
We bred 4 ewes at the end of November so we will lamb the end of April. My friends Christine and Pat brought 6 ewes to the farm to be bred by Zorro during the first part of December. He was a very happy ram and what sweet ewes he had come to stay with us for a few weeks. They quickly learned that I was the food source and discovered that I carry animal crackers! They went back to their farm the end of Dec. It was a very quiet Christmas and I fixed Christmas stockings for everyone which my children and grandchildren picked up took them home. We did not gather all together as we usually do. I hope we can get back to our regular traditions soon.
We headed into New Year and I got my first COVID shot on January 12th. I have gone back to work doing home care just just 1 1/2 miles from my house. It is a wonderful job and I am happy to be busy doing nursing again. We also got our first big snowstorm of the year and ended up with 28 inches of snow! Wow, hello winter!
Then Inauguration Day arrived on January 20th in Washington D.C. and there is Bernie Sanders wearing those now infamous mittens! I see him and call Darcy....look at Bernie’s mittens! Well, I go to work a couple of days later and orders start popping up.....we are selling mittens, mittens, mittens! My granddaughter used an app on her phone to take a photo of Bernie and I next to our pasture! We even got some coverage from a local NBC station. We have been selling our mittens for 2 - 3 years and are very proud of them - both the quality and how well they are made. They are called Twice Baked Mittens we have made in a woolen mill for us in the mid-west. They use our sock yarn for the cuffs, the body is recycled sweaters and lined with fleece! They are truly lovely. Thank you Bernie!
And now for some sad news. I bought a beautiful black registered Shetland ewe from Maple Ridge Farm 2 years ago. Her name was Charlotte and she had a little white tuft of wool on the top of her head and on her nose. She was the last registered Shetland to come off the Maple Ridge Farm and I was so excited to continue the bloodline. She was born in April 2017 and was such a beautiful sheep.
This past June, after shearing, Darcy noticed she stayed behind and didn’t go with the group as she was having a hard time walking. We brought her into the barn and had our Vets come check her out and both thought possibly a spinal injury. It went on for awhile and they suggested acupuncture. We did that for several times a month and were hopeful but then no better. I then tried Holistic medicine and they seem to keep her comfortable, but no improvement as she still could not walk around. So I called the Vet and they came today to put her down. I hope that she is pain free as she crossed the rainbow bridge and is running free in a field of flowers. Rest In Peace sweet Charlotte!
We had another snowstorm at the start of February and 12 inches of snow.... about 6 more inches of snow and Zorro and his buddies can walk out of the pasture!!! We have had some pretty cold weather but Zorro and his 3 buddies hunker right down in their shed that we pack with hay....sort of like their own igloo!
I also went on February 9th to get my second COVID shot. We are saying home, and staying safe as much as possible. So, please wear your mask, and stay safe and things will get better if we all do our part.