Snow Storm?

After losing all of our snow over the last week, we now have returned to winter.  And I suppose I should have known better than to wish for spring in mid-April in the Upper Peninsula, yet it was attractive to think that finally the cold snowy days of hauling water through the snow banks had arrived.  I had even managed to get the barn cleaned last week and was looking forward to the outside area drying so we could finally clean up all the winter's accumulated hay.  But it was not to be.  The sheep don't seem phased at all, and they spend as much time as usual resting quietly.  Actually, I think they feel quite comfortable in the 25-30 degree weather, though the gusts of wind are an unwelcome element.  If you look closely, you can just make out the snow sitting on the backs of our rams hard at work eating from their feeder near their shed in the ram pen. The pictures do reflect how overcast and gray the last two days have been.  After several days with sun, it is hard to return to the gloom of winter.  When the sun shines in the winter, it is beautiful as it reflects off the snow and the ice crystals glisten.  But the gray days are many here at this latitude and summer is a welcome reprieve.

On the bright side, it looks like several of the girls are "bagging up" and I am eager to welcome lambs!  Our rams were put in with their respective breeding groups on December 7 last year and that means that lambs are expected on or around May 1.  With a new ram here on Fiddle Knoll Farm, we are anxious to see if he actually covered his girls as we hope.  He is a gray badger Romeldale/CVM ram and turned 2 years old in March this year.  Since it was his first breeding season, one always wonders if a new ram will be up to the job!  Since it appears that at least one ewe in his breeding group, our white Romeldale, Pearl, appears to be producing milk in anticipation of feeding her new lamb(s) we are optimistic that he figured out what his job was.  Several of our Border Cheviot and Clun Forest ewes are also looking good and we can thank our Border Cheviot ram, Bodie, for what hopefully will be another successful season of perky lambs!  Let's just hope that the snow leaves (again) soon!