Spring flowers........spring is here and now we're working towards summer. But it's been a very cool spring....many early mornings we've seen temps in the upper 30's. Plants don't grow well in the 30's....but they're trying. Weird spring. My starts are planted, perennials are growing. My 'Russian Blueberry', actually a member of the honeysuckle family, is trying to take over the yard - the big green thing on the right. HAHA! This fall it will get a severe haircut so I can walk into the small front yard. In the meantime tho, it produces a ton of edible berries that are blue and juicy and sweet. Fun to just stand there and eat them. The flower boxes are planted but growth is fairly slow...perhaps they will last longer into the fall.
I've been taking photos but I need to get some of my lovely lambs, some of which are for sale. I go out there and sit with them, scratching chins and chests, but forget to take my camera! Bad me! I lost a lamb, we all think he was defective at birth...sometimes that happens if you know what to look for. Just like in humans. People like to think all babies are born perfect, or at least some better than others, but just like with human babies, lambs are born with defects too. Some they can live with, some they can't. He graced us with his presence for 5 days and then poof, gone. His mother stayed close, knowing her boy needed her. She is a good mother. I fault neither of them, nor anyone else.
If you've only raised sheep for a little while, or just a few livestock with a few birthings, you don't get to see all of the many things mother nature can throw your way. But when you raise livestock for years, eventually you get to see most everything. I am sad I lost him...I worry I didn't do something that I should have. I will always worry and think and search the internet for more information and clues and what and how I can do things better. It's my job, I am their caretaker. If you can not deal with the occasional loss emotionally, then it can become too hard to raise livestock for you. Morals teach us tolerance, forgiveness, love, and faith. All of those things are needed for raising livestock in a respectful, humane manner. It is good to have morals, they support you when you feel you have failed, or when there is a death. If you raise livestock, you should try to look at the glass as half full. There are many people who will be glad to tell you it is half empty. You don't need that really you don't. The glass is always half full if you choose to farm, bet your life and lifestyle on producing enough...enough of whatever it is your farm produces to sustain your lifestyle. My glass is half full, I still have lovely lambs here, although not as many as I'd hoped for....but the lambs I have are wonderful.
I hope you enjoy your lambs and visit all of your animals today.
4 comments:
Sorry you lost the little guy. I know what you mean about always thinking that there was something you could have or should have done. I go through the same thing. And even when you know why a death occurred -- like the lamb that was born here four years ago without an anus -- you worry that you could have or should have done something to prevent that.
Thanks Deborah...you just sometimes can't do miracles, even tho we sure do try.
I was so happy to hear that Michelle's babies are going to you, Suzanne! WaHoo! :)
And thank you for the Memorial Day wishes. I know they mean alot to you, too. :)
And I meant to add my sincere regrets on the loss of your little guy. I know you did everything humanly possible for him. Sometimes we do all we can, but other plans are in the works we can see. It is very hard on the heart though.
My condolences. It's so hard to lose them.
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