Even I'm HOT!

posted by Ellis the Ram

Despite my sturdy fleece, even I am beginning to feel the effects of the heat. But fortunately it has had a quieting effect on the flock. Gives me a bit of time to contemplate the various issues from my last post. But one thing at a time. So I've met with Herzig and Esme as we begin our, what I hope to be our persistent, attack on our HC regarding the knitted Eggplant. She says she has been working on what she refers to as an Adult Dining Linen {ADL} for the lady from Malice Domestic. Referring to it as #4, she is very secretive about this #4 and keeps telling us once we see it all will be clear. Clear? She is knitting it in a tan fiber with a little tiny string of a brown....rather like the grass in our pasture these days. And clear? Its not clear at all. It is a knitted fiber piece so once its knitted all you see is the fiber. Doesn't clear mean I could see through whatever it is? And as to the fiber? Its not fleece but made from a plant which is generally what our species views as MLGV. VERY CONFUSING!! So we plan to, one by one, the 3 of us will appear to ask IS THE #4 FINISHED AND HAS THE KNITTED EGGPLANT BEGUN? Either she will work harder at the #4 and start the knitted Eggplant or perhaps even set it aside just to keep us from asking. I've learned with my HC there is no point being angry or demanding but repetitive and constant works.

Meanwhile, DID I SAY ITS HOT? So hearing my HC and her oldest best~est girl scout camp friend, Gobel, were planning an adventure to canoe, I invited myself along. Gobel is a most trustworthy friend and accompanied the KOO on their first outing. Canoeing is something the Flock who went to New Hampshire 2 summers ago had attempted. But HC Maggie informed us life jackets were required and none fit, so we went raft floating instead. HC and I climbed in the vehicle one afternoon and drove over to the Pasture of Gobel. Then the 2 of us climbed out of our vehicle and.....

 the 3 of us climbed into Gobel's vehicle. And to 'the place' where canoes, paddles, life jackets and water were to be found. I took the seat in the middle and enjoyed my ride as Gobel drove to 'the place'. She is driving in the photo of me shown above.

Keep in mind my HC is not fond of having her picture taken but finally I got her to take a snap with me, before we actually went boating. Just in case an unexpected occurrence....such as a strong wind or poor seamanship resulted in the 3 of us out of the canoe and into the lake. Then we went into the building to acquire 3 essential components for our boating. Gobel rented a canoe which came with paddles. As none were designed for ovines there were just 2 paddles.

And once again....like the paddles....no life jacket which would fit an Ovine. For a moment I feared I would once again be prevented from this boating adventure and never have the experience being out on a body of water upon a vessel of ANY type EVER. But my HC boldly set me up on the bow seat in the canoe, at first 'backwards' but that could be corrected after we had gotten underway.

Once my HC and Gobel took their positions, wearing their life jackets and carrying their paddles, we got FULL STEAM AHEAD. Well, that would be the term if we had some sort of mechanical device operating our vessel. The idea still holds....we got underway. The 2 of them took the same positions they had 40 years ago at camp, my HC in the bow and Gobel in the stern.

The next hour in the horrid heat we enjoyed the cooler temperatures and at times drops of light rain. If you look to my right at the end of the canoe, there in the water you can see where a raindrop had just fallen. It was a baaa'utiful moment in and baaa'utiful hour. We left for Gobel's house, got back in our vehicle and went home a lot more ready to tackle everything.

Cooler and Calmer

ELLIS THE LAMB

I KNEW THE ANSWER TO THE MYSTERY OF THE RED TEA POT!

posted by Ellis the Ram

I thought it would just be we two boys, sill sitting in New Jersey. And it seemed to be until I looked out from the coffee table and what was rolling down the entry way? THE RED TEA POT ! I could have predicted it if the trouble between Noah and the Rude Rabbit hadn't occupied my thoughts. After all, I was the one who said that Callopie was simply hiding and would appear when she wanted. And when I heard Esme shout out to the boys, when they had gotten Ovi to the top of the RED TEA POT, I should have gone over to see if Esme needed my assistance....right then and there the answer would have been found. But I didn't and now what was to be an Ellis and Noah sill sitting quality time weekend...well AND THEN THEY WERE 4. Well, 3 plus a RED TEA POT. Yes, it wasn't just a RED TEA POT rolling down the entry way because right behind it in what was obviously a 'tailing operation' was Sullivan. And I couldn't just him let me know when he got to the coffee table because he got stuck in the door. And he already told you about all that up til after I assisted him out of the door.

As the 3 of us...Noah, myself and Sullivan convened on the coffee table we all pretended not to see as the RED TEA POT made its was to the tabletop also. But it kept its distance. While the 3 of us conferred I heard our HC and her MPU discussing why Sullivan and the RED TEA POT appeared. HC assumed I simply brought Sullivan along and I didn't correct her. But she also assumed her MPU, Polly, had brought the RED TEA POT. That is when the next clue arrived. As our HC and her MPU questioned how the RED TEA POT would have been packed as next weekend it would go to MALICE DOMESTIC....out of the corner of my eye I noticed the pot shake and heard a bit of a gasp from inside the RED TEA POT. I suppose you can guess the next part. I 'suggested' Noah and Sullivan go with our HC and explore other portions of the hotel as we had plenty of time to sill sit. And when they left....

Up I climbed to the lid of the RED TEA POT. "Callopie? You need to open the lid as it will be simpler to talk if I'm not having to speak to RED TEA POT, but to you."

I climbed down and slowly the lid flipped back. I stood quietly and when Callopie didn't appear I had to become ELLIS THE RAM, HEAD OF FLOCK and tell her she must come out as we needed to discuss all. Her disappearance. Her hiding as I knew full well she heard the frantic searching by her brother as well as others in the flock. Her temper tantrum when she didn't get what she wanted in answer to her frequent requests to go to Malice Domestic.............I waited.

And then she appeared. "Why don't you explain where you have been and what you have been doing the last several days?" Callopie slowly told me how important it was to go to Malice Domestic and she had been upset having to wait with all the others to see if she was chosen. After she had run away she knew Sullivan was horribly worried but she was torn between wanting him to know she was OK and wanting to find a way to go to Malice. It was then she noticed the RED TEA POT. And wasn't a TEA POT what the Agatha Winners at Malice were given to honor their achievements. And Red and Black were Malice colors and wasn't this a RED TEA POT. Surely this could be a special thing taken to Malice by Polly, she couldn't imagine it would stay at home. And when she heard a trip was planned for the weekend-IT MUST BE MALICE DOMESTIC. So if she could stay inside the RED TEA POT she would be taken to Malice Domestic and wouldn't need to see if she was picked.

"How did you get any MLGV while you were gone?" Callopie said she had found a bit here and there the first few days but once she was inside the RED TEA POT she realized if she got out to find MLGV she might not managed to get back in. Plus she had been so lonely after the first night that she had rolled in the pot to the sleeping spot in the pasture, where she always slept next to her brother, Sullivan. And they all woke up before she could roll away the next morning. Since then she had been trapped, almost found and all the while gotten very very very hungry.

We both sat quietly for a few minutes. Finally I said, "Callopie, this has been a very dangerous thing you have done. Rolling about in this strange place in the RED TEA POT. You're lucky no one thought it had been abandoned and decided they could then take it. And you worried all of us, especially your brother, Sullivan. I don't think I've ever seen him so worried. Plus, you haven't been fair insisting you must be chosen for the trip to Malice over others. That was not only rude but unfair. Every ovine in the pasture would like to be chosen." Callopie hung her head and soon I could hear Baa' who-whos quietly sounding. Esme wasn't along but I did my best to comfort her. Then I told her the moment we returned to the pasture she needed to appear, APOLOGIZE, and asked forgiveness. Of all the flock but most importantly, Sullivan. Then I told her we all loved her very much. I got her some MLGV and told her when the others were about she needed to stay in her RED TEA POT but could explore, but IN THE ROOM. Bit by Bit my Callopie began to return to herself. I knew by the time we returned home and the difficult task of asking forgiveness was over she would be back to the energetic questioning little ovine we all loved.

I think she has learned a great deal these last few days. Because not once since then has she pestered me about Malice and being picked for the Adventure.

You know.........I think she will be going.........but she will have to wait with all the others to find out. Case Closed~~~~ELLIS THE RAM

KOO goes on their First Outing

{Orientation Day}

posted by Noah and Ovi-Ovine Chaperons

OVI {center-then clockwise} Noah~KOO~KOO~KOO~Marty Grau

This was to be a big day. A day of Firsts for the 4 ovines of the KOO. And should you be asking "Well, what are their names, everyone needs a name, what if they need a passport?" In order~~Only one has a name as of today, Marty Grau. The other three seem to be content being known as the KOOs. {Time will no doubt assist toward names}. Yes, everyone needs a name. Hopefully names will appear before, if ever, a passport is required.

We started our day gathering the KOO in a corner of our pasture to explain the rules of their First Day Out. 1} Stay together as wandering off alone could be dangerous. Plus could ruin the outing, due to time searching for the wanderer. 2} Don't speak to strangers, should it happen an Ovine find themselves alone. 3} Asking questions is always acceptable. But public Bleating voices are required. 4} Patience for others if someone is baa'ing a question and while the question is answered. 5} Don't be afraid of HCs. They won't hurt you. And that is why we stay as a group. Its safe!

After the rules we climbed into our basket and awaited our HC. Her girl scout camp friend Gobel would soon arrive and we would all go to the first stop on our First Outing. AN AUCTION! Gobel arrived and drove the 8 of us to an auction. That is 6 Ovines and 2 HCs.

The First Auction

The flock were all too aware the word AUCTION could mean a variety of things. There are many auctions, that creatures such as us, would NEVER venture to, certainly not within Baaa'ing distance. HCs can be heard referring to those auctions as LIVESTOCK AUCTIONS. FDH!!!! Why? Live=items which are living. Stock=a term which HCs use to refer to 'property'-property which they may EAT {Bovines, Swine~~~OVINES}. Or SELL, which is what occurs at a LIVESTOCK AUCTION. Ellis the Ram suggested we not mention auctions of this sort, as to not frighten the KOO during their first outing. So the auction selected to attend was simply of inanimate objects of numerous types. {HCs seem to throw out their own items, often items of no further use or useful at all. And then purchase other HC's items considered of no further use or useful at all. Seems a questionable thing but afterall, HCs?} We stayed for a bit of time while the HCs waved cards with

numbers on them. And then we all left with nothing. Strange? We think so.

The First Restaurant and First view of UMMMM's

Then we parked in front of a series of buildings which formed a circle around a road. The road formed a circle around a statue. We followed the HCs as they exited the car and entered one of the doors. Ovi and I knew immediately what sort of building we were in, a Restaurant. And joy and rapture, one of our favorite sorts of Restaurant-A BAKERY. Why is a Bakery our favorite? First, a bakery always smells lovely. Not the same sort of lovely as freshly mowed MLGV, but close. Second, because HCs tend to be happier in this sort of Restaurant as evidenced by their cries of delight and muffled ummmm's as they consume what is in a Bakery. And third and most important reason why we love Bakeries-no bovine, swine or OVINES are EVER on the menu. So while we roamed about the KOO asked questions and explored, the HCs selected items guaranteed to produce ummmmm's and sat down at a table. The 6 of us climbed atop the table, simply to provide "KOO orientation" and viewed the ummmm~ables.

The First Friend

So as the HC behind the counter served another HC, we climbed onto the counter to view that ummm~able and to visit. Everyone being 5 Ovines, Ovi remained on the table. The KOO were a bit concerned being in such close contact with a HC, they were just getting comfortable with our HC and Gobel. So they huddled together with their hind ends toward her. But immediately from the way she fussed over us, I knew she was one who GOT IT. And finally the KOO realized they had nothing to fear. As Lisa, our new friend ooh'd and ahh'd over us they asked if our HC would take a photograph with their FIRST FRIEND. Lisa is a very very very nice First Friend.

When we returned to the pasture all the flock gathered around asking questions which the KOO happily answered. Ellis nodded at Ovi and I while Esme came and told us how well we had done with our assignment. Exhausted we left the KOO and the rest of the flock and crawled into our bed/bowls.

Ovi the exhausted and Noah the sleepy Grey One