Farm Work, Errant Ram and Savior Puppy

Because, of course, I have to do things at the worst time possible, the time I set for replacing some falling down fence posts was this morning.  The weather was terrific- about 32, slight drizzle, and an inch of nice slushy snow on the ground. 

 I was just about to head out to the field when I looked out and saw one of my ewes standing off by herself with her head down.  This was suspiciously like a just lambed posture, so first of all I hurried out there to see her, but there was no lamb and she was back with the others by the time I got there.  

Just in case, I took Ben with me and had him gather all the sheep up and sort off the three who looked closest to lambing and put them in one of the barn stalls.   Calling Ben to come with me, I went up to the loft and threw down some hay for them.   I was tossing bales, when I looked around and there was dingbat ram standing at the door.  He hopped right up in there with me and Ben!   I had Ben shoo him out of the loft. I finished up a couple more bales and that silly ram was still standing at the door staring at Ben.    We walked him back down the hill and Ben gingerly put him back through the lower part of the barn and into the sheep field.  Gingerly, because pressing even a pretty nice ram too hard when he's all by himself makes him feisty.  

Now that the sheep were sorted, I could go back to the original plan of fence post planting.  I needed to replace one old corner which was falling down.   I took puppy Qwill and Ben with me.  Qwill is now 7 months old and very excited about sheep, so I put her on a long line to keep her from wandering across the pasture and discovering them.   There are few things less trustworthy than a very excited 7 month old puppy.  Or, maybe I should say I absolutely trusted that she WOULD get in with the sheep without a leash. 

This is Qwill now:

Still cute as can be

This was Qwill back in April when I got her: 

So, with my long line, puppy, Ben, and clamshell post hole digger, I was all ready to get started.  We all traipsed out two gates and across the pasture through the slush.  Nicely enough, the corner of the pasture I was working on was sheltered by pine trees, so there wasn't any snow and it was a bit drier.   I tied Qwill to the fence and she sniffed around a little and then lay down to watch me, like such a good dog.  

She stayed right there until I tripped over nothing, lost my balance, fell over, knocked into a post I had propped up and sent everything tumbling down on top of me.  I wasn't hurt, but my savior puppy rushed over and started leaping all over me with (I think) great concern.  Or possibly she thought I was getting down on the ground to play with her.   

I told her to cut it out and behave, and eventually she quit jumping on me so I could prop the fence and post back up and resume digging.   

This was all fine again until I found rock in the bottom of my post hole, so I had to lie down flat on my stomach with my arm in the hole to try to pull it out.  Savior pup leaped into action again, only this time she started digging at the back of my head!  I was protected by a hat and a hood, but still!

I told her it was all fine and she should sit down like a good dog with Ben, who had been just standing around watching all this.   

So, I was able to finish up my post and head back inside to warm up with some hot tea.   I still have some more to do, but that was enough of this weather for me!