This is my favourite photograph taken by the boffin Cameron .
It’s a real stunner
It is of my Soay Ewe Irene during the harsh snowy winter five years ago.
She was hardly bothered by the weather.
Irene was a particularly difficult Ewe. After her mother Sylvia died ( and yes I did name both sheep after the flower show matriarchs ) Irene spent most of her days in the livery stables fields, shunning any attempt to be caught and moved, and there she lived with the horses until her peaceful death today
Her face lying straight on the grass facing the ponies in the top field
Don’t anyone say they are sorry. She wasn’t my ewe for nearly a decade, so I had no real investment in her care.
But I kind of respected her chutzpah at choosing where she was going to live.
Thank you to Rachel who runs the livery for allowing her to stay for so many years
I well remember Irene. She lived to a fine old age, it seems. I won't say I am sorry for your loss, but I think you felt a little something, enough to immortalise her final end here on the blog.
ReplyDeleteAs I understand it Irene has lived a wonderful life free to be herself - Run Free Irene xx 🐑
ReplyDeleteWhat an impressive photo, worthy of the Countryfile calendar! And what a feisty lady Irene was. RIP Irene. xx
ReplyDeleteVery regal, lived a good life on her terms
ReplyDeleteThat's a cracking photo of one of my favourite breeds; my passion is old Scottish breeds, I love their feistiness. Soay is a lovely fleece to spin. Have saved the photo - just for me personally in my sheep file :) - hope Cameron doesn't mind x
ReplyDeleteIf not ok I'll remove it.
DeleteYou're more than welcome to save it :)
DeleteThankyou Cameron, appreciated :)
DeleteGreat photo, I remember her
ReplyDeleteWhat a great photo! Straight from the pages of National Geographic.
ReplyDeleteRachel sounds like a wonderful person providing a place for Irene through the rest of her life. The photo of Irene could be enlarged and framed. Alternatively, some people can take a photo and create a nice oil painting. Either one would be lovely.
ReplyDeleteWhoa. That's quite the photo!
ReplyDeleteAnd I loved this story!
XOXO
A life well lived is nothing to be sorry for.. And it sounds like she lived her life her way... Hugs! deb Quite the photo Cameron!
ReplyDeleteI see determination in those eyes. I think this is probably accurate.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful face for a sheep ... her eyes are quite soulful. May she run in the pasture of Heaven!
ReplyDeleteAs a fan of sheep and shepherd blogs, I'd say they all have beautiful faces. Did you know they also recognise faces, human and sheep, better than we can? Tina in west oz here.
DeleteInteresting to know, Tina in Oz. Thank you!
DeleteI love that photograph and I love that Rachel allowed Irene to be a sheep in charge of her own destiny.
ReplyDeleteThat IS a wonderful photo! RIP to the feisty Irene.
ReplyDeleteThank you Rachel as well.
ReplyDeleteWe all should be able to live as we wish and die as we wish.
Cheers Irene,you handsome beast !
Lovely photo of sear Irene. May she frolic to her ehart's content in the hereafter!
ReplyDeleteHugs!
For a Sheep, she has very nice eyes. Usually they're quite menacing.
ReplyDeleteThat is a fantastic photo.
ReplyDeleteGreat photo. She sounded a force to be reckoned with and certainly lived and died on her own terms.
ReplyDeleteThat’s a brilliant photo.
ReplyDeleteGreat photo! Respect to an independent and stubborn lady who knew what she where she wanted to be.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks to the kindness of Rachel she was able to.
That is a striking photo. I remember the many attempts to catch her but it seems she just didn't want to be caught. I am glad that she lived out her days on her own terms.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful photograph. I too remember the attempts to catch her. It is wonderful that she was able to live out her life with the ponies.
ReplyDeleteShe lived a good life, on her own terms didn't she. (As we all found out when we tried to catch her!!)
ReplyDeleteA handsome ewe...and Says are toughies!
ReplyDeleteSoays
ReplyDeleteWonderful photo and what an incredible life she had.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous picture! xx
ReplyDeleteWonderful photo . Thanks for sharing . Reminds me of a ward sister I once knew !
ReplyDeleteThat is a fine photograph!
ReplyDeleteI like to think that she slipped out of this life thinking that she was right there with the ponies at the top of the field.
ReplyDelete