last lamb for the year…

~

~

~

I came home from church and there was a moaning.  No one could hear it but me.  Over the kids playing baseball in the backyard… over the clanking of pots and pans as we made Sunday Dinner… a playlist of cheesy 90’s music humming along… I could hear it. Nearly an hour later as I washed the asparagus at the kitchen sink… I heard it again.  This time it lined up with Rose stretching her head back and lifting her lip up in a strain.  Her eyes looked like every mammal ever in labor.    I walked out and sure enough… two feet, a little muzzle and a concerning little tongue hung out of the business end of Rose.  As I walked towards her she got up and hid behind the hay rack.  Again I tried to tap into the four seasons of Lambing Live UK… I called for my son Zim.  He helped with Agate’s lambs and I was still in my skirt and jewelry from church, I needed help!  Rose, who normally doesn’t ‘connect’ much looked me straight in the eyes, begging me.  The lolling tongue of her lamb sort of creeped me out…so I grabbed the little feet and just held them through her pushes.  Rose leaned her head on Zim and strained…. she looked back at me and yelled… I held on.  Then with one more push out the little ram slid…. with his weird little tongue hanging out off to one side.  Rose didn’t make the sounds the other mothers did… and behind us all the other mothers wanted to take her wet newborn.  We were still out in the barnyard… but it was a beautiful sun streaming 70degree day.    It took her awhile to realize this baby was hers and not like all the other newly born lambs who just annoy her.  Once she started to call to him and begin to lick him… I had a bit of hope for them.  People started to show up for Sunday Dinner… and there I stood in church clothes and barn boots still sort of dripping with amniotic fluids, waiting for paper towels.

“What do you want me to do with these potatoes?  I will just steam the asparagus,” Ashley called out through the open window. Seamlessly she took up where I had left off in the kitchen, as she could see I wasn’t really ready for food prep.

I called for my daughters… and they helped us rodeo just Rose and her new baby into the barn…. or rather they helped us rodeo all the other lambs and sheep away from the barn so Rose could get through the fray.  Once tucked into our hay stall… I weighed him and at 9lbs and 7 ounces  he was just 3ounces more than Zim was when he was born.

As everyone showed up for Sunday Dinner… the new lamb was the topic of conversation.  Happily they are doing well.  This little guy was the last lamb for us this year.  He is much smarter than his mother and so much braver.   Most of all Sylvs loves the new BabyBaa to add to her barn chores.

~