There was a very exciting arrival to the sheep pasture this weekend. A fine young ram will be spending the next forty-five days here with us. Or more accurately, spending it with the ewes. An extended vacation, let's say. He's a dreamy moorit in coloring, all Shetland and from a farm nearby. He's a young fellow - born just this spring. Not "proven" as they say, but we have faith in he and Cinnamon, Charlotte, Emily and Anne.
Isn't he handsome? Being a young guy from a farm full of sheep, he didn't arrive with a name, though we were given permission to do the honors by his shephard. It seemed only fitting that the Bronte's find themselves enjoying the company of Edward Fairfax Rochester, and so that he is. (All the Jane Eyre talk this weekend found me with one late night marathon viewing of my favorite adaptations. Toby Stephens is my favorite Mr. Rochester, though I do like the 1996 version as well. And you?).
Some of you might recall a month or so ago when I said we wouldn't be breeding the sheep this fall for the reason of simplifying our winter days and not flooding ourselves with fleece come spring. After we made that decision together, it just didn't settle right. I couldn't stop thinking about lambs in spring. And all that kniting I could do. But I want to breed the sheep this year! I eventually declared. Which was met with a classic Sure, why not. from my husband. This is how we roll and I'm so glad for it. If Edward enjoys his vacation as much as we hope he does, I dare say late March will be a season full of baby lambs and plenty of fleece around here. We're all excited about that.
The girls have taken quite well to having a visitor, and Edward seems to be doing just fine in a new setting. The young kids are staying out of the pasture at the moment (he is a ram, after all). And we're all giving the sheep a little more space than usual while we get a sense for the ram's behavior, and so that they may all get acquainted with one another. So far, I can say that Mr. Rochester is a delightful guest!
