This is Blizzard.

This is Bear.

Can you tell by looking at them what they’ve been doing?

Yep, rolling around in the mud, fighting.  What started out as a  playful romp, for some inexplicable reason turned into a tussle!  Thankfully, they didn’t do any serious damage to one another.

What to do?

Well, the idea is to find Blizzard another home!  He is only a temporary resident here.  A few Saturdays ago, I got a call from the guy who owns the Dairy Queen here in Farmersville.  He said that he had picked up a male Great Pyrenees off of Highway 380, and he wondered if the dog was one of mine.  [You know you live in a small town when people know you by your dogs.]

He went on to say that the dog had no collar or tag.  All of our dogs have collars and tags, but still, I’ve seen Bear slip his collar, so at the time, I couldn’t be sure the dog wasn’t one of mine.  I asked him to hang onto the dog until later that afternoon when I finished teaching in McKinney and could come take a look.

Once I saw the dog, I knew he wasn’t one of mine.  However, he couldn’t stay with Mr. Dairy Queen, and had to go somewhere, so I loaded him up in the Suburban, brought him home, and named him Blizzard in honor of the man who found him.

MudBud and Bear checking out the newcomer

Despite the sign I put up at the feed store, no one has claimed him.

So here we are with an extra dog.  Did I mention that he is an INTACT male?   I have him scheduled for surgery, but the first appointment I could get at Cause for Paws is still 3 weeks away.

In the meantime, Blizzard’s life here is a mixed blessing.  He does just fine as long as he stays on Bear’s good side.  There’s no telling what causes a playful romp to become a fight, but they are apparently sorting it out.  We have put Blizzard in the backyard on numerous occasions, and he always squeezes through the gate bars to get back out into the barnyard with Bear and the girls.  Life out there can’t be too bad if he keeps going back!

We are crossing our fingers that we have found a home for him with friends who are moving to a place nearby in March.

Let’s hope he stays out of Bear’s way until then!

Today was moving day for the critters.  The ram lambs have starting curling their lips up, so it was time to get the boys and girls separated.

First to move was old Stitch, the ram.  Ken managed to manhandle him using his big ol’ horns.  He has always been a loner, so he went alone to the east pasture.

Next, Takoda, Onyx, and Odin had to be relocated to the east pasture.  Good-ness!  You would have thought we were hauling them off to slaughter.  We tried food. No joy. More manhandling.

The third part of the shuffle involved the sheep.  All the adult ewes had to be separated from the lambs, and the two ewe lambs had to go with their moms.  Catching them was easy enough (food).  Moving them not so much.  More manhandling.

Finally, little Gateau, our only buckling, had to be snatched up from the north pasture (away from the does) and brought into the barn pasture.  A big board secured with wire closed up the small place between the fence post and the barn where the lambs and kids slip through from one pasture to the next.

Bear slept through it all.  Poor Ken was exhausted.

And now, let the bawling commence!

My day started at 7:00 this morning when I looked out the bedroom window and saw we had a new baby lamb.  Ken’s ewe, Vevay, had just given birth to a beautiful little black and white lamb (interesting since Vevay is brown and Stitch is cream colored).

There was an immediate problem that had to be solved, though.  MudBud was guarding the lamb and chasing Vevay away!  I threw some clothes on and walked out there.  He was actually cleaning the lamb up, and when MudBud got up and walked toward me, the lamb followed him!  Well that certainly wouldn’t work!

I picked up the lamb and set him down next to Vevay, then grabbed MudBud by the collar and made him walk away.  He laid down, seemingly compliant, watching.

But it wasn’t long before he was back in the middle of them, keeping them apart.  I ended up putting both MudBud and Buddha in the backyard for about an hour.  When I let them back out, MudBud checked on the lamb, but then went on.  Only when one of the wethers tried to headbutt Vevay did MudBud get in the mix, chasing the wether off.

Now, we watch and wait for the other lambs to arrive!

You’ve been warned.

This post, and the links within, will steal your heart.  Keep reading at your own risk.

A while back, Jennifer Jurek and her husband, Marty, came to the farm to take a walk around and meet the animals.  She brought her camera, and as they walked around, she took pictures of the animals as only a talented photographer could.

She met Blackie …..

And several of the kids …..

They petted our friendly Livestock Guardian Dogs ….

And got up close and personal with the alpacas (as much as you can with an alpaca) …

And there is more.  They took pictures of the sheep and the chickens, caught one of the kids yawning and one of the mama goats flying like Sally Field’s nun.  Together they make a gorgeous pictorial of Jennifer and Marty’s visit to the Farm!

If you would like to see the whole set, follow this link.  Thanks, Jennifer.  You are a wonderful photographer!

Bear

Princess

Don’t let my sleeping demeanor fool you.  My ears and nose are awake!