There's beauty in discovering a community in my neighborhood, but there's just as much beauty in the reminder of the virtual community that exists as well. Goodness, thank you friends, for your encouraging words, gentle advice, and loving thoughts in response to yesterday's post, and our rough start to sheep farming. That is so very much appreciated.
Cinnamon and Emily are settling in quite well. They arrived with those names, and just seemed so fitting that we couldn't change them. Cinnamon, a year old ewe, is exactly the color of the yummy spice. Emily, a four year old gal, reminds us all of the sweet girl from the Little Bear books, a serious Soule family favorite. Cinnamon and Emily they are.
While we all get used to each other, we're learning to walk quietly and calmly in the pasture that used to be for running (and according to Harper, still is). They're so beautiful these girls, I'm so happy to have them here, so healthy and robust and full of life.
"Full of life" is just precisely what they are, actually. Or, Emily anyway. Do you see that? Freshly shorn, that big belly of hers is clearly full. She's due to lamb in April. Wait, it is April. She's due to lamb this month!
Somehow, with a gentle and encouraging nudge from her previous owner who thought this was just the thing we needed, and with the promise of help attached, Emily was loaded into our truck before we had a chance to realize what was happening. Sometimes, I think, things are best this way. Dive in, swim, figure it out. And so here we are with Emily, a four year old veteran ewe with an easy birthing history in her past, and from a breed that doesn't - generally - need a lot of assistance. Here we are with lambing books piled up beside us, lumber piled up to build a lambing pen. And here we are with people on the other end of the phone, and just down the road, and on the other end of the email wire, ready to lend a hand if and when we need it.
All eyes are on that pretty girl and her bulging belly. Before I even have a chance to start thinking about spinning wheels (any recommendations?), it appears as though I best be thinking - quickly - about lamb midwifery.
Oh Emily. I'm going to learn a lot from you!
