Countdown to lambing

Waiting for the lambing to begin! Our Navajo-jaCob flock has already given us 24 lambs so wE are one flock down and one to go. The sheep barn is clean (over 300 wheelbarrow loads and two big new manure piles later, all but the young pigS are gone and two lambing pens are ready with fresh bedding and there are two more available in a pinch if required. I have been cleaning the winters cobwebs with the leaf blower...such fun as you can really see progress amidst a whirling storm of dust, hayseed, cobwebs and flakes of old whitewash. Yesterday I took a comfortable lawn chair, a blanket, a bin with the tea kettle, some camomile tea, my travel mug, and a Larry McMurtry novel out to the barn in readiness for an upcoming night vigil.
This afternoon I had a late nap and plan to stay up and check the barn at eleven (I normally go to bed at nine thirty) and then wake up again at four ayem. Tom will check at sixths when he gets up.
I had planned to get the lamb cam up and running today but my youngest brother and his wife came for a visit to tell me about their five week trip to Europe. I'd helped them plan their itinerary and was eager to hear how the adventure unfolded. So we sat around looking at pictures and talking about travel until mid afternoon.
Ten thirty now and getting very sleepy! On with my boots and coat (what a late spring we are having) and out with the flashlight. More news later!

Trying to use photos

Preparing for lambing

Mother nature had an April fools day prank for us as we woke up to wet sloppy snow and a dismal grey day. We are in the countdown now for lambing which is predicted to begin by April 10. My sheeps former owner drove up yesterday to deliver the lambing kit which we had forgotten last time we were there and he looked at the ewes and pronounced them in good condition. There's a few growing udders so lambing won't be far off. Tex went in with the girls on nov 21 so with a gestation of roughly 150 days, it will be soonish.

Biggest barn job right now is removing by fork and wheelbarrow, the winters bedding pack so I can set up more lambing pens.