Shake and Bake and "Ah" Helped!

The old "Shake and Bake" commercial is a joke around here.   The little girl stands there and says, "Shake and Bake, and I helped" in her lovely southern accent.

It came to mind when Jake needed help with a strip in the new planting of oats and alfalfa.   It was bare right down the middle of a strip where the planter must of had a "senior moment".   So WE replanted it.    Can't believe that I helped.  I had to ride on the back and make sure the small amount of seed was going out through the holes to be planted.    It will take about a week to see how we did.


If you want to be a Badger, just come along with me.       The other night when Jake and I were driving to Sparta, I saw a badger alongside the road.    It seemed unusual that he was so close to the road.   Jake backed up the car, and the badger played "hard to photograph".   In the picture, if you can enlarge it enough, you can just see the stripe on his face and his eyes.    When we went by in the car his whole body was out, and he turned around because he was excavating by the side of the road.

This was Jake's first live badger sighting.   I have already seen two badgers walking by the side of the road as I was driving home from a job I had.    They were just ambling up the gravel side by side on the other side of the road, and I was able to slow my car down and follow along with them until they decided to go up the embankment and disappear.    Also, Roger, the man who hunts our land, has seen a badger two years in a row.   Two years ago a young badger walked under his tree stand, and last year he caught a full grown one on a trail cam.    SO......if you want to see a badger, just come along with me.

Freedom!!

     Today everyone was granted their freedom.    With such a small number of sheep, I can keep them close at hand when the lambs are very young.   All the better to snuggle on them.  They have had a small outside place to race around, but this morning, I let them out into my limited pasture where they will live for a while.   The major challenge for the lambs was the stumps in the middle of their area.   As you can see from the second picture, only one has conquered it, so far.    I know the others won't be far behind.    It surprised me that it wasn't Calla (white feet) that was first.   She is still by far, the leader of any kind off wild activity.   Gotta love that girl!

     The ewes paid no attention to what the lambs were doing when faced with a pasture that hadn't been grazed for several days.   They hadn't forgotten what to do.   The lambs went from one activity to another, eating, running, climbing, and exploring.   I will keep a close eye on them for several days.   They can get into so many unbelievable situations.

 

   Just one cow picture.   If you look closely, you will see that one young cow decided that it was not big enough to have a place at the table.   Being resourceful, it climbed up on the wagon.   I have no idea just how that was accomplished, but it sure was a surprise to us.  It is not easy to see, but if you look closely you can see the deck of the wagon is just behind the red gate and then a pile of green and then a black and white cow.    She does not belong there!

And a great big thank you to the Shetland people who contributed to my little darlings:   Kelly Bartels, Becky Uttecht, Karen Valley, Nancy Krohn, and Garrett Ramsey.   Without their wonderful animals, I would never have had these five wonderful little lambs with their very special fleeces.

Juni B's twins!!! Oh, yes, TWINS

Oh,  yes, Juni B had twins, and just what I would have wanted, except they could have both been ewes.    The babies reversed their parents' colors.   The boy, High Ridge Juniper, is black, and the girl, High Ridge Jasmine, is gray.   They are tiny compared to the other singles.    They weighed 5 1/2 and 6 pounds last night, but that was after seven hours of nursing on mother's milk.   As you can see, Jasmine even duplicated her father's spot.   Placement is a little off, but I think it is cool.  They both have beautiful curly coats.

That does it for lambs for this year.   The total was four girls and two boys.   Sure am sad to have lost that first little girl.  All seem to be doing fine.   The first two have become fast friends the last couple of days, but Mulberry has a real hard time keeping up with Calla Lily who is a whirlwind.

Yesterday was a day to remember.    Todd took his PA exam.   Juni had twins.   Found out Tom (my first husband's sister's husband)  is battling a disease.   Agonized all day about the vet coming to treat a young heifer............only to find the vet was a former acquaintance and the bone was healing and the calf could return to the herd.   (Going to keep her in a pen and stuff her with good food.)   I was glad when the day was over because I don't know how many more things I could have handled.   More pictures of the bouncing baby lambs will follow in days to come.

Minnie's baby

Meet High Ridge Mulberry.   I missed his birth by about an hour, but he and his mom did just fine without me.   (Happy me!)   He is bigger than Calla Lily, and I am not quite sure what color he is since he looks gray, but has some longer wool that is brownish.   He is also an OK Acres Casey son and has little chocolate chips for horns just like his dad.    I think he is one handsome dude!  He wasn't feeling photogenic just now, and Minnie kept blocking my view of him.   I will have to get a better picture of him later.

There are just two other ewes due real soon.    They both look like they might have twins.   We will see.

Calla Lily and Coco are in the background.    Calla is quite the little jumper already.    

More good news soon, I hope.

Coco's babe

It was a dark and storm night and barely getting light this morning when Coco had her little lamb.    Coco is a first time mother, and she had a quick uneventful birth.   The baby is a throw back to Nancy Krohn's sheep.    The grandmother was bred by Nancy.    The father is OK Acres Casey.   She is a flashy little ewe lamb who will probably be named High Ridge Calla Lily.   

Our first lamb was a still born ewe out of another first time mom.    There is no explanation for that heart break.

As you can see, the heat lamp is on, and I will labor to keep them warm in this totally horrible weather.  I am just so pleased that this birth has gone so well so far.   I will be checking them constantly even though the weather makes me want to stay in the house and read a book or spin or knit. 

More lamb news to follow in a short time because the other three are getting close to lambing.    I pray that their birthing is as uneventful as Coco's was. 

Finally something pleasant to report...........

The good thing is that today was shearing day.   This is seven of the girls with their winter coats still keeping them warm in the six inches of snow we had on Sunday night.

 This is all of the girls in the same snow.

 And another picture of six of them.

This is a very immodest picture of Coco.    At least Brian covered up here lovely little blossoming bag.    The other good news is that all five of my girls are pregnant.   Yahoo!!!   It is very difficult to tell if a sheep is pregnant when they are in full coat.    You can only tell for sure as they start to "bag up", and it is hard to tell that when they are standing and just starting.    When Brian turned them over, it was obvious.    I have been "feeling them up" for about two weeks, and it wasn't a sure thing for any of them.

This is Brian, my new shearer.    He got all five of the pregnant ewes sheared and also the two boys today.    He will come back next Wednesday and do the other four ewes.   I am fine with that.  

He is not fast, but he is gentle with the sheep.    The not fast part is why I changed shearers.    I need someone who shows that he is making sure the fleece is in the best condition it can be when it comes off the sheep.    The fleece is all important to someone who has sheep so that their wool can be used.  My fleeces do not get thrown on a truck in a big bundle.    They stay with me until someone buys them, or I create something out of them after they have been washed and carded and spun and knitted.

I will get off my sheep soapbox and tell you---- I am one, crazy, happy, old woman tonight!!!!

Corgi Snowplow Tunnels

I witnessed two little corgi dogs playing snowplow this afternoon.  (Jake must have rubbed off on them.)   Here I am shoveling trails for them to run on since the snow is so deep, even deeper after the snow and wind yesterday, and I see Lady just head full speed into a huge drift.    Her drift is on the right.    Beaver, not to be left out, followed by plowing the path to the left.    I have no idea what they thought was over on that side of the house, but they sure were determined to have a look-see.

 The second picture is just a close up of the first one.    Believe me the walls of their tunnels were taller than they were.    They both just busted through that drift like it wasn't even there.   

                                                              Snow Dogs Rule!!!

We are back in our routine of one clipper system after another.    Tomorrow more snow and wind.   I just hope that it doesn't switch back to that real cold stuff we had last week.    Snow is easier on all of us than extreme cold.

Winter Animals

These are all pictures of my animals outside in the weather which is totally different today than it was a week ago.  It is probably nearly 40 degrees warmer this Monday than it was last Monday.    They are probably even happier about this than I am.

 You have no idea how long it took me to get all these animals arranged at the fence line.   I will never bother to do that again.

 There are 6 ewes in this pasture, but they were not feeling too photogenic.

 The other three ewes are in this picture with the ram.   He is the small one.

 These are my four furry house friends.   They love the snow.  Their yard had paths for them to run in, but the wind messed that up.    Tomorrow I will have to start again because we are supposed to get more snow.

 

Here they are again.    As you can see, only one of them is laying down............my fluff from El Paso.   What is wrong with that?

What a poser!

This is Junior.    He is anything but little, but he has always been photogenic.  I couldn't resist this pose on the kitchen table with the ewe and her twins and the pine branch. 

We are experiencing a cold snap.   It has already lasted much too long, and it is only early December.  I hope this is not a portent of things to come.   I just keep getting older and colder.    The older I can handle, the colder..........not so much!

Mixing dog hair and wool

What do you mean; there is dog hair in my wool?   One thing I am sure to tell anyone who buys a product of either my spinning or knitting------------There will be other types of animal hair in the product.    It could be either dog or cat---------more likely dog.   I have to sit in my computer desk chair if I want to sit alone.  I always have a friend if I sit on the couch.   I even get a friend if I sit in my platform rocker.

Yesterday and again this morning, I had five helpers while I was knitting.   Just imagine me in-between the two corgis.   However, it is not all bad.   They keep me warm, and it has become that time of the year now.  I was fine knitting this a.m. until the collie got down and the others moved away from me.    Then I was cold.   The dogs are a great joy to me most of the time.

Yesterday, as in the picture, I was knitting white wool with black Little Beaver hair mixed in.   Today it is charcoal gray with white mixed in from any one of them.   (The brown one on the end is not mine.)                   And........it snowed last night about an inch, but it is nearly clear and sunny now.

Wovember

More about wool, especially Shetland wool, at a later date.    I am seven days late with this announcement of celebration.

Mr. Zippy

This post is all about Zippy.  He is not one of those fabulous talented dogs with letters after his name, but he is an awesome Cardigan.   He is a major couch potato who is more likely to be found in the recliner with Jake.  He seldom runs....just in the evening after being outside he might come flying into the living room.  He only plays on special occasions.  He likes going for walks, but doesn't fly around..... just bounces along.  We think he is very handsome, and his main job is being the fun police when the other two corgis are playing or the cat needs correction.

Here are two of his recent activities:

First he decided that he would be much more comfortable if he laid on the two pillows at the end of the couch.

Then, the other afternoon he decided to excavate a covered place for himself on the other end of the same couch.    First he dug on the cover with hit front feet; then he crawled under the cover and was completely covered.    Finally he turned around under the cover and stuck his head out and laid down.
It was a lot of work, but somebody had to do it.   Maybe he knows that Wisconsin winter is coming.

We love our Zippy!

Brockhaus Petting Zoo

The Brockhaus Petting Zoo, or, as otherwise known, more work for the farmer's wife.    There are five ram lambs and two calves, in the background.   This could also be titled, "Why there was so much noise on Tuesday night and Wednesday during the day".    Weaning took place, but everyone is doing better now.   Of these lambs, the four in the front are from our farm, and the one in the background is Casey from Kelly at OK Acres.    I have great plans of his adding some grey color next spring.   The two calves were abandoned by their mothers in the space of two days and became our bottle babies.    The two species just ignore each other.    They have an elaborate set-up in the garage to allow for different feeding for sheep and calves.   I think they have a pretty good deal going.

The lamb on the right is Campbell, and he may get to stay and be more than a companion for Casey.    Time will tell.

AAA---Alien Abduction Alert!!!

Poor Zippy said that he was abducted by aliens yesterday morning when we were at church.    He said  that when he regained consciousness, he was in this position-- behind bars in the kitchen.   Doesn't he look pathetic?

This barrier is set up specifically because of him since the cat food is on a shelf in the top left hand corner of the picture.    We have no idea how he gets into this position, so I guess the alien thing will have to be our story, too. 

 Although I had not planned on it, that corner of the kitchen is nice and clean now.    Everything got moved and changed.   I found an old wash stand that belonged to Jake's grandparents and filled all the drawers and shelves.   Jake moved the refrigerator, and things look much better now.    I wonder where the aliens will put Zippy the next time they visit...............

Green acres

 This post is just .....'how it is today'...... for my friend in Hungary who has not seen it for more than five years.  

 This is the view from the road.   Poppy and Virginia, yesterday's calf, are the closest cows on the hill.

This is just a field.  Jake has been through it once, but, like the rest of the farm, none of it is planted yet.   No corn this year just soy beans and alfalfa if all goes well.

 This is Holly and Vinnie in the middle of the shot.   He was born this morning early.  They weren't close enough to get good pictures.  He is still trying to figure just exactly where the "milk bar" is located.

 These are some of my girls and their lambs.   They are growing so fast.   My special friend, Coco,  is on the far right.

 These are two of my little lawn mowers.   Willie and Johnny, I think..    No trimming is needed around the sheep pasture.   When the lambs were real young,  they went in and out of the pasture on this side whenever they pleased.

 My handsome twins.   Campbell in front and Carrie to the left of him.   Their mom is to the left of Carrie and back some.

This is the 'forest' and the dog yard.   Grass needs mowing, for sure, but can't mow when it doesn't stop raining.    This afternoon might be a possibility, but I am off to my knitting group.   Maybe it will be dry enough for a little cutting before I go.

To Peti:   Hope the flooding of the Danube that you mentioned is less than expected.  Our big river has been quite well behaved this year even though we have gotten so much rain.

Finally.............a calf

It sure took long enough!    We have been waiting, not too patiently, for this calf to arrive.   Today she made her appearance.   She was just what I asked for..........healthy, female, and red.   Tonight we observed her nursing, so she is on her way in this new environment.   She will be named Virginia. Her mom is one of the cows that we brought up here when we came from Kenosha.   She isn't young, but she is productive and friendly.

Lambs are growing fat and sassy.   All the sheep look wonderful because all it does is rain which keeps their wool looking good.   Our weather is the exact opposite of last year.    Jake can't even get into the fields to do the planting because everything is so wet.  Best thing about it is that the grass in the pastures is growing like crazy.   We really are "green acres" right now.

Oh, goody!!! New hay!!!

There isn't enough fresh grass in my small pasture to make the girls happy, so they were real enthusiastic about a fresh bale of hay,   The lambs had never had hay this way, so they were excited, too, for the novelty of the experience.  Yes, they all got full of chaff, but they really didn't care.

Look carefully and you will see a white lamb in the bottom of the feeder.    Black gulmoget girl on left. 

These are five of the seven lambs.   Little girl, single, on the left.   Gulmoget twins-- moorit in the foreground and black at the feeder.    Solid moorit single and and one of the white twins.

Maybe the rain or snow tonight will clean them up.   Today it is winter again with lots of wind and spotty showers.    Once I even saw those tiny snow balls when I let the dogs in the house.    Next week we are supposed to have a day in the mid-eighty's.  Go  figure--------Wisconsin!

Carrie & Campbell

Sunday early afternoon brought the last two lambs.    They are Carrie and Campbell.    Carrie is a black gulmoget and Campbell is a moorit gulmoget.    I wish it was the other way around, but can't complain since at least one of them is a ewe lamb.

Here they are getting acquainted with the guy in the next cell.  It is probably Whalan since he is the most outgoing of the "W" twins.

Everyone has a name now.    Denver, moorit ram lamb,  Martina, white with brown spots ewe lamb, Johnny, black ram lamb, Carrie, black gulmoget ewe lamb,  Campbell, moorit gulmoget ram lamb, Whalan, white ram lamb, and Willie, white ram lamb.   It won't be long, and they will be makin' some powerful good music together.

Lambing, so far..............

Wheat had twin ram lambs last Saturday night.    

 Minnie had a single ewe lamb at 7:30 yesterday morning.

 This is a closer picture of my lone ewe lamb.   She is adorable.

 Juni B had a single black ram lamb. Johnny, about two hours later.

 Juni's mom, Darla had a single moorit ram lamb two hours after her daughter from last year.

Whalen and Willie really like basking in the rare sunlight in the front of the garage/lambing barn door.  I put the blanket down, and they promptly settled down for a nap.  I have one ewe yet to lamb.  She is Minnie's mom.  Maybe their line will give me all girls this year.

My herd is very small, so lambing is a real big deal here.   I was so shocked to have three ewes lamb yesterday morning.  The weather was not cooperative, but we managed.  They did most of the work to get them dried and fed and warmed.  Today they are jumping all over their jugs and keeping me from doing anything because I keep running out there to snuggle them.

Their names will reflect their mother's first initial and the names, first or last, of country singers.   Little girl and one boy are not yet named.    Some suggestions have been made, but they have been rejected by the shepherdess.   (All suggestions would be appreciated.  I don't do country music.)