I won't quit my day job......

It took me over an hour. I'm sure I didn't do it "right". But Zest is sheared! By HAND!! By ME!!! I finally took pity on the poor girl and cut off the matted fleece that was left on her from shearing, in March. Here's a before picture...Trinity stuck close to make sure I wasn't hurting his mom (and sneak and occasional sip of milk!)

I began by rooing off what wool I could over Zest's rump and neck. I was surprised by how LITTLE would come off easily. So, I cut a line down the middle of her back....see how solid the fleece is?!

It was a VERY slow process. Zest's fleece was really 'stuck' to her body. She didn't like it when I'd pull up on the fleece to get the blade of the shears under it to cut it! I had to be careful so I wouldn't cut her. That was my first priority...NO NICKS!!

Here's my beautiful lady, AFTER SHEARING (by hand ~ by ME!) ;-) Isn't she beautiful? I know that she is MUCH more comfortable...
....next???

More bouncing, baby boys (that would be RAM LAMBS!)...

"Bluff Country Rock Star" is the son of Sheltering Pines Diva and Zorro. His fleece is awesome! Very tightly crimped and fine. Rocky's horns are just beginning to sprout but they are very widely spaced (four fingers apart!). A VERY striking ram lamb.

"Bluff Country Trinity" (Zest X Bravo) is a big, solid, beautifully put together ram lamb with great looking horns (like his sire) and dense, soft fleece. Nice straight legs, level back, great shoulders and chest and a very nice tail make this guy a very nice, HST, flock sire candidate.

"Bluff Country Hero" is one of Alice and Zorro's 2006 triplets. Hero has flawless conformation, gorgeous fleece, carries HST spotting genetics and being a triplet sure doesn't hurt! ;-) Hero is a great prospect for someone who would like to show their Shetland ram...

Another beautiful ram lamb, who's been a bit overlooked because of all the flashy spotted boys, is: "Bluff Country Rhinestone Cowboy" (Zanex X Paco). Cowboy is a full brother to last year's moorit & white HST ram lamb "Paladin" ~ now at Kimberwood Shetlands. Cowboy is a very refined ram lamb with excellent conformation and beautiful, black fleece. He carries HST spotting genetics on both sides of his pedigree and WILL produce HST lambs, bred to the right girls.....

Speaking of flashy, spotted ram lambs..."Bluff Country Crescendo" is more handsome than ever! His fleece is thick and wavy & his conformation is excellent. Great flock sire potential. Not too mention: he's cute as a bug and will have STRIPED HORNS (one of my favorites!).

Last, but certainly not least, we have: "Bluff Country Grand Finale". Twin brother to Crescendo, Finale has super fine, crimpy fleece like his mom. His tail is a bit on the long side (although not as long as it appears in this picture ~ it's got about an inch of fluff on the end!) but within breed standards. Finale is a friendly, but respectful ram lamb with nice conformation and his horns will also be striped!

...Dream says: "I just can't make up my mind which one of these boys I like best!"

Da Boyz...

Sharrie asked about horns on the ram lambs. Unfortunately, there really is no guaranteed way to tell if a ram's horns will turn out correctly. We do the best we can by only breeding rams with excellent horns ~ very widely spaced, symmetrical and wide sweeping. Most of our ram lambs develop similar horns. But not all. For that reason, I do put a "horn guarantee" on all ram lambs that I sell. If his horns should develop in an unacceptable or life-threatening manner, I will replace him with a ram of equal value.


This is one of Kit Kat's twins (sired by Paco), "Bluff Country Hershey". He is maturing into a VERY handsome and correct ram lamb! His horns are nicely spaced and sweeping back & out in a very positive manner. This guy's conformation is excellent and his fleece is super fine and soft! He's for sale... ;-)


This is Hershey's twin brother, "Nestle". Not really a great 'horn shot' but I love the way this picture shows off his outstanding body! Both of these boys have incredibly soft fleece and outstanding conformation.


This handsome lad is "Black Diamond". He's out of Flash Flood and sired by Bravo. He has really caught my eye this week as he's becoming quite refined looking. Super dense fleece and a solid body on this guy. Flock sire quality and carries HST spotting genetics!


Savanna & Zorro's son, "Kokomo" is looking VERY nice. What a SOLID ram lamb! His horns are just beginning to sprout but are looking good as they are extremely widely spaced. Koke is a very striking ram lamb with extremely soft fleece.


Here's "Bluff Country Paradox" (Doc). Doc is one of Alice & Zorro's triplets. He is incredible. Great fleece, great conformation, solid body, horns look good, perfect tail ~ that impeccable rear end that Alice always puts on her lambs and I am having a blast watching his COLOR. I'll do a whole post about Doc, one day soon...


"Dream" says: I don't know what all this fuss about the boy's horns is. I'm MUCH prettier...

I'll post the rest of the boys, later today. I have to go to work! (I'm working today, tomorrow AND Monday!) Have a great weekend everyone!!!

Watch my babies grow...

It's been a glorious spring in the Bluff Country and the lambs are growing as fast as the grass. Remember Zaria's twins "Grand Finale" and "Crescendo"? They're getting HORNS! Aren't they adorable? The horns on both look VERY widely spaced. Paco's the sire, so I expect nice, wide horns on these ram lambs.


Remember Diva's little "Rock Star"? Here's Rocky, growing like a weed. What awesome fleece this guy's got! He'll make someone a nice flock sire...


I still remember how thrilled I was the night that Zodiak gave me twin, HST ewe lambs. "Dream Come True" will be staying here in the Bluff Country... ;-)
But her beautiful sister, "Make a Wish" will be moving on to a new home in central Minnesota this summer...



I'll keep updating the blog with pictures of the growing lambs over the next few days. I have lots of babies for sale that I need to start advertising!


Sorry, this little doll is already sold. She's Alice's gorgeous daughter, "Bluff Country Glitter" and will be making her home at Kimberwood Shetlands, later this summer. I'm hoping Kim will show Glitter at the Jefferson show this fall ~ she's stunning! I HATE to see my little girls go... :-(

To ROO or not to roo........?

Here's a prime example of a Shetland Ewe (Bluff Country Zest) desperately in need of rooing (plucking of her fleece). Zest was shorn in March but this is the wool that was left on her at shearing. She has gone through the "rise" and now this old, dead fleece is ready to come off. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to want to come off in one nice big piece, as seen HERE. I can pluck off small sections at a time. But Zest doesn't really LIKE me to do it. So I'll have to tie her up if I want to get it all. I may just give it a try. She looks like a SWAMP CREATURE the way she is now!

This is Zest's stunning 2006 son (sired by Windswept Bravo),"Bluff Country Trinity". Trinity is an awesome ram lamb with outstanding conformation, dense, soft, intermediate fleece and he looks like he's going to have very wide-swept horns like his sire. Trinity possesses the potential to be a dynamic, HsT, flock sire.

Aunt Gerry's Shawl...

My Aunt Gerry and cousin, Sandy, came to visit this weekend. I had made Aunt Gerry a shawl out of wool from my ewe, "Zest". I have already made up a photo album of pictures showing the stages of the shawl...Literally "from sheep ~ to shawl"
I wanted some pictures of Aunt Gerry wearing the shawl WITH the sheep. We had a great weekend for it!


Gerry and Sandy and I had a wonderful time visiting and reminiscing and visiting the "Syndette Mai" celebration (I probably butchered the spelling, but do you THINK I could find mention of it, in today's paper??), in a nearby town (Aunt Gerry is VERY Norwegian). In fact, it was so much fun that we've all agreed to make it a yearly event at my house!

Let the Sun Shine!!!

Finally! The sun is shining in the Bluff Country. A perfect day to "play hooky". I stayed home from work today (not feeling well). Spent most of the day sitting out with the ewes and lambs. I sure do love my sheep. There is nothing quite as relaxing and soothing as sitting on the ground and petting the sheep gathered around. I especially love it when they lie down next to me.


The lambs seemed to enjoy the sunny weather. They ran and jumped and played. Here's a shot of "Finale", soaking up some rays...Is that a picture of contentment, or WHAT??? Yeah, I noticed; he does have a bit of a belly on him :-)



We have a cement, bench in "Rocky's Pasture" that the lambs love to climb on. The adult sheep love to use it as a scratching post! Here Crescendo is giving his mom, "Zaria" a back rub!


And Zanex's daughter "Dusty Rose" poses like royalty on top of the bench.

I enjoyed my day with the lambs. Tomorrow, I have to work and am picking up my son, right after work and driving to St. Paul, MN., to see the TIM MC GRAW & FAITH HILL Concert! We'll be back on Saturday....Have a happy weekend!

This is NOT Yesterday's photo...

If it looks a bit familiar, TELL me about it! ;-) Actually, this is what I woke up to, after the nap I snuck in, after leaving work early (again!)











I'm discovering that many of my girls (boys too, I'm sure) are starting to shed the fleece that was left on them at shearing in March. When I rub and scratch them, bits of fleece pull right off. It apparently feels good to have the old stuff removed because my girls will stand there, quite contentedly, while I pluck away. This is the way that Shetland sheep were originally "rooed" (the proper term for the process of removing the fleece by plucking). There are two excellent articles on rooing Here and Here The ability to have it's fleece rooed is just one of the many primitive qualities that attract many breeders to this delightful breed of sheep.





Here I continue rooing the fleece on Phoebe's neck while she contentedly chews her cud. The birds love the tufts of wool I leave in the grass ~ it makes wonderful, insulated nests for their babies!

...and you thought my SHEEP were spoiled! ;-)

Another dreary day. I'm SO disappointed! About fifteen minutes after I took this picture, the sun came out! It was beautiful. I ran out to get some pictures and my camera batteries are dead!

I noticed something cute today. Here's a picture of "Trinity". He's a HsT ram lamb (white on his Head, 3 socks, and Tail). Notice the little strip of white on the end of his nose? Check out the next picture...his tongue also has the light strip! His horns are striped too. Very cool ram lamb. ;-)



Life is beginning to return to 'normal' around here. The lambs are growing like weeds and beginning next week I'll be starting work at a more reasonable hour (7:30 am instead of 6:30 am) so, hopefully, I won't be so tired all the time!
I've actually started KNITTING again! I'll try to post some pictures of my WIP (works in progress) soon. It feels SO good to sit down and knit again Maybe I'll make an Ark... ;-)

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY...

In honor of the bond between mothers and children and the joy that my children have brought into my life, I dedicate today's post to that most life-affirming of miracles: Motherhood...
My beautiful "Diva" discovering motherhood for the very first time.

The bond is almost instantaneous. Diva and her son, "Rock Star".

Here's Alice with her 2005 ram lamb "Zahara". "Harry" went on to win the champion Shetland ram lamb class, at the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival, and is now a flock sire in Illinois...

Alice with Harry's sister, "Zola"...

This is Phoebe with "Flash Flood". I think Flash looks like an alpaca cria!

Here's Savannah with her daughter, "Zabrina"...

My beautiful Zaria with the handsome HST ram lambs that she gave me this year...

Alice, calmly caring for her newborn triplets...

The love between a ewe and her newborn lambs is palpable...this is Zest with Bella & Trinity.

And Zodiak with "Make a Wish" and "Dream Come True"...

Alice and "Glitter"...

Diva and "Rocky"...


I wish you all a wonderful Mother's Day. I am humbled by the knowledge that my mother loved me, more than life it self. I am grateful for the strength and courage she taught me and in awe of the way she faced life (and death). She will always be with me. And with MY children...

Pam, Ben and Katie ~ I love you more than you could ever know. And I wish for you the same JOY that you have brought to my life.