Will ... :-)

With all of the changes happening here ... Gene packing and getting ready to move ... me getting organized for redecorating the Guest House ... renovating for my new 'Grandpa Flat ... working ... and looking after sheep ... it has been too long since I have seen Will! Fortunately, my son sends pictures. Look at that smile! Does he not know what a lucky little boy he is?
Chris and Will ... with matching smiles ... :-)
Will has learned to crawl ... so nothing is safe ... especially his toy box ... hehehe

Dogs

The hardest part about down-sizing and starting a Guest House is losing my dogs. They are going to a wonderful home though, and I am happy about that ... but ... boy will I miss them ... especially Kayla!
If they could do their job without barking all night, they would be staying. I thought about those collars that shock a dog when it barks to train them not to bark ... but that would not be fair to them. They need to do their job. It is what they were bred and trained to do. They will love their new home, and there are LOTS of 'their' lambs already there waiting for them.

But, I'll still miss them.

Willow Garden Shetlands

Sheep Shearing, Lamb Romp, Open House,
& 4 H Barbecue

Monday, May 19 (Victoria Day)
10 am until 2 pm


2033 Salem Rd, Consecon, ON

Take 401 to exit 522 (Wooler Road/County Rd 40). Follow Wooler Road south towards Trenton until it ends at Loyalist Parkway (#33). Turn right on to Loyalist Parkway and follow it into Prince Edward County. Once you pass the 'Welcome to Prince Edward County' sign, you are almost there. You will pass Victoria Road on the left, then Cnty Rd. 19 on the left and then Salem Road. Turn left on Salem Road. We are about 2 km in on the right hand side, just past the first set of jogs in the road.

• Free Admission
• Colourful and playful lambs
  
• Fun For The Whole Family

Call Bill Stearman for details - (613) 394-8631

My New Kitchen

Last night I had folks come to look at my Boler ... and they bought it for my asking price ... :-)NOW ... I can order my NEW KITCHEN from IKEA. Life ... is good.

Gene's New Home

Well ... it took longer than he had hoped, but Gene has finally purchased his new home. He takes possession on May 23.
Moving day is scheduled for May 31.
His new home is just outside of Picton, which is near where we used to live ... and thus close to lots of friends.
I am sure that Gene will be very happy in that area.
So ... now we can both move on.
Renovations here will start on June 1st ... :-)

I Love You Too, Anna!

This entry will be solely for my much loved granddaughter, Anna ... and her family,Kate pointed out to me that there are folks in Australia following my blog ... not to see pictures of sheep ... or even pictures of the very cute Will Stearman ... but ... to follow the growth and progress of Anna and her family.
I forget that just because I get to see her 3 or 4 times a week ... some folks don't get to see how she is growing and progressing.
So here she is ... in all of her 'pink-ness' ... :-)
A day or two ago, she met Breeze, my very tame, runt-ish BFL ewe lambs. Kate's Mom was here with them and she took pictures. I'll try to get some posted here later ... :-)

Will Update ... Even Cuter Than the Lambs ... ;-)

These pictures arrived via email yesterday ... to brighten an already bright day. This young man ... and his family ... well, they're just too loved and adorable not to be shared with the world ... or at least those who read this blog.
The boys ... son Chris, feeding grandson Will.
Will, sucking on a toe!
Daughter-in-law Kerri, looking absolutely radiant ... with her son, Will.
Will, at the beach in Florida.

I LOVE this happy family ... :-)

A Perfect Starter Flock For Sale

Here is what I'd consider, a perfect starter flock ... and all are available for sale ... for now ... :-)White ewe lamb out of Great Plains Sarah, an F1 Minder ewe, and Bramble Nick, a non fading black with well over 50% UK genetics
An Ag gray Katmoget ewe, out of Great Plains Isabell (F1 Greyling) and V Creek Hummer, well over 50% UK and out of a lot of UK rams.
A black/white spotted ewe, out of a domestic line, and Underhill Thelonious Monk. This little girl is out of a modified coloured ewe.
A moorit krunet gulmoget ewe out of Great Plains Tisket lines and Bramble Nick.
And a spotted dark gray katmoget out of an F1 Orion ewe, and Underhill Thelonius Monk.

Now ... if someone were to buy these five ewes, then I'd let them take a ram to use for breeding, the first year that they breed. I'd suggest something out of one of my AI rams ... Todhill Glayva, or Todhill Hornblower. The ram would be available at no charge, as long as they have only my sheep on their farm ... and they keep him all through the winter ... and if they transport him ... both ways.

This flock would be a good one. Anyone interested?

;-)

Shetland Mules

My Shetland Mules (BFL x Shetland) lambs are growing like weeds! There are 6 of these ewe lambs that will be for sale.
Fleeces are even and very soft.
Conformation is fantasic.
They'd be a valuable addition to any spinner's flock.
$300 each ... with the usual $25/animal discount if three or more sheep are purchased.

The 'Odd Boy' ... Twist

I have changed my naming theme for the year. I am naming my lambs after Martinis and their ingredients. The 'odd boy' is now ... 'Twist'. It just seems to fit.Franna Pitt asked if my mystery boy might be an Ag fawn katmoget. When he was first born, for a moment, I thought the same thing, but he has no signs of the katmoget pattern.

Then I wondered if he might just be an Ag moorit ... but he'd have to be a modified moorit, given the tone that he appears to be.
Looks like an extra breeding group this Fall just to see what he is! I continue to welcome suggestions ... :-)

F2 Glayva X F2 Hornblower Ram Lambs

These two little guys are both out of F1 Glayva ewes, bred to an F1 Hornblower, F3 Greyling, F3 Timothy ram. Both make my heart sing ... :-)
The gray katmoget is out of WillowGarden Sahara and WillowGarden Nelson.
The moorit katmoget is out of WillowGarden Equatoria and Nelson. Would that be a PINK NOSE!! ... hehehe

An Unusual Family

SheltrPines Zimbelstern had twin lambs at about the same time that one of the BFL ewes gave birth to triplets. The BFL ewe wanted nothing to do with her TINY white ewe lamb (about 4 pounds). Zimbelstern on the other hand, welcomed one more to mother ... :-)
She loves her little 'big ears' and is SURE that it is her own.
I let them out with the others this morning as they have been jugged for 10 days and were driving me... and their mom ... NUTS. Now, they have an entire pasture full of ewes to drive nuts ... hehehe. These three WILL be memorable ... ;-)

Odd Coloured Boy

Here are some more pictures of the oddly coloured ram lamb out of Whistle Stop 0429 (Lizbet) and WillowGarden Nelson. I welcome ANY suggestions as to his colour. I assumed the dam was Awt/Awt ... and the sire is Ab/Aa.

Assorted Lambs

This is a sampling of some of my lambs ... in no particular order ... Here we have Tulip with her triplets out of a BFL ram ... being visited by a ewe lamb out of Great Plains Joanne and WillowGarden Kilimanjaro. I like this girl a lot and she'll be carrying spots from her sire.
WillowGarden Papaya, one of my favourites, produced a spotted ewe lamb and a modified katmoget ram lamb out of Underhill Thelonius Monk.
This is WillowGarden Kazinga (F1 Glayva, F2 Minder) with her Ag katmoget ewe lamb out of V Creek Hummer.
And Iris, 'The World's Most Perfect Ewe', produced this ram lamb out of WillowGarden Nelson (F1 Hornblower, F3 Greyling, F3 Timothy). The lamb looks to have a pretty mediocre fleece, BUT ... two years ago Iris produced a ewe lamb with a fleece that was a terrible disappointment ... until this winter when it 'changed' and is now a dead wringer for Iris' ... but in Emsket! And of course, she is sold for pick-up after weaning lambs!
These twin ewe lambs are out of SheltrgPines Agnes and Kilimanjaro.
And speaking of the Iris daughter with the fleece that improved with age ... this is her, Ambrosia, with her ewe lamb out of Kilimanjaro.
Great Plains Cherry (F2 Greyling, F2 Timothy), bred to Kilimanjaro produced a black ewe and a black ram. The ewe looks to have Cherry's fleece and will be carrying spots.
Here is a 'Dillon' gulmoget ram out of WillowGarden Guinea, an F1 Glayva ED ewe and V Creek Hummer.
SheltrgPines Irene, bred to Thelonius, produced a fawn katmoget ewe with a big krunet, which you can't see in this picture, and a mioget ram lamb.

Willow Garden Update

Ok ... the update that so many of you have been waiting for ... in the Reader's Digest 'Condensed' version ... :-)
Gene and I have struggled for some time with making our relationship work. Sometimes it looked like we might just be successful, but more often it just looked like a lost cause.

A little over a year ago, we decided to separate and continue living here as friends and room-mates. That didn't go well.

Then we decided to just let it roll and see where the relationship would go and if it might grow into something positive again. We both worked hard at that ... but ... it was just not good.

Finally we both came to the realization that the best part of our relationship is our wonderful friendship and that we were losing that by staying together. So ... we decided to sell the farm and use the equity for each of us to start a new and separate life ... while maintaining our supportive friendship.

I looked EVERYWHERE for a place to move me and my flock. There was nothing near-by that would work. Finally, my real estate agent and friend suggested that I just buy Willow Garden.
So, Iris is here to help me make the announcement ... that as of today, I am sole owner of this farm, and that my sheep and I have a home ... our home.

It will be tight, and it is going to mean some changes. First off, I'm going to put in an apartment in the south-facing, very bright, walk-out basement. I'll live there. Then I will rent out the upstairs by the weekend or the week as a two bedroom suite ... a Guest House. It should work well.

So ... if you want a place to holiday ... on a sheep farm ... near sandy beaches ... wineries ... antiques stores ... craft boutiques ... art shops ... this would be the place to book.

Gene is looking at property on Monday and should have his next home sorted out shortly after that.

It is all good.

:-)

Pink Noses RULE ... :-)))

I have this 'thing' for Shetlands with pink noses. Don't ask me why! I just LOVE them! Here are just a few of the ones from this year.This lovely little girl is out of WillowGarden Papaya and Underhill Thelonius Monk.
These two are out of Great Plains Sara and Bramble Nick.
This little doll is out of Shepherdswood Linga and Thelonius.
Above is a ram lamb out of one of my F1 Hornblower ewes and V Creek Hummer.
And this little keeper is out of FirthofFirth Masala Chai and WillowGarden Kilimanjaro.

What Colour Is This Lamb?

This little boy has me in a quandary. I have NO idea what colour he is. His dam is a white ewe, Whistle Stop 0429 (Lizbet). I thought she was Awt/Awt. Lizbet is 75% UK genetics. The sire is WillowGarden Nelson, a grey katmoget (Ab/Aa) that is also 75% UK genetics.
This guy is not a katmoget as there is no pattern on the underbelly. I can't even tell if he is brown or black based as his colour is taupe. Body colour is only on the outer ends of the fleece.
Is it possible that he is Awt/? and that the 'colour' is all pheao?

I like this guy a lot ... but ... what the heck is he?

Lambs Pictures

This little girl is out of Great Plains Isabell, an F1 Greying Ag/Ab ewe and V Creek Hummer, who is out of several UK sire lines. She is a gulmoget/katmoget (Ab/At). She'll be staying here ... :-).

Below are two of my spotted gulmoget ewe lambs out of WillowGarden Billie Holiday (a Great Plains Tisket gulmoget) and Bramble Nick (who has several UK sire lines behind him as well). At least one, and maybe both of these girls will be staying here as well.
And these two are Shetland Mules (Shetland dam and a BFL sire). I am liking the mules ... a lot. These two girls will be for sale.

Tulip

My friend Jill came to visit a couple of days ago and emailed me a picture that she took of Tulip and her triplets. The picture shows what a super mom she is ... :-)

UPDATE - Pictures to Follow ... someday

Just wanted to let you all know that I am alive and well, just very tired. My Shetlands started a lamb-slide on Saturday afternoon, when Great Plains Tulip pumped out triplet Shetland mules (BFL sire). From the birth of the first to the third one slurping up colostrum, it was just over an hour. This ewe is one of the best moms I have ever seen. These lambs are growing like weeds and have awesome looking fleeces.

17 more Shetlands have lambed ... six of them since midnight last night! I am pretty happy with what I am seeing out there. Lots of spots. Lots of very even and crimpy looking fleeces. Great conformation.

So far, I have had eight Shetland rams born and 19 Shetland ewes. My experience tells me that the boys will catch up ... so in the remaining 25 or so yet to lamb, I am expecting a LOT of rams ... :-)

Photos will follow when I can stop building more jugs to keep up. Eight ewes have lambed in the last 24 hours and there are several more looking like they are ready to reserve barn space!