May 2022
It’s been a long winter on the farm. The swing back and forth in temperatures is difficult for sheep, just like it can be for people. Sunshine had lost most of her teeth and was getting tottery so we had to put her to sleep. She was at least 15 years old. Her claim to fame was sneaking through a barn window to avoid shearing day! Several years she decided to skip out. She was a typical shy, silly Shetland sheep- maybe sly even! We will all miss her, Charlie and Rose are busy taking good care of Penny too. They will all be good comfort for each other.
March 24, 2021
Sunshine decided to move in with the little special needs group of sheep today. She’s getting older now so we will leave her there so she can get grain every day. She is such a tiny little sheep!
Nov. 2020: Snapped this photo about one second before Rose was off to the races! She is one of our pretty Shetland sheep and she is quite shy. Always involved in some sort of shenanigans! That’s Dalai Llama waaay up on the hill.
Our little Charlie sheep has become Sunshine’s pal since the loss of her twin Mario. He is an adorable little Shetland sheep who joined our flock a few years ago. He and his family; Ilse, Rose, Angus and Gilbert needed a new home. My friend's life circumstances changed so of course we said yes! Shetland sheep are amazing. AND I've never had a California Red sheep?! (Gilbert).
**He is definitely a little scamp! He avoided shearing this year by exiting through an open barn window? The Shetland sheep are crafty, adventurous little buggars always into some sort of mischief. Love them for that! His fleece does not have an outer, traditional Shetland coat. Just the soft undercoat. It is awesome in next to the skin projects! Just wish he would take better care of it? ha!
April 2020
Sunshine has some sad news today. Sigh. Her twin brother Mario passed away and she’s very lonely. She’s finally stopped calling and looking for him. Sheep grieve and it is heart wrenching to watch. There is absolutely nothing one can do but give them hugs and treats if they want them. Then they will turn to a friend in the flock to step forward with. I don’t think they ever forget the one they’ve lost. Sunshine is 15 now so she and Mario had a long life together. I think besides putting a sheep to sleep, watching the ones left behind is worse. ANYhoo. She’s doing fine now and her friend Ethel and her sister are taking very good care of her!
June 2019
Sunshine and Mario are doing well this summer. The only thing I wish is Sunshine would stop hopping through the barn window? Into the side of the barn we are not using right now? Stinker! I have to listen really hard for her so I know when she is over there. She can’t get back out of the window so needs a door person. They are definitely older sheep now but the Shetlands never lose their spunk!
Twins!!! Two teeny black Shetland lambs I purchased from a friend. They were both bottle lambs so are very tame and very happy to see treats! They are about the size of a small springer spaniel so makes them look like miniatures--but they did eventually grow. And as usual, once they got to go out with the 'big' sheep, they promptly forgot about me. They are naughty, silly little scamps who won't even come close to me now? Sigh. Friends tell me that means I raised good sheep and did my job well. I would rather hug and smooch them up though.
The Shetlands take almost 2 years to finish growing. Sunshine & Mario both have beautiful bay black fleeces, locks of 3+ inches and a bit of cinnamon color on the tips of the locks from the sun. Sunshine and Mario are always up for a good game of chase and tag- or king of the dirt pile!
They are aging well, teenagers by our standards. :0)
2017 update: This little Sunshine girl is non-stop silly! She has a 'secret' door to the barn now. It's called hopping through a window to get in, then unable to jump back out? We have to go let her back outside because the side of the barn she hops into is not in use by the sheep in the summer. Oops!
Sunshine and Mario designed a crazy quilt yarn for me to spin! As much fun to spin as they are to watch!
2018 updates:
Mario is still family with his twin sister Sunshine. Both are sassy as they should be. And into any shenanigans they can find to get into! (As every Shetland sheep should be- spunky!)
Their favorite is to jump into the barn through open windows. It's no problem. UNLESS they end up in the part of the barn sectioned off for summer. They do this every single day. Little mountain goats! ha!
