We get very few visitors. It’s not that we don’t have friends on neighbours to call it’s just so darn far for most people to come and for our neighbours they are engrossed in their own piece of paradise to be bothered with us.
Imagine the excitement when someone who I don’t know came visiting. Turns out it was Rose who lives behind our neighbours Jim and Kathleen. She was looking for her missing cat. A sad tale – gone missing for 6 days now. Not hopeful for a return but I scoured the barn for him.
Anyway, in the pleasantries of meeting someone new I admitted to her that I accidentally herded some goats into her drive. She then told me how they saw the New Year in with goats trotting up and down their veranda. Having shared our hilarity with the goats I did say I was sad that they were no more having gone missing into the forest never to be seen again.
On no she said. They’re not lost. They’re living up the road in an animal sanctuary. As they didn’t know who owned them and didn’t want them living on their veranda they found a suitable alternative home.
I can’t tell you how pleased I am. They were a beautiful family of goats which to be honest (dont’ tell MT) I wouldn’t have minded keeping for ourselves since our neighbour Doug wasn’t that keen on keeping them in.
So. It’s one lost cat. Four saved goats and some new friends and neighbours. We agreed when the weather was warmer a proper community get together was needed. Now that’s something to look forward to!
What a wonderful visit you had, sad to hear about the missing cat, it’s hard to really ever call a cat tame, and it’s got a chance of coming back to her owners. Those goats are so cute! I told my wife I want some, but she’s not sure she could ever make use of having goats… I have to admit, I run out of inspiration in that regard too.
Um, goats can be a bit of handful. I used to work on a city farm in East London and have happy memories of milking goats, sometimes directly into a mug of tea but goats’ milk is a bit of an aquired taste. Billy goats STINK and they are all very good at escaping and eating precious plants. Might be better to admire someone else’s goats.
I have one cat who leaves home for weeks at a time. He just prefers to live out in the fields, presumably on rabbits, and only comes home when it’s too cold or wet. And yet he is the cuddliest of cats when he is home demanding to lie upside down in your lap to have his tummy stroked.
Me again. Just had an idea (it’s my age you know). Soon after we moved here to the wilds of Devon, someone, I think to do with FarmWatch ( a rurual neighbourhood watch), gave everyone in the area a list of all the farmers and their phone numbers. It has been useful on the odd occasions when sheep or cows are wandering the lanes or one sad time when a sheep was obviously about to expire. Maybe compiling such a list nmight be useful both practically and for getting to know your neighbours.
I think goats are just the cutest, although they can be a might stinky! Your house is gorgeous!
Hi all, thanks for your posts. As a goat’s cheese lover I can see a food benefit from having a goat. They also eat gorse and weeds which would be a real bonus. I do however recall a smelly billy goat from my childhood and that lingers even now. Maybe a goat on a rope for the future? Who knows!
Oh my but your house and land are BEAUTIFUL! I love the goats too…..yeah, they are little pushy….but harmless none the less. Sorry about the cat….I hope its just out wandering and comes home. Glad you got to meet new neighbors….that’s always good…..when they are nice!
Thanks for stopping by today! I’m gonna have to come back…I’m nosey about your life in New Zealand!!! 🙂
What a beautiful story and I hear your voice in your written words.. I admit I hear more Irish than UK.. but that is all in my mind 😀
Thanks for stopping in at our place, the mailboxes are a bit silly here, I am sure there will be more that I have to capture for fun.
Z’s mom (above) and I are friends and I am sure we will both stop back in for more stories (and maybe even tea)
I had a pet goat when we were living in Okahukura. A neighbour found it’s mother in a gully when out hunting. She had fallen and was badly injured so he put her out of her misery. Then he realised she was in milk and went looking for her kid. Found two and bought them home and gave one to his daughter and the other to me. I hand raised Star and she used to pull a little cart around. She also used to follow me everywhee, just like a dog. My Mum drew the line at letting her sleep in my room, though. 🙂