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Fern -- born Wednesday

All of our 4-legged creatures came to our place outlandishly wild and skittish. Their former home was a huge, beautiful pasture with rolling hills and a nice forest. Their humans provided food and care but the animals pretty much ran their own lives. Here, their pasture is much smaller and the people desperately want to pet them.

In the 9 months since the wild, jumpy Barbados sheep and Pygmy goats arrived at our house, I have tried various strategies in an attempt to tame the beasts. Singing yodeling songs, bringing treats, sitting quietly amongst them like Jane Goodall: didn't work. When baby goats were born in December and again in February, they stayed with their mothers for food, but I spent oodles of time holding them and playing with them each day in hopes that once they were grown, we could get close to them, handle them and give them medical care when they need it. These efforts have also failed. The babies quickly learn from their mothers to be wary and skittish, desperately fleeing when the "scary lady" approaches with her outstretched hand.

A few dark mornings ago, I strapped on my head flashlight and headed into the dark morning to do a.m. chores. As I opened the pasture gate, four tiny eyes reflected back at me -- our first baby lambs. They were just born, still wet. I moved them with their mom into the safety and warmth of the pen away from the pesky goats.

in the house:

Gigi (my mom) feeding the lambs

On Saturday, we brought the two little lambs to live in our mudroom for a couple weeks, to feed them by hand and snuggle with them in the hopes that they will tame up. I have no idea if this will work. It feels a little insane.