Quote for the Day 3/7/2012

Quote: We got a cute lammie.

When I got home from school today, on my computer keyboard, I found the above note in Hiromi's writing.

As Hiromi knew very well, that's the kind of news that puts an ear to ear smile on my face. In this case, the element of surprise added to the pleasure. Mara, our old ewe, was wide from side to side, but then so was the ram, and he sure wasn't carrying a lamb.

I hurried out to see. There was Mara, with a tiny lamb who latched on and nursed with its tail whirring at windmill speed. Cute lammie for sure.

Last year Mara didn't have a lamb, and we guessed that her mothering days were over. In fact, within the past few weeks, trudging out to feed them their pellets and sweet feed in the evening on days Hiromi comes home late from work, I've wondered if it's worth keeping Mara and the ram, Major, around just for their summertime mowing services.

Mara is a Katahdin hair sheep at least ten years old. I hope this is a ewe lamb, so we have one more chance to perpetuate the lineage. Major, who now walks stiffly, is registered, but Mara isn't. She has the kind of mothering record and history of fecundity, however, that leaves no question about her value as a member of our always-small flock.