Shearing the last 2 sheep

Finally got Amarillo and Adelaide sheared this afternoon. Poor girls have been miserable in this heat with those thick wool coats on. Now they are nice and cool and much lighter.


This is Amarillo. She was first up. She did great for her first time. But when he tried to get around her neck, she took off running!

So now she looks kind of wonky, but she doesn't care one bit. She's a happy ewe.

And Adelaide. She's such a sweet ewe. I love her. She was great. Never whined or complained at all. But I will not be able to use her wool. It was so matted and felted. I am going to look into getting coats for her and Amarillo. Their wool is just too nice to waste it.

We got the halter on her to get her neck. But the poor little guy that came with them got a little ride. She jumped up in the air and did a few turns, but for a city kid, he hung on for dear life! I hope he didn't sprain his wrist. These sheep. I just never know what they'll do. I was trying to trim Fionna and Leelah's hooves and they about went crazy trying to get away. But I hung on. It wore me plum out though!

Doesn't she look pretty? He coat is really wavy. And I don't think either of them are pregnant. Which is fine. We will wait til fall then. It's too hot right now to have lambs. And I don't think Abraham is too interested anyway.

Here's Adelaide, hiding behind the post. She looks a bit embarrassed, don't you think?

I am so glad we got them done. I am going to have to invest in some good shears now. I have the stand, which they used. I am so glad they used it and not sat them on their rears. I don't like that. And after reading someone's blog this week about her shearing horror story, I would never put my sheep through that again. Anything could go wrong. And I have sheared sheep before. I just need to get the shears next time some money comes in. I don't really like having to depend on other people to do things for me, when I can do it myself. And I think they will all be ready for another shearing in the fall.

What am I going to do now?

Guess what woke me up this morning?

Let me say, that in all the years I have had dogs, I have never had this happen. And I am 55. And I have lived in the country most of those 55 years. But I have never had this happen. It's probably come close a few more times than I'd like. But never like this. And it's really something you just cannot describe unless you're just right there.

So this morning, I wake up to the most awful, horrid smell. My daughter gets up around 5 am to get ready for work and usually makes something for breakfast. So I thought it must have been her in the kitchen and something had gone terribly wrong. I mean, it smelled like someone was roasting the most rotten onions and garlic. But even worse than that.

So I got up and Stella walked past me soaking wet. It brushed my legs. Then heather said it wasn't her fault, that she didn't know the gate was open when she let them out. And they came in smelling like that. But when I went outside, it didn't smell like that. My kitchen does. And after not even a whole day of Stella being so nice and clean and shiny.

Apparently, they got in a fight with a skunk. And of course the skunk won this one. It's not so much Stella. But Bubba must have been the instigator because he will never be coming back in this house again! I have no idea what to do with him now. He is disgusting. And I think the skunk is under my house near the kitchen. And it could be either hurt really bad or dead. Or not.

So what's a girl supposed to do? Why, cook up some good bacon and make a bacon and fresh ripe tomato sandwich on sourdough bread, of course! I seem to not have any good smelling candles on hand. I will be making some though, when I am done. So now the house smells pretty much like bacon. And who wouldn't want their house to smell like bacon? I bought a few tomatoes at the market yesterday and looked all over for bacon, but they were all sold out. So went to Whole Foods and got some. This is my all time favorite sandwich. And I wait a long time for "real" tomatoes just for this sandwich. I feel a little better. But still, have no idea what to do with Bubba. Stella is pretty much ok I think. But after her nice spa day, it kind of makes me sick.

Any advice for a dog with really thick fur to get the stench out? I asked the shearer guy if he could shave Bubba when he comes tomorrow. I'll check and see if he can. But maybe not now.

And I have a house full of company coming up from Colorado tomorrow for a week. 6 extra people. Staying here. UGH!

Before and after

 This is dirty Stella when I was taking her to my friend Jennie's for a shampoo and set. She was SO dirty and stinky and full of fleas. She didn't look too happy to be leaving home.

And here she is on the way home. She looks a lot happier now. She is SO clean. And all the white is shiny white. Even her feet are white and shiny. Her nails were trimmed. And her tail and rear and ever her ears. She's so clean I don't ever want her to go outside again. She looks like a city dog now. I got some Front line flea oil to put on her tomorrow.

And the bunnies are back out in their bunny tractor. I put some hard plastic pieces at the bottom of the door and screwed the door shut tight. I put them out before we left and when we got home, they were still in! And I cleaned the crate real good and put a clean blanket inside for Stella.

When we got home, Bubba nearly jumped her. I was afraid he wouldn't recognize her all pretty and cleaned up and smelling good. But he did eventually. I am going to see if the sheep shearer guy will trim Bubba because his fur is so thick and he's shedding like crazy all over the house. If he will, I'll give him a good washing and put the flea oil on him too.