Yes, I'm tired. Yes, I realize it's been 10 days since I've written. I've probably lost all of you that were reading, but I just write to write anyway. I'll check through my sheep log book and give you the up to the minute scoop.
The night of 4/15/05 - Jezebel (#16) chose to stay outside - not sure where as I checked the pasture several times, although in the dark with a flashlight. The next morning I found her standing outside the barn with THREE babies. One looked so very cold, lambs hunch up trying to conserve heat. I tucked the littlest one inside my coat (she was no bigger than a large house cat) and took the other two, with Jezebel following close behind, to the barn. The little one was brought to the house and laid in a box on the oven door. Katelyn went outside and with her dad and brother holding the sheep, managed to milk some colostrum for #3 baby. What to do with the baby as we were heading to church? Well, she came too with a container of Mom's milk and some lamb milk replacer. Sophie was promptly named and was the big hit. She was photographed, held and bathed in the sunshine.
We invited 15 (or so) friends to come out to the farm to enjoy the lovely afternoon. Everyone came and we had a great time. Two little boys chased the chickens - and actually caught one. The chickens just started laying again (two days ago) after the trauma. Rides were given on the pony, lambs were caught, woodticks crawled - a good time was had by all.
Also born overnight on 4/15 - Annie (#11) had a very large boy lamb - promptly named Goliath.
4/17 - #22 had three lambs, 2 girls and a boy. Katelyn's friend Katherine was visiting so she got to name them. Sara, Hagar and Abraham.
#8 also had a baby girl that day. She needed her udder sheared so Mark, Matthew and I held her in quite an undignified position while shearing. Baby is doing well.
We tried to graft Sophie back on her mother, who had forgotten that she had 3 lambs. Lovely. We tried every trick in the sheep book, but no luck. Well, we got Jezebel to the point where she was no longer knocking Sophie over. At least she could sleep in the barn.
On 4/21 we tagged, docked tails and castrated the boy lambs. Roll call is/was:
#11 (Annie) - #24 boy (Goliath)
#22 - #25 girl (Hagar), #26 boy (Abraham), #27 girl (Sara)
#15 - #28 boy, #29 girl
#8 - #30 girl
#16 (Jezebel) - #31 girl (Samatha), #32 boy (Samson), Sophie - no tag because her ears are too small
#20 - #33 girl, #35 boy
4/24
#9 - 2 girls
#1 (Vashti) - 1 girl
#5 appeared to be in labor, but nothing resulted
4/25
#12 - 2 boys
Sophie is stealing milk from the other mothers in addition to getting a bottle 4x a day. She shares her bottle with Abraham (the smallest from the other set of triplets).
The sheep are outside on a new pasture with lots of grass, but it is so very cold here. In the morning the temps are not above the freezing point. We are keeping a very close eye on the sheep as a baby born outside on a day like today would not do well for very long.
Tomorrow is Wednesday school. The theme is James and Dolley Madison. A group photo is to be taken first thing in the morning (before clothes are dirty and hair is mussed).
On Sunday, Mark and Matthew did the brakes on my car. Mark is test driving it today.
The kids are doing school work. I need to jump back in and read some history to them.
Hapy day to each of you!
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