Nasty Nemo

Despite the name, this winter storm promises to be nothing like the cute and harmless little orange fish.  While we aren't getting slammed as many closer to the coast will be, we are still getting enough of a storm to to require some extra preparations.  Rolling doors have been closed where possible, enough extra hay was brought down from the upper barn to last a couple of days, the generator battery has been charged up, plans changed to eliminate a road trip.... in short, cover up and hunker down.

At least things are pretty at the moment.

The rams have the most exposed living quarters since the loss of the big rolling door to a bad wind storm last year.  Andy never did get time yet to construct and hang a new one.  Happily, the sheep could not care less that we can't close it up.  The jagged thing is a chunk of door hanging by the roller on the overhead track, silent testimony to the power of serious wind.  Since it's sixteen feet up it's not a hazard to anyone, just a reminder of a job that needs doing when possible.

The snow was falling fast and straight down - pretty and quite peaceful if you are wearing a heavy wool coat and sitting comfortably on dry bedding.

Little BB is now a full grown ram but still as sweet and affectionate as when he was little.  He loves to be petted and made much of.  We never did castrate him since he was so ill as a lamb and now it doesn't really matter since he can live with the big rams.  He gives as good as he gets, so he's certainly not bullied by them.  While common sense and experience eventually teach every shepherd not to trust a ram 100%, he really feels like the exception to that.  Two seconds after this picture he had his nose stuck in the camera.

The big Cotswold boys are trustworthy around people but they are so likely to suddenly turn to bash a fellow ram that it's good to keep an eye on them. 

I resent that.  This permanently drooping ear from fighting is just a coincidence.  Could happen to anybody.

 

Oh yeah?  Come over here, Curly, and I'll make the other one droop too.

 

He would, too.  Rocky is a chief instigator when trash talk turns to action.

 

Rams.  Sigh.