Under the weather

It's raining - in fact it is pouring and Carl is out fencing but I have a full blown cold and am sneezing and moaning at home.  I shall be joining Carl shortly although I don't think he wants me to - he has already moved into the spare bedroom after an errant tissue got stuck to him.

I am exceedingly grateful to Barbara as she has now solved the Teddy problem - no tail required!  I have spent months trying to get a pattern right and I don't know why I ever thought it needed a tail but in one fell swoop all is sorted and the tail is going to become a small pouch (possibly linked to the tooth fairy but that might be the fever getting the better of me!).  A photo of teddy in progress for Debbie - not very impressive as the sewing machine has become unthreaded and Sam is the only one who can thread it back up again.

My second crafting project is not very successful yet but may improve - currently what should be a small brown mouse looks like the dog has had an accident; I will leave that one for a while before sharing!

Reprimand accepted

I was severely castigated in the library van the other day due to no blog updates occurring, and, having looked back, I realise I have been a little remiss on the blogging front.  I just never seemed to have any decent pictures to go with my blog - the weather has been warm but overcast or raining.  In fact I haven't got good pictures today but we will just have to make do with what I have!

The cria are all growing well and enjoying interacting with each other.  However, in this, the only in shot picture I took today, they all look bored with each other!  Tyke is eating a thistle, Little Rascal is looking wet and whoever that is in the background is scratching.  It has been a grey day!

We are now making more regular visits to the herd we help with and that is quite exciting with extra fleece to be processed, possible mating for next year, halter training - the list goes on!

I have been battling away with Sherbet's skin problems and I think we have finally turned the comer as her neck is now cleared up - it was cracked and hard with bare patches - neck now normal.  The cria eyes which were attacked by flies and quite nasty in places are all now better after a couple of applications of Orbenin.  Zara and her cria, Tyke, both black, had nose problems but applications of Camrosa have sorted that out for now.  Zara is also getting extra rations and I am trying to get her to eat a supplement - not very successful.  They are all getting another move round at the weekend as we have almost completed fencing some smaller paddocks which means we can move Dude down from the top and put the girls near where he was - would not be a good idea if he was still there!

Last week I was staying at the Shepherd's looking after his house and animals whilst he was away in Cumbria.  This went well, mostly!  The dogs behaved perfectly but the six lambs who come back for their supper at night and in the morning were a bit naughty.  I came back one lunch time to find them all sunbathing in the front garden having eaten every flower from the sweet peas and the cyclamen AND having completely reorganised the garage.  My sheep have now almost all been crutched out ready for the Teaser Ram.  Sadly, the Romneys escaped at a crucial point so there are still two of them to be done.  This is our version of a Pratley handling system!

 

It would have been more effective if Sam hadn't chosen the wrong moment to zoom past in his truck and if Carl hadn't been distracted by a Scottie!



Knitting is taking a back seat at the minute as I am attempting to make an alpaca felt teddy.  It is a little lopsided and I am having trouble attaching the tail but we may get there in the end.

First stage fencing complete

We are making three paddocks out of Dude's big paddock and the first was ready at lunchtime so we moved Dude out and put Yosser and the four young boys in.  Dude was furious!  In the end we put him on his halter and moved him down the bottom of first field nearer the girls and he was happy.  Yosser was not helping matters by peering over the fence at him until he was really stirred up and then turning his back on him.

The sheep were also moved but there was no fussing from them.  Lambs are growing well.  This is Black baby who is actually a ram lamb and should have gone on but he is just too sweet!  I have decided he will live with Reg, Shovel and Womble - the newly created teaser ram.

The ewe lambs are also lovely and they are all being kept.

I did say yesterday I would treat you to a picture of the two cria with eyes attacked by flies.  This afternoon we treated them and I just hope the flies leave them alone just for a bit.  Poor little Wonky at the front and Sapphire's at the back.

 

And here is Gloria - a very laid back cria who has been admired at the field gate several times today.