Monday, June 16, 2008

I've had Requests for a Daphne Tail and It's About Time!


This sweet picture of Larin's goat doesn't even show her tail, she showed her tail to me quite a bit, I chased her more than any goat ever and there have been maybe now, over 500 goats that have lived on this farm. This goat was absolutely unforgettable! She knew how to talk, she knew how to play, she knew Larin, Kiely, Steve, and I, so well that she knew how to "get-our-goat." I think that's where the phase came from. Daphne was (I'm sure she's gone now--lived a very long life) and was absolutely the most mischievous goat in America. I don't know how the Greek or Spanish goats are--but for here, she gave the La Mancha breed their bad reputation. She was into, on top of, inside of, underneath, stuck, caught, bit, jumped, ate, ran away, demolished, and kicked everything! Now, don't get me wrong. She loved us and let us groom her, milk her, love her. She loved being shaved, her hooves clipped and shined, hugs and kisses, and she loved to be milked. She was the ultimate in high maintenance! Daphne loved to get in the car constantly because she wanted to be bred. We didn't have a buck then. Visitors would say to us, "Why did that goat jump in my car?" We would politely say she wanted to go get bred. They would ask, "Does need to get BREAD that much? She must really like it!" and we would laugh and say, "Yes,if you only knew," with a snicker. "¡Ay, ay, ay...!"

Back to the tails...Her tail would wag at the slightest mention of a rose. She should have been named Rosa. I learned after many, many months that all I needed to do to catch her was pick a rose and say, "Daphne! Rose!" She'd follow me anywhere.

Daphne knew how to open the door at our kitchen, and Dustin's room was right there, door open. Beautifully clean, bed made. And I found her jumping on the water-bed like a Brahma Bull, watching herself in the mirrored, bookcase headboard. Honestly, my son didn't believe me when I told him and her tracks were still all over his bed. What does a goat think about when they're jumping on a bed? Whoa! "No tan de prisa..Soy Daphne, el gran que pisa fuerte el anillo. Soy uno que es valiente y muy feroz a los hombres. Puedo alancear todos que se atrevan para lastimar a mis amigos preciosos con mis cuernos largos, agudos. ¡Soy valiente, soy un toro, y conseguirĂ© los vaqueros y los caballos malos! ¡Pise fuerte! ¡Pise fuerte! ¡Pise fuerte! ¡Bravo!" She was Spanish, you know. But, to set the record straight, she wasn't a bull and she didn't have horns. She pretended.

This sweet goat liked to use her imagination so much that she sometimes pretended she was a human and walked around like shown in my picture. Udder right out there "Does Gone Wild." I tried to blur that part for you.

At the fair, Daphne even showed her enthusiasm for fair. She thought in Spanish...Fair is not fair, so I'm letting everyone free. Everyone meaning every goat in the barn. Yelling, "¡Esto no esta bien! ¡Esto es terrible! ¡Esto no es realmente JUSTO nosotros debe estar libre!" Most other goats only knew French, Swiss, or English--but they did know an open gate and free food! Daphne didn't want, "Es demasiada dificultad. Lo siento tan." So, she quietly tip-toed and returned to her pen, of course, closing the gate behind her. Then, looking about she would say, "¿QuĂ©? She learned that from her owner, Larin, but of course, she would say that in Spanish. I knew that word even in Spanish. Yeeeeaaahhh! We have muy witnesses! Daphne didn't get spanked, just dogged, I couldn't never slap her sweet rear where there were large dots in the shape of Mickey Mouse. She would gesture with a tear in her eye, because she knew she disappointed us, was it? Did she say? "La sienta tan muy."

Daphne retired in Mexico, not too far away, at a large rancho near Rosarita Beach and yes, roses, everywhere. Perfect place and sweet new owners. The new owners would call me year after year to tell me she had many beautiful sons. I know she was very happy, and finally everyone spoke to her in the right language and she never got in trouble and she lived a very fulfilled life, free.

We miss our funny friend. We actually have a new one, just like Daphne. She came into this world, "muy loco" and her name is Miracle. So, we all continue with our goat tails.

2 comments:

jenkinsfamliypost said...

i love this story. i will never forget the jumping on the bed. she was mucho loco. you are a great story teller. i love all the spanish. no idea what it says, i'll ask juan, but i don't know what juan (one) to ask! hahahahaha! love you mother.

The Knappy Crew said...

Whaaaaatttt????? Yes I watered the goats. That is funny mom. I forgot about the rose eaten part. That and oak leaves were all they thought about I am sure. Just you wait. We will be back to goat rop'in soon. Right Bree?