Under these weather conditions even the Gentle Giant Meadows ewes formation eating team falters. The ladies apparently give up the will to live in the unforgiving heat of the day and collapse in heaps under the protective shade offered by the lower branches of the cedars. The brat pack, still too young to be sensible and too old to be glued to momma’s milky bar take advantage of the prostrate bodies and lack of maternal discipline, bouncing and ricocheting over branches rocks and basking torsos.
Molly Moo, Daisy Mae, Hol-ley and the three musketeers ( the adorable Jersey cross steer Goliath and the Holstein twins) are lethargic under the heat of the sun. Molly and Daisy heavily pregnant (or obscenely obese) are due to calve later late in September and whilst eating appears to be a necessity, moving would appear to be an optional extra they have chosen not to take.
Charm the golden palomino with attitude is apparently unaffected by the heat. Tail swishing and head tossing he dances around the pasture, his golden body shining as he first chases poor Gertie the confused Canada goose and then harasses Roman the black Morgan gelding…..just because he can !
Lady the Shire Mare just looks miserable. Keeping close to the gate and the water trough, our oversize equine clearly is no lover of the heat and the irritating flies agitate and irritate despite her endlessly swishing tail.
Quatre loves the heat and Coffee break found her sharing a spot on my rose bed with the two barn cats who were languidly absorbing rays before another hunting expedition. Early Summer is a good time for Tiger and Shy, the Barn Swallows are busily nesting and the eaves of the barn have turned into a virtual smorgasbord for the fat cats.
Ewe number 20 mother to twins Carla and Cami was a very reluctant mom. Back in the Springtime her maternal skills were sorely tested and she failed miserably. Her tiny lambs were born prematurely and for the unprepared ewe may just as easily have dropped out of space. Carla and Cami gave us plenty of reason to be concerned, momma’s milky bar was supplemented by the man made supplement and it was only after a considerable amount of coercion number 20 agreed to be a mother. Clearly and unfortunately for the first time mom, Cami and Carla are determined to make up for their painfully slow start and have voraciously drunk mom dry. The twins are now loudly lamenting their enforced weaning, pitiful bleats and bawling emanate from the depths of the barn and echo across the pasture. Number 20 has been isolated in the special care stall where she is hopefully going to recover her former rotund figure and we are treated to her painfully loud and incessant complaining…..all day!
Time for me to go, the sun is already shining and down at the barn there will be animals ready and waiting to start their day.
Take care, keep safe, M