Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Signs of Spring (Sheepish)

There can be few motifs of springtime more endearing than these little woolly creatures. Thirty-six (so far anyway) Border Leicester, Coloured Border Leicester and Blue Faced Leicester lambs have been born at Windblest Farm in the Lanark Highlands this year. Five coloured Blue Faced Leicesters were added to the breeding flock last autumn, and some of the new lambs are comely indeed.

When at the farm, I am always tempted to drape myself over the railings of the enclosures and watch the diminutive curly children for hours at a time, and I often forget to take a picture although the Pentax or the Lumix is usually slung around my neck.

There is a timeless and very restful rhythm to a few hours spent among the the sheep, unless (of course) one is a watchful shepherd in the month of March, ever short on sleep and dazzled by the morning sunshine after a night spent in the darkness of the lambing pens.