Meet Harriet and Nellie

Just a few pictures of our new arrivals - so cuddly and sweet.  These girls seem to like being handled more than "Freddy" who was born a month ago.

This whole process is so amazing.  The idea that God put it in their minds how to nurse and even to bump their heads against mama in order to get the milk to come down is amazing to me.  They seem to understand instinctively what to do when mama makes certain sounds.  They know to hide behind her when she makes a growling sort-of-noise.

This was another unattended birth - we missed the whole thing!  I was even beginning to wonder if mama wasn't preggers because she was so much later than her sister in lambing.  So although I am overjoyed that all went well I still have not seen the process but maybe that's for the best since I would have just worried myself silly anyway.  They are both drinking well and seem very lively and healthy and happy - that's all that matters!

 Having girls complicates things a bit for us.  I had sort of made up my mind what to do - sell or butcher Freddy and carry on for next year.  Now in the interest of good genetics I have to sell or butcher Freddy and trade Mr. Sheepie with someone else because we want to keep the girls as breeding stock..  We've come to love Mr. Sheepie although the poor guy could use a vacation from Maybe the donkey who is mercilessly mean to him - we really hate to see him go.  He has bald patches on his backside from having his hair ripped out by Maybe's teeth - usually they are fighting over food so Mr. Sheepie looks out for himself by climbing to the top of the big round feeder outside where Maybe can't reach him and he can eat in peace.  He does look funny playing King of the Castle but I can't blame him.

I'm glad we don't have to decide right now who goes where.  I've decided to just enjoy them for the time being.   For now I feel like a pro - tails need docking in a few days and I am OK with doing that since I know what to do. 

Then there is the possibility of milking one of the mamas...well - maybe next year!