Lovely Miss Lucy

Miss Lucy is one of two of my first sheep that my Robyn got me for our 3rd wedding anniversary. Miss Putt Putt is the other of the pair.

Lucy alone. Lucy and Putt on the day they came to the farm.

Miss Lucy was 4 at the time she came to live on the farm and set my dream of having a fiber flock in motion. That was 11 years ago now, and that makes Miss Lucy 15 this year.

15 is damn good for a sheep life.

As our flock slowly grew, she took on the role of herd matron with ease. She was good about discipling the new babies to behave and kept the adults in line also. She was the one who stepped in between two sheep who were going at each other, and she also taught the LGD’s how to act around sheep. She is not shy about biting a dog.

She gave us many babies and beautiful fleece. Her breeding days are long behind her, but her fiber is still gorgeous even though it’s gotten coarser over the years.

She is mostly a stand-offish sheep around people. She will grudgingly accept a scratch on the head if you can get close enough to her.

As this fall and winter has been progressing, I’ve sadly noticed that she is showing her age.

It takes her a bit longer to get up on her feet now, and she walks with a stiffer gate indicating she’s got arthritis. She walks slower too. Shes a bit thinner than she has historically been even though her teeth are still in good shape for eating. She seems to sleep more. And Putt Putt has challenged her and taken over as flock matron for now. She also seems to want human contact more often and will come up to me now for scratches.

I sneak her grain whenever the others are not looking. She loves her grain.

I thought about putting her in the barn but being by herself would be much too hard for her. It would allow her to eat without flock pressure, but since they are flock animals, she might not eat at all while alone.

I know she won’t live forever, and I’m trying to get myself to a point where it won’t hit me so damn hard when she crosses that rainbow bridge. I know my Robyn will be there to welcome her back to the flock that went before her, and he will watch over all of them until I get there.

Except I know her passing will be one of those devastating ones to me. Because Rob started me on this dream. He encouraged me to expand and build a business. He is a huge enabler!! And Lucy will be another tie to my Rob that will be gone from my sight.

For now, I am enjoying her life. Giving her the space and support she needs in her aging, and giving her treats, scratches, and love while I still can.

Lucy (L) looking like a drowned rat after last nights snow. She’s hanging with Roman and Fosag

Blessed Be