Freckles the Sheep
May 2000 to October 24 2009
Freckles has not been eating well over the last few months. He seemed to have a problem adapting to sheep old age which means learning to eat without teeth. We have tried all sorts of things to get him to eat more but he decided that he just does not do lupins anymore, if he would have eaten his lupins I think he would have had more time. Anyway, yesterday he suddenly went downhill, it was though his internal systems were shutting down and by mid afternoon we knew we had to do something. So we asked our neighbour gnome to come over and put poor Freckles out of his misery. It was very quick, thank you Willie.
Freckles came to us at 3 months old, for a sheep he was quite smart, always scheming about how to stand on the fence to get to the goodies in the garden and how to get into the chook shed when you turned your back. He had many nick names like, old bugger, old man but mostly "you bastard" which was often yelled as he was ruining another fence or being a bully to the other sheep. Lately he could only bully Lambie (the old girl sheep), in fact he gave her one last bully on Friday. But he was affectionate too, he loved his pats, he loved being with you when in the paddock and loved getting in the way when you were trying to do something.
I think he had a happy life and will be missed, he and his little sister Froggie were always together but she doesn't seem to have noticed his demise.
Freckle's mother did exactly the same thing, just wouldn't eat what was good for her once she reached old age, on the other hand we have been feeding lambie lupins for 3 and a half years and at 12 years old she is still going strong, but she is just a greedy guts.
I will remember Freckles every night as I stand on the floor rug next to my bed that Vegi Gnome's mum made out of Freckles wool. Thank you Mama Gnome.
On a happier note it is Froggie's ninth birthday today. She will get a few extra pats but no treats as she has been eating most of Freckles share of lupins and has become a real fatty boomba.
PS: If you smell a hint of mutton in the air it is just our bonfire.
May 2000 to October 24 2009
Freckles has not been eating well over the last few months. He seemed to have a problem adapting to sheep old age which means learning to eat without teeth. We have tried all sorts of things to get him to eat more but he decided that he just does not do lupins anymore, if he would have eaten his lupins I think he would have had more time. Anyway, yesterday he suddenly went downhill, it was though his internal systems were shutting down and by mid afternoon we knew we had to do something. So we asked our neighbour gnome to come over and put poor Freckles out of his misery. It was very quick, thank you Willie.
Freckles came to us at 3 months old, for a sheep he was quite smart, always scheming about how to stand on the fence to get to the goodies in the garden and how to get into the chook shed when you turned your back. He had many nick names like, old bugger, old man but mostly "you bastard" which was often yelled as he was ruining another fence or being a bully to the other sheep. Lately he could only bully Lambie (the old girl sheep), in fact he gave her one last bully on Friday. But he was affectionate too, he loved his pats, he loved being with you when in the paddock and loved getting in the way when you were trying to do something.
I think he had a happy life and will be missed, he and his little sister Froggie were always together but she doesn't seem to have noticed his demise.
Freckle's mother did exactly the same thing, just wouldn't eat what was good for her once she reached old age, on the other hand we have been feeding lambie lupins for 3 and a half years and at 12 years old she is still going strong, but she is just a greedy guts.
I will remember Freckles every night as I stand on the floor rug next to my bed that Vegi Gnome's mum made out of Freckles wool. Thank you Mama Gnome.
On a happier note it is Froggie's ninth birthday today. She will get a few extra pats but no treats as she has been eating most of Freckles share of lupins and has become a real fatty boomba.
PS: If you smell a hint of mutton in the air it is just our bonfire.
6 comments:
Goodbye to Freckle.
hey nice post flower gnome! I detected a slight difference in the tone! A lovely eulogy for freckles, poor old bugger. No more Gnome and Flower shouting you bastard! whata shame.
A lovely story F/G. You did him proud. Poor old fellow. RIP Freckles.
Oh, I am sorry to hear of Freckles passing. He will certainly be missed. I will missed not being able to scratch behind his ears the next time I visit. I remember he is the affectionate one.
Well it sounds like Freckles had quite an alright life, with you guys and the other farm critters keeping him occupied. He sounded like quite a character.
You made the best decision. :)
I love sheep. I'm so sorry to hear about Freckle's passing.
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