It’s Really Windy….What Happened to my Goats?

What happened to my goats?  They are really rambunctious.  Sunshine, the young little one with the horns, is causing me and Rocky, the big one, to be a bit nervous.  He is swinging his head around while jumping and we have to be careful.  We all want to run now. Their energy is erratic.  They are full of Piss and Vinegar and I didn’t give them either of those, THE WIND DID.  

The wind affects the goats’ moods.  Be careful.  Can you run with them?  They need to disperse some of their wildness. When it is windy, the goats have more energy. It is like they catch the energy in the air and play with it.  In fact, it happens to me, too.  Sometimes my knees don’t want me to run at all, but when it is windy, all heaven breaks loose and the three of us throw our cares to the wind and start running.  Running with the goats always happens on a really windy day.  I can predict their behavior from the weather report.  If the wind is extra energetic, the goats will be, too.  But, the fact that it also affects me, shows that the more you spend time with your goats, the more goatish you become.  (more on becoming Goatish on an upcoming blog….)

Piss and Vinegar happens.  Sunshine does not like for me to say “no” to anything that is related to food.  There is a tree on the ranch that is mysterious for me.  I don’t know what it is and so I don’t want the goats to eat it.  I usually am able to pull Sunshine away and tell him “no” until he listens.  But, when it is a windy day and we are on a food related issue, he realizes all too quickly that he can use his horns.  Be careful.   You have to be firm at these times.   You can choose to be wise as well.   Wise means that you get the tree checked out by bringing some leaves and blossoms to an arborist at a good nursery to find out its name and then checking the internet for lists on what goats should not eat.  If the mystery tree is on the safe list, then you don’t have the difficult task of pulling a goat on the loose away from his munchies.   Food is a serious matter to foodies.  The word “foodie” was created with goats in mind.  

Sunshine and Rocky are a lot more mellow on a calm day without any wind.  But on this windy day, they competed for dominance every chance they could get, their tales wagging with the fun of competition.   Since Rocky’s horns were removed, unfortunately, I didn’t want the Piss and Vinegar that the extra wind added to Sunshine to overwhelm Rocky.  I took off running and, of course, they follow enthusiastically, interrupting any game of dominance.  Off we go, wind pushing us from behind, all three of us running free but in the same direction…until…another food opportunity arises. Quickly, get to that tree bark before the wind blows it away.   Frantically, the wind comes and we are off running again.

This happens every time it is windy.  Piss and Vinegar in the goats’ mood can show up like a new salad dressing eager to enhance my day.  Just keep running until some of the energy is released.  Rocky stops to rest with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. I stop to sit next to him while he stands on a bench.  Of course, since he is taller than my sitting stance, what a great opportunity to try to eat my hat.  Never a dull moment.  Being with goats is a great way to learn to just be in the present moment, especially if it is windy.  You must be aware of every detail all around you all at once.   Too much energy?  Then run again and keep running, letting the wind’s energy dictate the direction.   After that, we are too revved up to sit on the ground and cuddle once we are back in their enclosure again.   I brush them and play tete a tete with Rocky until it is time for me to resume the rest of my day that is actually not with the goats.  Although blogging about goats brings them into my space again and before I know it my life has been invaded by the hooved kind.   I close my eyes to sleep once again, my pupils, I swear, turn horizontal once I close my lids.  Don’t tell anyone….