This post was begun yesterday but last night I received the monastery cold. We have a pet cold here, and the community has been taking turns holding it the last few weeks. It seems it is my turn now. Time spent in the cold outside with Nonnie, our vulnerable lamb, must have marked me out as sufficiently caring to mind the cold. The whack on the head when trying to re-odorize her with mother’s scent yesterday (mother is a handful) clinched the deal.

Naturally the first to capture the camera’s attention was Patch, who has a natural camera-awareness that many celebrities would admire. He is now four days old. (All pictures should get a little bigger if you click them)

Keeping him company was Thelma, flashing something of a vamp’s smile. She too is now 4 days old.

Popping next door to the isolation shelter, all seemed calm and I was relieved to find Non Nominata (Nonnie) still alive. Mother was still pushing her away but not as violently. She kept coming back to mother nevertheless, and here for once mother does not move when Nonnie gets close, probably distracted by Bianca.

After re-odorising Nonnie, involving a less than delicate rubbing of mother’s backside (and a knock to my noggin), the sisters continued to bond while mother remained uninterested. In fact both little ones hopped and skipped like the world was their oyster… but not when the camera was on them.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, the cheeky older girls Zsa Zsa and Eva have rounded up three of the little ones (Louise rather pointedly stayed with her mother) and took them for a rollicking good romp around the field. Zsa Zsa seems to think she is a gazelle.

What goes up must come down.

They all get up a great head of steam.

The little ones were getting pooped so they all stop for a breather. And of course, Patch spots the camera.

Indomitable, Zsa Zsa and Eva come charging back for some more attention-seeking.

It was almost impossible to get good shots of the lambs at play since they were far off, and too quick for my camera. But you can get a sense of their liveliness.

Now the question remains, how is Nonnie this morning?

**An aside – when one drafts a post on WordPress it suggests tags and links as one progresses, according to the content being typed. For some reason WordPress is suggesting the tag “Frederic Prinz von Anhalt“. The continental nobility is not my forte so I have no idea why he should  be suggested. But since WordPress knows more than I do, and since I would not begrudge the Prince getting his name out there, I will include the tag. Maybe he breeds sheep….

Update

I was wrong about the prince. He is married to Zsa Zsa Gabor. He might still breed sheep though….

Update 2

Oh dear – I just Wikipedia-ed the man. A prince in name only, and quite bizarre. His “son” is even less appetising. There is no way they keep sheep.