Early Saturday

I got the doggies out early this morning just as the sun was peaking over the ridge. I love to see the silos and the angles of the barn silhouetted against the feathery pinkish-gray rays of the morning. My thermometer is on the other side of the barn but I could tell it's colder this morning, probably colder than it's been all winter. There is a certain burn to any exposed skin, and the dogs hold up their paws one at a time to give them relief from the pain. I try to sneak out to take a peak at the sheep but when I head to the door the dogs rush over, so I get them out first. Luckily this morning they were anxious to get back in and get under those covers so I didn't have to stay out too long. The sheep had heard the disturbance and started rising. Ideally I get out there before they get up - that way I can stand still and listen for any sounds that will tell me there's been a birth. I do this in the middle of the night the same way a mother will stand in the door of a nursery to listen for breathing. I took the harness off my prolapsed ewe last night to clean caked manure away, and decided to leave it off for the night. Sure enough, when she started to move around her uterus started to slip out. Since most of the sheep were up I made my way through the crowd to her pen and climbed over. I caught her around the neck with one arm and pushed the soft, spongy mass back in with the other. Pee gushes out telling me her urine is cut off when the prolapse occurs. The vet says to check the cervix for dilation at this time but it's easier said than done. It takes one person to hold the sheep and another to work the other end. I felt around for it but am not sure what I found. I pushed her back in and went inside to check for Matt's availability to help me. He was emerging from the bedroom so I got a bacon/eggs/toast ready for him. The delicious breakfast helped his mood a bit, but when I asked him for help getting her harness back on he told me he was off to pick up hay and couldn't help me now. How can I argue with someone going to pick up hay for me? Matt always comes back from Jim Postma's in a good mood, after exchanging some philosophy and small talk about this and that. So the lady in distress will have to wait a little while. She might have pulled it back in herself before we get to her, as she's been doing. Most shepherd's don't keep a sheep that prolapses. The tendency is genetic and will occur in subsequent generations. This girl has a nice, thick, lovely fleece which makes me want to keep her. We'll see...Off to an office party today with Matt's organization. I would rather stay home with the sheep and wait for lambs but Matt wants to go and I'm trying to be supportive. They are very nice people, but none of them are involved with agriculture in any way and we don't have much in common. Last year I found myself in a room with some Cornell professors, who gave me a blank stare when I told them where I worked. Okay, so think about it, Cornell vs. a Vo-Tech school. Oh, well! That's okay - I enjoy playing the Mother Theresa of the Education World role. Nobody to talk to about sheep. One can feel a bit isolated at times - but not too many people are as crazy as I am. The need-to-farm genes are very strong in me. I'll pass The Key Consignment Shop in Cazenovia on the way and check it out for gowns for Mia's wedding. She is shopping for me this weekend in NJ, and is heading for Lord and Taylor, our old source for prom and party gowns. We'll see who comes up with The Mother of the Bride Dress first.