Lambing update

One more to go!  And I don't think there is any hurry.  Although the ram wore a marking harness and the date marked equates to a due date of May 28th, we're still waiting.  It's Peanut, so named because she was the smallest of the yearlings last year.  She has filled out nicely and is no longer a munchkin.  Last year she had a single lamb but if she still has some time left then I'm guessing she will have twins.

Twins would be good.  There have been a lot of singles this year, twelve to be exact, with an additional twelve from six sets of twins.  Of these 24, 23 were born alive.   What is excellent is that we have had no losses.  The dead lamb born to Clover by c-section was a fluke and dead long before it could have lived.  No adjustment to lambing management could have changed the outcome.  Twelve of the live lambs are male, while eleven are female.  This will make it hard for me to decide who to keep.  Additionally, the overall average number of lambs per ewe is 1.3, a very low average.  Two other sheep farmers nearby also report many single births this year.

The sheep reproductive cycle is about seventeen days.  So, if I add 17 days to May 28th, I think Peanut will lamb about June 14th.  Her udder is still soft, although she has a good waddle to her gait.  Stay tuned....



The Intruders

There seem to be many intruders as of late.  For example, Rocky Racoon found himself in the coyote trap for a third time.  He has been very determined to get the yummy bait, much more determined than any other creature.  So, Rocky was released and the trap was moved to a new location.  This time it was placed closer to the house in a location where we know coyotes travelled last year.  The only evidence of activity was that the trap was knocked over this week.  This could have been dogs playing or coyotes testing....  Hubby is planning the next placement of the coyote trap.

Cloven hoofs on wood do have a distinctive sound, especially when there are four cloven hoofs.  It is a new sound too and therefore Beau dog, upon hearing this from within the house, woofed appropriately.  There was scuffling too so I investigated.  This is what I found!

Abe indeed has enjoyed pruning that plant!  Each day I pull some electric fence wire across the driveway and hook it up to the live section - while the power supply is turned off - and then release Abe and Birch for a few hours.  After a few hours they "explore".  Abe discovered the verandah first.  And this bush. 

I have allowed sheep grazing in the house area to prune away anything in the gardens.  I decided that all needs a good  pruning.  Further, some organic matter is needed in each bed.  I plan - at this point - to add organic matter to each flower bed sometime in the summer.  In the meantime, heavy pruning is underway. 

After the breeding season and winter, Abe looked thin to me.  He is older, although in good condition.  Birch is still growing.  The shearer assured me he would do some serious growing this summer.  So, both rams need some nutrition attention.  I have been giving them grain and am delighted to get them outside for some fresh air and some good greens.  Even today, Birch jumped for joy at the outside adventure of the day. 

Abe comes running when he sees me.  I am the lady with food.  Okay, I am the lady with grain, also known as "candy" if you are a sheep.  He has come running at me a few times.  That is, literally running or jumping at me to bash me, as rams do.  So, I NEVER turn my back on him and he now wears a bell.  Beau has been very good with the rams in his immediate / house area.  And a few times he has herded them very appropriately.  Even though they do not resemble a tennis ball at all....


Today's intruder was near the end of the driveway.  And there was another one a few days ago.  But today, at about nine thirty a saw a blob in the driveway.  I had to turn off the electric fence I had put up for the rams.  Then Beau and I went down the driveway.  Sure enough, the intruder was a very large snapping turtle.

We determined last weekend that it is turtle egg laying season.  It was evening and the dogs had begun their evening watch.  They began barking, both of them.  It is serious when they both bark.  It was a sharp bark.  Hubby went for his boots, saying, "Where is the key for your rifle?"  My rifle was out since we were trying out the newly purchased sling.  I unlocked the rifle while he laced up his boots. 

As he moved toward the dogs I was dismayed and said so, "Did they [the coyotes] get a lamb?"  I had forgotten that I had closed up the gate preventing the sheep from going out to where the dogs were, that all of the sheep were now around the house. 

Hubby arrived at the dogs' location, looked back toward me, and laughed uproariously!  "What!" I thought.  "What?" I said.  "Oh"  I said.  "Is it the cat?" I asked. 

"No" he said.

"A turtle?" I asked.

"Yes!" he chortled.  And Ruby loudly barked at it some more.  It is the season!  So, the rifle went away and the camera shooting began!

Gardens

Spring is a very busy time for gardens.  In addition to last year's vegetable garden we are adding more garden projects to the mix, so it has been more busy.  And then there were woes with the rototiller, and then glee when it worked so beautifully.  Hubby moved LOTS of dirt - wood chips and manure.

So, the veggie garden got planted and the former sumo wrestling pit got a new look.  It is becoming an herb garden.

 

 

Oh, yes, Sister spent most of the long weekend here painting things red!  What better use for a bathtub than the centre piece of a new herb garden and a new container for a pot of mint!

Oz

The orange tractor named Oz has a busy life.  I must say, however, that hubby is getting more enjoyment driving the real tonka toy than I.  I seem always to be doing other things.  As well, I am more than happy to open and close gates while he drives Oz and fetches this, and moves that.  There is lots for Oz to do.

Recently, Oz was adorned with a new mower or bush hog.  When we were viewing the property I was told about "bush hogging" and had no idea what that meant.  Now I know.  I was familiar with a large mower attached to a tractor but it was never referred to as a bush hog.  Here, it is, and now we will commence bush hogging. 

Hubby has been out taking a few test runs with Oz, mowing trails here and there.  And there is more on the list to get done!

Sunsets


And then there are glorious sunsets here in paradise....