Auld lang syne
2021 has certainly been quite a year! As amazing as it is to give our residents a good life, it is meeting people that I find very rewarding on our sanctuary journey. We’ve met so many like-minded people that have helped us in a variety of ways. First and foremost, they are animal lovers - all of them. Thank you to each and every person, we appreciate your support more than we can ever express.
The year ended with an incredible blessing with the surprise birth of baby lamb Winter. We had no idea Olive was expecting and learned she came to us pregnant as her arrival happened to fall just after our last quarterly wellness check. Olive did seem a little big, but all our animals appear bigger in the winter because of all the extra fur, hair and wool they grow for the colder months, so I just assumed she added some weight. But one very chilly 25°F morning, while feeding everyone breakfast, I heard a small cry coming from the pasture. As I went to inspect the source of the noise, I saw a little white fluff ball laying next to Olive. It took me a second to recognize the situation, but instinct took over and I found myself transporting him and Olive into the warm barn. Once mama and baby were safe, I started stressing big time! I think the birth being so unexpected really heightened my anxiety. Olive had done a great job cleaning him up, but I hadn’t seen him nurse yet. We immediately started blowing up our contacts and medical resources to learn exactly what to do and to make sure there was in danger. Eventually the little guy started nursing. By mid-morning, I realized all was well and mom and baby boy settled in. Because he was born on the winter solstice it was suggested we name him Winter, which sounded perfect to us. As he gets a little older, we will eventually introduce Winter to the other pasture animals. For now, Olive and Winter have the barnyard all to themselves to bond and play. And Winter loves to play! He loves to hop, skip and jump, everywhere he goes. I have put videos on our social media page and will add some to our website. There are not many things cuter than watching a baby lamb at play!
And so ended a very special year. It is our hope and prayer that our readers also had a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2021 year and looking forward to the upcoming 2022 year with optimism of continuing to help give those animals a voice and an opportunity to live their best life. Thank you again all for your support!
