As I write this there is still a dusting of snow on the ground, but spring and new life are heralding the Easter season. The purple finch is singing it’s boisterous song just outside the window. And we are in the full swing of lambing season. 
We had no births the last two lambing seasons due to my shoulder surgery in 2016 when we didn’t breed, and a dud ram in 2017. As Judi Elliot, our shepherd’s wife friend from the Borders of Scotland said several years ago, though lambing is lots of work, “it is LIFE!” It is life indeed.
Our first lambs this year were a set of triplets born the day after Easter Day in the late evening. We had to forcibly evict #248 from trying to pinch the first lamb (a ram) of that set, but the true mother was determined and calm, and birthed the two ewe-lambs in the lambing jug or pen. She is still a trooper, and all three lambs are content to share mom’s ample milk.
Since #248 and others seemed ready to “pop,” I took a quick sleep till about 3:45 a.m. that night, and visited the ewes to see if anything else was happening. All was settled, so I went back to the house. Knowing Connie would be a bit restless, I gently stirred her and whispered, “four o’clock and all is well.” As I poured myself and sipped a wee dram of Scotch whisky to get back to sleep, I thought of those old town criers who called out something like that ages ago. I thought it must have helped our ancestors sleep much easier knowing no thieves were about and no houses were on fire.
The call of the purple finch does the same for my heart now.
Yay! A trip to Heatherhope seems to be calling me. I’m glad 248 is well. Have other ewes delivered? Busy times there! Hugs and love. R
Yay, indeed. We are pleased especially with these triplets. They are jumping all around the place. We call that “lamb pronking.” And when a bunch do it together, we call it a “lamb frolic.” We went to bed very dejected last night thinking a ewe was in great distress. But it turns out she is just having a mild case of pre-vaginal prolapse. Our very experienced friend says to leave her alone and she should be just fine. We will watch and see. But it is an example of how raising livestock is full of life and many threats to life. A good shepherd or cattleman does a lot of worrying, but a lot of action to save and enhance life.