House of Beth: That time Talia was encouraged to have boundless enthusiasm and is put on goat duty….

Once upon a time, a teacher once wrote about my personal statement that it has too much ‘candid enthusiasm’. Several times my loveliest friends have told me that my enthusiasm mixed with some serious exaggeration makes me a bit ‘American’. Well out here, everyone is like that! Conversations usually go like this:

Me: I am scared of trees and bird watching is for old men (and perverts)

Sonia: Take a look at this bird through the trees with my binoculars, it is a Turkey vulture

Me: OMG!!! A TURKEY VULTURE! TEACH ME THE NAMES OF ALL BIRDS AND LET’S GO WALKING IN THE TREES TO FIND MORE BIRDS AND BE BIRD WATCHERS FOREVER.

Am I employing my English sarcasm? Well on the odd occasion yes I am. Especially when it is about naming bark…. But 90% of the time including the bird occasion that is what I am like!

Do you remember that time I said I started at 8? I have been put on goat duty since the last blog which means every morning (yes including Saturday and Sunday) I need to be at the Barnyard by 7 30. I clean equipment, fill up grain and milk the goats. Filling up hay and shoveling all their poo into a compost bin follow this. And do I enjoy this early morning start which means I now work 9 or 10 hour days in the field? YES I DO! I wake up before my alarm, I get dressed and I go and meet my bezzers – the mama goats, their kiddies and Meredith the goat manager who is more enthusiastic than me.

Did I mention I – the continually struggling vegan – often drink the unbelievably delicious goat milk with the homemade maple syrup for breakfast?

Here in Falls Village I am the norm – if anything my enthusiasm isn’t even that enthusiastic!

Today I got to use power tools. All the power tools in the world! We are building a type of greenhouse called a hoop house and I am spending my days doing carpentry (After goats and digging holes). I cannot possibly type my excitement at using drills, drivers, screws, hammers, electric saw type things, things that make big holes etc. but I think Shamu described it well. Every time you finish a long day with him he gives you a kind of heartwarming character assessment/blessing. Today it was ‘You are Nachshon running straight in to split the sea taking on new tasks fearlessly and you are also steady and careful which is useful around power tools…’

I drilled on that beautiful door handle

Shamu and the Hoop House - we just drilled and hammered in all that wood

I went to the super market - they referred to this section as 'IRISH'. Hobnobs, Cadburys fingers, PG tips, Ambrosia and baked beans. ARE THEY KIDDING!?