Old Ladies Club

Somewhere along the line there has become a need to open a geriatric wing out in the sheep paddock. It's hard to believe that some of my 'old girls' really are old girls.

Rouen (Shandrew Rouen) on the left was the first to join the club. She was born in 2000 so she'll be twelve this Spring. It took awhile to convince her to be the charter member to the Old Ladies Club, since she is so independent and sometimes just down right contrary.(I don't need no stinking special treatment!) She loves a good scratch and petting session. She is pretty stiff and I'm sure sore when she first gets up and moving in the morning, but she can still move pretty fast once she is warmed up. I love that sweet little monkey face and I love the independent (yet curious and friendly) personality that is a hallmark of the Shetland breed. Rouen comes up to the barn in the morning after I feed and eats her portion out of the feed bucket while the others are eating. At night she runs to the gate for her nightly slice of bread.

Willow (Locksfield Willow) is on the right. Willow was born in 2001 and will be 11 this Spring. Willow was the first Shetland that I ever owned. I bought her and boarded her until after breeding season at her former owner's home. She came here (along with an ewe lamb) and produced two ram lambs for me --the first Fairlight Shetlands. From all accounts she was a very friendly ewe at her former home, but for me, she has always remained aloof. She is not a wild ewe, but very shy. When I bought her, I also bought a small grey ewe lamb named Rain. Rain as it turns out was Rouen's daughter. The fall of the year that Willow lambed I also bought Rouen and brought her here. Evidently her and Willow were sworn enemies and there was no glorious reunion--just fussing and fighting. Over the years as their family lines have melded and age has caught up with them, they are now for the most part civil to each other. Once in awhile they will swipe each other in a shadow of the spirit of younger days. Willow has joined the bread brigade at night and now runs to the gate for her slice. She has also started seeking me out after feeding in the morning for an additional grain handout. We might become good friends yet.

These two ewes, were my foundation Shetlands and they have served faithfully producing wool and babies for many years. Both are retired now and deserve every bit of spoiling they can get.

The third member of the Old Ladies Club is Gracie. Dear, pushy Gracie. She really doesn't need extra groceries but I did promise her when she hit 10 she would get special treatment. I conveniently 'forgot' for a whole year, but since she will be 11 in March, well, it was time. The reason for the delay is that Gracie has trouble handling her cookies. She turns into a cookie fiend (or bread or cracker) and will obnoxiously try and get all the cookies--whatever it takes. She will body block (not slam, she is very polite) any other sheep from getting close to the cookies--she also will continuously body block me as I try and maneuver through the paddock. She would make a good sheep dog, as she has herding down to a science. She is learning a few manners--proving that you can teach an old dog..or sheep new tricks. She is getting really good about 'back up' before she gets her bread.

Gracie was one of my original four sheep--Dorsets by breed. I bought her and her three half sisters when i decided to 'get into the sheep biz'. I had no clue about what to pick in a sheep and fortunately their breeder had nice healthy sheep. Presented with a sea of weanling white sheep, I picked Faith because she was big, solid and strong looking, Mercy because she was a nice sized compact ewe, June because she was large, and had a beautiful unusual looking face, and slightly different look to her lovely wool. And Gracie. Little bitty Gracie--a March born ewe lamb in a flock of January sisters. I picked Gracie because of her sweet little face. And Gracie turned out to be my little companion ewe--always following me around, always meeting me at the gate. She has always been special, and has been the heart of the flock. Yes...you too Gracie, you've earned your Old Lady special rewards!

There are several waiting in the wings to belong to the OLC. I'm trying to convince Callum to join--even if he isn't an old lady, but an old wether. I think it won't be long before he submits his membership--that hunk of bread I've been slipping him on the sly is getting to him. Of course Blue the Rotten has his own Old Rotten Club. Since he is still a ram he has his own personal suite and paddock next to the girls, where he gets two pounds of grain a day plus a half loaf of bread, and special hay as well. Much to the dismay of the rest of the flock, some sheepies get special treats and special eats--it's called retirement with benefits!

The Cookie Monster

This is the Cookie Monster. It started innocently enough--I needed a way to tell if Rouen was feeling spry and well each day. She is eleven this year and a few extra handfuls of grain and a few cookies are going to be put to good use.

Who knew though that sheep can count? Rouen gets two cookies in the morning and four at night (they are very small cookies) and gets quite upset if she is shorted. In fact she will ransack my pockets and demandingly paw at my leg if her cookie quota isn't met. She also prefers iced oatmeal cookies, thank you very much.

The other sheep are just furious about the whole situation. They can't believe she gets cookies and they don't. I tell them when they reach the age of 11 they will get cookies too. Gracie is counting the days, which is probably something like 342.

Rouen makes a huge production of getting her cookies, so even those sheep that are a little on the slow side know exactly what is happening. First she follows me closely while I do chores, then she paws my leg. Once I pull out the cookies, she backs up about ten paces and then comes in for the cookie. She has a wonderful straight back up by the way, even if that isn't a terribly useful skill for a sheep. She takes a cookie, then CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH, turning her head this way and that so no one can mistake that she is getting a cookie. Then repeat the whole process for each cookie.
Sometimes old sheep (and old people) get shuffled off to the side so I enjoy letting her feel special --- because it's not all about the cookies, but the power of the cookies!Here's to many more cookies for you, Ro-bear.

Gracie says it's more like 330 days til the big 1-1! (and cookies!)

Featured Shetland Sheep of The Week

Fairlight Rhren & Fairlight Rhea-- Shetland Sheep For-Sale

Fairlight Rhren

L-R Rouen, Rhea & Rhren earlier in the summer

Rouen in Fall 2006

Rhea front, Rhren in back, you can see the difference in their black fleeces.

Rhea (taken earlier in the summer)

Fairlight Rhren & Fairlight Rhea are out of TR Just Jack x Shandrew Roeun. These little girls will be Rouen's last lambs, if I have anything to say about it. Rouen has, as usual, been a very diligent and attentive mom to them, and raised them with only half an udder! Both of these girls are sired by Just Jack (formally known as "Sprat") who is a moorit flecket with a very soft, crimpy intermediate fleece. Rouen is nine this year and starting to slow down. She is the epitome of "primitive" when it comes to being clever, self thinking, and hardy. Fierce mothering skills come naturally to her, and she keeps close tabs on her offspring. She is incredibly personable. Her outer fleece is on the coarser side but the inner fleece is very black and buttery soft. I have no trouble selling these fleeces as some handspinner's are very excited to work with these double coated fleeces. Shearing twice a year improves the clip on these fleeces dramatically. Rouen has produced fleece types that range from crimpy single coat, long flowing silky intermediate, and double coated as she herself is.

Rhren (pronounced Wren) is a true pocket sheep and a little love bug. She is more of a 'warm black' with a reddish cast. Her conformation is very nice and her fleece is very soft, with nice crimp.

Rhea is on the shy side, and I will be working with her on halter, and is basically identical to her sister. She has little sharper definition in her krunet marking and is a black without the reddish cast. Both of these girls have modified rattling around in their background as well. Both should carry spotting from both their sire and dam. Rouen is grandam to several striking yuglets, fleckets and smirslets.

For prices and more details you can visit my website. I can also offer you a nice package deal on these two girls and Orion to make a sweet little starter flock that will produce some nice spots for you!

Rhren

Rhea (Rhren is just behind her)

I hope to highlight a different Shetland sheep about once a week in the upcoming weeks. I still have several very nice ewe lambs, and a couple of rams to sell. I will also feature my keeper lambs from time to time as well.

If you have any questions on any of these sheepies, please don't hesitate to ask. I try to be very honest in my sales, and will point out merits as well as faults, as I see them.

Shandrew Rouen, Fairlight Rhren (left) & Rhea (in back)

Forgive Rouen her frazzled look. Raising two youngin's at nine has taxed her, and she also needs to have the matted fleece from the rise sheared off. You can see some of the color difference in Rhren (on the right) and Rhea (back) in this photo. These three girls get special eats (grain) at night much to the anger of the other sheepies.

The Grand Finale....Rouen's Turn

Rouen, the little Monkey Girl. Notice her ears have turned all grey around the edges?

Rouen...you silly old girl. This was suppose to be your year off to rest up and pamper yourself. After all, you aren't a youngster anymore!

Obviously Rouen didn't agree to the year off thing. I really wasn't sure if she was pregnant or not, although she was on the 'possibles' list from Just Jack's second break out. When I vaccinated and wormed everyone back at the first of March, she really looked iffy. I did begin to suspect though, since she had become extremely affectionate and she just had that heavy plodding gait the preggies get towards the end.

The secret was out, when she was set on her rear for shearing. No doubt about it, lambs were coming and not too long about it. Sure explains why the old gal wasn't as crafty and elusive as she normally is during shearing...

I had her possible due date as sometime over the weekend, but then so was Blackberry's and she had lambed the day of shearing. For some reason, I was extremely worried about her and lambing. Had a bad feeling about it all. I hate to have them sheared that close to lambing for one thing, another was her age, (She is nine this year) and I guess things had gone so well in lambing, that I figured the jig was up. Or maybe I was just running on three cylinders by then.

After shearing day there followed two nights of very little sleep, as Rouen messed with my mind. Shearing was on Wednesday. By Thursday she had begun to isolate herself. Something she does two days in advance as a norm, but I still couldn't talk myself into relaxing about it. I was up and down almost all of Thursday night, checking on her, because she was 'acting weird'. As was my imagination.

One time as I stumbled half asleep out to the barn, the beam from my feeble flashlight picked out a dark sheepie form, lying with neck stretched out...with what looked like a little lamb head sticking out her nether regions. My heart dropped as I took in the all too still forms. The last few steps to the barn were taken in a rush...scaring poor Lark and her daughter Eve half to death. Eve was nicely tucked up next to her mom's bottom, safe and secure for the night. Until the crazy shepherd lady scared everyone half silly! Lark is Rouen's daughter, and while dark brown instead of black, they are built much the same, so, it was a reasonable, if regrettable mistake, right?

Ewe Lamb One--Only a few hours old

Other times, Rouen would be 'nesting'--digging deep holes in the straw, or she would grunt and groan and stagger around. Then I'd go out a few hours later and there she would be, chewing cud and looking all serene.

I only work half days on Fridays, and still I had this dread about Rouen, so it was a long four hours. Rouen had been secreted in the barn when I left, but no obvious signs of labor were evident.

Imagine my relief when I got home, and the first thing I saw as I went to the barn, was four tiny legs standing behind her! Even better when I got up there, she had another little lamb already dry and napping. Rouen outdid herself with two pretty little black ewe lambs with nice krunets. I was so happy they were ewes, and so very happy that the old gal had once again lambed successfully.

Ewe Lamb One Again...Enjoying the Sunshine

I brought her a bucket of water and some hay and she was very thirsty and hungry. I doubt she had eaten much for the two days she was 'thinking' about lambing.

Rouen alarmingly deflated after lambing! Here she quenches her thirst.

Ewe Lamb Number Two, Peeking out from Behind Rouen

So lambing was over for another year, and it was a good way to end. I'll try and get a post up on lambing statistics and all the what nots here in a few days. I think for the first time in years I did not see one lamb born! But that is okay...I'd much rather find them up and dry and nursing. Good job all around, girls!

Newly Born Sisters Gravitate to the Warm Sunshine

Extended Family...Rouen in back with her two new ewe lambs and Rouen's daughter Duckie and her two lambs

Introducing.........

First there was Rouen (Shandrew Rouen)

Then came her daughter, Duckie (Fairlight Duckie)

Then there was another daughter, Birdie (Fairlight Birdie)

and now introducing:
Fairlight Chickadee
(Locksfield Griffin x Fairlight Duckie)

Chickie is my only 'keeper' ewe lamb this year. I had to make some really hard choices, as I am trying to keep the flock numbers down, but this little gal spoke to my heart from the beginning. Like I really needed another black ewe.... I did want to keep at least one Griffin daughter though, since I'm trying to build spots into my flock. Chickie's brother is Omen, pictured with her below. (He is also still available for-sale).

I love her sweet little face--even if she does have those large ears that Griffin seemed to stamp on his lambs this year. I expect she'll grow to 'em.

Chickie's fleece is very nice so far, with an interesting lock structure. She will most likely be a primitive double coat, like her mom and grandma---but once in a while this line throws a really exceptionally nice fleece, so time will tell.

Did I mention I love her sweet little face? It's very hard to get a decent picture of her, as she is definitely a lap sheep, and will make a bee-line for me the minute I walk out into the pasture. I think she could stand for hours getting scratches and attention, constantly wagging her little tail. I'm very pleased with my little 'keeper' ewe this year.

And I promise I won't call anyone "Turkey"...at least not officially....

We Interrupt This Blog

Gustav trailed into Missouri Tuesday afternoon, and it's been raining ever since. This is a good thing though. The rains for the most part have been steady but gentle. Because I keep forgetting to check or empty my rain gauge, I'm unsure exactly how much we've gotten, but I'm pegging it at least 4 inches, maybe a little more. We desperately needed the rain, even the weeds were wilting down to the ground. With this good soaking rain, it's looking very promising for fall pasture. The grass started greening up almost immediately.



I have much to blog about, but not much time or energy right now! Hopefully after this weekend. The Celtic Festival is Saturday, and as usual I have waited til the bitter end to get everything ready for it. The two Moorit wethers, Angus and Aberdeen, who will be representing the Shetland Sheep, have been getting last minute halter lessons, and learning the joys of scritches and cookies. Angus is all for it, but Aberdeen has some reservations. I've separated them totally from the flock, in the hopes that they won't baa all day! There is still roving and fleeces to pack, flyers and signs to make and other preparations. It does sound like the weather is going to be really nice though. The rain is suppose to move out today, and the temps will be in the 70s! Regardless, this year, we will be under cover in one of the livestock barns, so that will be nice.

The three day weekend was wonderful, and then Tuesday I got to meet for coffee with Michelle from Boulderneigh and Allena from Three Ring Ranch. That was pretty darn neat, and I hope to get that posted soon.

On a sadder note, Ariel, my little collie girl, doesn't seem to be doing too good. She continues to get weaker, (although as stubborn as ever) but is still eating good--as long as its special eats. We had some extremely hot, humid days, and I am hoping this contributed to her fading a bit. She seemed a little stronger and more alert last night, and even had a dry doggie biscuit and showed her concern that Boone had gotten a rawhide bone and she hadn't (of course she got one, even if she never touched it--it was the principle of the thing, you see). We will see how it goes.

Little wet Rouen, eating some 'consolation-cause-it's-raining' hay

Next week I'll try and get back on track. In the meantime, hope you all are having a great week.

Gracie's says "You talk about a bad hair (wool) day!"

Go Figure

Dear Little Rouen

(aka Rosie-bear, Row, Little Monkey and sometimes Don't You DARE Open that Gate!)

Evidently Rouen is secretly a girly-girl at heart, and loved her recent 'trip' to the beauty salon. Silly me, I figured she would be giving me a wide and suspicious berth for a while, but no. Rouen remembered how much she loves to be scratched and petted and coo-ed over. Getting this picture was very difficult, it came close to being just a nose shot. Anyway, as you can see the hatchet job, er, shear job isn't the nicest, tidiest in the world, but she looks much better. And evidently feels like a million bucks.

Hardy, self seeding Four O'Clocks in full bloom

It's 84.2 degrees, with humidity at 70 % and it's just hot. I tried to get out fairly early (after sleeping in a little on my only sleep in day), but it was already warm and sticky. When it starts getting this hot, it's best to just lay low in the house for the middle part of the day.

This morning, I wanted to try and shear Rouen my black Shetland ewe, who had some mats in her fleece from the 'rise' after shearing. Rouen has the distinction of being the oldest sheep of the flock, as well as being somewhat of a pistol. If Shetland's had leadersheep, she'd probably qualify. She can open gates, by pushing or pulling them; She senses weakness in a wired panel, thirty foot away; she knows when 'something is up' while the rest of the flock are clueless that they are about to be trapped and wormed. She can also take down a grown woman, by strategically blindsiding them on the leg at full speed (don't ask). However she is also one of the sweetest, friendliest sheep I've seen. She has a silly little habit of extending and twisting her head up in the air and weaving it around when she wants attention. Thankfully, she had all her radar down this morning, and I was able to snag her while feeding the girls. I haltered her and tied her in the barn (double knots, and gate wired shut behind her, just in case) while I finished chores. When I got back, she had managed to push the gate almost open, but was still firmly tied. I led her up to a shade tree and tied her up and proceeded to snip and clip with my big pair of scissors. One side only had one mat, but the other was littered with them. I ended up just shaving her down all over. She looks a bit choppy, but all in all not too bad. She was very good, and got lots of consolation cookies. I love Rouen's fleece, even if it's not considered desirable by some. Her outer fleece is rather coarse, but when you get in under there it is buttery soft. She is considered 'double coated' and her undercoat can be pulled apart from the outer longer, coarser fibers so they can be spun separately.

After Rouen had her beauty treatment, I had to clean out and put another bale of hay in Blue (Merino ram) and Lanny's little round feeder. While forking out the old hay, my pitchfork broke off at the base, drat it. Luring Blue and Lanny into their hoop house, I got them shut in there, so I could put out the new bale. (I don't go in the pasture with Blue...nuh uh). I had the bale on the dolly, but I had to drag it through some trees, and managed to get covered with sticky hay chaff. I was also sweating like a pig. I was happy to get that job done.

Then I loaded up four bags of river rock I got yesterday and rolled it on the dolly to the back yard. I'll work on dumping it later. It's always nice to have things ready to go though, when a project needs doing. While I was surveying the work of the 'path in progress', a patch of weeds drew me in and had to yank quite a few out before I could turn and walk away.

Gearing up for the hot day, I put new batteries in Eddie and Sue's (the two chickens that live in the yard) personal fan. They stay penned up on Saturday and Sunday so Boone can be in the yard, and then are let out during the week. So on the weekends, even though they are in the shade, they need some airflow on them when it's this hot. I'll turn it on a little after noon. The hall needed sweeping and bug dusted and spraying too, so the dogs would have a nice coolish place to spend day. I'll turn their fan on later too.

Lately I've been trying to cook more 'dog food' instead of buying so much. With canned food up to .75 cents a can, it mounts up fast, and the dogs love the homemade stuff. I usually try and find cheaper meats, or wait for sales. I use gizzards and hearts, chicken parts, hamburger, some pork (sometimes you can get a good buy on scrap pieces), and boil them all up together. Any edible meat scraps from my 'frig go in as well. I always remove the bigger bones, but leave in the softer crunchy ones. Then I boil up rice and green beans, and add them and Brewer's Yeast into the meat mixture. Sometimes I'll add a can of pumpkin as well. They love it. The old gal (Ariel) won't hardly eat much anymore, but she generally likes this mix. If I make a big batch it lasts all week. When I got back in the house, I started boiling up some chicken that I got on sale yesterday, and then did some other household chores. Sweeping the floor, laundry and gathering up the trash to burn, always something needs doing.

I was awfully hot and tired and cranky by the time I got done, so I took a shower to cool off, and have been doing nothing (but computer playing) for the last hour!

In other news, I sorta have my spinning wheel up and working. However I can't get the leader thread to go onto the bobbin! It just piles up at the orifice and continues to twist it's little heart out. Any ideas, anyone????

Have a good weekend!

King of the Barnyard with a few of his ladies, being early birds and beating the heat!

Shandrew Rouen

Rouen (pronounced ROW-un) is one of my original Shetland ewes that I purchased. She was actually the third out of four that I bought. Firstly I bought her daughter Rain, and also Willow who was unrelated. Evidently Rouen and Willow didn't like each other much, as they carried on a feud for several years before they decided to call a truce. I can imagine their horror when Rouen wound up here. Not HER! NO!

Rouen came from Malinda's Locksfield flock. I believe that she bought Rouen and her mother when Rouen was just a tiny lamb.

For several years after she came here, I thought her fleece was pretty crummy. But in hindsight, what seemed a rough fleece was in reality just a fleece that consistently matted because of the rise. After the first year or so, this passed and her fleece has been mat free since. Also in the meantime a spinner pointed out to me that Rouen's fleece was in fact a 'primitive' fleece---a true doubled coated Shetland. So although the outer fibers are long and coarse, the inner coat is soft and downy and a rich black. Rouen is also heavily iset but remains very black at the skin level. The colors are so rich and lovely. Her fleece is always the first to sell... always. Spinners are intrigued with its possibilities.

Rouen has added much character to the flock. She is sly and crafty and always on the alert to what I'm up to. She has knocked me flat before, with a skillfully executed full running swipe to the leg. When this worked so marvelously she tried it again the next day on the shearer, (after carefully sizing up the situation) however she didn't take into account that he was over six foot, very solid and she didn't have a running start. So, whump, she hit him. He looked amazed, she looked amazed as she fell back. Hmmmm.... In the end she did escape, by dashing under the gate. It took me a long time to corral her. Now she gets haltered and stays tied during shearing!
In this second photo you can see her playing her wild mustang mare impersonation. She does it well. Lest you think though that this is some wild flighty Shetland, I can assure you she isn't. She is always first in line to get scratches and attention. In fact she will try and bully everyone else away so she gets all of the attention. This never works, but she always tries. I call her little monkey because of her silly ways. She tilts her head like a dog to try and charm me for more scratches, or if I won't pay attention, she'll paw at me. She gets especially sentimental during late pregnancy.

Despite only having half a working udder (I have no idea what happened--she never exhibited any signs of problems)she has successfully raised twins for several years. I have four of her daughters. Two are black iset like her. One, Duckie looks and acts so much like her its spooky. Rain her oldest daughter is a lovely dark blueish grey with an impossibly quirky personality. The flock would not be the same without her. She has a lovely intermediate fleece. Two of Rouen's daughters have her primitive coat --Duckie and Birdie while the other two don't.


This 'plain black' Shetland is a definite keeper, and an example of what makes the Shetland Sheep unique and fun to be around.