Rough day today. My ewe with the cloudy eye, well, now she has the squints in her other eye. I could NOT find the ointment. ANYWHERE. It's such a small tube, it may have just evaporated ;) So, I contacted a friend of mine who had some triple antibiotic ointment, and I headed out to pick it up. Then, back to the farm, and apply, and then head home, but stopped at John's before home.

John had called me to say he was heading out and he helped a ewe deliver twins this morning. I went checked everyone out, and as I was heading up the road, I spied a ewe cast in the field. Actually, she looked quite dead. I backed the car into the driveway, and walked out there. She was alive, but not able to get up. I rolled her over so her legs were on the down side of the hill, and finally got her up, and she ran maybe twenty feet and dropped down. I called John and he said he was coming right home.

We drove out with the tractor and she tried, but could not get up- she had no milk, but a large gut. Her wool was missing in patches, basically, she looked old and haggard. John made the decision to well, how to put this- put her out of her misery. He told me she was cast this morning as well. So, I stood behind the tractor when he dispatched her with his gun. We then loaded her onto the bucket and took her out to the back of the farm where other dead animals go. It was a bit hard. I wanted to bring her back to the barn, give her some water, and a safe place, and see how she was, but John's been doing this a lot longer than me, so I am in no position to argue. Still, that image will stick with me a while.

Then, we checked on the sheep. The new momma and twins were not together, so we had to spend some time getting both lambs and then determine who their mother was. We located her, and got her into a jug. I hope to HECK they make it. Mom did NOT want to stay in that jug.

It was a long day- previous to that, I worked Danny and it went well, but now, I am a bit tired from a bit too much excitement. I am very glad I am learning so much from John, but some things are not on my want to do list.