Oh, jeesh, she’s cute.

Thursday night, we had our first (live) lamb for 2012. Both momma and baby are doing well. Which is all you can ask of a sheep. We’ll figure out later on if the new lamb is any level of quality. She’s alive, that’s what matters.

Yes. She. A little ewe lamb! =) Jokingly, I wanted to name her Phyllis. After Punxsutawney Phil. I mean, she was born on Groundhog’s Day. But my dad wants to name her Gerri, as a feminized version of Jeremy, the name of her father. She is our first lamb sired by Jer-Bear. For once, I actually like that idea.

 

Birthin’ Babies

2012 marks ten years that my family and I have owned sheep. Two lambs. A ewe, Gloria, and a whether (castrated ram), Xander.

It also marks eight lambing seasons.

It marks six years since I pulled my first lambs on my own. The mother, Hope, was having triplets. All lived. Callette, Lydia, and Sebastian.

It’s that time of year again. The first due date is January 20th. We have three ewes expecting to lamb on that day. Most people assume the lambs are born in the spring. Some are, but as a whole that statement isn’t true. My family shows our sheep, so if they’re born in January, we have a competitive edge over the ones born in March or April.

When I purchased my first two sheep, I was told “Sheep love to die.” Of course, that’s something a twelve year old doesn’t believe or really listen to. It’s true. And when you think you’ve gone and done everything to prevent mortality, they go and die anyway. Sheep are clever in only one aspect. In their ability to conjure up ways to die. I’m not just talking about experiencing bad luck on my own farm. Any sheep farmer will tell you the same.

Even though I’ll be at college for most of lambing season, I’m having huge misgivings about the prospects this year. The first half of last year was bad and I’m afraid this year is going to be worse. I have no reason for thinking so.

“No, that’s perfectly normal paranoia. Everyone in the universe gets that.”

Anyway. I am looking forward to the adorable little buggers. To think, I thought about giving it all up.

 

In Which, A Writing

Sometimes, good things come from the bad. Such is the case of a daily writing done in my Act of Interpretation class. We were asked to describe how we came to write our papers that were due after Fall Break. I found mine quite humorous and clever, despite the wretchedness of my Fall Break. The following is what I wrote in response.

True Story: My paper was the easiest part of my Fall Break. Even after procrastinating on it and writing the entirety of it the day before it was due.

I knew even before break started I wasn’t going to write my paper until Wednesday, October 14, 2009.

I assumed I would be too busy over break to devote time to the paper. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday would be spent at Fryeburg Fair with my six head of Hampshire sheep, who had KICKED ASS during the show. I would also be spending time with my dairy farmer boyfriend at the fair and the remaining days of break (Monday and Tuesday).

Or so I assumed.

Oh! How wrong I was!

On Saturday, my boyfriend dumped me like last week’s milk. Through a text message, even!

I spent the remained of break in the depths of misery. I was blind-sided; I hadn’t seen it coming. Now evem I plague my mind with questions of Why? And What happened? Amongst others.

Not only was I struck dumb, without my boyfriend, Alas! we had no ice cream in my house with which I could attempt to comfort myself. Nor did we have any heat, as out thermostat had broken.

So, I came to write my paper yesterday as a miserable artist type.

 

In Which, Something I’ve Never Experienced

I have a problem that the likes of which, I have never experienced before. It’s a relationship issue. There are four guys who like me and would like to pursue a relationship with me.

One is Taylor, my ex-boyfriend. Sadly for him, I have no interest in having a relationship with him right now. The crap that he put me through, and still continually puts me through, is still too fresh in my mind. In a year or two, maybe I would consider a relationship. But no way would I now. Especially considering I still don’t trust him like I once did.

Another is Benjamin. He’s a really fun guy, but there’s a problem for me. He’s substaintially younger than I am. With youngness also comes a certain immaturity and naivette. Like with Taylor, I might consider a relationship with him in a few years. And he has sheep, so if a relationship was to turn into marriage, I’d be all set where livestock is concerned.

Third, is Alex. We have a lot in common and he’s fun to hang out with. And, it doesn’t hurt that he’s the first guy that I’ve had an orgasm with during sex. Or what my version of an orgasm is; which is admittedly not as intense as I would hope. He treats me very well and does the gentlemanly thing of paying whenever we go somewhere (much to my annoyance because I would like to share in the costs). But he calls me his girlfriend even though he never officially asked me out; he just assumes. When I’m actually with him, spending time with him, everything is fine; I’m happy, I’m content, I don’t mind the idea of being his girlfriend. It’s when we’re apart that I get confused.

Finally, of course, there’s David, another ex-boyfriend. We are both so in love with each other, but it isn’t that easy. Of these four guys, David is the one I want. I yearn for him with my whole body; I can feel it in my heart, in my limbs, in my mind; my whole being. Unfortunately, he’s the one a relationship would be the most difficult with because he’s in the Navy. I’m conflicted with the thought of being a Navy girlfriend again and eventually being a navy wife. Right now, I want to say “fuck it” to college and the life I have now and go be with David. Right now I feel I can handle all the negatives that go along with the lifestyle I would choose, were I to be with David.

So, really, I’m most confused about Alex vs. David; Taylor and Benjamin really don’t stand a chance. Do I stay with the lifestyle I’m comfortable with? Or do I go for the unknown with the one person I want with my whole heart and mind?

 

In Which, An Inventory

For the hell of it, I decided to make an inventory list of all the sheep I have. It may come in handy, but I’m sure it’s a bit of a waste.

• Ram Lambs: 2
• Ewe Lambs: 3
• Yearling Ewes: 3
• Brood Ewes: 7
• Breeding Rams: 0

We are in desperate need of finding a good Hampshire breeding ram. We usually turn a ram out with the ewes toward the end of August, so we only have a month to find a ram. There is only one Hampshire breeder in Maine who has some national recognition. However, I don’t view this breeder as reputable.

I want lambs that come out looking like Hamps. I don’t want a sheep show judge questioning the breed characteristics of my sheep because the ram I bought is actually a crossbred.

 

In Which, An Anniversary

Today is the four year anniversary since my first sheep, Gloria, was put down. The day even started out with weather similar to this day four years ago. Dark, damp, dreary, and rainy.

I remember that day very well. Most people remember it as the day that Pope John Paul II died. But for me, it’s the day Gloria died.

She was a champion. She was regal and noble and just had an air about her that commanded attention.

Sadly, she was too good for this world. Two months before she was put down, she developed pregnancy ketosis; an illness where the nutritional needs of the lambs inside her was greater than the nutrition she was taking in. She lost the strength in her legs and couldn’t stand any more. Even after she gave birth to her lambs, who both died, she still couldn’t get up. We waited a month after she lambed, to wait for her to stand. It never happened.

So we had to put her down. Like I said, it was April 2, 2005, four years ago. She was put down in the morning. If I remember correctly, the vet arrived at our house at 10:00am. I held onto her, crying for an hour, before it was time for us to load her into the truck to go bury her. All the while, news of the Pope’s health was on the TV and on the radio.

It was on our way back from the burial that we heard on the radio that the Pope had died. My dad comforted me by saying that Gloria was in Heaven, helping escort the Pope through the gates. It did help, and to this day, thinking of my dad saying that still brings tears to my eyes.

Gloria, I miss you and wish you could see your niece, Siren. She’s just like you. She really is. Georgous and powerful. You would be proud of her. I love you, Gloria. Rest in Peace.

 

In Which, There is Another Break

Another fair is coming up next week. This time it’s Union Fair. I’ll be back late on Saturday, the 23rd.

 

In Which, She Gives Up

Alright, Topsham Fair wasn’t all that interesting. I don’t feel the need to really bother with writing what happened in great detail. Not to mention, I really don’t feel like writing it in the first place.

• We got a goat. He’s a Boki goat, whom we named Caesar. After the dog whisperer…
• It poured. Really, it did. Nearly every day.
• I spent most of the first half of the week getting my sheep ready for show.
• My sheep pretty much cleaned the floor with everyone. They’re kinda awesome.
• I got to see Maes!!!! He was a ram lamb I sold last year as a breeding ram. I got to see him!!! It was the one thing I was looking forward to!
• The last few days of the fair were really nice. Taylor, my boyfriend, came the last three days. It’s nice to spend time with him before I go off to college.

Anyway. The vet came today to do regular vaccines, like rabies. It went really well. We also got a few of the cows Preg-checked (checking to see if they are pregnant.) Of the four cows that were checked, three were pregnant. That’s a 75% success rate. so I’d say that it’s pretty good.

Me and Caesar

 

In Which, There May Be a Break

Tomorrow marks the start of fair season. Where me and my family bring the cows and sheep to various, local, agricultural fairs. That being said, I may be missing in action for a few days… Or a week.

Though, there is a chance that I will be able to update. Last year at Topsham Fair, my brother was able to pick up wireless signal on his laptop. So who knows. Maybe I’ll be able to crank out a few updates next week.

If not, I’ll be back late on the 9th.

 

In Which, It is “Celexa, Day 1″ and Some Animal Business

I took my first does of Celexa this morning at approximately 7:30. I’ve been feeling sort of nauseous all of today. But I wasn’t feeling well before I took the pill, so I’m unsure if I should count that as one of the side effects to it. Other than my stomach bothering me, on and off, it was a pretty normal day, mood-wise.

Today was actually a pretty positive day for me. That may just be my mind playing tricks on me, though. Like a placeabo pill. You’re taking something to help a problem, so it makes you think that what you’re taking is helping.

Because, honestly, I’m not gonna get results from being on a medication for about fourteen hours.

 

Last night, I was majorly freaked out. I was on my laptop until rather late at night (around 11:30 pm). I was getting ready to turn it off and put it away when I suddenly hear a sort of scratching. At first, I thought it must just be the dog outside my door. I went to look. That was not the case. Then, I started to hear something that sounded like chewing on wood.

We’ve had rat problems before. Serious rat problems. Like, finding them in out living room. If this had been during the day, I wouldn’t of had an issue. But I did not feel like being in my room, late at night, in the dark, when the rats suddenly decide to chew through the floor boards or whatever. I left my room as fast as I could and went to sleep elsewhere.

 

Today, I had a much more positive experience with animals. Taylor, my boyfriend, came over to help me wash the show sheep. It was a nice hot day, so it was perfect for washing sheep.

FACT:

Sheep love to shake like dogs do when being washed. 

The washing went well. Taylor didn’t grow up on a farm, so he’s still learning about things like this. He does put an effort into it, though. Which is good. My sheep mean a lot to me, so any one I date has to at least try to do something with them.

After washing the sheep, we just hung out for a bit. He had made plans to hang out with a friend in the afternoon, so he left around two.

 

I just have to quickly mention something my dad said when we were trying to figure out the birthdays of the different calves born this spring.

Did you write them down somewhere? Like, in your diary?

I guess I learned something I can use this blog for. Keeping track of when the calves are born because my dad might forget to write it down himself.