Operation Fleece a Complete Disaster

I'm sitting here in my overalls, smelling like a sheep.

Blanche did not take to her chic, new red halter. I got it on her, but she immediately pulled out of it; and it wouldn't tighten up any more. I guess I bought one for a buck, not a ewe.

With the help from a bucket of corn, I was able to trick her into trusting me again so that I could tie the leash end of the harness around her neck. The mail-lady arrived just as I was wrestling with Blanche pulling her over to the fence. I'm sure I'm now the talk of the mail route. I secured Blanche to a fence post, but she wouldn't stand still. I was afraid she was going to have a heart attack (as my husband warned) because she was fighting so vigorously.

I just read Temple Grandin's book about how farm animals think. In it she said that they like to have pressure placed on their sides, that's why they don't mind being in a squeeze shoot. So I pushed Blanche up against the fence with my body, while trying to shear her with the other.

The two of us were making a little progress until she jerked her head and the leash came untied from the fence post. She ran away, tripping as her front foot got tangled up in the halter that hung down. Now I was worried that she was going to break one of her peg legs, and have a heart attack. I chased her around the pasture. Soixante-Douze ran interference for Blanche, always putting her body between me and Blanche so I couldn't make a dive for the harness.

Finally, I chased the two of them into a back shed, where once Blanche realized she was trapped, she calmed down and let me remove her halter.

I came in the house and called the woman from whom I purchased S-D asking her for the name and number of the man who shears sheep. She said he doesn't pursue that line of work any more. Well, no wonder! And, she said she didn't know who to call -- she didn't bother to shear her sheep last year!

I'm a bit upset about the episode. When I initially went outside with the halter and the shears, Blanche was calling to me. I found her and S-D on their hill, under their bushes. They were so calm they didn't even bother to get up. Blanche just laid there, trusting me while I put on the halter.

Well, now I doubt if Blanche is interested in laying down on my beach towel with me any more.