Anticipations

At first I thought Nhu (far left) would lamb late-April. Then for the past few days, I thought she might lamb at any moment. All the signs were there, in increasing significance. And now? I've just given up. Rachel (foreground) used to do this to me when she was still a breeding candidate: look imminent for 2 weeks while I checked on her every 2 hours.

My body and mind just can function that way anymore. Unless a ewe is actually in labor, I just can't think about it anymore. I set a routine and put it out of my mind. It's the wondering about when the lambs are coming that really wears me down, I think. So I'm back to checking in with the sheep before bedtime, usually around 9:30pm. I set the alarm for 2am. If all looks normal in the middle of the night, I sleep until 6:30am feeding time. During the day I look out the windows when I pass one, just trying, in general, to get something else besides worrying accomplished.

I have been skirting fleeces, which I find immensely educational. So far I have dealt with January and Ash, the two sheep from Gail's farm.

January is courser than I would like, though her other fleece qualities, such as density, length, and crimp are quite nice. As I've said before, she has so many redeeming qualities I feel no regrets in using her to introduce more polled genetics into my flock.

Ash was softer than I could have dreamed of. His fleece is just like warm butter! And the color is literally silver-brown; like the stout, dusky Shetland ponies with the silvery-cream manes and tails I had as a child. His fleece caught me completely off guard, and I am delighted with it!

Hopefully I will get another fleece or two taken care of today. I am eager to send in fleece samples for testing before summer gets too far along.

Lyneth

In other news, our house and yard are complete disasters. We have been spring cleaning, and things always seem to get worse before they get better. Piles of scrap iron, building supplies, charity donations, worthy treasures, and genuine trash are seemingly everywhere. This is good. It means decisions have been made and the sorting has been accomplished. Now to dispose of and deliver the piles to their intended destinations. The goal is to get it all removed before the grass needs mowing. Let us hope.