Saw Teri again today, she thinks Izzy is just the cutest. She follows me around, and is the quickest little thing to get in the back door everytime she has a chance. I'm a little concerned about her though, I've been feeding her sort of every 3 hours, interspersing feedings with syringes of electrolytes in water to ensure she doesn't get scours, but although I've seen her peeing 3 times already, I've still to see her poop. Once I see that then I can better judge how her feedings are doing.
She doesn't want to stay in her box. I tipped it on it's side yesterday so that she could come and go, only to have Anni take up residence, with Izzy curled up on the cement floor close by. I have to be careful when I open the kitchen door, as the last few times Issy has been sleeping on the step. She is brown and difficult to see, this little smat of brown curls. Herbie was teasing me about "Mary had a little lamb" this morning. She has spindly legs and races after me, trying to nurse on my jeans. Put her in with the sheep this morning, where she tried to nurse on Prince repeatedly. He didn't enjoy it and kept butting her away with his horns, so when I went in to pick up the egg I saw in their hay, I took her bottle with and tried to feed her there, but she climbed through the gate and followed me, so I didn't put her back. All the other animals run away from cars and the buggy, but I don't think she realises that they are dangerous and I don't want flat lamb. I cuddled with her after one of her feedings, tucking her inside my coat where she fell asleep, a hot little body against me.
Made yoghurt today for the first time in ages, hope Herbie enjoys some tonight. Made the usual Honey / Vanilla as that's what Teri wanted to take for her mum and sister to try. Could add something now, but have already put the stick blender in the wash, so maybe next time. It's really thick again this time, just like Herbie wants it.
Chased 3 deer who were grazing on the piece outside the lower pasture, then watched the cows for a while. Climbed over the fence to get behind Milkshake and her udder is beautifully shaped and is filling nicely. Wonder how soon before she pops her first calf. She is much smaller than her mum Dolly, I wonder if the early pregnancy stunted her growth and if she may get taller after the birth. She has a beautiful Jersey face. Gabriel looks like his hair is turning black under the red. His little horns are about 2 inches long already and he is showing an interest in the girls. Not bad for a 7 month old. Need to separate the 3 boys from the girls, but don't know if Gabriel is still drinking from Scotch. Will keep an eye out.
It's very mushy out back. Walked a little in the woods and there are green shoots popping up and the Black Raspberries stalks are red with big buds. Any day now, Spring should be coming ! Please. It's freezing cold, or maybe it's the icy wind, no, it's freezing, as every now and again snow flakes come drifting down. I went looking for duck and goose eggs this morning, walked through the cow pasture and chose to walk on the manure pile as there is straw mixed in with it and it was firmer than the ground which keeps trying to suck my shoes off. All was well until my foot dipped into muck up to my knee, so had poop all the way down my lower leg as I had to kneel to try and pull my shoe out. Managed to get it, then the other shoe was sucked off my foot and I stepped in it in my sock. Yuck. It was cold and wet (and smelly - but it's actually too cold to smell much), Where Herbie didn't scape manure there is green coming up through the fertilizer in their pasture. I still find it amazing how cows can turn a green pasture into a stretch of black muck in a very short time.
Well, time to go feed Izzy again. Still no other new lambs, but I cleaned out the little egg fridge outside the barn this morning, plugged it back in and filled it with eggs, attaching a new laminated sign to the barn wall above it. Tomorrow I need to fix the egg sign and put it back into the ground down our driveway down by the road