It’s an amazing thing how recharged one feels when one sits on the couch and just reads. Not because one is sick or otherwise incapacitated but just because one is making a conscious decision to relax.
Need to do that more – but right now I’m looking through the sire listings – again.
School zones – talk about setting kids up to not look where they’re going. I had to stop by LG’s new school (his is closing so we have to switch) and man alive! I cannot believe the amount of kids who just step out. I watched, in about 30 seconds, a kid step out between two trucks in front of a school bus and another couple of kids step in front of various cars coming and going. It’s a bit crazy really. I wonder if it’s any safer for them really or are we just teaching them not to look before crossing? Hmmm…
Bountiful – because when not one, but two special prosecutors say there’s no legal grounds for charges, Wally Opal just finds yet another one, hoping this one will recommend charges. It’s a bit of a problem really.
Especially when RCMP and Child Protection have gone in on every legitimate complaint and investigated and aren’t finding anything either. Enough already!!!
On to something completely different – my dog is snoring.
brought to you with the assistance of my dear sis at Ridiculosity who helped me figure out how to insert photos. Not rocket science, I know but beyond my dial up brain!
These little sweeties are Fritha (white ewe lamb), Lafi (black wether in progress) and Fasti (black ram lamb, twin to Fritha, in the back) They love to frolick near the gate – especially if secret hay is arriving. That’s code for “hay the piggie mums can’t get to”.
I wanted to include a photo of Erli. He’s a gorgeous dark looking grey with a silver under coat. He was the last born here and i just love him.
Erli, Fasti and Fritha are all currently for sale. Please contact me or check the farm site for details.
And the fledgling garden (just to show off my new photo inserting skills).
The those are the peas and a cuke on the left – although the cuke is not doing as well today thanks to a duck led garden raid last night. On the right is our mint patch -comes back even year to what would otherwise be a quite yucky bit of ground. Invasive? Yep -thank goodness! It can stand up to ducks and sheep and weather and neglect!
In my usual mindless way, I posted something over here that was meant for elsewhere.
Truly I =idiot sometimes. Perhaps it’s because I’m tired. Ok, I’m not really that tired (that’s just an excuse this time) but I have been on a writing binge. I don’t want to sleep. I have one WiP that’s in edits and one that’s brand, spanking new I’ve just started to blurt out onto the page. Modern fantasy – it’s not urban but it’s in the present-ish day.
Write what you know is an interesting concept. I’ve been trying to find the balance of writing what I know and love and not Mary Sue everything. Because of my superior writing and analytical skills that won’t be a problem, natch, but it’s funny because I love cool stuff that I want to write about.
Men are another problem. I like a particular type of guy, it turns out. And I’m not interested in writing MCs falling for other types. Because they irritate me to write about. The men are not all my husband, nor are the MCs all me, it’s just that I don’t find myself terribly interested in people who aren’t interesting.
Interesting.
Peepers started hatching yesterday. As usual J and I mugged it up by putting a board along side the nest. That is considered interfering by duck mamas who will leave the rest of the nest for you to figure out. They’d fall in between the fences and get stepped on or just die or exposure because they couldn’t get back.
And no, we weren’t responsible for such a stupid location. it’s not easy to convince ducks where they should hatch.
Bees are officially next. Equipment this year, actual bees next spring. Woo hoo.
Oh yes – am writing as well. I’ve actually had five minutes here and there where I could clean my house but prefer to do fun things instead. I’m breaking one of the big writing rules – thou shalt not write specifically for a publisher that you aren’t already signed to. Bah! The last time I did that I actually finished a book I would buy and am currently revising with a plan to submit. Rules – says I – are made to be broken.
Wow… I actually finished a first draft. Maybe it’s a second draft. Regardless, it’s got a name (Something Stupid) and is actually getting close to submittable. I have a page – just one page – of things that need dramatic work (of course some of that is whole scenes that feeling missing). It’s a big step for me. I’m even looking at places to submit to. Of course I’m starting big (go big or go home) and I’ll work my way down as the rejections come in.
Oh yes, I’m optimistic but not delusional.
Mama Finna has accepted not just her baby but the other ram lamb we grafted onto her!!! No more nighttime feedings for me.
Winchester went out for his first run today. I have gotten so out of shape and feel yeck! Now that he’s old enough to know for sure where home is, I decided that I’d take him out. He loved it and he’s zonked!
And now I have the whole day to write without worrying about anything really.
Yippeee!
Nope – I do not mean the overused phrase to sum up the culmination of a number of events or what have you. I mean – the Perfect Storm. We are having our first real storm of the season. The lambs aren’t loving it – neither is the pyr, she’s hiding in the house. But I am. I think one of the things I missed the most when I lived on the coast was this type of weather – thunderheads rolling over the mountain ranges, across the valley and pouncing on us. Heavy rain and breath taking sunsets.
I haven’t really slept since Thursday night – and even that wasn’t a great sheep (interesting typo – that was supposed to say “that wasn’t a great sleep”).
Ever since 20 April (the arrival of our first lamb), I’ve been getting up early to make sure everything is okay with ewes and potential lambs alike. But early has nothing on the last few days. One Friday I got up my usual early to see that one of my ewes looked like she should go into labour. Sure enough about an hour later, she did. I was surprised she didn’t twin because she’s out of a twin/triplet line but whatever, cute ewe lamb so I wasn’t worried. Then an hour later she did twin – an adorable ram lamb. A bit late, he was distressed but all is well. We went to the US for the day – had to get some repairs done and the nearest appropriate repair shop was across the line. Came home, babies were fine, all was well.
I went to bed early because on the first night of new babies I like to check on them around 2 or 3 am. Good thing that I did. When I went out to check one of my ewe lambs was obviously in labour. After a very, very long and difficult labour she birthed a perfect, huge ram lamb and would have nothing to do with it. Hours later we’d forced her to stand while he nursed and resigned ourselves to a bummer lamb (that’s one that needs to be bottle fed). So, the rest of the weekend passed in a blur of sleeplessness and having J restrain mum to let the little guy feed and bottles- not at all helped by our social obligations that seemed to consistently occur during the pauses where I may have napped.
Anyway, we were just coming to the tail end of the chaos where the little guy wouldn’t need as intensive time commitments when I go out to feed him and am halted. First I think – man… I really need some sleep. And then I do a double take and realize – nope, there really is an extra ram lamb out here. My other ewe lamb dropped the baby and ran. So now I have two babies and no sleep last night. Fortunately I will be back to a human-ish schedule by next week end because all of my girls have lambed now. But lesson learned – no breeding in the first year. Apparently all of my sleeplessness has paid off – a lot of people report that they usually lose at least half of the lambs born to mums bred in their first year (ewe lambs) or the mums themselves. We haven’t lost anyone – so I am really pleased and feel like that alone is worth something.
An interesting thing I have just learned relating to my sheep is – if I sell even one or one little thing from the farm that I choose to declare as income, everything I buy for this place (relating to the animals, that is) becomes a tax write off. I spoke with the accountant yesterday and had no idea how many things I can write off. And they’re cool things too, like plants for my garden that are part of the pharmacopoeia. I suspect other people would have known this and I suspected myself but wasn’t totally sure, didn’t know how it worked, who to ask etc. The one person I spoke to told me I had to have a farm income of at least $2500 to be in that category but my account says absolutely not.
Anyway it was great to have it confirmed and great to confirm it with the person who works for a big firm doing my taxes – I figure she ought to know! I also don’t have to make a lot of money – any is just fine. So, yesterday I made a big envelope to put receipts in and there’s already $100+ in there without actually going on a hunt to look for some of the other things that *could* be in there; and I have receipts I need to print off from the earlier part of the year. I suppose the really good news about that is the spinning wheel and drum carder I’m considering getting so I can sell wool would also be a write off; as will the fence we’re buying to expand the grazing area, the land the sheep are on and the two ewe lambs coming this summer. It’s thrilling really. And I love the idea of having hand spun that I could sell at a really reasonable price – knowing I get a write off makes that easier. It’s love the gov’t is essentially going to pay a share so that normal people (like me) can afford real wool. Way too cool. Of course it would be ideal if I could make all of my income from the farm but if not, this is a really cool way to juggle both worlds. And keep my benefits. Our package may not be great but it’s better than I’ll get as a full time shepherd!
On a knitting and wool note – I’m currently working up a lacy scarf in some beautiful handspun my sister gave me. It’s lovely and very fine. It was difficult to find a pattern that fit it though – in part due to my skill level being on the lower side and in part due to the lovely colours of the yarn. When you’re working lace you never want something so intricate that it ruins the patterning of the yarn. You also have to not get too busy with colours and patterns and shaping but you can’t underwhelm the yarn either.
Alright, there’s your update. Now I have to work on the webpage – what fun on dial up – and then go and feed some lambs.
Yep, it’s me and the dawn, hanging out together again. Right now I’ve got four lambs on the ground and one mum left to go. Not last night but the night before (24 robbers came knocking at my door…) ok, not. Two nights ago one of my ewes had a really tough delivery. She’s very private and I’ve realized that being anywhere around her was probably not helpful. Anyway she was exhausted and shocky and consequently didn’t take to her baby so I’m up with a bottle – ugh. But he’s so adorable and made it through the rest of that night and last night so I think he’s going to be ok. He’s going to be wethered (that’s sheep for neutered) and stay here as a companion to the ram.
I haven’t been writing much lately either. Just no taste for it right now. I’m busy and I have time to let that go so I have. It always feels odd but strangely ok too. I’m glad to be up early this morning and instead of feeling obligated to toss off a few pages, I’m catching up on emails, doing some farm research and posting. Not to mention watching my dog nanny my abandoned lamb – that’s very cute.
Speaking of him… I have a brooder to change and then a lamb to go and see. And I’d love to get a bit more sleep before the house wakes up.
