Snowed In

We're expecting a LOT of snow today. When I got up for the 4 am lamb check the doggies ran to the door with me. Thought I better take them out for a pee. When I opened the north side barn door a blast of cold, snowy wind hit us hard. I had to push Izzy out with my foot or he would have run back inside and hid. Luckily all the dogs wanted to get back in and did their business quickly. Lucky for me I had started wearing silkies underneath my new high tech fleece pants Mia gave me for Christmas. God the dogs back inside the apt. and ventured out into the barn. Everything is relative in life. As cold as the barn is, it felt cozy compared to the blizzard going on outside. Luna came running over for her bottle, and Lilly for her apple. I gave the baby bunnies some broccoli then continued on down the line of stanchions to the way back of the barn. Big wooly bodies were spread out everywhere, with a couple up and munching on hay. I stood quietly listening - sounds tell me so much. Nobody in labor, no new bundles on the floor. I said hello to Thor, Knut and Finn, who are living inside the barn now. I would not subject any animal to that weather outside, besides, the sheep are in the barn, why shouldn't their guardians be in there, too? Back inside and lie down on the sofa. I couldn't get totally back to sleep, and there was a movie on with Mel Gibson where he can hear what women are thinking. Very funny. I'll pay for lack of sleep later on today, but maybe a little nap will snap me back into shape. I played my new Enya DVD, a late Christmas present, and was completely mesmerized by the animation, and her singing. The VMI cadets turned me on to Enya when Eric was there. She gets better and better. Matt can't stand her music, so I waited until he braved the storm to drive to Sangerfield for the Sunday NY Times, and some more molasses if my remaining pregnant ladies start to drop lambs. I give every new mother a bucket of warm molasses water after they give birth. It gives them sugar and iron and gets their milk going. I really thought I would have more lambs by now, but why should it be that easy? Tomorrow I will be flying out the door of the school and driving home as fast as I can to look for lambs...the lot of the working shepherd. I'll take the Christmas tree down today and do some work in the barn. I'm hoping to dock tails and give tetanus shots to the lambs today, but I don't want to keep Matt from stapling new plastic over the broken windows. We'll see how the day unfolds. It was wonderful being off for a week and having the kids here for Christmas. They only stayed two days but it was fantastic. They have places to go and people to meet in their busy, amazingly full and exciting lives. I've often heard, the better you raise them the less they need you. My kids are certainly self-sufficient and productive. I hope they come back real soon.