Chocolate and Peppermint

A good title for a blog in December and one of my favorite combinations this time of year.

I had two meetings this week, both at the coffee house and I don't drink coffee.  I usually have tea but peppermint hot chocolate sounded good and they could even make it with soy milk (just like Starbucks).  They will make it with almond milk if you bring yours in.  I love how local places are so accommodating.  Both meetings were with great people and were stimulating.  Some times you just have to put on some clothes that don't have hay all over them and communicate with the 2 legeds.

Today, I actually went Christmas shopping but made sure the animals had some time outside the barnyard.  I don't let them go to town but I let them go over to the cabin and down in the lower pasture. They have had 3 such outings this week so they are getting used to the routine.  I drive down the driveway to the end, turn around, and drive back most of the way to the lower gate.  They walk slowly and politely to the lower gate and wait for me to open it and Cirrus and Sal give the sheep room to move through the gate first.

At first, the geese stayed in the barnyard even with the gate open but now they like to go out and join the sheep.  I love when all are respectful of the others.  Unfortunately, the sheep have recently realized that the geese don't always finish their grain at night and after I let the geese out in the morning, some of the sheep go in the geese run when I am not looking.  Then they are not so respectful and I have to get them out and close the door for the day.

  I have tried to figure out how to set things so the geese can go in and out but not the sheep and finally this morning, at 4: something, it came to me.  Later this morning, a friend who is going to feed the animals over Christmas, suggested an alternative plan that might work even better.  Now, I just have to find the time to implement the plan.  I wanted to find time to trim hoofs before Christmas but things are not looking good for that to happen.  If anyone wants to hold and hug sheep soon, let me know.

I thinks sheep hugs are as good and chocolate and peppermint but that might just be me.