Last week saw the movement of flocks of expectant ewes as they journeyed along the Peasmarsh lanes to pastures new. What a lovely sight to see so many sheep being carefully shepherded to their new home, helped on their way by sheepdogs and shepherds on an all terrain vehicle.
Lambs are appearing by the dozen, everywhere you look new arrivals are being born and just think what they may have thought if they were born on April fools day when the area was carpeted with snow, then in the same afternoon glorious sunshine with not a hint of the white stuff anywhere. Talk about an indoctrination of fire and what a mixed welcome to this world.
Last Sunday our plasterers turned up as planned at 7:45am, the mission to plaster the bedroom as part of the ongoing renovations but they mentioned they saw loose sheep on the way here, quite a few on the road near the church, potential sitting ducks (or sheep) for any unsuspecting church goer and time to take action!
I now realise how hard it is to herd sheep on your own and without a dog and despite all good intentions the escapees decided to wind me up still further by splitting into two groups and head in separate directions and without a care in the world, now what?
Speaking to a neighbour, we decided the best course of action was to secure one group in a field which we did, then hope the remainder would make their way to them and regroup, to our surprise they did. However they decided this wasn’t for them and decided some time later to escape once again.
As I drove along Starvecrow Lane I met a rather bemused runner out for a jog, between him and I was the rogue flock looking very sheepish (sorry, but they were, honest) so between us, I blocked the road to traffic, he formed a human barrier across the road from the other side and we ushered them into a field already occupied by lots of other sheep who were obviously enjoying all the action. But, they decided it would be a good idea to try and escape through the open gate. However between the jogger and I, our crash course in shepherding seemed to have worked, they all went in together, the gate was secured and our mission was complete with no casualties. We then went our separate ways and as we did, the shepherds arrived right on cue and took over the proceedings.
All this before 9:30 am, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Ah, country living, never a dull moment.
Image Credits: Nick Forman .