Ceasar passed away spring 2006, he was 16 years old.
I met him one hot summer day when I went to the feed store and saw him standing in a small corral in a corner. He stunk to high heaven. He had no shade. It was almost 100 degrees. He seemed sad to me. I went over and petted him, warned by the man at the store that he was an intact buck and stunk. I didn't care. He looked into my eyes and I could tell he was a sweet heart. He had no name, that they knew of. He was here to be sold. Week after week I spent a minute or two with him and tried to get them to get him a friend or some shade. Finally after weeks of bothering them and negotiating, I bought him, not as a breeding buck, but to bring him home and to love him. We soon had him wethered (neutered for goats) and later found out he had originally been a very important breeding buck but when the man who sold all his goats sold them, somewhere along the line, no one wanted him and he was passed around. His given name was originally Bo-Dacious but we called him Ceasar. He was handsome, and regal and gentle all of his days. His last few months he spent going wherever he wanted to go at the farm, sometimes he followed me around, sometimes he wanted to be in the baby pen. I once saw him drinking from the water tank when a tiny baby came up to drink, I was afraid of the size difference and of Ceasar's huge huge horns, but as soon as a thought could cross my mind, Ceasar turned his head sideways to move his horns out of the way, and stepped back so that the baby could drink next to him. Ceasar taught us that sometimes the biggest most powerful and daunting looking creatures are the sweetest and most loving at heart, if you will just give them a a chance. Ceasar was the first goat we brought here, calling him a "rescue" but what we learned watching and living around him, it was us that was rescued that day.
Marilyn
Marilyn is like our Walmart Greeter..
She was a very good show goat who has been retired
My friend and daily companion, she goes where she pleases but often stands in our shop and guards it from the dogs and cats
Marilyn has adopted ME
She stands next to me every day while milking and watches over me, sometimes she insists that I hold still so she can clean my ears
Marilyn has such an intellegence and communicates freely with people
She dearly loves fruit, especially apples and bananas and an occasional sip of wine
Marilyn chose this hat you see her pictured in
though she loves to sit in the hot desert sun
(she lays her head back against the fence and closes her eyes napping most of the day)
She has a passion for lady like things such as hats and jewelry
We are still searching for just the right necklace to do her beauty justice
Marilyn is truely my friend
October 25,2007
Last night in her sleep one of my best friends went to the rainbow bridge.. and wow I'll bet things are shaking there today! Many of you know or have heard about Marilyn.. my friend, (Lamancha goat) who has been here only a few years, she came from a show situation, basically came here to retire.. didn't want to be "one of the herd" and instead became my true friend, my walmart greeter, guardian of the milk room and constant companion.. she loved hats and pretty bright things.. we painted her hoofies bright pink.. and she begged for hats she liked right off my head..she has been so sore and tired and thin for so long now, as some of you know I thought she'd never make it thru last winter and then was sure the horrid summer heat would be too much.. well, she made it thru and then had trouble getting up and down her ramp into the shop, had trouble doing a lot of walking around at all, got knocked off balance easily.. she was sleeping on a down comforter (thanks Jess) in the barn with big couch pillows and was soon to come to my yard and then start sleeping in for the winter (I hoped).. her appetite was good and she dearly loved apples... you couldn't hide any medications or vitamins in her food, tried that with banannas , she found it and quit eating them... she was a picky old lady and liked who she liked and you knew it.. went out of her way to pick on a particular milk goat she didn't ever care for.. would still hobble across the floor to bite the dog and tell him to leave.. she started drinking fresh milk about a month ago.. every night.. Its been a long time now since she could get up without help and had to be laid down to rest for the afternoons or she would stand until she almost fell down.. she was proud and always kept her eye on me, told me what she wanted and for sure, what she didn't.. she was tough til the end.. even yesterday she wanted out the front gate and wouldn't pay attention to me when I told her no.. she could barely walk, all arthritic and spine twisted, hadn't had muscle tone on her old thin hips in so long.. but still she would paw the ground, give her "superior look" to the dogs who came too close to her and made the effort to hobble over and lean on those she claimed as her friends..for me, she laid her head in my lap and talked to me soul to soul.. I begged her to stay with me for many years and promised I'd get her "new parts" if only I could.. and wished I had had more time with her.. and mainly I prayed that God would take her quietly in her sleep, with no pain and no fear. .. last night He did.. i only wish somehow I could have been there, maybe tucked her in one last time.. but she is out of pain and has new parts today in heaven and I am sure I have a new guardian angel.. today when I was trying to get thru my morning chores, thinking and thinking and crying, I was saying to myself I should track down that gal where she came from and see if she has a ribbon she won or show pictures, etc. and just as clear as she had been in life I heard in my mind "don't bother.. that was before" and sure enough.. that was her life before she was "Marilyn" the name she chose and always answered to.. beautiful and proud as she was.. always my lady.. so I had to share as some of you know her, know her story and some of you have even been chosen as her friends.. she was laid to rest in a nice shady spot in the yard under the lemon tree.. need to plant an apple tree there i think.. she would like that.. we put her morning apples in with her and said good bye..for now..
here's to Lady Marilyn..
Come back.. I'm always working on this page..
Some have asked how to donate and help the goats and I will post a link to paypal soon
for now you can go to the main home page and scroll to the bottom to the 'donate' link
or email me.. and thank you!
Please consider becoming a farm Sponsor!
you can adopt a special friend
without taking them home!
Our Sponsors are a very important part of our farm
click here for info
We are thrilled to place goats into loving homes but since many people don't realize the loving & entertaining companions that goats can be we have lots of work yet to do!
We are currently only take emergency rescues but we live by faith & let the Lord guide us when we should bring one here versus help someone rehome a goat..
NEW PHOTOs coming soon..
Red (the rescue horse)
Mina's mamma, Smidgen & Lil Bit
MOE
Blackberry
Blackberry was a grandchild of ours..
well, of Lilly, our first doe.
We sold her twins when they were small
and eventually, Blackberry was born!
He was sold or moved twice after that and came
back to us after that family divorced and moved
he had been moved around many times and even
once here, was adopted out and returned
Once home, we promised him he would stay forever
no matter what
Last summer we found a large cancer that would
have created more risk to try and remove
so he became sort of a barn goat in efforts to treat
him, feed him extra and mainly make sure he had
extra love in his last months
About a month before Blackberry passed, his old
friend Freddy passed so they are now together
I am sure and healthy and playing at
The Rainbow Bridge
Blackberry passed the night of Feb 21, 2006
after an evening meal of his favorites
including Raspberry tea.. he loved
his Raspberry tea..
Freddy
Freddy's story is coming soon,
He gave something extra special
to our entire mission here,
Freddy was also a member of the family a
long time before he passed
just a few days before the New Year 2007
but right now I still can't put his story into words..
I promise it will be soon
and Copenhagen will have his own page .. one day..
"Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here,
that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all
of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is
plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and
comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and
vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again,
just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing;
they each miss someone very special to them,
who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly
stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His
eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying
over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally
meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again.
The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the
beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your
pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together"
Author unknown
