Sheep – Page 16 – Wool Stone & Prairie

Spring’s Thaw At Last

March 20, 2019

A week ago we were still delaying heading out for morning chores, waiting for that titch of extra warmth from the sun to help us get through the cold. Today I headed out first thing, wanting to do chores while there was still a titch of cold left on the earth’s surface to avoid mud and making tracks with the tractor. After feeding sheep, the kelpie dogs and I detoured off the grid road and made our first spring foray across pasture on our walk.

I can’t recall feeling so giddy about Spring as I do this year. It was a tough, tough winter – natures way of reminding us to take nothing for granted and always be grateful. I have not heard the first call of returning geese yet but surely they must be on their way. Those first honks will sound extra glorious this year.

The ewes are rubbing on fence posts and trees and looking that little bit more scraggly with a full years of wool growth on them still. We are set to shear on Friday, April 5. This is probably the most succinct time when my day job and my artwork merge into one another. Aside from the necessity of it, shearing is also my harvest of art supplies. From here forward I will process, share, trade and purchase fibre with others enthusiasts.

The daylight is growing and with it the pace of work is shifting as it must for farming in a northern climate. With the earlier sunrise I find myself feeling slightly panicked at the thought of keeping up with artwork without a solid block of time first thing in the morning when there is no other demands. The struggle to pursue creativity without letting every other type of ‘real’ work supersede it is very real. But the plan is to hit some trade shows this year and promote both fibre and art and through each, continue to share a little of this lifestyle.

“Where’s Your Momma”
15 x 12 inches, for sale

Stock Dog Silhouette
10 x 15 inches, for sale

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On Warmer Days

February 23, 2019

On warmer days Oakley finds a place on higher ground; the flock is just over our shoulder feeding on hay.

On warmer days I sit and watch him watch, being there but not with him. A small moment of life well enjoyed by both of us I think. I love watching the dogs in this way of not being together all the time. Such moments are everything and more to me because of the intangible gift they give and I always breath a little lighter afterward.

Winter season in saskatchewan gets a pretty bad rap because it is so brutally cold but it is also brutally beautiful.

I catch myself stewing about the sheep and dogs, wondering if they are bedded well enough and did they stay out the wind or did they move. Has the wind changed direction again. Allen repeatedly assures me they are fine. How quickly I forget how often all the critters have handled each season for what it is.

Recently the yearlings have really taken to playing, especially on the warmer days, and thus give me a regular reminder.

Last evening I watched them race up and down a hill, bucking and kicking just like young lambs do during lambing time. To see them acting so freely tells me Allen is right, they are doing just fine and taking the cold as it comes because that is what they know to do. Witnessing them adjust so readily makes me thankful to be raising sheep.

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When The Day Ahead Is A Cold One

January 19, 2019

We recently started feeding hay on a regular basis, up until now the weather has been agreeable enough to allow for grazing stock piled forage with occasional hay feed offered.

When I know the day ahead is a cold one, I’m eager to get at the chores. My bodily self has little desire to step out in that cold but that cold is what pulls me to get outside and confirm that the animals are okay and to do what I can to feed and shelter for another day.

Today’s cold weather has no wind, it is crisp and clean and sunny. It is beautiful, albeit still damn cold, cold enough that only a brisk walk is doable with the kelpies. While I’m on the tractor hauling bales out to the flock, I feel every bit of that cold (tractor has no cab, so no heat). I begin unrolling the round bales using the tractor but always finish manually and the physical effort unrolling bale cores and forking hay where needed has me warmed up enough to unzip my outside layer of winter clothing. Cold days without wind are stunners and more pleasant than hearing the actual temperature makes you think they can be.

Cold weather is also when any number of things can act up and make it difficult to get the chores done. This morning’s hiccup was having to work the tractor to get the hydraulics working – things were moving slower than molasses in the month of January – which is to say they weren’t moving at all at first. Not a major deal but a slow one. When things go this smoothly I feel particularly grateful. I can return to indoors, let my body warm up and let my mind off the hook until the evening round begins. No feeding hay in the evening but a thorough check to be sure everyone is tucked in for the night.

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