Almost Teenagers

After all these years, Sandy is getting friendlier.

Sandy, our oldest sheep, will be thirteen this spring.  Our oldest son is just a couple of weeks younger.

Sandy

Sandy was looking rough at the towards the end of the summer, but with some Nutri-Drench (vitamins for sheep) and a bit of grain all to herself, she is looking a lot better.

Sandy (again)

Yeti also was receiving specialized treatment for a while.  He had a concussion from fighting with the other boy sheep--even though Yeti is twice as big as some of them!  With a little medicine and some TLC, Yeti is back to acting like himself.

Yeti

Barack O'Llama won't wear hats, but Molly will (at least for a little while).  Here she is wearing a hat knit from Hazel's fleece.

Molly, wearing a bit of Hazel

Molly was on the lookout for snacks...

Molly looking for snacks

She found some.  Tricot was one of the few ewes who could figure out how to eat corn from the cob. 

Tricot enjoying some corn.

Sassy is (almost) everywhere

Sassy was sheared at the Fulton Fall Folk Festival last weekend.  She was the only ewe sheared, so she sticks out from the crowd.  When I was looking through pictures I took yesterday morning, I saw Sassy in a lot of them.

Sassy hiding behind mom Elsie.

Sassy peeking out from behind Sandy.

Sassy ducking behind Opal.

Eagle, Budgie, and Cormorant also are newly fleece-free. 

Eagle, Cormorant, & Budgie with Hawk

Eagle: Even cuter after shearing.

Oregano

Oregano moved in with his ewes today.

There was no chasing or drama.   All of the sheep involved--Oregano and all his ewes--have done this before. It's been a fairly calm transition.

 Some of the lambs miss their moms (especially Pelican!).

Eagle misses mama Mimosa.

Oregano misses his pals.  When he's not otherwise busy, he watches them and baas.  I'm not sure what he's trying to tell them (maybe "Don't sleep in my spot in the barn while I'm gone" or "Look at me--I'm with the ewes" or "I miss being able to boss you guys around"). 

Oregano is otherwise busy....

....checking out the ewes on the other side of the fence

Oregano keeping in touch with his buddies.

Shearing, Coating, & Confusion

About a dozen of our sheep were sheared yesterday.  Nearly all of the sheep are in their coats now.

Sheep coating always causes a little confusion, but Wren does not recognize her mother, Pawlonia, at all.  She started baaing as soon as Pawlonia was done being sheared and coated, and she hasn't stopped yet. Pawlonia has been trying--following Wren around--but Wren still has no clue. 

Wren

Pawlonia after

Pawlonia (and Wren) before

Molly

Czadas

Henrietta

Tiffany

Elsie

Sassy & Budgie

Eagle & Mimosa

Sandy, Hazel, & Opal

Elvira & Acacia

Dove

Waiting for their turns

Just Pictures

Acacia & Swan

Cinnamon

Dove (with Budgie and Molly)

Cashew

Elvira

Marble

Chamomile

Cayenne

Opal, Mimosa, & Eagle

Henrietta & Theresa

Fall Is Coming...

...and with it, the fall tasks. 

It won't be long until the girls are wearing their sheep coats. 

We have to keep Peanut's lovely fleece clean.

A few sheep will be getting sheared this fall.  The ones to be sheared are those who have....

huge fleeces,

I hope all Pistachio's fluffiness is from her huge fleece!

destroyed fleeces,

Tiffany, what have you done?

or have nicer fleeces in the fall than in the spring.

Henrietta's fall fleece last year was a happy surprise.

Icelandic crosses, like Sassy and Elsie, have two nice fleeces a year.

Just Pictures

Adelie

Pawlonia

Vanilla & Sandpiper

Beryl

Cinnamon

Tiffany

Chamomile

Budgie (with Beryl & Pawlonia)

Elvira

Cayenne

Cayenne again