December

December began with 1 and 1/2 feet of snow on the sixth. Some of that snow still remains on our property. I'm writing this post on the 19th of January. The sheep are unable to walk on the north side of our mountain in the new section we fenced last February.This is how it looked on the morning after the big snow.

In the winter I feed our other livestock, the wild birds. Zephyr seems to be saying  "Do you see what I see"  all that bird seed just out of reach.

We get Black Eyed Juncos, click on the pictures for a close up view. After this huge snow fall the temperatures for a week  ranged from low 20'sF in the day to 17 below 0 at night. These are the times when living on a mountain is a benefit. Heat rises so our lowest temperature  was 2 degrees above 0. Fifteen degrees is a big difference.

and Western Quail. The bird book calls them California Quail but they make their home here in Nevada also. I feel bad for these little guys trying to find feed in the snow and cold.

Ewe's lambs from the spring of '09 checking out the snow and wishing everyone a "Happy Ewe Year"!

Ewe's Bred to Stonehaven Watson

The rams have been with their ewes since the first week of  November. I've moved Watsons  girls next to a fence with Duncan on the other side to watch and see if any of them haven't been covered. So far things have been very quite.
First in line is Pepper a long yearly, first breeding. Right behind is Hattie (Who) two years old and the mother of Spud the show lamb. Watson is in the back looking at Duncans'  girls. Love his top line and chest!

Next picture is Tru a yearling and Stevie , one of this years lambs. I have not bred a lamb in the last three years but have no problem with breeding young. Anyway Stevie squeaked threw the fence to be with Mom so Watson and I let her stay.

Jorja is a two year old. She had a ram lamb, Zorro, that was showing in California last summer. Strong boned ewe, long intermediate fleece. All of the black Ag ewe's are in with Watson.

Zephyr is a yearling. Pepper, Tru and Zephyr are half sisters from "Newton" my ram from a few years ago, Enfield Grayling on both sides of his pedigree.
One more daughter of Newton's is Hazel (black) and she was bred to Duncan.

Another Stevie Picture.

Desert Peach Bella

Bella will be three. Yes her fleece does reflect light. It's shiny, tippy and dense. I love this ewe! She just does not have much poll fleece.

Stevie and Bella. She is her mothers daughter.

Camera Found

Pictures from yesterday. Yes I found the camera and it was safe and sound on the kitchen counter! At least in my forgetfulness I was careful with the camera. Ewe's on the hill.

White ewe in both these pictures is Tru. She is a yearly and not bred for this years lambings. This is the sort of fleece I've been getting after introducing some UK genetics. Enfield Greyling

Jake in a squirrel hole. Check out his fleece! Nice but no crimp!

Hattie "Who" on the lookout yesterday.

Hattie this morning!!!! And who's that? Her little ram lamb. She had given birth to him before I got out to check this morning. He was almost dry and I thought she might not be done lambing and sure enough she had a dead ewe lamb in her when I checked. Damn she was full term too. This ram will be Ag like Hattie and the ewe was different than any lamb I've had born here. Dark on her back and light brown from the front of her neck under her belly and around the inside of her legs?? Any guesses. I've never had a katmoget or gulmoget here.

Well I should be getting more lambs soon now. Several other ewe's looked like Hattie as far as udders and bums go.

Like Charlee here.

Ciders Bio and Breeding Group

Cider my ram I kept this year. His sire is McTavish Newton (apple theme) and his dam is Crystal Dawn Limerick. He does have the potential to throw the brain sick blind lambs from his dad but not from his dam so it's not a big chance. I kept him first because I need to test some of my first time breeding ewe's sired by Shady Oaks Dugan (who gave the gene to his daughters) to see if they carry the gene and second there was no money left to buy another ram. So since his mom does not carry the gene his chances are good to be clean. I'm breeding him to three ewe's who had sick lambs last spring plus some could be carriers. So if I get no sick lambs next spring he is not a carrier and he'll stay a few more years. If his horns clear his head well. The horn on the right of the picture is a bit close! No face but I love the look of his fleece from this angle. Cider has a nice dense soft crimpy musket colored fleece.

Hattie (who) Just love her. She is built so boxy and square. Sire Shady Oaks Dugan and Desert Peach Kate. This will be her first breeding. Kess behind her is a very deep colored moorit. One of the few solid colored sheep in my flock. Her dam is Shady Oaks Truffles and Shady Oaks Dugan. Her full sister Desert Peach Bella had two blind lambs last spring so this will be a big test for her.

First is Nana and Eve is next to her. Both ewe's are from my first ram Shady Oaks Stevie Wonder. No chance for sick lambs.

Jorja. Desert Peach Siskin and Shady Oaks Dugan born in 2007 this is her first breeding. She is another strong wide built girl.

Valla and her mother Yeesha (behind on the left). Kate's in the back with Cider creeping up. She's in heat today so I'll put November 23rd on my calendar. Valla is another Dugan daughter moorit born in 2007 this is her first breeding.

Back of Valla and Cider

Eve next to Oma big girl in the center back had one live lamb and one ram lamb who died last spring. I just had to kept her for her large dense soft fleece and her great confirmation and to help test Cider for the sick lamb gene.

Charlee is in front Siskin in center and Bella going off camera. Charlee had a healthy lamb last year and is a daughter of Dugan so is Siskin and Bella. Siskin had a healthy ram lamb last spring and Bella had the two lambs born blind that lived. Charlee's fleece weighed in at 5 pounds after I washed it in cold water!

Valla, Kess, Kate and Yeesha in the back. Yeesha and Kate have no chance of producing sick lambs.

Junior and Sally grazing. Get ready you chicken owners, Sally will soon be laying eggs. Beautiful avocado colored eggs with almost two cups of yolk and white in each egg! Yum, I don't know about the yum part never ate one yet. I cook food for the dogs and cats so in the winter they get emu eggs in the mix.

Gabbie the barn cat. She found us last winter. I think she was lost during a big snow storm and found the barn to get out of the weather. When the snow melted she stayed on and made herself at home with us. She named herself because she talks so much!