NOT a day to play the lottery!

I didn't rest well last night. I awoke often from light sleep, thinking, "I wish I could go down and check on Annabelle." I'd listen for any sounds coming through the slightly opened window, then fall back into restless sleep.

Rick did not think she looked imminent last night during chores, but Annabelle was having some difficulty getting around yesterday afternoon in the pasture. Brian said she stumbled and fell trying to get back in the fold when he and Rick put the girls back in.

This morning Brian headed down to do chores before Rick – and burst back through the door in short order. "Annabelle has lambs – twins! A black one and a white one!" Of course I was grabbing for crutches and camera and struggling out of the recliner just as fast as I could. By the time I drove down there, Rick was tucking them into the lambing jug and Annabelle was passing the placenta. I looked down at the yelling lambies – and saw horn buds on the white one. My heart sank. A ram – AND horns? I bent to look at the black one's backside – and saw a telltale appendage. Hands-on examination later revealed that he, too, has horn buds.

I'll have to admit I shed a few bitter tears of disappointment. Not only did I not get the prayed-for ewe lamb to take mama's place in the breeding group, I didn't even get a possible future flock sire for my polled breeding program – not that Rick would let me keep another ram. If the genetics of their parents has been correctly identified – homozygous polled sire and half-polled dam – these lambs have to be half-polled and therefore not very desirable as flock sires, no matter how nice their structure and fleece. I'll have to do my best to find them fiber pet homes to keep them out of someone's freezer. :-(

Annabelle is no longer strong and spry, so this really will be her last lambing. She'll live out her days here producing crimpy white fleece that is always reserved ahead of time. She has given me six lambs in addition to the fantastic Bunker who came with her, and has been a good mother to all of them. I'm heartbroken that her genetics will not carry on in my little flock.



Despite my disappointment, SOMEone won today. Lee Anna was the clear winner of my lambing contest, coming closest on the date and the lambing stats. She wrote: "Hi – March 15 – twins, 1 ram, 1 ewe, 1 black, 1 cream." I've already emailed her to find out which prize she wants. Congrats, Lee Anna, and thanks to all of you for playing along.

That's it for today from the non-gamblers at . . .