Headbutt

Our sheep are Katahdins, a meat breed. They are very docile and lots of fun to be around. Like any other species, each has their own unique personality and traits. The ewes often have twins, sometimes triplets and are very good, attentive mothers.
Also, like any other species, they like to have a little fun. On this particular day, I was able to catch a few photos of the sheep butting heads.
Here they're picking their challenge.

A step forward--they don't run at each other, but the impact is still a big one!

Getting closer...and...

KABLAM! That would hurt any ordinary person. Especially me!

And the bounce off. Not sure if this indicates the victor or not.

Thinking about gearing up for another go at it.

When a third contender steps in!

Encore!

Meet Lurch

Dogs are an important part of ranching. And raising livestock. Here at the ranch we only have 3 dogs, but each has an important job.

This is Brutus. Brutus is a Blue Heeler stock dog. He's had his share of black eyes, sore jaws, and missing teeth from being kicked by cows. But Brutus has definitely earned his keep. At 14 years old (that's 98 in dog years!), he still REALLY wants to tag along when moving cattle, working calves, walking out to check the sheep or just a jaunt into town in the truck, although it's getting harder with old age creeping up on him. Brutus is considered a big dog breed. Not quite as tall as a German Shepard, but larger than the more common smaller Blue Heeler breeds. Notice the missing canines.

This is Lurch. He's one of our Great Pyranees sheep dogs. He was just 12 weeks old in this photo.

And, like Lurch on The Munsters, he's always eager to greet you!

This is Lurch in the early winter of 2009. Growing up a bit, he is!

And still eager to greet you!

But your really want to watch out for that nose! Often times there are huge drips of drool hanging around, too. You gotta be careful!

Just the other day, Lurch came for a visit. Generally, Lurch and Holly, our 4-year-old Great Pyranees, stay out in the pastures with the sheep protecting them and warding off predators. We go out to find them twice a day to check the sheep which are now lambing and feed the dogs.

On this day, Brutus met Lurch. Remember, Brutus is a big dog. Lurch is an elephant. Brutus is usually pretty defensive when it comes to meeting new dogs, but I think he realizes what the combination of his old age and the size of Lurch mean when they're added together.
Friendly enough banter.
Brutus is letting Lurch sniff around without too many defenses rising up. Although he wanted to get defensive! After all, this was HIS turf and Lurch was visiting.
Then, Lurch was ready to head back up the hill to his flock of sheep. Enough visiting for one day.
Eager little ball of fluff.

Lambing

We left the ram in with the ewes this year thinking we'd lamb around September/October. Apparently the ram didn't get to work when we thought he might, so we're just now lambing. In the winter. And the snow. But these sheep are so hearty and really don't seem to mind the weather. They've got good hair coats and plenty of fat to keep them warm. And that fat all comes from what they find foraging in the pastures. Grasses, legumes, berries, leaves and brush.

This is one of the 2nd set of twins born Jan 1, 2010. Love the black on his ears and nose. What a cutie!

This is the momma of those twins protecting her babies. The sheep rely on the guard dogs, but still like to show their apprehension for the dogs coming too close to their new babies. Notice her ears and her stance.

Here she's stomping her foot. That's her defense. Putting her foot down while saying, "I mean it! Don't come any closer!"

You can see Lurch was really scared away. It's amazing to see how the dogs will hover right over the new babies after birth, especially when the momma's are still giving birth. They're very protective.

Snack time!

This is our first set of twins born this season, on December 29, 2009. All white.

Got an itch!

This poor girl's gotta be close to lambing. But, saying for sure when they'll lamb is like a watched pot that won't boil. You really can't guess who'll be next. Those little legs look like toothpicks holding up a watermelon!

This is a ewe lamb born last February. We aptly named her "Fifi" in honor of Pepe le Pew's cat girlfriend.

Another ewe lamb born Feb, 2009.

This is one lucky fellow. This is Vindicator, named after the Hereford bull in the Jimmy Stewart movie, "The Rare Breed". He's lucky because he's the only boy that got to live. And his legacy is now living on, being born this year. This pic is last spring; he was born Feb, 2009, and is all grown up now.

This is Feb, 2009. We had lots of snow and ice and would put some hay out for the sheep to bed down on.

Snuggled up with momma!

Our first set of twins born Feb, 2009. This little ewe thought she was a nurse maid.

Say, "Cheese!"

Our first ewe born on the ranch, Feb 2, 2009, Groundhog Day. We looked out from the house and thought she had to be dead, being born on ice and sleet.

We helped dry off and thaw out her little ears and tail.

And she was good to go! Breakfast!

Raising the sheep has been a great experience. We started with 30 bred ewes we brought home in January and they all lambed within 27 days during Feb, 2009. We now have over 50 ewes and hope to keep doubling our numbers each year. The chops, steaks, ground lamb and lamb sausage is wonderful. We hope to really have several hundred sheep roaming the Rockin H one of these days!

Where it ALL began...

Okay, ya'll. I promised a while back I'd tell the story (my version, anyway) of how Cowboy Cody met Ms Cowboy. But to really understand, we need to go WAY back to where it ALL started...

Aww, isn't she sweet? The pony, too. Her name was Princess and that's me on her back. The boy holding the lead is my big brother, Danny. Boy, was he a proud 8-year-old to have an annoying little sister!

By the way, LOVE his plaid pants!

What a good big brother he was, taking care of his annoying little sister (me!) and her pony. That's Princess with her momma, Cochise.

This was probably around 1974...wow.

Ooh--here's ma and pa on Cochise and Sundance. In the front yard. Don't all cowboy folk saddle up in the front yard? Love the '70's cowboy hats.

Oh yeah, the red stocking hat? Yep. That's me. Ma was one of those overprotective types.

Hmm. The whole family. Pa on Sundance, Danny on Tom Thumb, yours truly on Cochise (check out the retro blue straw hat!) and Ma on Pye Wackett. Please, do not comment about that poor horse's name. I really have no idea. He was Princess's daddy, by the way.

Yea! My first birthday! We always got to sit on the kitchen table for our birthday! It's getting a little harder to get up there these days, though.

What a good big brother, helping me blow out the candle on my cut-up-cake made by Ma.

Remember the Fisher Price record player? Got one!

And now we go back in time several years...this is Cowboy Cody with his younger sister Connie and his new baby sister, Patty. Those two girls didn't have a chance!

Cowboy Cody with Connie, Patty, and his Ma. And their station wagon parked in front of their spacious little trailer. Good times in Arizona!

Here's Cowboy Cody with his sisters and his dog, Porky, helping out his Pa.

Aren't the old pics the best?

Don't worry. This is only the beginning. We'll skip a few years and get to the good stuff soon...