Shearing-- finally

There are times that farm work is routine without a lot of ups and downs, not even a lot of time required to tend the livestock. But there are also the times where one thing after another seems to engulf all other activities.

Shearing this year was difficult to schedule because of the rains. Several times we corralled the flock overnight, something neither the sheep nor we like, only to have weather or something else go wrong.

After our regular shearer had to cancel due to an injury, we got the name of someone, who actually lives closer to us and finally after more rained-out dates, he came here on a sunny Wednesday afternoon.

A new shearer is an unknown quantity. Will he nick the sheep? How will he handle them? This shearer was experienced, smooth and gentle. This is probably the best I have ever seen the flock look after being shorn.

They are so happy to be rid of all that extra weight. By this time of the year, some of them are carrying around a good 10 lbs. of wool. After shearing, they feel like lambs again. They are happy to be out of the corral but also just to be in their summer wardrobe-- which like mine is sparse.

There is a little head butting, and I am not sure what that is all about. Looking out the window I saw several of them thumping heads, the sound kind of an interesting one-- a little hollow sounding-- with others rushing to get in on the action.

Lambs are the main unhappy sheep. They want their mamas back, and they think their mamas are somewhere in that wool pile. That slim trim animal can't possible be their mother. They go from ewe to ewe and sometimes even past their own mothers and go right on maaa-ing... When they walk by their mother without acknowledging her, she starts complaining. It's a sheep symphony

It sorts itself out after a noisy night. Too bad I can't share a soundtrack with you although, believe me, you don't want to hear it!