Category Archives: Sheep

Fat Lambie

Bert is very handsome……

And obviously Ster is very handsome…..

And then there’s Lambie who has his Winning Smile.

I spent my winter worrying that Lambie felt very thin under all his wool – I could definitely feel ribs. I am sure of it. He was very bony.

And now I’m not quite so sure that I did. Lambie appears to be very fat or as my shearer politely remarked “I wouldn’t want to see him any fatter”.

Lambie is a leg-at-each-corner kind of fat. One substantial sheep.

(and also a very strange colour after being sheared. The white bits aren’t very white – more apricot or a delicate shade of “pêches et crème”!)

When I told Lambie this, he wobbled off in a huff.

And joined his equally fat friends.

I think the message I am receiving is diets for all! I won’t be popular.

Different Sheds

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I felt sorry for Fivla this morning.

After her breakfast, I found her queueing outside the closed door of the little shed, along with Vitamin and Kolka. I opened it up so they could go in and Vitamin nipped in whippet-like, swiftly followed by Fivla. Good, I thought, they are inside and can get some shelter from today’s windy/rainy day.

And then Kolka barged in, possibly uninvited, and there was pig-like squealing which I knew came from Fivla as she doesn’t do social pressure.

To give her her due, Fivla stayed inside for a little while but, when I came back with my phone to take photos, I found her back outside again looking very disgruntled. She just hates crowds.

Buckets collected, washed and tidied, I put all the sheep out into their field. They lasted a couple of hours, until they saw a cyclist coming down our track and all, to a sheep, ran to the gate in pure terror, asking to be let out so they could cower in their shed. I have no idea who that poor cyclist was as I watched him turn around and leave. He was obviously not here to see us.

After letting the sheep out of the field, I found Newt alone in his residence.

The other ponies were long gone down the track looking for non-existent grass to eat.

Newt said he wasn’t moving and no one could make him.

So I told him he couldn’t stay there all day, and it was clearing up nicely now.

(I may have not been telling the truth – it’s been a pig of a day).

Does Madge Miss Edna?

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After a lovely morning in Sandness, Pepper had a grudging rest in the afternoon while I made another hand-felted Shetland sheep to add to my collection.

It is that time of the year, again, when there are not enough hours in the day to do everything on my list This is all my remaining stock – the little sheep are selling very well and I can’t keep up with demand despite making a sheep every day even in the quieter winter months.

This just proves to me that Pepper is feeling better. She is waiting to go and get her tea.

And is impatient for me to let her out.

I decided to give myself a break and went to sit in the real sheep field. I remember worrying about Madge when her mother, Edna, died. I didn’t think she would manage but she did and I am pleased she is not desolate without her mentor to guide her.

Madge has made her own friends now and is comfortable and settled in the flock, which is all I ever wanted for her (though if she could be a bit tamer (read grateful) that would be nice).

After wolfing down her supper, Pepper found me sitting in the field. There is no escape.

While Pepper sat quietly looking for intruders, I chatted to Gussie.

Now Gus-Gus never has to be asked to be tamer or more helpful. His one aim in life is to be by my side at all times and if I could just trip up over him too, then that would be perfect!

Sorting Wool

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After a morning packing vegetables at Turriefield, I went over to my friend, Monika, at Collaster Croft to “skirt” my sheep fleeces.

(sadly without the help of Pepperpot who would only get in the way).

Monika took me to her shed, where she works, and has a lovely long table just perfect for this very job. I had stored each newly sheared fleece in a hessian bag so it could breathe. We got them out and laid out each fleece, one at a time removing all the nasty bits and debris.

It was interesting seeing what the wool was like and Monika took three fleeces for herself (Lambie, Dahlia and Maggie). She makes and sells handmade felted fleece pads, ideal for chairs etc.

Photograph – Monika Rudin-Burgess – Collaster Croft

Monika very kindly gave me this fleece pad made from Dahlia’s wool last year. I adore it. I already have one made from Lambie’s wool which is on my work chair in my shed (now something in my eye, sniff – so proud he has value or worth with his “carpet quality” wool) and also Edna (again, something in my eye, sniff, as this is the last piece I have of her).

Photograph – Monika Rudin-Burgess – Collaster Croft

You can find Monika’s work on her Instagram account. She is very clever.

Anyway, out of my fleeces, I have the following available:
‘Ster – katmoget
‘Bert – moorit
Gussie – Shetland black
Maggie – Shetland black
Madge – white

This is ‘Ster’s katmoget fleece. It is gorgeous.

Probably Gussie’s, though it could be Barrel’s.

If anyone wants a fleece, let me know. I am happy to post anywhere if you’re happy to pay postage and a donation. Just think, you too could have one of my sheep (well, the wool). It would be just like they were here with you!