Obsessive Compulsive...

It looks pretty peacefull, doesn't it?

Well, let me tell you:  looks are decieving! 

I went out early, to spend some quiet time with my sheep and snap some photos before the sun got too glaring.  However, what I saw made me absolutely CRAZY...

It wasn't Godiva, lounging peacefully in the shade.

Nor was it Dream or Zorro or even the dogs.

No.  What made me absolutely, completely, uncontrollobly, out of my mind obsessed was

Dazzle!

OMG!

Just LOOK at that!

Could you possibly NOT be compelled to gentle remove large handsful of fleece???

It's literally FALLING off.

In CHUNKS!

I just ran into the house to get a bucket to put the wool in...

MUST roo!!!

Fresh Pasture...

Sable oversees the move to the side pasture

I always like to turn my girls out onto fresh pasture the last few weeks before lambing begins.  I feel it provides them with the very best nutrition to carry them and their unborn lambs through the final weeks of pregnancy.  That plus the grass is getting long and I don't want to have to mow it!

The lush, green grass is fairly bursting with nutrition

The nineth (and final!) "Alice Watch" will commence the first week of May.  She should lamb around the end of May.  I will keep one lamb and Alice will not be bred again.  She's earned her retirement! 

 I entered "Alice Watch" in the search box on this blog and it brought up a list of all the posts where we talked about waiting for Alice to lamb.  I didn't go through them all but apparently, there are FIVE pages of Alice Watch posts!

Alice's beautiful, Shaela daughter "Destiny"

DREAM says...

"I'm not having MY babies until  the end of JUNE! 

 I'll help you keep an eye on Alice, Mom..."

Thanks Dreamer.  I knew I could count on you!

Busy Day in the Bluff Country...

;-)

DREAM says...

"XOXO!"

Sheep Retreat...

My good friend Katie W. had a stressful week.  She had to redo FOUR  years of taxes!  Needless to say, Katie 's nerves were a bit frazzled.  Since  she was driving down to the Bluff Country to pick up chicks anyway, I suggested a little "sheep therapy" to soothe Katie's frazzled nerves...

My girls took their job VERY seriously.

"The poor kid looks beat!"

"Tell me all about it...."

We sat out with the ewes for hours!  What a treat.

I'm thinking there might be a business plan here...

DREAM says:

"Will work for cookies."

That's my Dreamer!

We interrupt this regularly (?) scheduled blogcast for a special announcement:

I have been working on hard on a new WEBSITE.  I wanted a site that incorperates  my interest in my beautiful Shetland sheep as well as my flsashy flock of colorful chickens.  Therefore, it is with great pride (and a little nervousness) that I invite you to peruse my new website and give me your feedback.  Any corrections, suggestions, complaints or compliments are welcome!  I've attempted to  add links to the site within this post and will also add a link on the sidebar of my blog.  To be precise, the URL (address) for the new website is:

bluffcountryshetlandsandbackyardchickens.com

Miracle in the Bluff Country...

If you've been following this blog for a while (in spite of the Shepherdess's sporadic posting!), you may remember how excited I was about planting my Snow Crab Tree  two years ago.  And how very unhappy I was when my sheep got into the backyard (TWICE)  last summer and girdled it.  Everyone knows that trees can not survive having their trunks girdled (the bark removed in a circle, completely around the trunk.  I had been so excited about planting that tree and so looked forward to the blossoms. ..

Well, it looks like girdling trees doesn't always kill them!

Apparently, the TLC I provided, helped my little tree survive.  I still can't believe it!  Right after the girls chewed the bark off the trunk, I wrapped the trunk in plastic for a week and then removed the plastic and wrapped it with an Ace-bandage for the rest of the summer and fall. 

It's alive!

Somehow, that little tree reminds me of me. 

 It keeps getting beat back. 

It keeps almost not making it. 

It was supposed to die. 

But it keeps coming back. 

It survives.

One of these days, it may even blossom!

;-)

In the meantime...

The girls are getting fat.

DREAM says...

"No need to make comparisons to the Shepherdess!:"

;-)

A Few of My Favorite Things...

Meet My Son...

It was a wonderful Easter!

I spent the afternoon with my oldest daughter Pam (and her husband & three sons!) and my son, Ben.  I don't believe that you've met Ben...

Ben is my "middle" child.  Although I don't know how I could possibly be old enough to have a middle child as old as Ben!

Sable LOVES  Ben.

I think it's because he doesn't yell at her when she climbs up on him to give him kisses!

Pam and Karl brought their new puppy (a tiny "Teddybear") named "Piper" to meet the family.  What a little doll!

SABLE says...

"That little fur ball may be cute but she better stay away from MY  Ben!"

FYI

Ben has Cerebral Palsy as a result of a very traumatic delivery and an incompetent obstetrician.  He is unable to walk or feed himself or do most activities that we take for granted.  Yet, he lives on his own.  He owns a mobile home and has home-health-care aides that come in to bathe, feed and dress him and take care of his personal needs.  I am SO proud of my son!  Ben is independent, smart as a whip (he gets that from his Mom!) and a kind and sensitive human being who cares deeply about others.  Ben is proud of all that he has accomplished in spite of his disability and has many friends who contibute to the fact that he has made a good life for himself.

But he won't let me use his nickname on a public forum...

I love you _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _!

:-)

From Us ~ To You...

May your grass grow green and lush,

May you spend time with the ones you love,

May your lambs be healthy and lovely,

and your fleeces exquisitely soft.

DREAM says:

"Happy Easter!"

Out Like a Lamb...

We still have a couple of months before any lambs will be born in the Bluff Country but I am just thrilled at the wonderful weather we are having.  It's March 30th and the temperatures are supposed to be in the mid to upper 70's today and most of this week!

See all that ugly, brown grass?  It'll be green before you know it!

Sable and Zaria are enjoying the warm days.

Godiva is content growing a gorgeous fleece and waiting  for her 'Mom' to come for a visit

As for Bella and Sable...

Well, they're playing like puppies!

We all had such a wonderful visit with Katie while she was home and already miss her like crazy.  But she promised it won't be so long between visits next time and there sure is plenty of work around here to keep me busy!

DREAM says:

"Mom's going to take lots of pictures this week so that you can watch the grass turn green!  I'll try to do something cute so that Mom takes SHEEP pictures, not pictures of those silly chickens."

You don't have to "try", Dreamer.  You're always cute!

Life is Oh-So-Very Good in the Bluff Country...

I let the ewes out into the big pasture.

Just so that Katie would have something to look out at when she sits in her swing in the backyard.

The sheep were delighted to get turned out into new pasture ~ even if everything IS still brown and not so lovely...

And a little cool, Springtime weather wasn't going to stop my Beautiful Baby Girl from sitting in her favorite spot, with a glass of wine and a good book, and enjoying being home!

It may look prettier, later in the year, when the flowers are blooming and the grass is green.  But my BBG snuggled into her wool jacket and a scarf & mittens ~ draped a home-spun, handknit shawl over her lap and made the most of being home...

Today, we're heading into town to have lunch with My Princess and Ben (who forbids me to use his nickname on public forums!) and then Pam & Katie are taking my Grandsons out of school for the afternoon and going to a movie while I get some shopping done.

It just doesn't get much better than this!

DREAM says:

"Did you see that?  Mom didn't even mention the chickens!"

We don't need to tell Dreamer that Katie and I moved a newly hatched clutch of chicks out of the incubator, into the brooder in the living room last night and then sat and watched a wonderful  movie (The Blind Side) and adorable baby chicks! 

;-)