Lambing

We are walking each day to the lambing barn behind our house. Alone in the fields away from the farms and so often we are the only humans around. But this last week it's been busy. I love lambing time! It's so hopeful and deliciously joyful to see Spring lambs. Who can resist their sweet charms...



We have had so many interesting conversations about lambs, ewes, birth, farming, why some lambs and ewes die.... we have quizzed the farmer, she is lovely and encourages us to visit again and again and answers my endless questions: Do ewes ever abandom their lambs, why? How many lambs are the norm? Have you had any unusual births? Lost many lambs? Fostered others out to childless ewes....? In answer to these and many: Sometimes young ewes abandon their lambs, 'teenager ewes' she called them. The most lambs born to a single mother so far has been four. Only two deaths so far, and three fostered and taken by new mothers. Lots of multiple births this year. No powdered milks used (or afforded - they prefer to use another animals milk instead)..... I have many questions :)



Esmé is so enamoured with the lambs she bleats and mimics them constantly and bounces out of my arms in a bid to be off into the fields for a closer view. Felix has been making barns from his wooden blocks and collecting twists of fleece he finds along the lanes.



I managed to find a lamb book for Esmé and though I imagined it 'young' for them, the boys like it too. The pictures are entirely British, portraying that stark landscape of the Yorkshire Moors which I do love.















When we were home again last night after a lamb-walk, the boys were playing restaurants. What's on the menu boys, Lamb? I was joking. A bit sick I know. Nooooo, not today, today is fried mice with snake blood dressing and leopard brains. Loud laughter from Isaac the joker and then from us all, as we in actual fact tucked in to baked potatoes and humous. Still in the circle of everything I imagine Lamb with feature on our table at some point this year.... fried mice? Snake blood dressing? Maybe more sustainable but entirely revolting. I'll leave those delicacies to the cat.....