DON'T LET HIM GIVE YOU A SMOOCH!

YES, YOU!!

FERRY LEAVING LA POINTE THIS MORNING...

...TEN MINUTES LATER

Tuesday, 10:00 AM.  1 degree F, wind SW, light with occasional gusts.  The sky is overcast, it is foggy and snow is falling lightly.  The barometer currently stands at 30.26" and has begun to fall.  We will be getting some snow today and tomorrow.
   The channel between La Pointe on Madeline Island and Bayfield is getting pretty well frozen over, the morning ferry having to break ice to cross.  I am told the ferry will probably stop running after this coming weekend.
   Travel is always edifying, and on our trip to Texas I garnered a bit of knowledge that only goat fanciers would be privy to.  I shall pass it on.
  Billy goats smell.  Really bad.  I was reminded of that fact yesterday as I washed the wool work gloves  I had worn while holding Birch, our daughter-in-law Leslie's prize LaMancha buck so she could give it some routine shots.  The gloves had resided in the truck bed on the way home because they smelled so awful.  It took a long soak in Tide and three washings and rinsings before they were free of the uniquely pungent odor.  My best description of the stench is that it is akin to rancid tallow, only much worse.
   Now that you know how bad a billy goat smells, I will tell you why.  He urinates on his beard to render himself more attractive to the girl goats, which must be desperate indeed.
   Don't let him give you a smooch.