When you have sheep, and when those sheep have their lambs, your barn has a special magnetism to it.

You know that out in the barn there are furry-faced, wooly, tiny lambs.

You see the parables put into action right under your nose.

But, really, who am I kidding? You really go out there because…

…it’s a photo opportunity!

Over at Shepherd D’s barn, Prince Charming found these three girls in with the orphan lambs. We arrived just in time for Babs to help with bottle-feeding the orphan lambs (the ones whose moms either rejected them or died). See how their heads are all bent over? If you were the lamb, how could you not feel loved? Never mind that the youngest one in this bunch would dress you up in pink lace given the chance; these girls will spoil you silly. And the one on the right? She’s the one who comes up with most of the names. So as you get to know her, at the other end of a bottle, she’s cooking up the Perfect Name for you.

This is one of those little orphans. From what I’ve learned, this is a pretty good-looking little fella too – Shepherd D wants them to have black legs and faces and be pretty dark gray. It won’t be long before they lose their baby wool and turn white, though, on their bodies. For some reason, it’s good to be gray when you’re born, if you’re a Hampshire lamb. It makes Shepherd D very happy. It also makes him happy if you are large and good-looking in other ways, ways that lead to awesome show results. But I digress.

Meet the next little lamb in our line-up. Prince Charming was in the barn with the camera, so I can’t tell you the story on this little lady (though it might be a fella). See how fuzzy her face is? And look at those spindly legs – every year, when the lambs are born, I just marvel at how they can stand on those legs!

We interrupt our lamb-mooning to introduce one of the moms. I can’t see her ear tag, so I don’t know which mom she is. (And it is NOT OK for me to just make up a name. These ladies each have an identity and if I identified them incorrectly, I would hear about it. My sheep-blogging rights might just be revoked, in fact.)

For those of you who are or have been nursing mothers, maybe you’ll see the beauty in this. For those of you who aren’t, maybe you will too. When the lambs are off playing, the ewes will call them back with a grunting noise. It’s a special call that the lamb recognizes; it’s Mom saying, “Dinnertime! NOW!” Before their tails come off (they are usually banded in the first few days), their tails will wag as they nurse. Nursing makes them happy. Often, after they’re done nursing, they run off and leap around.

I think this is a set of triplets. (Like I said, Bob took the pictures. I was in the house nursing my own little lamb.) See how they’re all curled together? Puppies do the same thing.

The wrinkly look is also desirable, the menfolk assure me. If I’ve been a good student, then it’s because they will hopefully grow into all that skin and be big and beautiful (and win lots of ribbons).


These black fuzzy lamb faces are, to me, as much fun as baby feet. Both of them grow up too quickly and both of them provide wonderful pictures.