Countdown...

The expectant couple

Three days ago, at feeding time, Helen asked if she could have hers to-go, in the neighbour's paddock. The reason, we suspect, is that she has grown too large to fit through the boundary fence. Two days later, the lure of feeding time became too much, and Helen decided to brave the fence. She almost got stuck, but after a lot of pushing and pulling, the fence gave a satisfying twang, and Helen popped right through. She hasn't ventured back since. Yesterday, Mr Farmer discovered a very small amount of colostrum in Helen's udder. The countdown has begun - Helen should kid at the beginning of August. Albie is super-excited to be a dad, and (having been led back home from the neighbour's paddock), has not left Helen's side.

Wet weather gear

Big Suffolk (left) inspects Paul
(centre) and Stevie's (right)
new wet weather gear, with what
we would like to describe as
gratitude (but is probably more
like suspicion).

Big Suffolk timed the twins' (now Paul and Stevie) birth right on the edge of a very big storm, which is a bit of a sheep tradition. Mr Farmer didn't think much of my generous offer to bring Paul and Stevie inside and raise them for Big Suffolk, but he did suggest that Paul and Stevie might like some bread bag rain coats for their birthday. Stevie models this season's latest look from Pak n' Save - the white toast slice (baked fresh in store daily), and Paul models this season's latest look from Budget - the white sandwich slice. For smaller lambs, Vogels have a wonderful range of petite-sized wet weather garments - happily, Stevie and Paul are more the size of your average loaf of bread. Helen is disappointed that the two bread bags wandering around the paddock are full of lamb, not bread - she gave the bags a very thorough inspection before they were transformed into rain coats. Big Suffolk didn't really seem very grateful for her twins' new gears, stamping her feet and glaring at me while I put the jackets on Paul and Stevie. One can't expect too much from a sheep, I suppose.

One of the leghorns (right) doing her best to ignore Yortu
(left).

Yortu the traveling turkey is still with us, and is currently watching me type from a sheltered spot under the eaves. Yortu roosts alone, right outside our bedroom (and will need to re-assess her idea of acceptable hygiene habits if she wishes to continue roosting outside our bedroom). She rises before the guinea fowl, and hasn't quite figured out how to get up into their roosting tree, so wanders around calling out "I am a lonely turkey hen, looking for company". Yesterday, Yortu was almost coerced into eloping with a wild pheasant from next door while the guinea fowl slept. This morning, the guinea fowl rose a little earlier. No marauding pheasants have been heard so far.

Albie and Helen seem to have had a falling-out, and Albie has disappeared off into the neighbour's paddock in a huff. Although usually very pleasant-natured, Helen has been known to be difficult during the later stages of her pregnancies. The rumour in the paddock is that Albie thinks Helen is a bit too friendly with Roger, and is having some doubts about the paternity of Helen's unborn kid (obviously Albie has a splash of Nubian in him). Some of us are suspicious that Helen may have left Albie in the neighbour's paddock on purpose. I think it is time that Albie was shown the way back into our paddock, but Helen is all for leaving him next door.

Two birthdays

The two new lambs, some 12 hours old, as yet
anonymous. Mr Farmer apologises for the blurry photo.

When we checked on Big Suffolk last night at around 8 pm, she was muttering things about epidurals and cesarians. The lambs, however, hadn't even started to arrive. Helen and the flock were nearby, just in case, and Albie was just over the other side of the fence, saying some very soothing things to Big Suffolk.

At 12.30 am, Big Suffolk was found in the paddock nursing twin boys. Albie, from the other side of the fence, said he'd never been through such a life-changing experience. Helen has been all clucky since - hopefully she is due in August. In the meantime, everyone is thinking very hard about names for the two newest additions to the flock.

Yortu is still here, but has fallen in with the wrong crowd. Early yesterday evening she was inducted into the Guinea Fowl Gang as a prospect - the Guinea Fowl Gang comprise two (possibly) male guinea fowl who wandered up the driveway one day, several years ago, with a little bit of coercion from Mr Farmer.

Yortu and the Guinea Fowl Gang, cruising the 'hood.

Initially, the guinea fowl lived as one with the chickens, even starting a romantic relationship with one of the Rhode Island hens. It never amounted to anything, and, since said hen decided to end the liaison, the guinea fowl have taken to chasing all of the chickens away and stealing their food. Yortu is currently happy to share with the chickens, but we wonder how long it will be before she becomes a patched member of the GFG. The search is on for a suitable partner for Yortu - someone from a stable background who is interested in settling down with Mrs Right, and starting a family, and might be able to convince Yortu to get back on the straight and narrow. Single gobblers are hard to come by at present, however.

Albie is still on the other side of the fence, in exactly the same spot as he was yesterday. He claims he needs the alone time to think hard about names for his two wee god-children, but everyone knows he's just forgotten how to get back through the fence.

Christmas and a birthday

Yortu, checking out the pigs.

It's been an exciting day on the farm. First, Mr Farmer spotted Yortu in the front garden. Nobody is sure where Yortu came from, but it's been several hours, and Yortu is still hanging out with the sheep. She's been invited to move in full time, and is allowed to bring a boyfriend and raise a family (or come for Christmas dinner).

Big Suffolk, in labour.

In other news, Big Suffolk was spotted in the top corner of the paddock shortly after Yortu's arrival, looking sheepish. On closer inspection, her water had just broken - Mr Farmer claimed that he could see not one, but two, water bags. We might be expecting twins. Big Suffolk is still in labour, but Helen is standing by as her birth buddy, trying to redeem herself. Helen is in trouble because she took Albie into the paddock next door yesterday, and left him there. Albie has been sitting patiently by the fence ever since.