I do like Humpty Dumpty. Despite the tragic ending, there’s something so optimistic and sweet about that egg sitting on a wall. And to think that he’s important enough that the King’s men (all of them!) try to fix him!
Here’s a vintage Humpty Dumpty Valentine to make you smile.
that folds out to reveal a little boy (and some fun wordplay.)
Do the goats make you smile? Buy them some peanuts!
Pip and Caper are wethers, which means that they are neutered male goats. Unlike the does (female goats) that work very, very hard, first when pregnant (usually carrying twins or triplets) and then when producing milk, wethers don’t do much. Nothing at all, really.
Does, because they work so hard, need to be fed high-quality grains mixed just for their needs, and good hay, and delicious grasses, and treats like apples and carrots.
But wethers? Feed them too much and they get fat. Feed them the wrong things and they develop urinary calculi. They easily succumb to bloat (a build-up of gas in their rumens.) They can die from overeating.
The problem is that here at Little Pond Farm, Pip and Caper have one job, that of spreading joy and delight. They do that with their good nature, the mischievous glints in their eyes, and their antics. They are especially endearing when eating. It is ever so hard to limit their treats to only a few bites, and to make sure that those mouthfuls are good for them.
One thing that they can eat, in moderation, are peanuts. Shell and all. This is a big bag. They’re not going to eat all of them. The person they call That Man likes peanuts, too. They’re going to share.
Goats can be a tad, ahem… enthusiastic… about food, and so I’ve taught the boys manners. First of all, no shoving, no butting and no pushing the Goat Maid. To get treats they have to stand on their stumps (which the Goat Maid shovels off for them in the winter. They would shovel them if they could, they love their stumps, but there are limits to the boys’ ingenuity.)
They also know to take each treat gently, and that they have to chew and swallow before getting another.
However, funny faces, tail wagging, and burping are perfectly acceptable.
If you would like to contribute to the goat boys’ peanut addiction (and so that they don’t have to share with That Man) you can purchase a bag for them here. Each contribution will be welcomed with tail-wagging enthusiasm, and Pip and Caper will dictate (to the Goat Maid) a personal email thank-you note to each sender of their beloved peanuts. ♥
If you’d like to see goat munching and crunching in action, there’s a video of Pip and Caper smacking on green beans here.
♥ Your contributions keep the HenCam up and running and enable me to write my daily blog. I appreciate your support as much as the goats appreciate peanuts!
I love this Valentine for the details. Look at the ribbon threaded through the basket and the hearts! The hen’s wattles look like a big red bow, and the feathers have perfect Rhode Island Red coloring. In too many Valentines the anatomy is so off that it’s obvious that the artists had never seen a real chicken. I’ve seen chickens with duck feet, and hens with rooster plumage. This one, though, gets it right. You know that those eyelashes are there for a whimsical touch and not because the artist didn’t know any better.
Remove the paper doll girl to read the message. So sweet.
It’s one of those picture postcard winter days. The sky is robin’s egg blue. The snow is deep and pristine white. It’s only 20º F, but feels far warmer in the glare of the sun against the snow. It’s too icy to ride, but I go to the stable, anyway. I take Tonka’s blanket off so that he can have a roll in the snow. I have errands and chores to do, but I spend a quiet, companionable few minutes in the paddock with him. It’s a doze and nibble sort of day for Tonka. Can I be jealous of my horse?
