happy ending

Every so often, we get a happy ending around here -- which is nice to keep in mind when we get a not-so-happy ending around here, such as the lamb that died Sunday due to bloat. (A very heavy dew on a very rich patch of pasture seemingly caused horrendous digestive issues. Sometimes these things are clear only in hindsight.)

But remember the bottle baby?

Secondo called him Little Mr. Man, and was quite devoted to him.

So was Little Mr. Man's sister. For all that his mother rejected him, she cared for him as much as a sibling lamb can. She was always aware of where he was, always by his side. Even if he was under the weather and curled up in a corner, rather than playing with the other lambs, she was curled up with him. Her attentiveness was quite touching.

I warned Secondo not to get too attached. These things often don't end up so great around farms. Secondo did his best, but gosh darn it, the lamb had personality.

Just in the nick of time, I got an e-mail: did we have any bottle babies for sale? A local horse farm keeps a few sheep around for color and lawn-mowing duties, and since several elderly ovine residents had passed on, they were in the market for two new ones.

Did I have the pair for them.

We paid a visit to them a few days ago, and Little Mr. Man had not forgotten. He immediately came running up when he saw the boys -- sheep are quite good at recognizing faces.

I think you need the occasional happy ending just to keep plugging away sometimes.