Lambs, livestock, freezing, children

Mama called me yesterday morning to let me know that the ewe we were waiting on had delivered her lambs overnight. She did not only have twins, the had triplets. Now the count is three ewes and five lambs. Mama is being especially vigilant to ensure the ewe can nurse all the little ones. From what she has seen so far, they are all nursing, but we will keep a close eye as they grow and be ready to supplement as required. Mama loves bottle feeding babies of all species. Our only disappointment is that all the lambs are males. Not one female offspring. I have already consigned at least two of them for the table. The other three will be sold or traded for an ewe. Mama is talking with the vet today about getting all of the little males neutered. It does us no good to have a flock of males – other than to eat. An outcome to which Mama and Victoria are not happily predisposed. Mama’s main concern is keeping the little ones as protected from the cold as possible. For now, the best I can offer is the goat barn; which is now enclosed on the west side by the barn doors I recently installed. It is not draft free, but the shelter limits the direct wind and it is dry, well bedded with hay. In fact, I need to clean out the accumulated hay and manure and re-straw the floor with clean bedding. Out little flock will be able to find a corner somewhere inside to make it through the very cold nights that are coming.  

By mid-March we will get the cows back. Hopefully they will be bred. And in April we will haul the goats to Bowie to get bred. When they come back, I need to have the shelter built in the second paddock. I have done nothing on that front. But I think I have a couple more months until the need becomes urgent. As for the cows coming home, I will need to get some hay for them. There is very little grass yet and even in the best times I have to supplement their feed to keep them healthy. Had Norman stayed on the farm in Bowie, we would have taken the cows to his place and let them graze there through the Spring and Summer. As it stands now, we will be buying hay for them – about four bales per quarter. Fortunately, the price of hay should be coming down as we approach Spring. Right now, the cost is still very high. A normal supply and demand issue.

Today, the high temperature was at 6 am. Through the day the temperatures will fall. That trend will continue through early next week when the overnight low temperatures will dip into the teens. Four nights in a row well below freezing. Two of those nights will be a hard freeze. The kind that will kill our garden and deflower our fruit trees. The garden we can replant; and we probably will. The trees we will cover and hope for the best. It would be sad to not have any fruit two years in a row, but what can you do, but adapt and wait until next year.

Mama will get the Thomason boys back today. We had Nathan last night. Nathan still has a bad cough and Krystal needed the relief from caring for a sick child as she tends to the baby. Through this week she is taking the baby daily for a bilirubin test along with the light treatment that is the best remedy for high bilirubin, and she is seeing the doctor to have the baby weighed after each of those hospital visits. I believe the baby is doing well, but there are some lingering concerns with those two health issues. This too shall pass. Mama, Victoria and I do not mind keeping the boys. There is plenty of room for them to play – both inside and out – and there is plenty for them to do as Mama gets them involved in her daily routines. If it gives Krystal a chance to rest, all the better.

Sometime this morning, Mama and Nathan are going to see Gracie show Bella in a 4H sponsored show at the fair grounds in Decatur. Gracie has been working with Bella for several weeks now; tutored by a dog trainer. That should be fun to watch. Along with that, Mama is getting Aubrey to take her to the library for Story Hour. That is a Tuesday and Thursday affair for the two of them which may include all the Thomason boys this morning. It keeps Mama busy doing something she loves. Aubrey loves getting out of the house. It does not matter what Mama does with her, shopping, playing at the park, Story Hour, etc., as long as she is out. It has become a fun morning for both of them over the past few weeks. When Mama and I were traveling last week, Alex (Aubrey’s daddy) tried to take her to Story Hour and she would not go in, so he took her to a park and let her play; even though it was fairly cold. For Mama the next week, Aubrey ran right into the room without waiting on Mama. Go figure.

Mama has that happy effect on children.