Mom and I are now professional shearers.  We shear my goats, but just today we went to shear the five goats I had sold earlier this year.  It was fun to get to see them again.  And we got paid!  My Mom is such an awesome lady--who else has a Mom who teaches herself to shear Angora goat

It is so indescribably peaceful to hang out with goats and donkeys.  I'm glad gardening season is over so I can let them all out to eat down the remains of the garden and the first falling leaves.  They get such a diversity in their diet, plus I don't have to do much to put the garden to bed for the winter.  And I would rather have the goats eat the leaves than rake them, since I have so many trees.  Healthy grazing, ruminant animals are so focused on munching and digesting and so contented.  Unless you have experienced being one of a goat herd, it is hard to explain the aura of peace and contentment.  And the donkeys just love to have any attention from me--scratching around their ears and just hanging with them.  I just like being around them.  And I've never thought of myself as one of the herd!  I have always felt so out of place with humans.  I'm just in the wrong herd!