Sunday, December 31, 2006

Goodbye, 2006

I am putting together my year-end list since it is New Year's Eve.

My favorite book of the year: "The Goat Lady," by Jane Bregoli. Jane Bregoli is an elementary school art teacher who lives in Dartmouth, Massuchusetts. The book is a true story about her neighbor, a lady everyone thought was eccentric until they bothered to get to know her. She raised goats and loved them very much. The book is full of beautiful paintings of the goat lady and her goats. You can see excerpts and paintings from the book here.

My favorite babies of the year: my two sons Huckleberry and Barbaro.

Best doeling of the year: little orphan Betsy, the Nubian-LaMancha cross. Betsy is smart like a LaMancha and sweet like a sweet Nubian.

Best horse of the year: Willen. Willen the Haflinger learned to drive this year. Right now he has a learner's permit. Next year maybe he can get a full license.

Best milker of the year: Runner-up goat-of-the-year Scouty is the surprise winner of best milker. She is still milking and everyone else (except Boo) is dried off.

Craziest goat of the year: April always wins this.

Best dog of the year and of all time: Spenny the border collie.

Best REALLY old border collie: KT Bailey.

Best guard dog and protector: Atticus (is that a Shetland Pony?) Pupicus.

Worst dog of the year: Wendell. Or as the farmer says: "WENDELL!! DID YOU DO THIS??!!!!"

Friends we miss and hope to see again: Marigold, little Martina, Marty, The General, Traveler, Harper Lee, Barnaby, Roosevelt, Herman, Ricky, Pilgrim, Whitman, Joey, Franky, Moony, Lolo, Margaret, Stevie Ray.

Friends we miss and won't see again: Stacy, Charzan, Orzbit.

Goodbye.

Goodbye, 2006.

3 comments :

Marigold said...

Dear Belle,
I miss my friends too, but love the new ones I have found. In keeping with my philsophical status, I present a poem:
Goodbye 2006!
we handled what we could fix.
we look forward to the new,
The fun we'll have, the things we'll do.
The friends we'll meet along the way,
The ones who go, the ones who stay.
Hello 2007!
We hope you're close to goaty heaven!

The Sweet Pea said...

( The Sweet Pea being a
mischievious Alpine who
resides, as herd leader ,at
the Capricorn Hilton in
Southern Oregon. The Pea has her own cell phone, e-mail address and blog.

Dear Marigold,
I appoint you the official
GOAT POET LAUREATE of America! And, believe me, I have the authority to do this! This is quite an honor!! And, even though I am surprised that this honor should go to a floppy eared nubian, you deserve it! You are contemplative and colorful, not to mention, a bit neurotic.....like my friend Mishia. So CONGRATULATIONS, dear Marigold! And, congratulations to you, Belle, for having pulled off " Goat of the Year " ! It's unfortunate that just as you won this honor, the year is gone!! Good Grief, Charlie Brown!!! Time does fly!!
Well, HAPPY NEW YEAR to all
and let me make a toast ( I am using a particularly good vintage Cabernet Sauvignon for this purpose ) ......HEALTH, HAPPINESS, PEACE and the hope of a Goat Appreciation day ( paid ) in 2007.
Signed,
The Sweet Pea

Loner said...

I got the Goat Lady book for Christmas - best present ever.