Stephanie Marohn's Blog

Shearing happened last week—the annual event that must be endured to get those heavy coats of wool off for the summer. It’s an uncomfortable procedure for the sheep (and scary if it’s your first time!) and I feel their distress—we’re all relieved when it’s over. This was Fleur and Beau’s first shearing, since they are just over a year old. I had Chloe go first so Beau and Fleur could see what it was all about. Fleur went next and her babies set up a cry immediately—their bleats sounded like “Mom! Mom! Mom!” We were all in one stall together so nobody would have to be anxious at being separated from the flock, but the lambs had never seen their mother in someone else’s hands, much less a stranger’s, and they kept up their cries until the sheep shearer had restored Fleur to them.

Beau after his first shearing

Now we can see what Beau and Fleur-de-Lys look like without all their shaggy wool.

Fleur-de-Lys after her first shearing

Snowflake and Aurora Charlotte with their mom

The babies still sound like babies, but they are almost as tall as their petite mother.

A measure of their growing up is that they are willing to be a distance from their mom, which they wouldn’t do for the first six weeks.
Since she is nursing, Fleur has to graze a lot, and the babies sometimes want to nap in the shade instead of roaming around her.

The twins taking a nap with Aunt Chloe

I was indoors writing when a chorus of bleating and baaing drew me outside to make sure all was well. The picture here is what I found. From her position in the shade, Aurora Charlotte would every so often call for her mother (I guess Snowflake let her sister do the checking in) and Fleur would answer, often with her mouth full, head still down grazing, so she sounded like she was baaing under water. When they saw me, the chorus increased all around, but the twins stayed where they were, happy with their Auntie Chloe.

Now I understand the phrase “growing by leaps and bounds”! Snowflake and Aurora Charlotte are leaping and bounding all over the place while they grow so very quickly. Here they are at nearly a month old.

Aurora Charlotte and Snowflake with their mother

Today is shearing day so I’ll get to see what size Fleur-de-Lys and Beau really are under all that Icelandic wool. This will be their first shearing.

I think Chloe will be relieved to get her wool off because for some reason it’s matted this year. I even cut some off her because clumps were staying damp around her neck during the rainy time. Thank you to my shearer for making shearing a calmer event for Chloe. He has the magic touch!

It’s hard to work with the call of the lambs, two little ones growing up at warp speed, beckoning me outside to watch them at rest and play.

Fleur and her twins

The twins are no longer curling up for a nap in the food bowls, not because they no longer fit, but because they have moved beyond that. They are out in the wider world, and have already learned to run around the open gate to reach their mother instead of wondering what to do when they find themselves behind it. All this at only 11 days old!

Aurora Charlotte, 11 days old

This morning when I let the sheep out of the safe area where they spend the night, Beau and the two lambs did that special sheep dance together—pronging down the drive and bouncing around each other with those special sheep sideways twists in the air. It looked like sheer fun to me!

Snowflake, 11 days old

Later, I went out to check on them and found everyone taking a rest in the lush green grass. Calm sanctuary moment. I am so happy that I can arrive and move among them without creating a single ripple. They gaze placidly at me and continue their calm rest. I am an honorary member of the flock. I am ever aware of what an honor this is, and I give thanks every day. I will know that I have moved from honorary to full membership when they do their pronging, airborne dance with me!

Misty morning on the sanctuary. Since the new lambs kept climbing in their mama’s breakfast bowl, I put out two bowls of hay, thinking Fleur would get a chance to eat out of at least one of them.

Snowflake and Aurora, 4 days old

When I went back to check on them all a few minutes later, though, here is what I found. I wonder how long it will be before they outgrow the bowls!

Fleur and her twins

What a good mother! Watching over her babies as they sleep in her breakfast…

Fleur’s twins have grown amazingly already. Here they are at two days old.

Snowflake and Aurora with their mom, Fleur-de-Lys

The lambs’ names arrived soon after they did. Snowflake is the white one and Aurora Charlotte is the spotted lamb. Aurora’s second name is in honor of our beloved Charlotte, my remarkable teacher in the Way of the Sheep.

Every time I set out a bowl of food for Fleur—pellets, grass, or hay—one or both lambs climb into the bowl, and even sometimes take a nap there.

Naptime

Sanctuary

We all welcome you to the sanctuary, Snowflake and Aurora Charlotte!