To get you blog readers but not blog commenters out in cyberspace out of your lurkdom, I have decided to have a wee contest. We used to do this type of thing back when my friends and I were still in breeding mode. When one of us was a month or so from delivering, we’d all take bets on the date and time of the impending birth and the sex and weight of the baby(s). Since we are dealing with a Shetland ewe here, I thought we could guess the date Charlotte delivers, how many lambs, and the sex of the lambs.
Since you are a diverse group of readers, I will adapt the prize to the winner of the contest. Perhaps some nice Shetland wool or Angora kid mohair roving for an interested spinner, maybe some homespun yarn for a knitter interested in needling with the fruits of my labor, and, for the non-fibrous among you, how about a hand knit chenille washcloth for those long soaks in the tub. (You will have to wait until after Easter for this one as I gave up new projects for Lent, remember?)
Give it your best guess; I’m sure I’ll have to figure out some complicated algorithm to calculate who won but that’s fine by me. My brain could always use a little extra stimulation, particularly after the hours of kiddie shows I have watched as of late.
An Addendum for Kathy:
When I calculated Charlotte's due date, it was from witnessing actual copulation between Leroy and Charlotte. From this, and the average Shetland gestation period which frankly escapes me on a foggy Sunday morning, I estimated her due date as April 8, Easter Sunday.
Of course, I never saw Leroy pay one iota of attention to Cookie until after Charlotte and Carmela and look what happened there, a lovely Madeline Cookie born March 21st. Go figure.
OK, Lauren...give us some info as to when (and you can just give us a range) she was in with the ram and is this her first lambing? (Must have the correct information, Mr. Data...if you please) Engage!
Posted by: Kathy | April 01, 2007 at 08:47 AM
I think... April 3, two little boys, one black and one cookie brown,
Posted by: Meagan | April 01, 2007 at 09:42 AM
Can regular commentators compete? PULLEESE? (I can always use more spinning fiber and you have a lovely dark grey angora goat whose color I just LOVE!) I vote April 7, twins, a ram and a ewe.
Posted by: Michelle | April 01, 2007 at 04:06 PM
Gee...I get an addendum! I am humbled and honored! (heeheehee!) Well, Michelle took the 7th and I don't think taking the 8th is fair - oh, pook! I'll take the 8th with one big boy if it's her first time, a boy and a girl if she's been up to bat before!
(I have one that looks like a tick about to pop...and I saw moving lambs on both sides today!)
Posted by: Kathy | April 01, 2007 at 06:24 PM
I'll take the 4th with two. One girl, one boy. I know nothing about sheep, so don't know if they have triplets like our bear did last year ... so even though she's EWEnormous I'll say twins.
Posted by: Lynne Robinson | April 01, 2007 at 07:05 PM
What the heck, it *is* Charlotte, after all...I'll be literary. Three ewe lambs, April 5.
Posted by: Beth in WI | April 01, 2007 at 07:23 PM
OK, I'll the April 6th. I think she will have a male and a female! What do I know about sheep? Absolutely nothing! But I love 'em and I enjoy knitting so I'm game!!
Posted by: Karalyn | April 02, 2007 at 02:14 AM
Based on the size of Madeline, I'd say conditions in the Southwest are much better than those that simulate the Shetland Islands or some Godforsaken corner of the US, so I am going to stick with 2 lambs, even though she is large enough to look like three anywhere else. They will be big boys, born on the 4th. Or so my crystal ball says.
Posted by: melanie | April 02, 2007 at 06:05 AM
(I am posting this comment for Ann who emailed me.)
I will vote for April 7th - 2 lambs (are you sure there are 2 or just guessing?) and since no one in my family for 4 generations has had a boy I will have to vote for girls.
i would love some yummy wool, my Mom weaves and I am trying to learn to knit.
thanks, ann and josie
Posted by: Lauren Dillon | April 02, 2007 at 07:03 AM
Easter morning, bright and early. Two babies, one of each sex.
And then Charlotte will get up and kick you for talking about her privates on the internet so much. ;-)
Posted by: Carrie | April 03, 2007 at 09:08 AM
I'll guess the 9th, with two female lambs.
Posted by: Nicole | April 05, 2007 at 08:52 AM
Lauren, can you give me a specific link to this post? Your blog program never puts it in the addy window.
Posted by: Michelle | November 02, 2007 at 08:40 PM