Sunday, April 26, 2009

Aggie and Maggie's New Lambs

Yesterday, Alice came home with the smell of a brand new lamb in her arms. She held a Cheviot lamb born just a week ago and patted another born early Saturday morning. The mommas Aggie and Maggie were not pleased their lambs were being held. They walked around the people bleating "Give it back! Put it down!!" But, it's important for the lambs to be used to being held and being close to people.
Yesterday, the ram, the two lambs born last year and the momma who gave birth last week all were sheared. The young stood shivering afterwards sticking close to their father. Here's what young Annee looked like last year with her momma, Aggie.
Lots of dogs got to see the lambs from a safe distance: Swiss dogs Zen and Geiger, a golden lab search dog, a beagle named Errol... Maybe I will get to see them this week.
In the late afternoon the newest lamb was sitting down facing the setting sun. Alice thought how it would soon be facing its first night, snuggled close to its still fleecy momma. Listening just a few feet away to one of its people inside a house spinning orange wool from its relatives while its momma and aunt had their evening snack of pineapple rinds, chard and other lettuce leaves.
It's amazing to think of that littlest lamb, brand new, trotting up and down all over its paddock, chasing its cousin, spinning and wagging its tail in joy while sucking milk from its momma.
I'm sure it's momma said the Sun would come up this morning and many other things a lamb must know.