Orful, but recovering

We've had a mixed week here on the sheep front, but with a happy ending.

I found that one of our lambs - Bramble - had what looks like orf, caused by the parapox virus.

 

I'm gummy, mummy

 
Her mother, Benbecula developed mastitis in one side of her udder at the same time and we have been supplementing her one-sided feeding with the bottle.

So Pep the Vet put me, and Benbecula, onto a strict treatment regime of antibiotics and milking out the gooey stuff that Benbecula was producing from the sick udder. 

The regime seems to be working. Benbecula's teat is no longer producing puss, and Bramble appears to be feeding from both udders again. Thanks, again, to Pep.

Man in Felt Hat

There is no demand for the wool from our Ripollesa sheep.  Each year we have sheared the sheep and then thrown out the wool. Local farmers burn it.

Shear madness

That is, until this year.

This year my friend Jordi asked for our wool. He wanted to try making felt. So we gave him a couple of bags of not-very-clean fleece, full of bits of straw and worse.

And look what he made:

Mediaeval Selfie

My new felt bonnet is like an oven inside - with a hat like this you would be a very comfortable mediaeval peasant, or possibly a cosy Almogàver.

Yes, I know. It's not the latest in headgear fashions. But by goodness it works.