Little Girls and Little Kids

My household was overflowing with excitement last week as Lee's great nephew and four and a half year old daughter honored us with a visit from far away rural New Hampshire where they lead a very different life than in busy California. How lucky am I. Charlotte is fascinated with water, like most kids her age, and never wanted to leave the Santa Rosa Children's museum where they have many water features including a child sized pond with plastic fish and little nets.

 She liked my back yard water fountain too. The only thing that troubled her was the Golden Gate bridge. Her Daddy promised she could close her eyes when they went back over it. 

 

Beth ( left, below) arrived shortly after they departed to join our photo group for a tour of the Two Rock Valley Goat farm in Petaluma. 

A delightful older lady also named Bonnie enthralled us with the story of getting two nubian goats for her kids, a pastime which has grown into over 200 goats, each of which seem to be her babies, mostly raised by hand. 

These babies are taken away from their moms at two or three days old and fed cow's milk, far less precious than the goat milk, which is preserved for the cheese making. In my excitement with the goats I hardly took any photos. If you haven't held a two week old baby goat in your arms you haven't lived! They are like puppies wanting nothing more than to be held and cuddled. I was ready to sell my home and buy a 

goat ranch.  Fortunately my delirium didn't last, but I don't think I will ever forget the ecstasy. 

Most of our small tour group bought goat cheese made right there by a true Swiss farmer. I passed on the goat cheese. I just wanted to take a little kid home.