I needed to go to our satellite park; tens miles northerly. On the way north I passed the pasture with the sheep, goats, and llamas. One ewe was just starting to give birth. I started to stop, but was worried I might make her nervous being parked there.

About two hours of mutilating weeds, moving driftwood to clear the beach trail, and checking an eagle's nest I had not seen since midwinter, it was time to go back south. I slowed as I got to the pasture and then pulled over to the shoulder. I was watching a newly born shaky-legged black lamb next to mom, being cleaned, and exchanging scents, bonding. I pulled over long enough to watch the lamb wobble a few yards here and there while invisibly tethered to mom.

About three hours later Kathy picked me up at work. I told her about the lamb. She turned left up West Beach Road without being told. The lambs that are old enough to bounce around, chase each other, and come to the fence to look challengingly at us were of no interest. Kathy made the appropriate motherly ahhs and ohhhs and we watched the five-hour old lamb doing its first run, stumble, pause to look at mom, bounce, run... new life is always worth stopping to appreciate the miracle that happened.

rgot

John M.