Sunday, November 2, 2008

There's a sheep in my car!


Gack! said Roger, the mastiff. There's a sheep in my car! Mom, can I PLEASE ride up front with YOU?! No, said mom and Allen. You may NOT. Oh MOM, it's so SCARY!!. It has horns!!. AAAAChoo! says the sheep. And promptly returns to munching her hay.
To picture this, take your average minivan. Fold down the back seat, assemble large mastiff wire crate. Fill with hay. Load 80+ pound Jacob ewe into crate. Remove one passenger seat. Place dog bed on floor. Place daughter and son in car and request that large mastiff (Roger) take his bed as usual on floor for 3+ hour drive to Virginia.
The ewe still has her winter wool, so she looks enormous. Roger did NOT approve.
However, the drive was uneventful after we convinced him that he could NOT ride in my lap. The sheep delighted the kids by sneezing every so often and by going potty in her crate. EEEEWWWW! said Allen.
Once we got to my friend's farm in Virginia, the sheep was unloaded without much fuss and Roger got to bark at ALL the big animals there. (Cows, goats, sheep, etc.) The sheep settled in nicely and made friends with her new flock. She even showed signs of going into heat and flirting with her new beau, Boaz, another Jacob sheep. Jacob sheep are from Biblical times and are sturdy spotted sheep that either have two or four horns. (Remember Laban dividing the flock with Jacob and Jacob choosing the spotted ones.) They are prized for their beautiful wool, and Ophelia(the ewe) has wool that looks creamy lavender in the early morning light. Beautiful.
We had SUCH a lovely visit. Got to help herd one of the cows to the neighbors to be bred over the next month. Got to explain to Emily (again!) what exactly was trying to be accomplished. Got to explain that, yes, that IS what happens with people to make babies. And Yes, that is how Mom and Dad got you. No way to get around the truth on a farm.
I have never worked so hard in my life as when the ten of us (two adults, three teens and five children) tried to convince the cow to meander to the neighbor's pasture. We all formed a line and had sticks to enlarge our reach, but she broke the line three times. Once, she charged across the creek and right up the side of the thickly forested ridge. By the time we had all charged up the hill and headed her off, she realized that now the pasture was clear all the way back to the barn and off she boogied! Boy, we were running through knee high grass and stickers for the better part of an hour. Finally contained her to a fenceline and gently moved her along it to the desired goal. I was so impressed at those farm kids and how quickly they anticipated the cow's (Priscilla) movements and how to react. I almost collapsed as she sauntered into the neighbor's pasture and I realized now I had to walk all the way back. Emily, of course, being a city girl, also felt that way and promptly declared that there was no way she could walk, that she had stickers in her shoes and that I needed to carry her. I declined.
Some how, we made it back.
The next day, we picked the very last of that season's apples. The UPick was abandoned with a coffee can for you to leave your money in. We got the best Red Delicious apples I have ever eaten. We were able to use the picking tool at the orchard and there were just a few apples on each tree. Managed to get 2 bushels. There had been a fierce wind the day prior and we were blessed to find a LOT of perfect apples already on the ground. I hope to make apple butter and pie filling this week sometime.
The day after, I made butter. Did you know you can make butter with just heavy cream and a blender? I didn't. Ginger's cow, Cocoa, makes about 5 gallons of milk a day and the percentage of cream is impressive. Cocoa gets to hang around the yard, pasture or house and is one HAPPY cow and her milk shows it. I think I must have made about 6 lbs of butter that day. Couldn't stand up by evening. Roasted a pumpkin and canned it. Roasted the best batch of pumpkin seeds I've ever made. (Olive oil, and LOTS of it!) Gorged myself on goat cheese, fresh bread, pumpkin seeds and fresh mozzerella. (Ginger was busily whipping up fresh cheeses for a winery and I got to be her taste tester!) Her daughter helped make a pumpkin pie and an apple pie for dinner. Delicious!
We prayed over dinner that God would bless those who don't get such variety and who mainly eat rice at each meal. I was reminded of how many people get to eat meat once a year on a big festival and was thankful for the bounty of our land.
Got to chase the pigs briefly the next day (the dogs helped). Kept the fire stoked as snowflakes swirled in the air. What Bliss!!!
Took my precious friend to a movie for her birthday. "The Secret Life of Bees" Bawled my eyes out. Loved it. Catharsis is good for the soul. Went out for late appetizers and pigged out yet again on delicious food. (I highly recommend the Olive Garden Appetizer assortment!) Got home and crawled in bed with my snuggle bunny, Emily, who was keeping the bed warm for me. Bliss just doesn't cover friendship, hard work, good food, God's blessings and the beauty of the Roanoke countryside in fall.
Halloween was one of the best ever. We went to a friend's home for chili and costume preparation, then to a TINY quaint town for a short parade and being set loose for door to door frolicking. We made out like bandits and were done before everyone was exhausted and began bickering and sniping. Then back to home for a cheery hour of bartering among the kids before bedtime. "My store is still open! I have two Jolly Ranchers up for grabs!" The kids got enough to have fun sorting but not so much they will be visiting the dentist prematurely.
Now it is back to home and back to school. May God keep my eyes open to the wonders around me here.

1 comment:

gingerhillery@mac.com said...

What a great post! You covered what I missed! Great! Thanks for your wonderful visit. Love you guys so much.