What "Eejit" Taught Me about Life and the Internet

Last week, I posted a couple of pictures on Facebook.

No big news, I post a lot of pictures on Facebook. I try to share things that will explain our life and work here on the hill.  I would love to think that I had an influence…that I inspired someone else and made them think.  

But, nothing has ever even remotely garnered the attention that this did.

NOTHING I’ve ever written has been shared so much. And, I’ve been writing about the farm for nearly six years.  I’ve spent countless hours thinking, researching and crafting clever phrasing and interesting copy.

All to be bested by a lamb.

A lamb with a bucket on his head.

A lamb known as “Eejit”.

Okay, so you’re probably wondering about the name. Or, I am going to assume you are, because you need to understand it so that you “get” the title. And, I want to tell you the story.

The bottle lambs still think I’m their mother.  Despite the fact that they haven’t had a bottle in months, they remain far more friendly and “needy” than the others. They will call and come running anytime they see me…which makes for some noisy times here on the hill.

"Eejit" and friend

“Eejit” is the de facto leader of those lambs. Leader is a relative term, as it is more the blind leading the blind-er.  “Eejit” is so named because when the bottle rack was set up and the babies would all line up for their bottles, he would miss the bottle entirely and stick his nose through one of the empty holes, his little mouth making sucking noises as he looked for his meal. (you can read about the bottle rack HERE) This happened all too frequently…as in Every. Single. Time. 

that's "Eejit" right in the middle
even after re-positioning, he couldn't get it right!

There is a question as to anything being dumber than a sheep…but I’m here to tell you there is absolutely NOTHING dumber than a lamb.  He became known as the “idiot lamb”, which was eventually shortened to the more colloquial “eejit” with a nod to our Scots-Irish heritage.

Moving out to pasture didn’t improve “Eejit’s” thinking skills, or make him any more independent.  No, he still follows me, calls for me and gets himself into places he doesn’t belong. 

Like the feed bucket.

I reckon the feed bucket was my fault.  I wasn’t paying attention to the fact that there may have been one tiny oat left in the bottom.  I was focused on that sick lamb over in the corner.  The bucket hung limply from my hand and when Eejit pushed his head down in it, I instinctively pulled it back. I lost my grip and it popped over his head. 

Of course then hilarity ensued as he continued to wander around the pen, bucket on his head, unable to escape and unable to see. As he “talked” inside the bucket, the other lambs backed up in fright.  I could only imagine he was saying “I’m all right…I’m all right!”  (remember Uncle Billy in “It’s a Wonderful Life”?) which nearly reduced me to tears of laughter.

For those who think you can just walk up and take the bucket off the lamb’s head because he can’t see…think again.  Fear instinctively makes them run, or at least make an attempt.  This frightens all the other lambs and chaos reigns as the bucket lamb careens around, bumping into everything. 

Eventually, he stopped ricocheting around the pen and I removed the bucket.  Not, of course, until I had taken some pictures of his latest escapade.

When I loaded the pictures on the computer, they made me laugh.  I figured they might make someone else laugh.

And, I’m guessing they did.

The views continued to climb.

When the views passed 15,000…

…that’s when it hit me.

While the internet is an amazing place to learn and be exposed to new things, while we have more information at our fingertips than has ever been available before, while we can keep in touch with folks in far off lands and truly make a difference in the world with the words we write…

…entertainment trumps it all.

A whole lot of people look to the internet for escape. (don’t believe me? check out all the views on those funny cat/dog/animal videos!) It also helps when people of influence share your stuff...

But, I honestly think we are all looking for something that breaks the monotonous daily grind and causes us to take a minute and re-assess our situation…and reminds us that things might not be quite as bad as we thought. Something that changes our perspective…and makes us laugh. 

Like a lamb with a bucket on its head.

Hmmm

Maybe I’ve been putting far too much thought into this internet thing. 

Maybe I shouldn’t try so hard.

Maybe “they” (you know who you are) are right when they say I take everything too seriously.

 So,

If you can’t beat ‘em…

Join ‘em!

                    Have a great week, y’all!