Green grass of spring

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It was beautiful outside today, warm but with a cool breeze. We decided this morning to let everyone into one of their pastures. With all the recent rain the grass was up really nicely. 

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Everyone was very, very, happy. 

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Horace and Buckwheat decided they wanted the same little patch of grass... 

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This is everyone's favorite day of the year. 

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So much grass, so little time... 

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Sammy, Henrietta, Brie, and Spock munching away... 

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Max has a much bigger area to keep an eye on now... 

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Of course he has Flavious to assist if needed. If not needed, Flavious is asleep. 

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The Pygmy kids loved being out in the big pasture and it was the cutest thing watching them running around playing in the green grass.

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While we were all enjoying the grass, Kevin started removing the good broken down manure and bringing it to the garden, and turning over the newer manure pile to help it compost.

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Ruby the lamb hung around the Pygmy girls most of the afternon. 

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Dahlia had her hands full watching all those kids but they stay pretty close to her.. and all the other goats are very good to the little ones. 

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You can barely see little Puffin in the grass... 

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There she is! Puffin, Dahlia and Ruby 

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One. Cute. Kid. 

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Munching grass with her mama... 

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Maybe we should head over and get a drink... 

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from the big, big, bowl... 

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Puffin may be small, but she can reach in the big bowl just like her mama!

I find everything she does unbelievably adorable... It's hard not to. 

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Yesterday we buried my oldest ewe, Lila. I didn't post about it because I needed time to process it. She had been with us for 7 years, and she was 9 years old. I've known for a while this was coming, but I expected her to live through the summer, through the good times and into the fall. 

Friday night when I gave everyone their dinner (I had left them in because of the big storms we were having, it snowed) Lila couldn't get up. I knew in that instant this was the end. I brought her water, some hay, and a bowl of her favorite grain and sat down beside her and held the bowl while she ate the grain. I was grateful she ate the grain. One last treat. She passed very quickly. But still... my heart broke. My heart broke to loose such a good and old friend, and because she was leaving behind her just over 2 month old lamb. 

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Ruby is doing OK. She has been eating solid food for a while now, and I've noticed her drinking from Lila less. I think she'll be alright without the milk, although she's just at the age to be able to be weaned... It's more the depression that concerns me. She is very close with the other two sheep, her daddy and half brother Horace... and she spends a lot of time with the other babies. She is a typical lamb, so unlike goat kids they are not usually snuggly, but she allowed me to hold her tonight for a few minutes, and I made sure she ate all her dinner, which she did. When I went back to check on her, she was sleeping with Braveheart (her dad.) Braveheart is not a normal ram, he's completely blind, and the sweetest guy ever. He'd never hurt a fly, and we've had 6 lambs born with him there and he's never, ever, hurt a lamb. Or me, or anyone.

We got our first sheep in 2006... we traded some logs for some sheep... mostly broken down sheep. The ram (Henry, who I mentioned recently) was 12. He lived here for a few months before passing on. But we also got four ewes, all pregnant. One was a Suffolk who was Braveheart's mom, the one who abandoned him. Then there was a 8 year old Dorset ewe, a 5 year old Dorset ewe, and Lila. We didn't get out of the truck when the guy loaded the sheep, and we didn't even know Lila was in there until we got home and opened the truck to unload.

She was a Black Welsh Mountain sheep, and she had a busted leg. Her leg was not really broken but rather twisted at the knee and bent. The first thing I did was call the farmer who traded us the sheep. He said she was born that way, that he didn't have the heart to put her down... and he didn't want to send her to slaughter, or keep her, so he gave her to me.

Because he knew I'd take care of her.

Next I called the Vet. The Vet came out and said it was too late to do anything with her leg, and aside from that, she was using it, which she did... so it would probably do more harm than good at this point. So we left it. And she used it. But she was a bit of a mess that old girl. She was stubborn and demanding, but also sweet, and she always did what I asked of her. And she was the best mama ever.

Death is always hard, and always sad. But I think more than the actual event, getting used to life without that animal, or person, is the hardest part. Getting used to that one thing you were so used to being there, and that face you were so used to seeing... not being there anymore.

It's life though. And she lived a very good one.

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Speaking of stubborn and demanding... Nelly was so happy to see the sun back after days of over cast skies and rain. She really wanted to work on her tan... 

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There is that handsome Braveheart (AKA Lambie.) Handsome as ever. 

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And here's the most spoiled boys ever. Dog included.

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Ah Sammy, your chin is green. 

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Biscuit and Sammy enjoying their afternoon... 

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Spock and Annabelle

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Bulrush having a scratch...

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I'm not sure if Max is winking, licking his lips, or dreaming about a nice juicy steak... 

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DID YOU SAY STEAK? 

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As you can see some of us are not quite ready for bikini weather... 

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I love this picture of Henrietta... 

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And I love this picture of my big boys.

This is the best time of year. It's still cool outside, the bugs are down, but everything is nice and green and coming back to life... 

Comments

IanH said…
Nice photos! You almost have me convinced to get goats! Elaine would kill that idea pretty quick. Sorry for your loss. We will be saying goodbye to one of our horses in the next few weeks. 27 years is about all she is going to see.

Your grass is taller, but our apples are forming. :-}
jaz@octoberfarm said…
oh that is so sad. but everything is so green and all the animals look so happy. i love the little green chins! glad to hear you are getting good spring weather. we are about to get scorching hot here which less than thrills me. i have really enjoyed these cool mornings!
Primitive Stars said…
Truly a little piece of heaven your place is, love to see the pictures of all your beloved pets, makes my heart happy.....Ruby is so pretty, glad she is ok and Braveheart is so handsome too....So sorry to hear about your loss though, sad.....Blessings Francine.
Leigh said…
I was so sorry to read about Lila. It's always sad to lose an animal and you're right about life going on with out them. So fortunate you were there with her at the end. It was interesting to read about your sheep.

I love the photos of your goats, but have to say that Nelly's photo is the prize winner. :)
Lana said…
What a lovely walk about the goats and lambs! Max's face cracks me up. He has such pretty eyes though!

So sorry for your loss. It is always so hard to loose a dear fur kid.
I know how you feel about losing a beloved animal. I lost Betsy a few summers ago. I loved that cow!I lost one of my favourite ewes this winter--The Missus. She was extremely tame! But they do live forever on-in their offspring and in our memories. Give yourself time! I love when the grass is tall enough for the animals to be turned out on it! They all run around checking out the fences, bucking and a kicking! Best part of spring!! We will be getting our goats in two weeks time. Maddie is all excited! Road trip!
Suzan said…
It has to be very difficult to loose any of your beloved farm animals!! but if they live with you -- I know they have had a wonderful and loving life. Will you shave the dogs for the summer? All the kids - must be fun to sit and watch them playing!!
so sorry for your loss Donna. Death is hard. :(
I am glad they have lots of green stuff to eat too. All of the babies are adorable and the big kids to.
12Paws said…
Thanks for sharing your story of Lila--you gave one of God's creatures a sweet life and now you have Ruby. Death is, of course, sad but Lila's life, because of your nurture of her, can be remembered in celebration. You are a special person.
I just love all these photos of everyone enjoying the pasture! They really did have a good time. The goat kids are just too cute for words!

I am so sorry to hear about Lila. It is difficult to lose a dear companion like that. You'll be in my thoughts!
The JR said…
Awww....I'm so sorry. Losing Lila was hard on you and sad.

That is the cutest pic of Max. I love all the pictures and enjoy seeing your kids. The Prairie Dogs are so photogenic.

I know I'm still sad about losing Country and will miss her for a long long time.

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