Finally my window of opportunity to relate our first real evidence of this 'flock with in the flock', photographic evidence. As seen above, we have identified the key items with captions for future reference.
The events were as follows. Knowing that Ovi is extremely fond of his bowl~bed and therefore when sleeping at night can always be located tucked warmly inside, we believe the Flock With In the Flock targeted Ovi. {From this point on the Flock With In the Flock will be known by~~~~FWIF.} They waited til the flock was tucked in for the night and took our Ovi/bowl~bed, left our pasture and placed him outdoors IN A SNOW BANK. Obviously this event had occurred soon after our return from the beach, when the snow was deep and temperatures were frigid.
FWIF placed strings of gaudy plastic balls on strings-2 in Gold and 1 in Green- over our darling Ovi and as can be seen in this photo then creeped away. No doubt back into the warmth of the pasture where they apparently went back into hiding as they weren't visible during the rest of the event.
We still have no idea how the green string, which was clearly in the opening photo, failed to appear in this photo above. But as can be seen in the following photo when we rescued Ovi/bowl~bed from the cold all 3 strings were accounted for.
Sullivan had awakened a bit later in the night and realizing Ovi/bowl~bed were MIA, sounded the alarm. {normally Nocturnal Ovine Wandering~NOW wouldn't be a concern-but with events recently we kept alert-this was not NOW} Well it was now but not an act of NOW. Get it~Got it~GOOD ! Sooooooooooo.......Calling for an All Ovine Alert~AOA we commenced our search. Callopie quickly noted bits of snow by the door and we knew none of us had been outside and the HC was reading in her bed upstairs. We managed to get the door opened and there he was, if Sullivan had not woke up, Ovi might have awakened covered in snow, confused, semi frozen and unable to bleat for assistance. Out we rushed into the cold dark night and dragging the bowl~bed we got Ovi and it, through the door. Ovi still had not baaa'd and we were in fear he was frozen-how would we UN THAW our Ovi. Fortunately once out of the cold and on the threshold the warm began to revive him.
We then flock-handled him over to the top of an old blanket chest and soon helped him to clear the snow which had blanketed him. As can be seen below, quite a bit of snow had fallen while he had been sleeping outside, PLUS snow had begun to fill his bowl~bed.
Now this was becoming dangerous and UNHEALTHY. Ovi was stoic which amazed the flock. Ovi stated that the plastic balls on string must have been left by whoever had ferried him to the outdoors. And after seeing the photo we all immediately saw that the 2 Miscreants of Dubious Intentions~MDIs fleeing the scene were of the same coloring as the hind ends in his bowl~bed as we traveled the hall toward the car for our journey back to Pennsylvania. Our suspicions were now FACTS. We have identified the culprits, we have possession of the plastic balls on string.
It was then, knowing that our HC was going to an appointment with our MTF the next day, Ovi announced he would be accompanying our HC. Why? we asked. Ovi explained that as our MTF and qualified in things of an internal nature in HCs, internal nature of hidden thoughts and such, surely he might provide some insight regarding the motives of this FWIF.
The following day Ovi/bowl~bed and our HC went to the appointment. Ovi told us of the visit upon their return. Ovi's report~~~~MTF Ellis explained he normally had to 'visit with' to gain insight, so without the FWIF his guess would be simply that, guessing what lies behind events. But after studying the green plastic balls on a string he said he recognized this type of string. He had been part of a group which went to the City of New Orleans following the destruction of a Katrina. {We later learned Katrina is a serious weather event, which we hope never to experience in our pasture.} And the string looked like something thrown off traveling platforms in this New Orleans. When Ovi told MTR Ellis there had also been Gold strings Ellis said OF COURSE Then a question Ovi said he never expected......MTR Ellis said "Were there any purple strings"!!!!!
It won't be long now before Purple, Green and Gold are understood!!
Or we capture the MDI!!
Piper, OOC
