Be Grateful

Above is a picture of a Dorper ewe I named Old Dorper, she was my first Dorper ewe. I first named her Dorper, but when I purchased the second Dorper ewe, she became Old Dorper. I have had Old Dorper for five years. Each laming I can count on Old Dorper giving me twins. She has had seven sets of twins for me. I am grateful I have this ewe.

Be grateful for what you already have while you pursue your goals.

If you are not grateful for what you already have, what makes you think you would be happy with more?”

Roy T. Bennett

I read this quote in another blog and it stuck with me. I hear people say they would have more if their sheep were better or they need a different place to than the one they have to raise sheep. I started small with two skinny light framed mix breed ewes. Today, I have 32 ewes with a third of the ewes being full blood registered Dorpers that look good, but not great.

Each day I go out to feed my sheep and other chores, I look at my sheep I am grateful I have the number of ewes I have. I am grateful my sheep are in good condition, the lambs are growing. I am grateful for what I have. But I have goals, one being I want great looking full blood Dorper ewes, lambs and rams.

My place is nothing fancy. When I started I did not have a sheep shelter or anything for sheep. With time, wise spending and a lot of sweat I have a sheep shelters and a barn and several pens. I was able to get feeders, hay mangers, water troughs and the other things the sheep need by saving money and shopping wisely.

My dad would tell me, “If you keep track of each penny, the dollars grow.” As a teenager I did not get really what he was saying. As a young adult, I learned the meaning and as a mother I passed the saying and meaning on to my children.

Being grateful is different from be satisfied. The quote states being grateful in pursuit of goals. Set those goals, look at where you are and set goals. Goals are important in any business adventure. Raising sheep for me is business and an adventure.

Has anyone been “sheep skiing” lately?

Granny