Thanks guys. I have done some reading (I have Storeys Guide to Raising Dairy Goats) and from what I understand they would have gotten CAE from their mother when first born. My goats are brother and sisters so I would assume (please correct me if I'm wrong) that they all would have been exposed to this rotovirus then. They are my only goats, and I don't milk them, they are my pets. The girls don't do this, just him. Its my understanding that there is no cure, so other than making sure he is comfortable, there is nothing I can do. We don't plan on getting more goats, or breeding the ones we have. I am prepared to spend whatever is necessary to help any of my animals but I'm not sure what good it would do to do the test and find out its positive if I can't take any action. I spend a lot of time with them and am sure I'd know if he was in any pain. They run and play together, and his disposition is the same as the day I got him. The book doesn't mention when the symptoms usually appear, and it really only mentions swelling in the knees, pneumonia and weight loss. None of which he has. They will be 1 year old on the 9th of this month....do you know when the symptoms would appear? Please, I'd really appreciate some feedback. Thanks.

tcstoehr: I wouldn't try to thin Fuyu at this stage of the season. If the fruits are only marble size, a lot more natural drop will still occur. You may end up having to do little or no hand thinning. Mine are still dropping occasionally, and the fruitlets are much larger than marble size. You won't really know how many persimmons your tree will hold until August/September. But at that point, they will still be a long way from ripe. Those that do hold will continue to grow, even when they begin to color orange. They will hang on the trees right through October and into November. Where you live, maybe even into December. Leave them on the trees until they start to soften, which seems to take forever. I wonder what kind of rootstock you have there, since I was unaware that persimmons can be grafted to any other than persimmon stock. I am quite sure mine are grafted to American persimmon stock, which is more vigorous than the scions above, and will provide excellent anchorage and hardiness. On my trees, the rootstock stem is clearly thicker than the grafted Asian varieties above. With persimmons, I think you can leave fruitlets that are right next to each other, as frequently happens, and they will both grow to full size. Last season I had 3 Eurekas grow in a cluster, left them all, and all three grew to over 3 1/2 inches in diameter. This year, there will be a lot more, both on Eureka and the other two varieties. Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

I did lots of work in that general area this spring. You can see just on the other side of the daiseys are some snapdragons I stuck in there for some extra color. Next year I will find something else to plant in back of those 3 yarrows. Just don't feel like doing any more this year. That is unless I just happen upon the perfect plants that I can't leave be. I have been good as I have not been to any nurseries in weeks. Otherwise I would probably still have more things I had bought that need planting.

hmmm..I have posted a few times ( maybe more than a few) when I had had a glass of wine ( or more) and let my thoughts flow through my fingers. I was then taken aback at the wonderful responses to what I thought were excesses best left in my pillow ! Then there are the threads where I dearly want to say something so I type it and get it out of my system and then never post it. Very cathartic and also self-serving..I don't want the flack or comments that would come from posting. That is why I haven't posted anymore to the "growing older" thread. I have a lot of thoughts but they are my own and I don't have the energy to get into the discussion. I think that explains a lot of my "no posts" . I have a limited amount of interest in other's opinions now that I am in my 60's. I know what I know and I am receptive to other's , to a degree, but only to a degree. I have no energy for controversy or antagonistic discussions. I used to , believe me. I could go all night long. Now I will sit by the pool with DH or by the campfire with friends and nary a word that is disruptive. We seek out peace. I suppose there are those that would say it is the "ostrich sticking his/her head in the sand". So be it. I don't care. I used to...stopped that too :) c