Monday, April 26, 2010

Lusting after wooden spools


I have been obsessed with finding wooden spools for a while now. Not the small ones, though. I want the big kind.

Like these:

I have been on a quest to find giant wooden spools for my goat boys, Pete and Reggie, for almost as long as the goat boys have lived with me. I have seen so many cute pictures of goats climbing, jumping and wrestling on these spools, but I've had a very difficult time finding one of our own.

About a week ago, driving home, I passed by a neighbor's house about a mile away and saw this:

Can't see it? How about now?:

Not being the shy sort, I stopped and left a note on their (locked and chained - this is the country, after all) gate inquiring about their spool. I left my number and hoped they would call. A few days later, they did. The very nice man recommended that I try hardware stores (done - no luck), the electric company (done - they never called back), oh and the Verizon transfer station a couple of towns over.

That was definitely worth a try. I drove there the next day, inquired within and, while they didn't have any at the time, "Gary" told me he would keep his eye open and give me a call.

Riiiiiiight. I'd heard that before.

True to his word, though, about five days ago, Gary (my new best friend) called and said "come and get 'em".

As I drove by, I could see them. They looked perfect:

Ahhhhh...just what I've been looking for:

Gary couldn't have done a better job - they're the perfect size for Nigerian Dwarf goats:

They fit perfectly into the back of my truck. My car smelled like fresh wood all the way home:

Only one of these spools will be staying on Critter Farm. The other spool is promised to a friend who is tickled pink she scored a spool so easily. (chuckle)

The boys loved it from the first moment they saw it and knew exactly what it was meant for:

They have definitely outgrown their first climbing platform, an old dog house with no roof that has been tilted on its side. Frankly, that thing is on its last leg, and will probably collapse soon:

See Pete on the spool? This is a rarity:

Reggie is quite the bully and he constantly "fights" Pete over who gets to be on top:

Reggie, nine times out of ten, wins the coveted position:

...leaving Pete to wander dejectedly off to the stupid balance beam (what used to be the "cool" toy):

I definitely need to call my new pal, Gary, and get another spool.

32 comments:

  1. Spools are highly regarded here. We could not live without them...or my beloved stump. I would recommend nailing a small board across the holes on top though. That could be almost as bad as those stupid Mountain Beaver holes. So glad you boys have finally come up (ha! I kill me) in the world.

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  2. When I was growing up we had one of those as our coffee table (classy, I know). Us kids used to play on it all the time. I have to say your goats look much more appropriate on it then we ever did!

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  3. Very cool! Reggie looks like king of the mountain up there. I'm sure Pete will sneak up there as often as he gets the chance.

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  4. I've been after some for ages too! There are some down the road but they are huge, they are laying electric cable! I have a husband who works at a power station, you'd think they'd have one he could bring home! pah!

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  5. I was going to mention Verizon. We got ours from an electric company. They make the best toys for goats. Ted keeps expanding our "playground" and the goats love it. Great find.
    Kelly

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  6. Great post. Reggie and Pete are the sweetest!

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  7. They are so cute. I'm surprised that Pete doesn't try to get up there with Reggie. You know..., "king of the mountain" stuff. I guess that two spools are in order. Then there will be no arguments and no hurt feelings.

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  8. "leaving Pete to wander dejectedly off to the stupid balance beam"

    Hee. Poor Pete. Stupid balance beam.

    That made me crack up.

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  9. Love that last picture! Stupid balance beam...ha!

    Too funny!

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  10. I hope Gary comes through with one for Pete real soon! What a great idea — it's pretty funny watching them bully each other until one of them gives in.

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  11. Aren't spools the greatest? Those goat boys sure seem to like theirs. Pete looks so proud standing up there! We are fortunate to have a neighbor that works for the phone company and brings us spools. I have pictures of a couple that I painted to put up in a blog post this week. I also recommend covering the holes in the spools the goat boys are using - we just took a piece of leftover OSB and screwed it over top of them. Those goat boys are so handsome.

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  12. that is so exciting and way to go gary!!!i think you need several spools so everyone can be "king of the hill"! what goatie fun!

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  13. Ah yes, the neighbors have spools. We don't. I want spools! Verizon, huh? I may have to check into that.

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  14. Congratulations on your score! What is it about your posts that always makes me want to do the same? :) I also had to laugh at the last picture... poor Pete having to settle for the stupid old balance beam.

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  15. I must get a spool...all we have is a stupid balance beam.

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  16. They're so cute, those two. The spool looks like a much safer mountain perch. I think Pete definitely needs his own spool.

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  17. We got spools from our local phone company, and that was the day when all the other goat toys were shunned.
    The next thing I am looking for is an old slide-I am told(and have seen) goats go bananas over those.

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  18. Yay!!! The goat boys have a new spool. :)

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  19. That's great. Yes, we get spools from an electric supply company. On the tops we nail a thin sheet of plyboard over the area of the holes and bolts, trying to avoid anybody getting hurt.

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  20. There's a farm store on 99 on the way into Portland that has goats, and they just stacked a bunch of concrete blocks up against each other for the goats to scramble on....I mention it for folks who can't get their hands on a spool.

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  21. We had a spool growing up---it was a coffee table. My mom just covered it with a round table cloth and voila'.
    Yes, you'll have to call your new BFF, Gary, and have him keep another one. You know what will happen though, Reggie will claim BOTH of the spools as his own. :)

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  22. Heh. Now everyone will be running to their local Verizon store, danni. This cracks me up...but danni said.....
    I can totally see Reggie giving Pete a hard time up there on that spool. Little stinker.
    Wow. Now I feel bad....Pete could have already had his own spool....Hmmmm...should I stick it back in the little red car?

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  23. I'm thinking another call to Gary for one more spool is in order...

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  24. okay I am putting the word out here, I want some spools too! All our goaties would have fun on those as well!

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  25. Make sure you show Gary the pics. But the goats will probably be like kids, get them both one and it's not as exciting as fighting over one.

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  26. that is great, Danni! If I heard of anyone else that driven to get a spool, I might get a little worried.....but it makes perfect sense for the goat boys! Come to think of it, though, I'm thinking my 3 year old might think one is pretty cool.....maybe I'll give Verizon a call..hee

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  27. We have two of those spools behind the barn. I keep thinking of a use for them. I guess I need to get some goats!

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  28. Just noticed in the picture there were 2 big ones and 2 small ones. See if you can get 1 of the smaller ones. Goats love to have levels.

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  29. I'm spooling all over myself in envy Danni!!
    Nice work for the boys!!

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  30. Great story, we just picked up 2 spools for our Nigerians. A "cool" balance beam is in our plans as well.

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  31. When I was a little girl, we had a 3 story tower/fort made out of these spools. My dad had put it together for my siblings long before I was born. He cut out windows and nailed up pieces of 2x4's for a ladder. It was awesome and I loved, loved, loved playing on it.

    We used to get our spools from my (much older) cousin who worked for the phone company. If I had a flat place in my pasture now, I'd love one or two of these for my little goats. Perhaps after we fence a new pasture...

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  32. This is too funny..spools..man..I'm thinking..I got spools..I could give you old,and new, big and little..but noooo...your spools have to be special..BIGGER THAN BIG spools..didn't have any that size tucked away.. glad you found some though.. hey..if you ever need any NORMAL size spools..give me a holler..kay??

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