A Sweet Surprise

When I let the sheep out yesterday after coming home from work, I noticed one Rambo didn't come up to the gate. Then I saw a tiny creature prancing around her. A LAMB!! I was so thrilled and surprised. I knew Miss Mamie had been bred by Horatio - I saw it happen myself - but I didn't think it "took." I had kept her in a pen for a couple of months, building up her weight with grain and lots of hay, but finally let her go. Lesson learned - with these great big sheep they may never look pregnant. I tiptoed down as quickly as I could, and took a look. The ewe lamb is quite tiny, but seems to be okay. I led them into the barn and the dog pen where I had been feeding the bottle lambs. Perfect spot. I can watch them from the door to my apt. Miss Mamie only has one udder working and I nursed out some colostrum. After a couple of hours I got little "Summer" on the teat and she nursed, not vigourously, but she nursed. It was all I could do to leave them and go to work today. I sit in the pen and hold her on my lap. The temp went down to 29 F. last night. Glad I had put one of Auntie Jan's sweaters on her. There's something so lovely about a spring lamb, born when the grass is green and the sun is warm...not when the air is freezing cold it will snap your nose off. I'm going to get them out on grass as soon as I can.