Change of Seasons, Change in the Weather

Last week was a very busy week, daughter and friend came to visit for 3 days, turned into 4, but we got the sheep and goats sheds all cleaned out with the tractor.  I still have some fences to put back up.  Lambs got their tags, learned after last years fiasco to tag first before sending in papers.  Last year a couple of tags got "tagged before they got to the lambs ears", clamped the pliers down accidentally while wrestling with the lamb.  

Saturday evening  it got extremely windy and big clouds came in.  There is highway construction about 5 miles west of me.  Orchards were torn out and now roadbeds are being graded and more dirt being hauled in.  I think half that dirt got blown my way with the winds.  When I went out to do chores the sky was so brown I could not even see the mountains.  I had changed my camera card and had done something so I didn't get any pictures of all the blowing dust, figured I better take care of critters first.  Clouds did not bring me any rain but a friend up in the hills above me got a cloudburst of rain and hail at her house.  Sunday morning brought clear blue skies.

Have to share this picture of Bella and Dollar, I was on the computer and they are leaving me no way out, they want to be sure if I move they will notice.

This is Sadie, half Border Collie, half Heinz, but OCD about hair sheep having any wool.  Here she is trying to get it and pull it out.  It is just a small patch but annoying her none the less.  I am glad she does not do this to the Shetlands.

"Well it's not pulling out so maybe if I can chew it off with my back teeth I can get it."  That is a very patient ram she is chewing on.

The weather has changed almost overnight, down to the 50's at night instead of 80's, time to get out all those layers of clothes and put away the short sleeve t-shirts.

Looking forward to Fair time next week.

No wonder I don't accomplish anything ...........

This is Buster, and the other pile of wool beside him is Brock, they are right where they are supposed to be ............ but this morning instead of 2 rams with big curly horns in this pen there were 3.  No open gates no sign of entry.  I use stock panels for pens for the shetlands, holds up better that standard rolled field fencing.  I use T-posts and some hay rope which I have an a bunch of to recycle.  This way pens can be taken down, moved, cleaned with the tractor, put back or relocated easily enough.  However hay rope does not hold up to those big beautiful curly horns very well.  C'Oso had managed to break a panel lose and can crawl under.

 

 

After some temptimg with some hay I got C'Oso back out thru the gate into the alley and back into a gate in his own pen with the help of a few panels in the alley to block him from coming back to socialize.  It was no big problem I didn't have to get into any of the pens with the 'boys' but after an extra half hour out in the sun this morning once again something on my to do list did not get done.  Come winter when I won't have to drive T-posts into ground as hard as concrete my goal is to put double panels with a tree or two inbetween the ram pens.  But since they did share a common fence line there was not fighting between any of the boys, did see a couple of minor head bumps while they were together but I have Dorper ewes that are more aggressive than these guys.

 

Guess I better check that to do list, I know there is a lot of laundry to be done, maybe I can check off some of that this afternoon.

 

 

I heard a rumor that there is World Wide Spin in Public Day coming up .... good cause that is what is on my list for this Sunday afternoon, an afternoon at neighbors winery spinning with some friends.  That is if the sheep stay where I put them.

Unhealthy ............

This morning's local news listed the air quality in all 5 counties is it's broadcast area as unhealthy, usually it's just one or two and the rest are listed as moderate.  This is smoke from the still burning Rim Fire that has been burning for 3 weeks now and is 3 hours north of where I am.  It is still listed as only 80% contained but it has not increase in acreage.  If it's this unhealthy here imagine what it is like for the locals.  I noticed last night at sunset there was a streak of smoke across the valley but this morning it is everywhere.

Poor sheep are really not enjoying this summer, wonder if they make gas masks for sheep, may have to invest in some if this summer never ends.

Better Photos of the Newbie .......................

Mama cow finally came down from the top pasture to the water trough and gave me a better photo opp of the new bull calf.  There is a strip of green grass here, but only because I turn the water on to fill the  two tubs for the cows and then forget until hours later to go back and turn it off.  He found that was a nice cool place to hang out in the hot summer sun.

I even got to pet him on the nose and the top of his head.

Then he decided to lay back down in the cool grass.

Dollar wants him to come out and play with her, believe me, mama cow was close by watching Dollar's every move.

I emailed my daughter some pictures of her calf, got a reply wanting to know if I had brought him in the house yet.  Hmmm, no not yet.