Monday, March 8, 2010

Melt & Rise

Work has kept me so busy lately that most mornings Clancy feeds the sheep. But I took a bitty-bit of time last week to snap a couple of photos of the girls through the fence-just to prove I still have them. This is not my favorite time of year to take photos. Everything is melty mud, ice and poop. Blech.
So far I cannot find any bags on the four girls I put to rams last fall. Hopefully that means they didn't take the first few days I put them in the breeding pens. I was worried I'd have lambs in just a couple of weeks. Mid-April is now the most likely lambing cycle. Hope, hope, hope, anyway. I still have a lot to do before lambs show up: shearing, trimming, shots, fleece samples... I'm just waiting for a day when Clancy and I can be home at the same time.
Concerning shearing: I still have to set a date with Byron Johnson. He has been shearing my sheep for the last 3 years and he has always done an excellent job. I'm so lucky he only lives 20 miles away. I do hope to order sheep coats to go on the girls the minute they are clear of their fleeces. I am just so tired of picking hay out of fleece. No matter how careful I am with feeding, sheep jump on each other, rub agains trees, and eat over each other. Even though I will miss seeing my pretty sheep out on pasture, I think this is the year that I am ready to make that trade off.
All but two of the rams are already experiencing the rise. Arvada and Courante have bare necks. I would love to get out there and see what I could roo off before I schedule shearing. We'll see if there is time for that, or not.
Lastly, a snap-shot of Darla Gay for her "soon-to-be" new owner. I have found a very special home for Darla...one that I feel so happy about her going to. Of all my lambs, Darla is the quietest little sweetheart. She is near without jumping (Leil!) or pawing (Nhu!). She trusts completely and loves to snuggle. I think she will be a little love with her new family too. More about that later. :)





2 comments:

Michelle said...

That shot of Darla is heart-melting! Can't wait to hear about her new home. Sounds like you are too busy; I hope you get a little break soon. And you'll get used to the sheep in coats quickly, I predict. :-)

Tifany said...

Melting Hearts! Isn't the speed of this snow disappearing amazing? We are seriously considering sheep coats too. Poor Scar lost a good bit of fleece to the donkey eating off her back this winter, not something I want to experience again!