Thursday, January 9, 2014

Crunch 'n Munch

The weather guys made such a big stink about the last (potential) ice storm and not much really came from it.  But just yesterday afternoon we got freezing rain and ice pellets and it continued lightly through the night.  The porch was a sheet of ice at 3 am.  And how did I know this?  Because I was up cleaning coals out from the wood stove and on my trip back from dumping coals (thankfully not before) I slipped on the steps.  My left elbow has a noticeable knot in it and my ribs, belly and boob are killing me.  When I got up from the fall, it hurt so badly that tears started welling up in my eyes.  Nothing's cracked or broken (well, except for my pride), but is it just me, or does falling in one's later years just like totally suck?  Luckily I didn't break a hip or Paul probably would have put me down.

Anywho, enough of my sob story and on to (slightly) more interesting things.

It's an icy wonderland outside.  Anything weighing more than a cat crunches through the frozen landscape with each step so it's fairly noisy in the barnyard today, even without Pickles yelling (yes, she's back to yelling for absolutely no apparent reason).  I forked out some fresh hay to everyone, and after the initial "That's MY hay! And so is THAT.  That hay over THERE is also mine!  Don't even THINK of eating this hay!!" ruckusing has subsided and the sound of  ice breaking beneath cloven hooves eventually abated, I was able to enjoy the quiet of the crystal-encrusted wonderland.  Well, almost quiet.

The sound of little goat mouths munching on hay broke the silence.  The steady munch-munch-munching of nine caprine chompers working on their fibrous forage filled my ears.  And honestly, I love that sound.  I find it calming, almost mesmerizing.  I stood out there for a good ten minutes, just listening to them grind away.  And have you noticed that it's a slightly different sound when they chew their cud?  I suppose I spend too much time around goats if I can tell the difference between the sound of fresh hay vs. partially digested hay being chewed.

I guess there's worse things I could be doing.

11 comments:

  1. Ouch! Carolyn, be careful! There's nothing worse than all that ice.

    I have to say that's a pretty contented looking goat. They do love their hay.

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  2. Carolyn,

    As we get older and fall hard on things, like your step the pain seems to hurt more, and we bruise more. I'm happy to hear nothing was broken. Be careful when you get up out of bed tomorrow, take it slow because you may feel more pain.

    Listening to the goats chew or munch, is just as relaxing as watching wild birds eat at the bird feeder as long as there is no squirrel around.

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  3. Not sure if the falls hurt more or it just takes me more time to recover than it once did.

    Every time I step out the door the sheep in yearling paddock start bellowing at me.

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  4. OUCH!! That happened to me and it felt like slow motion. Then hubby got me a pair of metal teeth thingies that stretch over bottom of shoe or boot. I highly recommend them. Jist don't walk in house with them on. Take care.

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  5. Ice is the worst! BE careful. Funny (or not so funny) that you south of me of me got freezing precip and we didn't.

    Have you noticed it is never really quite outside. There may not be traffic noises or neighbors talking or children playing but beneath that 'silence' you can hear the wind in trees, the crackle of limbs, animals moving, birds, etc. I love those quiet sounds.

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  6. Sorry you fell. I fell during the ice storm of 2007 and forgot about it since we were panicking and without power for over a week. My body remembered though and I ended up at the chiropractor.
    Paul sounds like my husband. We were talking about how I wanted to be buried and he said he would just throw me on a burn pile, LOL!!!!
    Your goats are adorable. Spending time with them is the best therapy. My girl wants to "play" with me now. My head isn't as thick as hers, can't wait for her to have babies to play with :)

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  7. Yaktrax. Go get some! Ice is so treacherous - I am so glad you're okay. Why is it that goats have to put up such a big stink - even if they love the hay, they have to complain first!

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  8. Falling in ones later years truly does suck but it will pass as you get older. Then just getting out of bed hurts..:-)
    As for the weather, our over paid weathermen (and women) morons were all jacked up for days about the arctic blast coming our way.It was to be 15f here but the temp at my house was only 28f. Sad part is these moron make well into the 6 figure salaries. Wish I could have been as wrong as they are and make that kind of money.

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  9. Yes, I can hear the difference. Maybe it will warm up for ya tomorrow! Pretty Pics....oh and I miss my goats!!!

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  10. Ice is not nice. I really hate ice. It was a four foot long (and about 8" thick) chunk of ice that took me out Friday. I was at the top of a ladder using a small sledge hammer (very carefully) trying to dislodge the ice molded to the roof edge of our greenhouse. The whole darn section of ice gave way at once knocking the ladder over and sending me backwards into a three foot deep snow pile. Fortunately, I had a very soft landing with no injuries. Yep, living in this winter of 2013-14 is a proving to be a challenge, isn't it?

    Had to laugh out loud when you said Paul probably would have "put you down" had you broken your hip. I always tell Papa Pea that if I get really bad, take me behind the barn and shoot me. (Good thing we don't have a barn.)

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  11. Leigh, they'd BETTER be content! New, beautiful, green & lush hay. But they'll be soon peeing and pooping on it & wasting it in no time. Ingrates.

    Sandy, listening to goats chewing AND birds singing is probably the most relaxing thing I can think of :)

    PP, sounds like you have a sheep like my Pickles, hugh? Do they EVER shut up?!

    Nancy, I've been meaing to get some of them.

    gld, I WISH it were more quite. But until I get rid of Pickles the screaming mimi, it's pretty loud here and I can hardly hear any of the other good "quiet" sounds.

    Kelly, can't WAIT for baby goats! I'm sure I won't have to tell you to post pics :)

    Susan, will have to look up Yaktrax...if only for the cool name!

    Mike, it amazes me that they get paid that much. But I DO adore the radar on my computer, I can time things like up to five minutes before a storm comes.

    ME Masterson, good knowing that I'm not the only one listening to goat cud.

    MamaPea, OMG! Glad you weren't hurt!! And I suppose we should all be thankful for all that snow. Around here, I'd end up on a rock. Imagine that. Oh, and if you DO put up a barn, call it a shed.

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