tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20307185572916956892026-04-09T18:57:44.322+01:00Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.comBlogger1568125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-76222910707742879392026-04-09T18:56:00.001+01:002026-04-09T18:56:08.366+01:00

The seemingly endless rain that dogged us throughout January and February wasn't so endless after all - we were forecast one and a half days precipitation-free, so the lambs, two weeks old by now, were chucked out into the field. Irving, Astrid's tip lamb. Ivy, one of Primrose's girls. Even with her slightly deformed lower jaw, she's a cutie. Astrid.  Ivy is very photogenic. 

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-64289241982969049622026-04-06T21:40:00.000+01:002026-04-06T21:40:04.925+01:00

I wound up with two pet lambs from my six pet ewes. I called them Ida and Ivan. One Sunday afternoon in February, between showers that plagued us all month, I dusted off the lamb-sized snoods and took some photos of the lambs in the yard. Ida was wearing a green snood because it was my late granny's favourite colour, and Ida is named after her. Ivan was very hard to photograph - he wouldn't

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-91870051393128903432026-03-27T21:18:00.001+00:002026-03-27T21:18:23.015+00:00

The first day of February was mild and dry compared to the cold, wet slog that was January. I finally had some spare time to take Billy and Wee Matt for a short walk around sunset. It was the first walk we had of the year. After a tough winter, it was just wonderful to sit in the field with my sweet boys. It's hard to believe, but despite being the furthest travelled sheep on the farm, Billy

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-16498573564322277262026-03-05T22:19:00.002+00:002026-03-05T22:19:48.148+00:00

There's a small field where Blue Belle spends her winters, at the bottom of the Dump Field. By January this year she had it all eaten and she looked so sad (a tiny horse with a long face, I know), I took pity on her and let her join the ewe hoggets. She was so much happier to have some sheep to boss around. Her high spirits were lovely to see. One Sunday I took the camera out to get some photos

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-64879289894878758722026-02-15T11:43:00.000+00:002026-02-15T11:43:36.569+00:00

I had six ewes set to lamb early this year. Vera went first - she needed help with a big single tip on 17th January. I got them both into a pen, but Vera wasn't very interested in him and the lamb didn't make any efforts to stand. Over the next 24 hours, I kept checking on them both. Vera was a first-time mum, and she had lots of milk, but the lamb didn't stand until the following day. When he

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-3177484398227032332026-02-04T22:05:00.002+00:002026-02-04T22:05:14.481+00:00

The ewes and tips are still at Bannon's Land where they spend their winter. Now that Christmas is over, we're in the wettest, most miserable bit of winter - it's raining half the time, cold and muddy. Soon these sheep will be coming home and before we blink, lambing will be upon us! In the meantime, I took half an hour out of a slightly less hectic day to sit at the feeder with my camera and see

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-81862805027200122062026-01-23T22:22:00.000+00:002026-01-23T22:22:08.669+00:00

On the final day of 2025, we awoke to a big frost. There had been a few recently, but after my dad's injury just before Christmas, I had been dashing off every morning to feed the sheep at Bannon's Land. I decided on this morning to take the time to visit the pets with the camera.   Tess.     Everyone was pleased to see me.   Billy and Primrose. 

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-723622572877090922026-01-08T21:54:00.001+00:002026-01-08T21:54:00.182+00:00

Winter is so often grey, wet and cold, so to have a day that's a bit warmer with blazing sunshine is a special treat. I was out feeding the lambs with the dogs and brought the camera. I had the idea of filling the feeder and sitting on the ground beside it to see what I could get. I didn't intend for everything to be so backlit, but I think it worked out well. The ewe lambs were looking for

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-36103423649622841072026-01-07T21:52:00.001+00:002026-01-07T21:52:00.120+00:00

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-72279615023569324572025-12-30T21:48:00.000+00:002025-12-30T21:48:50.875+00:00

The few days leading up to Christmas were very busy for me. On the 21st, Dad had managed to fall out of a tractor cab and break five ribs. I was therefore at home and in charge while the hospital kept him in for a few days for close monitoring and pain management. I kept our animals fed, made lots of bale deliveries, and ate lunch whenever I had the time. I collected Dad on Christmas Eve, and we

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-29570957571490995982025-12-26T21:38:00.001+00:002025-12-26T21:38:00.125+00:00

Shortly before Christmas, I took Poppy out to see the Christmas tree in town. The trouble is, the town is very distracting! I managed to get a few photos of Poppy with Christmas lights in the end. I hope you had a lovely Christmas if you celebrate, and if not, I hope you had a lovely Thursday.

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-80336190486779368262025-12-23T21:55:00.002+00:002025-12-23T21:55:35.228+00:00

I spent some time with the pets. It's one of my favourite things to do. They have a bale of silage now, which they are loving. Astrid said hello. Rosie was ignoring me. She was busy. Astrid had something on her face. Fern coming over. Tess. Billy. Tess and Helly. Helly. Sweet Billy. Helly. Vera relaxing. Rosie finally came over for some treats. Titch. Kerry.

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-34868043310418252212025-12-17T22:21:00.000+00:002025-12-17T22:21:26.784+00:00

I had taken Wee Matt for a walk in a forest - twice - so I thought it was time to see how he coped with a busy town. He was also testing a prototype halter that I'd made, so he was a busy boy. We managed to get parked on the main street, so there was no building up to being next to so much traffic. In typical Wee Matt fashion, he didn't seem to mind. He was only interested in treats. We met a

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-45321636083856863802025-12-09T20:07:00.001+00:002025-12-09T20:07:00.115+00:00

When I walk the dogs in this particular field, Wee Matt always comes over to the fence to say hello, and nine times out of ten Billy does as well. I've taken a few photos and videos on my phone, but I thought this time I'd bring along my proper camera and see what I could get. At first, only Helly was looking at me. Then I called for Wee Matt and he came running. Such a good boy! He did his

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-1440904710490331162025-12-07T19:57:00.001+00:002025-12-07T19:57:00.138+00:00

I managed to take advantage of a free afternoon and some decent sunshine to spend some time with the pet flock. Everyone was very relaxed when I arrived. Of course, once my presence was realised, the lambs came running. Hilde had a mysterious stain. Esther wasn't very impressed at having her relaxation interrupted. I wanted to take advantage of the fallen leaves at the bottom of the

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-6867683122373391552025-12-04T18:18:00.001+00:002025-12-04T18:18:00.196+00:00

It was a very cold day, but I had the time and it was dry - perfect lamb walkies weather! It was Billy's first time being in town since he was five weeks old. Looking back on those photos, he's so tiny! Big Billy and I didn't have a particular plan, just wanted a dander. He got stuck into some grass next to a sculpture of a jellyfish. The sun disappeared behind the mountains and took whatever

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-85261975335105276292025-12-03T21:13:00.001+00:002025-12-03T21:13:00.114+00:00

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-3099131887147025892025-12-01T21:51:00.000+00:002025-12-01T21:51:21.680+00:00

I've been making again, back to trying to come up with a sheep headcollar. Billy tested out this one for me. It fits him pretty well, I think. Wee Matt was along as well because he likes to be included.The first stop was the wall for some tasty ivy.  Snacks everywhere. All that snacking makes you thirsty. Handsome Billy. Wee Matt keeping up. We stopped in front of the house

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-27699739491285700912025-11-29T21:22:00.003+00:002025-11-29T21:22:18.142+00:00

Wee Matt is a very friendly chap - anytime he sees me in the yard, he comes running over to the fence to say hello. The fence gets in his way quite a lot, but he keeps trying - I usually have a treat in my pocket, after all! He did pose majestically for a moment there. And don't worry, he got his treat in the end.

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-9301479352271946192025-11-27T22:09:00.001+00:002025-11-27T22:09:00.109+00:00

I took off one Saturday afternoon in an attempt to capture some photos of the ewes at Bannon's Land at sunset - timing is difficult, as the mountains cause the sun to disappear a lot quicker than you'd think! On a whim, I decided to approach the flock from the opposite angle than I usually would. I was really pleased with the photos I managed to get. Petal in the crowd. Clementine, Blossom

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-61332956851677188572025-11-26T22:20:00.001+00:002025-11-26T22:20:00.120+00:00

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-27166202610144820502025-11-19T22:16:00.001+00:002025-11-19T22:16:00.122+00:00

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-396979782036940432025-11-17T18:45:00.000+00:002025-11-17T18:45:03.701+00:00

I was walking the dogs on Halloween - the weather was lovely with a dramatic sky. The herd of young cows next door came over to the wall to look at us. The low sun was shining on them. Once I'd finished our walk, I drove up again with the camera to capture the cows in the light. Unfortunately, at almost exactly the moment I pulled up alongside them and held the camera up, the clouds blocked

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-49508525895163966132025-11-12T22:15:00.001+00:002025-11-12T22:15:00.113+00:00

Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17993614760240750546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2030718557291695689.post-52440561248142891872025-11-06T22:49:00.001+00:002025-11-06T22:49:00.124+00:00

I had hoped that my return to Tollymore with a sheep would be with Billy, but he caught orf in early October, and until he's completely healed I'm keeping him at home - orf is a virus that can spread to humans. But the leaves are changing and I remember spending autumn days at Tollymore in years past. It is a beautiful place. Reluctant to miss those autumn colours, I took Wee Matt. Early walk

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