One of our new friends is a delightful woman named Renee. She has quite a few sheep, and sells her wool, her felted art and other wooly things at a local market during the summer. If you are a paid subscriber, you will have read my poem back in September, that I wrote after helping her (or trying to, rather) shear one of her lambs.
Just over a week ago, as the sun was beginning to set, I got a text from her, which read, “First lamb born.” I think that’s one of the best texts I’ve ever gotten. After saying that I could come see the lamb anytime, I headed over there.
By the time I got there, about half an hour later, three more lambs had been born!
One of the four, however, wasn’t standing up, and even after drying it off with a towel, it wouldn’t stand, and it just lay there shivering.
We moved the mama ewe and her four babies into the barn, inside a lambing pen, and I stayed with the little one while Renee ran to get some colostrum and milk replacement. I tucked the baby up under my cardigan and coat, holding her close to keep her warm.
Being in a barn full of sheep for an hour is an interesting experience. It feels like a different world. Sounds from outside sound strange and the sheep, though they were sleepy, were also curious, about what they could hear, about the new lambs and their mothers.
I sat down after awhile, and the barn cat came and sat on my lap, helping to keep me and the new lamb warm.
Then Renee was back. We rode back up to the house on a 4-wheeler and she made up some of the formula for the lamb, and I was able to get her to drink some. Renee set up a pen for her in the house, and I went home, to warm up and have dinner with Nick.
Last night, Nick and I went over to check on these lambs, and to see some new ones that had been born since last week.
The little bottle baby was doing well, though still small. She was on her feet and running around! Her siblings, out in the barn, were doing well, and bigger than their sister.
Some new mother ewes had had some babies, and we admired them too.
It’s been a miserable February so far, and last night we tread carefully on our way to the barn, so we wouldn’t slip on the ice. Today, it’s been snowing most of the day. There are no signs of spring, and yet, in this dark, warm barn, safe from the wind and the cold of the winter, new lambs are being born, and it is beautiful.
I usually love havig at least one bottle-baby in the house (it's hard not to get a lttle too attached though) but this year we're getting a puppy so that's enough.
What a treasured experience. I’m so delighted to read a glimpse of your adventures back east. Thank you for sharing. Xo