I'm Baa'aaa'ck!

It has been so long since I last wrote a post I almost forgot how to log in.

Has it really been since September?  So much has happened since then.  The rams were put in with the ewes for breeding, we are expecting the spring crop of lambs to start popping out mid March.  We are helping the McBrides, across the street with their sheep and their first lamb arrived today. 

A very large & healthy ewe lamb.  I was relieved it was a ewe lamb, because I doubt very much that Brenda will ever part with this lamb.

We have all survived the past 6 months intact.  Although, just barely. 

My adult daughter moved home with her 2 y/o daughter Alyssa so she could attend college without the worry and stress of working full time.  Then my youngest son moved back home and he is also enrolled in college full time.  My middle son with schizophrenia went missing for a while, was homeless on the streets, then popped up in a local hospital close to death in the ICU.  After a scary couple of weeks we have him in an appropriate facility and things are looking up. 

Needless to say, after 8 years with out a cigarette...I started smoking again.  Does that give you an indication of how stressful the last few months have been?  To be outside in freezing temperatures just to have a nicotine fix is NOT pleasant, combined with what I am doing to my health?  NOT GOOD. 

Obviously, I am trying to quit...right after my next cigarette. Or heart attack, which ever comes first. 

I sat down and thought about the things in my life that have helped me with stress, one has been this blog.  I am not sure why I stopped blogging.  Perhaps it was resentment?  Pressuring myself, feeling obligated to come up with the next great post and the hours I spent on photography was becoming tedious.

That said, I need something to help me keep track of things.  Accomplishments, goals, hopes & dreams.  Even the occasional screw up. Let's face it, I am old, hence blood flow is lacking to my brain.  My memory is shot to hell thanks to menopause (and now smoking - hack hack ACK).  I need this blog to keep track of my life, because one day I am going to forget everything. 

Who am I? 

Where was I?

MOVING ON.....I may need to change the name of this blog, again.

We have a new addition.

This puppy I can blame entirely on Dianne Deal.  She twisted my arm.

Ironically the day before I had been talking to my therapist about following my bliss.  Keeping my eye on the goal and focused on what will make me happy, what gives me peace and what is my "Bliss".  That afternoon I posted this sign on Facebook - it spoke to me.

I have been following my bliss, with out really thinking about it.  It is what led me to where I am today, at the farm, with the sheep, my dogs and friends that surround me.  My life has fundamentally changed for the better - by following my bliss.   

The next morning, Dianne emailed me a picture of an adorable little puppy she named Bliss.  She had not seen my post on Facebook or had any idea what I had been working on in therapy.

That my friends, is what I like to call a divine co-inky-dink and it spoke to me - directly to my heart, beyond all rational thought, I no longer could be held responsible for my actions.

At least that is what I tell my husband.  I do not think he subscribes to my conspicuous thought process - skeptical is his middle name.  Alas, he was won over....I think.  He may just be laying in wait to claim his due at a later date.  I tell him that there is a special place in heaven for men like him.  With golden fishing poles, silver rivers full of fish, and no wives with dogs, and sheep - that keep multiplying.  Then I hand him a beer and turn on the football game.  He is happy.

I digress...   

Meet Bliss a 12 week old border collie puppy.  The easiest puppy ever.  I have never had a puppy that will go noodle limp when I pick her up.  She just melts into you, snuggles right up to your neck and sighs.  With all that she is still a very confident little sprite.  This one will be FUN!  

Bliss is related to Bea.  Her mother, Penny (Bett x Riggs) is Bea's full sister from a previous litter. 

Her father is Dianne Deal's Zorro (Byrnes Ted x Lynn).  He is related to Brynn.

Bliss will be a smooth coat, which I love.  Now that I have dogs that work outside every day & sleep in the house at night - I will never go back to a long/traditional coat ever again. 

Her temperment speaks to my heart.  She reminds me of Brynn as a puppy.

Speaking of Brynn - we are slowly but surely making progress.  You wouldn't know it by our trial scores - but I am figuring lots of stuff out, you know the whole two steps forward and three back routine.   Hopefully, one day before I die I can actually walk off the field feeling pretty damn good. 

Bea went back to Dianne's for training in December.  I will be seeing her next weekend when we go to Idaho for El Presidente SDT. 

The sheep are due to start lambing mid march.  We decided that lambing in the snow was NOT FUN and did not want to repeat last year's insanity.  We have two groups of ewes that were bred.  I have narrowed down my breeding objectives and have goals in mind for the flock.  I am concentrating on my registered romney's and border leicesters.  Been doing pretty good selling bred ewes already this fall.  All the customers are very happy with them and the prices have been better than expected.  Word of mouth seems to be the way to go.  I had to pull my ad off of Craigslist because I was going to have to start selling the ewes I wanted to keep.  

Doris is our very intelligent, yet near sighted ewe on our farm.  Glasses seem to help.  We need to work on the fit though. 

I love sheep.  Is that evident yet?

They may or may not be fond of me.  The other day I was walking to the back of the property, I turned around and all of this was behind me.

It could either make me feel loved or they just see me as the source to primo food.  I prefer to think it is the latter.  Love through the tummy.  It is the way I roll.

Doris rolls with about anything I do to her.  She is a slave to the scritches.

Sheep noses are so velvety soft and sweet. 

Speaking of sheep....

Back in November I started making these sheep statues from epoxy resin/clay, reclaimed wood and fleece from our sheep and the Jonasson Border Leicester farm.  All the ones you see in the picture below have been sold.  I am working on more and will be bringing many with me to Idaho for the trial and the rest will be posted on my Etsy shop. 

You can find them on Etsy at Bless Ewe Sheep Company

Enough yammering for tonight.

See ya :)