I’m looking forward to the sight of spectacular “spronging” today. It’s a sunny day for a change. After being overcast and dreary for days this is a plesant change.Temperatures have ranged from a nice, warm seventy five degrees to a down right bone chilling freeze.
At the barn the sheep chores begin. Our three stud rams enjoy their grain rations. Water tanks fill up to the brim. In addition all five guardian livestock dogs chow down their supper pausing only to get scratched behind their floppy ears. Supplementary hay is then stuffed into freestanding feeders. Finally the barn doors push open to let the air circulate inside. I now have time to pause and turn my focus to the beauty surrounding me.
Letting out a big sigh. Taking some time out I gaze over the paddocks. Green grass is finally starting to grow though the weeds are evidentally taking root too. Looking over the flock I am really delighted with what I see. Fat lambs grouped together. Stately guard dogs on duty. Ewes grazing contently. I’m so lucky to be living in paradise.
All of a sudden the rambuntious lambs are “spronging” after each other all over the field. “Spronging” is the term that we use on Rowdy Mountain Farm when the sheep are jumping into the air with all four feet off the ground. It is such a riot to watch them. Laughing out loud with a silly grin on my face it warms my heart watching them. They twist and turn spinning in the air. Sometimes the rowdy lambs land on their feet and sometimes it’s a comical disaster.
The whole gang stops and then explodes into motion again. Circling around their mamas as the mature ewes seemingly roll their eyes at their insainely obnoxious children. The adults look on, calmly eating and chewing their cud. Off the babies go again in an uncontrolled manner. Finally, as quickly as it started, the chaos stops. The lambs nibble on the tender blades of grass while relaxing after their wild escapade.
Grinning ear to ear I hop into the ATV and back to the house I go.
