Well, Greg and I really managed it this time ! All week our two lovely young WWOOFER volunteers, Tyler and Emily helped out on the ranch..Emily and Tyler scooped poop, gave our momma sheep manicures and bathed and fed their tiny lambs. Emily and Tyler learned to drive the tractor, use chainsaws and the saw mill, they cared for the horses and rode Lady, the big Shire mare. Emily and Tyler had a wonderful week on the ranch, they even painted their memory arrows in what spare time they had (not a lot !!) ....sadly, TYLER wasn't TYLER, Tyler was Taylor and she was too polite to correct us. What makes it even more embarrassing is...I occasionally called her Taylor in error and corrected myself ! I guess we can call it a "senior week". Sadly Taylor and Emily have left the ranch to return to the real world at the end of their alternative Spring Break vacation, we wish them happiness and success for the future and thank them for giving us many happy memories. Take care girls.
Misty Moo our adorable Jersey cow is only eight days away from giving birth to her first calf and her udder is growing at an alarming rate. Clearly, we are not the only interested party, Bran has a vested interest in the milky bar as he is traditionally the recipient of the first few drops after milking. Bringing the cows in from the pasture it didn't escape our notice that the Border Collie was paying exclusive attention to Misty and particular attention to the swelling appendages. He had better be cautious, one kick from our hormonal cow and Bran could be seriously sorry !!
It was young Natalie's 11th birthday party and after an aggressive attack on a Piñata, munching yummy German chocolate birthday cake and a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday the guests adjourned the party to visit the lambs. I'm convinced the children had a great time.....not too sure about the squirming lambs though !
Personalities are beginning to evolve in the sheep pen. We apparently have the playful, the mischievous, the passive aggressive and the bullies in the lamb brat pack. All day the little balls of fluff bound around the pen, little legs leap into the air, jump onto and over increasingly irritated ewes and run circles around frantic moms. We are still expecting up to ten lambs, clearly the Soay ewes didn't surrender easily to Rodney the ram's ardent attention but heavily rounded bodies and swelling udders indicate that the ladies will typically produce when we are least expecting...when it is pouring rain, snowing or dinner time !
We'd like to welcome Alicia and Daniel back to the ranch. Our niece and nephew from Albuquerque New Mexico have come for a weeks vacation...REALLY ???? since when is a week at the ranch a vacation ?. It will be a fun week and we are looking forward to sharing it with them. If the rain keeps falling we will be swimming to the barn !
Time to go, take care, keep safe and dry, M
Misty Moo our adorable Jersey cow is only eight days away from giving birth to her first calf and her udder is growing at an alarming rate. Clearly, we are not the only interested party, Bran has a vested interest in the milky bar as he is traditionally the recipient of the first few drops after milking. Bringing the cows in from the pasture it didn't escape our notice that the Border Collie was paying exclusive attention to Misty and particular attention to the swelling appendages. He had better be cautious, one kick from our hormonal cow and Bran could be seriously sorry !!
It was young Natalie's 11th birthday party and after an aggressive attack on a Piñata, munching yummy German chocolate birthday cake and a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday the guests adjourned the party to visit the lambs. I'm convinced the children had a great time.....not too sure about the squirming lambs though !
Personalities are beginning to evolve in the sheep pen. We apparently have the playful, the mischievous, the passive aggressive and the bullies in the lamb brat pack. All day the little balls of fluff bound around the pen, little legs leap into the air, jump onto and over increasingly irritated ewes and run circles around frantic moms. We are still expecting up to ten lambs, clearly the Soay ewes didn't surrender easily to Rodney the ram's ardent attention but heavily rounded bodies and swelling udders indicate that the ladies will typically produce when we are least expecting...when it is pouring rain, snowing or dinner time !
We'd like to welcome Alicia and Daniel back to the ranch. Our niece and nephew from Albuquerque New Mexico have come for a weeks vacation...REALLY ???? since when is a week at the ranch a vacation ?. It will be a fun week and we are looking forward to sharing it with them. If the rain keeps falling we will be swimming to the barn !
Time to go, take care, keep safe and dry, M
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