Some More Sheep Shots

From Integration Day.

I'm guessing there can never be too many Maisie shots, right?

Or sleepy Chocula.

"My brother said WHAT about my haircut???"

I love that our sheep sleep completely zonked out.  This is PPPP, soon to be buried in straw by a crazy chicken.  

Speaking of chickens, if you didn't see the picture of Keebler with the chicken on Twitter over the weekend and you need a good laugh...  I ran back to the house and got the real camera and I'll try to get those pictures posted later this week.  I also have some Lamb Camps shots! :-D  Just not enough hours in the day.

Buddy, Woolliam and Rebecca Boone

And what are these naughty lambs up to?  Don't you kids be sneaking off behind the trailer!  Seriously, Maisie was really glad to get her brothers back.  They are all good friends :-).

Casper Belly and Emily

The Brown Boys

Hershey couldn't care less what Woolliam's brother thinks about his hair ;-).

And Happy Hank.

Hank Love

I hope I got these right and if I got something mixed up or missed something or someone, please forgive me and let me know!!! I wasn't thinking about how this would work and almost all the photos came back with the same file name and date and when I downloaded them... :-o.   

I've tried to add these in the order they came in to try to make sure I got the right photos with the right people. The photos will be first and the credits and any comments will be just below.  I love all the different takes on the picture and the thought that went into them. 

 

 My take on the Hank photo.  Devotion isn't always reciprocal, such as with some of Hank's sheep, but that's what makes it so admirable.

Katherine Littrell

Janice - "GoWest" Feral Woman

Here's my submittal...

If it was taken in a RAW format it would be clearer :) when you crop close up :)

I concentrated on his eyes, and paws - after all, thats his tools of the trade :)

Using the law of thirds like you know, I tried to capture that "look" of his... you know, the one that says "seriously???" he always looks like he wants to relax, but those darn sheep keep causing trouble LOL

Fiona - New Castle, Virginia 

Your photo is so nice but I changed the crop a bit and added the soft border.  Not an improvement but just a bit different.  Hank really is a lovely dog.  Soulful eyes!

As I see it, the "rule" of thirds is a suggestion, not a rule.  :-) 

I agree, can't cut off his ear, or his tail fluff......................

I took off a bit more at the right, and on top, and took out a few black specks on his whiteness (and the one hunk of gravel at left).  I always try to remove things I find distracting from my pics.  "What is it that I *want* them to look at?" and then I remove things that catch my eye as possible distractions....

A good boy, watchfully on duty, as always..........

:-)

  -- Vicki

Lori - Skoog Farm Journal

 Karen

J. Kemp

Michelle - Boulderneigh

Shirley - Ride a Good Horse

I did a little tighter crop, dropped the brightness, upped the contrast a little and played with shadows and highlights and sharpened just a little. I wanted toy bring out the texture of his fur but keep the catchlight in those beautiful eyes- not sure if I think this is any good, but it was fun trying.

After liking how some of Robin's black and white sheep turned out, I thought I'd see how Hank looked, so here's one more edit.  It does really show off his eyes but I'm not sure I like losing the "warm" feel of the colors.  Fun though :-)

*   *   *   *   *

I thought this was very fun, interesting and educational and I'd love to do it again sometime.  Anyone interested?  Next time I'll provide a higher resolution file (slaps palm to forehead) and figure out a better way to have the files named. 

In the meantime, I had a few Farm Calendars left and thought I'd send them out as "prizes" to the couple people I thought might join in.  Since we way exceeded the number of leftover calendars (How fun was that! :-) and I wasn't entirely sure I caught everyone anyway (please, please let me know!), I decided to do a donation, in Hank's honor, to the National Great Pyrenees Rescue.  Does that work for everyone?

Fully Integrated

Today ended up nicer than they'd predicted and a perfect day to put the boys back into the main flock.  I wasn't really expecting any big trouble.  Burrnie'd already made an accidental quick foray into the herd the first day or so he was here.  He'd apparently not made a very good impression on the girls though because as soon as they saw him coming this morning, they all took a turn either punching him or seeing how fast he could run.  

This was probably the best thing that could have happened, as by the time they settled down, Burrnie was too tired to harass anyone and in fact, walked around like he didn't even see any girls ;-).  Daniel only had eyes for Blossom and Hershey was pretty sweet on Maisie.  Chocula just hoped there was going to be cookies involved.

I kept everyone locked out of the tight quarters of the barn for the first hour or so and then opened up the side field for them when I let them back into the barn.  Some fresh grass would be a good diversion if anyone still had any thoughts of causing any trouble.   They didn't and Hank was glad to have all his sheep back together.

The boys were glad to be back in with their favorite fun uncle, Willard.

When everyone headed to the barn for an afternoon nap, Burrnie decided he'd go back into his familiar sleeping spot.

But in short order he came peeking into the big stall.  "I'm not too sure about this."

"But they've got chickens over here so it must be okay."

"Now if that lady would stop taking pictures..."

And then back out.  One big happy flock :-). 

Speaking Of Pictures

When we went out to pick up Burrnie, I took a bunch of pictures of Nistock's pretty sheep.  We got home, settled Burrnie in, the Iknitarod started, then the Maisie incident...and then I almost forgot I had them sitting there in a file, waiting to be shared. 

"How could you forget about us???"

Robin picking out an extra yummy morsel of hay from the top of the hay feeder.  I love the expression.

And this one :-).

So much pretty wool in so many colors.

Burrnie, looking hopeful for a cookie and having no idea what was in store for him the next morning ;-). 

"I love my mom."

One of the old gals.

"Why yes, I do think I'll try a cookie."

This might be my favorite shot of the year so far.

Good shepherds, under watchful and oddly patient eyes.  Or maybe it's just our sheep that are hoodlums...but wait, many of our sheep came from this orderly farm.  Could it possibly be us???  ;-)

Cat sniffing.  It's everywhere.

Woolliam's brother.  "Yeah, you tell that pansy to go get a real job and stop sleeping in the hay manger like a sissy." 

And Burrnie, safely on his way out to the car for the trip to Kentucky.

While I love taking my camera with me almost everywhere I go, these were mostly practice pictures to gear up for Lamb Camp this spring.  Now with Maisie keeping me on near suicide watch - or Tim watching me watching Maisie I guess is a better way to put it ;-) - I am not making any big trips away from the farm.  Maybe ever again, but I'm trying not to let myself think that way. 

I know Kathy will have some adorable lambs soon and The Training Center already has lambs (that I haven't even been over to see yet :-o).  Good Shepherd Cheese is always a treat, too, as is Flat Creek Wool and Pottery and Bergamascos' Babydoll Brigade, but I'd like to pick up another local-ish farm or two.  

If anyone in or around the central Kentucky area would be interested in hosting a Lamb Camp shoot, let me know thecrazysheeplady AT gmail DOT com.  There's no charge as long as I can use the photos for Lamb Camp calendars...  You just have to be fun (or at least pleasant and kind) and take good care of your sheep.  I promise to do the same :-).

If You Didn't ALREADY Love Hank...

Maisie was hanging out in the barn with me this morning while I was doing morning chores.  When I finished up and it was time for me to go get another cup of coffee her to go back out with everyone, I opened the gate and walked her out. 

She immediately started looking around for her friends.  Some of the sheep were still in the barn lot, some had gone back to the barn, some, including Baba, were out in the arena.  Hank was at the far end, probably 250' away.  She didn't see him.

She started heading down the alleyway to the back field, looking, looking.  Hank was still at the far end of the arena doing security checks and dog stuff.  She nickered quietly "M-m-m-m-m" as she kept walking in the wrong direction.  Within seconds Hank was right by her side. 

Always watching.

 

Someone suggested a close up last night. I'm not great at that sort of thing, but figured it would be hard to completely mess up a picture of Hank ;-).  At very least I think this should be cropped so his eyes are closer to the upper right intersection of the Rule of Thirds here...but I hated cutting his ear out...  Any thoughts?

My friend Amy could nail this.  Anyone else want to play with it?  If so, here's the original shot.  For fun, send your edited (any way you want) shots back via email (and maybe leave a comment as well so I'll know to check my spam folder for missing emails) and we'll do a Hank photo show this weekend.  Make sure you include your link information and any other information or help you'd like to include. 

Bad Company

"Used to be just me and Maisie slept in the little stall.  Then it got cold and windy and they shut all the big barn doors which then opened my little door and the next thing you know Graham was sleeping in my bed.  And then Heidi and B. Willard moved in and then Blossom and now me and Maisie have to sleep outside."

Giving It The Ol' College Try

Spring, that is.  Normally I'd be thrilled at a last little burst of snow, but after the hard freeze two nights ago that popped some of my lilac buds (and I haven't checked the orchard yet) and with how cold our sheep are, I just can't find much joy in this weather.  So let's go looking for some joy!

Gary's tulips, Lori :-)

Eli and Comby...NOT giving it the ol' college try...but they look pretty joyful...in an asleep sort of way ;-).

Hang in there everyone!