The joys and sorrows of life on the farm were very palpable this week as I was pressed to make the difficult decision to say goodbye to my beloved dairy goat of 11 years, Violet. She was as sweet as the day was long. Her patience with the baby boys in the pasture and the grandkids seemed to know no bounds.
A treasured memory is watching our two-year-old grandson, Ezra, pull the short milking stool up to the stand with such determination to be a helper. Or our three-year-old granddaughter, Addie, waking up from her nap wondering if I had milked Violet yet, or if she could get in on the action. Using the squirt bottle to clean her udder was such great fun! Or adding a little extra grain to her dish when I wasn’t quite finished milking and Violet was getting antsy. I’m grateful for the time I shared with her nestling my cheek into the side of her belly while she provided our family with copious amounts of beautiful milk.
Cheesemaking is how I first fell in love with goats. And there have been many culinary adventures with 13 different cheeses to date. I owe a lot to my girls.I’m also grateful my dairy girls introduced me to the wonderful world of goats and showed me the way to Goat Yoga.
This morning’s class was such a joy! The wonderful participants brought such presence to our shared experience. I was able to acknowledge Violet’s passing and honor her memory. Losing animals I love is definitely the downside of farming. The Serenity Prayer is so helpful to bring perspective during such times. “Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I can. And wisdom to know the difference.”
I tried everything possible, but could not change the outcome. Another opportunity to learn a lesson from Yoga and “Let Goat.”
Peace, Lisa
