well

so, there's a lot to talk about! we made it to freedman safe and sound. we pulled in friday afternoon and had a lovely welcome and settled right in, with lots of friendly faces and sunny skies. it being friday, that night was shabbat, which was a nice way to enter into the freedman life. we had some snacks, some cocktails, some singing, some dinner, some laughing, then bed. then we spent all shabbat playing lawn games and biking around and generally just shabbating it up.

wondering where I live? check it out.



since then - wow. today at breakfast I said, "well, I have to update my blog. I should say, 'well, I've been sooooo busy that I haven't had a chance to update' but really the truth is that I spend 70% of yesterday in the pasture talking to old people about goats." (there's a passover retreat here right now, so there's old people everywhere, which is just fine, but a little crowded and crazy). now, since I said that this morning, the truth is that I have been a little busy, so there you go.

what kind of farm things have I been doing, you ask? mostly hanging out with goats. I've seen 5 baby goats get born!



they are so cute, and small, and wobbly and knobbly and stumbly and bleaty and amazing



mahesh agrees




in case you're wondering what goes along with watching/assisting in a goat birth, the answer is not much, if all goes well. the mom does all the work, the kids come out, she licks them off, eats their amniotic sac and placenta (charming), and then they kinda wobble around until they stand up and start nursing. our roles are basically to squirt some iodine on their little umbilical stumps and give the mom some water and maybe a macaroon.

so far we have 19! baby goats. 11 boys and 8 girls. I really think the black and white ones look like little gremlins - I'm pushing for naming one gizmo but aitan doesn't seem too into it. we still have 4 moms left to go - ilex, angie, zilpah and laddi. maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow.

other than all baby goat all the time, I've also been doing some light construction in the milking parlor, getting ready for spring and milking and all that.

the weather's been fabulous - 70s during the day, 40s at night but I'm plenty warm in my cozy bed. it sprinkled a little this evening. everyone's been telling me that my stuff's going to get moldy out in the k'far, but I'm going with a strong position of denial, and I'm pretty sure that's going to work.

I drove mahesh to the train station yesterday, so his part in this adventure is over. he was a mighty fine traveling companion and I was quite glad to have him along.

now, it's time for dinner, so that's all for now. oh! if anyone wants to send me anything in the mail, here's the info:

116 johnson road
falls village, ct 06031


here are a few more goat pictures.