Drawing with #72

So on Sunday morning while we were all sitting around at the breakfast table with Dr. Hapke (our wonderful host and owner) at the bed and breakfast, hubby asked, what's with all the blue butts?  Is it a way of keeping count or tracking them?

 

Oh no, said Dr. Hapke.  That is number 72.  Number 72?  Yes,  she explained it is their way of keeping track of all of the sheep.  Hmmmmm, ok, let's hear this story.  (Dr. Hapke is an excellent story teller) So, here is the story of #72.  Oh #72 was a beauty, such a sweet thing.  He would always come up when he was a baby to get something to eat from you or just to be near you.  Such a sweetheart!  When it was time for market she just could not get rid of #72, well, not yet anyway.  So, #72 was going to have the honor of being the head honcho, buck, ram of the place.  Oh, what a privilege!  Very interesting, but why the blue butts? we asked.  To keep track of them.   A female will go into heat twice a year.  In order to know whether or not a female has been fertilized # 72 is rigged with a strap that goes around him with a crayon latched onto the strap.  Blue butts, # 72 has done his deed!  Now with sheep being so big and woolly they don't always show that they are pregnant until much later on, and as this is a working farm, you need to know these things! Plus they have to change out the colors every ten days in case the first time was not successful or a new female decided it was time for her painting.  Ah, Dr. Hapke told us, # 72 was so excited being the head ram he became an artist.  One female was quite the painting .  # 72 drew all over her, and went through two crayons in less than a day or so! One of the other guests said well instead of calling him #72 he should be called Leonardo!
Dr. Hapke suggested that we go along with her farmhand to see all of the animals, and so the hunt was on for Leonardo aka #72.
Our wonderful guide took us up the mountainside.  I mean we walked, and walked.  Now I walk just about every day, but this was a steep walk.

 

Nearing the top, and jackets are coming off.  Oh look! A shed in sight!

 

Hey, no blue butts here

 

 

But the view

 

 

She has 70 beautiful acres with this bed and breakfast

 

 

Our guide asked us if we wanted to go further up.  Higher? we said in unison. A nod of the head.  Is Leonardo aka 72 up there?  Oh no, he told us, he is down the hill with all the other females.

Back down we go

 

Ah ha! Familiar sight!

 

Yet where is #72?  Our guide feeds them their breakfast so we can get a closer look

 

Whoa!  There is a red butt!

 

Ok so now instead of blue crayons we are looking for red.  I think I spot him!

 

There you are you little artist you!

 

While everyone else was having breakfast

 

Leonardo aka #72 was trying to decide who he would romance for the day!

 

That mornings breakfast was much enjoyed, and full of laughter as we learned a lot about farm life and #72.  May you have another year at the bed & breakfast # 72!