Introducing Boulderneigh Barrister!

First, the handsome youngster:

Then the story!

Yesterday I started a post about how disappointed I was. Yesterday was the due date based on Barish's introduction to the girls 24 hours after the CIDRs were removed, and NONE of my girls looked imminent. I had pretty much convinced myself that "back-up Blake" got lucky with all the girls in less than 24 hours and I'd have to wait another 2 1/2 weeks for lambs. But at chore time last night, Annabelle looked a bit preoccupied, in an uncomfortable sort of way. I decided to put her in the corner lambing pen just in case, since she gets picked on sometimes. This morning she looked bored and perfectly normal, so I let her back into the main fold where she proceeded to eat hay with the others - most of the others. Now Katie was standing in the back corner, taking her turn at looking preoccupied.
She actually seemed to want in to that nice, clean lambing suite, but I decided there wasn't enough evidence to warrant it. I got ready to go to a doctor's appointment with Rick, drive Brian to a science class in a different town, drive him back for a birthday lunch and play date with friends, and then head to the ophthalmologist's for our annual eye exams - a full day of commitments away from home.

But after lunch, rather than running errands while Brian was occupied with friends, I decided to dash home and check on things. I was so thankful I did, because I caught Katie in the middle of a contraction. It was obviously early labor, but labor nonetheless, so I pulled her coat and put her in the lambing suite.
Then I had to dash back to town, pick up Brian, and head to the eye doctor's.

When we got home I drove straight to the barn, where we found what you see in the first photo - Boulderneigh's first katmoget, up and licked clean by his very attentive mom. How I would have loved to have Katie present me with a little katmoget ewe.... But little (6+ lbs) Barrister is wonderfully square, with beautiful, consistent, crimpy fleece and, of course, those striking katmoget markings (and moon spots?). His horn buds are huge, so he didn't inherit that one possible poll gene from his sire FirthofFifth Barish, and will be available for sale as a potential flock sire.

Oh, and it was another four-egg day - this time, all pullet eggs!

That's the latest from . . .