Stella

 

Just for the record,  we are no longer confused.  We are having Kentucky weather,  which means it can be almost any temperature at any time of year.  Yesterday we had spring ( complete with thunderstorms and tornadoes ) and last night and today we're having winter.  Nothing new.

So,  I've neglected this little feature lately and need to catch up on introducing you all to another one of my teenagers.  You know,  those silly little girl sheep that are ( mostly ) sweet and can sometimes be so flighty !   This is Stella.  It took a while for me to give Stella her name.   Sometimes I know the name as soon as they're born ( as with Luna ) ,  other times,  I have to get to know them before I know what suits.  Stella was a triplet,  born to a first time mama,  and as with nearly all of the ewe lambs I kept,  her father was Henry.  She's got that beautiful,  lustrous,  soft fleece I've been working toward for several years now.   Just look at those lovely, crimpy locks !  I love that she has virtually no britch - that luster and crimp runs all the way down to her knees.  ( It's fairly common for some sheep to have coarser fiber on the lower part of their back legs and that is referred to as britch.  For me,  it's not a reason to get rid of a sheep who has an otherwise wonderful fleece,  but having nice fiber all the way down is certainly a trait to encourage in a breeding program. )  Stella is a little shyer than some of the other girls .... only wants to be petted on when she decides.  She's a girl who knows her own mind !  Although,  if I go into the pen and just sit down and wait for the girls to gather 'round,  she'll step up ( if she can shoulder her way through Luna and Birdie ) for a scratch behind the ears.

I didn't breed any of my ewe lambs this year,  so none of the little girls will become mothers until next spring.  Often,  the shyer girls will get to be much friendlier during lambing season,  especially if they end up needing my help when their lambs are born.  It's always interesting to see how their personalities and temperaments develop.  Sometimes the ones you least expect will become a sweetheart when they grow up.  Amazing how much they are often like children !

**So,  here's a news flash ( at least for me ).  My " local " Kroger grocery has a Starbucks that has WiFi !  So,  while my less than stellar service by Windstream,  who supposedly supplies me with Internet at home,  continues with no resolution,  I only have to drive 12 miles to find a reliable connection !