Who needs a mop...

when you have 2 dogs who love goat milk?

Happy dogs!

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!