Monday, February 21, 2011
My husband found this at "The Furrow" a web site he likes...
Thank your lucky stars that we don't have to do it this way anymore. This is great film work for 92 years old!
Enjoy!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Day didn't go quite as planned...
The storm hit and we got a pretty good amount of new snow. Not as much as expected, but still around 10 inches or so.
I had figured to just hang out at home, get some small stuff done and just enjoy watching it snow. Instead, I got a call from my neighbor across the road. They are of the same mind as us, they raise a few animals for their kids to show, and also for the family to eat. They are younger then us and have six kids, three of which are teenage or near teenage years boys, so there is plenty of need for lots of food.
Anyway, one of her ewes was showing signs of lambing when they first went out in the morning around 8:00 am. This ewe had lambed before with no trouble, so she figured within the hour she would be proudly caring for her new little ones.
When about an hour later they went to check, she was still in labor. But things didn't look right, so she called me to consult. Here at our place we have had a few lambs, some minor troubles, but nothing really major. I guess you could say, I had some experience with troubled lambings. I have had my hands inside of some sheep, as that is one of the ways of knowing what is going on when there is trouble. The neighbor, has always had me do that sort of thing. One of these days, I am going to get her to do that part so she has some experience at it.
To continue, the ewe just didn't look like she was really pushing, she was just kind of having mild contractions. I made my way over to their place through the snow drifts on foot. Expecting when I got there to find a lamb being born backwards or some such thing. I scrubbed up and lubed up and proceeded to examine the inside of the ewe. I couldn't find anything in the birth canal! Where was the lamb that should have been in place?
We decided that maybe she was still just in the first stages, so we made the ewe get up and walk around the barn a bit, hoping to get things moving as they should.
After another exam, and still nothing we decided we needed more information. We called another friend who has been raising sheep since he was a young man and this past month had lambed out something like twenty! After talking with him, it was decided that the Vet should be called and maybe he should come out! What a mess, the roads are almost impassable and the Vet is coming!
When the Vet arrived he did his exam and declared that the ewe had a tensioned uterus, sort of a twisted uterus! His method of treatment was very strange looking but it worked. We got a 2" X 6" X 4' board, laid the ewe on her right side, placed the board on her belly where the lamb would be and then the neighbors 12 year or so old son stood on the board while him and I rolled the ewe over to her left side! Strange to say the least. The idea of the board was to hold the lamb in place while we flipped the uterus back into it proper position. It worked! Then the Vet was able to pull the lamb. She was weak, but between swinging her to get the gunk out of her lungs and tickling her nose with straw we got her to breathing regular.
The lamb was taken into the house to warm. We gleaned as much information from the Vet as we could about what went wrong. He explained why everything inside had felt so strange and I was able to relate to what he was saying, so next time we will know what to do. Even if it means just calling the vet sooner.
I stayed to help with the lamb inside, until we felt like she might make it. She had begun to suck my finger after we gave her about 2 ounces of milk and was even crying and trying to get up. I left then with hope that maybe she might make it.
There is a slight chance, as she was born almost a week early and was also very stressed, time will tell.
I had spent five hours there, but had learned a lot and I hope had been of some help.
I will be emailing today to see how the little one is doing. Don't expect too much, but just maybe...
I had figured to just hang out at home, get some small stuff done and just enjoy watching it snow. Instead, I got a call from my neighbor across the road. They are of the same mind as us, they raise a few animals for their kids to show, and also for the family to eat. They are younger then us and have six kids, three of which are teenage or near teenage years boys, so there is plenty of need for lots of food.
Anyway, one of her ewes was showing signs of lambing when they first went out in the morning around 8:00 am. This ewe had lambed before with no trouble, so she figured within the hour she would be proudly caring for her new little ones.
When about an hour later they went to check, she was still in labor. But things didn't look right, so she called me to consult. Here at our place we have had a few lambs, some minor troubles, but nothing really major. I guess you could say, I had some experience with troubled lambings. I have had my hands inside of some sheep, as that is one of the ways of knowing what is going on when there is trouble. The neighbor, has always had me do that sort of thing. One of these days, I am going to get her to do that part so she has some experience at it.
To continue, the ewe just didn't look like she was really pushing, she was just kind of having mild contractions. I made my way over to their place through the snow drifts on foot. Expecting when I got there to find a lamb being born backwards or some such thing. I scrubbed up and lubed up and proceeded to examine the inside of the ewe. I couldn't find anything in the birth canal! Where was the lamb that should have been in place?
We decided that maybe she was still just in the first stages, so we made the ewe get up and walk around the barn a bit, hoping to get things moving as they should.
After another exam, and still nothing we decided we needed more information. We called another friend who has been raising sheep since he was a young man and this past month had lambed out something like twenty! After talking with him, it was decided that the Vet should be called and maybe he should come out! What a mess, the roads are almost impassable and the Vet is coming!
When the Vet arrived he did his exam and declared that the ewe had a tensioned uterus, sort of a twisted uterus! His method of treatment was very strange looking but it worked. We got a 2" X 6" X 4' board, laid the ewe on her right side, placed the board on her belly where the lamb would be and then the neighbors 12 year or so old son stood on the board while him and I rolled the ewe over to her left side! Strange to say the least. The idea of the board was to hold the lamb in place while we flipped the uterus back into it proper position. It worked! Then the Vet was able to pull the lamb. She was weak, but between swinging her to get the gunk out of her lungs and tickling her nose with straw we got her to breathing regular.
The lamb was taken into the house to warm. We gleaned as much information from the Vet as we could about what went wrong. He explained why everything inside had felt so strange and I was able to relate to what he was saying, so next time we will know what to do. Even if it means just calling the vet sooner.
I stayed to help with the lamb inside, until we felt like she might make it. She had begun to suck my finger after we gave her about 2 ounces of milk and was even crying and trying to get up. I left then with hope that maybe she might make it.
There is a slight chance, as she was born almost a week early and was also very stressed, time will tell.
I had spent five hours there, but had learned a lot and I hope had been of some help.
I will be emailing today to see how the little one is doing. Don't expect too much, but just maybe...
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Been a quiet time around here, but things are....
Yes, things are beginning to pick up. Over the past weekend I managed to dust, sweep, and straighten all but three rooms of this houses 16 rooms! Craft room is just a work in progress always. Mudroom just clutter all the time. Laundry room, might yet get a quick sweep, but we were doing laundry while the cleaning was going on.
Monday I played chauffeur for my Daughter, she had a dental appointment, and was put under for the treatment so she needed a driver. Up and out early for that. Then in the afternoon I held my first Spinning Class. I had one student, one of my friends from Laingsburg, who is also one of the ladies I visit with on Wednesdays. We had a good time learning about spinning and giving it a try. She was getting the idea at times. Just have to have that "I got it now moment" and she will be off and running.
There will be more in the class, but I wasn't able to get in touch with the other members through email, so I will have to use the phone and let them know about next Monday.
The big news today is the impending snow dump that is barrelling this way. Snow for us could be as much as 20 inches, then of course blowing and drifting. We are set here, plenty of oil and gas in the heaters. We plan to fill some jugs with water, just in case we loose power. No plans for travel other then the usual Meals deliveries and hanging out with the girls. If too much snow, the Meals people will have to eat from their freezers. And no one will go to hang out.
I am wishing for BIG SNOW. It has been along time since there was some real snow, so I think it would be kind of cool.
33 years ago at the end of January there was a big storm, and I was pregnant and due. In fact, I delivered my second son, Jeremiah, the day we were able to get down the roads. We had been snowed in for three days! Had it been one day longer I would have given birth at home!
On the schedule for today is trims for the horses. That will be before the snow arrives. Then just waiting to see what happens.
Thursday, if there are no school closings for Corunna, I will be going to judge Junior High Conduct of Meetings at FFA District Contests. I have had plenty of experience coaching and judging this contest as for almost 10 years I worked for Laingsburg School District as the Junior High FFA advisor. I even had one State winning contest team.
Friday is the only day this week, that doesn't have anything going. Be a good day to relax maybe.
Saturday Greg and I are going to a CF Benefit Dinner in Owosso.
The first week of the month always seems to be busy, everything seems to schedule their "meetings" that week.
May have plenty to blog about if this weather does what is being predicted!
Onward and Upward.
Monday I played chauffeur for my Daughter, she had a dental appointment, and was put under for the treatment so she needed a driver. Up and out early for that. Then in the afternoon I held my first Spinning Class. I had one student, one of my friends from Laingsburg, who is also one of the ladies I visit with on Wednesdays. We had a good time learning about spinning and giving it a try. She was getting the idea at times. Just have to have that "I got it now moment" and she will be off and running.
There will be more in the class, but I wasn't able to get in touch with the other members through email, so I will have to use the phone and let them know about next Monday.
The big news today is the impending snow dump that is barrelling this way. Snow for us could be as much as 20 inches, then of course blowing and drifting. We are set here, plenty of oil and gas in the heaters. We plan to fill some jugs with water, just in case we loose power. No plans for travel other then the usual Meals deliveries and hanging out with the girls. If too much snow, the Meals people will have to eat from their freezers. And no one will go to hang out.
I am wishing for BIG SNOW. It has been along time since there was some real snow, so I think it would be kind of cool.
33 years ago at the end of January there was a big storm, and I was pregnant and due. In fact, I delivered my second son, Jeremiah, the day we were able to get down the roads. We had been snowed in for three days! Had it been one day longer I would have given birth at home!
On the schedule for today is trims for the horses. That will be before the snow arrives. Then just waiting to see what happens.
Thursday, if there are no school closings for Corunna, I will be going to judge Junior High Conduct of Meetings at FFA District Contests. I have had plenty of experience coaching and judging this contest as for almost 10 years I worked for Laingsburg School District as the Junior High FFA advisor. I even had one State winning contest team.
Friday is the only day this week, that doesn't have anything going. Be a good day to relax maybe.
Saturday Greg and I are going to a CF Benefit Dinner in Owosso.
The first week of the month always seems to be busy, everything seems to schedule their "meetings" that week.
May have plenty to blog about if this weather does what is being predicted!
Onward and Upward.
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