Ah, togetherness!

Well, it sounded good anyway. Since Valentine's quarantine is over, for all practical purposes, I decided to put all the girls together in the pasture this sunny, cold afternoon. Rechel and Dinah had been out since first thing this morning; after lunch, I added Valentine and Bella. (Note to the uninitiated: they really aren't all off-white!)

At first, the situation looked good. (I didn't realize sheep sniff, well, THERE, to get acquainted, just like dogs!) Everyone was calm, and Valentine was clearly happy to be with a "flock" and exploring more of Boulderneigh.

Then, without warning, Rechel rammed Valentine from behind - twice! I was close enough, when she hit her a third time, in the side, to clobber Rechel, and she seemed to get the message. But then I left the pasture to get something, and when I returned, Dinah and Rechel were both after her, ramming her at every chance. That was it; I put Valentine and Bella back in their quarters to protect "the expectant one." (Although Bella has been acting like a lap sheep while in the quarantine pen with Valentine, I had left her halter on "just in case," and it was a good thing. Once back with her mother, Bella acted like a wild thing again.)

We'll have to work on introductions carefully. In the meantime, here's a parting shot of Valentine's lustrous fleece, followed by a shot of Dinah's for comparison. I have really enjoyed working with Dinah's fleece (my first); but look at the shine in Valentine's! Yum!