Making Adjustments

The snow has almost disappeared.  Bent and broken temporary, interior fencing has been popping out of what remains.  The hope is that today and tomorrow we will get everybody, if not back in place, at least in a new more appropriate place. 

This particular co-habitation is not supposed to be taking place.  Poseidon and Aragorn, the rams, managed to walk out of their paddock several days ago and have been chasing Hannah and Hermione (and each other) ever since.

Bella, however, has had other ideas and has established herself as the care-taker and peace-maker within this group.  It has been a joy to watch her at work.   

We’ve finally been able to feed hay to the ram lambs in the corral, so they have at least been able to get out of the barn.  We’re hoping to repair and reorganize enough in the next couple days to get all the lambs out of the barn and back into secure paddocks.  Everyone is safe inside the exterior fencing (which we still need to make it all the way around to check for downed limbs) but it is kind of chaotic inside that fencing.  At least, so it seems to the shepherdess/s who are used to having some semblance of a plan for each season.
So today begins, two weeks behind in the fall chores, and a new plan being created somewhat on the fly.  Oh well, as Leonard Bernstein, once said, “To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time.” 

{this moment}

A Friday ritual.
A single photo – no words – capturing a single moment from the week
A simple, special extraordinary moment.
A moment to pause, savor and remember.
Participating with the SouleMama blog.

Please forgive our breaking the ‘no words’ rule.  The electricity came back on last evening… after nine days.  Many thanks to all of you who kept us in your thoughts and for your kind words of encouragement!   Please join us in keeping those still affected by Hurricane/Blizzard Sandy in your prayers.  There are over 3,300 families in our county, alone, still without power.  We are so very grateful to all those that are working hard to get things back up and going… both here in West Virginia and the other areas with even more devastation.

Sandy's Blizzard 2012

the first 'coop curtain' of the seasonbarn lanedrivewaytaking hay to the back pasturelambs tucked snugly in the barnglimpse of sunshine in the evening
cemeteryCathedral ParkCathedral ParkGeorge Washington HighwayBellviewroad grader
traffic backupsnappedconfusedcabin feverthe lambspumpkin
snow off barn roofat the barnsnowshoesbellacoop curtainthrough the barn door
Sandy’s Blizzard 2012, a set on Flickr.

There is now electricity within about one and half miles of the farmhouse! We’re hoping today is the big day! Hopefully by the weekend it will warm up and melt down enough that we can begin repairing fence, etc. Once again, we can’t say enough how fortunate we’ve been compared to others. We are thankful!
Special thanks goes to the volunteers at the Aurora Fire Department who have worked tirelessly in the community… first cutting trees and clearing roads, pumping out basements, delivering Red Cross meals, even picking up people to vote! The list could go on and on and on. They have helped so many.
There are more photos in this set and notes with more details on the individual photos on Flickr. Thank you so much for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers!

In a Cloud

The fog that began Saturday evening, was still clinging to the ground all day yesterday.  It was very surreal, kind of (what we imagine it would be) like walking around inside a cloud.  Although it wasn’t raining, you could not help but be drenched from the fine mist that constantly surrounded you.  In spite of chill in the air, it was really quite beautiful.

Weather Update:
Rain began during the night, and we now have been issued a blizzard warning from 6 p.m. tonight through 6 p.m. Tuesday, with the worst of it coming around midnight. Most of the leaves are now off the trees, so we’re just hoping the lights stay on. Stay safe everyone!

Shearing Day

National Hug A Sheep Day was celebrated in grand style here at the farm.  Yesterday was shearing day and there was a whole lot of sheep hugging going on.  Forty-nine bags of beautiful lambs wool now just waiting for she who seeks wool and works willingly with her hands (to paraphrase Proverbs). 

As usual our shearers, Joe and Melvin, did an amazing job.  We are so grateful for their help and friendship… as we are, also, to our catchers, throwers, baggers and sweepers!

A cold, thick fog moved in last evening and hasn’t moved an inch. As you can see it really hasn’t fazed those naked lambs a bit. They were lying right out in it, chewing their cud as if it was a sunny, sixty-degree day.
Like everyone else in the Mid-Atlantic, we are preparing for the big storm headed our way.  Snow predictions range from 4 – 24 inches, wind gust predictions up to 60 mph – we’re battening down the hatches hoping for the best.

Belle and Liam

Breeding season is beginning a little early this year.  Belle, one of last year’s market lambs, has been moved into the back paddock with Liam.  This is an experiment, of sorts, to see what kind of lambs we get from crossing a meat breed ewe with one of our Border Leicester rams.  We are curious to see how fast it grows, its rate of gain, and if it reaches show weight by the time the Buckwheat Festival rolls around next year.
We usually don’t begin this early because we like to lamb in the warmer early spring weather and after the pasture grass begins to grow.  The rest of the ewes will be brought in early to mid-November.  For now, Liam gets the early nod.  He is equipped with a marking harness, so we will be able to calculate the approximate birth date.  Already we’re curious… what will the lambs look like… what will their wool be like… dozens of questions floating through our minds.  We’ll see what answers very, early spring brings!