Leading off with the fellas, Merlin and Orion. They're still by themselves in the back pen, waiting to be reunited with the girls. (Another week or two, or when we can get ourselves organized to do it.)
I knew that Orion's horns had grown, but I didn't realize how much until I took this pic:
and compared it to this one from last year when we first brought him home:
And here are the Little Guys, who are now about the same age as Orion was. Which means we've gotta do some sheep separating soon (or hopefully, sell them) before they realize they're Almost Grownups and take some unfortunate action.
You all remember little Smokey. (Formerly known as he's-not-named-Smokey. Because he so totally is named Smokey.)
And a side-view of his snazzy little horns:
And this little guy is now known as Sauron. (Only because Beelzebub is too hard to say when you're chasing him through the garden...) Actually, he's a little sweetheart, who loves to be petted. Just don't stand between him and the food. Just sayin'.
And here are Onyx's other two lambs. The one on the left is the one Madman named Abigail (formerly known as the Spotty One), and the other one is Tiny. She was the smallest of the three lambs, and in my efforts to not name her, I started referring to her as 'the tiny one', and somehow that became her name. (Names are such a tricky thing. Even when you don't name things, they end up with names anyway. Hmmm.)
Check out the crimp in Tiny's fleece:
Just makes you want to squish it, doesn't it?
And I have to share a sheep story with you. When the meter-reader comes to our house, he has to walk between the sheep pen and the house to get to the electric meter. When our sheep see anyone in the yard, they go nuts, since in their not-so-humble opinion, the only reason for humans to exist is to feed sheep.
The last time, I happened to be home when the reader arrived. He must have been a new guy, since I'd never seen him before. The sheep went on Full Alert the minute he hit the top of the driveway, and started sounding off as soon as he opened his vehicle door.
"Hey! Human! Human in the yard! Hey! You there! Yeah, you! Feed us! We're hungry! Really! They never feed us here! It's been days! Or weeks! Or maybe months! We don't know because they won't let us have calendars! But it's been really really really long! Really long! Food's in the can over there! Hey! Poor starving sheep here! Hey!" All six of them were blatting their heads off at the poor fella. He strode dutifully down the path to the meter, glancing over at them a couple of times. I don't think he spoke 'sheep', so the expression on his face could best be described as 'WTF?' When he was almost back to his car, he stopped and stared at them for a minute. The sheep were totally batshit by this point, because he had walked right past their food can without feeding the sheep!
I'd been watching through the window the whole time, and at this point I was laughing so hard it was hard to stand up. I don't know if he thought they were going to jump the fence and eat him, but he sure did have a sheepish (sorry sorry sorry - you know how I am) look on his face.
I imagine he's used to barking dogs in his profession. But I don't think he was prepared for a bunch of raving sheep.
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The sheep are all so lovely! I wish I could have one - do you think I could house train one?
ReplyDeleteYou have a beautiful herd!
ReplyDeleteYou have a beautiful herd!
ReplyDeleteSmokey is adorable! Love his colouring.
ReplyDeleteA friend had the FedEx guy trained so that he never got out of his truck, just beeped the horn. Over-protective dog never let him out of the truck... He'd probably be wary of sheep too.
The poor guy. Do you think maybe he watches The Walking Dead and was afraid of zombie sheep. Hey! It's possible!
ReplyDeleteThe sheep are gorgeous!
Question about sheep horn growth: do they grow longer like hair and nails do, by pushing out from the base, or do they grow like a tree does, by adding material to the outside in rings?
ReplyDeleteOnce I typed that I decided that they must grow like hair and nails since they are made of the same stuff as nails (more or less). Am I right?
Yay! I wondered how they had been doing.
ReplyDeleteI have kmkat's question, and also I wonder if their horns ever need to be trimmed.
Such a good looking flock!
ReplyDeleteI bet he went back to the office and asked about the people with the sheep. *L*
xo
I once had a foundling named "wee black poodly puppy who does not live here."
ReplyDeleteI called it a sleep-over for weeks. (And then a neighbor's relatives took her. Nice home.)
Your sheep are beautiful.
That's quite a few sheep! Lucky you!
ReplyDelete