Garrett's Visit with Sadie and the Puppies

Garrett, a fellow BFL/Shetland breeder from MN, has Corgi Nationals in Gettysburg this week so he came in early to visit a few spots in the East. We headed to DC where I got so lost...too much talking and not enough sign reading.By the time we got downtown we had to speed walk to see as much as possible before our parking meter ran out.(We passed a jogger at one point, that's how fast we were walking.) Garrett took pictures without even stopping. Our intent was to see the sights and return to the plant sale at the National Arboretum before it closed. Getting lost on the way out was not in the schedule but...we never did get to the plant sale. It's fun to travel with someone who likes the same things and wants to stop at plant sales! From DC we headed to Annapolis,MD. It's a beautiful historic town with great restaurants. A bad parking job and another fast walk later we finally sat down for a while and ate everything Maryland...crab soup,crab cakes, mussels, rockfish. Annapolis is one of my favorite places to visit. I don't think I'll ever tire of being there. Hope Garrett enjoyed the whistle stop tour and the food. He taught me so much about Shetland genetics that I'm on information overload. I needed for him to stay longer. But we'll meet again in Eugene,OR for Black sheep Gathering in June. More sheep talk then.

Garrett and Sadie, his Corgie, are doing agility trials in the rain right now. Hope all is going well. Wish it was a better week weather wise.

Got My Ticket

After MD Sheep and Wool I'm flying to Utah to drive home with Molly for the summer. I am so excited that she will be home for a few months. Our trip will be our usual sucession of off beat stops like the World's largest ball of stamps, the Pony express museum (seen in less than 15 minutes),the wagon train ruts,and maybe a Lewis and Clark intrepretation center or two. Molly has endured most of these centers with me altho she is not into the Corps of Discovery like I am. Tim gave me a book that lists all the stops the Corps made from St. Lewis to the Pacific. Carried on every trip west, it has become my bible. Well, Molly, the good news is, I can't find it!!!! Never fear tho....I know the stops I've missed on the trail. And of course we HAVE to stop in Lincoln, NE for a prime rib dinner. MMM the best beef in the whole US. (Hopefully someone will read this and be offened and provide another stop where they feel the beef is better. I'm always in search of the best steak.) If we are lucky,Tim will join us for our cross country drive, his first road trip with us. For the first time I am wishing MD Sheep and Wool was over so we could be together on the road. Stop wishing your life away, Kathy.

April

Now that I've started this blog the phone will ring at least 3 times and my husband will return from the store and beep the horn for me to help carry the groceries in. Happens every time. My computer stresses me enough without additional distractions. Besides, I normally have a very one track mind. Last week while tring to order signs from Vista Print for my next show I got a zillion interruptions and screwed up the sign design royally. I was dumbfounded when I opened the box and saw what I had designed. Nothing was correct. And of course, I ordered 2 of the bloody things! Finding a use for them will be a test of my creativity.
Back to April. I think it's my favorite month. And this April been spectacular. Perfect gardening weather. I put in a new garden over by the barn. It has more things in it than planned but I locked my keys in my car at Home Depot last week and spent my time waiting to be rescued shopping for plants. Not a bad place to be stranded....they even had a coffee truck with breakfast sandwiches. The garden is beautiful. I used old unusable fleeces covered with mulch around the new shrubs and flowers. The wool really inhibits weeds and keeps the mulch from washing away. Going to the barn is a happy time anyway but now I can stop and smell the flowers along the way. It will also remind me to have my keys in my hand before slamming the trunk lid.

2 Shetlands Left to Lamb and the BFL Are Done!

Last BFL ewe lamb was born on pasture yesterday. Mom brought her in during a downpour. She's tiny but very healthy. Another yearling mom with a great mothering instinct. Final tally.....53 BFL lambs

This morning Potosi Abby had her beautiful yuglet (rings around the eyes) ewe lamb. Abby has been miserable for 2 days. On Thursday, she attacked Roxy and tried to take her newborn lamb.Roxy actually hid herself and her lamb between a gate and a fence to avoid Abby. I knew Abby would lamb soon since she wanted a lamb so badly. Well, Abby's lamb is really special. Wish Abby had a better disposition tho. She is really happy to have her own girl. 30 Shetland lambs and counting. 2 more left to lamb and we will be done.......maybe! Next year I'll remember to take the rams out. Yeah, right. I say that every year.

Endless Lambing Continues

Went out to find 3 Shetland lambs cavorting on the lawn. Tim and I thought we plugged all their escape holes but I guess not. They can find a hole anywhere. In the pen, I found a new Shetland ewe lamb very full and contently nestled with mom. She's a cutie. Mom's a yearling with great mothering skills. My, due any time, BFL ewe was not in the barn. Found her on pasture with lamb's hooves sticking out. She was panicked but not being in the mood for a flying tackle delivery, I got her in the barn doing my Border Collie impersonation. Fluids around the lamb were orange and scary. When I got mom tied and pulled the lamb, which I was sure was dead, I couldn't believe it...the tiny head shook. She's very orange but fine and mom loves her. That's all that matters. Never had a lamb this color before. She's burnt sienna.

April at Last

After almost a week of July like temperatures, April has returned. This is more like it. I like sixties and breezy. Fearing my hair was about to be singed on the lightbulbs in the barn, it was time to muck the big stall. 6 hours on the bobcat got me a clean barn and a huge pile of manure. I can't believe how much dry bedding this awful winter from hell required. It's so clean in the big stall that the sheep won't go in. The small stall is a hand muck job since the bobcat won't fit....darn. I thought I could squeeze that thing anywhere but NOT. Guess that one will be done over the course of time. Arms don't fail me now. Why am I not thinner? Better get the Ford tractor out and get that pile of manure moved. It's starting to smoke.

Easter Lambs

Can't wait til this holiday is here and over. My ethnic customers are at the door at all hours looking for Easter lambs. They don't understand that I can't just run out and catch one for them on command. One man actually sat in front of the house in his car beeping the horn for me to come out!!! I don't think so.... Even my husband knows not to beep for me to come.
Most lambs are too small for Easter this year so the annual butchering numbers are way down. I can't say that I've missed the commotion. Turning my little guys over to be slaughtered is really hard for me. I try not to get attached to the ones that I know will go but catching them for the final penning really hurts. Especially when the mom stands and looks at me just waiting her baby's release. I have 2 moms pining away right now. I feel so mean. But then again...what are we having for Easter dinner? Homegrown lamb.