Sunday Walkabout 1-31

This week has been all about waiting…

…and waiting.

snow on Mbrk Road
Allegheny Mountains

We are waiting for the snow to melt.

…waiting for my back to recover from the snow removal.

…waiting for the days to pass until it’s time to plant some seeds.

Gus relaxes with "snow-dog-yoga"

But, mostly, we’ve been waiting for “Reba” to drop her lambs. (we’ll get back to that one in just a bit)

And, in keeping with our WAITING theme…it has taken me forever to get this posted. Sorry that you were kept waiting this week as well.

snowy farm 1-24

snow cover 1-29

While the snowpack is a far cry from what it was last week---and, compared to some places that ended up with FOUR feet, this is nothing---we’ve reached that point where the snow is crusty and hard and ice from the melt has made for some treacherous walking conditions. No matter how much sunshine we see, the ground is still white in many places.

snowy garden

icicles everywhere

Today the temperature is supposed to reach the mid-fifties, so I’m hoping the snow will probably be a memory before too long. And, I’m trying not to think about those predictions for February…

With all the snow on the ground, it is next to impossible to get anything done outdoors, so we remain in a “holding pattern” for a while longer. But, this gives us an opportunity to get some inside work done. (well, in theory anyway)

It really seems like we were just doing time…waiting…

"Reba" waiting for lambs

“Reba” the sheep was due to drop her first lambs this week. Monday, to be exact. Now, you may remember “Reba” the sheep from her barn dancing days…If you didn’t read that one, you really should. It has a video of sheep "dancing".  I get to watch this same performance most afternoons   as I prepare supper since the kitchen window faces the barn. The players may change, but there is some sort of exuberant dancing/running/playing every afternoon as the lambs get ready for Lamb Racing  later in the season. (again, a video worthy of your time)

Anyway...

First-time ewes are notoriously worrisome. It seems that if a sheep is going to have birthing issues, it is generally that first lambing. So, given that fact (and Reba’s propensity for the dramatic) I was keeping a close eye on her. Monday, nothing. Tuesday, nothing. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, nothing. *sigh*

Now, in order for me to assure you (and myself) that nothing is indeed going on, I must go to the barn and physically check on Reba. (or whichever ewe is due) The cold weather demands that I don hat, coveralls, coat, boots and gloves. Every. Single. Time.  If the trip is in the middle of the night, which is also part of the job description, I have to have my headlamp as well. More often than not, I have a couple of lamb bottles tucked into my pockets. So, a trip to the barn is more like an expedition. And, lambing season is a marathon… (yes, I have heard of “barn cam”…but, it seems an awfully expensive option for a three week need)

And, if I wasn't going to the barn ALL the time, I'd miss out on seeing things like this...

He sleeps like this every night!

update on "lil Bitty"
she's up over 12 pounds!
today's warm temps means she won't need her sweater anymore

snowy lamb

one of the bottle babies
they are well over 20# now!

Finally, in the wee hours of Saturday morning, it appeared that THE TIME was finally here. Waited another hour…nothing. Two. Three. I was getting worried.

Not only was the labor NOT progressing, the Boss and I HAD to go to town for our sales delivery. I was torn. He needed me. The sheep needed me. (well, at least I thought they did)

Blondie and Tbone to the rescue!

Blondie went downtown with the Boss to do deliveries, while Tbone stayed here to give me some assistance if necessary.

While we didn’t need to do any of this special planning, here’s a special shout-out of thanks to Tbone for hanging out with me just in case. And, while it would have been kind of cool to have our “15 minutes of fame” and become Youtube sensations if we had been able to film Mamaw, Daddy and Baby Blake delivering a lamb…it’s probably for the best that we were still waiting when the Boss returned to the hill.

By this point, things didn’t look so imminent. As a matter of fact, I was beginning to wonder if I had imagined the whole thing. And, I was supposed to join the kids for a “painting party” over and Toughchick and the Man’s new house. The Boss assured me that he had it under control and I took off. (the new house is only 15 minutes away…so…)

yes, my daughter IS painting the ceiling
with her son on her back!
Don't call her Toughchick for nothin'

As I painted, I could hear the rest of the painting party talking and laughing as they worked in other parts of the house. I got to thinking how blessed my girls are. There were siblings and in-laws and extended family members all pitching in and getting the work done. Everyone was getting along. It doesn’t matter how hard things get…when you’ve got family like this, that’s there for you every time you need it…you are blessed. Not everyone is so blessed, I know this for a sad fact. But, I found yesterday’s work party most encouraging and somewhat inspiring. These people rock!

cousins

Blake and Mamaw takin' a break

While I was having these deep and profound thoughts, my phone rang.

It was the Boss.

Yep…the waiting was done!

I hadn’t been gone an hour and “Reba” finally lambed. There was another one coming…so, I did a little ovine mid-wifery by phone…but, it was really all about the Boss and Reba. And, they did a great job!

By the time I got home a couple hours later, the new family was comfortably settled in their little jug pen and adjusting to life in the barn. Another ewe/ram combo brings the present lamb count to 10.

new babies

More nice lambs, although I have some concerns about the little ewe. She has a case of entropion (in both eyes). This is when the lower eyelid turns in and allows the eyelashes to scrape along the eyeball. If this isn’t corrected, it will not only cause the sheep a great deal of discomfort, but it can lead to blindness. There are a number of simple remedies (that I will try first), but this seems to be a severe case. I am not really looking forward to treating this, as I have never attempted to use a needle anywhere near an eyeball. Yeah, ewwww. (an update may be necessary) This is hereditary, (generally from the ram) so, now we have yet another concern. We will be on the lookout for it as the rest of the lambs arrive.

see how weepy her eye looks?
This is from the irritation of the lashes on the cornea

My trips to the barn remain the focus of my life since the rest of the ewes are due by next Saturday. But, I’m going to change up with the coming week, because the first of February means it’s time to start seeds for the early broccoli crop! 

love the view through the greenhouse window

That should mean that the upcoming week will be one of ACTION! 

(seriously, all this waiting around has gotten incredibly OLD)

Apparently, Gus can't take the "excitement"...

Hope you’re having a Happy Sunday! 

Thanks for stopping by.  Come back and “visit” real soon!

The BEST Thing

time sure flies

As the hours tick down to the end of the year, we all seem to get a little reflective and introspective thinking over all the things that happened in the past 365 days.

I’ve talked to more than one person who was going to be glad to put this year away and get started afresh with 2016.

Lots of stuff happened in 2015…personally, it had some very bad moments…although it was not our worst year ever. Not by a longshot. I think that title would have to go to 1997.

And, speaking of that year…when we moved to the hill back in ’97 with our two little girls, we realized that one day they would grow up and have families of their own. But, that was a long, long time in the future.

Wasn’t it?

Time has a way of flying by.

And, before we knew it, the little girls were grown and married and living their own lives.

There was very little mention of another generation, and we had promised not to meddle.

So…imagine our surprise when we found out that 2015 was going to be

                       the year of the grandbaby!

Not only did our first grandbaby—a grandson---arrive in March…

...his cousin (another grandson) arrived in August, causing countless people to comment on our ready-made future work crew.

Before their arrival, I had no idea there could be so much love.

Since they’re still just little, it’s impossible to guess what they will do…how they will influence…what we will learn from them.  But, oh, the potential!

In the future, we hope to encourage them to love this place and this way of life. 

visiting at the Market

enjoying the hoophouse 

And, don’t you think for one minute that I am kidding when I say… the Boss really wants them to learn to weed!

No question about it…

Definitely the BEST thing from this year!

 

                                                                       

Sunday Walkabout 12-6

It’s December!

I honestly cannot believe how quickly this entire year has gone.

(how’s that for a snappy beginning to a post?)

gloomy, rainy weather zaps motivation

As we got into the swing of the first non-holiday week of the “off-season”, it started raining, and raining and raining. I think it rained for four days. We measured nearly 2 inches.

Even the dogs got fed up with the rain and retreated under the far reaches of the shed where it was relatively dry. I guess they figured the sheep could fend for themselves. There was no budging them, they just blinked sleepily when I insisted they come out. And, when they finally did come out, their damp fur picked up mud and leaves and they were a more than a little disgusting, making me incredibly glad that we postponed Gus’ annual vet check. (more on that "thrilling" adventure next time)

Don't wanna come out...Ain't gonna come out...
...and you can't make me!

It was a cold rain, with temperatures just above freezing for a while, making us seriously consider hibernation as well. Although, not with the dogs underneath the shed. We spent our time in the office, where it was warm and dry and the internet access remained constant, for a change. The weather (and the fact that Lowe’s had no decent pressure-treated plywood) delayed the Boss’ big project for the week. However, the miserable weather did give me a chance to get caught up on bookwork…and the relative inactivity allowed my back to heal. (yay)

After the rain finally stopped, I think the entire Valley posted pictures of the sunset and the first time we saw the sun in days. It was pretty amazing!

sunset - December 2

sunrise- December 3

Then, the cold air swept in and the moisture in the atmosphere made for the lots of hoar frost and ice crystals on everything. And, I may have gotten just a little carried away taking pictures...

But, it's kind of living in the world of FROZEN... 

looking out the window

Now that my desk is somewhat neat and tidy, and I have caught up on data entry and filing, I can start the year-end reports and we have a better idea of our financial status. And, I tell you that we averaged 111 customers per week at the Market, sold 1,637 ½ dozen eggs, and lost $233.90 on the whole replacement ram deal (which I just realized I never blogged about)…among other things. It wasn’t our best year, but, it is shaping up to be far better than I had expected.

pretty day at the "office"

We picked up the last of the “lambchop crop of 2015” and the freezer is nearly bursting with ovine goodness that should get our customers (and us) through until the crop of 2016 is ready to harvest. There are some gorgeous lambchops and LOTS of ground lamb…and it is always a relief to be done with interstate travel for a while.

washing lettuce in cold weather calls for special consideration

This week also marked the first week of our eighth year of “off-season” sales. From the first of December to the middle of March, we send a weekly email detailing our offerings to a select group of customers. They pick what they want and we deliver on the weekend. What started as a way to move eggs during the winter eight years ago has become a substantial portion of our winter income.  With produce and meat in the freezers and storage vegetables and eggs in the reefer and cooler, we have a wide variety of farm products. The only limitations are the weather and our own ambitions since the hoophouses allow us to produce greens well into the winter. (usually)

pretty December chard

The weather plays an enormous factor in produce availability. Since the hoophouses are unheated, we are limited to hardy greens that will hold up to the cold. Sometimes, even the hardiest of greens succumb…and occasionally the temperatures never get warm enough for the plants to thaw enough to be picked. Yes, the plants do freeze---solid---when it is very cold. Did you  read this one? The weather also affects re-growth rates for the plants…and my own desire to pick.

I  had a little "help" with this week's harvest
he LOVES the feel of dirt
(comes by that honestly)

All the elements came together perfectly this week, making our first day of the “off-season” one of our top sales days in our history of winter selling. …just twelve dollars off our all-time record… Our customers are awesome!

ice crystals on the broccoli

that's the end of this crop!

We made a "pick-up" while we were in town making our deliveries, and minion2 came back with us for the afternoon.

Mr. B and I played with our new lamb puppet
Thanks, Miss Susan and Pufferbellies Toys!

  

...until he was plumb tuckered out...

The upcoming week promises better weather and the opportunity for more productivity. (and Gus’ trip to the vet---ugh) The seed catalogs have started arriving, so I need to clean out the greenhouses in anticipation of seed-starting in the relatively near future.

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope you’ll come back soon to “visit” and find out what’s happening on the hill.

a frosty feather

Have a Happy Sunday!