I HAVE TOO MANY SHEEP!!!

And the winner of the TRIVIA CONTEST...

How did I not realize that I have 14 ewes/ewe lambs???? Time to update my Breeding Stock for Sale list...

In the meantime. We have a winner! Several of you were VERY close! Tammy had 13 ewe names but was missing Savannah (and had Jewel & Gypsy, both of whom are sold). She also forgot Katie and Lily. Franna added Phoebe (sold) and missed Zest and Gemini.

I do believe that KELLY got them all right (and added Dynasty ~ a ram lamb as she suspected) for good measure.

From my own recollection the girls, as pictured are: #1 Flash Flood. When I click to enlarge the photo, I can see Dream, Zaria, Zest and Zodiak in the background and the lamb in the foreground could be either Godiva or Rosie ~ I can't tell for sure.

#2 is Dream with Zaria, Rosie, Zest and Bella Luna

#3 is Alice, Zest, Dilemma, Zodiak, Flash Flood, Zaria, Diva, Savannah and I can't make out which of the black ewe lambs is which

#4 The same as above, only now I can see Destiny by Alice

#5 my beautiful Bella Luna (Zest's daughter)

#6 Rosie and Serendipity

#7 Bella, Zest & Flash

#8 Dilemma, Zaria, Diva, Zest, Bella

#9 Gemini and Zodiak

#10 Katie (with the RAM lambs, in the background)

#11 Lily

My 14 ewes/ewe lambs are: Dream, Zaria, Rosie, Zest, Bella Luna, Flash Flood, Alice, Dilemma, Zodiak, Diva, Savannah, Serendipity, Destiny and Godiva. (I'm only supposed to have 10 ewes!!!) Oh MY...

Thanks to everyone who entered the first ASV Trivia Contest! Kelly, you can contact me, privately, to claim your prize. Congratulations!!!

DREAM says.... "Sorry these results were a little late...Mom was SLEEPING!"

tattle tail!

The PRIZE...

That is if ANYBODY guesses!

"CONTEMPLATING MISCHIEF"
The above and following are four photographs, signed and mounted on card stock paper, with matching envelopes.

"L' ENNUI"
The photos are by noted Canadian Artist & Photographer (and Dear Friend of a Dear Friend), "Gene Ouimette". Some examples of Gene's artwork can be seen here. I bought these cards from Gene, when I attended the North American Shetland Sheep Breeders Association (NASSA), AGM (annual general meeting), in Canada, in 2005.

"A NEW DOOR OPENS"
The person who names the most of the girls in my post from yesterday, can select two of the photo/cards as their prize.

"RETIRED"
I'm keeping the other two!! ;-) The first person to name the most of my girls, wins the contest. You can add names on to someone else's list, but the first person to give the most number of correct names wins. I will name the winner at 8 p.m (CDT) on Thursday, 8/30

GOOD LUCK!

DREAM says.... ..."Way to GO Mom!!! Now you told them my name! Well, I guess it's OK. Go ahead and try to remember who all the other girls in yesterday's post are...."

A Few of My Girls....AND the first ASV TRIVIA QUIZ

Yesterday started out foggy and overcast ~ perfect for taking pictures! It doesn't take long for the
fog to burn off, though. In fact, about 5 minutes from when I see it, to when I get outside with my camera!The girls were sure happy to see me coming...My babies are sure growing up fast!They love exploring the new playground that was the old barn...Mothers and daughters are still VERY close...
Speaking of daughters... "La Mia Bella Bambina" has taken to sitting outside, with a glass of red wine and reading each afternoon/evening. She actually asked me to take some pictures so she'd have them to remind her of this time, when she's off, serving her Country, in the Navy. Don't worry, we're quite safe. We've got watchful eyes making sure that nothing is amiss in the Bluff Country...

TRIVIA QUIZ

DREAM says... "And NOW for the FUN part! How many of the "girls" can you name from this post? You can only use each name ONE time, no matter how many times some camera hog lovely lady might sneak into the photos. Mom said she might even offer a PRIZE for whoever gets the most right answers. I'll post pictures of the prize, later today..."

Oh yeah............SHEEP!!!!!

My Goodness! It's been a while since I've posted about my SHEEP. Poor babies have been a bit neglected. Nobody's gotten any halter lessons (not that I've heard any complaints about that!). It's been too darn WET to sit out with the girls and before the rain started, it was too darn HOT! Today was just perfect. Sunny and cool. Perfect weather for getting reunited with my flock. Above, the ram lambs and year-old "Black Diamond" come running to great me. "American Idol" is always the first one up for scratches. He is such an adorable ram lamb! "Boomerang" (front), "Hunter" and "Mc Steamy" are never far behind. I am so pleased with the quality of ram lambs that my girls gave me this year! This handsome brute is "Eclipse". He is not on my "Breeding Stock For Sale" blog yet because I can't ever get any decent pictures of him! All his does it EAT. Except here, where he's playing with the swing.I CAN'T get a picture that shows how awesome he is! He's got wonderfully level topline, a great rear, superb horns, a perfect tail, soft, intermediate fleece and is a real nice ram ~ friendly but VERY respectful. I need to make a 'for sale' entry for him....

The boys weren't the only ones desperately in need of attention...This little doll is "Bluff Country Godiva". She's a fawn ewe lamb, out of "Flash Flood" and sired by "Paco". Isn't she beautiful? She is SO soft and sweet. Her fleece is definitely making the transition to fawn. She is a flawless beauty. Godiva is also for sale. She will soon have her own page on my Breeding Stock for Sale blog.

:-(

I'll post more pictures tomorrow. For now, Katie's got a movie ready to watch. We're having a "movie night"! Just me and my girl. Life is good.

DREAM says......"Thank HEAVEN Mom finally cleaned our barn! I kid you not, you guys: It was SO disgusting. She actually LOCKED us out of it all day so that it could dry and she could scrape it out and put all fresh bedding down. It's about time!"

Shut-in Entertainment....

During the past few days, I've been spending LOTS of time in the house. One can only spend SO much time cleaning. Then, one needs another source of entertainment... Even the CATS were getting bored, with all the rain! Fortunately, nature provided us with hours and hours of continuous entertainment, right out the living room window!What a thrill! I've always loved hummingbirds but never had the opportunity to see them up so close. They've literally been swarming the feeders. I'm not sure if they're so hungry because of all the rain and the (somewhat) cooler temperatures, or if they're preparing for their fall migration. But they sure have brightened our lives, the past few days and we will MISS them, when they are gone...

K.T.'s Walk....aka: the Last of the Flood Pictures...

My Beautiful Baby Girl doesn't let a little rain or flooding keep her indoors. These are some pictures she took on her walk, the other day. I tried to persuade Katie to post to my blog but she declined. She did, however, use a bunch of her and my photos to post on her "FACEBOOK" account. I guess that's the young people's blogger...In the picture, below, Katie has turned back for home. She's on the new bridge that was just completed over the creek (above photos) across from my house. You can see how my house is elevated, above the road and well above the stream. These pictures were taken Mid-Afternoon! That should give you an idea of how gloomy things have been around here.You can, literally, SEE the moisture hanging in the air!
I love my home, SO MUCH! I feel totally safe and protected here. This is where I belong.

And STILL it RAINS.....

This is the view out my windshield, as I drive to work. I bought this little, bobble-head sheep, off e-bay a couple of years ago. It always makes me smile. Even on the eternal dreary days that we've been having lately. We haven't had a day without rain in I-don't-know-how-long, in the Bluff Country! At least they've got the roads cleared and repaired enough to be passable. I brought my camera along but found it difficult to take pictures, in the areas where there was serious damage, because I had to be so alert while driving. The main problem that I saw, was LOTS of mudslides that brought big sections of the bluffs (hills/mountains - depending on where you live) down onto the roads. The work crews are working 24/7 to clear the debris and make the roads safe. I sure do appreciate the hardworking men (and women?) who are working, round the clock, in non-stop rain to return our world to 'normal'. However much they're getting paid, these people are EARNING every bit of it! This is dangerous work! It may be hard to see, but if you look closely, you can see a red car, on it's side, partially submerged in a corn field. It was actually 'hung up' on a fence row. When I was driving into work, in the morning, only a small part of the roof & window of the car was visible. By the time I got off work (at noon!), the water had fallen this much. There was much that I didn't see: houses that washed off their foundations, bridges that were washed away. Homes and businesses buried in mud and water. Families uprooted and loved ones lost. I am so lucky. I spent the last few days cleaning my house! I am so grateful that my home, my family, my friends and my beloved animals are all safe. I'm counting my blessings in the Bluff Country!

DREAM says.... ..."ME TOO! But I'd be even happier if Mom would get out here and clean the barn. It's getting pretty RIPE in there!!!"

Sorry, Dreamer. I have a long weekend off, starting Friday and it's supposed to STOP RAINING! I promise you will get your CLEAN barn...

DOG DAYS of Summer....

*As always, click on any image to enlarge it*

Remember the post with Lily on the "Hot Tin Roof"? Well, Daisy continues to find resourceful ways to relax in the heat and humidity that is the Bluff Country.Here she is, lounging in the hammock (that I moved up against the house, so that I could mow the back yard).
My Beautiful Baby Girl actually took these photos. I was in the house, dying , recovering from heat stroke , checking my e-mail, when Katie came running in to get the camera. "Mom, BLOG pictures!" she cried ~ I've trained her well. ;-) I, personally, had never seen Daisy in the hammock. Katie said that it was quite hysterical, watching her get in and out of it. I'm sure!
Daisy, obviously, shares our amusement.
The reality is, these photos are a couple of days old. (I've been busy!) The hot, humid, dry spell has ended and we are getting deluged with torrential rains. The temps have fallen by about 40 degrees ~ which is just fine with ME. My ewes are spending most of their time in the barn and my poor boys don't have shelter, since the big barn was torn down so are getting VERY CLEAN....

UPDATE...As I was writing this post (yesterday), our power went out and stayed out for about 4 hours. The torrential rains that we have been getting have caused massive flooding. I'm going to finish this post and I'll get back to you with more, this afternoon. In the meantime, Katie and I (and all my wonderful creatures) are HIGH AND DRY in the Bluff Country.

I've SET THE DATE!

no pictures today ~ they're all on my "Breeding Stock For Sale" blog...

No...not THAT date! The date for "our" party! Yours and mine! The party where we all celebrate the continuation of Bluff Country Shetlands and my new beginning as a home-owner and single woman, and the incredible power of friendship & love and believing in each other, and caring for each other and being there for each other! THAT party!! Are you coming? You SAID you would.....

The date: Saturday, September 22, 2007
Time: noon 'till ??????? (rough, overnight accommadations are a possabiltiy)
Place: Bluff Country Shetlands ~ Houston, MN.

This is my chance to say THANK YOU to all of you who stood by me and offered your friendship and support through the trials and tribulations of the last year. A period of time that I truly didn't think I could survive (and wasn't sure that I wanted to!!). For it have ended up like this ~ with me in my home and keeping my beloved flock of Shetland sheep and having all of YOU as my dear friends is more than I ever dared hope for. Soooooo.......

Come celebrate with me! Call or write for more details! Suggestions welcome!!

P.S. There's a special SURPRISE GUEST coming all the way from Arizona.....!

;=)

Happy Puppy....

Here she comes! Racing her way into your heart (mine, anyway!). My Bellamica is growing into such a beautiful, spirited pup and has totally taken over the household. Her sense of joy and exuberance are contagious and she is THE most loving animal I have ever known. Yet, she manages to maintain her "dignity" and not be a grovely, "pet me please" kind of dog. She is self-confident and very intelligent. I would definitely recommend that anyone considering getting a working farm dog consider an English Shepherd. What a phenomenal breed! I can't honestly say that she's any help with the sheep yet. Mostly, she just sits and watches me. There's plenty of time for that later. In the meantime, I'm just happy to have my beautiful Bellamica as part of my "family"...
DREAM says.... ..."I'd be real happy too ~ If you'd teach her to CLEAN THE BARN!!"