Nova Scotia Island Journal: a surprise for the sheep

In May 2011, after four years of life on McNutt's Island, we moved to Montreal. This blog remains, though, as a (sort of) daily record of our time on the island, and a winding path for anyone who would like to meander about among its magical places. For additional perspectives and insights I recommend Greg's book, Island Year: Finding Nova Scotia (2010), and my Bowl of Light (2012). I'll continue to post once in a while. If you do want to read this blog, one option would be to begin at the beginning of it (which is, as we all know, in blog-world, at the end), and read forward, concluding with the most recent entry. It's a journal, really, so it does makes more sense if you read it that way. But, you know, read it any way you like.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

a surprise for the sheep

This morning began warm and muggy.

The rams -- except for The Major -- settled down in their preferred shady spot, the log palace.

They planned on having a nice quiet day. That's what they plan for most days, I think.

It never crossed their minds that today would be the day the shepherds were coming to gather and shear the flock.

Of course the rams would be happy to be relieved of their heavy wool coats. But only if there was no effort required of them.

The shepherds took a break at our place after first checking out the sheep pen and dealing with a wasp nest they found beneath the shearing platform. Not the kind of surprise you want for either sheep or shearers.

I drove them to the lighthouse in Dylan's SUV. From there, they would gather the flock and bring them around the southwestern shore along the cobble beach back to the pen. The walk takes about three hours.

Tomorrow I'll introduce you to the shepherds and shearers, and you'll see them in action.