We began to acquire more animals. First Doug and Donna gave us a goat, our first doe (female goat). Della was a French Alpine, cou blanc (white shoulders, black hindquarters) in color. They said she had scoliosis, and she certainly looked that way. Her back was arched rather than being anywhere close to level, and her rear legs were thin and feeble. Her front end had become powerfully muscular to compensate her rear legs, but even so, she would often sway and collapse as she walked, because her legs would give out on her. She was a cull and should have been eaten, but we knew nothing about livestock, so she became a pet, Sarah's first goat of her own. Della was strong willed, bossy, obstinate and difficult in spite of her handicap. If you tried to lead her somewhere she'd rather not go, she'd pull you as hard as she could, or fall over and then try to wobble off without you. My low opinion of goats was not helped at all by knowing her, but Sarah adored Della and soothed her patiently every time she fell down, and waited for her to get up again.

We looked in the Nickel's Worth, the local free advertising paper, every week for free horses, free llamas, and other animals, even dogs. Dad was pretty adamant about not getting any more dogs or cats. One day we saw a free goat advertised, and Raphah had Dad call about it. To our surprise, the goat was still available, and before we knew it, Dad and Mom were unloading her from the truck! Penny was coppery-brown colored, a Nubian with long, pendulous ears like a hound dog. She was adorable! I'd had no idea that goats could actually be attractive, but this one was; I was actually jealous of this goat. The grass was beginning to emerge now, and every day Sarah and Raphah tied the goats out in the pasture.

Goats were OK, but I still wanted a horse. Or maybe a sheep. Baby lambs were so cute! I looked every week, but there were never any free lambs. There weren't even any for the price of the money Dad had "borrowed" from me, $25. I read every article and book I could find about sheep, and went back and read the Herriot books again. Yes, sheep were definitely what I wanted. I reserached the different breeds....pretty soon, sheep and gardening were more or less the only things I ever talked about.