Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Baymule]

My heart goes out to you, funerals for loved ones smack you with finality. You got smacked around and it’s a deep hurt. Big hugs. I love you.

I did the math. 5 ewes to lamb every month. That’s 60 ewes! OhGreat One! I hope to catch up to you some day!

Your DD1 offers a lot of laughter to the family. Be sure and keep her around. Knowing you and your dear DH, how did y’all spawn a child with such high anxiety? LOL

 

[Ridgetop]

Actually half of those ewes will be repeats during the year and the timing will skip some months. We now have 30 ewes if you don't count the babies in the barn.

Yes, DD1 is very OCD and extremely dogmatic. With regard to her children, if she was Chinese she would be called a "Tiger Mother". Even though she is not Chinese she is still a Tiger Mother.

In her defense I am also OCD - all my cupboards are labeled, and the contents arranged in labeled storage boxes. Same for the tool shed and storage shed. I have always liked being organized and making lists but some of my OCD organization was learned early in my married life when I realized that DH did not organize anything and was capable of losing everything in record time. My first protective act was to get my own household tools and HIDE THEM FROM DH! His naive belief that he could leave anything he was working on outside and have it be there a year later (in the same condition) was brought home to me when he decided to rebuild the engine in his 67 Camaro. Small parts were strewn across a rickety picnic table under a giant avocado tree. During the winter the wind blew pieces away and covered the rest with leaves. The following summer DH announced he would now complete the rebuild work on the engine. Five minutes later he came roaring back into the house demanding to know who had "messed with his engine parts that he had left on the picnic table"!

That scenario has been repeated many times throughout the 50 years we have been married. My OCD organizational tendencies are now explained. I can only assume that they were deeply ingrained in DD1.

I too used to be very dogmatic and see things only in black and white. Over the years my views have softened. My grandchildren get candy, a no no for my own children. I tend to try to roll with the punches instead of taking it on the chin or blocking and delivering a KO. So much easier on my aging body and nerves. Poor DD1 has not learned that yet. Of course, she is a teacher and still trying to teach children who refuse to do any work and whose parents demand passing grades for failing work. Abd she has a just turned 14 year old. Poor girl. Hopefully she will learn one of these days. In the meantime, we just ignore her until she gets over it.

EMERGENCY! DH just rushed (or rather gimped heavily) down the hall to demand to know what I have done with all the jumper cables. This is the downside of my organizational skills. I am assumed to now where every item is located on the property whether I ever use it or not.

We used to have several sets of jumper cables, one in each vehicle, one in the emergency it in each vehicle and several spares in the toolshed. I came out to check and after looking in all the sheds THERE ARE NO JUMPER CABLES ON THE PROPERTY. Apparently, DS1 found a set by the back door but it fell apart when DS1 tried to use it. DS1 and DH have now gone to Lowe's to buy jumper cables. There might be one in the trailer, but it is currently at the shop being repaired for our TX trip. DH is annoyed because somehow it is my fault that we don't have any laying around in plain sight when he wants them. The last time we were on a trip and used them to start a stranger's car, DH made him a present of our jumper cables since he felt the guy "would need them again". Possibly so but that would be why there are none in the truck now. I told DS1 to get several sets since I feel you should carry a set in each vehicle for emergencies along with flares, a blanket, and a small emergency kit.

Two riders are enjoying the trails behind the house today. Love seeing the riders out there. We used to have at least 20 people on horses on those trails every day on the weekends and holidays. All summer kids riding bareback out there, and about 5 adults every evening. Hardly any riders any more.

Got my lemon and lime squares made yesterday but I don't think they turned out too well. I don't like them that well anyway. The Almond Crescents turned out perfectly. Mainly because that is all I concentrated on doing. I will do the Jelly Centers today. Those are a cookie press cookie. I use the electric press my mother gave me about 20 years ago. I found out you can't buy an electric press anymore when the plastic tube cracked! Luckily DS1 found some used ones on EBay. I now have spare parts. Once those are baked and in the freezer, I will only have the Snickerdoodles to do. I will wait till the middle of the week to bake those in case DD1 needs to leave the kids here for babysitting. You can see how seriously I take her threats. LOL I will also make a batch of mini cheesecakes. Those are wonderfully easy and tasty, You use a vanilla wafer for the crust by dropping it into a cupcake paper and then fill the cupcake paper with cheesecake mixture and bake. 3 cherries from cherry pie filing on top of the baked cheesecake finishes it off and looks really festive. If you have any fresh mint, stick a leaf in the filling to top it off for Christmas.

I still have not gotten my sheep flock records transferred. I had a backache yesterday after standing to bake all day. Also, my shoulder hurt badly when I raised my arm. Instead of sitting down to work o the records I sat down and watched British detective shows. I am not sure why I hurt so badly, but maybe it is psychosomatic - I really don't want to work on the sheep records so my body is paying tricks on me.

Speaking of British detective shows, I notice that the detectives follow suspects in such an obvious manner that the bsd guy sees them right away. The cops might as well be carrying signs that say "Shadowing a suspect". They also don't carry weapons so when faced with a knife wielding or gun toting suspect they are at an extreme disadvantage. In Britain you have to call for backup from the ART - Armed Response Team. They are the only ones with weapons. These British cops are either very brave or extremely reckless. Although a lot of the criminals don't have guns either and seem to give up pretty easily. I also have to translate British for DH and also the strong regional accents. The Scottish accents are the worst for poor DH. His hearing is bad enough but when combined with a strong burr and peculiar diction I need to turn on the subtitles for him. British English is almost a different language.

Well, got to go start on the Jelly Centers.

 

[Baymule]

Ok so 30 ewes. That’s still twice as many as I have. LOL

Hahaha on the jumper cables, plus all the things gone astray over the years.

Your mini cheesecakes sound easy! How smart you are!

 

[Ridgetop]

Well, all mine are white so maybe I don't have a correct count . . . .

And last week it was pretty foggy and I really couldn't see any of them . . . .

I am afraid to go out and do an accurate count. LOL

 

[Baymule]

ONE. One white blob. Just ONE. So that means you almost don’t have ANY SHEEP AT ALL! Quick! Go buy some more!

 

[Ridgetop]

Will make the Snickerdoodles today. That finished all the christmas baking until I have to make the pies. DS1's friend is coming down from Reno soon. I need to have a pumpkin pie for him. He loves my pies. He is the friend that recommended the Lav breeders and then went and picked out DD1's pup. Might have to make him TWO pies. That is a great pup.

DD1 came by yesterday. As I figured she had calmed down. She talked with DS1 and myself about the movie. She said that she realizes that we would not show a movie that was not suitable to her children but admitted that she was somewhat over concerned about what they watched. She watches the show first to make sure that it is ok. Anyway, she was agreeable. I knew that she would not prevent the children from coming over here. We discussed Christmas and DS1 said they would bring a lot of the gifts over this week before the big storms supposed to come in tomorrow.

Yes! We are supposed to get 4 days of heavy rain from now over the Christmas weekend. Maybe we will actually have winter rain this year! And pasture!

This evening DS1 and I will sort out the bred ewes that have not recycled and turn them into the big field. We will sort out the ewelings due to be bred and turn them in with Lewis. 3 ewes will stay in with him - the ones that we just turned in last week, and another that recycled yesterday and marked. I have another 3-4 that are 11-12 months old and need to go in to be bred. Next month the ewes whose lambs just went to auction will go in with another ram, probably Smalley. Etc. Getting harder to tell who is who. After they are all white!


At the same time, we will bring in the two ewes that are due on December 30 and 31. With the expected heavy rains expected we would like them in the barn just in case they decide to lamb early, I marked them down wrong or miscounted, etc. Don't need lambs drowning in a muddy paddock. My ear tags arrived yesterday. We will tag Snowflake's lambs tonight and move them to the creep pen with the other small lambs and their mamas. Then ready for Christmas in the barn.

Annabel has cut her first tooth. DD2 is thrilled and thinks Annabel is the smartest baby in the world to have produced a tooth. DD2 kept poking her finger into Annabel's mouth to feel the tooth. I finally told her that if she kept doing that she would push the tooth back down into the gum! DH took Annabel and tried to feel the tooth too. Annabel bit him. Hard! Poor baby - nobody lets her eat the interesting stuff she finds when she crawls around, but they stick their dirty fingers in her mouth!

Robert got a walker for Christmas. It is over at his Lolo and Lola's house now. I wanted it for here because it is a John Deere Gator! We had DS2 order the pick up truck for here. Those two walkers were more expensive than the cheap old fashioned one I was going to order but I was overruled by the men in the family. Actually those 2 walkers are cool because once the baby is actually walking you lift off the truck and/or gator part and flip up a handle and the toddler can push them around. Two walking type toys in one. Pretty cool. Unfortunately, Robert had to walk up and down the hall since the walker would not ft in the family room with the baby jail, jumperoo, and furniture in place. We moved the jumperoo into the living room temporarily, and took out a leaf in the kitchen table to give more space.

On Sunday night I let the LGDs into the house for family time. Rika was at the door and she seldom asks to come inside so . . . . Everybody got a dried pig ear, and the sound of 3 giant dogs crunching up their treat drowned out the TV. They all barely fit and I had to carefully step over and between legs and tails to get to the sofa. For ginormous dogs they are very calm in the house and very delicate about how they take food from hands. Soon Angel asked to return to the sheep, then Bubba, and last of all Rika. That was surprising since Rika is usually the first one back out. It has been cold (for us) and darling Rika may be feeling some age at 10 years old.

The dogs were on guard again last might. Definitely something is hunting around our perimeter that they don't like. I have been thinking about an infrared night vision binoculars to see if I can spot what is out there. There are some good ones that take videos and photos as well. But with the amount of brush around our property will I be able to see anything? Hmmm . . . .

Off to the Snickerdoodles . . . .

 

[Baymule]

I'm trying to catch up on posts. Got the two little granddaughters asleep. Now I have a little time before I go off to bed-between them so they can kick like mules all night.

 

[Ridgetop]

Ouch! LOL

Happy Christmas Eve everyone!

Having a calm and restful Christmas. Everything is done and all gifts bought and wrapped. Made my pies yesterday, 5 pumpkin, 2 banana cream, and a mince pie. Mock mince actually, with mincemeat from a jar, but added extra rum and some apples that were getting soft. Then we watched Christmas movies beginning with DS1, DS2, and DS3's "Best Christmas movie ever!" - Die Hard. LOL

Next watched Christmas Chronicles, Fred Claus, and DS1's favorite - White Christmas. We have the sing along version so the 3 of us sang along on all the musical numbers. It rained all day so couldn't do anything except enjoy a quiet day relaxing. My knee had been very painful for several days before but when it started raining it stopped for a while. My grandfather used to say that his "roomatiz" told him when it would rain! I guess he was right! After seeing the doctor and finding out that my knee was bone on bone it starting hurting badly! Told DH that going to the doctor had made it worse, so it was a lesson not to go to doctor anymore! LOL

Got up this morning at 4 am - couldn't sleep thinking about the defrosting turkey in the sink. Washed it and put it in the fridge wrapped in a wet dish towel. DS1 and I will make the stuffing today and stuff the bird Christmas morning to put in the roaster. As usual had to rearrange the fridge to find room for the bird. 25 lbs.

Today I will make a large cookie platter for Christmas Day. Cookies are in the freezer - just a matter of arranging them on large platter. DGS1 wants a pecan pie. Super easy to make so might make one. Storm is still here so raining all night and most of Christmas Eve. We will watch another couple movies today, Christmas Carol with George C. Scott, Christmas story, Christmas with the Kranks, etc. Love being able to find these on streaming services. Although now they are charging for the best Christmas movies.

Moved the sheep around on Tuesday evening. Took our 4 that had marked early November and not remarked. 6 of the 11 ewes in with him are now marked. A couple might remark since he marked 3 each night. He's got stamina. LOL Moved the 2 ready to deliver ewes into the barn. Tagged Snowflake's twin ewe lambs and moved them into the creep. A little worried about having so many ewes that will be due at the same time. I have 5 jugs and can use the creep pen for another so al the young lambs should be on the field by then. But I will have to move the young lambs into the creep early to accommodate all of the ewes that will be lambing in May. I'll figure it out then.

DS2 and DDIL2 took Robert to his Lolo and Lola's yesterday. They spent the night with her parents and might spend tonight there as well. Not sure. Not worried. They said they will be back on Christmas morning. Then we will all go to DD1's house after opening our presents at home. Tonight we will meet DD1's family at church for the 5:30 pm vigil service. Can't do midnight mass anymore. Fell asleep in the middle of the sermon 45 years ago and DH had to elbow me to stop me falling over in the seat. The pew was crowded so it kept me upright, but he said I was beginning to snore! No more midnight masses after that! We started doing vigil masses when the children started coming along. Much easier and kept them from getting too impatient for Santa.

I think I will go back to bed for another hour or so till DH and DS1 wake up. Need a nap! Hoping for another rainy restful Christmas Eve.

Merry Christmas to Everyone!!!

 

[Baymule]

Day after Christmas. Wake up and survey the carnage. Go back to bed.

 

[Ridgetop]

Christmas is over and it was lovely. No arguments, everyone happy with gifts, lovely dinner. Rained all day o Christmas and afterwards through New Year's Eve. Yay! hope it will bring in some forage for the sheep.

Have guinea pig and lab puppy for DD1 and family while they go to Pittsburgh and Maryland to visit DSIL1's relatives. They all took Covid tests from kits before going and DD1 tested positive twice. Then she went to a Covid test center and tested negative s they were able to switch their tickets for a day later. Back today.

Kept DGD2 and 3 after Christmas during winter break and got sick. They have been sick off and on since Thanksgiving. Survived Covid, Delta, and Omicrom but brought low by DGD2 and 3. Have a terrible cold that started with sore throat and slight cough, got worse. Went to bed for a week. Much worse. Still sick and not showing improvement, just getting sicker.

Both DS2 and DS3 have been sent on storm duty to the mountains to repair electric lines brought down during the 2 week storm. DS2 is in Lake Arrowhead and DS3 is in Tahoe. Both got 3 feet of snow in 1 day in each place. BRRR!

Ewes still have not lambed. Here are pix from last week. 7041 is ewe with mohawk. This is her 5th lambing, and she was born January 22, 2017. 7088 is ewe without mohawk. This is her 5th lambing, she was born March 28, 2017. They usually lamb around the same time and mark around the same time. They are my oldest ewes, and generally lamb every 8-9 month alternating twins and singles. This year they skipped one lambing because I forgot to put them in with the ram before we left for Washington in May. Duh! Got back in June thinking they were in the breeding pen. Checked the white board and wondered why they weren't on the board as being bred. Checked the flock and they were in with main flock not ram pen. OOPS! Checked the calendar and realized my mistake so tossed them in with new ram and bred ewes. They are last set of ewes to lamb out of new ram from show last May.

Anyway, they are due soon, any bets on when? If they don't lamb soon then I expect major explosion in barn any day. Looking at these pix they don't look as big as they are in person. Must be the angle.
GLD7041
GLD7088

We have 4 rams that we rotate, and I had assigned each of them a color. All ewe lambs are tagged with the sire's color tag. We don't tag the ram lambs with anything except their scrapie tag which is required at our auction now. If you bring in sheep or goats with no tags, the auction will tag with its own scrapie tags.

This year I made another change. I had to reorder my scrapie tags so used Valley Vet which offered free personalization on Scrapie tags. The original tags supplied by the state were .25" x 1.25" - super tiny and hard to read even with tame sheep. The new tags are 5/8" x 1 3/4" and printed on both sides. Easy to read. When it came time to reorder the colored tags, I ordered the same size in the ram colors. I only order 25 at a time since that will take me through several lambings on that ram considering I only expose 4-10 ewes at a time, and only use them on ewe lambs. The ones with the buttons were hard to read because you could only read the number from the front of the ewe. With these being numbered on both sides, it is much easier. I might start ordering them with the ranch name registration prefix on them in the next order.

Up for 2 hours, made tea, and on computer. Going back to bed now. Got to try to check everyone's posts soon.