So far 3 of my Shetland ewes have surprised me with ram lambs at feeding time in the morning. This morning it was apparent that Moira was going to lamb. She refused to come in to eat and meandered around the pasture looking for the perfect lambing spot. Finally after watching her for hours, Moira had 2 little black lambs scrambling under her. I'm so anxious for a ewe lamb but I can't get down the hill to her on my crutches to satisfy my curiosity. Binoculars will not reveal the sex of the 2 little imps bouncing around beside momma. When it began to rain, I expected momma to bring them to the barn. Well, I was so wrong. Moira and company are still out in the pasture despite the raindrops. Moira looks up at me in defiance. It's a Shetland standoff and she's winning.

Fourth set of triplets

Fourth set of triplets arrived yesterday. All surprisingly small but one especially tiny. Although spunky and hungry mom has decided that 2 lambs are plenty. After working with momma all night, tiny one became a bottle baby this morning. Thank goodness that some shepherds like bottle babies because this little girl went to a new home this morning. I hated to say goodbye but getting out for bottle feeding this year is rough.

Counting to Three

When I fist got interested in BFL sheep ewes to purchase were few and expensive. I bought Isabel from Kelly Ward and couldn't wait for Isabel's first lamb in 2005. My heart broke when I found Isabel's first newborn bouncing around the barnyard. She wasn't the beautiful BFL lamb that I wanted but a BFL/Shetland cross.....a mule. Somehow her father had managed to jump the fence and breed Isabel without asking my permission. Molly named the lamb Jamie after her favorite gymnast and Jamie was like a spunky gymnast and although she amused me I was so disappointed. Jamie has made me regret that disappointment every year when she delivers triplets that need no extra human intervention. She's the perfett mother demanding that the lambs stay with her at all times. She can count to three and knows if one lamb is not with her. On the other hand, Lillian my other mother of triplets still has not counted beyond two and all I do is collect the abandoned baby and get him to his mother. Such fun watching different mothering styles.

Lambing 2012 Continues Sloooowly

These F2 Mossvale Masterplan (Scotty)ram lambs are racing around with about 12 others as we wait for the bulk of the BFL ewes to lamb. It's the waiting game and the midnight walks to the barn that make lambing an interesting time of year. This year I'm hopping to the barn on crutches since I managed to fall off the ladder to the hay loft. Luckily it was a soft landing on hay and straw and a sleeping piles of cats so only my knee was damaged. The ewes do not like the sound of my crutches as I clump,clump through the barn. They don't realize it's Mom. Feeding hungry pregnant ewes is dangerous enough without worrying about them knocking my crutches out from under me. Knee should be better by the time lambing ends. Good timing!!??

Roving

I've gotten lots of emails and calls about roving. I'm glad to hear that everyone is getting motivated to enter yarn in Spring Shows. The BFL Ntional Show in Wooster Ohio on Memorial Day Weekend is a great place to enter BFL skeins and garments. I have plain white roving for sale as well as a blend of BFL and tencel, and a blend of BFL,alpaca and silk. Dark BFL blended with carbonized bamboo is also for sale. It is dreamy spinning.

Finally 2012 Lambs Are Arriving.

A set of Bluefaced Leicester twins arrived yesterday starting the 2012 lambing season. Due to lots of issues beyond my control, lambing did not begin in January as usual. 2010 and 2011 were cold and snowy but the lambs thrived in cold temperatures. 2012 is unusual. Really warm (tank heaters on for a total of 2 days), no snow and many fewer sheep to lamb. These first BFL lambs are sired by my AI Mossvale Masterplan ram lamb from last year. These newborns are big boned and heavy. I like the way they look so far. Group two of the BFL lambs are sired by my Heddon Valley ram lamb. Now he's classy! These lambs will begin to arrive in another week.

Valentine's Day Brought No Lambs This Year

Usually mid February means cold weather and frequent trips to the barn looking for new lambs. 2012 brings warmer temps and pregnant ewes but no lambs yet. Hopefully I'll be posting pictures of new additions by the end of the month. Sure do miss January babies. Since my ewes lamb in the barn that is monitored 24/7 winter lambs here are lively and healthy. It's like Christmas finding newborn surprises every time I go out to the barn. I can't wait for the surprises to come.