A Lamb's Tail

Lath math my herd. The sun is shining and we’ve been brushed. The day is off to a great start. I thought today I would introduce you to Lola.

Lola is but a wee uan (lamb), and we’ve grown quite fond of her. Lola is a free spirit. Some days she’s a coo, some days she’s a hound, other days she hangs with the sheep. She seems to have more freedom than anyone one here at Jinkers. Her life however has not always been so easy.

 Rachel loves lambing season. She loves to see the little ones born, watch the mums clean them up, watch them have their first feed, and quickly start to explore the world. When Lola was born, she struggled up onto her scrawny little legs to feed from her mum, but nothing came. Lola would bleet, her mum would try, but nothing was happening. As hours went by, other lambs born after her seemed to almost grow by the minute, but not Lola. Her mum’s milk had not come in, and Lola just got weaker by the hour. At first she tried playing with the other lambs, but very soon she didn’t have the energy, she just sat and watched. She soon wasn’t able to follow her mum.

Rachel noticed Lola not growing, not keeping up, and shivering in the field. McKenzie the shepherd checked, and confirmed that Lola’s mum had no milk and that she would soon be left to die, alone in the paddock. It was at this point that McKenzie gave Rachel some tips and some starter milk and Lola went to live in the Big House. Rachel would prepare bottles for her, cuddle her, wrap her in woollen crotched blankets and nursed her back to health.

The first few days were touch and go. Lola struggling to drink enough milk, as she had become so weak. Rachel checking throughout the night to make sure she was still breathing. It was also tough out on the paddock. Lola’s mum roaming the fields calling for her, giving Rachel the side eye when she went out. There was tension in the air, but the only milk available was still through the bottle. It was during this time that Lola started to make some dubious friends, including a fox! (It was of course a toy fox, but really? Who thinks that is funny) Anyway, as the days went on, Lola started to strengthen. She would sleep in a portacot in the house, jumping onto Rachel’s lap for her bottle and running around the house in a nappy. She even went to work with Rachel, in her nappy and a harness. Imagine that! A crazy little lamb running around an office in a nappy. I couldn’t think of anything worse. Not only would you be embarrassed, but there is not even any grass in an office!!!

Lola continued to grow and started playing outside with the hounds. They would run back and forth, until she tired and had to lay down and rest. During this time Lola’s run was next to the sheep paddock so that she could be near her flock.

These days you will find her on walks with the dogs, spends some time with sheep and hanging out with us some of the day. She rarely misses dinner time and is very nosey. She loves investigating what’s going on around the farm, so if you are visiting, don’t be surprised if a little white face with big floppy ears pops up next to you. You can see Lola’s story in pictures on the Jinkers Farm Insta page.

Wisdom of the week -  A gude dog’s worth whistlin’ for. Things of quality and value are worth putting some effort into. So don’t give up on something meaningful just because the going get’s tough or you have to put extra work in.

It’s been a long week, so that’s it from me for today, and until we next meet, Lang may yer lum reek.