstream parts of Christmas, we did not forget the reason for the Season.