Wednesday 2 April 2014

What a Way to Start a Day!!

 
I was woken this morning at first light by the dogs barking.  Not just a the gentle but annoying barking that means Ginger the cat has been teasing them again, but a wild frantic barking that told me immediately something was very wrong.
 
Diving from my bed I grabbed my dressing gown and peered out of the upstairs windows thinking a fox had come a calling on my feathered friends, but no it was something much more unexpected ..... sheep. Well just one mummy sheep running along the road and her lamb running parallel to her .... but down the side of our chicken fencing and the hedge!!
 
Now this sheep has been living in the field opposite us since being unceremoniously thrown over by some drivers that caught her running down the road, better I suppose than being hit by a truck.  Lovely Hubby had checked her over after the fall, (there is quite a drop where she was tossed over), he untangled her from the brambles she had landed in and helped her to stand until feeling came back to her hind legs and she could manage on her own.  We traced her owner and got a message to him that she was there, I suppose with it being the same chap that Mavis used to belong to we should not have expected any immediate response from him or a caring side to his nature.
 
We kept an eye on her from a distance and eventually she gave birth to a single and very healthy lamb and they have been living their solitary Mum and baby existence since then.  Yesterday I was out tending the chickens when a passing trucker rolled down his window and shouted over the hedge "there's a sheep and it's lamb running down the road", and yes when I looked further up the road there they were zigzagging through the traffic further up the road.
 
Before I had time to do anything Mummy sheep found a hole in the hedge and got herself and the lamb back to the safety of the field.  But obviously the wanderlust has been growing and at first light they must have decided another adventure was beckoning.
 
And that's when the barking started......
 
I quickly pulled on jeans, a t shirt straight from the washing basket and grabbed my jacket and wellies and carefully keeping the dogs inside the house went out to start sheep wrangling.
 
Luckily the lamb, in it's eagerness to escape had got it's head stuck through the netting that surrounds Chicken World and I was able to grab it firmly and tuck it under my arm, Mummy sheep was going frantic, but by squeezing baby to make it bleat in panic every time I wanted to attract her attention I managed to walk her up the verge by the side of the road and after a few attempts get them together into our triangular field which has a cattle proof gate.
 
I have phoned their owner and reported his stocks new whereabouts and warned him that there is a lamb sized exit at the bottom of the gate and that he should come and get them sharpish before baby discovers it.
 
We'll see how long it takes him.
 
 
" Mum ..... there's woolly things in the field ....

 
.... help!! "
 
 
Not the most relaxing start to the day.
 
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Oh and by the way .... did I get you yesterday ... did I ?
 
Even I'm not that minimalist .... although I do now like the idea of having an empty room purely for yoga or exercising in, so if we don't have any guests for the next few months the bed might just have to go ;-)
 
The picture was courtesy of Google Images and in no way reflects the way our room looks .... you didn't really think I moved all the furniture out did you ... did you!!
 
Sue xx

20 comments:

  1. Hi, I was only suspicious yesterday as there was no green in the photo!!!!! You nearly had me.

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  2. Aren't you tempted to adopt the sheep and lamb, Sue? Clearly the owner isn't that bothered about them.

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    1. Although LH would be tempted I don't think it's worth us getting a CPH number and having to learn about them just for a pair. I need to be firm on this, but you know me if the owner doesn't turn up .........

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  3. Sheep! .. I hated farming sheep .. forever getting out .. I think I spent years of my young life chasing sheep!

    Vicky x

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  4. of course they are now nicely hefted to that field!!

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    1. I don't think the poor sheep has ever been properly hefted to anywhere, folk round here seem to cadge any bit of land for grazing and shunt the sheep around here, there and everywhere !!

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  5. Hilarious photos! I hope things work out ok :-D
    We often had sheep in the farmers field behind our house and I always wanted a pet lamb as a child. A more vivid memory, however, is being woken to the sight of a herd of cows in our back garden - and my Mum trying to shoo them out in her nightie and wellies!!

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  6. Here, if livestock are 'loose' we call the police and they ensure the owners collect the animals..or you could call an animal sanctuary and then,once the Mum and baby are safely rehoused, tell the owners the Mum and baby just wandered off...they'd live a much better life!
    Jane x

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  7. Awww how cute, are you really sure you don't want sheep?

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  8. what a morning you've had, I love seeing Suki she is georgeous, I love the picture at the top of your blog.x

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  9. Oh Sue I can just imagine you rushing around.

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  10. sheep wrangler, one to add the the life CV!
    Surely the lamb needs things doing to it, like Iodine to its' umbellicus (sp?), and other stuff ? (You can see I didn't totally absorb the information on 'Lambing Live' LOL!
    Might you be able to keep the Ewe and Lamb? Sounds like a bit of neglect and abandonment on the part of Mavis' ex owner?

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  11. Wont you need a Holding number anyway for when you keep pigs. And it doesn't have to be just 2! next year you could borrow a ram for a few weeks and then you could have 4 sheep! unless the lamb is male and then you have a problem!

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  12. yes, you did "get me" dohhhh!!! & no \excuses for the date because it's my sister's birthday. x.

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  13. Wonder why the owner of the sheep doesn't respond? Surely they are valuable animals.
    What a way to have to wake up!

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  14. Many times through my childhood have I been woken up with a mad running up the stairs and dad bursting in "The sheep are out" or "the neigbours cattle are in the corn". The joys of living in the countryside! I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm not going to comment on the sterotype of a welsh hill farmers level of animal husbandry though...

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  15. You *did* get me yesterday, and I love the new banner photo!

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  16. You certainly 'got me' too! I decided all that fresh air had gone to your brain! Aren't sheep stupid? Surely THE dumbest of the animal kingdom!

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  17. Well you got me! I just thought - 'I wouldnt fancy being an overnight guest in your house!'. I should have known, I am sure you treat your guests like royalty!

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  18. Poor little sheep......looks like you have two more waifs from this 'mans' flock. So pleased you've got Mavis.

    Happy week sweet lady. X

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