Tuesday & Wednesday by, Emily

On Tuesday, while we were eating lunch, Jonny mentioned that Barbra had been oozing, and they had put her in a pen. I was very distressed, as today was piano lesson day, and I would have to miss out on a birth. Dad finallly agreed to let me stay home with Mom. Yipee! I checked on Barbra once, nothing, then the second time, me and Mom checked on her together. Hmmm.... seemed close, and was still oozing. So, we walked around the back of the barn to look at the other ewes. When we came back, I ran and looked in at Barbra. Goodness sakes! She was licking off a lamb!!!! (About a 2 or 3 minute birth!) Immediatley we wiped off it's nose. It was a girl. Barbra's TENTH girl! (She's had girls her whole life!) Soon after, she had a still-born and then another girl. I named the first one Blossom, and Dad named the tiny (5 pound) second one Brunehilda. :) ....very cute! And mama and babies are doing well.



Wednesday.......

After supper on Wednesday night, Mom and Brandon went out to milk. They had only been gone about 5 minutes when Mom suddenly shouted in the door, in a very panicked voice, "Mike! will you help me?!?! One's dropped three already!" to which Dad went racing out, and I went racing to get the kitchen cleaned! (Record kitchen cleaning time, I'm sure!) :) Sue Charlene Tindall had three BIG baby boys! Supper, Samson, and STEWart. Obviously, the boys named them. :/ They are all doing well, and as Dad said it, "Sue gets an A+!" :) Not too long after, and to our great surprise, Nancy had our last three lambs (making 17 altogether)! Nathanial, Nettie, and Nana joined the flock! Because Nancy lost half of her udder to mastitis last year, Nana was not getting enough to eat. I found her, all skin and bones, almost dead and ice-cold with hypothermia in the barn. After drenching her with molasses and milk, and after laying on a heating pad, with blankets piled on her and me blow-drying her with the hair dryer, Nana is kicking her heals, and I'm thoroughly enjoying bottling her! :)


More Tuesday......

Now comes the best of the best!!!!!!!!!! On Tuesday, while watching Barbra lick and nurse her two babies, I heard a small "meow!" (FYI, my cat, Lady, was pregnant, and I hadn't seen her in a day or so.) Immediately, I thought, "that was a KITTEN meow, not a big cat, or Lady, meow!" Frantically, I began searching the whole barn, to no avail. Bummed, I thought "it must have been my imagination." That's when I heard that kitten "meow!" again!!! This time I knew where it came from. Rushing into one of the small goat pens (there wasn't any goats in it at the time) I looked around-to see nothing. Then, I heard it again. Dropping down on my knees, I looked under the goats feeder, and sure enough, there was Lady curled up in a little nest ...with a kitten. I was so absolutely....well, happy, excited, dumbfounded, shocked...and everything else...at once, too!!!!!!!!! She had one kitten-so far- and it was light orange/tan. The next day, Lady had a still born. I was very sad, but still thankful for the one she had. Then, after the stillborn, she had an ADORABLE kitten. He's black/dark gray STRIPED. My friend, Shiphra, said "he looks like a zebra!". :) The first one is a girl and the last one is a boy. I named the girl Blessing, and the boy.......well, I'm still thinking about that one....any suggestions?

Anyways, they're SO cute!!!!!!!!!!! I just LOVE 'em! They are doing great, and will be a week old tomorrow. (If you're interested in one, comment or call us.) .....MEOW!