The Home of Beautiful Bluefaced Leicesters and Shetland Sheep

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Welcome

Friday, November 26, 2010

A PA Yankee Goes South



Collard greens,sweet potato pie,butter beans and a ride on my son in law's Harley. Not exactly a yankee celebration but soo much fun.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving




There's always that one rude relative who shows up for dinner!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Anne Priest

As I blogged yesterday about going from a city slicker to a shepherd I kept thinking about a dear friend who went from NY actress to shepherd. She sold her NYC loft to purchase her beautiful farm in the country. Several years ago she wrote "Trafficking In Sheep" an autobiography. It detailed yearly trips to Nova Scotia with her flock and her summers on Blue Island. At 83 she still did her chores and lived with her dogs and flock still taking those summer trips to Canada . We always met at the Rhinebeck NY show, often spending the evenings together at her beautiful home on the hill. She was a gracious hostess and such a delight to share hours with over a leg of lamb and Jack Daniels. Good times and conversation never to be forgotten.

Last night I got a call that Anne had died doing her chores. It makes me sad that we have lost a wonderful BFL breeder but I smile to think that her passing amidst her flock was the perfect ending to her life as a shepherd. She will live forever in my memory. She was one of those unforgettable people for good reasons.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Forgettable

This was a week of reunions. Running into my ex after 10 years, watching Lillian again after 5 weeks off, a spinning guild reunion and a high school reunion.

Meeting my ex reminded me that my second life full of kids, sheep and friends is the best of times. So different from what it would have been.

Having Lillian and the joy of 5 year old companionship for 3 days was exhausting but fun. She makes me laugh as we do things that you can only get away with when you have a little one with you.

The spinners reunion was great. This sheepy life has given me such good times and friends.

The HS reunion in NJ was fun and so thought provoking! I learned that I am forgettable! I am not the dork that I thought everyone would recall! It was fun watching everyone read my name tag and smile at me with total lack of recognition in their eyes. Having taught for 25 years, I know that there are more forgettable kids than unforgettable and the ones whose memories linger are there for good reason.... like the boy I had who could pop his glass eye out and laugh as it rolled under the surrounding desks causing general chaos and disruption. Now that's unforgettable! I was just another gray blazer and plaid skirt that dashed through the halls.
As I looked around the room, I felt removed from the women I saw. When asked what I did since retirement my tales of 76 sheep, truck trips to festivals and the wonderful smell of sheep fell on half listening ears and blank stares. I kept my hands in my lap to conceal my broken nails and lack of nail polish. I'd come a long way from the New York metropolitan area but no regrets. We had to sing the alma mater (good thing it was printed in the program) and a few women began to cry. My two companions and I rolled our eyes and passed notes just as we did in HS. Only this time the notes said,"Is the bar still open?"
My only regret was that the math teacher who threw erasers at me for being unable to solve for X and then gave me detention for chalkdust on my blazer wasn't there. I was looking for her. Wonder if she found me forgettable????