Although my camera club doesn't meet over the summer, several outings are arranged that are usually fun to join in with. One of our members lives on a farm on the edge of the moors above Ilkley, so we were invited to visit.
The day was bright and sunny, the views magnificent and all the farm life was fascinating to this 'townie'. I loved these sheep, waiting for a much needed haircut. I've seen sheep being sheared in a competition at Bingley Show but I've never got so close to the action before. Once the wool is off, in one big loose sheet, it is rolled into a bundle and bagged ready to be taken for processing.
PS: When I was a little girl, my dad taught me how to count sheep using the ancient numbering system used by Derbyshire shepherds. I've always remembered it started (1-5): Yan, tan, tethera, methera, pip. There are many dialect variations. I've just seen, in my Country Walking magazine, the whole 1-20 listed, as used by shepherds in Swaledale: Yan, tan, tether, mether, pip, azer, sezar, akker, conter, dick, yanadick, tanadick, tetheradick, metheradick, bumfit, yanabum, tanabum, tetherabum, metherabum, jigget. Glorious!
Nice day out for a photographer. That shepherd is beginning to look remarkably like his sheep!
ReplyDeleteI think the back support the shearer is using is an excellent idea.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots. I like that back support too!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have thought of it, but that back support makes sense.
ReplyDeleteThe sheep must be happy after the shearing's over and they can feel cool.
Oh, I bet that feels good to get that wool cut off! Nice, clean and light! haha.
ReplyDeleteI, too, was struck by the back support. Could use a rolling one in the garden. And I love the counting rhymes!
ReplyDelete