Ode to February

Yes, its February.  The snow has melted, we have snow in the forecast.  The days drag on, short on sunlight, long on clouds.  The sheep's beautiful glittering white wool is getting mud tipped; more and more hay chaff appears on their necks and backs.  How does this happen?  We try to be so careful.  Do they?

Are they pregnant?  The ram has long since stopped courting them.....they seem fatter, don't they?   Any sign of an udder?  No, its too early yet, stop obsessing.   Wait, I think that one's vulva seems a bit puffier, don't you think so?  How many days is it 'til lambs are due?  Let's see, 16 more days of February, 31 days in March.  Seems like forever.....47 days....... WAIT!  Do we have enough CD&T?  BOSE?  What about Pritchard teats?   Where is the box of old towels?  How many bales of straw are up in the mow?   Check the box of baby lamb tags, count syringes & needles.

Only a month 'til we need to see about shearing.  Better call the shearer and make sure we are still on his list of farms.  Lambing pens are set up - after twice being filled with mud, sticks and leaves from flood waters this past summer.  Still have one less hay feeder than we have pens....better do something about that this year.

Yeh, its February.  Dark and dreary.  When will it end?   No wonder they only made it 28 days, we'd never make it through a full month of this.

BTW - Happy Mardi Gras!