Spring Lambs...in the Snow

We've been watching Elsie for days now.  She's had none of the signs of lambing that I've read about in books.  Off her feed?  Nope, Elsie was eating while delivering the afterbirth.  Seeking privacy from the flock?  No, she delivered her lambs in the midst of the whole gang.  Elsie's behavior was normal for Elsie all day yesterday.  She did have a few physical signs: udders filling up (more), lambs dropping.  Some of the other animals have acted differently the past few days: Barack was in high alert mode, and Calico and Sandy (our experienced mommas) were hanging out with Elsie (or Elsie was hanging out with them).

Pecan getting a drink while Pistachio looks around.

We checked on all the animals around eight o'clock.  When Scott* did a "midnight check" at 11:15, there were lambs.  I quickly went out to join him and saw sheep in various forms and stages of excitement.  Elsie was looking for her lambs, Calico thought they might be her lambs, and Theresa thought they were visitors from another planet.  Everyone (other than Barack** and Scott) was baaing. 

Elsie is getting the hang of the mothering thing quickly.

Scott and I managed to get the lambs and Elsie into the lambing jug.  We had some tribulations first.  Calico thought it was her turn to go into the jug, and Theresa decided to get out of the barn and not (under any circumstances except perhaps snacks) come back in.  We did all the stuff you're supposed to do with newborn lambs--hopefully we did it properly.

Pistachio.  The white near her lips means she will lighten up.

Elsie has a boy and a girl**.  The boy weighed about seven pounds (our scale is a piece o' poo), and he is all black.  His name is Pecan.  (I'm not sure if we'll go for Southern or Northern pronunciation.)  The girl weighed about five pounds.  She is black, with a white spot on her head and "sugar lips"--white around her lips that indicated that she will lighten up, possibly looking a bit like Theresa.  We're calling her Pistachio.

Meeting the other sheep.

There has been some shock and disbelief that our white sheep has given birth to two (mostly) black lambs.  Their daddy is a dark gray Shetland ram, so it's not much of a surprise.

We should have a week or so until we have any more lambs.  But when we left the barn this morning, Calico was digging a nest the size of the Grand Canyon....

* We take turns with nighttime checks. 
** Barack guarded goats in the past and has witnessed birth.  He was interested in what was going on but was very calm.  Unlike some of the sheep....
*** Unless there was a examination error.