This is one time of year the sheep look forward to......the gleaning of the ranch owners garden and yard. This time of year we let the sheep out daily to assist in the job of "clean-up" on the ol' ranch. There are a million elm leaves to be munched, left-over chard and spinach in the garden along with beet and carrot tops. The sound of the sheep munching is similar to rice krispies crackling in ones bowl of cereal.
The lambs are a bit skittish at first as they have never left their domain other than changing pastures periodically. Mama sheep after awhile, tend to let their lambs "fend for themselves" when it comes to the Fall gleaning. They just want to "snarf" up as many goodies as they can in an alloted amount of time............."babies, you're on you're own!"I know one thing about people, they love to watch baby animals. 
Annually people pull over on the side of the road to watch the sheep. Lambs are about the cutest lil' things you've ever seen when it comes to play.They hop, bounce, arc and run like lil' maniacs. These lil' "leaf munchers" are having the time of their life. Two nights ago we had three cars pulled off the road at once, thankfully the lil' cuties put on a show. Have you ever seen a lamb bounce? It's crazy the height they can get, all the while landing with acute accuracy only to bounce again even higher. It's great entertainment for "The Man" and myself.....I gather it is for the people in the cars as well.
Annually people pull over on the side of the road to watch the sheep. Lambs are about the cutest lil' things you've ever seen when it comes to play.They hop, bounce, arc and run like lil' maniacs. These lil' "leaf munchers" are having the time of their life. Two nights ago we had three cars pulled off the road at once, thankfully the lil' cuties put on a show. Have you ever seen a lamb bounce? It's crazy the height they can get, all the while landing with acute accuracy only to bounce again even higher. It's great entertainment for "The Man" and myself.....I gather it is for the people in the cars as well.Friday evening after cutting wood all day, we decided to cook outdoors on the ol' campfire once again. This particular evening we cooked up a small Dutch oven of Walla-Walla sweet onions in butter with a lot of black pepper and a smidgen of coffee, steaks, and foil wrapped taters in the fire. While sitting outdoors, recapping the day, the neighbors stopped by for awhile, we enjoy their company. The "neighbor woman" was watching the sheep roaming the yard smiling, wondering if it was o.k. that they were, "eating leaves on the tree," "now they're in your rose bed,".............NOT! I think "Estes" instigates this lil' adventure, goats LOVE rose bushes. Once I've chased them out, they head to the garden until dusk, munching away.
The only downside of this "holiday" is the rams discontent at not being invited to join them. This annual event has a tendency to anger him........all inclusive: headbutting the corral fence, guttural crying, frustration, unsettled behavior to say the least! 
He has "Oreo" to keep him company but it's just not the same as getting out of the corral to "mingle" with his girls. I keep telling "Blackcloud" that he only has one month left before he can "visit" with his girls..........I don't think he finds this humorous! Try as I might to console him, it's just not working.
This look is pure frustration at the shepherdess for not including him in the "fun stuff." Feeling a bit humbled by his look, I manage to talk to him a bit, try and calm him down.......he stops the guttural crying and listens if only for a short bit of time.
I absolutely love this ram, if you look closely in his eyes, you can tell that he is intelligent and wise for his age. He's always a "pure" gentleman with his girls, never butting the ewes or lambs, just taking his time and watching.....always watching.
It's time for me to call the flock back into the barn for a small amount of food, they've supplemented much in the hour they've been out of the barn..........think Hoover vacuums! Thinking I've got all of them in, I begin to feed, it's getting darker so I decide to do a head count.........one is missing! I close the gate to the barn, head out in search of the "wee lost one" only to find this.............our 200 pound Nubian hiding behind a fir bough!
The only downside of this "holiday" is the rams discontent at not being invited to join them. This annual event has a tendency to anger him........all inclusive: headbutting the corral fence, guttural crying, frustration, unsettled behavior to say the least! 
He has "Oreo" to keep him company but it's just not the same as getting out of the corral to "mingle" with his girls. I keep telling "Blackcloud" that he only has one month left before he can "visit" with his girls..........I don't think he finds this humorous! Try as I might to console him, it's just not working.
This look is pure frustration at the shepherdess for not including him in the "fun stuff." Feeling a bit humbled by his look, I manage to talk to him a bit, try and calm him down.......he stops the guttural crying and listens if only for a short bit of time.
I absolutely love this ram, if you look closely in his eyes, you can tell that he is intelligent and wise for his age. He's always a "pure" gentleman with his girls, never butting the ewes or lambs, just taking his time and watching.....always watching.
It's time for me to call the flock back into the barn for a small amount of food, they've supplemented much in the hour they've been out of the barn..........think Hoover vacuums! Thinking I've got all of them in, I begin to feed, it's getting darker so I decide to do a head count.........one is missing! I close the gate to the barn, head out in search of the "wee lost one" only to find this.............our 200 pound Nubian hiding behind a fir bough!
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