Shepherds

April 27, 2009 by Ellen Stimson in Baby Lambs, Springtime


We have a barn! Or anyway a little lamb cottage. It came on a big truck with one sweet Vermonter delivering it. He had a hydraulic system to lower it into place and then he used sort of a hydraulic jack to move it around just so. It is small and cute with a green roof and a little window in front beside the door. Of course it weighs two thousand pounds so once in it sure isn’t going anywhere. Allen the delivery guy had all kinds of sayings as he lifted and pushed, grunted and pulled. At one point he was trying to lean it over just enough to get some concrete shims underneath and I heard him, with his shoulder heaving mightily into its side, his breath becoming ragged, and the jack tipping the whole thing precariously into the yard…”I wonder how much tip this rascal will take”

A classic Vermonter….

The lambs knew immediately that it was for them. They climbed right in and began munching hay. And so…Ta..da.. da.. da the lambs are living OUTSIDE! We go out early in the mornings with bottles and throughout the day we pet and nuzzle and add hay or grain topped off by a bottle at night. Then we tuck them in and not a baa is heard until morning. They sleep tucked over on one side where we still put their kitchen blankets atop the straw. The saw those blankets and headed right for them the first night. “Oh yeah we are sleepy. This spot looks good”

There have been a slew of stories in between, but after days of no sleep, bottling in the night, and trips to the vet, I am too sleepy and muddled to tell them. Suffice it to say that bottle lambs are exponentially harder than chickens ever were. But they are cute and when I come home they run across the yard to greet me and baa and maa for a nuzzle and cuddle. They have settled in, and after chopping down our practically ancient rhododendrons, (poison), and removing ten thousand holly berries, ( same), walking unendingly one night to relieve bloat, and building a fence……so are we.

    Comments

  • library lady


    Congratulations on being a shepherd with a barn. I wish I could say something wise and funny and memorable, but all I can think of is baaaaa!

  • laurwilk


    Glad you got a barn for the little lambs. I’m sure they love it! It sounds like a much better situation for all involved.

  • Texan Mama @ Who Put Me In Charge


    Oh my, that is such a sweet story. Your little lambies have their own home away from home now. And thank goodness they won’t be pooping in the house anymore!

  • Katiedid


    “How much tip will this rascal take”….OMG. I loved this line

  • molls


    Congratulations on the new digs.
    And welcome to sheep. You are in it now, boy howdy!

  • painted maypole


    i would love to romp with some lambs this mayday!

  • Jamie


    You. Have a barn?

    I’m not surprised.

    Maybe a little surprised.

    But I think you guys will make great shepherds! Can’t wait for the continuing tales! 🙂

  • beesknees


    So is this place gonna be a farm? Are we watching the next phase materialize right before our very eyes? Will there be goats next and cheese I wonder.
    There was a city family turned nature group. Then the romance of a country store which had one of those bizarre, funny in the retelling, hell in the living, endings. Then there were chickens. Now lambs.
    More happens in your life than anyone I know. I mean more change I think.
    Little changes and big ones. You guys are always on one adventure or another.
    Does this mean you can’t go to Italy? Or does it mean you will run a farm there? It’s like a novel in installments kind of. I keep waiting to see what you will think up to do next

  • Anonymous


    Nice to meet you, also! I enjoy reading your blog, but don’t always have time to comment. (I read your comemnt on Beth’s blog). GB 🙂

  • library lady


    I still don’t have anything wise and funny to say, but I just came across a review in the April 20th PW for a book you should read. It’s called Farm City, by Novella Carpenter. To quote the review: “In this utterly enchanting book, food writer Carpenter chronicles with grace and generosity her experiences as an ‘urban farmer.'” You shouldn’t just be reading this book–you should be writing it. Get busy while I can still buy it!

  • Dreams and Designs


    You have arrived you shepherds! Congrats!

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