2009 BFL roving colors

I've been sorting, washing and dyeing fleeces for the past couple weeks, trying to get a batch ready to send to Stonehedge in the hopes I can get it back in time for the Wooster fiber festival. These are the colors I'm thinking of using - 2 parts orange, 2 parts fuscia, 1 part marigold, 1 part lilac. The lilac is scaring me a little - not sure if its too dark and too blue, so I'm going to do a test batch on my viking combs once the pink dries and see how it spins up.

Clio had her twins yesterday afternoon. I missed her in the evening when I was checking for the last few pregnant ewes and found her under the hedge tree along the stream, sleeping in the shade. They are big, robust lambs, and after picking up the ram lamb to carry him to the barn before it got dark, I could see why she'd been lying around the last couple days, and having trouble getting to her feet! The ram is a stunner; beautiful earset, super blue, and just that "hey, look at me" attitude. The ewe lamb is Kipling, and if he turns out like I think he will, his name will be McTurk. Notice his black spots on the fronts of both front feet? The sire is Lockerbie, so they are 25% Loyalty, 25% Titus, and 6.25% Jamie.

This is Gypsy having a snack. She is doing relly well; no diarrhea, she is steadily gaining weight, and she is not the least bit bloaty. I really like using a bucket to feed bottle lambs. This way is more natural, since they eat each time they feel hungry, just like on mama. This way, they don't gorge themselves every few hours when a bottle is offered. Its also easier on the shepherd with a busy schedule. :^) She is such a good natured little thing, and loves her smooches. The redbuds are in bloom along the road. The dogwoods aren't far behind. Its been such a cool spring that the past couple days in the 80s have been quite an adjustment.

Another new Ohio BFL Shepherdess

This is Alex with one of her new BFL lambs. Her ewe, Kerryn, just had a set of healthy ram lambs. Congratulations, Alex!

Twins

Sometime during the afternoon, China, a yearling from last year's LAI, had a sweet set of twin ewe lambs. She had them all clean, dry, fed, and brought them back to the barn from the pasture tonight when it was time for their evening grain. Boy, are they cute! And very blue. Their names are Oakley and Oralee, and they are by Lockerbie, making them 25% Carryhouse R1, 25% Titus, and 6.25% Jamie.

Wildhare Project for sale

Wildhares Ruby Slippers and Red Dawn as juniors.

Wildhares D'oro as a junior.

I've been wrestling with this question for a while now. I hate to be thought of as one of those people who start something, and then don't finish it. But I have to admit to myself, I've lost interest in this project. I have 3 RED French Angora type rabbits - a buck and 2 does, that I'd like to find a new home for. They are the first generation of wool rabbits from a cross between my grand champion French Angoras (Phoenix, Carmen, Evan, Valhalla) and 3 different New Zealand Reds. All have been shown, one doe has a leg, and the buck got raves from Ron Petras and S. Vecchio at the last show in Lisbon. They have nice dense wool with good texture and red color. They are ready to breed now.

I can bring them to the Ohio mini convention. I'd definitely like to place them as a group. Naturally, they are not pedigreed as French, and cannot be registered. They would be the first generation on a purebred, registered French pedigree according the ARBA rules.

The new owner can have my extensive list of names for red rabbits. :^) :^)

The two pictures above are Serenade's twin daughters, Sarabande and Shivaree. They are sired by Lanark, and are 25% Jamie, 25% Carryhouse R1, and 12.5% Loyalty. They are BIG lambs, and ever so elegant.

This is Arlene and her ram lamb. He is sired by Larkhall, and is 25% Carryhouse R1, 6.25% Loyalty.

Rainy Monday

Chuck called to tell me that Serenade has a set of twin ewe lambs, and Arlene had a ram lamb around 10AM. I'll have to catch up on photos when I get home! Only 6 more ewes to lamb now.

Sunday evening, we found a new ram lamb with Royce. She had him out in the pasture and brought him back with her when they came in for their evening grain. He is a nice sturdy lamb. His sire is Larkhall, making him 25% Carryhouse R1, 12.5% Laird, 12.5% Loyalty.

This always makes me smile. These are the Katahdin replacement ewe lambs, which Chuck refers to as "the babies". They follow him whenever he goes into their paddock. Can you pick out Tim and Buddy in the crowd?

Here is Chuck with Gypsy, or "no-mama" as he calls her. I managed to spoil the picture by getting my finger in front of the lense...................

What are they up to?

OK, so this time I did not delete the pictures. The first one of Celestia and her twins was much better - Oh well. Here they are, settled in for the night. Ilse is in front, with "little" Ilaria behind mama.

Above is Aria with her big, husky ram lamb, and under them is her ewe lamb, Wren. They are sired by Larkhall, so are 25% Carryhouse R1, 12.5% Jamie, 12.5% Ebony Boy, and 3% Laird.

Yesterday afternoon, Celestia and Wallis both delivered twin ewe lambs. These are Wallis' girls. We found one of them all by herself, and Wallis said it was not hers, but a careful check of the flock yielded no other suspects. So with a *by her name until the end of lambing season, and we can be certain they are hers, Wallis girls are Gemma and Gypsy, sired by Lockerbie.

I had pictures of Aria's and Celestia's twins, but accidently deleted them in the cropping/saving process. DUH! I'll try again later today. Celestia's girls are Ilse and Ilaria, sired by Larkhall, so they are 25% Laird, 25% Carryhouse R1.

I've got good news, and I've got bad news......

This morning, Aria had a set of twins, already fed and dried off. They are very active and into everything. She seemed grateful to be moved into a jug where she immediately laid down to rest. I normally would not have moved her into a jug, but now the bad news.

Iden's lamb, Hollis, had died during the night. Iden was quite upset, and kept interfering with Aria's ram lamb, although after she led him away from mama, then she would just butt him away. Although I though she was doing OK, I'm not surprised that we lost the lamb. She was just kinda "off". Her head was odd shaped for a BFL, and she tended to go into a corner and just stand there. I feel sorry for Iden, though.

Aria's lambs are sired by Larkhall, and are 25% Carryhouse R1, 12.5%Jamie, 12.5% Ebony Boy, and 3% Laird. The ewe lamb's name is Wren.

And for those of you tired of all the lamb pictures......

......here's Chuck, tooling around on his Ford Jubilee tractor. He says he does not need an ATV - the Ford is better.

Iden had a small ewe lamb yesterday afternoon, outside in the rain. Chuck moved them inside the barn into a jug so the poor thing could dry off. When I came home from work, she was warm, but still very wet, and started really shivering. So I dug out a lamb coat I made from a thermal lined flannel shirtsleeve, and put that on her. She looks pretty darn cute in her little plaid coat. Her name is Hollis, and her sire is Larkhall. She is 25% Carryhouse R1, 14% Laird, 6.25% Jamie, 6.25% Ebony Boy.

New BFL breeder

This is Madeline and her BFL ewe, Lyric, with Lyric's newborn daughter. The lamb was born last night, and the ever vigilant shepherdess was checking her flock this morning before school. Madeline's sister, Alexandria, still awaits her lamb(s).

Buddy and Timmy have enjoyed their day playing in the creek in the rain.

Peaceful family. Miss Nibs put away a lot of hay today, and is looking pretty darn chipper for having a difficult lambing this morning. The babies are full of milk, and sleepy. I swear the ram lamb is smiling. :^) What do newborn lambs dream of?

Hey look, they can have twins!

This morning was busy. Besides tagging and docking the 4 lambs from yesterday, I found Aislinn with a big ewe lamb, and trying to deliver another lamb. I soon found he was coming breech, with one leg bent at the hock. I couldn't get it straightened out, so Chuck came and lifted her hindend off the ground. This gave me room, and I straightened the leg, and with a little pull, out he came. Miss Nibs and her twins are doing just fine now. The ewe lamb is Rylie. They are sired by Larkhall, making them 25% Loyalty, 25% Carryhouse R1.

The rest of April 13th lambs.

Nell had just dropped this whopper of a ram last night when I got home from a board meeting at 10:30. He is sired by Lanark, and is 25% Carryhouse R1, 12.5% Loyalty, 12.5% Laird, 6.25% Jamie.

I found this young lady, too, but she had been born sometime after evening feeding and was already dry and very active. Her mother is Vivace, a ewe lamb from last year's AI, sired by Barlaes Titus E+. The sire is Larkhall, who is the AI son of Carryhouse R1. Her name is Dessa. She is 25% Titus, 25% Carryhouse R1, 12.5% Loyalty, 6.25% Jamie.

This is Caliope and her daughter from yesterday AM, Bijoux.

And its another..........ewe!

Chuck just called to tell me that Darcy had a ewe lamb. She is sired by Lockerbie, so is 25% Titus, 12.5% Laird, 6.25% Loyalty, 6.25% Jamie. Her name is Quadrille, and she is petite, laid back, and very bossy, just like her mother.

This is Caliope's 12# ewe lamb, born this morning. She is sired by Lockerbie, so is 25% Loyalty, 25% Titus, 6.25% Jamie. Her name is Bijoux. I'll get another picture later, she has beautiful earset, and this picture makes Cali look small. She actually is a big ewe, probably a condition score 4, too.

Welcome Easter Morning!

Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen!

SHF Pegasus had this ewe lamb waiting for me this morning when I checked the barn. She is a daughter of SHF Lockerbie, and is 25% Titus, 6.25% Jamie. Her name is Calais.

Voodoo and the kits wish you a very Happy Easter!

Ballad had a spunky little 9.5# ewe lamb this afternoon. Her sire is also Lanark, so she is 25% Carryhouse R1, 12.5% Loyalty, 12.5% Laird, 6.25% Jamie. Her name is Vogue. The other 2 lambs spent the day outside in the pasture with their mothers, enjoying the sunny day.

Look who I found this morning at 6:30 when I checked the barn. This is a single ewe lamb from Rowan. She is dry and well fed, and looking pretty perky I think. :^) Her name is Lourdes.
Her sire is Lanark also, making her 25% Carryhouse R1, 12.5% Laird, 25% Loyalty.

Our first lamb!

Today is the day, and Hannelore did not disappoint. She was just acting restless about 8Am, and by 10AM when I checked in on her, she already had this lamb and was passing her placenta. By noon, when I looked in on them again, he was just finishing up lunch, and plopped down for a nap. He is 12#, so a nice sturdy young man.
His sire is SHF Lanark, so he is 25% Carryhouse R1, 12.5% Loyalty, 15 % Laird, 12.5% Jamie, 6.25% Ebony Boy.

Flock Due Date

I checked the ewes this AM before I went to work, and so far, everyone is just lying around, chewing their cuds. Today would be a good day to be born; its to be 62 and sunny, with winds of 5-10 mph.
And so I wait................

Very funny..........NOT!

What is this on my car?????? SNOW????? AGAIN????? Is this some sort of sick, twisted late April Fool's joke?

Sleepy Babies

These are Miramar and Sudan's kits. They are a week old. This litter is always so content and snuggly, just snoozing away and growing like crazy. There are 2 chocolates and 4 chocolate agoutis.

Lisbon Double Show

The show Saturday was a lot of fun. Vici came to a show for the first time, and she ended up winning Best of Breed in both shows with her blue tort doe, Roz. I think she was so overwhelmed with the show; the crush of people and trying to understand what was happening and what the judges were saying that it did not really soak in at the time.
Tina and I teased her that now she is hooked - Roz needs that last leg for her championship! :^)
Tina got 2 legs on her SR buck, and one leg each on her JR bucks, so she too had a happy day.

I took all three of the Wildhares for evaluation. Now the judges don't like X5 (Ruby Slippers) but X4 (Red Dawn), got second in both shows. And even though X6 (D'oro) had just been clipped 6 weeks before, and his coat still looked choppy and was short, he got REALLY good comments on his body type, and actually placed 3rd out of 5 in both shows.

Voodoo again

I gave her a follow up shot of LA200 last night, and more probiotic. Her chest is still swollen and has dark areas in it, which makes me believe it will eventually break open, and we'll have to deal with cleaning and trimming the wound. I'm confident I can deal with that.
The kits were out of the nest last night, and again this AM. I'm working on getting them to eat solid food to give her a break from trying to feed them while she is sick. She again had eaten all her treat mix, hay, and greens, and also part of the pellets, so she continues to improve.