The pictures of my animals that I like the best and work hard to get are the ones that show their personalities.
I can remember when I got my first three sheep, Suzy, Socks and Tess, and wondering if they were all different from each other.
After living with them and the other animals on the farm and reading about wildlife, it seems naive for me to have ever thought they would all be the same.
I learned this from the fish in the tank we had for years too.
When I made the effort to really look at them, I could see how the shape and size of their fins differed. And I now know that what we see is not necessarily what other fish see. So their marking may be much more varied than us humans are privy to.
I still have a hard time telling our own hens Kitty and Anne apart. But I do know that one of them always picks up her food and carries it away to eat by herself. It’s even hard for me to tell which hen is White Hen when they are all together. I have to look at her feet which is the only part of her that looks old to me.
When I took this picture of Asher I could see his personality in it.
To me he looks kind, inquisitive and gentle. And I see something else, that I don’t usually think of when considering the twins. He looks grounded and thoughtful.
I have to remind myself that Asher and Issachar are not the long legged teen-agers they were when we first got them. I often see them breaking up the other sheep when they are head butting and putting the younger sheep in their place.
The twins are my largest sheep. They come up to my waist and could easily knock me down in the rush to get to the hay. They may try to pull a mouthful of hay from my arms, but they never push me.
They are really very well behaved for bottle raised wethers. And grow good-natured the older they get.
The shadow makes him seem two-toned. He has a sweet face.
I can see that Carolyn, I think it helps to define the shape of his face.
Beautiful Maria – you captured his intelligence – kindness and his soul shines right thru.
You could really have a book of portraits of your flock!
I’m so glad you can see that Peg. I think it’s time to take a series of portraits of the sheep again.
Before I’d even read what you wrote about him, I thought he looked liked a refined, learned, professorial gentleman, politely asking if you wouldn’t mind granting him a moment to discuss which might have more importance in furthering man’s scientific knowledge – plumbing the depths of the oceans, or pursuing the far reaches of outer space. It was either that or…”might you have some hay lying about?”
Ha! Amy, I can see that. He is kind of charming. 🙂