Sink or Swim

It's been one of them days.........

The nephew is stopping for the week and as is the norm when having a vacation at Shep's house he is treat along similar lines to the dogs, in that he is bundled into the car in the morning and finds out his destination upon arrival. Also like the dogs he has to scavenge throughout the day whilst remaining forever hopeful his dish will be filled with gruel at night. Unlike the dogs he isn't barred in the kennel (although it could be tempting!).

The thought of getting up at 6am seemed a painful one, but obviously the thought of being left behind was even worse and so it was he stumbled out of his room this morning, started scavenging then jumped into the car and off we went.

A day of gathering and lamb marking was on the cards, Shep had the quad, nephew had his legs, a grand way to waken up a teenage lad I thought. By afternoon I took pity on the poor soul and decided some fun was well deserved and so directed him on the quad whilst I went off in a different direction on foot, our paths were destined to cross eventually if the directions I had given had been understood.

Our paths didn't cross. Twice he came into view, searching the ground frantically trying to make visual contact with his 'dearly beloved' Aunty, only to fail and disappear out of view on the hill ground once again.

This behaviour had me somewhat perplexed, after all, I could see him as clear as day and yet it seemed he was unable to see me.

I stood on a raised bit of ground, rolled a fag, grinned to myself and watched the lad buzzing in and out of view like a panicky dog who had lost it's owner. Fag finished and still he seemed unable to see me by which time my humour was beginning to waver, arm waving and whistling had little effect. Was I invisible? Was I actually just living through some peculiar sort of dream? What is it with youngsters these days? Do they teach them anything at school?

Eventually for all I could still hear the bike I was aware it didn't sound as though it was moving, then there was the sound of much engine revving............

Humour was getting heavier as I retraced my steps, muttering under my breath, repeating the directions I had given him to myself, how could he possibly get it wrong? Okay! He'd never been on this ground before, never been on a quad on this ground before but really! I'm sure my directions were fairly straight forward and anyhow, if I could see him, surely to god he could have seen me. Should I suggest an appointment at the opticians, could there be something wrong with this lads sight?

I followed the sound of the bike, had he turned the engine off I would still have known the direction to head. What on earth had he been thinking of?

On coming into view I just couldn't help but laugh, I was gonna give the lad a bulling but hey! it was the best thing that had happened that day, how could I possibly be annoyed, especially when, just as the dogs would, he seemed to drop his lugs upon seeing me and that look came over his face of "Oh god! I'm in trouble now"

It's amazing what we learn in life, for instance, nephew now knows that quads don't float - they have a tendency to sink!

That's a pretty impressive bogging it has to be said, even Kale found it funny! I patted the lad on the back and told him there was nowt like keeping it in the family, after all, Shep herself has a pretty impressive track record of bogging bikes, it must be in the genes I suggested!

 

It also ended up in the wellies! Give the lad his dues, he could give me a run for my money any day, but how is it his wellies didn't get filled?

British Summer Time.

The clocks have gone forward, thanks to that strange phenomena known as British Summer Time, we suddenly find we have to get up an hour earlier than usual. At least in October when the clocks go back we get an extra hour in bed!

Sunday 25th March saw the days get longer, except they don't really, there are the same number of hours in the day only difference is it is an hour lighter at night and we get up an hour earlier in the morning so that makes the days seem longer, if you get my jist.

Shep had sheep to feed before heading elsewhere for the day, a sharp start was required to get on and move on so to speak. Sheep are accustomed to being fed at a set time and suddenly Shep turns up an hour earlier and on a misty morning........

It has to be said it was a beautiful morning, one which didn't see a soul astir anywhere, probably due to it being a Sunday morning with many adjusting their body clocks at their leisure, we don't all have that opportunity however.

This pheasant was awake if not somewhat dozy, trying to catch the weak sunshine which was valiantly attempting to burn off the morning mist.

The spider was no where to be seen, having a lie in, saving it's energy for whatever unsuspecting fly which might buzz it's way into the web once the day warmed up.

Sheep were taken by surprise, as was I, due to the fact I was struggling to see them. An hour earlier than they would normally expect to be fed they hadn't quite got themselves roused ready for breakfast and with visibility poor it was difficult to track them all down, 'twas just as well I knew how many sheep were in each group, a quick head count enabled me to drive further into the gloom looking for the few which were napping.

Sheep were eventually fed, taking longer than usual due to the visibility and early hour of the morning, then onwards Shep went to spend a day dosing sheep further down the valley. British Summer Time it indeed was, as mist burnt off the sun blazed down on us - this is the 25th March and the thermometer at Sheps back door recorded 23 degrees celsius!!! Can you believe that???

Young Kale wasn't too impressed to find himself locked in a livestock trailer, Moss was in there with him too but Kale thought he was missing out on something exciting and seemed to spend a great deal of time with his head stuck out of one of the ventilation slits, I would guess he had actually considered escaping from his captivity by this route and found his body was bigger than his head. The car was far too hot to leave the pair of them in and with bitches on heat on the farm it was far easier to have them barred up somewhere until they were needed or had cause to be released.

The buzz of bumble bees and singing of birds were drowned out by the roar of motorbikes, one of Tarset's downsides. We have roads which it would seem every motorcyclist in the North wishes to drive, once the weather picks up they are like midges, swarming upon us and shattering the peace of the countryside. Today was no exception. Fortunately for once the wail of sirens were not an accompaniment, there will be many sirens though over the summer months as blue flashing lights pick up the pieces of those unable to negotiate the roads - today we were fortunate.

Due to the farm Shep was working on being right on a busy motorbike highway it was necessary to fetch sheep under the road and into the pens,

they are able to walk along the edge of the Tarset burn below a bridge to reach the pens in safety. I was told today that the burn always has a dapply reflection on the underside of the bridge when the weather is really bright, I couldn't help but look up

Indeed the water was reflecting on the underside of the bridge.

 

The ewes managed to negotiate the busy road without too much bother, the burn was low and co operative.

Now one of these here swaledale ewes caused Shep some grief, I have no idea which one, I may write about the incident yet but I'll just say for now that I sustained a 'knock' in the pens, one which has had me pondering all afternoon as to how it happened and hoping that no one makes me laugh and definitely praying that I don't sneeze, cough or in fact perform any movement which may involve my ribs....

There was unexpected company in the sheep pens........

A new born lamb !

 

Then there were two!!!

She stopped at three - thank goodness!!

For all she found herself moved into a 'personal' pen I couldn't help but think that it must be like giving birth in the middle of a shopping precinct or such likes. Fortunate for her though that she hadn't been left back in the field as the first lamb came arse first (breech), with just a tail dangling out of the ewes backside. Lambs can be difficult to give birth to in this position and are apt to die due to drowning so both ewe and lamb were very lucky, especially as they aren't officially due to lamb until later in the week. Help was on hand and Shep lambed her first lamb of the season, the other two followed on at their leisure, with all three on the ground within ten minutes - not bad going! The ewe and her family then found themselves in a nice pen full of straw away from the hustle and bustle of the sheep pens.

As said, the days are getting longer, it was indeed a long day. To round it off a shot of the setting sun. Darkness didn't fall until 8pm. It is still incredible to believe we could be experiencing such weather so early in the year, enjoy it whilst it lasts is what I say!

Close encounter

The day the old tups went through the pens the youngsters also found themselves having a trip around the pens. Tup hoggs, last years lambs, hopefully going to grow out and become breeding tups themselves. These fellas are spoilt somewhat, living indoors in comfort. A shed, with straw to lie on, hay to eat and sheep feed in troughs, giving them an opportunity to grow into strong adult sheep, or so it is hoped.

Once again young Kale found himself the dog of the moment, learning the ropes in the pens, teaching the hoggs how to respect a dog at the same time. He was in his element! All other dogs barred up he was having a one to one with me and close encounters with sheep. A happy young dog.

He truly did have a close encounter, this one tup hogg seemed to be intrigued by this big black hairy creature which was hanging around, the others weren't too impressed with the idea but this young guy was bolder, going where no tup has gone before!

I watched almost spell bound as I really wasn't sure what young Kales reaction would be, he has never had a tup (albeit a tup hogg) come up to him to make friends before, I have to admit I half expected him to have a mouthful of tup but no, he just stood and took it like a man.

My imagination started to wander and the more I look at this picture the more I wonder what the young sheep was saying to the young dog. Whatever it was it did the young dog the power of good, he didn't back off with fear, neither did he lurch forward to give fear, he just took the encounter in his stride. I was impressed.

Kales reward was to be asked to move the tup hoggs further up the pens, to show his authority, act like a sheepdog, go around the back of them and push them further up to the working pen. A reward which he seemed to appreciate.

Tups off

Aye, the boys are back home, they've had their fun for the year, it's now all over for another year and gathered in they are. Not everyone fetches their tups in, some seem to leave them running with the flock, I've never been accustomed to this, the tups would always be fetched off the ewes, you always knew when the lambing would draw to a close, it can help the sanity in the spring, knowing that the lambing will come to an end.

Once all gathered in off the ewes the boys found themselves going through the sheep pens. A bit of a health check was required. Much to young Kales pleasure, he found himself with the opportunity of working in the pens or ought that be learning in the pens?

Some of the fellas found themselves heading off for a journey to the mart, never to be seen again, they may have been old sheep or maybe just spares which had been kept should an emergency arise at tup time, regardless, if they are no longer wanted there is no point in feeding them, off they went.

Those remaining found themselves walking through a footbath, horns checked and sorted (will write about this sometime), dosed and of course squirted for lice, although they seem to show no outward signs they will indeed be infested, the ewes were so the tups will be also.

Tups in a tight area are not always the safest of creatures, young Kale found himself on the wrong side of the gate on purpose, his enthusiasm could see him hurt, if not him then probably me. There are some bolshy characters and I didn't wish to see either the young fella or myself get injured. He watched the proceedings with great interest and a longing...

Finally all the doings to the fellas had been done, left to stand on concrete for a short while to allow the chemical which was in the footbath to soak into their feet, odd ones started to hold a foot up - a good sign, obviously they had a touch of scald (similar I guess to athletes foot), for all they had been showing no outward signs, in other words weren't limping, they must have been starting with something, the bath would hopefully sort this up and prevent it from worsening.

The last of these boys were fetched off the ewes on 4th January, allowing the five months less five days thing you would say the ewes would cease lambing at the end of May, however, we all know that some carry their lambs over their due dates, it will be fair to say that by the end of May/beginning of June there'll be nowt left to lamb - hurray! But then these sheep wont be bothering Shep as she heads elsewhere to go lambing.

The boys eventually found themselves returned to their pasture

much to young Kales delight, as he found himself being allowed to pretend to be a sheepdog, he hasn't had the work he ought to have over tup time but proved to be enthusiastic and willing when given his chance.

He can run faster than I of that there is no doubt, still learning the ropes he did very well with the boys. They are ideal to work a young dog on, due to their bolshyness as much as anything, they can teach a keen fella a bit of respect, whilst the keen fella also teaches the boys a bit of respect, the arrangement works quite well.

The boys get their reward for the inconvenience caused to them, Kale received a well deserved pat for listening and learning and walked out of the field feeling he'd achieved something.