More Lambs, Of Course

Back to photos and the blog. I’m at Lamb #82 and we’re in an unusual lull. I think I’ve tracked down why, but that will be another post…maybe. I’m going to backtrack to lambs about ten days ago.

Moon setting in the west over the Vaca Mountains as I went to the barn to check sheep in the morning.

Darling lambed on March 9. Newborn lambs aren’t always pretty—not the pristine white lambs you see in photos. These are lambs #52 and 53.

Grace lambed the net morning with lambs #56. (Patchwork Townes x Hillside Grace Hannah’s Grace)

Honey was next with twins. (Meridian Silverado x Meridian Honey).

Lamb 3231, one week old. A gorgeous lilac ewe lamb. (Patchwork Townes x Meridian Skye)

You may have heard of the unusual amount of rainfall we have been getting. The weather people love saying “atmospheric river”. It is much needed for California, but can I say that we have had enough right here. You can’t tell from the barn, but this is the view of the pasture from the south. We have a clay layer under our soil and the pasture isn’t sloped as well as it could be, so the water doesn’t drain.

Although in areas the grass is growing a lot and near the barn there is tall grass, most of the pasture is dormant with dallisgrass and bermuda that is preventing growth of other more desirable plants right now. In addition the orange and yellow parts are a water-loving plant that grows in poorly drained soil—not desirable forage.

I moved the three yearling rams to a different pen. I thought I’d feed in a tub instead of the outside feeder where they’d be standing in mud. This ram liked to treat the feeder as a bed…or maybe it’s a boat right now.

Clouds make for a nice sunset.