When I was 11, I was watching Captain Kangaroo, and Mr. Green Jeans brought in a couple of Saanen kids. I ran straight in to my mother and told her I wanted a goat. She agreed that we would find a baby goat. I told my best friend, Sara, that I was going to get a goat. She ran home and asked her parents if she could get a goat as well. They agreed.
My mom found a woman that had two doelings, Buzzin' Bee's Sweet Pea and Buzzin' Bee's Star. She also found a good 4H club (Kids Inc.) for us to join and learn about caring for goats. Thus started our lifelong love affair with anything goat.
We spent hours with our goats, running back and forth between our houses with goats in tow. Most kids were followed by a dog, we were followed by Sweet Pea and Star. Sara's dad coined us "the goat girls" and it stuck. Stuck like the hay and goat hair that clung to our goat coats.
We thrived in 4H and spent hours at the fairgrounds showing our goats. Many of you don't know this about me but I am the 1977 goat milking champion...yes me.
Oh the trouble we got in at those fairs. One of our moms would drop us off in the morning and someone would come by at 10pm to get us. This is another little known fact...the boys in the pig barn are the cutest.
Sara and I would sit on the rail of our goat pen and poll the public...Sweet Pea or Star? Which name do you like better? Star, her goat, was the most popular. I didn't get it. I thought Sweet Pea was the better name. Whimsical and sweet. Not Star...hard with that abrupt ar sound at the end.
Sara and her daughter Marisa came over yesterday so Sara could get her goat fix. She doesn't have goats anymore but that doesn't mean her love for them has ended.
When a local university brought a herd of goats in to clear the hillside, Sara, much to the dismay of her teenage daughter, whom she had told they would only be stopping for a minute, sat on the hillside and watched the goats. Watched them long enough she spied a sickly one and wouldn't rest until she called the owner of the goat renting company and got him out to look at it. Not satisfied with his answer she told him how to treat it.
We are now the old goat girls but we are the originals. So what do you think? Sweet Pea or Star?
11 comments:
I think that Mr. Green Jeans changed many lives. I clearly remember the song with the line, "or would you rather be a" (insert animal here.) The point of the song was that animals had all sorts of bad habits, but being a nice child was best. I missed the point. I wanted to be the animals.
Anyway, I'm not getting in the middle of an old argument over Star or Sweet Pea!
That is just the cutest story ever. I wasn't a big Capt. fan. How did he get through the day just knowing he was going to be pelted with ping pong balls at some point, that's the kind of thing that makes a guy neurotic.
I think Star and Sweet Pea are equally nice. I have four children, I am Switzerland.
Smiles,
Lisa
Thanks for sharing. The story brought a tear to my eye and its made me feel better. I like both names.
I don't think it matters what the name is-goats are great! It is so wonderful that you managed to hang on to your love of goats.
I'm partial to Sweetpea, I think because I like two syllable names. Great story and it's nice you are still in touch with your childhood friend!
How about 'Sweet Pea is a star!' :) Ah, Mr. Green Jeans and Bebe! Remember Bebe? Of course I'm not that old, but the goatmother sure is. :)
Captin Kangaroo and Mr Green Jeans... wow, i haven't thought of them in ages. I was small when Mr Green Jeans passed away. I vaguely remember being pretty miffed about the whole thing, not being old enough to have the right understanding of it.
We never got to have goats, but i did have a sheep girl who lived the next acre over. I spent a lot of time with Dorsetts and Suffolks.
I'd love to be in a situation where i could have a goat or two and a few Jacob sheep.
Chalk me up to liking Star and Sweet Pea equally :o)
SWEET PEA!!!
1977 Goat milking champion? I did not know that about my sister-in-law...live and learn. That will come in handy for making cheese!
I did not know that I was an original "Goat Girl," but that surely is me in that 1st picture! Your loving, but definitely not the goat-loving type, sister, Gigi (not short for Goat Girl!)
Oh my gosh it is you sis. All this time I thought it was Sara. Why are you holding Star? Because you love goats so much...that's why:)
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