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Sunday, March 2, 2008

It's March and I've been in hibernation


Oh my, have I been sleeping long?
It seems more than 3 months have passed since I've been here and typed. That happens here. In the winter the days are shorter, the demands are determined by the weather. If it stays in the 10's and 20's, the animals don't need as much of my time. When the cold snaps hit, they need me to be very observant, to be near them, to help them cope. No time to worry about the Shepherd, only the flock. We had an incredibly long, arduous cold snap in February. It lasted for 3 weeks. That is very rare here. 3 days, 5 days, a week and a half - that is all they stay for, then move on to Canada and the midwest. No, every morning for 3 weeks we woke up to at least -20, many mornings it was -25. Most days never got to zero. Yes, Farenheit. It was very hard on all of the 2 and 4 legged creatures here. Nothing much moved if it didn't have too. It was amazing tho that no one lost ear tips this time. Then it took another week for people and animals to return to semi-normal. Friends lamented on the phone. Faces left exposed felt burned, much like memories of laying in the sun too long. The skin gets tight and then it aches. Who needs dermabrasion?! Now I am back, the ewes look like wooly blimps. I've already lined up my wonderful shearer to come in a few weeks and we will start shearing time again. Since we are both over 50, it is better if we only shear 12 -14 a day tho, our backs have timers on them at this point in life that send out warning bells if you don't want to walk like a sailor just off a long ship voyage the next day. So now I wait for lambs. I see udders. I think of beautiful lambs arriving, of taking photos once again, and waiting for the return of robins. It won't be long, another 2 months and we'll see gree grass here everyone once again. 2 months is not long when you've already been hibernating for more than 3.
Lambs, oh my I can't wait for lambs and fun and running and playing and head butting and LAMBS!!



Good to see you again, I'm glad you're back too!


4 comments:

Michelle said...

Good morning; glad you woke up! Looking forward to seeing photos of your lambs.

Alaska Shetland Shepherd said...

How are you, girl?! I feel like I've been on a long (working) vacation out of the country...
speaking of which, some of us should get together and go to one of the Shetland Islands for a week this spring. Life is too short you know....

bopeep said...

Welcome back, I hope winter leaves us all now....can't wait to see your new lamb photos.

Tina T-P said...

Glad to see you got thru the winter OK - Do you keep heat in your barns to keep the woolies from becoming popcicles when it gets so cold like that? T.