This week we got the first snow, and more is expected tomorrow. Time to get the sheep inside, their fields are wet and boggy, and the grass is all eaten. Today we went to gather all the sheep from several fields, and brought them together while we walked them home.
We started to gather around 200 sheep in the fields besides the dikes of the river Durme and started to walk them home. On our way we made a little detour to another field where about 50 sheep more stayed. We walked from one side to the field and let the flock come together, and then proceeded by walking out of the field on the other side. We had to cross the streets several times, and even had to go a little bit on the street itself. People in cars stopped to let us pass, nobody complained, some even took pictures!
We had no real difficulties, sometimes a few sheep got stuck behind a gate and had to be pursuaded to go around it to follow the rest of the flock. Some even decided they had found a new field a tried to leave the flock for a bite of grass! Jessie kept them all in line though, worked hard to keep the sheep with us when we weren't quick enough to get at the other side of those who tried to flee, and brought back the culprits who tried to deceit us by taking a little detour in fields aside...
I could take some pictures from the first flock, but by the time we started on our way with the flocks together I was too busy keeping an eye on sheep and dog to take more pictures from the whole mob, except this one:
The weather gods were good to us, and stopped the snow to fall when we began our gathering until we were home. After that the snow started to fall again, but we were snuggled inside with tea and coffee and sandwiches...
And the sheep are warm and safe inside, enjoying their hay!
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