it works!

Grace and I finished the business end of the fence this afternoon. I was going to finish it last week but a couple of things prevented me (even though I was on vacation). "Preventing thing" one was that Grace wasn't home; "preventing thing" two was that it was unbelievably hot last week. (I spent the bulk of the week down by the swimming hole drinking beer and reading.) Hannah helped me get some of it done last week but after eleven a.m. it was just too hot to be out there.

Today Hannah took a few pictures that not only show off our new fence but also demonstrate its functionality.

The important part about this first photograph is the background. It shows the fence keeping animals in (just like it's supposed to). But wait, these aren't just *any* animals - they're goats. Goats are the Harry Houdini's of the livestock world! Gwen (an adult mother goat) and two baby goats (whose names I don't know) are contentedly contained. That's almost miraculous! (That's me in the foreground...)

This next picture shows most of the completed fence. It's a little warpy but we just say we were going for "a rustic look." This picture also shows the fence preventing an unwanted animal from entering the pasture; in this case Norman. Granted he's not the brightest animal in all of God's creation but, just the same, our fence kept him outside.

Grace and the girls are hoping to stain the fence tomorrow and then I have to build a big gate; then we're done. (...and then we really should get busy on the addition again...)