Heritage Hill Homestead

Nutmeg, My Friend

It has been a long and sad weekend here.  I didn't even feel like writing about it yesterday, but need to and then go on.  I mentioned that we had one goat yet to kid, Nutmeg.  Well, we did attend the Garden show on Friday and enjoyed it very much, we needed a change of pace after the cold weather and being tied down with kidding.  Got home and checked the goats, I felt that Nutmeg was starting labor.  This is the first time that Dh has stayed up at night with a goat, bless his heart!  We were back and forth, sitting with her all night.  Actually, I laid down on the bed still dressed at 4 am and slept until 7:30, Dh came to bed at 6:30 and slept until 10, so we did get a little rest in.  All day Saturday there was no change.  Saturday evening we attended a Valentines Banquet in town at church which was very enjoyable, with great food!

When we arrived home that evening, finally there was a hoof appearing.......a quite large hoof!

I watched and waited for a few minutes, then decided to see if I could help her a little.  After feeling around, I found another hoof and got it started, could feel a nose too.  I could not make any more progress than that, so I called a friend to come and help or give moral support at least.  She has sadly had more experience pulling goats than I have.  She and hubby came about 9:30 and tried everything we could think of with very little progress.  So at 10pm on Saturday night, I had to call the vet.  He didn't sound thrilled over the phone but said he would head our way.  He arrived quickly and proceeded to pull a very large buckling.  Poor Nutmeg was in so much pain and was torn up pretty badly.  Needless to say it was very tramatic for all of us!  He gave her a shot for pain and we sat with her for a while longer then went in.  Got to bed about 1 am that night.  When I first checked on her the next morning, she seemed to be  in a lot of pain.  We went out again to give her another shot and she was gone...............

So I lost a friend on Sunday morning!  She was a bottle baby 2 years ago, so she and I were close, she didn't have any close goat friends.  Losing animals on the farm is part of life and I have really become strong in that area, but this one brought tears!  Tears of relief that she wasn't suffering anymore, tears of sadness of losing a friend, tears that she wanted to be a mama and never got to.  Last spring she lost twins that were born early and she was so sad, she just laid her head on my shoulder, so she and I were so looking forward to her having this baby.

Now I know that many have much worse sorrows and heartaches and I have a tremendous amount of things to be thankfull for, but this is what is on my heart right now and I wanted to share it. I always wonder why these things happen to our favorites??

Dh was great and brought in our little bottle baby for me to play with to take my mind off of finding her that morning.  He is such a sweetie.........Dh and the bottle baby!

Here is a picture of Nutmeg at about 6 weeks old.

We had a warm day yesterday and almost all of the snow melted away.....Yeah!  Today was really nice and I could do chores this afternoon in just a sweatshirt, what a nice change. Quite a mess underfoot with all the puddles.

We have started a few things in the greenhouse over the weekend.  This is an experiment as far as when to start and what temperature we will need to try to keep it at. We were lucky to get this small greenhouse that the Vo-Ag class at school had built last spring.  It was later in the spring when we got it, so although we used it, we didn't get to start as early as we are this year.  Will keep you posted on how it works. 

We found out yesterday that the oven is not working right.  Took the roast out for lunch and it wasn't done......not good!  It seems to cook some, put the roast back in and at supper time it was perfect.  So don't know if it needs an element or thermostat or what for sure.  Will have to get that fixed asap. 

God's blessings on you, yours and the work of your hands.

Marilyn~at Heritage Hill Homestead

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{ 09:44, Monday, February 19, 2007 } { Posted by happymama }

As I mop up the tears, just wanted to say I'm so sorry for your poor goat Nutmeg. How sad...I'm sad just listening, but glad you have a new baby to watch over! Hope you get a good night sleep.
Blessings, Rossie

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{ 10:22, Monday, February 19, 2007 } { Posted by bobbie78 }

I'm sorry about nutmeg :( I know what it is like to lose a pet. Nothing I can say can make it better, it just hurts so bad. But please know that you are in my prayers. Please take care.

So sorry for your loss

{ 08:27, Tuesday, February 20, 2007 } { Posted by Penni }

It is so hard to lose an animal we are close to. I have a guinea pig named Nutmeg and I know someday when her day comes (and our other pig as well) I will be very sad. God gives us these animals as a help and comfort and it is hard when they go.
God bless and have fun with the new little one,
~Penni

my heart strings were tugged...

{ 08:44, Tuesday, February 20, 2007 } { Posted by mulberrylane }

I could really feel your pain when I read your note. I am truly sorry for your loss. Hopefully the new little bottle lamb will help ease the loss.
Warmly, ~Melissa

Nutmeg

{ 11:01, Tuesday, February 20, 2007 } { Posted by maa }

Oh, I am so sorry about your loss. We have a goat on our farm that we are really attatched to. When she was a baby we bottle fed her and played with her. I know that if we lost her we would feel the same way you do. I am so sorry.
Belle~homesteadgirls