End of May

Trapped.  Twice.

We were finally able to set up the coyote trap down the back just inside the woods and near the swampy bits we know the coyotes like.  It's near where the hunter shot the coyote in the fall.  Hubby continues to research and learn much about coyote behaviour and how to hunt them. 

 So, we added to our daily routine the checking of the trap.  And to keep extra tabs on the dogs knowing that one of the three could find themselves in the trap.  We were more concerned about the Maremmas since they can be very food focused and of course raw meat is the bait of choice in the trap.

 Twice Rocky Raccoon got himself into the trap.  He is cute.  We figured he / she was a yearling.  Wary, it would not leave the cage while we were there, but he did leave.

We have since moved the trap to a different location.  And no dogs have yet been caught in it.





Play

 Lambs can be very curious and playful.  It gets them into trouble!

Here is a common gathering spot for lambs.  It seems their mothers drop them off at the park while they graze nearby.  The lambs like to rest in the warm sand and nibble on some grass tidbits.

Another favourite lamb play spot is the weeping willow tree in the front year.  Yes, the sheep are mowing our yard!

From the front door we watch lambs play in the weeping willow tree.  This brave guy has a jumping game going on.

Can't you just hear these lambs having a conversation?  "Come on, get up here.  There's room for all of us.  It's fun.  It's not too high up.  Your mother won't mind at all.  Come on!"






Garden Goings On

We are very grateful for the fall donation of a rototiller.  I was looking forward to getting to it.  It's been a busy time.  I just could not get it started.  So, I called the fix-it folks.  They came and took it away and brought it back a few days later with a new starter.  Now I could start it.  Well...  After I put some gas in it.

And away we went.  One good pass around the garden and there were problems.  A belt had slipped off.  And the handle bolt was missing.  So, off it went with the fix-it folks again.  It finally came back - no charge this time.

In the meantime a neighbour offered the use of his tiller.  This was wonderful!  It has been so busy with other things but finally I got to the tilling and yesterday planted the majority of the vegetable garden.

Next is to finalise the new herb garden.  Well, as final as a new garden can be in its first year.  Hopefully I will get our tiller onto that garden today.

The fortunate thing is that my tardiness in getting plants into the ground meant we had no losses with the hard frost last week.  There were many losses across the province.

Rams and Lambing

This year there is an extended lambing period.  Usually, since sheep have approximately a three week reproductive cycle, the bulk of lambs come in three weeks followed by some stragglers in the second three weeks.  Our year has been much stranger than that.  We jokingly say that the new ram lamb, Birch, got tired.  Abe, the emergency Christmas Eve ram purchase, is older and much more experienced.  I realise now that Birch was sick. 

Birch is starting to look more like a ram.  Hanging out with Abe he should learn how to walk that talk.  Abe can be very dominant and bashes Birch a lot.  Abe has come at me a few times.  He now wears a bell so I can hear him coming.  One should never turn their back on a ram.  When I go into their pen Birch runs up to me and slips behind my legs as if he is hiding from Abe.  Birch is quite friendly and has made no unpleasant moves - yet.

The lambs are good and strong.  There have been lots of single births.  Cookie's cast comes off this week.  I did some rearranging and have been able to get her and her mother, Nancy, outside.  Here they are...

Nancy and Cookie - outside at last!

At this point in time, there are five sheep left to lamb.  It's getting hot and I'm sure they'll be glad to get those lambs on the ground.  I still expect lambs up until June 5th or so.  So, stay tuned.