Yesterday, after I made a couple of deliveries, I stopped by my friends Jon and Maria’s farm, Bedlam Farm.
They had some excitement happen there about a week ago; a baby lamb was born. A surprise baby lamb, they didn’t know that their sheep Laurie was pregnant.
I saw on Jon’s blog Bedlam Farm Journal and Maria’s Fullmoon Fiber Art photos of the new farm’s new addition. The baby lamb was named Robin, and he was adorable. The incredible story of how they saved his life is quite amazing; he was very close to freezing to death right after he was born.
They quickly worked as a team getting his mother to recognize him and start nursing him before it was too late. You can read about it on their blogs and get the whole story.
I am not a farm girl or even an animal person because I am afraid of anything other than dogs and cats, pretty much. That has changed after yesterday’s visit with Maria.
I had a few bad barnyard incidents, one on a class trip; a goat in the petting zoo we were in jumped up on my shoulders and knocked me over. I was young, and it frightened me.
Another incident was with my oldest son Noah. We were at a friend’s house, and there were horses across the street from her house. She brought us over to say hello, and the house spit and snotted on us. We were both traumatized by this; I wonder if Noah remembers this?
One other time was when Marty and I were still dating and we went for a horse trail ride. The horse must have sensed my fear because the entire time, he kept turning around, trying to bite my feet. I had to keep my feet way back for the whole ride. It was not enjoyable at all.
Jon and Maria held an annual open house at Bedlam Farm, and I was lucky to have attended the last one. I watched from afar a woman named Liz shear some of their sheep. It was awe-inspiring how Liz could handle the sheep during the shearing.
After the shearing, I walked over to a fence near the meadow, and someone put a carrot in my hand and told me to feed the donkeys. I reluctantly did it and gave their heads a quick pat. What a wimp I am when I am afraid but made myself do it.
Yesterday, when I arrived at the farm, Maria was in the barn with the baby lamb Robin and his mama Laurie. She opened the gate for me to come into their stall. I focused on the lamb and how cute he was hopping all around that I forgot I was standing a few inches from a sheep!
I relaxed when I realized Laurie the sheep didn’t give a rat’s ass about me. I loved watching Robin nurse from his mama; she was so patient with him; she is such a good mother. He would get underneath her and bump up with his head before he started nursing.
Next, the two donkeys Fanny & Lulu, came to the fence of the pen. I told Maria how I was afraid of them but gave them a carrot anyway. She didn’t know I was afraid of animals; I told her about my bad experiences, and she listened, nodding her head.
Maria has been my belly dance student for almost four years, but yesterday our roles completely reversed.
When Maria started classes with our belly dance group, she was shy and afraid. She was out of her comfort zone, but she bravely came back week after week. Her shyness went away when she realized we were there to teach and support her, to make her feel comfortable, and not laugh at her if she was struggling.
Yesterday, I was shy and afraid when I stepped into the stall, completely out of my comfort zone. Maria made me feel comfortable and didn’t laugh at me that I was afraid.
With her, I pet the donkeys and completely relaxed. I even tried to quickly close a gate when Maria went into another stall to get hay. The sheep brushed up against me, and I wasn’t scared. I even got down low and took a few photos of baby Robin.
I will never be a farm girl, but changing places with Maria from teacher to student was such a great experience and lesson. She was so confident and knowledgeable about her farm and animals like I am with musicality and dancing. We are dance sisters, and yesterday she was the big sister!