Pastoral

Wisconsin in the springtime.

What could be finer, even if the weather was a bit chilly and overcast?

Friday found me marooned in a chain hotel in suburban Madison. After an impulsive email to my favorite artist/shepherd/free spirit Shoshanah,  a window of opportunity opened when she invited me to visit her and her vet as they ministered to an ailing ewe:



The ewe in question had been feeling poorly and, as she was expecting, warranted a visit from the kindly and wise sheep-doctor:



He explained what he was looking for (“If you can see the lambs feet, you know that delivery will be soon.”) and what the exam would entail:



Shoshanah held the ornery ovine’s horns while the doc worked on the other end:



Nearby, another ewe (with her day old lamb) watched the examination impassively:



No lamb yet, just a respiratory infection. After being probed, prodded and poked, the ewe took a little breather before rejoining the herd:



After the vet had left, Shoshanah and I talked over coffee while I admired her horse of a different color:



Finally, no trip to Mount Horeb would be complete without a stop in at The Cat and Crow, where co-owner Melissa styled her fabulous new leggings:



Thanks for the wonderful afternoon, Jojiba!