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south east Indiana | I envisioned spring differently. The spring I saw in my minds eye was sunny and warm, green grass was growing. Newborn lambs frolicking in pastures next to freshly shorn ewes. The muffled deep 'MMAAA' from a ewe beckoning her lamb with mouth full of grass. Little thought was given to the fact that the rams jumped a fence a week early enticed by the sweet smelling girls. "No problem I thought, just a week early, no reason to sort them back out."
Then yesterday came. Meg and I moved all 111 sheep on the place getting ready for Snow. Each group was sorted. The heaviest with lambs and fuller bags sorted, moved to the barn. Those with smaller bags marked, sorted, moved to a pasture with hills so they could get out of the wind. The small working group moved to an open pasture since the ewe lambs were moved into the working pasture to be close to the house with huts for shelter. Done with the Chinese Fire Drill by early afternoon, Meg and I were tired. I said a little prayer hoping I sorted correctly as wind began picking up and temps began to fall.
The evening brought fog, rain, sleet then small snowflakes. Just before dark Scott and I put the ewes into the barn. More ewes than I like in one group when lambing but the weather gave us no choice. The 8:00 check showed a ewe turning in circles and talking. A sign she is thinking about lambing. Back inside to leave the barn nice and quiet for her to get on with the task at hand. At 9:30, warm coat, gloves, hat, spot light in hand you could hear the quiet conversation between a ewe and newborn lamb just before the opening of the barn door. Getting her and her lamb sorted out was quick, placed in a quiet stall to bond. Headed to bed another prayer for the ewes heavy with lamb. I know they would rather go off alone but that is not an option. Hopefully they will not loose a lamb because of my error in judgement on the arrival of spring.
More snow than we have had all year blankets the green grass, greeting us this first day of spring. Morning requires warm clothes, not simply trowing on a sweat shirt shirt and sweat pants. Wind is howling, snow has continued through the night. Heavy coat, hat, gloves and boots as I head out the door with a spot light, Meg and Scott. The dogs beat me to the barn door, meg whining for me to hurry so she can check for new lambs. You see Meg has a lamb addition, she would mother them given the chance.
New twins greet us, still damp but up and walking well. Thankfully the ewe has kept the lambs together. Sort her and the new babies out. Check on everyone. Look toward the sheep in the pastures. All still laying in a group out of the wind. The hard choice - do I walk out and disturb them or do I allow them to stay bedded down, even the guard dogs are curled up quiet. A gust of wind answers my question. I head to the house trusting all must be well since no ewe is off alone or talking. Meg and Scott reluctantly leave the gate to the pasture, joining me as we shuffle through 4 inches of fresh snow back to the warmth of the wood stove.
Edited by denice.r 3/21/2018 16:04
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Envisioned Spring
