Smartie figures it out!

Two years ago, the sheep reputed to be the smartest in our little flock, Smartie (not to be confused with Miss Maple, the smartest sheep in Glenkill - thanks Leonie Swan for an entertaining mystery novel) gave birth to two perfect lambs - Oliver and Rose. She ignored Oliver, and so we bought him into the house and fed him by hand. He was one of the family really, his little hooves trip trapping around the house, his favourite trick to leap into Andrew's arms. He only lived a few short weeks, but he sure was an endearing little guy.

Then last year Smartie had twin girls. Portia and Jessica. Who she completely ignored. We bought them into the house, fed them by hand and they thrived and are the healthiest yearlings in the barnyard now.

After that, Andrew threatened to turn Smartie into mutton if she didn't figure it out, (Erik in the middle of reading The Hobbit licked his lips saying, Mmm. Mutton - apparently this meal featured in his book and had quite an impact on him as he has never ever had mutton.)

So this year, when Smartie lambed - twins again - we were watching pretty carefully. But she couldn't be any more different. She looks for them, feeds them, bleats for them when they skip off, and is a model mother sheep. When I took this picture she had just finished stomping her hooves and was glaring at me with a steely glint in her eyes. Keep away from my lambs, she's saying.

Which makes us all very happy.