Is that sunshine i see??

From front to back we have Rusty, Pip (who are brother and sister) and then Bud.

Husband was at the funeral this morning of a local farmer who died very suddenly last week. I really don't like funerals so gathered in our ewes and lambs instead and gave a thought to the man as I stood on top of our hill.

I had my full team out today Cuillin, Shaw, Breagh and Pip and I needed them all. The ewes were a little sticky and wouldn't move on unless a dog was in behind them. This meant a lot of zig zagging backwards and forwards on the hill to make sure they all kept coming forwards. I found a very lame lamb out the hill so picked him up and carried him in as I went. Occasionally popping him down and heading to get sheep then coming back for him. When I had all the sheep off the hill and into the hill park I left him where I could find him again and headed off to get the sheep all the way in. I had all 3 of the older dogs working at once to bring in the sheep covering a large area of ground where they had all spread out and were looking for gaps in the dogs and little knolls to escape round. I have a couple of ring leaders I know to look out for at this stage! The dogs did a great job and we got them all in and into a small park. I noticed as I was coming in off the hill that there were a dozen gimmers (last years ewe lambs now clipped) in our silage field. I don't know how they go there as there is a tree plantation in between their hill and the silage field! The rascals I will have to find their route and block it off! They were given a sharp exit from the field and back to their hill. I then washed and dried my dogs and put them inside and grabbed my husbands dogs and Dris and climbed back up the hill to pick up the lame lamb who was right near where I left him. I brought him in and gave him some anti biotics and put him in a nice dry pen to rest. Looks like joint-ill where they get infection in the joints and they begin to fill with fluid and become very painful and arthritic.

By the time I had finished it was pouring down and I was soaking wet! I got dried off and even lit the stove as it was cold. By about 2pm the weather cleared and the sun came out which is a huge relief as it will dry off the ewes. Husband and I sorted the shed for clipping and even have prepped it for overnighting the sheep if the weather looks to turn. So far it is still dry and so says the forecast I am a little jumpy and always looking out the window though. I don't like to keep them in overnight as they get no food until they are out again. I also managed to get the hen house cleaned out and then I have put on a loaf of bread in the bread machine, ox tongue in the slow cooker and baked a lemon drizzle cake and some oat biscuits to keep us going tomorrow! It is nice to be at home to catch up on our own jobs!

AM 11c overcast then heavy misty rain until 2pm then 14c 5 mph W sunshine!