SHEEP

 

Shortly after moving to my first country home, I  'acquired' two sheep, Esmeralda and Geraldine.  The 'death wagon' had appeared down our lane to take sheep to slaughter, I was distraught, of course I know this sort of thing goes on in the country and is a way of life, but not on MY doorstep !!  They were trying to push two old dears onto the already overcrowded wagon, and it was breaking my heart !  I begged them to let them stay and I would take care of them, they seemed only too pleased to get rid of them, so that's how 'the girls' came to be with me.  They were so nervous, and one had a really bad limp, no one had given her treatment,  I sat and talked to them for hours in the stable I had prepared for them, getting them to accept me, it didn't take as long as I thought, sheep are so intelligent and responsive, if only people would give them a chance.

 

They were soon eating out of my hand, and let them out into the paddock to graze, they loved it, they had half an acre to themselves and I swear they were smiling !!  They would come running up to me for titbits and follow me around the field wanting cuddles, we even had races up and down, they always won of course, after all, they have an extra two legs don't they ??

 

When shearing time came, I got a 'local' man to come and do them for me, so there was my ' payment' for rescuing them !  two lovely fleeces, which I spin, knit into sweaters and sell to help pay for all  my creatures.

 

The following year I heard of another sheep that had been branded as 'no good' because she couldn't provide a lamb for the farmer that year, so she was going to be disposed of, how awful, these lovely creatures spend all their lives producing lovely little lambs for the farmer to kill, and when they can't do it anymore, their reward is death !!  I wish I could take them all and give them a happy retirement like my girls have.  Anyway, I got 'Victoria', a smashing little girl, but she came to me with a 'bald' back, she had sufferd fly strike and had lost a lot of her 'skin' on her back, but she did come with some medication, and to cut a long story short, she is now fit and well along with the other two, they make up my little 'flock',  until another needy case comes along I expect.

 

I  have sinced moved house (more of that later) and they still have their half acre, with two shelters in case of bad weather, loads of straw and hay, I think it's just so awful when you see sheep in fields in cold/wet conditions without shelter,  I know people will always say they don't need it, but I say, just give them the opportunity, and see where they head for when it rains/snows/freezes etc.,  They also share with my gorgeous goats !  one big happy family.