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Dog and cat pancakes

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Minus three

Cleaned the spare room yesterday, and removed the old desk top computer and all it's WIRES!  What a mess they are.  It's now in storage.  Felt good to get things cleaned in that room.

Three sheep left to be someone else's training sheep.  If  ewe does not get bred here, and all's well with her, she simply can't stay.  It's too expensive to feed sheep...  So, three down.

The lambs are doing well, and growing in leaps and bounds.  "T" as I call her is so adorable.  She's the youngest, but the bravest.  She was jumping straight up into the air and kicking out.  I really love her.  Most of the other lambs are eating hay now too, and grain when they can snatch some.

I have to start getting work done in the barn.  Yuck.  But, gotta do it.  Going to be a quiet weekend I hope.  Whoops, remember now that I have to go into work tomorrow and Sunday.  So much for quiet.

Well, that's the update.

I wish I was handy....

We had a bit of weather yesterday.  Just enough that I ended up feeding in the barn yesterday, as the snow was coming down so hard, I thought it might get lost in the white stuff.  Everyone is fine.  When I got to the barn, I noticed everyone was IN the barn, even with no hay, so mothers are staying with smart lambs, who I assume are the ones to want to be in there..

Didn't bring the dogs with me, as I just couldn't fathom trying to walk them in this muck/wet.  Turns out I had a major headache and upper back/neck pain, which pretty much put me to bed very early for the day.  I still have issues today.  I have no idea what I did to myself.  But, I do hurt.

I had someone contact me wanting all of my sheep manure, but he's got a roll-off truck, and getting that sucker down there will be nigh unto impossible, without getting stuck.  He has a skid steer, so that should be very helpful... Hope he comes...

I am on the look out for a trailer to be able to move my sheep when I need.  I thought I might make one out of a Tractor Supply landscape trailer, like many friends have done, but I really don't like their sturdiness... So, have contacted a few ads. 

The trial that was scheduled for this weekend was canceled due to the weather, so that means the first one of the year will be the hardest of the year..  I know I will have to walk from the post, so I will stretch my hamstrings well....  Still, looking forward to getting things moving.

I am also really considering throwing caution to the wind and taking a loan against retirement to get some work done at the house.  I have a check list and I can't stand it much anymore...

Or, I can wait seven years until I can afford it... I don't know!  I wish I was handy...

I may have a couple friends over to work dogs this weekend, depends on weather.  I hear we may get more "weather" on Monday...

Happier than ANYTHING!

Well, if I don't get more takers for the manure pile, I will just load it in the truck and in a few loads get it out of there.  The pile is a testament to why one does not lamb in winter...  A lesson that I am reminded of every day :)

The lambs are well, and one ewe still to go.  At this point I think she may have been bred by the ram lamb who came a few days after the other ram left.  Hmmm, pretty good for a lamb only 6 months!  But, we will see.

I worked the dogs, and I was so happy.  So nice to be doing that again.  Dan came in nice for the shed and I got it first try!  So happy!  Then I worked Joe and decided to do some flank direction proofing and small flanks.  I was very happy with how he did. I also was able to send him for some sheep as they took off, which totally gets him in the zone and the right place... Good dog Joe!

My brother is clearing another field, and that makes me happier than ANYTHING.  I am so happy!!!

Just about back to normal for work etc.   Hope to be able to make the trial this weekend.  Have things to do, but will get it done!

The ART of GIVING

It seems as if there is a whole new culture of people out there giving advice on how to ask for money, donations, anything that is needed.  I am just amazed at this.  We should be empowering people to learn how to get what they want by good old fashioned hard work and or initiative and ingenuity.  Nothing should come just because you ask.  Before you ask, you should have a trade in mind, or something..  It's called being humble, and having pride.  

Giving comes in many forms; perhaps someone says they will get the tab at dinner, and you take care of it.  Perhaps someone owes you a few bucks and you let it go.  Perhaps a WW2 veteran goes to the counter to pay his pharmacy bill and you pay for it.  Perhaps you decide to pay the toll for the guy behind you on the bridge. All of these show good will.  You don't want anything in return.  You just do it, even if you really can't afford to.   Maybe that action will catch on, and more people will do it.  Lead by example on this.  I hope there are people out there who still do these sorts of things.

If you must ask for things because you want them, you should return the favor some how.  It is not an "art" to beg for items you want, it is a scurrilous act just meant to fulfill your greedy dreams.  

We all need to give more.

Fauna, not flora

This morning is not going as planned. Got a call from John last night that his truck is out of commission and we can't deliver the sheep.  Great.  Maybe the buyer can figure out how to get them, as I don't have a trailer.. I still had to get up early, as the guy picking up manure was coming.  I made some coffee and had some excellent (understatement) Irish Soda bread, and headed up with my full coffee travel mug full, to the farm. Just as I was feeding, the guy showed up.  Nice man.  I helped fork the manure in his truck, and when he was leaving, he said he would be back for another load. I told him to tell others, as I would like it to go... I have no way to spread it, and I am not a gardener; not a flora person, rather, a fauna one :)

I worked the dogs yesterday. It's so good to be back to doing that.  Joe was beat after our work.  Dan too. Sheep are fit and happy to be worked I think, well, I think!

I may clean my filthy car today... The dust... it's bad.  Have to get back in the swing of things.  Well, time to get moving again...

Lamb pics

Here are some pics of the lambs.  Doing well.  Still have one ewe to go, and now I wonder if she got bred by the ram lamb... The breeding ram left and shortly thereafter, the ram lamb came here... I don't know.  Will know I guess, when the lamb does appear.  She appears to have a bit more time to go.  I have sold three sheep for training purposes, so a few less sheep, but still enough to work the dogs.  Will be bringing home three commercial Dorset ewe lambs later this year, and that will be great for training too.  Things are slowly getting back to normal and the BEST part is today, I did not have to clean the barn!  They did not go in it at all last night!!!!  I am so happy!  Tomorrow a guy coming for some of the manure before we leave to bring sheep to new home.  Well, hope you like the pics.  

Going on

There is still one Cheviot ewe to go, and maybe the black Border Leicester cross.  They certainly are waiting as long as possible... So, I still visit the farm twice a day and carefully check everyone over.  The newest ewe lamb is small, but she seems healthy, and active. 

Still trying to adjust to life without Ginger.  When you have a geriatric pet for so long, you do a lot for them, and your life really changes and puts them first.   Boy kitty thought he saw her yesterday, and he went over an investigated.. Maybe he did, in a way.  I am still prone to tears at any time of the day, but I am trying to go on as much as possible.

The dogs have not gotten much work, but that will soon change, as trial season is soon upon us.  I need to get Dan's shedding as good as I can, and although I toyed with running Joe at trials, I still think he is a bit young.. we shall see.  Maybe I can sign up for a lesson with someone after a trial.

My house is sorely in need of a major cleaning.  Soon... so is my car... 

On a very neat note,  when I let the dogs out last night, guess what I heard?  Spring peepers!

Well, that's it for now.  Hope all is well with everyone.

Life during lambing

It's been a long, time... Sorry, just been flat out like a lizard drinking... as they say in Australia.  I have learned that I will never lamb this early again.  I have to clean the barn every day, and it's about eight muck buckets a day.  You should SEE the mountain of straw out the back of the barn.  I have some people scheduled to come and pick some of it up once the ground firms up.

Lambing has been okay.  We have at this time, more ewe than ram lambs.  Just one more Cheviot due and the black cross ewe, maybe, but I am thinking she is not pregnant.  I had her and a few others ear marked to sell to this girl for dog training, but when I contacted her she told me that she put a deposit on other sheep- some fine how do you do.  Well, I will have a group to sell in a few weeks.

Have not worked the dogs much if at all.  The available sheep are light, and that's an understatement...  Looking forward to bringing home the three Dorset ewe lambs coming my way this spring. Quieter sheep.. that will be good!

I posted earlier that my Ginger passed away, and at this time, I still don't really want to talk about it.  It's still too much.  Life is very different without her around.

Lambing should be done by next Friday, and life can  begin again.. I hope.

RIP Ginger