Sold sold sold!

Our Colorado ranch went under contract on May 1 but I wanted to wait until we closed on May 20th before I let everyone know! 
A lovely couple bought it, Mike and Julia (seriously) and Mike’s mom Jane (who will live in the upstairs apartment.) They’re calling it Sunflower Ranch and they are super excited!

We’ve been packing like mad, with the goal being almost fully packed by June 10, when our kiddo flies off to NC to stay with my mom and dad until we arrive. We don’t leave until June 22.

After much deliberation, we chose a horse transport company that will use an entire semi to haul our 2 horses, mini donkey, 8 girl goats, and 2 boy goats across the country overnight. The neurological version of the Equine Herpes Virus has reared its head and it was not worth the risk to haul ourselves (with a friend) and stop overnight at horse hotels. Hauling straight through for this body was also a no go and I've been concerned about Sweetness being in Rayn's stall in our friend's trailer. We are practicing loading horses and donkey every day now-the horses load like pros and Rayn has gotten comfortable enough to hang out with me and eat hay. Wynter is getting there. Sweetness the mini donkey has finally gotten to the point where his front feet are in. So weird, he used to jump in and out with no issues. I’m not too worried as he’s small enough to wrangle if absolutely necessary-not my preference though so we keep working with him! 

They get box stalls on the semi! My girl goats will be split in half, 4 to a box stall (7’x8’), Rayn and Sweetness will each have a box stall, big boy Wynter will have a stall and a half, and the 2 boy goats will have a half a box stall together. A straight through haul will take about 30ish hours. 

We are in that up and down, relief and grief of a move. Tired. Elated. Sad to leave. Excited about the new place. We’ve had an absolutely glorious spring here in Colorado, long, wet, and SO green. The ancient crabapples just finished blooming and last week she asked me to make a flower essence from some of her blossoms. That was a new experience, both the tree talking to me and making a flower essence. This week I made one from the delicious lilacs! New Julia told me how to make chive vinegar out of the chive blossoms and I’m going to do that today. I feel the need to take pieces of this ranch with me and just writing that makes the tears flow. I am SO READY TO GO and also so sad to leave. Lots of emotions. I think it’s normal but it’s not particularly easy. 

We close on our NC house remotely, June 3. I’m looking forward to seeing it in it’s summer glory, all green and pretty. And most of all, looking forward to being able to be with family again, anytime we want! Wow!

Every day I talk to all of our critters, telling them what the drive will be like and how I’ll be there to put them on the truck, and will be there to take them off. Please send them all healthy happy energy for their big drive.

Back to packing!

Much love from the mother Ranch!

Julia