October Ewes

I've been letting the ewe flock out of the electronet every day so they can roam far and wide for the remaining green grass and brush.  They love this, of course.  And I enjoy watching the flock move as it would "in the wild".

Francesca, curious as ever.  (Ash x Sian)

All my Bramble AnnaBelle daughters together:

Lyneth & Carys (back).  Vianne & Nhu  (front).

(Bombarde x AnnaBelle)

Esyllt  (Arvada x January)

Poor little Justina.  I must have hit a nerve or something when I tagged her ear because it has drooped ever since.

(Courante x Hannah)

Some of the girls are spending time by Courante's fence line.  Since I don't plan to do any breedings for the next two years, I'm hoping that fence holds.  AND that the lady that is buying Courante will come collect him soon.  I have mixed feelings about stalling my breeding program (fine fleece, polled).  But now that I've committed to it and eliminated all the other ram lambs I don't want any "accidents" to happen.  Especially not this early in the fall!  Keeping my fingers crossed until the last ram is gone.  :)

Tradition

Once again, it is time to post one of my birthday photos from waaaaaayyyyyy back.

This one was taken the year I turned three!  hahaha.

Auntie Helen made the cake, which I adored because it was a horse.  It was covered in Lifesavers and had licorice whips for the bridle and tail.  If I remember right, it was also covered in coconut flake.

This was October 1975...before we had carpet on the floor...

and before my little sister was born.

Well, I'm not three anymore...I'm entering the last year of my thirties!

I took a bike ride today...something I haven't done since the boys were little munchkins in the pull behind trailers.  It felt great. 

One thing I can say for having children while I was still quite young:  now that they are starting to wander farther from home and needing me less...I'm still young enough to enjoy a lot of the hobbies I put on hold.  Maybe some moms don't put their lives on the back burner the way I did...but I found motherhood a bit overwhelming and it took all I had just to cope the first several years.  So now I'm teaching myself how to count myself into the equation.  It's all new again.  :) 

Looking forward to another good trip around the sun!



TRANS AM: SOLD!

Thank you to Lorie and Lance K. of Nebraska for giving Trans Am a great home.

I hope he gives you many terrific lambs!

I had Trans Am earmarked for a particular situation, but that did not come to fruition.  I know it is last minute, but TA is available as a breeding ram lamb immediately.  I am not overwintering any male sheep for the next two seasons...so I can't keep him.  And I DO have a butcher lamb customer waiting for him if I can't sell him for breeding.  The processor date is October 25th...so not much time.

Trans Am is a spotted (head,two socks, tail) black katmoget that carries moorit and solid. 

S'more Courante x RiverOaks Hannah.

Can be registered.

He has absolutely excellent conformation, tail, wide hindquarters, and super terrific soft crimpy fleece.  His parents micron data can be found on my Fleece Page and my Flock Page.

Trans Am has round profile horns that clear his head.  He very much has a British look to his horns...I am guessing he carries a poll gene from one of his parents.

Mouth and testes are very proper.

Just an all around super ram lamb.

Never Too Old...

...to turn a chore into play.

Asa (green), Isaac (blue), & Leif (red)

The beginning of a wrestling match...

I'm glad they still know how to have fun!  :)

Pooja's Happy Story

Sweet Pooja wants a belly rub.

So much has happened with the two new LGD's that I brought in this August.  However, the main point of recent events is that Pooja has stayed here at our farm and Capone left last Saturday to live on a farm in Hines, MN (only 15 miles from here).  I just talked to his new owner today and she said he is adjusting well to her farm, her livestock, and her three other Great Pyrs.  Yay for Capone!

And yay for Pooja!  She was whiney and lonely the first few days after Capone left.  But as hoped for, she soon began seeking the companionship of our other dogs.  Without her brother to back her up, she lost her aggression towards Shachah.  And Shachah let go of his rigid defenses toward her.

On Tuesday I let her be off leash with me in the ewe pasture for two hours.  At first she fretted on how to get out.  Then she settled down to watch me move electro-net.  Then she euphorically rolled in some sheep manure.  And finally, Pooja walked into the long grass where the ewes were grazing and flumped down to take a nap.  The lambs came up to sniff her and she just wagged her tail.  This was the first time I had ever seen Pooja relax since she has been here.

On Wednesday I took her into the vet to be fixed.  Yesterday I brought her home.  My main worry was how to keep her subdued during her recovery.  Every time she was kennelled she paced, whined, dug, and tried to climb over the panels.  So I took the chance and just left her off-leash yesterday.  Praise God she showed no interest in running off.  In fact she seemed to finally LIKE her new home. 

Pooja was by the back door this morning and she even helped me visit the sheep.  She and Shachah frolicked up and down the driveway together, and then they settled in for their morning naps.

I'm so glad this has finally worked out!  She is such a lovey dog, and I know she is good at her guardian job.

Welcome Home, Pooja!



October Morning

The weather has been so mild...and the morning light is just golden with all the trees decked out in Autumn colors.  It has been a while since I posted...but it has been just too nice to stay inside!

I have news about the sheep and the new Great Pyrenees dogs...but it will have to wait.

I need some sleep!