Things that go bump in the night...

It is getting dark around 6:oo here in Michigan. That means I am milking Mama Cow in the dark. We have a routine so it is easily done and the shepherd has done a fabulous job building my milking parlor so it is well lit.

Milking generally goes like this: Mama cow is milked then waits in her stanchion while I run the milk into the house (safe from greedy kittens) and throw hay out in the pasture where she stays with the sheep. Then I come back to get Mama Cow and bring her back into the pasture.

All went as planned until it was time to throw the hay. As I tossed the hay over the fence I looked up and saw that about 300 yards away from me someone was standing in MY pines shining a flashlight at MY sheep! They must have heard the hay hit the ground because the flashlight suddenly went off.

Now, I am known for several things...common sense really isn't one of them. Despite the fact that it is hunting season (which means whoever it is on my property has a gun likely as not) and despite the fact that I am home alone with my kids with nothing but my fat butt for protection I decide to give the intruder(s) a piece of my mind. "Hey!" I yell and start down the path in the pitch dark to take confront the intruder(s). Luckily cooler heads prevail and it occurs to me that this isn't the smartest idea I have ever had so I turn back toward the house yelling "Todd! Someone is on our property!" Much to my relief I made it back to the house just as Todd drove in from work.

Todd drove around the perimeter of the property but didn't see anyone. We think they hid in the woods because they really had no time to get off our property in the time it took him to get the truck around even if they could run like the wind.

Honestly, we are easy to get along with...if you want to track a deer, knock on the door...but shining my sheep in the middle of the night? I don't like that so much.

Why am I doing this???

Twila and I walked out to the barn tonight, in the dark......we are both sick and neither one of us were very excited about milking mama cow. As we lean down about begin squeezing the teats, we watch the milk slowly fill the bucket and my head is pounding.

"Mama," Twila says "My head hurts and my stomach hurts......"

"I know, baby. Mine does too, but the cow has to be milked. Let's just get done as fast as we can."

The past couple of weeks have been difficult here at the farm. We have had many blessings and God is always providing but we lost one of our Icelandic Ewes.......then Nutmeg, one of my first two English Angora rabbits died.........then my sister's dog got loose and killed one of my prized Icelandic chickens. It is hard to have so many setbacks so close together. As I buried my precious hen I thought

"Why am I doing this??"

The work is hard. The day is long. The pay is non-existent. But, I can't stop. I can't give up........


I walked in tonight, strained the milk and with my head pounding sat down at my computer and read Farming in the Shade. Now I remember...........this is why I am doing this.................

Thanks again Lona. Your words always seem to come at just the right time.

Raw Honey

We now have raw honey available! Drop me a line at countingsheepfarm@yahoo.com if you would like more info!

Which Ewe are You?

I usually skip quizes but I couldn't resist this one. Which Ewe are You?