We interrupt this message...

"Gang of Four' is what this blog post was originally titled.  

It went on to read...   Four crias - that is!
Yes, with the delivery of Tess's cria on July 5, we are now up to four crias this summer!  It's another boy, and a very handsome one!  He's a beautiful shade of rich, dark chocolately brown unlike any other color in our herd. 

Although Tess delivered when we expected, we still missed it!  When we got out to the pasture in the morning, baby was already delivered, partially dry and nursing.  So, without further ado...  meet 'Morgan of Pronkin' Pastures'.

Tess is very proud of her new little boy!

Strong and alert boy!

And gorgeous coloring!

Caelia is due to deliver next - sometime next week if she goes according to schedule.  While we are happy with the boys we have gotten this year, let's hope Caelia brings the boy/girl ratio back into a better balance.   I'm sure our little Laycee will be glad for a gal pal, too.  

This blog post was interrupted here and saved as a draft.   
You see, we were experiencing a very exciting day in the weather department as I was writing this!   Thunder and lightening are not very common here, but we were treated to an incredible show Friday! 

This photo showing a lightning strike over Whidbey Island was taken by www.skunkbayweather.com and was posted on the Komo News website.

It began in the wee hours, continued into the morning, and then ended up lasting all day long.  The intensity rose and fell, but at one point,  the thunder and lightening were so strong that the whole house seemed to feel it.  We began to worry about a power outage, so I saved my work and turned off the computer.  A power surge could be the kiss of death for this old computer. 

So there I left it, and outside we went.  Ron to begin daily clean-up chores, and me to get the store open and ready for visitors (even though we didn't really expect any to brave the storm).  

No sooner did we get started, when we were 'interrupted'.  In the middle of this very exciting thunderstorm, Caelia appeared to be going into labor!

Daphne and Lilah watch over Caelia.

Within a few minutes, we could actually see the baby.  If you'd like to see a photo of baby being delivered, click here. 

Once we could actually see nose and toes, it was just minutes before baby was on the ground.  The whole process - from first signs of labor (above) to actual delivery - was about 30 minutes. 

Half an hour later, baby is warm and dry (with the help of towels and a hairdryer).

Caelia with her brand new baby. It's a girl!

And shortly after that, she's up and at 'em!

She takes her first steps just an hour after she is born.

She wastes no time finding mom's milk!

First steps and nursing are a lot of work. She takes a little break while mom waits patiently!

Because she was born during an incredible thunderstorm, we decided a name to that effect would be appropriate.   So, this is 'Tova of Pronkin' Pastures'.  Tova is said to be the feminine version of Thor - God of Thunder. 

It's so much fun to see the little ones grow up together!  They are full of energy, curiosity, and mischief.

Morgan meets Tova.

Laycee, Morgan, Forrest.

Laycee & Patriot

And that concludes this post!  Stay tuned for details and photos as these 5 babies grow up!

And yes, we did end up losing power for several hours, but thankfully, no damage to this old computer.