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
{this moment}
Tag: guardian
Much of the Same
This post has been in the works all week, and we’ve really struggled to get it done. We had one almost spring-like day, but much of the week has looked like this. Much like Bella, we’ve been plodding along. The bred ewes are devouring 200 – 250 pounds of hay a day, cleaning up every last, little bit. The hogget ewes are growing out and have been very entertaining of late when we arrive to feed. Running through the snow, jumping up and down, they bring a smile and sometimes we can’t help but laugh out loud. And, of course that brings us to the barn cats. They are always eager to provide entertainment. The latest toy has been a discarded box that has received so much cat love, we’re reluctant to throw it away.
Hope you’re having a wonderful morning, and not digging out from under too much snow.
joining Rurality Blog Hop
Friday’s Fences
Bella enjoying the ‘shade’ at the fence line.
We’re loving the long, thin shadows of winter… when we’ve been lucky enough to see a little glimpse of the sun 🙂
joining Life According to Jan and Jer for Friday’s Fences
A Winter Mystery
While much of the weekend looked like this, the animals and their humans hunkered down and tried to stay warm for the most part.
Bella stayed in her usual spot. Even though she has access to three different shelters, she seldom uses them.
The sheep usually only seek shelter in the very worst of the wind and snow. Most winter mornings we are greeted by these big, snow and ice covered bumps in the pasture.
The crows are always nearby, hanging out, watching and waiting. They watch for Bella and Samson to fall asleep after their long night of guarding the farm. They wait for them to turn their back, if only for a moment, so that they can fly in and steal a nugget or two of dog food.
And on these frigid mornings, when the whole farm seems to be a frozen, snowglobe, they also wait for their chance to swoop in and pick off big chunks of ice that have frozen on the sheep’s backs. They quickly fly away with them and head down into the hollow, so that we have never been able to observe what it is that they actually do with them. Are they after the ice for the water, or perhaps for the hay seeds that may have frozen inside?
joining The View From Right Here for Rurality Blog Hop
{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
three :: mosey + plod
Come walk in the knoll pasture. We might as well check the fenceline as we walk the perimeter. This is a really hilly pasture, so I hope you’re wearing comfortable boots.
Bella has spotted us and comes running. She is very excited to join us.
More excitement, as Bella has spotted a long, lost old bone
Looking up from the bottom of the hill, we can see that there’s plenty of shelter in this pasture – a small box shelter and plenty of trees that are the most popular spot in the pasture.
Walking a little farther, we discover a ground hog hole… actually we find four of them. We’ll have to get them filled in before late spring. They’re a danger to the sheep, and a real danger to the tractor drivers when we brush hog the pasture.
Now we have reached one of my favorite spots on the farm. When you stand down here, it’s as if you are in the bottom of a bowl. The steep sides of the pasture curve around. You feel sheltered and protected. It’s magical.
Our daydreaming is quickly interrupted because here come the girls over in the adjoining pasture. They’re looking for breakfast.
Bella says we better head up the hill and get to the barn before the girls stage a break-out. We pick up the pace and move on toward the top of the hill and morning chores.
2013 Calendar Give-A-Way!
Are you still looking for a gift for that wanna-be-shepherd? sheep enthusiast? peep partisan? lamb lover? feline fancier? dog devotee? May we suggest our 2013 Sheeps and Peeps Farm Calendar! A 12 month, spiral bound, 8 1/2 X 11 inch wall calendar, printed on high-quality paper, it features scenes from a year at our fifth-generation family farm in wild and wonderful West Virginia. Each month has a photo or collage showing something that usually occurs on the farm during that time.
You can order it through our Etsy Shop or our Big Cartel Shop.
To celebrate the holiday season we are giving one away to a lucky blog reader. To enter the give-away simply comment on today’s post.. Comments will be closed on Sunday at 8 p.m. and the winner chosen by Random Number Generator. Good luck everyone!
Comments will be closed on Sunday at 8 p.m.
And the WINNER is – Isaiah Jenkins from Deer Path News!
Many thanks to all who commented!
Weekly Top Shot
Belladonna has been very busy, figuring out the new fencing configuration, and keeping track of her sheep. We were reminded how lucky we are by a Flickr friend in Wisconsin whose guard dogs had a run in with coyotes this week. Thank goodness, her dogs are going to be ok, and her sheep were not injured. A good reminder to give Bella and Samson an extra hug this morning. What a blessing they are!
Joining Madge at The View From Right Here for Weekly Top Shot
{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.
Sandy's Blizzard 2012
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!