This is an example of the usual pictures of Marshmallow I end up with. He was one of Good Mama's twins from this Spring. His brother Cream had the traumatic beginning and did not make it. Well, we spent a lot of time in those first two weeks trying to help Cream, and Marshmallow must have realized that people aren't too bad. So far there have been no problems with him being too pushy. He wants a scratch of the horns, and when you shove him, he goes back to eating. Current thoughts are that we will use him on a group of ewes this fall. He has the best fleece of all the ram lambs, and has the Good Mama/Bam lines that we want to carry on.
Well the first day of school is completed. I do have to admit to getting a bit emotional when I viewed the chaos of our kindergarten wing this and realized that next year my son will be in the midst of it. I feel like I was just expecting him!
Nate is still working, so I was flying solo doing chores tonight. Not a real big deal, but I've gotten spoiled having him around to help. Chickens, ducks, turkeys, bunny, not a big deal. The meatbird chicks are pretty easy too. It just involves dragging their pen to a new stretch of clean grass, and filling the feeders and checking their water. I'll plug in the heat lamp when I head out to lock up the chickens and ducks. For some reason they are roosting later and later, I don't think they want to accept that fall is coming either. I also had to fill mineral in the ram lamb pen and for the ewes and ewe lambs in the pasture along the river. This is pretty straight forward task. The ewes also needed water tonight, which we've been hauling in the infamous rubbermaid trash can/water hauler, in the trailer behind the garden tractor. Sounds pretty easy too, right? It would be if not for a lamb ram named Marshmallow, who knows his name. He sees me approach the gate with the tractor and bee lines for me. Some shoves and he moves just enough for me to squeeze the lawn tractor through the gate. Quickly jump off and shove the gate shut before all seven of the little buggers break out. (Have a shared that they have the richest pasture, filled with beautiful clover? The grass is always greener...) Across the ram pen and approach the gate to the ewe's pen. By now they have heard the garden tractor, which they associate with food, and come running from all corners. Ease the tractor through the gate, and get outsmarted by a donkey who kicks up her heals as she runs into the ram pen. Not a real big deal, but I want her protecting the ladies along the river, not the rammie lambies. Fill the mineral, fill the water, give a couple of pats, and then spend five minutes coaxing Daisy Donkey back into the pen with the girls. Then drive back across the ram pen, weaving through Marshmallow and his counterparts, who show no fear when I am returning without water sloshing out of the sides of the trailer. I managed to get the tractor out successfully and latched the gate. I returned to give Marshmallow a quick scritch scratch, and then headed back to the house. Just another night along the Rice River.
