When I look at these photos, it is easy to forget the snow, ice, sleet and unfriendly weather conditions. When my camera captures the moment and holds it in a digital file, I will remember back to the moment of the storm. For most of you these will just be pretty pictures of sheep in snow - as they should be. But what I will remember is being farm-bound, luckily with heat and lights, four lambs in the house, and the general anxiety that lambing season brings. Along with the snow comes snow days and an excuse to bake bread, knit and stay put.
The photos here are of the yearling ewes in lambs that are in the snow covered pasture just in front of our house. It is easy for me to get out there and take photos - no driving and not a long walk. These photos were taken Tuesday and Wednesday during the storm. Thank goodness these sheep (which were born last January and February) aren't lambing yet - they will probably lamb much later when the grass is green.
Snow covered mounds of sheep.... wish I could have taken them from the front but I was too lazy to wade through the several feet of snow to shoot it from the other side. Didn't want to risk losing my camera in the snow either!
These two looked happy chewing their cuds.
Look closely - she has icicles on her ears!
This ewe was so still, I thought she might be dead. But she wasn't - when I shoved the gate open for more photos, she got up and shook herself off.
Sheep are all about the food.... snow or not.
This is Olympia eating - Olympia as in last spring's postcards and "Olympia's Felted Knit & Crochet Flowers!" (HINT, HINT - great idea for Valentine's Knitting - pattern available on my Shop Page here!) She is a mature ewe now and most likely will lamb in a month or so.
Love this photo of the brown ewe with the snow falling in front of its face.
Some other brown ewes.
And this Border Leicester ewe. She is gorgeous.
They're just rolling their eyes at me.
Sheep with the garden shed behind. Here's what it looks like in the summer.
Our house looks so cozy with the orange door and the smoke coming out of the chimney. Must have looked similar to this back 200 years ago. They say it was built in 1751.
It isn't as easy for me to get the barn where the lambs are being born today. It is five miles from our house and with all the snow, sleet and ice coming down, I decided to stay put and feed the bottle lambs and hang out with Julia since school has been shuttered. She will be going to school forever with all the snow days they have had! The Farmer left early in the a.m. and we haven't seen him yet. That is probably good news since if a lamb wasn't good, he would have headed up here so we could try to bring it back to health.Looking forward to when we see real blooms on the hydrangeas again!
Stay warm everyone!
18 comments:
Thank you for being brave and venturing out to take these photos - they are gorgeous in a beast meets nature head on type of way !
It's amazing we all - people, sheep, everyone - make it through winters like this one!
The snow-covered sheep are amazing!
Some schools around here are starting to talk about making up some days on Saturdays.
Stay warm and cozy!
Absolutely beautiful photos...
It's so good to see Olympia! I love the grin on the sheep with icicle earrings. Too cute.
With the winter you are having, will not the sheep grow thicker fur? (our huskies do!!)
I am with you and the sheep, enough of this snow! I can't believe how big Olympia is now. If we are to believe Phil Spring is coming soon and I do hope he is right. Stay warm and dry!
Gorgeous photos! I hope you all are staying warm too.
I was ok with the snow. I'm not ok with the ridiculous amount of ice we got last night. We're so lucky to still have power.
I really look forward to your posts Kristin. I love how you describe everything about farming. Sounds like a hard life but it's obvious that you find lots to enjoy about it and that you are able to see the beauty in it. I enjoy the pictures of the lambs, sheeps and dogs. Eager to read about the new lambs the day has brought your way.
Oh my goodness! I had to laugh--the sheep so covered with snow. What patience they have!
It really has been a crazy-snowy winter.
All that snow and they seem to just ignore it! The sheep with the icicles...cute and amazing. as always thank you for sharing such a very different life with us.
Two day snowstorm here in Iowa, too. Your pictures are just wonderful. I loved seeing every one of them. There is something deeply calming about viewing the photos of your farm and sheep. Thank you. :)
Wow! Great pictures.
I'm sure you're happy that little old groundhog says we'll have an early spring. This is one time I'm happy to take advice from an overgrown rodent.
Spring will be extra sweet for all this year!
I love your sheep photos. They are so zen in the face of a blizzard!
We had a snow day here, too. It was lovely!
What amazing pictures and even more amazing Sheep!!! I can't believe those ice cycles hanging off of the ewe's ears. How can they tolerate it? And, Miss Olympia is all grown up. I have the beautiful postcards of her and the other little lambs. She is still so pretty.
I am reading a book right now called "Scouting the Divine" by Margaret Feinberg. The first chapter is all about being a shepherdess. It's fascinating.
Also, I went to your summer post and saw the tribute to your grandmother. Precious! What a blessing.
Hope Spring Comes Soon!
Joyce
I just love your sheep photos! Hope lambing goes well-it's amazing how the ewes will adjust to the weather- and how strong those newborn lambs are!
Snow at lambing time, also what happened on the South Island of New Zealand this year....Your photos are amazing, the girls have such dignity in adversity!
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