visit from the sheep breeders association

The island shepherds, Mary Morse and Leroy d'Entremont, hosted the Sheep Breeders Association of Nova Scotia on the island last Sunday. About forty people came over on Leroy's boat. He has a big boat, since when he isn't being a shepherd he's being a lobsterman.

It was a challenge to carry so many people around the island. Greg begged and borrowed every means of currently functional transport he could from our island neighbours, then hitched them together.

First the group walked over to the sheep pen at the end of the cove, where the flock is sheared every summer. Then after coffee, tea and muffins at our place, they all went down to the light to see the sheep.

They walked along the shore until they came close to the flock. Leroy demonstrated gathering sheep on the island, with the forest on one side and the sea on the other.
You don't want them running into the trees, where they will hide from you, or the water, where they will drown.
Something in between is best.
It always amazes me how calm the sheep actually are, once they have been gathered.
They're alert and attentive to the dogs. But they don't seem to be afraid. Leroy says that's the effect of having well-trained dogs. His and Mary's dogs can probably just move sheep around by raising an eyebrow.

It was a foggy day at the light. Well, it so often is.

Afterward the group visited the old guns at Fort McNutt, then came back to our place for moussaka made with ground mutton, along with salad, homemade bread, and chocolate cake. The members of the Sheep Breeders Association come from all over Nova Scotia and into New Brunswick. Their annual meeting was on Saturday, so I think they enjoyed Sunday on McNutt's for just spending time together.

Thanks to Margie Rogers for letting me use her terrific pictures from the day!