BaBa Rescue
The most difficult but rewarding rescues for me involved one of the neighbor’s sheep. This one, “BaBa,” is my personal favorite of all their animals and I enjoy a special bond with her. One evening I found her MIA at dinnertime. It was getting dark and, as concerned as I was, I made the call that there was nothing more I could do that evening. I slept very little and woke early to resume the hunt, fearful that if she had, perhaps, only been injured and hadn’t actually been killed by a coyote the day before than she had been, very likely, become a victim of a predator by sun up.
Nervous, unsure of what I would find or how I’d deal with it (emotionally or logistically), I headed out to the neighbor’s pasturelands hiking further than I had known their property line extended. Thoughts of blood and gore, finding a wild animal with its kill, or trying to hoist her dead weight back to the house (and then what to do with it for several days!) filled my head. I walked down ravines and cut through underbrush with my body and gloved hands before I glimpsed her head poking out behind a tree. I was spooked by her stance, which was upright but rigid and unmoving. As I approached she finally flicked an ear (relief; she’s alive!) and I could see then that she was ensnared in barbed fencing loose on the ground. I took a calculated risk (one I’m not sure I’d do it again…) and walked the length of the wire toward her stepping on the fencing material with my boots as I approached. When I could see she was nervous and about to bolt, which would have toppled and entangled me as well, I called out to her forcefully and with confidence I wasn’t sure I at all possessed. To my utterly relief she seemed to recognize me for the first time and she stood down. I was able to pull the wire from her wool with coaxing words and gloved but nimble fingers. When it was all over I was overwhelmed to find her completely unharmed by the long night’s exposure and lonely experience. |
On Duty In the Field: BaBa Time
Friday, August 30, 2013
I played and snuggled w/just about everyone tonight. In fact, I got to pet Percy and Sophie, who was surprisingly friendly last night and was briefly a lap cat for me tonight--very unusual. I think she misses you though she's not too bad off, 'next time I saw her she was splayed out on her back w/her legs limp in the air. Freddie jumped up on the coffee table, lied down, stretched out on his side looking at me, put out his 2 front legs, stuck out the back 2 and very specifically crossed them (the back legs) just so -- funniest thing ever; it reminded me of Luke, actually -- very adorable! Oh, and there was a 'Garfield' cat I'm calling Butterball out at the barns tonight. 'Almost forgot, I gave Momma Lena a lil' rub down tonight and ended up reaching over her back and staying there; I just leaned up and over her side w/my wt across her back while she ate. It was surprising comfortable; she's just the rt height, though terribly dusty... ;-)
So, I snuggled and played w/just about everyone tonight... but the highlight was when I got to the sheep and their guard llama, Posey ('not sure of Harry's routine but that pasture has always the last stop for me; 'furthest out and all). Baba had called out to me while I was still w/the donkeys which is becoming a nice pattern; she didn't used to do that regularly.
I visited w/Baba and Lacey a bit (she's really getting more comfortable w/me but nothing like Miss Baba) and w/Posey a tad. Coco and Velveteen were very brazen last evening treating me to close encounters by coming rt up eating out of my hands -- that's unheard of -- but they wouldn't do it again tonight. After a bit I got up and invited Baba for a walk. I asked her to show everyone else the way and she was all game!
Posey took notice immediately as I opened the gate and had little hesitation walking through it. Lacey tagged along behind. Coco and Velveteen got 'stuck' behind the fence. 4 of us made it not quite 1/2 way across the field when Baba ran back to the gate -- she does that; she LOVES running back and forth. Once there I called her to come back and a runnin' she did come. W/that, the other 2 took note of how to go around the gate and followed suit. It was fun; I felt like the Pied Piper w/a bucket of grain instead of a pipe. It's not as orderly as it might sound but it doesn't matter, it works in a round about fashion and they had fun.
Posey kept to herself chk'ing out _everything_ in the middle pasture. We (all of us) walked all the way to the next big gate (the one that Ole', Momma Lena, and Gracie Mae wait behind in the evening) and I think they may have all walked through if I hadn't have stopped to feed them a treat. Velveteen finally got some food but Coco was spooked again this evening and when our cluster finally broke (I stood up) they scattered to the pasture. Posey was content, so Baba and I walked back to 'the sheep pasture' once again. The 3 sheep were well into their pasture so I sat down inside the sheep gate w/Baba to pet her hoping the other 3 would get comfortable and come closer; they didn't. I looked behind me to chk on Posey and I saw a couple long, white legs in the air and a dust cloud rising--! I jumped up and took a few steps to realize she was rolling on the ground, having a fine ol' time. Crazy llama! She was relatively close to (w/in a few ft of) a fence so of course my first thought was of the worst but she was just having fun and got rt up when she was done. Tonight she earned the moniker, Rolley-Polley-Posey.
So I was now in the middle pasture again and Baba had followed me out so she and Posey and I ventured back to the big gate (which I'd prop'ed open) and went through it. Baba loves dashing off, not spooked and not even wanting to be w/the other sheep anymore, I think, she just loves running! I can usually get her to come back to me (on a run like she's going to bowl me over) if I call her back. When I'm lucky, she'll run back to me w/a kick in her gait that's just adorable (she's so feisty!). I even saw her run at a diagonal this evening(!); it reminded me of the way really young kittens run diagonally when they're thinking of pouncing. We also sat (I sat on the bucket, she stood) and chatted and petted for quite a while, too, in the lane. Once after we'd been sitting there a bit, Baba decided it was time to wonder so she trotted down the lane toward the big gate. I called her back to me as she got close to the gate knowing she'd probably race all the way to her pasture kicking and prancing if she actually went through it. She turned around and ran back to me. We'd done this a couple times in a few minutes and each time I would stand up from the bucket in order to have it to shake the food around inside and get her attn; but she'll sometimes come if I just call. When she comes back to me I like to lower myself back down again to her level (kinda like squatting down and throwing open your arms when a dog comes running to greet you). But if I lower my body my arms (one of which is holding the grain bucket) are closer to the ground, too, and she inevitably makes a beeline for the bucket, hooking her chin over the edge of it and bringing considerable wt and force to bare down on it in my hand so I end up swooping the bucket under me and sitting back down on it again, effectively put 'a lid on it,' if you will. So, there I am w/my arms open and Baba charging toward me. She gets to me and puts on the brakes and I pet her, telling her what a good girl she is. Somewhere in those same seconds I put the bucket down and sit on it again. I didn't pay much attn to how I landed but apparently I didn't cover the entire bucket w/'my seat,' as it were. She could smell the food so she dove headlong between my legs for the food. She's tried this before but I don't think I've been so careless about how I sat on the bucket before. This time she got her head in the bucket while I was still sitting on it and PUSHED... HARD! She knocked me off my bucket-stool and onto my ass! :*D OMG, she makes me laugh!!
On Baba's last charge down the lane I'd decided it was time to call it quits. I'd just engaged Posey behind me, getting her attn and offering her the bucket of grain to nibble on as bribe / reward. Baba was on the other side of me approaching the gate and just for fun I called her back one more time to watch her charge. This time I couldn't shake the bucket w/o disturbing or maybe spooking Posey (who I wanted to be comfortable following me back to the sheep pasture). Luckily, Baba came on the call alone but I couldn't squat down to her level either cuze my arm was extended out for Posey to eat so Baba rushes rt up close to me and looks up at me from way-down-there very expectantly (we've done that before, too, but it's just so fun (and you'd think less intimidating) to lower yourself to their level). Of course, she got a nibble of cob from my hand.
Anyway, Baba and I didn't go any further than 1/2 the way down the lane tonight; the rest of the lane was clearly Posey's domain. She LOVED it down there near the other llamas’ big gate and by the lil' people-sized gate. She sniffed everything and nibbled at grass and poked her head inside the 1/2-door of the old barn and looked in (I'm _not_ kidding!). She thoroughly enjoyed herself; I think she really wants to be w/the other llamas; though interestingly they all stayed in the barn tonight and didn't come out to visit...? 'Had no trouble walking Posey and Baba back to their proper field. Posey rarely wants to eat outa my hand but she was happy to be lead back down the lane and pasture w/occasional nibbles from the bucket. I had gotten extra grain for this evening's adventures so there was still plenty to put down in their bowls like usual and all of them ate feverishly (Coco, Velveteen, and Lacey joined in) as I departed.
SOooo.... let me know whenever you want to have the sheep sheered--I think I've got this covered! 'Just need enough time for them to wonder about as we go, running back and forth a few times and, ideally, someone hidden in the field to close gates behind us some time after everyone's cleared them.
Oh yeah, and did I mention that I _love_ Miss Baba. It's awful to play favorites, I know, but she just makes me smile so much! In fact, she struck a pose tonight w/her 2 front legs that just cracked me up; I've never seen an animal w/so much attitude! She's feisty but in the most endearing way, which is why, I suppose, she always gets what she wants.
'Good night and sweet Baba-dreams!
"Baaa-bye"
Jo
I played and snuggled w/just about everyone tonight. In fact, I got to pet Percy and Sophie, who was surprisingly friendly last night and was briefly a lap cat for me tonight--very unusual. I think she misses you though she's not too bad off, 'next time I saw her she was splayed out on her back w/her legs limp in the air. Freddie jumped up on the coffee table, lied down, stretched out on his side looking at me, put out his 2 front legs, stuck out the back 2 and very specifically crossed them (the back legs) just so -- funniest thing ever; it reminded me of Luke, actually -- very adorable! Oh, and there was a 'Garfield' cat I'm calling Butterball out at the barns tonight. 'Almost forgot, I gave Momma Lena a lil' rub down tonight and ended up reaching over her back and staying there; I just leaned up and over her side w/my wt across her back while she ate. It was surprising comfortable; she's just the rt height, though terribly dusty... ;-)
So, I snuggled and played w/just about everyone tonight... but the highlight was when I got to the sheep and their guard llama, Posey ('not sure of Harry's routine but that pasture has always the last stop for me; 'furthest out and all). Baba had called out to me while I was still w/the donkeys which is becoming a nice pattern; she didn't used to do that regularly.
I visited w/Baba and Lacey a bit (she's really getting more comfortable w/me but nothing like Miss Baba) and w/Posey a tad. Coco and Velveteen were very brazen last evening treating me to close encounters by coming rt up eating out of my hands -- that's unheard of -- but they wouldn't do it again tonight. After a bit I got up and invited Baba for a walk. I asked her to show everyone else the way and she was all game!
Posey took notice immediately as I opened the gate and had little hesitation walking through it. Lacey tagged along behind. Coco and Velveteen got 'stuck' behind the fence. 4 of us made it not quite 1/2 way across the field when Baba ran back to the gate -- she does that; she LOVES running back and forth. Once there I called her to come back and a runnin' she did come. W/that, the other 2 took note of how to go around the gate and followed suit. It was fun; I felt like the Pied Piper w/a bucket of grain instead of a pipe. It's not as orderly as it might sound but it doesn't matter, it works in a round about fashion and they had fun.
Posey kept to herself chk'ing out _everything_ in the middle pasture. We (all of us) walked all the way to the next big gate (the one that Ole', Momma Lena, and Gracie Mae wait behind in the evening) and I think they may have all walked through if I hadn't have stopped to feed them a treat. Velveteen finally got some food but Coco was spooked again this evening and when our cluster finally broke (I stood up) they scattered to the pasture. Posey was content, so Baba and I walked back to 'the sheep pasture' once again. The 3 sheep were well into their pasture so I sat down inside the sheep gate w/Baba to pet her hoping the other 3 would get comfortable and come closer; they didn't. I looked behind me to chk on Posey and I saw a couple long, white legs in the air and a dust cloud rising--! I jumped up and took a few steps to realize she was rolling on the ground, having a fine ol' time. Crazy llama! She was relatively close to (w/in a few ft of) a fence so of course my first thought was of the worst but she was just having fun and got rt up when she was done. Tonight she earned the moniker, Rolley-Polley-Posey.
So I was now in the middle pasture again and Baba had followed me out so she and Posey and I ventured back to the big gate (which I'd prop'ed open) and went through it. Baba loves dashing off, not spooked and not even wanting to be w/the other sheep anymore, I think, she just loves running! I can usually get her to come back to me (on a run like she's going to bowl me over) if I call her back. When I'm lucky, she'll run back to me w/a kick in her gait that's just adorable (she's so feisty!). I even saw her run at a diagonal this evening(!); it reminded me of the way really young kittens run diagonally when they're thinking of pouncing. We also sat (I sat on the bucket, she stood) and chatted and petted for quite a while, too, in the lane. Once after we'd been sitting there a bit, Baba decided it was time to wonder so she trotted down the lane toward the big gate. I called her back to me as she got close to the gate knowing she'd probably race all the way to her pasture kicking and prancing if she actually went through it. She turned around and ran back to me. We'd done this a couple times in a few minutes and each time I would stand up from the bucket in order to have it to shake the food around inside and get her attn; but she'll sometimes come if I just call. When she comes back to me I like to lower myself back down again to her level (kinda like squatting down and throwing open your arms when a dog comes running to greet you). But if I lower my body my arms (one of which is holding the grain bucket) are closer to the ground, too, and she inevitably makes a beeline for the bucket, hooking her chin over the edge of it and bringing considerable wt and force to bare down on it in my hand so I end up swooping the bucket under me and sitting back down on it again, effectively put 'a lid on it,' if you will. So, there I am w/my arms open and Baba charging toward me. She gets to me and puts on the brakes and I pet her, telling her what a good girl she is. Somewhere in those same seconds I put the bucket down and sit on it again. I didn't pay much attn to how I landed but apparently I didn't cover the entire bucket w/'my seat,' as it were. She could smell the food so she dove headlong between my legs for the food. She's tried this before but I don't think I've been so careless about how I sat on the bucket before. This time she got her head in the bucket while I was still sitting on it and PUSHED... HARD! She knocked me off my bucket-stool and onto my ass! :*D OMG, she makes me laugh!!
On Baba's last charge down the lane I'd decided it was time to call it quits. I'd just engaged Posey behind me, getting her attn and offering her the bucket of grain to nibble on as bribe / reward. Baba was on the other side of me approaching the gate and just for fun I called her back one more time to watch her charge. This time I couldn't shake the bucket w/o disturbing or maybe spooking Posey (who I wanted to be comfortable following me back to the sheep pasture). Luckily, Baba came on the call alone but I couldn't squat down to her level either cuze my arm was extended out for Posey to eat so Baba rushes rt up close to me and looks up at me from way-down-there very expectantly (we've done that before, too, but it's just so fun (and you'd think less intimidating) to lower yourself to their level). Of course, she got a nibble of cob from my hand.
Anyway, Baba and I didn't go any further than 1/2 the way down the lane tonight; the rest of the lane was clearly Posey's domain. She LOVED it down there near the other llamas’ big gate and by the lil' people-sized gate. She sniffed everything and nibbled at grass and poked her head inside the 1/2-door of the old barn and looked in (I'm _not_ kidding!). She thoroughly enjoyed herself; I think she really wants to be w/the other llamas; though interestingly they all stayed in the barn tonight and didn't come out to visit...? 'Had no trouble walking Posey and Baba back to their proper field. Posey rarely wants to eat outa my hand but she was happy to be lead back down the lane and pasture w/occasional nibbles from the bucket. I had gotten extra grain for this evening's adventures so there was still plenty to put down in their bowls like usual and all of them ate feverishly (Coco, Velveteen, and Lacey joined in) as I departed.
SOooo.... let me know whenever you want to have the sheep sheered--I think I've got this covered! 'Just need enough time for them to wonder about as we go, running back and forth a few times and, ideally, someone hidden in the field to close gates behind us some time after everyone's cleared them.
Oh yeah, and did I mention that I _love_ Miss Baba. It's awful to play favorites, I know, but she just makes me smile so much! In fact, she struck a pose tonight w/her 2 front legs that just cracked me up; I've never seen an animal w/so much attitude! She's feisty but in the most endearing way, which is why, I suppose, she always gets what she wants.
'Good night and sweet Baba-dreams!
"Baaa-bye"
Jo
For the Love of Sheep
I came across the following passage recently and while it's a bit over the top, I just loved it all the same and it made me think of Lady BaBa, whom I had a blast playing w/again this afternoon!
Excerpt from Romancing the Ordinary by Sarah Bran-Breathnach
" …A friend asked if I’d like to go to a British livestock show of rare breeds – cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and poultry. It sounded like a pleasant outing, so I agreed. The morning of the show I awoke with what can only be described as first-date jitters. I changed my boots three times. For some unfathomable reason I was nervous. It wasn’t anxiety, mind you, but the delicious frisson of anticipation. …By the time we got to the barn with the rare sheep, my heart was pounding. Ms Practical broke into a sweat, but my soul was soaring.
I took one look at all the different kinds of sheep, beautiful breeds whose lineage stretched back to biblical times, and felt as if I were on Noah’s Ark. Then, I took one look at her – a little Balwen Welsh Mountain lass – and fell head over Wellingtons in love. She was a small black ewe… with a white face, four little white “socks,” and the most soulful eyes I’ve ever looked into. I know you’ll find this as hard to believe as I did, but I swear it seemed as if she smiled back at me. It was the look I’d always expected to exchange with my soul mate, and in the truest sense of instant / ancient recognition, it was. Now, over the years I’ve learned to surrender a lot of expectations about love’s packaging, but the tail was a surprise."
Excerpt from Romancing the Ordinary by Sarah Bran-Breathnach
" …A friend asked if I’d like to go to a British livestock show of rare breeds – cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and poultry. It sounded like a pleasant outing, so I agreed. The morning of the show I awoke with what can only be described as first-date jitters. I changed my boots three times. For some unfathomable reason I was nervous. It wasn’t anxiety, mind you, but the delicious frisson of anticipation. …By the time we got to the barn with the rare sheep, my heart was pounding. Ms Practical broke into a sweat, but my soul was soaring.
I took one look at all the different kinds of sheep, beautiful breeds whose lineage stretched back to biblical times, and felt as if I were on Noah’s Ark. Then, I took one look at her – a little Balwen Welsh Mountain lass – and fell head over Wellingtons in love. She was a small black ewe… with a white face, four little white “socks,” and the most soulful eyes I’ve ever looked into. I know you’ll find this as hard to believe as I did, but I swear it seemed as if she smiled back at me. It was the look I’d always expected to exchange with my soul mate, and in the truest sense of instant / ancient recognition, it was. Now, over the years I’ve learned to surrender a lot of expectations about love’s packaging, but the tail was a surprise."