Sheep

Thank You Sheep

Artwork, Sheep / September 16, 2021 / By

I am going to sit in this landscape a moment and say thank you to some sheep.

I am coming off a whirlwind fibre fair weekend and heading into a whirlwind art show that begins on September 16 and continues through to the 26th. In the midst of that time frame there is the heavy task of sorting and tagging lambs for market, and the heavier task of deciding on ewes for sale due to lack of winter feed.

A parcel of prairie, a flock of sheep, numerous dogs, a couple cows and horses and cats too – it is all a lot of work as so many of you know. There is no way around that nor should there be because when we try to find a way around the work we lose sight of the very Nature that allows grass based agricultural to work so well.

This prairie land with this flock of sheep and these dogs, the very nature of this place is what stirs the desire to take a photograph, make a piece of artwork or write some words. It stirs the desire to keep making attempts to capture the deeper meaning of all the work and turn it into something tangible that can be shared with you.
And getting outdoors to take photos, muddling my way through making a piece of artwork and constantly writing in journals is what keeps the work from being too much.

But as the flock shrinks life is shifting, as life is wont to do. I feel a stronger emphasis and pull toward making photography and artwork pay for themselves like I have always expected this flock to do. It’s a welcome shift and a big unknown and scary one at the same time.

Prior to living here the titles photographer, artist or writer were not even on the radar. Now these creative acts are fast becoming the singular pursuit because it feels more and more imperative by the day that slices of nature be shared with a world of people who are lost and rapidly becoming detached from the very nature that can heal them.

The Art Now Saskatchewan fine art fair is an opportunity for Saskatchewan art galleries to promote their gallery through promotion of current artwork. The event is a hybrid online/in person event. You can shop online and/or you can visit the gallery in your area and view the artwork in person and make your purchase directly. Full information about the Art Now can be found at artnow.ca. My work is presented by the Little Manitou Art Gallery at Manitou Beach, SK. as part of a collection of women artists.

I am also one of several artists giving an artist talk this year; a first time opportunity for me. My art talk happens live at a reception taking place at Little Manitou Art Gallery Friday the 24th at 7 pm. The reception is open to the public. The art talk will also be recorded and shared online on the ArtNow website on September 26th at 1:30 pm.

Pastoral Ease

Sheep / August 10, 2021 / By

Entering a new pasture; by visual sight it’s hard to tell which pastures are the grazed ones and which are the fresh. Nonetheless, even with smokey haze from the air and the dust from the earth the pastoral ease of walking along with livestock is still felt.

Great Lambing Saves

Sheep / June 4, 2021 / By

This was the smallest lambing group for me in long time. Half the number as usual.
Since the flock is comprised of older ewes and yearlings there are plenty of singles and enough twins and not a single set of trips or quads. It was the near perfect pace for lambing when doing so on one’s own.

I had two great saves this lambing season, the kind of saves that leave you feeling like you still have it in you, and there is someone on your side. Both were ewes having birthing trouble. Both ewes were caught on open pasture with a leg crook. This is the closest to what I think it might be like to rope a calf by the rear leg. The exultation I feel with making one of these catches is likely equivalent to a sports professional making a score in a playoff series. And yes, there is a wide grin and a happy dance, notwithstanding the trouble in the first place.

In the first case the lamb was very large and even though the pull was pretty simple the lamb was lost, head too swollen and birth time too long to save it. The second ewe was an experienced ewe with a lamb coming hind feet first and locked up. The lamb was successfully pulled but not breathing. A few head shakes and tickles with grass up the nose and she took her first gurgling breath. At last check mamma and babe are doing fine.

On account of the heat wave rolling across the prairie the morning rounds are early and the evening checks are late. The ewes graze very early in the day, disappear into shade during the heat and rise again late in the evening for a second graze. The guardian dogs are lying low and only sort of interested in eating. The magpies however, are ever vigilant. And the lambs,… in the cool of the evening the lambs are beginning to run and dance and crash and burn as only lambs can.