"SHEAR" writ large, fills February 4th's square on the wall calendar. Indelibly penned in bold caps, it reflects a moment of cockeyed optimism. Much has been done in preparation: posts pounded, panels attached, barn floor raked, pens and chute configured, vaccine purchased, helpers on board, and lunch plans finalized.
Of course, the ewes have been preparing for the entire year, growing the world's most fabulous fiber—tough, resilient, versatile, nearly fire-proof, warm even when wet, and stylish to boot—a fiber perfect for all seasons and nearly all uses, from sturdy rugs to gentle buntings. Those same ewes are also growing heavier with lambs; several that raised triplets last year look amply ready to repeat in late February or early March. They need to be sheared before lambing. Soon!
I've not yet flipped January to expose February on the calendar, but our best-laid Plan A for the 4th has faded and shifted to accommodate predictions of brutal sub-zero temperatures. Plan B, hurriedly decided on yesterday, lets ewes keep their wool until the worst temperatures of the upcoming week pass. With shearing postponed, we've bedded the barn in anticipation of calves dropping in tandem with the atmospheric pressure. Beyond weather-driven livestock preparations, I'm planning soup & sandwich fare (tomato and grilled cheese: um-m-m), seed catalog dreams (maybe peach trees hardy to -40), and shirt-sleeve weather 'til spring (in keeping with my cockeyed optimism).
Of course, the ewes have been preparing for the entire year, growing the world's most fabulous fiber—tough, resilient, versatile, nearly fire-proof, warm even when wet, and stylish to boot—a fiber perfect for all seasons and nearly all uses, from sturdy rugs to gentle buntings. Those same ewes are also growing heavier with lambs; several that raised triplets last year look amply ready to repeat in late February or early March. They need to be sheared before lambing. Soon!
I've not yet flipped January to expose February on the calendar, but our best-laid Plan A for the 4th has faded and shifted to accommodate predictions of brutal sub-zero temperatures. Plan B, hurriedly decided on yesterday, lets ewes keep their wool until the worst temperatures of the upcoming week pass. With shearing postponed, we've bedded the barn in anticipation of calves dropping in tandem with the atmospheric pressure. Beyond weather-driven livestock preparations, I'm planning soup & sandwich fare (tomato and grilled cheese: um-m-m), seed catalog dreams (maybe peach trees hardy to -40), and shirt-sleeve weather 'til spring (in keeping with my cockeyed optimism).
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