[Jacob-list] Warming up the post site for the New Year!!!!

[Marguerite Van Beek]

The only bright light in winter this year is 1) It has been a lot warmer this year than last 2)  lambs will be coming in 2 weeks!!!!!!

Last winter was a tuff for me since my lambs arrived in the coldest of cold January 2004.  It is funny how the ewes would wait til the thermometer would move 5 degrees warmer (20) then have their lambs.  Nature is remarkable.  This year well, we have been extremely lucky that is hasn't snowed when it rained.  We would be like the west coast is now!  Sorry west coast, but I am sure you are happy to get water period!!  Of course, I shouldn't talk til we are out of winter season two more months to go.  We really don't need any more rain/snow my fields are a big mud hole.  Not the sheep paddock but the horses have ruin what hope I had in having grass this spring.
This past weekend I lost my old maple that must have been there for a very long time 200 yrs.   I just got home from work Friday, it has been sleeting all day and I was waiting for my daughter to come out the front door when I heard a loud cracking sound.  My old house is surrounded by old maples, pines, walnut, locust, trees.  I had no idea what was going until I looked to the side of my house and the maple was falling right into the ewes paddock.  I ran to make sure the ewes were safe and to my amazement they were and the maple fell right between the fence posts.  Only damage the box wire fencing.  Of course the ewes found the hole in the fence right away and out they popped one by one between the fence and the branches. Thank goodness it was the tame group.  I am still waiting for the warm air that the weather channel promised so the leftover ice on the ground will melt relieving me of wearing the ice grippers just so we can start all over again by the end of this weekend.

I hope this year we see new members at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.  It truly a very nice show to attend weather you show or not there is a lot to see and do.  Of course if you don't have any lambs that meet the required deadline of 2/15/05 I am sure they are breeders, like myself, that might have a few to show or sell (hint).   My best ram Noel has been told that this year I want to see some ewe lambs not ram lambs.  So far my he is batting 100%  males no females.   So, I gave him a ewe that has produced only one lamb per year and that has always been a female no matter who she was bred to.  So we shall see.........   

I hope this year brings to all of you, warmth, happiness and a lot of spots.

Peggy Van Beek
Ridgecroft Farms
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