Not to worry—these two are on top of breakfast.
Lamb Report:
We've done a little remodeling at The Bonding Suite Inn. Late this morning, BB chose to have her darling twin girls (one black, one blacker--you know I love the black sheep best) in a cozy, hay-covered corner of the barn. Rather than kicking one of the other mothers out of their suite early, I swiped a 16-foot metal fence panel from the barn patio (that was helping to hold up the falling apart wooden fence but was only tied on with baling twine because we keep stealing it to use other places) and slid it across BB's stall and the adjacent bonding suite. Ta dah! Instant, stressless (and free!) expansion.
It's so nice to have these kinds of brilliant ideas before going to all sorts of trouble--and it happens so rarely I can't help but make a big deal out of it. Of course before I had even finished congratulating myself, I realized that a dozen lambs curl up and sleep together in that corner every night.
4/3/07 8:00am Update: I was jolted awake this morning by an alarming thought: At this time of year, that metal panel helps keeps predators from slinking in between the wooden fence slats and snatching a baby lamb. I threw on my clothes and headed straight to the barn for a lamb count. All there. Thank goodness.
But as I was feeding hay to everyone, I noticed Bear a few hundred feet away, barking his head off and chasing the biggest, whitest coyote I've ever seen. I think this enormous beast may be half dog, half coyote. It has that distintive coyote lope, and I've never seen a tail like that on a dog. Unfortunately I was able to get a very good look at it, because, despite my attempts to scare it off, it has followed us back to the house. Now what to do? I hate it when the would-be predators are friendly.
So the fence panel is getting moved back today. And if I ever have another brilliant idea, I'm keeping it to myself.
Current Lamb Count: 33. Wow. That's more lambs than we've ever had--and there are still more to come.
A year of Farm Photos ago:
4/2/06: Same Scene, New View
Too funny. I almost put up a photo nearly identical to this today--only the leaves are already popping out on all the trees, and the last of the hay is in the center section of the barn. It is so wonderful to be making this visual record of life here. It feels like everything on the farm is constantly changing, and I am always surprised to see just how many things stay almost exactly the same from year to year.
© FarmgirlFare.com
© FarmgirlFare.com
33! Wow! How many more to go? You're going to seriously run out of space. Especially this time next year. Hopefully your "McGuiver"ish instincts will continue to pay off with new places to put everyone.
ReplyDeleteAll this talk of lambing begs the question--are you planning a big first birthday bash for carrie?
ReplyDeleteHi Susan, I found your website a few weeks ago via "a year in bread" and love it. The great pictures are a real "escape" from my desk here every day, and I love hearing about what you get up to every day. I'm glad that there are still people like you doing this, it's really inspiring!
ReplyDeleteGo Lucky Buddy Bear! What an excellent Nanny Bear. (aaaaww!) It's good to know that all the little lambs are in good...hands...and paws.
ReplyDeleteI feel badly for the halfbred wild animals - they seem so torn. I hope this coyote/dog cross will discover that it's easier to walk away than tangle with the Farmgirl!
Way to go Nanny Bear...throw down! Use what your mama gave you.
ReplyDeleteOh dear - the dreaded Dogotes (sometimes called CyDogs) - we have a lot of them here in North Texas. Poor creatures - they are doing what comes naturally. Of course for a shepherdess - protecting her little ones comes naturally also. Does DDD behave as a predator deflector? Rural legend has it that a reason to have a donkey is their ability to kick the crud out of critters. WTG on the baby count - very impressive! Remember the song "it's all happening at the zoo"? Maybe the 2007 version is "it's all happening at FG'sFarm"!! I Do believe it - I do believe it's true! We've paused at 19 kids with only two more does showing sign of potential birthing.
ReplyDeleteOh for heaven's sake... it doesn't get cuter then those little lambs!
ReplyDeleteGlad all the little lambs are ok.
ReplyDeleteSince April 2 is my birthday, too, BB's twins are now my favorite lambs. I'm looking forward to seeing a picture of their little jet black faces. :)
ReplyDeleteExtra biscuits for Buddy Bear!