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Sheep after shearing.

This is Abraham after he got all his red wool sheared off. he's black again, like when he was little. He acts different now though. Like a nekked boy.

This is Abraham, after shearing. He's all black again, like when he was born. He looks totally different.

This is Leelah. She looks so much better now. Now the viking ewe anymore!

Here is Annabelle. Totally different ewe now. She acts grown up. And I', pretty sure she is pregnant. When she was on her rump having her belly sheared, her udders were quite big. And it was so cute because each side had a little brown circle right around the teats. Never seen that before.

Here is Darla on the left and Adele on the right. Not too sure about Adele being pregnant. She could be though. I hope so. She really looks good. Darla, who had been sick a few weeks ago, is way better now. But quite bony. She needs some weight on her. But she feels so good after having all that heavy wool sheared off.

It was a really nice day today. Cool and sunny. I did a lot today in the garden. Got 3 beds ready to plant for tomorrow. I have a doctor appointment in the morning, but when I get home, it's back to the garden. It's supposed to rain Wed.

Still life

I sat outside for a little bit today, by the bees. Listening to them and seeing them so busy, flying here and there, is so cool. I am SO glad I got these bees. And I love this book, The Backyard Beekeeper. I had some nettle tea and the books and it was a beautiful day. And got 2 eggs to boot! I love this picture. Just had to share it. I hope y'all had a nice Sunday. I did.

LONG day

Look at this pile of sheep. waiting to be sheared this morning. It was a beautiful day. Kind of cool, but beautiful. My friend came with her DIL about 10:30 and we grabbed Abraham, the ram. Well, her blades were not sharp. So they had to all the way to TS about 25 miles from here to get new ones. Thank goodness, they had some. So got started again about 1:00. She got Abraham sheared. He looks like a different ram now. All black, like he looked when he was little.

Then we got Darla. She just laid there and fell asleep while she was sheared. She was a happy lady! So glad to have all that heavy thick wool off her at last.

Then Leelah. She has looked like a viking for the past 2 years now and I wanted that nasty doat off her. She's Katahdin-Dorper, so she's a little more wooly that hair. And the wool had felted. So it was tough to get off. But she looks great now.

Then her son came and he sheared Adele, the wild one. She's Leelah's ewe lamb from last year. And she's the biggest one of the bunch. I think she might be pregnant, but not really sure. Not much of an udder yet if she is.

Then she sheared Annabelle. She's mostly Finn. Lucinda's daughter from last year. Lucinda died last year from Barber Pole parasites. Annabelle had some really nice wool.

So I'll only be able to use Abraham and Annabelle's wool for spinning. Maybe Adele's.

It was about 5 by then, so she'll come back next week to get Adalaide and Amarillo. I am so tired and all I did was hold them mostly. But sheep are strong buggars.

Here's Abraham. He was so good. And I think he is feeling better now, without all that heavy hot wool.

                                   This is Leelah, the viking ewe. She really looks good now.

                               This is Julie's son, shearing Adele. He did a great job. No nicks at all.

We also trimmed hooves. They were pretty bad on some, but not so on others. We've had such a wet winter. So muddy here. I'll take after pictures tomorrow. My camera was acting up and all the pictures were fuzzy.

So tomorrow, a few board members from the Main St. Market are coming for a farm visit. I still have a lot of mulching to do. So I hope they come later in the day. Didn't get too much done this morning. I so hope I get in at this market.

And I was a bit worried about my bees. Yesterday was rainy and cool and dark. I didn't see a single bee in the morning before I left. I was gone all day. Checked on them when I got home and didn't see but one bee. This morning, I saw bees all over the place! I was so happy to see them. I have a lot to learn about bees. They don't like it cold.

I hope y'all are having a great weekend so far.

Can you see them?

I am so happy! I went out just awhile ago and heard that all too familiar sound. I walked over to the tree and there they were. A pair of Ruby Throated hummingbirds! I had just put the feeder out yesterday too. Just in time. They are so beautiful. And it's going to be in the 30's the next few nights. I hope they have a nest built already. They are SO fun to watch.

               This is pretty with the horses across the road and the sunset and of course the sheep.

                                                                   I love this shot.

                                                            See her in the upper window?

She's over in the left right at the mountain line. It's a male and female pair. I only saw those 2 so far. But there will be more.

Do y'all have hummers yet? Are you ready for them? I found this little hanger at the dollar store and it's just perfect for their feeder. And they can perch on it too.

Bees

Can you see the little tiny bee drinking water at their pretty little water bowl? I've already had to fill it up so I know they're drinking from it a lot. I think it's so pretty. I put some sticks in it so they could land on them to drink, but they just land on the side like this one so far.

The bees have really been busy with all the trees blooming and flowers all over. I planted some sunflower seeds last week and they are all coming up! And I got 3 more blueberry bushes and just planted them to day. I have 10 now! All full of blooms full of bumble bees.

Laughter

This morning in my devotional book, I was reading in Proverbs and got to chapter 17 v 22. A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones. Yes, it does.

Living on a farm can be hard, a lot of work, sweat and tears. But there is also so much to laugh about. Sometimes, if I didn't just sit down and laugh at some of the things that happen around here, I would go crazy.

So I was trying to think of some things that make me laugh around here. I have pigs now. They are not often fun. They are a lot of work. And worry. And trouble when they want to be. And believe me, I have been through some troublesome porkers here. I was always SO relieved when they were loaded in a trailer headed for the butcher. Like I could breath again! But, they can be so funny. Like the last few weeks. It's been really warm. So when I go to fill up their water, I'll turn the hose on them. The first time, it freaked them out. It was so funny. Now they love it. Especially Bob, the black pig. He will stand still under the water and I can see him smiling. Then he'll take off running around the yard. Then Joe will join in. He likes it ok, but not as much as Bob does. I can see the joy in Bob as he's getting splashed with the water. Such happiness. That makes me laugh.

The lambs. Yes, they have been getting out of the fences. Yes, they get stuck in strange places. But, when they just leap up in the air and run with their friends all over the pasture in pure joy, that makes me laugh. They are so funny, these lambs. And sometimes, for no apparent reason, one of the ewes will do that. Just leap up in the air and run around.

And the chickens. When they were free ranging, during the winter, they would find something good to eat. And when another chicken saw that one, she'd take off after it. That's funny too.

Then the goats. Good grief, sometimes I could just ring their aggravating little necks. But the next minute, they do something that just makes me burst out laughing! They really are hilarious!

Never a dull moment on a farm, for sure. And I don't want to become a broken spirit with dry bones.

So what makes you laugh? Do you see funny little things and just start laughing out loud and people think you're crazy? We ALL need to laugh more. Especially now, when so many horrible things are happening all around us or to us. Lets all just LAUGH! Out loud!