Sheep Wrangling

Blossom of course was not the only critter on Mary Lou's farm.  There's mohair on the hoof. And beef critters which I never got a shot of, though I could see them from the window of my room. Chickens, geese, and guinea fowl. All those angora bunnies, too,the reason for my trip in the first place, of which I got not a single picture.  And the sheep.  Lots of sheep. Little sheep.  Shetlands, described by North American Shetland Sheepbreeders Association as calm, docile and easy-to-manage.  Uh huh.  You go catch one.  Mary Lou wanted me to see the incredible fleece on this one fella in her flock. He's got a rich auburn kind of color, and lots of thick dreadlocks which will make for incredible spinning, especially blended with angora.  The ram was not as enamored of me as I of him.  We blocked him off in a small pen in the barn and I started the Sheep Wrangling dance: move towards the ram, he scoots like a greased pig.  I turn to block him in the corner, he darts back the other way.  We swoop and swirl and twirl around the hay-and -other-stuff covered barn floor and I get close a few times, while Mary Lou stands outside the pen, calling encouraging words like "remember: that's how I got my knee replacement!"  And the ram shoots passed me just close enough that with a graceful  airborne pirouette belying my age and lack of physical fitness, I get my fingers in the fleece and crash to the floor.  Wearing my good winter jacket.  Hoots of "don't let go" and "get him by the horns" coming from Mary Lou.   I twisted face to face with this calm, docile and easy-to-manage ram as intent on ripping his fleece from my hands as I am on hanging on.  No time to lose and I grab a horn as I scramble to my knees.  Then I get hold of the other horn and that baby is caught.  And I get my prize: with one hand firmly grasping a horn, my other hand sinks into the fleece.  Yum!  And I let him go.  Mary Lou inspected me for damage.  "You're not even dirty!"  Yep.  A quick brush with my hand and even the jacket is fine.  Mary Lou officially proclaimed me a sheep wrangler.  I grinned.

Hoppy Holiday everyone!

Comments

[Dianna]

Merry Christmas, Sheep Wrangler!

[Robbyn]

My god that sounds like fun! Nothing like trying to subdue a frisky animal (docile and easily-handled my foot!) whilst maintaing the intergrity of one's corpus :)

Do you suppose the ram was playing? Or trying to?

Merry Christmas :) Stay warm and be happy!

[Manise]

You go girl! Great description and what a visual you conjure up! Merry Christmas to you, Ms. Wrangler. :-)

[Christine]

I do believe I would pay good money to see video of that!

Happy Holidays!

[DebbieB]

I love that story! I could envision the whole thing. I hope you have dibs on that fleece...

[Heide]

I wish there were action pictures or video! It sounds like a good time was had by all, except for the sheep.

[Michelle]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year ahead my friend.

Cute sheep!!!! You are now known as "The Sheep Whisperer" ...

hee hee :)

*bunny hugs*

[Leslie]

Hmmn, think I'll stick to bunny wrangling!