There's gonna be a BARN!!!

There really IS going to be a new barn! This is how far the workers got on Monday. You can see the posts set where the 'lean to' will be on the side of the barn that faces the road (East).


This is how far they are as of this afternoon. Making nice progress! Especially considering it appears that there are only two guys working on it! I think they quit early today because of very strong winds.

DREAM says.... ..."When those guys were pounding and making all that noise, "SOMEBODY" got into the pumkins again..."

You better get cleaned up, Dreamer! Crescent Moon is on his way and will be here, later tonight!

Bella and the SHEEP (as promised to Dream!) ...

* as always, click on any image to enlarge it*
Hey! I wasn't complaining yesterday. I really wasn't! In spite of everything, I had a wonderful day with my critters! In addition to spending lots of time with those "G" animals (who's name I promised I would NOT mention in this post), I had a blast with Bella and the ewes...In this picture,we had just walked out into the pasture with the girls. All was peaceful and calm. Bella seemed to be counting, to make sure everyone was there...

Then, she decided that she really didn't like the flock quite so spread out. She was particularly uhhappy with the group that insisted on staying close to ME. Apparently, she decided that things would be better if all the ewes stayed up in the far corner of the pasture. So she set about to PUT them there!
Please bear in mind, this seven month old English Shepherd puppy has had NO formal training. Heck ~ she hasn't even had any informal training! None. Nada. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Well, OK...I have taught her to "sit". Shetland sheep have a reputation of being rather difficult to herd. Mine have never been herded and several (does that look like DREAM???) resisted Bella's efforts.

Bellamica moved in closer... Before long, and with no aggressive behavior (on BELLA's part!) most of the girls were gathered in the corner. Now, Bella's job was to hold them... Not everyone cooperated! But Bella was persistent.
Flash Flood and several of the ewe lambs tried to make a break for it, while Bella was busy on the other side of the group... When Bella moved in to push them back with the others, Flash let her know ~ in no uncertain terms! ~ that she was not about to be pushed! I'd think twice about pushing this ewe if she was stomping her foot at me!! Bella was NOT intimidated. She WAS, however, smart enough to stay out of Flash's reach! She just circled back around and pushed Flash and the ewe lambs right back in with the flock, where she wanted them!
WELL DONE, BELLAMICA!!!
DREAM says.... "You call THIS a "SHEEP" post??? I've got an idea...how about the next time you come out to visit, leave the dog IN THE HOUSE!!!"

Poor Dreamer...

On being depressed....

Katie called this morning! She couldn't talk ~ just had to verify an address for some security clearance paperwork that she was filling out. She said she would be able to call later this afternoon.

The workers have finally started (barely) on my barn and I was excited about being home to watch them work today.

My new ram lamb, "Sheltering Pines Crescent Moon", was supposed to arrive today, from his temporary home in New Jersey.

Katie didn't call back. I stayed off the computer all day so that she'd get through when she called.

The workers never showed up to work on the barn. When I called, the crew chief said he gave the crew the day off for hunting. They'll be here Monday (while I'm at work).

No sign of Moon.

It could have been a REALLY sucky day! But how can one possibly be depressed with THIS in their back yard?: Is it possible for anything to be any CUTER???? How did I ever LIVE without Angora Goats? I swear, I can almost SEE their fleece growing every day! What adorable creatures!And they're every bit as sweet as they are cute!! Thank you, Julie Chapman, for turning me on to these incredible new friends.

DREAM says..... ...."HMMPFT!"

I'm sorry Dreamer ~ tomorrow I'll post the pictures of you girls with BELLA practicing her sheep herding skills. (We had a blast!!) An "ALL SHEEP" (and Bella!) post ~ I PROMISE...!

FINALLY....

Well over a month after it was delivered; and after several rather nasty phone calls on my part (the builders kept promising me that they were coming "next week"!) my barn-in-the-box is finally OUT of the box! It will be fun to watch it go up and take the form of a shelter for all my critters!

I'll post more, later today. I got a letter from my Beautiful Baby Girl yesterday and I have to run into town to mail her a care package! ;-)

FALL is in the air....

The leaves are falling. (That's Daisy, checking them out) There's a crisp, coolness in the air, that I have SO longed for. The days are getting shorter, which means I have to pack so much more into limited time. But I love the crisp, cool temperatures!The lambs are almost as big as their moms! That's Dilemma & Diva, above.I let the goats out of their pen and into the back yard today... They helped me clean up the flowers from the summer. ;-) Meredith is becoming my very special friend.. The Angoras even got to go out into the big pasture, for the first time! They loved all the leaves.

My ewes & lambs got turned into fresh pasture. I can't believe how GREEN it still is! Even in the Bluff Country, the grass is usually pretty dried up by this time of year. This will certainly help with the hay being fed this year. Especially since I have a couple extra girls AND three goats to feed now!

Bellamica needs LOTS of exercise! So I cheat and throw her ball or frisbee (or stick, or whatever is handy!) down the hill in the front pasture, so that she has to run up and down the hill to bring it back to me!Needless to say, she LOVES this game and it beats me having to take her for long walks! Not that I wouldn't love to take her for walks, but who has the TIME????...OR the energy?!

DREAM says... "There is a definite lack of sheep pictures here!!!"

Time to plan ahead....

FOR NEXT YEAR'S LAMBS!!!!!
This is "Kimberwood Hunter". Hunter is a fawn & white/HST (yuglet/sokket) ram lamb that I purchased from Kim Nikolai. He is a "Skittles" Grandson. I will be using Hunter on several of my ewes this breeding season. He has very nice conformation and a tiny tail (something I want to improve on some of my HSTs). I also love Hunter's beautiful, FAWN fleece! Although it's gently wavy, as opposed to crimpy, it is fine and has a VERY soft handle. I have a number of 'modified' girls so there will be lots of potential for Shaela, Emsket, Fawn & Mioget, HST lambs next spring!!! Now all I have to decide is WHO I am going to breed! I have too many ewes to breed them all so am considering who I will 'hold back'. I'm seriously considering giving Alice a break. She's given me triplets two years in a row! If I don't breed her, I could also keep her daughter, "Destiny", in with her during the breeding season. And any other ewe lambs that I decide not to breed.
Hunter won't be the only ram that I'll be using this year (although, you wouldn't know it judging by the contended look on his face in this picture!. I'm expecting delivery of "Sheltering Pines Crescent Moon", at the end of this week. "Moon" is coming all the way from New Jersey! He is a moorit and white HsT (with a tiny tail!) and I'll post pictures of him as soon as I get him settled in.

DREAM says... ..."Oh, YES! I want to see more pictures of handsome BOYS!!!"

The Tree...

*click to enlarge photos for more detail!

*I'm still sick, but I'll post some more pictures from yesterday....

For many years, the big tree, in the middle of the ewe's pasture, has been a gathering point, and a photo setting. I love the play of colors and the expressions on the ewe's faces when they are by "The Tree"... One of my all-time-favorite photos is the one that I use on my button for this blog. It's Alice napping by The Tree. Alice truly loves The Tree.Sometimes she, reluctantly, shares... Here, Zest gets a chance to snuggle with The Tree. "Hey! I like The Tree too."
Zodiak & Dream like The Tree... Even baby "Godiva" loves The Tree.

But Alice loves it best.

G'night