Sunday, January 31, 2010

Well winter came with a blast this year. Snow came to stay early. It was not exceedingly cold at first but the Great Lakes have not yet frozen over here at the end of January.

We got a week of nice weather that spoiled us and got us thinking of early spring, melted all this snow into ice about four inches thick and then WHAM!

The final days of January have been "Nasty Cold!!!"

To make life interesting here on the farm, instead of being inside snuggled up with my husband and son watching a movie, knitting, reading a good book or playing games together, I am on "LAMB PATROL"... Yep, you got it... we knew the possibility existed since the Dorset Ram-bo did NOT stay inside the ram pasture when he was supposed to, but the proof being in the pudding, when we noticed ewes "bagging up" we brought them into the "Red Shed" for the cold spell... we had our first lamb born on January 29th... and another on January 30th and another on January 31st... so for now, no matter how cold or how tired, we get up and check on the ewes.

Pictures will be coming... just not tonight.

This is Jake, the Lighthouse Keeper! We got him as a pup and he is now 3 years old.

He is a Farm Collie who partners with Herb, Will and I each and every day to work with the sheep or anything else we need done.

He is smart and can follow directions and also work independently if we are not there to give instructions regarding the sheep.

At times when younger I was quite exasperated while trying to get him to do something I wanted ... he was also exasperated with me at times... he was doing what I wanted, in a more efficient way... it just took me awhile to realize it!

To those of you who know my husband, you will get a "kick" out of this story!

One day while Will (12 year old son) and I were going to get hay for the sheep we arrived while the man was doing chores in his barn. There were several cats who Will was immediately interested in...he petted and made a big do over them.

The man said that they had just recently had one dropped off at the farm that was not being integrated into the rest of the farm cats and had obviously been a house cat...we were of course "welcome to take her home." Will went looking for her but did not find her and I had to tell him "No, you know your Dad and cats." (As many of you also know...)

Will found her the next day when we went back to get more hay. She followed him all over the place.... and we watched as she tried to get in and get some food. Each time she would get even a tad close to the dish the other cats would chase her away... they had plenty of course but were not willing to share.

She was very small... I figured about 2 lbs. and about 6 - 6.5 weeks old. I felt really bad, but again I had to tell William "No, you know we can not; and you know why."

As we were unloading hay with my husband, William told his Dad we had met a cat and she was beautiful and smoke colored. A female, very small and quiet. He changed the subject and left it alone.

Herb (Dad) of course knows that Will is a "Cat Person" and asked me more about the cat later. I explained the situation and what I had answered both the man and Will.

The next day Herb said that I should get the cat because when we move to the new farm the chances were great the house (having been empty) would have mice and such... and because with colder weather coming here the mice had decided to move inside...

So the cat came home. She was named Smokey.