Snugglebunny's Twin Boy Trying to Reach Some Lunch on 5/6
© Copyright 2008 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where all the new lambs are now happily munching on fresh spring grass in the fields, which is well within their reach. Well, except Doris' baby boy who was just born this evening. For now he's sticking with milk.
Bear Loves Babies!
Current Lamb Count: 28. Number of still pregnant sheep: only 4! Number of ewes who don't mind when Bear wants to help clean up their new lambs: only a few.
© Copyright 2008 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where The Nanny Bear (pictured here with Zelda's twins) is on the job - whether the mothers like it or not.
Zelda & Her Newborn Twins Yesterday Afternoon
© Copyright 2008 Farmgirl Fare.com, the award-winning blog where we have a sheep named Zelda because back in 2004 when we decided to give all the ewe lambs born that year 'A' names (then 'B' names in 2005, 'C' names in 2006, etc. - which was a brilliant idea) I said to Joe, "This two-year old sheep needs a name!" and without skipping a beat he said, "Zelda." I asked why. "Because I doubt we'll ever make it to 'Z!'" It suits her perfectly.
Bye Bye Big Belly, Hello Little Boy & Girl
Thank goodness. You know she's got to be feeling better now that those babies are on the ground, especially since it's 90 degrees in the shade today. As you can see, though, her appetite hasn't diminished. More photos to follow - Zelda's very proud. And her twins are very cute!
© 2008 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where sometimes all you have to do to jump start lambing season is leave the farm for a while - which is what happened yesterday afternoon. All three are doing just fine.
A Tender Scene
More below. . .
A Sight For Stressed Eyes
The donkey peddling cowboy was held up doctoring some of his cows yesterday and couldn't come check on the sheep, but thankfully we were able to ford the creek river in our big farm ton truck late yesterday afternoon (what an adventure!). I'd put Silly Wendy (who received the second half of her name during our Name That Sheep Contest) in a bonding pen the day before because I knew she was extremely close to lambing - unlike two weeks ago when I kept her in one for four days and finally realized she wasn't nearly as close as I'd thought. I was thrilled to see that while I was stuck on the other side of the creek from the barn she had given birth two a big pair of healthy and adorable twins.
But that's old news. I still remember the first time I read a James Herriot book. I was in junior high school and picked one up because one of my best pals had become totally addicted to them. The first chapter began with Dr. Herriot tending to a prolapsed cow, and, squeamish as I was, I couldn't understand why in the world my friend was in love with these icky books. And while I later fell in love with them, I certainly never pictured myself doing something eerily similar nearly 30 years later.
I'll spare those of you who are here only for the food and cute animal pictures any more details. Just know that tonight was another one of those James Herriot moments - only the vet was nowhere in sight. I've definitely expanded my sheep tending skills, and the mother-to-be has been 'put back together,' but with a broken water bag and no baby in sight yet it's looking to be a very long night. Heading back down to the barn now.
© Copyright 2008 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where living with livestock means there's never a dull moment, and inbetween picking out and picking up five different colors of paint for the new building and dealing with lambing emergencies, Joe found a moment to present me with a beautiful first day of spring gift - a single blooming daffodil he plucked from the yard.
