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PEGGY'S
LITTLE
CORNER
Bottle Babies
Taking care of orphans from day one
Replacing a ewe's care for her young comes with many surprises, troubles, and pleasantries
June 5, 2014

Sometimes a sheep after lambing may not be feeling well. She may be too weak, or not enough milk to provide for her newborn, or sometimes they may die shortly after giving birth. That’s when human intervention is nesscary, this is how I acquired my Lily. Her mommy was to weak to feed her and eventually died, so at 12 hours old I was bringing home my new baby, an adorable 10 pound pink nosed Dorset. But sometimes the mothers do survive and with the help of some milk replacement the babies can still stay with the mothers and be given a bottle at feeding time. When feeding lambs milk replacement make sure you follow the amount suggested because you do not want to overfeed a new lamb. The first sign you’ll see if this is happening is yellow pasty diarrhea, to fix this start watering down the formula. Trust me it is easy to want to over feed, when they learn how to beg from you and follow you everywhere baaing, they can be irresistable. I dare say this is one of life’s little pleasures, raising a sweet little lamb by the bottle, and getting to experience the hot flash they have 5 to 10 minutes after finishing their bottle. That’s why it is always best to feed them while holding them in your lap so you don’t miss this little pleasure. The lambs don’t actually raise in body tempurature, but it has more to do with a sudden dialation of the capellaries in the skin releasing a short release of body heat, so don’t be worried something is wrong just enjoy it. When your lamb starts feeding standing on the floor then you get to see them wag their tails back and forth whilst sucking from the bottle, it is one of the most addorable events to witness, my Lily was a big tail wiggler. I member when she was about one month old, it was movie rental night and we were gathered in the living room. Dobby our big sweet dog was lying on the rug and Lily was sitting beside of him. I had started to lose my intrest in he movie and began gazing at my sweet animals resting quietly. When all of sudden Lily gaped her mouth open like she was choking on something, and then cough up her first cud and started chewing. We all quickly started cooing at her “oh how cute, she’s cough up her first cud”, it was if one of my kids had taken their first baby step, forget the movie this was just too addorable to miss. Now that her rumen was developed she could start eating hay. What followed for Lily was just being allowed to grow natuarlly, no ear tagging, tail docking, or castrating, she was fortunate to be raised the way nature entended, spending her days running and playing grazing in the spring sun, pestering the other sheep, bunny hopping through the fields, but sadley this is not the life that most lambs get.

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January 6, 2022

Repurposing old storage containers and celebrating with a 12th Night feast.

April 21, 2021

Crazy weather, the greenhouse is packed and flourishing, Easter happiness, and waiting for the arrival of new baby chicks.

February 17, 2021

Wrapping up the holidays, jumping into a painting project, and cleaning the house from top to bottom.

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For years I would sit and stare at my house and wonder why it didn’t have that colonial feel that... View Article

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November 9, 2020

November begins with cool weather and blustery days. The seasons change and Harry enjoys the days.

November 2, 2020

Once again the coop needs some attention and some much needed safety additions. My joints just can't take the bend to feeders anymore!

October 31, 2020

Rushing to finish a big job never helps, but some last minute trim ideas make a big difference, and all in time for Halloween

October 20, 2020

When it rains it pours. Both the weather and the power tools conspire to keep the porch from being repaired.

October 19, 2020

A quick autumn stir-fry that is both healthy and tasty

October 19, 2020

A hearty one pot soup for all the leftovers or just in anticipation of Thanksgiving

October 12, 2020

Cool days give a taste of fall weather. I spend some time in the greenhouse and muse over the animals enjoying the day

October 5, 2020

Spring bulbs arrive for next year and Harry discovers a toad

I begin the porch project with some early painting and decorate for the season

Non-native problems continue but I tarry on with the season all the same.

Anniversaries can never just run smoothly, can they?

I start looking towards the holidays with an old fashioned recipe, and I look backwards as I transplant some wildflowers

The old yew bushes are removed to make way for a porch face-lift, and I attend to some inside repairs

Some late season planting, ordering bulbs for the coming year, and tackling a new antique project

August 17, 2020

Where has time gone? Visiting a familiar old house that has gone to ruin.

July 12, 2020

The stars and moon align to make a magical Fourth of July

July 3, 2020

The weather has switched to summer heat and it is searing. Time for the garden to explode with weeds and produce.

June 27, 2020

It's my birthday again. Strawberries are in season, and I spend some time hauling rocks . . . again.

June 20, 2020

I do some late season gardening and try some greener products again, this time, with sheep milk

June 13, 2020

The garden has been giving us a preview of what is to come, and the weather gives us a taste of storms ahead

The package saga continues, and some early summer sounds kick into high gear

May 31, 2020

Some cat trouble ensues and the weather plays havoc with the garden

May 23, 2020

I finally bring an old idea to fruition and make a nice little grill cart

May 16, 2020

Mother's Day arrives, and amidst enjoying my homemade tea room I deliver some lovelies straight from the greenhouse

The wildflowers are here. I begin planting the last bits of my spring order and gift an instant garden to my sister

May 2, 2020

Warm weather comes a bit early for us, but my toad friends are back for another year of bugs

April 25, 2020

More deliveries as Covid continues. Each day is full, and only the inconvenience of a few missing packages affects the Little Corner

April 18, 2020

As we all adjust to Covid, Harry helps the Easter Bunny and delivers a bit of springtime cheer to family

April 11, 2020

We tackle the window project and find a few surprises, meanwhile my tattersall rugs arrive in time to give the house a lift for spring

April 4, 2020

We begin ripping out the old windows in preparation for the new installation, meanwhile spring burst forth all around us

March 28, 2020

Some fruit trees arrive, including some very old varieties, and I do a massive replant in the new section. Time to make that little forest grow.

March 22, 2020

We experience a strange St. Patrick's Day as the first Covid birthday gets underway, and the fencing project finally comes to a completion

March 15, 2020

While the country seems to be poised for a lockdown, we keep plugging away at the fence, and work in a little landscaping too

March 7, 2020

The fence project continues, while we have a quick birthday for Doodles and a little bit of cherry pie to celebrate the day

February 22, 2020

We start the task of fencing in the whole of our 5 acres, and with the weather shifting between snow and warmth there is a lot of mud

February 15, 2020

I get creative with trying to solve an old puzzle -- just what did that old baker use to make such perfectly sweet red icing?

February 8, 2020

Our great prognosticator has predicted an early spring, and we begin preparations for the new parcel

January 31, 2020

A new phase of the Little Corner begins with the beginning of a wildlife habitat and expanded sheep field

January 25, 2020

It is already time to think about the garden and time to think about getting cuttings from my salvaged fall pots

January 19, 2020

Our snow for 2020 looks like it is going to remain a bit spotty, but Harry still gets some time to play, and I tackle cutting the petunia trees

January 13, 2020

I begin the New Year with spring cleaning, a repair inventory, and some Moses Eaton styled floor cloths

January 6, 2020

This year the flower color palette for the Vienna New Year’s Day concert was in shades of pink and yellow. ... View Article

December 31, 2019

I end a busy 2019 sharing my best wishes to everyone and a wish for the 'quiet life'

December 25, 2019

The season marches forward with Christmas bakes, and I try a few experiments on some old favorites

December 7, 2019

With Christmas on its way, I take a look at the 400+ seedlings in the basement, and Harry helps . . . or so he thinks.

November 30, 2019

I substitute an old favorite in our rarely altered traditional meal, and my family and I head to the tree farm again

November 24, 2019

My daughter's birthday inspires some unicorn decorations and the sky seems to join in the fun

November 17, 2019

After so much heat, and still so much green hanging on the trees, an early snow surprises us all

November 9, 2019

I get my husband to make a late season alteration to our coop, which will hopefully help my bones this winter

October 31, 2019

I make some last minute adjustments to the yard, just in time to catch the last of the warm weather

October 20, 2019

The frost finally shows up and autumn activities accelerate to match the change in weather

October 13, 2019

I scurry around gathering seed tops and cuttings for spring 2020

October 6, 2019

When we should be thinking of hot drinks, the weather keeps summer barreling into fall, which makes late season gardening miserable

September 30, 2019

As we wind down the year towards the fall season, another repair presents itself, this time our refrigerator

September 22, 2019

Following a recipe mishap years ago, I attempt use up some of our pear bounty and make a tasty chutney

January 6, 2022

Repurposing old storage containers and celebrating with a 12th Night feast.

April 21, 2021

Crazy weather, the greenhouse is packed and flourishing, Easter happiness, and waiting for the arrival of new baby chicks.

February 17, 2021

Wrapping up the holidays, jumping into a painting project, and cleaning the house from top to bottom.

November 19, 2020

For years I would sit and stare at my house and wonder why it didn’t have that colonial feel that... View Article

November 18, 2020

Seed starting begins again, just before the busy holiday season gets into full swing.

November 9, 2020

November begins with cool weather and blustery days. The seasons change and Harry enjoys the days.

November 2, 2020

Once again the coop needs some attention and some much needed safety additions. My joints just can't take the bend to feeders anymore!

October 31, 2020

Rushing to finish a big job never helps, but some last minute trim ideas make a big difference, and all in time for Halloween

October 20, 2020

When it rains it pours. Both the weather and the power tools conspire to keep the porch from being repaired.

October 19, 2020

A quick autumn stir-fry that is both healthy and tasty

October 19, 2020

A hearty one pot soup for all the leftovers or just in anticipation of Thanksgiving

October 12, 2020

Cool days give a taste of fall weather. I spend some time in the greenhouse and muse over the animals enjoying the day

Spring bulbs arrive for next year and Harry discovers a toad

I begin the porch project with some early painting and decorate for the season

Non-native problems continue but I tarry on with the season all the same.

Anniversaries can never just run smoothly, can they?

I start looking towards the holidays with an old fashioned recipe, and I look backwards as I transplant some wildflowers

The old yew bushes are removed to make way for a porch face-lift, and I attend to some inside repairs

Some late season planting, ordering bulbs for the coming year, and tackling a new antique project

August 17, 2020

Where has time gone? Visiting a familiar old house that has gone to ruin.

July 12, 2020

The stars and moon align to make a magical Fourth of July

July 3, 2020

The weather has switched to summer heat and it is searing. Time for the garden to explode with weeds and produce.

June 27, 2020

It's my birthday again. Strawberries are in season, and I spend some time hauling rocks . . . again.

June 20, 2020

I do some late season gardening and try some greener products again, this time, with sheep milk

June 13, 2020

The garden has been giving us a preview of what is to come, and the weather gives us a taste of storms ahead

The package saga continues, and some early summer sounds kick into high gear

May 31, 2020

Some cat trouble ensues and the weather plays havoc with the garden

May 23, 2020

I finally bring an old idea to fruition and make a nice little grill cart

May 16, 2020

Mother's Day arrives, and amidst enjoying my homemade tea room I deliver some lovelies straight from the greenhouse

The wildflowers are here. I begin planting the last bits of my spring order and gift an instant garden to my sister

May 2, 2020

Warm weather comes a bit early for us, but my toad friends are back for another year of bugs

April 25, 2020

More deliveries as Covid continues. Each day is full, and only the inconvenience of a few missing packages affects the Little Corner

As we all adjust to Covid, Harry helps the Easter Bunny and delivers a bit of springtime cheer to family

April 11, 2020

We tackle the window project and find a few surprises, meanwhile my tattersall rugs arrive in time to give the house a lift for spring

April 4, 2020

We begin ripping out the old windows in preparation for the new installation, meanwhile spring burst forth all around us

March 28, 2020

Some fruit trees arrive, including some very old varieties, and I do a massive replant in the new section. Time to make that little forest grow.

March 22, 2020

We experience a strange St. Patrick's Day as the first Covid birthday gets underway, and the fencing project finally comes to a completion

March 15, 2020

While the country seems to be poised for a lockdown, we keep plugging away at the fence, and work in a little landscaping too

March 7, 2020

The fence project continues, while we have a quick birthday for Doodles and a little bit of cherry pie to celebrate the day

February 22, 2020

We start the task of fencing in the whole of our 5 acres, and with the weather shifting between snow and warmth there is a lot of mud

February 15, 2020

I get creative with trying to solve an old puzzle -- just what did that old baker use to make such perfectly sweet red icing?

February 8, 2020

Our great prognosticator has predicted an early spring, and we begin preparations for the new parcel

January 31, 2020

A new phase of the Little Corner begins with the beginning of a wildlife habitat and expanded sheep field

January 25, 2020

It is already time to think about the garden and time to think about getting cuttings from my salvaged fall pots

January 19, 2020

Our snow for 2020 looks like it is going to remain a bit spotty, but Harry still gets some time to play, and I tackle cutting the petunia trees

January 13, 2020

I begin the New Year with spring cleaning, a repair inventory, and some Moses Eaton styled floor cloths

January 6, 2020

This year the flower color palette for the Vienna New Year’s Day concert was in shades of pink and yellow. ... View Article

December 31, 2019

I end a busy 2019 sharing my best wishes to everyone and a wish for the 'quiet life'

December 25, 2019

The season marches forward with Christmas bakes, and I try a few experiments on some old favorites

December 7, 2019

With Christmas on its way, I take a look at the 400+ seedlings in the basement, and Harry helps . . . or so he thinks.

November 30, 2019

I substitute an old favorite in our rarely altered traditional meal, and my family and I head to the tree farm again

November 24, 2019

My daughter's birthday inspires some unicorn decorations and the sky seems to join in the fun

November 17, 2019

After so much heat, and still so much green hanging on the trees, an early snow surprises us all

November 9, 2019

I get my husband to make a late season alteration to our coop, which will hopefully help my bones this winter

October 31, 2019

I make some last minute adjustments to the yard, just in time to catch the last of the warm weather

October 20, 2019

The frost finally shows up and autumn activities accelerate to match the change in weather

October 13, 2019

I scurry around gathering seed tops and cuttings for spring 2020

October 6, 2019

When we should be thinking of hot drinks, the weather keeps summer barreling into fall, which makes late season gardening miserable

September 30, 2019

As we wind down the year towards the fall season, another repair presents itself, this time our refrigerator

September 22, 2019

Following a recipe mishap years ago, I attempt use up some of our pear bounty and make a tasty chutney