12:37 AM, 1 April 2010
Cool and wet

Today was a day alternating bands of sun and rain, sometimes at the same time, and for a while, a steady torrent of hail. The birds found the hail annoying, but not alarming; some of the ducks attempted to eat the hail. The geese have been generally cranky of late, even going so far as to attempt to attack farmers in the course of daily farm business. This has been explained to them in no uncertain terms as a non-winning proposition; beak, meet gravel.


During the periods of sun, the barn cats enjoyed some porch tanning; Peter and Nibs in particular made themselves very clearly and prominently at home, as can be seen in the pictures. Wimsey has not been allowed out of late, in part due to extreme naughtiness on his part; he did not wish to take his medication, and managed in his fighting to nick the nerve sheath in a farmer's thumb joint, resulting in acute pain and numbness. Antibiotics have been on hand and all should be well, but it did slow down posting for a few days. Despite kitty contriteness, Wimsey is being kept indoors for the sanity of all involved.

The weather has not unduly affected the sheep, however; we have had two new lambs in as many days, one born this morning just before the feeding time. When the farmer arrived, the afterbirth was still dangling from the ewe's rear, and the lamb wasn't even up yet. Departures were delayed until we were sure the lamb was up and nursing, then all went about their businesses with clear conscience.


Pregnant ewes have something in common with pregnant human women; they urinate frequently. The difference is that ewes don't need public restroom stalls. One ewe escaped yesterday, quite pregnant, and ran around being chased by a farmer with a fresh thumb splint. The ewe let loose frequently and without seeming too shy about the farmer's chasing; we suspect she's the one who gave birth today, though, so all that exercise was good for something.

Lamb count: 14
Overall sheep count: 52