The Soundtrack Of My Farmwife Life... (Season- Winter)

- The washing machine running
- Children sweetly humming to themselves as they quietly play
- Creaking floor boards

- The older brother reading out loud to the  younger brother
- Utensils on dishes
- Children screaming, and squealing, and yelling
- Crying... and fake crying
- Laughing
- Singing
- The woodburning stove blower running
- Fire crackling
- The sounds of the lady bugs crashing into things
- The furnace turning on and off, but mainly going
- Farmer J chopping wood
- The mudroom door slamming
- Wind whistling in the chimney
- The dryer going
- Crow's crowing
- Sheep baaaahh'ing
- Chicken's clucking
- Children running on old wooden floors
- Typing on my keyboard
- Birds chirping
- Goats chatting with each other
- The space heater cranking out quick heat to warm my frigid toes
- Children running up and down steps
- Me yelling at children to stop running... especially on the steps
- Water dripping from the kitchen sink into empty cereal bowls from breakfast
- Instruments being played well and badly
- Someone searching for the perfect Lego piece in their cloth Lego bag
- A variety of "Lord of the Ring's" movies playing in the back ground, with scene by scene questions and comments from Pickle and JJ
- Tea pot whistling
- Oven timer beeping (baking cookies warms the soul...and the kitchen)
- Water filling a cold tub with hot water

I hope you love the soundtrack of your life as much as I love mine.

No lambs yet...

Still "no babies" (as Pickle lovingly refers to the unborn lambs).  Pickle has probably gone from the house to the barn (in this single digit degree freezing weather) almost every hour or two to check on Aoife and see if there were any slimy, wet, new creatures in the barn.  He might have even taken more trips to the barn than his Dada! I think Pick Pick is more excited for the lambs' birth than he was for Santa's arrival on Christmas Eve.

Farmer J has been on more poop clean-up this afternoon and evening, ensuring a cleaner pathway for the wee little wool ones. 

Sadly, all of us will be gone from the farm tomorrow due to busy work and school schedules.  We may arrive home to find more animals in our fur-family!

Stay tuned...

Aoife and Ciaran (video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYoe8T0KUA8

Call the (sheep) Midwife- update

Farmer J is home today.  Thank goodness!  I'm off duty- and that feels awesome.  J is a much better mid-husband than me!

Last night, after a 12 + hour work day, Farmer J came home and checked on Aoife.  He cleaned up her backside, got the "birthing bucket" ready and observed his expecting mother.  Aoife had diarrhea...so he had to clean that up as well!  There is nothing glamorous about being a farmer, that is for sure.

This morning... still no babies.  But more diarrhea, and more cleaning up.  Did I mention I'm super excited that J is home today?!!!

Aoife's breathing is still labored and she is making an unusual noise, the same as yesterday.

I really hope the baby lambs are not born in this bitter, cold weather-- but we'll see.

I'll keep the updates coming!

Here is a picture of Aoife with her babies (FROM LAST YEAR)- Una and Little Boy

Aoife update

11:30- No babies yet! And she came out of the barn for chow! 

Call the Midwife

6:30 a.m. Farmer J wakes me while he is getting ready for work.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, he is out of the house before we wake and home long after we are in bed; long days at his actual job (that he loves just as much as farming) that pays for this farm life we have chosen. 

He tells me that Aoife looks close to having her babies...that her breathing is more rapid and she is not moving as fast to come get her beloved goat/sheep treats.  I've been, lovingly, requested to keep an eye on Aoife today.  The wary farmwife has become the sheep midwife while Farmer J is far away from the farm, working in the big city.

8:00 a.m. While driving the boys to school, I tell them the exciting news that Aoife may be in labor and may soon give birth to baby lambs.  Pickle tells me that Aoife will have triplets "because her belly is so round." For Aoife's sake, I'm praying for twins. 

8:30 a.m. Back at home, I go check on my patient.  Typically, the sheep and goats are all waiting for me at the pasture gate by the time I get out of my car.  Today, none of them were there.  I found the goats and three ewes warming themselves from the morning sun, and out of the wicked winter wind, by the lower part of the barn.  But no Aoife.  I cautiously peek into the barn, preparing myself for any scene. 

I find Aoife laying on the soft, warm hay.  Her breathing is slightly more rapid and she is making a little noise that I'm not used to hearing.  She doesn't move when I get close; she lets me pet her, give her scratches and transfer her some love. 

I'll be back to check on my patient in a few hours.... stay tuned...

Snowy Sheep and Goats!