After Sandy

A quick post to let you know that, yes, we are all ok.  Sandy hit our mountains with over 2 feet snow and drifts even higher.  Like much of the rest of our state we are without electricity.  We have a wood stove, and that is providing warmth.
Yesterday, feeding was done with snowshoes, and the tractor got hay to the top of the hill and the sheep in the back pasture.  Monday, we stockpiled hay in buildings closer to the some of the sheep.  A lesson learned from past snowstorms. 
As sometimes happens with big snowstorms, the animals have begun to rearrange themselves because they can walk over the temporary fencing dividing the pasture.  Bella, for the first time ever, has actually sought shelter and has hunkered down with two ewes in their small shed.  Although you can’t see their fencing at all, so far the rams have stayed in their small paddock.   Just in case they decide to wander, the corral gate was shoveled out and closed.  And those lambs that were shorn on Saturday, well don’t worry about them.  They are tucked away snug in the barn. 
Thank you, everyone, for all your thoughts and prayers.   The blizzard warning has been lifted, but we’re under a winter storm warning today for three to five more inches.  Roads are getting re-opened, so hopefully the lights will come back on soon.  We’re praying for all those who were hit much harder and are so much less fortunate than us.  We’ll keep you updated as we can. 

Weekend Snowstorm

After a very, very mild January, we finally had a much anticipated snowstorm over the weekend.  Despite the windchills of -10, the sheep were quite happy with the weather.  For the most part, they were content to remain out in the snow, and rarely sought the shelter of the barn.

Getting where you wanted to go was a bit of a challenge, as our road was not plowed until the storm was over, but we made it out and then down the old barn lane and back with a Ranger load of hay.  And of course that made everyone happy.

The only place that coming and going proved to be a real problem was in the barnyard.  The traffic snarl was a common occurance as no one wanted to veer off the beaten path.

Despite the Weather

We worked furiously through an afternoon and evening that saw rain, sleet, hail, thunder, lightning, wind and even rainbows but finally got all the lambs tucked snugly in the barn just as it got dark.  The barn is cleaned and reorganized, ready for the shearers to arrive this morning.  Hopefully the lambs will be dry.  Dress warmly… shearing helpers… it is cold and windy out there this morning.





Typical March Weekend

In typical March fashion, Mother Nature threw a little bit of everything at us over the weekend.

We awoke Saturday morning to a beautiful sunrise, then just as predicted in that old saying – “red in the morning, sailor take warning” – a strong wind picked up and it began to rain.  Luckily it started right as we finished morning chores because it rained, and rained hard, all day and all night.
Those ewes that chose not to seek refuge in the barn, spent the worst of it standing completely still, facing into the storm.  We suppose this prevents the wind from ruffling their wool so that much of the rain just rolls off their lovely, lanolin-saturated locks.
More rain early Sunday morning and we, along with the rest of farm, were feeling pretty soggy.  Just as if on cue, as we finished dressing to go out for chores, the rain suddenly turned to snow.  It was a very wet snow, but it sure made our world a little less grey, a little more cheerful and turned the back pasture into a wintry, snow-globe complete with these fine, good-looking ram figurines.