Oh sheep!

I had planned on leaving the sheep in the side yard til Thursday morning, then putting them in the back yard, where they will stay till they get sheared Saturday morning, then out to the very back pasture.

Well, I should know better than to make any type of plans where sheep are in them.

Last evening, I was in the studio and I heard lambs whining. Lots of whining. I looked out the front door and saw sheep out in the front garden. And lambs NOT in the front garden, but running along the fence that separates the yard and garden.

So there went those plans.

Here is a picture of the fence that goes from the yard to the garden. This is what I have to do to keep it closed. There's probably 1 1/2 feet between the gate and the fence post, so I have to put that 4x4 landscape timber in between, then wrap the chain around all that, then put the shearing stand in front of all that. Fun, huh?

Well, the ewes decided to change my plans up. they all pushed the landscape timber out of the way (I think the stand had been moved and not put back) and went on it. They didn't tell the lambs though. And of course, lambs being lambs, were not paying attention and doing lamb stuff. When they realized mommas weren't around any more and on the other side of the fence, they all had a little lamb fit.

So here I go, the crazy shepherd, trying to get the lambs out there in the garden. Had to put up little fences and other things so they would only have one way to go. Got them all in the garden, finally.

This is the gate where they went out into the pasture our neighbor let us use for years. But not anymore. So I put some fence up and this piece of tin, and a board to prop it up. And there's a roll of fence that I'll use to corral the lambs to get them to go back out. Because they always seem to go the other way when I want to move them.

So this morning, I opened the gate to get the sheep to go to the back yard and it went pretty good. Had about 10 lambs that we had to herd. Then they all went to the back yard and that's where they will stay til they are sheared.

We will also castrate all the ram lambs  and get that job done.

I mowed the garden and side yard this morning. Then went out to where I want to put the stanchions and mowed it real good. We got our old refrigerator from our oldest daughter yesterday and put it in the milk room to hold all this milk I'm getting now. It takes up a lot of room in our fridge.

So slowly, we are getting more things done around here.If only the sheep would do what I want them to do! I really need a Border Collie to help me.

And the alpacas are out back with the goats. That way they'll be out of the way. And I will just about guarantee that Saturday morning, when we try to get the sheep in the corner where I hold them to be sheared, that every single little lamb will be right there with them. I'd be willing to bet money if I had any.