Sheep Talk

I was chipping loose paint off the render this morning when Laurence, Gladys & Michael drove a flock of sheep past me to gather in the yard ready for sorting out which sheep would go to Leyburn market this week and it reminded me of the last time I saw my late Mother in Law Joan Graham back in mid 2002.  It reminds me of her, in that I think it was June when we were all sitting on the terrace outside having afternoon coffee in the sun when Laurence asked us to just clear a space for him to drive a flock of sheep by in front of the house - which is his direct way to take gathered sheep along to his yard and we sat back and watched as they streamed & jostled by.  We laughed about putting on a special show for Joan - who by that time was very weak and unknown to any of us was terminally ill with bowel cancer.  

She was not feeling at all well and so left us early to be back home with Peter & Margaret and having left us she was immediately admitted to hospital and very sadly died within two weeks - I still miss Joan and her wonderful robust, outspoken but incredibly loving & warm character.  After her death I wrote the following short poem about our afternoon in the sun & the sheep passing by: 

For Joan - Counting Sheep
 

We sat apart that afternoon basking in the Dale’s sun.

You with a rug across your lap gazing at the hills beyond the beck,

I propped against the dry stone wall reading.

The sheep used our terrace as a path to the meadow.

I moved you back to watch as they streamed and jostled by,

flowing, erratic with that vacant absent-minded look about them.

You said how big they looked close too

and laughed when I said we couldn’t always fix a cabaret like this.

And then you left for the last time,

frail and huddled in the car,

needing to get home.

And I forgot to kiss you goodbye.

Anyway - Janet was at the hairdresser's in Reeth this  morning and was talking to her hairdresser about sheep and the pros & cons of different breeds.  When she got home she commented that where else in the country would one get a good conversation about sheep farming as one had a haircut?

Finally a shot of sheep gathered by the gate to the West of Hill Top Farm - taken a few months ago.