Twice a year we have the stunning sight of hundreds of sheep grazing in the water meadow.
The farmers, owner of the meadows, are not as happy as the triplets: sheep squish their ground.
I read that the Celts celebrated on the first of February "Imbole": that means "in the belly (abdomen)" and might be related to the lambing of sheep.
As February mornings are still very cold it is fascinating to watch them: the sheep look as if they are literally frozen to the ground - not one is moving! For hours - no movement, not even a curl! From my window I cannot see their eyes :-)
So I have to wait till around 10:30 a.m. - then the dog stirs them up and they hesitatingly chew a few iced blades of grass.
The shepherd is a big disappointment - nothing romantic about him. He stuffed himself into an old car, he can hardly move because of his corpulence (to put it politely) and out of the open car window hangs a dog leash for the one who does the work for him.
Woof!
That shepherd is just plain lazy! St Brigid's Day is February 1. Imbolc is also considered to be the first day of spring. Lambs, calves, and other animals are giving birth. The world is renewing itself. Trees begin to bud. Grass and some hardy flowers begin to show themselves. It is time to begin spring cleaning.
ReplyDeleteDear Mimmylynn, thank you for pointing out St. Bridgid's Day - my first name is Brigitta :-)
DeleteWe wait here for the birth of lambs and calves - it is always special when the triplets are allowed to visit the newborn at the farm.
I love the first signs of spring: here some snowdrops, and many winter aconites are flowering, and hazel has its first cats out.
And yes: spring cleaning has soon to start...
Here's to that sheep dog. They are wonderful animals. I love to watch them working.
ReplyDeleteDear Joanne, yes, the sheep dog here did all the work (ok: it must have been the shepherd, not the dog, who erected orange net-fences :-) , though last year he had "forgotten" to do even that and the sheep said bye-bye and were seen far away near a bridge.
DeleteThankfully there no sheep here, not that I have anything against them. It's just that they would be another thing that I would have to learn about and I'm having enough trouble in respect to that as it is. They look nice and cuddly though, like the sheep skin I had in the little room.
ReplyDeleteDear Katlyn, I like to watch them a few days, but I do not miss them later. My late best friend Ann owned 4 sheep - she loved them dearly and though they were lovely I could not bond with them in a special way.
DeleteCan the sheep not be put in sheds during winter with long floors covered in grass?
ReplyDeleteDear Helen - my answer vanished!
ReplyDeleteI do not know much about the keeping of sheep (and cannot ask my best late friend Anne, who owned 4 sheep as a hobby) - I think it is very cold outside, but surely one of the farmers would intervene if it is forbidden to let them outside at night? I am glad that they still have their huge sheepskin wool.
Your local shepherd is hardly worthy of his name, dear Britta. Call me old-fashioned, but he has a lot to be living up to, especially with the impressionable triplets as witness. Where is the crook, the bit of straw (even frozen, the effort must be made) to hang between the teeth, the jaunty hat with the feather, lederhosen (or am I getting my image of Geissenpeter mixed up) and whatnots? Or, given it's the dead of winter, should he perhaps be of a less romantic shape? Perhaps a corpulent wolf, stalking the frosty meadow shrouded in a sheepskin cloak?
ReplyDeleteDear Pip, thank you - and so sorry to be so late in answering!
DeleteYes, THAT shepherd (not mine! :-) is a shame for his guild (IF they have that). It would be highly impolite to discuss his shape - he has none, he filled the inner space of his spavined car - shame, shame, shame!
As you said: no romantic crook, no slouched hat, no wide gaze over his flock and the meadows (only a bottle of wine, was my impression) - and to imagine that he was a hidden wolf under a sheepskin stalking around gives him too much humour - he might not be able to squeeze out of his car to even start stalking...
I was happy that the triplets were fully mesmerised by the sheep.
What a lovely sight on a cold, February day Britta. I would love to see them at the bottom of my garden ! XXXX
ReplyDeleteDear Jackie, yes, the sight from my big panorama window and the balcony is beautiful. Relaxing (sometimes a bit too much - counting sheep might beam me back to sleep :-)
DeleteAnd you watch to keep them behind (!) a fence of your garden: they trod on the grass and stomp it to mud... XXXX