These little ones are not so innocent as they appear inside this fence. As with everything which is wont to run amok, the morning started very normally. Breakfast for the babies, feed the pesky peacocks and prepare a place for the sheep in the alternative pastures.
The mothers have moved into these pastures very readily for years and love to go to them for the wonderfully available scratching posts the old, gnarly apple trees afford them. The babies have been there before AND went well but I did not factor in one important thing: They are growing more independent!
As usual, the ewes followed me very readily, making the big turn and arriving in the designated pasture uneventfully. The lambs arrived at the pasture and made a big U-turn and went exploring. Unfortunately for me, they are seven and I am one. They went back up the yard, around the back of the house, back down beside the pasture, all with me in hot pursuit. The ewes were getting very agitated so I made the executive decision to release all of them and try again.
Hmmm, where will this take me? All went well, the ewes collected up their off-spring and away they went, luckily toward and into another pasture. Those lambs were not to be denied their day out and about, however! Away they went, AGAIN. Ugh! Away I went after them, through the garden, around the garage, up on the barn bank drive, circle behind the house and back up behind the barn again. Had enough yet? I had. I stopped, and decided again to change my strategy. Hey you babies, follow me this time. It worked! They followed me to close to the desired pasture, did a few more token walk-abouts and went in. Finally, the fence closed and electrified, I get to ponder the series of events.
I believe those lambs were tired of the unsettled life they had on the "lam" and were ready to be caught. What to do when you get the run around? Chase, then stop, regroup and make a plan and give them a reason to come to you. Doesn't that almost sound like what happens to us during times we are being given the run around? I guess the most important thing is to figure out the "hook". If we think long and hard enough, there is likely a hook, if we are perceptive enough to find it. Here's to thinking and being perceptive of the chase!
