Photograph:

Gabrielle, Samantha and Chaz, 2004

Seven absolutely, positively true stories, written for my great nieces, Samantha and Gabrielle, predominantly about Lily and our ten-acre, lifestyle block at Matakana, near Warkworth, north of Auckland.   

These were written over several years to record and remind them of the special times they shared with Great Aunty Jacky and Great Uncle Norman, Grandy (Lily) and Gramps (Charles), Grandma (Trisha) and Grandpa (Colin), Mummy (Janine) and Daddy (David), and Uncle Steven. 

1 – We Meet Lily, May 2000

2 - Lily Becomes a Mum – September 2001

3 - Naughty Lily – September 2002

4 - Naughty Lily, Again! – December 2002

5 – Lily Becomes a Grandbaa – November 2003

6 – Lily Becomes a Sheep-Midwife – November 2004

7 – Lily Deserves Promotion – August 2005

Lily – pre-shearing, 2004

ne day, in December 2002, Ellen and David (our cousins from California) visited us in Matakana with Trisha and Colin (my sister and brother-in-law) on their return trip to Auckland from the Bay of Islands — we were providing a barbecue dinner.  We started with some nibbles including guacamole and chicken liver paté. 

Guacamole 

  Chicken Liver Paté 

Before the main course, we went to feed the sheep and their lambs — which were born in October.  It is believed that Spaniards left some sheep on Arapawa Island in the Marlborough Sounds of New Zealand many years ago as a food source for their sailors, but this has never been proved.   Our sheep included Lily (the Romney); Desmine (her daughter); the Arapawas consisting of Pandora (born last year); Bambi and her twin ewe lambs; Rosy and her ram lamb; Peach and her ram lamb (the only one Jacky and Norman had named — “Crème”); Daisy and her ewe lamb;  Buttercup and her twin ram lambs, and Harry, the wether. 

When the sheep saw us, they raced up to us, because they knew we were about to feed them a very special sheep treat of multi-nuts.  Trisha told Ellen and David about their recent visit when Desmine was so excited, she rushed between Trisha’s legs to get to the container of food.  That was before the sheep had been shorn — at the time Desmine and Lily were very wide and very woolly.  Luckily, Trisha didn’t fall over. Ellen and David and Trisha and Colin took some multi-nuts out of the bucket to hand-feed the sheep.  Jacky suggested to Ellen that she might prefer to sit down to make it easier for her.  Next minute, Lily, who was standing uphill a little, ran down to Ellen’s side.  I called to David, “Quick!  Take a photograph!” because Lily appeared to be kissing Ellen’s cheek.  Next minute, however, Lily looked at Ellen, backed up a little then gave Ellen an enormous bunt on the left arm.  I growled at Lily and told her she was a VERY naughty sheep! 

We have had problems with Lily bunting children before, but not an adult.  Evidently, when Lily was a lamb, children constantly teased her.  Therefore, her only way to let them know that she wasn’t happy was to give them a mighty big bunt!  I realised that Lily wasn’t kissing Ellen — she was sniffing.  Watch sheep eating some time and you can see that before they nibble even the tiniest blade of grass, they sniff to make sure it is edible.  Because Lily knows my smell and knows I would never tease her, she has never bunted me – even when I have been sitting or lying down.  Because Ellen was sitting, Lily must have thought she was a child! 

After being growled at, Lily decided that Ellen was probably a friend because she had some food in her hand.  However, in her eagerness, Lily walked over Ellen’s foot.  Believe me, Lily is a very heavy sheep.  Poor Ellen, now she not only had a sore arm, she had a scratched toe!  Lily didn’t intend to hurt Ellen — she just gets very excited and doesn’t know her own strength.  We hope that won’t stop Ellen and David visiting again! 

After all the fun, Ellen and David, Trisha and Colin and Jacky and Norman ate dinner followed by Lemon Sour Cream Cake. 

 Marinated lamb chops

(Parents may like to leave out the lamb chop bit!)

  Lemon Sour Cream Cake