Eating for six

In answer to LannieK's question to yesterday's post, yes, I think there is a very good chance for twins – actually, two sets of them! What do YOU think?

Sarai and Vienna look equally round, but the photo below is telling, if you biggify and look closely:

Today (getting up early enough to go outside and check on things is working well for me) the skies are gray again, but there are rays of sunshine close to the ground:

in the island bed

by the front gate

And here's our perfume factory, just outside the garage door:

That's it for now from . . .

Swing Spring

Oblivious to the insults of old age or the burdens of pregnancy, boys just wanna have fun.



Speaking of burdened ewes....

I wrote down a due date of March 21 for Vienna based on Blake's fervent attention back in October. She may hold on that long, but at the rate her lady-parts are changing, I wouldn't be surprised if she actually settled one cycle prior and lambs the first week of March. Sarai is beginning to bag up, too, but her vulva isn't changing yet.

Sooner or later, we will have lambs to go with our flowers. Maybe we'll still have record-setting warm weather to welcome them, too. (It could be a brutal summer!)

Spring is springing at . . .

Shadows and sunshine

The hen died this morning. Annie still can't rise by herself. We got her up four times today; once up she gets around okay and is interested in eating. Brian didn't feel well today, so we didn't go to his violin lesson. That gave me unexpected time at home on a beautiful Monday afternoon to let the girls out to graze awhile. Grace.

That's it for now from . . .

The downside of time

That accursed clock. Simply put, time (on this earth, at least) runs out. This morning it was clear that it is running out for two of our denizens.

The Buff Orpington hen that went broody last year is on her last legs. Her comb and eyes show it, and she is having a hard time getting around. I agree with Terry at The HenCam that the kindest thing is a quick and painless end, but I am incapable of providing that for her. So I did the next best thing, putting her in a protective cage within the coop so she could eat, drink, and rest in peace.

When I did chores this morning, Annabelle was resting in her corner. I loaded up my horse for a lesson off-farm; when I returned three hours later, she was still resting in the same spot. Hmmm. I went in and checked on her, then opened the gate to let everyone out on pasture. Annabelle tried to get up and go, but couldn't. I assisted her, and with my help, she made it out to graze. I kept an eye on her out the windows as I worked around the house; after several hours she laid down in the sun.

At one point I noticed the teenagers (Bali and Blaise) standing over Annabelle. I stopped to watch, and to my horror, Bali started butting her! Fortunately, I got an immediate response when I shouted out the window, and the rest of the time, Annie rested in peace. When it was time to bring the girls in, though, I again had to assist her to her feet. Her legs just don't want to work after she's been down awhile. I worry about her during the work week when I'm not around to keep an eye on her and assist her to her feet periodically....

Vienna also rested quite a bit so I kept an eye on her, too. I thought she was waddling (she's definitely a wide load), but when she got up and I watched closely, she's actually gimping with her left hind leg. Probably more of that bad-mannered bashing; sheep aren't much nicer to their own kind than chickens. *sigh*

For every beginning,

there is an ending. I wish it were otherwise.

That's it for now from . . .