sheep

Lamb – Day 530

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Brave Lambie – Photo: L. Weikel

Lamb

Nope; it’s not what’s for dinner. Not our dinner, anyway. This lamb, at least, is one of the creatures I call to in a sing-song voice as we make our way up the hill that is the last major leg of  our daily walks.

I love springtime. I especially love it because there seems to be a steady supply of itty bitty lumps of fluff in the fields each day, struggling to get to their feet in order to begin the somewhat unsteady business of frolicking. My favorites so far this year are the two pristine white fluffballs hovering close to their very black-wooled mother with the white splotch right in the center of her forehead.

The three of them are simply adorable. The twins because they’re hoppers. And the older they get, the more they bounce off each other, off their mother, and recently, I’ve seen them bouncing off other members of the herd as well. The elders are marvelously patient.

Mom, however, is obviously savvy to us and protective of them. While the lambs seem to respond to me with increasingly predictable (and precious) curiosity as I address them each day in my sing-song greeting, mom makes it clear to them that they should not be tempted by my seductively kind voice. No. They must beware of me. I’m probably one of ‘those’ two leggeds who like to steal little lambies who don’t stick close enough to their mommies and get stolen away, only to end up on two-leggeds’ dinner tables!

The Stuff of Nightmares

You can tell by the horrified looks on the babies’ faces that these lamb’s tales are the stuff of nightmares. “Really, mommy? She’d do that to us?”

“Well, she might not, but the ones who look like her might.”

It’s interesting to notice their reaction to my greetings each day. I swear, there’s a recognition. Even if it’s just the high pitch of my voice. One of the elders of the herd consistently answers me. Each and every time I call out my long, “Halloooooo, babies!” that particular ewe responds.

Yes, she could be telling me to get lost. But it doesn’t feel like that’s the message. It feels much more like she’s greeting me with enthusiastic recognition.

The message I’m getting at the moment is that I need to look up ‘sheep.’ Not tonight, though. It’s too late.

(T-581)

Luminous Sheep – Day 477

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Luminous Sheep

Karl and I were approaching the last leg of our walk as we followed the road up the hill. The field that’s lain fallow throughout the winter (such as it’s been) and last was home to an entire tribe of adorable pigs and piglets is now being grazed upon by sheep. And lambs! And not just your everyday sheep, I’ll have you know. No, they are luminous  sheep.

Oh sure. Smile to yourself. “There goes Lisa, aggrandizing the mutton.”

But you forget. I was a girl scout. Always prepared. (Or was that the boy scout motto?) Anyway, it didn’t matter.

Thrusting Sheila’s pink plastic leash into Karl’s hand, I leapt into action. “I have to get a shot of those sheep! Look at them! They’re luminous,” I swooned.

The Approach

We were eyed warily as we edged closer and closer. The older, wiser sheep had no intention of losing sight of the two approaching Boston Terriers for even a second, not realizing one of them is deaf and blind, and the other fondly remembers the chase but is rarely inclined to give it any longer.

In fact, the elder sheep wasted no time making their way away from the barbed wire fence that parallels the road, self-herding themselves and their progeny to the far safer climes in the center of the field. The lambs protested plaintively as their mothers bleated commands to ignore me and head for the anonymity found in the midst of the herd.

In spite of me using my best baby/small animal voice on them, trying to coax them to remain near the edge of the field closest to me, they turned up their tails and took off.

But that’s when I appreciated even more just how luminous they appeared, the setting sun bathing them in a brilliant light that honestly made them look like clouds with a silver lining.

Seeking New Beginnings

A moment ago, I looked up the spiritual attributes associated with sheep in Animal Speak* by Ted Andrews and was pleased to see the keynote being: Seeking New Beginnings.

This paragraph leapt out at me:

“If the ram (sheep) has come into your life, do some examination – but don’t take too long with it. It is usually an indication of a time to make some new beginnings, to initiate new endeavors – rather than just think about it. Are you taking advantage of opportunities that are presenting themselves? Are you staying balanced as you make new leaps and climbs? Are you initiating things appropriately? Are you acting on your ideas or just talking about them? When the ram (sheep) shows up, it will teach you to bring forth the power of the mind and imagination and use them to seek out new heights and new adventures.”

Hmm. As we take the first tentative steps toward spring, I’d say these are some great questions for all of us to ponder. What say you, my luminous friends?

Luminous Sheep – Photo: L. Weikel

* Affiliate link

(T-634)

One of Those Days – Day 440

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A small portion of the lineup – Photo: L. Weikel

One of Those Days

I knew they’d happen. You knew they’d happen. It was inevitable, really. And today is one of those days.

Perhaps it’s the number? 440? I can’t say it holds any special meaning for me one way or another. But it seems like a nice round number to get stuck on.

Or maybe the pelting sheets of rain that pummeled our area today left me, at least, feeling waterlogged? Yes, maybe all my inspiration got swept up into the streams overflowing their banks and barreling down the roads in muddy rages.

Detours were in place.

It could’ve been snow.

Sheep – Paused

We had to stop the car and turn around. Neither one of us felt the scene could be real. Stealthily maneuvering our Prius so that it was facing the meadow from a little used connector road, we stared at the long line of sheep coming and going – or at least frozen in motion while doing so.

Karl and I looked at the sight before us and felt a sense of unreality around us. There had to be 50 or so sheep in a row appearing to tread out to pasture. About half were headed one way on the muddy path and the other half, headed in, toward the barn, were on a collision course with them.

But the weird thing was that, in fact, none of them were moving at all.

It was as if the ‘pause’ button on the sheeps’ shared consciousness had been pressed and all of their movements ceased, leaving them hanging mid-step.

It was almost as if we accidentally witnessed a behind-the-scenes moment in the shared movie of our life.

(T-671)

First Mow – Day 167

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First Mow     

I should’ve taken ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos.

Our grass was soooo long when we assessed it this morning. Not uniformly so, though, because our lawn is probably the furthest thing from a perfect lawn as you can imagine.

No, our lawn routinely looks like a third grader who’s decided to try to give herself a haircut, chop off her cowlick, and give herself bangs. Especially the wild onion. It sprouts amazing puffs of long ‘hair’ that punctuates the grass. But we love it that way. And best of all, it’s good for Mother Earth!

The lawn’s best look is – well, it’s in the past now! I should’ve taken a photo immediately after we finished mowing, as that’s when it’s most photogenic. That’s because all the different types of plants that comprise our lawn grow at remarkably different speeds. And the weather today was simply brilliant. Literally. Sparkling sunshine, brisk, cool breeze. Puffy clouds against a backdrop of robin’s egg blue sky.

Yep. It was a classic spring day. And after we finished mowing, the carpet of grass was emerald and lovely, at least in spots.

Cutie – Photo: L. Weikel

The thing is, the ground is saturated. The mower was actually in danger of flooding out a couple times, things got so deep in some places (both deep in grass and deep in water).

Rite of Passage

At least by getting the first cut of the season – our spring rite of passage – under our belts, the brisk winds and sunshine today should at least make inroads into getting things dried out.

But really? Who am I kidding? I’m writing about mowing our lawn today because I’m now so tired it’s hard to keep my eyes open. I’m astonished that I could be feeling so tired from mowing when I’ve been doing so much walking lately.

Family portrait – Photo: L. Weikel

Oh well.

Speaking of walking, we did get in a couple miles after finishing the lawn, and we were rewarded with some lamb sightings. (Speaking of lawn ‘mowers’ – these little fluffers were doing a job on the grass!)

And best of all? I did manage to get a few photos of these cuties. So, between the photos of the flowering trees, the puffy clouds, and the lambs, I hope your day is starting off with a ‘spring’ in its step!

Head for the hills! – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-944)