Call me a softie, but there is a special relationship between a Shepherdess and her flock.
If you would have said those eight original sheep would change how I see the world and the people that live on our precious planet…I would have laughed…but they have changed me…for the better!
Sweet Grandma, my last of the Original Flock sadly had to be put down tonight. She fought hard for 5 days but tonight we knew …in the morning she will be buried honorably beside the good English Shepherds she helped train!
Her life spanned across most of my dogs lives…
The last 4 years had been hard on Grandma. I let her stay in my yard in the winter time and our barn. She was fed feed daily, hay and had access to all the tender yard grass.
We turned her out in the morning and put her and her friend up in the barn every night.
I was thinking about how and what Love truly is on this Valentines Day…
Oh I thought of candy and roses, cards, gifts, of a soft kiss, of what the world thinks love is…
Then I realized I was not thinking with my heart but with my eyes. with that thought…
It is super cold this evening and as Les went outside to take care of our heater I thought “This is Love” when Les went to the barn to take care of Grandma “This is Love”
So how in the world do two people fall in love with a sheep…(Les loved her too!)
Grandma had character…she was not ashamed to tell you loudly it was supper time! and she wanted in her stall for the night!
One time she chased Ashlyn across the yard because Grandma thought the Bo Jangles bag was a bag of feed.
She loved whatever I threw out the back door and I had to be careful…but Apples were her favorite and Pumpkin, and celery! She would come at the time of day I was cooking and let me know “hey throw me something.” and the nose smudges on my dining area windows….I do not plan to remove anytime soon!
Grandma taught many a smart puppy how to behave…and up to 3 years ago this fall I was using her in trials!
She was wise beyond sheep years and sense…more like a dog …in her ways.
Reason and I went to check on her Wednesday evening and I laid down in the hay with her (it was cold) we talked and I prayed and during this time I found out how empathetic Reason is towards me…Drover was the same way towards the hurting, the weak, sick and yes dying …and Reason understood my pain and yes love for my Grandma.
We start out in life some people have homes full of love, others not so much…I think of how love is portrayed on tv and film, and how marriage starts and then fails somewhere along the way…of families torn apart for dumb reasons…
but I come back to this ole ewe named Grandma that showed me love daily to the end…Of Les and his love and how love changes, grows over the years…if romance and flowers and presents is all there is to love then no wonder it does not last…love is built on a solid foundation …and realizes it is there for the long run no matter…
Grandma was well known at my farm and everyone knew she and her buddy ran loose during the winter around our home…I laugh at her and her buddy as I think of them laying in the shade chewing their cud close to the front fence. Even the UPS drivers knew to watch out for sheep in my yard or driveway.
Since Grandma passed I had many people including delivery people asking “Hey where are the 2 sheep at?”
Grandma this is your legacy: You were well known about ! Loved for sure! Missed beyond measure!
I can still hear her baahing, and her bell tinkling!
