Sunday, March 15, 2009

On going up a hill and seeing the landscape in spring.

I thought 'It's as if a mighty hand had reached for the sheep-shaker (imagine a giant salt-pot thingy) and sprinkled the hills, valleys and dingles with ewes and lambs.' Seasoned it, so to speak.

They are everywhere on the greening slopes of the Long Mountain; little specks of white, immobile at a distance, but coming alive to form bleating streams when the man with the fodder beet comes by. A bag of sheep nuts does the same trick. It's food and these are hungry days.

The ewes trot behind the tractor and its trail of food - shouting the odds, baaing and bawling, their lambs are close behind. These little scraps, confused as yet as to the ways of the flock, have only mastered a tentative nibble of grass to date. For them it's mother's warm milk - they bunt her flank encouragingly and little tails wag as they drink. (Gimme. Gimme.)

What a perfect day it has been to be a sheep on our mountain - and a perfect day to be a person too. There was a touch of warmth in the sun. Birds sang. Buds swelled. The sunset was tinged with pink - the portent of a good day tomorrow as well.

Were I not such a sceptic I would say 'deo gratis'. I think I will anyway.

13 comments:

Cait O'Connor said...

Visited daughter and SIL on their sheep farm today, saw lots of lambs, enjoyed glorious weather, heaven on earth I agree.

Claire said...

We went for a walk yesterday by the sea and it was so warm and sunny it dould have been the Costa del sol! Our lambing season is a little earlier here and they are already small sheep not quite so ahhh factor'.

Twiglet said...

Thanks for showing my little purple coo to the purple coo folk. You all seem to be such a friendly bunch. So clever too!! What another perfect day and yes I agree it does make you think that we are blessed somehow and should give thanks for it!

Maggie Christie said...

I love the idea of a sheep shaker - such a perfect description. Our lambs are still in their mummys' tummies and won't be sprinkled back out into the fields for a good few weeks yet.

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

Oh yes, we have been visited by the sheep salt shaker too. Lovely image!

Pondside said...

I love that sheep-shaker image too. Over here it's still cold, but I see new lambs on my way to work and hope that they are able to stay warm enough until the sun shines.

Pam said...

I loved the sheep-shaker comment too! We have no lambs here, no sheep. Not sure why.
Ohio is big on dairy, corn and soya beans so you rarely see beef or pigs or sheep. Maybe it gets too hot for them? Or too cold? I will shut up now seeing as i obviously have no idea why they are absent...

bodran... said...

It really feels like spring , i'm practicaly climbing the walls in the shop in desperation to get out. see you soon xx

muddyboots said...

love the sheep shaker, which has been in action here too!

Inthemud said...

What a wonderful sight it must be to see all the lambs and their mums on the hill. Not seen many lambs around here yet.

Kitty said...

Lambs are just becoming a common sight up here - a few have been around for weeks but most are just new this last week or so. We're quite flat so I'll have to imagine the sheep-shaker image (but it's not hard to do!).

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

What a lovely picture and description.

Calico Kate said...

Love the image of a 'Sheep-shaker'. (along with everyone else!) But no-one has been sprinkling around here yet. Hope they do soon.
CKx