Friends

When I agreed to take in an orphan lamb many, many (many)years ago, I had no earthly idea of the path I was stepping out onto. Looking back, I don't think I had much of an idea about anything at that point in my life! I had three young boys, one nearly four, one nine and the oldest 11 years old. I lived on a small farm and had the horses I had dreamed of my whole city childhood. That first lamb, Sheba (I know, I know, so predictable), was a Suffolk/Hampshire crossbred and she came to me at the tender age of one day old. I knew nothing about sheep and I mean nothing! It's a miracle she lived through all my learning experiences. (In fact, she lived to be seventeen years old.) I loved her in a way that was completely different from my affection for my horses, dogs and cats. When she was two years old, I took her to a neighbor's farm to be bred. Five months later, Sheba had her first lamb and that was it. I was hooked. I knew I didn't want to raise sheep for meat, but the idea of raising a wool breed and actually using the wool was so appealing. It was a life changing decision for me. I have involved myself in many activities during my adult life....golf, tennis, (anyone out there need a practically brand new pair of ice skates?) just to name a few. None of them worked for me. It's been the sheep and fiber related activities that have been the one constant and the point I'm trying to get to (in my usual round-about way) is that the friends I've made, because I raise sheep, are the true blessing.

Those of you who have read this blog for a while know that I lost a ewe who was very special to me last year. Pauladeen was bottle baby, mine from the moment of her birth. She was such a funny, quirky personality and I still miss her. Not long after Pauladeen's death, my friend, Lindy (locolindy), gave me a plaque she had painted with a likeness of Pauladeen and it was captioned "In my heaven, let there be sheep". Just this past weekend, Sara (thecrazysheeplady), gave me a wonderful needle felted sheep she had crafted to look like Pauladeen and she even created it from some of Pauladeen's last fleece. (Just writing this makes me tear up.) Who could ask for more caring, wonderful friends? Not me, for sure!

So, in spite of the fact that you've just been told a big chunk of my life story, my real objective here is to say thank you, thank you, thank you to my "sheep friends" for being so thoughtful. (And, how lucky am I that my thoughtful sheep friends are also very talented?)