Saturday, April 14

Farm Photo: 4/14/07


Snugglebunny

Now I remember why I don't let the sheep eat out of buckets.

Lamb Report:
Things have been difficult, and there have been problems. (Is it just me, or does trouble always seem to arrive in clumps?) This is to be expected--we do live on a farm full of animals after all. If an entire lambing season ever went off without a hitch, we'd probably both drop dead from the shock.

Why did this happen? How did this happen? Was there something I could have or should have done? There is nothing to do but deal with things one at a time, the best you can, knowing there will never be answers to most of the questions. (Though I'd really like to know just how a baby lamb can manage to tear a large chunk out of his cheek.)

And then you carry on. You think about the bed of baby spinach in the garden and the first of the mesclun mix in the greenhouse that are waiting to be picked for tonight's salad. You smile as you play work down by the spring, clearing paths through the piles of leaves with your rubber-booted feet so all the ponding water can flow downstream, happy that so much badly needed rain has fallen in the past two days. You scoop up a baby lamb in your arms, bury your face in its warm woolly body, and wonder if it is the softest, cuddliest thing you've ever held in your life. You look at this photo of Snugglebunny and realize that it is going to make you laugh out loud for at least the next 30 years.

On Monday we have houseguests arriving for the week. Since this is a very rare occurrence, there has been a flurry of frantic activity in the house as well as the barn as we struggle to make The Shack look halfway presentable. All the lilacs froze to death last week (they sure were lovely while they lasted), and the raised bed I sowed about 5,000 seeds in hasn't offered up a single sprout yet, let alone a bouquet of blooms, so I won't be able to distract roving eyes with vases of freshly cut flowers.

Nope, food will have to do it. Menus are being decided (Grilled lamb chops or roast leg of lamb? Two kinds of pizza or three? Apple pie or blueberry--or both?), and the house is full of the mingling scents of homemade chicken stock simmering away on the stove, an old-fashioned pecan coffee cake cooling on the counter, and an oven full of baking bread. And if all that doesn't distract them from the dust, I figure a couple of lambs in the living room should definitely do the trick. Current lamb count: 37. Number of little things to be grateful for: the same number as yesterday & the day before that--way too many to count.

A year of Farm Photos ago:
4/14/06: Bright Spots Are Everywhere
4/13/06: The Forest Floor Is Blooming
4/12/06: One Final Photo Of BB & Her Baby Girl
4/11/06: Looks Like He Has His Mother's Eyes
4/10/06: Look What Landed At My Feet

We also had:
Spring In The Spring
Girls' Day Out: No Room At The Bonding Suite Inn

Things weren't going real well with the sheep last year at this time either:
4/12/06:Hearts & Rocks & Numbers & Thoughts
4/13/06:Shepherd's Nightmare

And out of the kitchen came:
Toasted Almond Chocolate Chip Biscotti (Chocolate & Kitchen Therapy)

23 comments:

  1. Wishing you a breath of Peace. Put the timer on and sit with a cuppa and just zone. I hope the dinner goes well and is Überyummy. I vote for blueberry. Blessings and hugs to you and all the furred ones.

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  2. What a great photo.

    Hang in there!

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  4. These picks of all the new lambs are great - looks like you have a rowdy bunch this year! I'm sorry to hear your having some troubles with them. Even though logic says it's nature and these things happen, it's still always tough to lose the little guys. My guess for the missing chunk of cheek (if it's on the inside of course) is that someone tripped over their own big feet and bit down.

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  5. Sorry to hear you are also having some "weird" stuff this baby season. I felt we'd lost more than usual - but when I look at our records - NOPE - we lose about the same percentage every year and it just seems like more because it never is less painful. Hooray for the company - they'll be entertained and well fed - am sure that your bountiful table is a blessing to any visitor! Hang in there - and maybe a stuffed animal line will include removable buckets? Great pic!

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  6. In deference to the woolly babies, I'd do a nice grilled salmon for dinner! ;)

    That photo should get an award-- so hilarious. Thanks for always taking the time our of your obviously busy schedule to share with us all.

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  7. Hi Farmgirl...I came over here from Kali's...where I'm unable to comment due to blogger failure or something.

    Anyway...I do goats. Dairy goats, but I just got my first two sheep. I don't have nearly the number of head that you seem to have.

    My sheepherding friends all seem to have more problems at lambing time than I do at kidding time. Are sheep just harder?

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  8. Love coming here! Love the photo! Poor baby..lamb!Looking forward to my next visit! hugs NG

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  9. *lol*

    Thats so sad about the lilacs.. we had the same little storm as you, I'm sure and it killed the tulips around me. :-(

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  10. Your poor babies. At least they have you to take care of them--they're very lucky! Lilac season starts here in MA next month--we'll see if the buds don't get all washed out in our current weather :)

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  11. Hello :) I came here through Posie's blog. Cute little place you have here. I'll be back again!
    God bless :)

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  12. Hey Susan, leaving a comment here because I can't find your email despite having corresponded before! Anyhow, I love the photo, made me crack up too, but wanted to make sure you knew about barbara kingsolver's new book and website that goes with it: animalvegetablemiracle.org/Tour.html
    it seems like it's something up your alley! good luck with the lambs!

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  13. Adorable! I love looking at your pictures; always so natural, beautiful and absolutely heartwarming. Good luck with the things that aren't going so well at the moment, and I hope your flowers bloom; i'm in Illinois and am hoping the crazy weather changes and unexpected frosts have not killed the flowers for this season as well :/. I do have a question, and it is only out of curiosity; when you make lamb for meals such as for your visiting friends, do you purchase the meat from stores?

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  14. How DO they get themselves into such a mess? Our little ram lambs used to do that with their water buckets too.

    I told your Cary story to the kids at church this a.m. - Of course they loved it.

    We ended up with three lambs - lost one ewe lamb. That's plenty - can't imagine having as many as you do :-) T.

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  15. I'm so sorry to hear that you're having troubles; seems like there may be an intruder? I'm anxious for the full story later. In the meantime I'll shoot some prayers in your direction.

    Good luck entertaining guests, keeping sane with more lambing, and having no more weirdness.

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  16. Oh, it's worth it to let a sheep eat out of a bucket once in a while if you can get a picture this precious and hilarious out of the deal.

    Love your pics and colorful updates of the farm.

    Ellen xx

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  17. Hilarious photo! Sounds like a lot's going on at your place - details, details!
    (nosy me)

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  18. Love the pic -- I'm sure there's a caption just waiting for it. Maybe "Hey, I said lampshade, not bucket!"

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  19. I was thinking of you when I heard my neighbor say he had twin calves during the real cold weather last week, and he lost both of them.

    Sounds like you have a great outlook, and are grateful for what you have, and really, that's all you need.

    Hugs,
    Elaine

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  20. The photo reminds me of Jasmine - our dog - who got trapped in the cat flap last week with a wire wastepaper basket stuck on her head.
    Not the brightest dog in the world
    J
    x

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  21. A goat walks into a bar wearing a bucket…

    Bartender aks…”why the bucket?”

    Goat says..” I always wear a bucket on my head on Mondays”

    Bartender says…”…but it’s Tuesday”

    Goat says…”ohhhh my !!!...how embarrassing !!”

    ( I can hear the jeers now )

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  22. I love your blog. Your writing style is wonderful, and your photographs are just terrific. The one of Snuggle bunny is a riot. Good luck with your house guests, and with the rest of the lambing.

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  23. This photo will keep me chuckling. Does this type of eating challenge make sheep smarter?

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December 2015 update: Hi! For some reason I can't figure out, Blogger hasn't been letting me leave comments on my own blog (!) for the last several months, so I've been unable to respond to your comments and questions. My apologies for any inconvenience! You're always welcome to email me: farmgirlfare AT gmail DOT com.

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