We started our main shearing on Monday – a busy time, but it’s always fun! I love the smell of the wool as it gets thrown on to the wool table and the hustle and bustle of the shed. Music blares out from the inside of the shed; it’s the only time we work in the yards to music, and the sheep, as they are stripped of their wool, come out looking rather bemused about what has just happened!
Yesterday was a bit full on though! There were forecasts of thunder storms, later in the day, so we needed to make sure that we kept the sheep dry (can’t shear wet sheep!)
We pulled the combine and augers, out from the machinery shed, put in transportable panels and filled it to the brim with sheep – all the while, the black clouds were getting closer and closer.
We still hadn’t managed to get them all under cover, so we shoved and pushed them into every little spot that had a roof and finally, as the heavens broke open, at about 10am, they were all in areas that would keep them dry.
The thunder and lightning was spectacular, the drops of rain, huge! But then it all stopped and the humidity went through the roof. Not pleasant conditions to be working sheep in.
Once again, though, Esperance didn’t let us down (we were still missing a season – we’d had three!). By 4pm, the wind had gone around to the south and it was cold! Then started the slow and steady drum of rain… 15mm later! Wonderful!
Your blog reminds me of my father shearing, although not on the scale you do, I used to love the job on rolling the fleeces, your hands ended up so soft from all the lanolin in the wool. Thanks, love your blogs, this time last year were just about to come to Oz for a month now I have to wait until next November, although I did have two weeks there at Easter for Teash and Jade’s wedding – Pauline