It seems the summer moves at a faster pace than winter. If I stop to think about it, the opposite would apply but outside chores seem to need to be done more quickly with something always in line waiting to be done during the summer.
I was wondering why we had been busy but if I put together a list, it makes me tired. Moving 2 students 2 times, a trip to Chicago, a family reunion out of state, a trip to Florida and then the usual assorted, and obligatory, farm activities: obtaining hay - first, second and third cutting including unloading into respective areas of the barn, straw for bedding, getting sheep sheared, hooves trimmed, shots up to date, fixing fence, barn cleaning, regular old maintenance of house, barn, grounds, garden. Hmmm, I'm getting a clearer picture of why so little time to reflect.
Today's mini-event was a ram gone wrong. We are fortunate to have an area on the opposite side of our house from the barn where we can put the sheep out. They generally move to the desired area well but we have a new ram with the ewes and he is a novice at moving between sites. Today when I released them to go back to the barn, the ewes went straight away while the ram did a couple turn-abouts. The girls were gone and he had no idea where to find them. I use bait to get the sheep to head right back to the barn (read that "dinner") so the girls had no answer for his calls, they were busy eating. He would start to the barn, turn back to where he had last seen them, then head in the direction of the barn again never going far enough to see them. I tried chasing the ewes out but they wouldn't leave the barn & dinner long enough for him to catch a glimpse. Why do I do this to myself???? Eventually he did manage to get close enough to go in but what a production! That's what happens with change, pretty soon it fits pretty well. We'll get there, too.
Happy Fall!
