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Maude's Pages
October 2002
Throughout this website, you may click on the small
pictures to see the full-sized ones. Then click on your
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you are new to Maude's pages, we invite you to go
back and catch up by clicking on the links to the left.
Do you like my new publicity photo? I had it taken specially for all of you who sent me greetings when you saw the sisters this summer! I'm still overcome when I realize how everybody loves me!
And here I am doing what I do best -- saying hello to people! I asked my shepherd to take these pictures in August when our fleeces were starting to grow in nicely. Of course I have much more wool now that summer is over and we are getting ready for winter. So much has happened since I last had the chance to write that I hardly know where to begin! My lamb, Mr. William, grew up quickly, and my shepherd put him with all the other ram lambs in a separate pasture. I hope next spring I have a ewe lamb, so I can keep her with me for longer! She wouldn't need to be put with her own group until the fall.
But Destiny and Pearlina (she's the one on the left) are going to stay! Our shepherds went all the way to Canada to get them. My shepherd's shepherd really likes Saanen goats, and she says these are the best: They come from some very nice people named Lloyd and Barbara Wicks. (Webmaster's Note: If you would like to visit their farm on line, just click here.)
Pearlina just reminded me that she is actually Emily Wick's doeling! Pearlina was a triplet and is very grateful that Emily raised her -- even though she loves it here with us now. (Here she is again, on the right, relaxing with her friends.)
Do you remember the picture of Gracie and her kids this spring? Well, here is Gracie with our home-grown, Zoar Farms 2002 doelings:
Of course, Minnie and Mabel got into a fight while my shepherd was trying to take pictures... But after all, they are goats, and as we all know, goats really don't know how to behave!
Except my shepherd says they are like humans -- they do know how to behave, they just sometimes WANT to be bad! Talking about new people, here is Goliath, who was a bottle baby raised with Minnie. (Webmaster's note: See Maude's last page for the picture of Minnie and Goliath)
Even though he was a ram lamb, he's going to stay and be a permanent member of Zoar Farms! And here is Truffle, our first "chocolate" Icelandic ewe lamb: My shepherd loves to count us, and she tells us this year's class is the biggest class ever -- 22 ewe lambs! Here are some of them, out together now on their own pasture:
There are two older ewes with them as chaperones: Jennie with her lamb, Lily, who was born VERY late and still needs to stay with her mom, and Lady. I want to tell you about Lady -- and The Two Tramps, as we call them! You know, we can learn from absolutely everyone we meet: They are either an example, like Teddy was and like Lady and the Two Tramps are, or they are a warning, like Wally!(Webmaster's note: Those of you new to Maude's Page can click on the links above left to catch up on Teddy and Wally.)
I hate to admit it, but Lady and The Two Tramps are much better than I am. I would not be as sweet and trusting and forgiving if I were in their shoes! I think I'm pretty loving and forgiving, but I know it is because everyone around me is so nice to me! After all, we learn best from good examples...
Well, I hate to talk about this, it is so terrible! They were part of a small flock of sheep that some city-folks bought and put on a farm a long ways away from us. It seems these city-folks didn't know you are supposed to love and feed animals. Instead they thought it was fun to chase them with their ATV's, and when the sheep couldn't get out of the way, they ran over them! Well, most of the sheep ran into the woods and nobody ever found them again!
I certainly hope none of you EVER treats anybody that way! I don't know how Our Shepherd in Heaven puts up with such goings on! I know my shepherds here at the farm spend a lot of time in their special room where they talk to Him praying for all the people who act that way, and all the people and critters who get hurt. Seems as if things like this happen all over the world! We all need to be praying very, very hard and being careful we don't behave like that ourselves!
Some nice people found out about this by accident and rescued the sheep that were left. Then they called our shepherds to ask if they would help. When my shepherd and her assistant first saw them, she said they didn't know if they would even live! They were so thin, and covered with burdocks, and Lady couldn't even stand up -- she had tire track marks where the wool tore off across her back and they had to carry her in a wheel barrow! Until they were well enough to travel to come stay with us they had to have extra-special care to help them get stronger .
Now that she is here, Lady still looks a little scruffy. (She's the one with the black face next to the cart in this picture). But she is so nice to everyone! I think she's just so grateful to be with us. She's staying with the lambs this winter because she isn't strong enough like I am to start a family. So all's well that ends well. My shepherd says we can't save the world, but we can make sure good things happen on our farm!
My shepherd had Nancy make a special trip to shear the two rams to get rid of all the burdocks, and they are really happy now, too! They are the two cleanest ones in this picture.
One last thing, because my shepherd says I've talked too much, even if I haven't had a chance in MONTHS! Here's how Slava looks now. Isn't he handsome?! He's going to help me start a family this year. Now I know what that means and I am really looking forward to it!
Wait! I almost forgot! We need to thank Cinderella and Gracie for all the wonderful milk they make! They kept all the bottle babies fed this spring, and now our shepherds get lots of wonderful cheese!
Everybody be good and we'll talk again soon! Goodbye 'till next time.
Design by Dick Fish, with T.J. Leach. Web site constructed by Volha Charnysh.