A few weeks ago we had a few close calls with some nasty weather. Luckily we only lost one gigantic tree in the little sheep pasture and one tree in the little pasture next to the house!  The group in the giant tree pasture is my special needs/old/blind crew. I was out in the lightning that evening looking through the tree for anyone caught under it. Smart right? Every sheep and both llamas were in the barn giving me the stink eye. Guess they figured I better get my hinder back in the house? I quickly obliged once I knew they were all ok!

The sheep pondered and pondered- and fussed and fussed about who would get to run Jim's chainsaw. Really?? Now THAT is a nightmare I'd rather not have!

Instead, our wonderful, awesome friends Mary & Joseph came to our rescue. Our chainsaw came apart (figures) so Mary, Joseph and Jim took turns with their bigger chainsaw. I was too chicken to get under that big tree with all the creaking going on.

Turned out my little Puzzle sheep was not too worried, he was happily eating leaves off the branches. You know, doing a sheep's part of the work.

Puzzle turned into the host of the crashed tree party. He was absolutely hilarious all afternoon! Kept checking on everyone, following me around and just being cute. He just turned 1 in April and I hope he is always a little lamb character. He saw himself in the door of Mary's red truck. Now she has slobber marks and nose prints on the door because Puzzle was determined to figure out where that lamb was. He even looked under the truck!

He has a bad heart issue and the vet warned me early on Puzzle might not be with us very long. Every day with that silly sweet sheep is a gift. I absolutely adore him. He is like a happy, little boy skipping through the daisies of life. I want him to stay that way!

ANYhoo! I am amazed how quickly that big tree was safely on the ground, the big pieces cut up and loaded onto Mary's truck. Just wow. We have a few more afternoons of work to do but it is so fun to have them over. Mary's daughter Manda and her hubby Al came over later in the day and worked hard too. The work goes fast when we are together. We are blessed to have friends like Mary & Joseph!

During his hosting of the crashed tree party, Puzzle managed to steal Mary's cigarettes a few times, ate the last of her cheddar Sun Chips AND drank her last Diet Pepsi? Good thing he's cute right?

After the activity died down the other sheep came out to do their part eating leaves off the branches. I told them thank you and reminded them it was a very important job.

We will be sad to be with out that giant beautiful tree. I love trees but many of ours are old and not very healthy. Two years of drought took its toll on our poor trees. It is nice that the wood will be used to keep my friends warm this winter though. After losing two giant trees in storms, any we replace them with will be shorter trees, like weeping mulberry or twisted kinds of ornamental trees.

I am also sad that the big tree fell over onto my cute little iron corn crib. I always wanted to turn it into something but I guess it is a good thing I never got that accomplished?! I'm saving the top 'cap' to keep part of the corn crib here. I think Al is going to take the rest down for salvage.

SO, that was our weekend and I wish I could figure out how to add all the pictures here. Have to get this blog figured out. I miss our old one. You can still get to the old one via the 'archives' link on our website.

Hope you are all having a great week. Seems we have so much more crazy weather these days- stay safe ok?

Smooches from the sheep- specially Puzzle!

Sandy & Jim Ryan www.homesteadwoolandgiftfarm.com ...where sheep may safely graze.