Friday, March 18, 2016

Spring has sprung, taking care of the itches

On the one hand, Spring is a lovely time of year.  The flowers are coming up.  The grass is turning green again.  Brightly colored birds are returning and greeting the day with their trilling songs.  Spring is also the time of mud and hairballs.
"I don-wanna walk over there!  It's muddy!  Icky!" the goats all seem to say as they gingerly step through the softer places in the pasture.  Then, they all want to stand on the same 'high place', be that a rock or a brick or slightly raised place on the ground that appears to be a wee bit drier than where they were standing before. 
Before you know it, the tussling starts: 'This is my rock! Get your own!'  followed by pushing and shoving and running and stamping down whatever the coveted 'high place' happened to be.
The warmer weather also triggers everyone to begin shedding her winter coat.  That lovely, thick angora undercoat that worked so well at keeping a goatie warm while rolling about in the heavy, wet snow, is now too hot and itchy.  Every fence, post, gate, and pant leg that holds still long enough, becomes a place to rub against.
Think about your pets.  In the Spring and Fall it becomes important to brush and keep them clean.  This small step keeps them happy and healthy.
Using a nubby paddle brush, each girl gets in line to get some personal grooming time with the Moma.
  
ohhhhh yeah!  that's the spot....ahhhhhh!
Moma's all done!  don't I look pretty?