"It is well to remember that the entire population of the universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others." A.Holmes

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

New Arrivals to Cedar Pond

Introducing Bide-a-wee Buttercup's new lamb, a son ( ram) I have named Basil. I find this picture touching as she nuzzles him and he leans into her. This is a big ram lamb and he is very strong and sturdy. He is also the son of Goth, the dominant ram here at Cedar Pond. I am excited to see how his horns grow, will he have 4 or 6 horns? We'll see. Buttercup's half-sister Bide-a-wee Chicory gave birth to TWINS today. She had a ram lamb and a ewe lamb and I am overjoyed by this. Aren't they cute? In this picture they are still wet from birth and learning to nurse. She is proving to be a good mom. Goth is also the father of these lambs. The boy lamb is on the left and it is obvious he will have at least 4 horns, they are already popping up out of his head . ( YIKES, can you imagine giving birth to already horned babies? ) And then there are the warm, fuzzy, and ridiculously cute babies...chicks! Yes, more chicks arrived in the mail to replace those that did not fare well in the last package. All seem to be doing well now, but i took a picture of them as they will be grown up so very quickly. You can see I have a lot going on around here and later on today my shearer will be here to shear a few more sheep, then there will be the skirting and washing of the fleeces so I can begin anew the dyeing, carding, spinning and locker-hooking of the wool that starts as a lamb late in the winter at Cedar Pond.

23 comments:

LindaSue said...

what beautiful lambs - always a thrill when our animals give birth to healthy sturdy babies. Chicks - I can hardly believe I've had our cluckers almost a year now. Your daily routine schedule is filling up quickly now - thank goodness you have smart helpful grandkids to come over and assist!

Anonymous said...

What sweet pictures Kathy. I love that first photo - it is just darling. I can see that you are going to be really busy but I know it is what you love so about your home. Enjoy!

Paula said...

Oh Kathy! How adorable! I have to admit, the Jacob lambs are the most gorgeous things ever! And baby chicks too? *SQUEAL*
I would love to have some more baby chicks right now, but with all the excitement of my new lambs, I don't think my heart could stand both of them at the same time! *LOL*

Connie said...

Incredibly sweet pictures, Kathy! Offspring of Goth? Uh oh! Beware! :D

I've never raised chicks. Why do they have green on their heads? They are so cute!

Farmgirl Cyn said...

I think you could market that 1st picture....SO sweet! Basil! I love it!

Susie said...

You have so much going on there, its fun to watch. Love those precious lamb pics Kathy. Really sweet.

Wobegon Cottage said...

It must make you feel good though..to be busy with such work as lambing and making wool. We are here getting well and waiting for the snow to melt. All I have to do today is disinfect the whole house...(hehe)

EBet said...

Oh your lambs are so cute! Ours won't be coming 'til the end of this month, I can't wait! The chicks we ordered will be here in April. Anna and I may come with Dad if our sheep customer comes before he leaves for your house.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your beautiful babies! We had 5 girls lamb yesterday!!! I wouldn't mind a break today to catch up, but I'm not sure they are going to cooperate. Enjoy all of the babies, they grow up so fast.

Karen said...

I enjoyed the pictures of the new "babies" at Cedar Pond. Also the family photo in the sidebar is just beautiful. We are having snowy weather in Indiana this week. God bless you.

Mary Bergfeld said...

The photos are lovely. It is impossible not to love newborns. They bring out the best in all of us.
I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary

Deanna said...

Dear Kathy,
May you have a very blessed and sweet Valentine's Day!

WOWZA...these little lambs are
adorable and the chicks so cute. With these births on Cedar Pond, it feels like Spring to me at your place already!

I'm ready for spring. Some flowers out front have some green growth showing...excited.

Waiting for a new granbaby to arrive. Better run, gotta get more done before this birth!

And Dearest Kathy, a heartfelt thank you for your much coveted prayers about our daughter's situation. March 29th Hearing about visitation changes. I'm beyond concerned.

God bless,
d

Mary said...

We are so blessed. You know?

I love your lambs, Kathy. I see no sheep in this area of your type, Jacob.

Thistle Cove Farm said...

The thoughts of giving birth to something with horns leaves me a bit unsettled. Thoughts of various horror movies, which I do NOT watch, come to mind...shudder....shudder....

Lovely lambs though and the one of the lamb being nuzzled by his mother...TOO adorable! You're doing yourself proud this year; keep it up!

English Cottage in Georgia said...

What sweet, precious babies! My the farm is expanding into a ranch:-)

Julie Harward said...

SO VERY SWEET...YOU ARE HAVING TOO MUCH FUN I THINK! COME SAY HI :D

Eggs In My Pocket said...

How sweet! I just want to cuddle those baby lambs! The little chicks in the basket are just darling. There is nothing as sweet as farm babies! Blessings,Kathleen

Flower said...

How much cute can you take? That picture of mom and babe nuzzling is adorable!! Basil's markings are perfect... He needs to be in a painting!!

KathyB. said...

LindaSue & Mildred,thank-you, it is a thrill and I so often remind myself I am privileged to fill great portions of my life with people I love, doing things I love, caring for animals I love...and sometimes getting help from precious grandchildren~

Farm Chick Paula,lambs are just plain cute, aren't they? Your lambs look so much like the first years of raising sheep here. our daughter's Suffolk sheep were our learning experiences. She still says if she were to raise sheep she would have Suffolk, like yours.

Daisy, the chicks with the green mark on their heads were "filler chicks", they were the chicks that make up the right number for warmth in the box that comes through the mail to help keep all the replacement chicks warm. The hatchery replaced the chicks that died en route and within 48 hours after arrival. I believe they are white leghorns...the most productive white egg layers of all .

FarmGirl Cyn, I did print up a 5 X 7 print for myself....mama sheep are so protective of their lambs. Thank-you.

Susie, you're right about a lot going on here...I love it but I am very tired , I need to stop blogging and get to bed, but in a strange way blogging invigorates me too, go figure!

Alice, the WHOLE house? Illness has forced you to do your spring cleaning early, hope Paul is much, much better!

Ebet, Anna enjoyed my lambs until she gets her "lamb fix"...you will be having them at a more sensible time of the year and so perfect around Easter...actually, lambs are a happy event any time of the year, like kittens, puppies, chicks, ducklings, foals, turkey poults, kid goats,.....most of which you all get!

Shannon, I am enjoying them. I stand outside with my hot coffee or tea and just watch and watch...but I am not getting a lot else done except all the little and necessary things that come with lambs and chicks...your flock is gorgeous!

KathyB. said...

Karen, I have been yearning for snowy weather. We are getting a lot of warm rain, which makes a lot of squishy mud but this is really more typical of our part of the country in February.Thank-you.

Mary, you are so right about newborns, even ugly newborns bring out the tenderness, don't they? Thank-you.

Deanna, I will pray for you that day! And thank-you.I REALLY know how it feels to be "beyond concerned"....

Mary, there are a few Jacob sheep keepers in your area, but only a few. I don't think there are more than 300 to 400 Jacob Sheep breeders in the whole North American continent, and that includes Canada.And you are right, we are very blessed, as I was exclaiming to my husband today as he was replacing our septic tank pump.....in the midst of the yuck, we were so thankful for all we have and I for his ability to fix such things.....

Sandra, you have no idea of how many people upon seeing some of my sheep say " Get thee behind me Satan"....exactly where you do NOT want a ram! But yes, when I see some of the ram lambs born with horns already protruding I shudder...Goth was born with his protruding at least an inch and a half...

English Cottage in Georgia,oh no, not a ranch, I feel like I need farm hands now,if it becomes a ranch I'll never get much done...and I'll just wear out! Ha ha, I am loving it now~

Julie, I am having fun and I am going to visit tonight, I love visiting your place in those beautiful desert foothills.

Kathleen,I think it is all the cuddles from grandchildren, my cats, dogs, chicks, lambs and my husband that keep me young!

Flower, thank-you! A painting, good idea!

Jami said...

I love lambing time. Enjoy those beauties while they are still small and sweet and not too fast to catch!

Robin said...

Beautiful babies. Mine will soon be coming also.I have 2 ewes that are getting very close.Your blog is always so interesting . I haven't had anytime at all to work on mine.I am hoping to work on it tonite
I get my chicks next week

The Tiquehunters Wife said...

Oh, My,! How I have enjoyed seeing and hearing about all your new baby lambs! Sweet chicks too! You must be one busy shepherdess!
Always amazing!
With Love from the Cabin,
Claudia O.