Farm Updates

It’s been fairly quiet around here the past week. I’m trying not to tempt the Gods by saying that line.

Spring has finally settled in, we had some really good, slow, soaking rain and the grass is growing great. The sheep are all doing well on graze with plenty to eat. My lilacs are starting to bloom and the scent is heavenly. Its so nice to have windows open again, with the current exception of the smoke blowing down from Canada.

It is so very nice to do chores in shorts and t-shirts instead of 14 layers of winter clothes. One bad thing though, all the flies and mosquitos also think shorts and t-shirts are quite nice for them. I intensely dislike most bugs, those two in particular.

Flies and mosquito’s do nothing but spread hate, discontent, and pestilence. Please tell me why Noah let them on the boat??

The two ewes that have delivered and their lambs are doing super! We are still supplementing one lamb with 3 bottles a day, since mom is still having issues making and delivering enough milk for both of her babies. We banded tails yesterday. Two ewes are still holding as tight as ticks (another useless bug) to their pregnancies, and one keeps fooling me into thinking she is in early labor. I hope they go soon, midnight barn checks wear ya out after a while. The 3 current lambs have all discovered they can play together and I am treated to daily zoomie runs.

Ewes and babies!

One unhappy note, I got my second go round with covid this week, so I feel like crap. The smoke from the wildfires makes it pretty tough to breath at the moment. Also makes it difficult to get chores done, I get winded just walking to the barn and have to stop and hang onto something half way there until I can breath again. Talk about fun.

My tractor crapped out again. The guys helping me thought they had the problem delt with, and it was running better, for about 10 mins though. So back to square one again. It’s been a bigger PITA not having it running than I had anticipated. I had not realized just how much I depend on that tractor around here. Anyhow, they have a new idea to fix it, please keep your fingers crossed that it will work.

Brandy the horse is showing her depression over losing our Nicky boy. She hangs around the barn all day watching the ewes and babies. She will follow me around, like literally with her chin on my shoulder as I walk around. I see her many times standing in the same area where Nicky passed away. She is not eating well, so we are giving her a daily hay and grain ration. She scared the poop out of me yesterday morning. She was not out at the barn waiting for us. I tried to whistle her in but she was not showing up. Course visions of her laying dead somewhere started to fill my head. Just as we were about to get the 4 wheeler to go scope out the pasture, she did show up. My son and I give her lots of hugs, skitchies, and brushing every day. Leo the sheep is still hanging around with her most of the time too. My heart breaks for her pain.

Don’t ever let anybody tell you that animals don’t know or can’t express love, sadness, happiness, pleasure, or have a soul. They are lying to you.

Morning chores are done. My Mish dog got his 2 lap around the pasture run. That dog has so much energy! I wish I had 1/100th of what he has. LOL. Since he has stopped growing up, he is now filling out. It’s amazing to watch the muscles ripple under the skin as he runs. I clocked him at a tad shy of 30mph last week on a sprint across the upper pasture. I thank my Rob every day for getting him as my friend and protector. Whoa to any who decide to mess with him.

Off to the shower for me, and then some breakfast!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~If you are so inclined, I am trying to raise funds to keep my sheep and farm. Thank you for considering it, and all help is gratefully appreciated. Thank you again.

S. O S. Save our sheep fundraiser.

Blessed Be!