When God designed sheep, I swear he forgot to create a brain that functions on anything more complex than procreation and food. As each tiny little lamb makes its entry into the world, the proportion of brain allocated appears to shrink to even smaller than miniscule and sadly those super cute, enchanting little bundles of trouble…don’t seem to have a brain !!!
An executive decision was made ( that means it wasn’t my idea, wasn’t me !) and that decision was to allow the formation eating team of ewes and their tiny offspring out into the pasture. Open two gates, put passionately over enthusiastic Border Collie Bran on guard and momma sheep will, like all good mommas make sure that junior gets safely, orderly and speedily into the pasture where the juicy Spring grass is. Where the juicy Spring grass is, just waiting for the formation eating team… and every momma wants to get there first ! Bawling babies are left standing in the dust, watching chunky butts and swinging milky bars disappearing, oblivious of their stranded offspring. The stranded offspring on the other side of the fence were apparently not granted a portion of brain that worked on remote button..”follow mom” or a GPS that reminded them that they were to take the same route as yesterday..and the day before. The moms already mowing the pasture at the speed of light weren’t about to send out a search party and Bran the Border Collie found that running in manic circles around the deranged Lambs who were also running in manic circles was futile. What should have been a methodical passage from “a” gate to “b” gate turned into a football touchdown as lamb after troublesome lamb was captured squealing and wriggling and returned to their irresponsible parent. Predictably, the evening’s process back to the barn echoed the chaos of the morning and once having slammed the gate on the last dazed and confused lamb Greg and I just about collapsed in an exhausted heap. Hopefully those moms will eventually accept responsibility for their offspring or the lambs will, either learn to stick close to mom or learn the way to the pasture themselves. We live in hope !
The two little ewe lambs born last week to number 20 are still giving us cause for concern and have, so far resisted all our attempts to settle a clearly unsettled digestive system. Yesterday, both tiny lambs were borrowed from their anxious momma for a very necessary wash and brush up. Clearly the next time we will have to be better prepared…Greg and I were left wearing a heavy dressing of not very desirable shade of yellow lamb poo and we did not smell good !!!
Big brother John is still,( hopefully not lost) out wandering around Dungerness Spit. The weekends good weather was in his favour but my hope is, he took his rubber boots, raincoat and water wings. The weather forecast isn’t good. Camille returned from her weekend in Seattle still smiling. We took a trip to Bremmerton to collect her from the ferry last night and Carla, sadly unwell for the past 2 days has returned home for her two days off the ranch. Hopefully whatever ailment was giving her an issue didn’t follow her back to the city. Hope you are feeling better today Carla and very happy to have you back Camille.
Time to go, it’s almost mid day and time I got this posted. Take care, keep safe. M
An executive decision was made ( that means it wasn’t my idea, wasn’t me !) and that decision was to allow the formation eating team of ewes and their tiny offspring out into the pasture. Open two gates, put passionately over enthusiastic Border Collie Bran on guard and momma sheep will, like all good mommas make sure that junior gets safely, orderly and speedily into the pasture where the juicy Spring grass is. Where the juicy Spring grass is, just waiting for the formation eating team… and every momma wants to get there first ! Bawling babies are left standing in the dust, watching chunky butts and swinging milky bars disappearing, oblivious of their stranded offspring. The stranded offspring on the other side of the fence were apparently not granted a portion of brain that worked on remote button..”follow mom” or a GPS that reminded them that they were to take the same route as yesterday..and the day before. The moms already mowing the pasture at the speed of light weren’t about to send out a search party and Bran the Border Collie found that running in manic circles around the deranged Lambs who were also running in manic circles was futile. What should have been a methodical passage from “a” gate to “b” gate turned into a football touchdown as lamb after troublesome lamb was captured squealing and wriggling and returned to their irresponsible parent. Predictably, the evening’s process back to the barn echoed the chaos of the morning and once having slammed the gate on the last dazed and confused lamb Greg and I just about collapsed in an exhausted heap. Hopefully those moms will eventually accept responsibility for their offspring or the lambs will, either learn to stick close to mom or learn the way to the pasture themselves. We live in hope !
The two little ewe lambs born last week to number 20 are still giving us cause for concern and have, so far resisted all our attempts to settle a clearly unsettled digestive system. Yesterday, both tiny lambs were borrowed from their anxious momma for a very necessary wash and brush up. Clearly the next time we will have to be better prepared…Greg and I were left wearing a heavy dressing of not very desirable shade of yellow lamb poo and we did not smell good !!!
Big brother John is still,( hopefully not lost) out wandering around Dungerness Spit. The weekends good weather was in his favour but my hope is, he took his rubber boots, raincoat and water wings. The weather forecast isn’t good. Camille returned from her weekend in Seattle still smiling. We took a trip to Bremmerton to collect her from the ferry last night and Carla, sadly unwell for the past 2 days has returned home for her two days off the ranch. Hopefully whatever ailment was giving her an issue didn’t follow her back to the city. Hope you are feeling better today Carla and very happy to have you back Camille.
Time to go, it’s almost mid day and time I got this posted. Take care, keep safe. M
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