It was early May, the youngest of the pet lambs, Blossom, was due to be weaned in a week. Finally, months of mixing milk would be over until next year. But then I went to check on the sheep on Saturday the 8th and there he was, a little, sodden lump of a lamb curled up in the field and half frozen to death.
The lamb had been smaller than his sister but was keeping up with his mum out in the fields - he hadn't been showing any signs of being in trouble. The heavy rain the previous night had been too much for the wee fella, and when I found him he was unable to stand. Into the front box of the quad he went, and we raced him back to the yard for a tube of warm milk and the warmth of the house.
After a few hours in the kitchen the wee lamb began to come around, and soon he was standing up and trying to run away from us. We made him a bottle of milk, and as soon as he took his first sip he was a different lamb. Suddenly I had a new best friend.
In the end I was making milk for Nigel until mid July. Worth it, though!
Nigel after a couple of hours in the kitchen, still unable to stand. Poor little fella was very scared of us.
And just one week later here he is! I took him out for the compulsory snood photoshoot and brought Titch along too (for fun and size comparison).
A few days after that and in better lighting.
Nigel has some beautiful chocolate and caramel colouring on his ears.
When I say Nigel was my best friend I meant it. Nigel would follow me everywhere I went. I brought him along as often as I could because he loved the adventure. For every feed he followed me from the shed over to the house, then into the house while I made his milk. He loved to stand on the doorstep as well.
My handsome wee man!
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