Monday, April 27, 2009

"You, me and some Tzatziki!"

So the question has been asked and as the overwhelming consensus on yesterdays blog was that people appreciate it if you answer a direct question, I will venture into the topic of sheep today.... (not really, I'd have done it anyways...but it did give me an excuse to discuss my sheep prejudice).... I guess after reading on my profile and hearing that I am interested in "any kind of animal (but sheep)." Jen098 felt compelled to ask, "OMG how can you not like sheep!?...." and finished up her comment with, "Have you had a bad sheep experience?" Why, yes! I most certainly have.

Now, knowing that a good number of my blogger friends have sheep (and appear to love them dearly) I have, up until now, left it as a mere statement of fact.... I DO NOT LIKE SHEEP. Period. I hate sheep just slightly more than I loath goats.

I am sorry but I do not take this position out of ignorance- I boarded my old horse Rocky with a mob of sheep for four years (I was responsible for feeding and cleaning up after them) and I lived with Odie (the Goat) for another. I've spent a good deal of time with either species at other barns along the way and have had some that I've liked better than others and my tender moments with them as well. One ewe at my old barn I named Gramma, she had an ol'n'wise look to her eye and would come up for a scratch every morning. I'd even give Odie a scratch a time or two. I dont hate an individual sheep, if I came by your place I'd give yours some lovin' too and probably compliment you on their profuse and gloriously fine wool. I get that they are contributors to this planet and have a place on them. But still... thanks but no thanks.

IMHO they stink, they have VERY dirty bums, their poop is like miracle poo, (it gets everywhere and is impossible to remove from clothing, creases or sawdust), their sole objective in life is to find ways to make yours miserable (by breaking out, eating up or destroying anything they get their grubby little paws on (I know they dont have paws!)). Now, I am sure your goats and sheep are clean, potty trained little angels, but the ones I've known where all of the above. I am sorry, honestly I mean no offense, but this has been my personal experience with them...and an opinion I am fairly content with...meaning I will NEVER own sheep or goats. Never say never, right? Never!

Actually there was a resident goat at my last barn named Odie. Everyone just loved that little 'ucker like he was the best thing since slice bread. He drove me up the bloody wall. I swear, sheep and goats are the single most annoying creatures on earth. Sure they can be cute and their antics humorous, they can be "smart" (meaning they are insanely clever at finding new ways to reek havoc wherever they go) but, with all due respect, thanks but no thanks!


My less-than-adoring attitude found Odie and I eyeball to eyeball on more than one occasion- him backed into a corner trying to find a way by while I stood over him, shaking with frustration, trying to resist the urge to bash him over the head with whatever object he had recently destroyed (I would never actually hurt the belligerent bastard). I'd mutter, "You and me, Odie... just you, me and a side of Tzatziki! I hear your lovely in a curry!"

*****
Thanks everyone who contributed to yesterdays post. It really helped me understand more about blogging...the social aspect of it, as well as all the wonderful, positive benefits we draw from expressing our thoughts and opinions, gathering support and sharing our life experiences with a global community.

11 comments:

  1. Oooooh - I have sheep and think they're evil doers. They are a necessary evil for stock dogs.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm with you 100% on sheep. They smell BAD. And I don't care who cooks it or how they cook it, to me lamb or mutton smells and tastes just like the live sheep smell -- BAD! I don't really know about goats. Some of them are pretty cute, but I can't say as I have ever known one personally.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey Chelsi,

    Did you stop by my blog to solicit a visit from me..and my subsequent comment? LOL!! I bet you knew I'd just HAVE to come over here when you told me NOT to. *SNORT* :D

    Ummm,,,I do have sheep, but I can honestly tell you I'm not IN LOVE with them. They are a necessary evil so I can rape them of their wool every few months. Thankfully, they seem to like me stealing their hair and making them bald. lol!

    But yes, they are annoying, and like goats only think of one thing: FOOD.....and where it is and how to get it. Goats have their moments of affection so I'd have to say I like goats better than sheep...but Love? Nah.

    Your post cracked me up, Chelsi. I'm glad I stopped by...and look: You got another comment from me! hehehe!

    That last photo is da bomb!

    ~Lisa

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your last photo how could you not love that face cute cute cute

    ReplyDelete
  5. Country Girl- LMAO!

    Leah- For a long time I couldnt eat lamb but then I had it by accident one night (I ordered beef sovlaki and got lamb instead) and I really like it!

    Lisa- LOL I thought you'd get a kick out of that! I am happy to hear I wasnt going to get an ear full about how wonerful they are and that you dont hate me either! :) I love wool so I really shouldnt complain!

    Rodeo girl- easy! Just think about what's coming out the other end!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Roasted lamb with rosemary and garlic? Yum! (My tummy just made a rude noise thinking about it)

    A frind of mine that comes from a cattle background calls sheep meadow maggots. She hates sheep too.

    ReplyDelete
  7. OMG-You guys are too funny.
    Meadow maggots? That's hilarious.

    I can vaguely remember my mom having sheep here at the house when I was very little. Why? I don't know.

    I had to help the neighbors(when I lived in ND) shear their herd one weekend and I was never so grossed out in my life. Did you all know that range run sheep are covering in ticks? Yeaaaa...me either! Gross, gross, gross!!! So I got to help wrestle sheep into the shearing trailer all day, bundle wool(ticks and all) and then we dipped them all.

    My mom made me laugh till I teared up the other day. She was cussing Blue, cause he is such a wussie. After RD ran him around, he could barely tippy-toe around the corral and he has a bad habit of ALWAYS being in the wrong spot at the wrong time to go through the gate. Anyway, she got mad, cause he was hobbling around in every direction except the gate she wanted him to go through and she called him a damn sheep. I was like huh? She said he was like a sheep-never goes where they are supposed too and always hovering between life and death. Poor Blue-that insult had to sting.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I've never really liked sheep, no single bad experience, but get a flock of them in a set of yards and hang onto your wig! They're lovely, cuddly things surely...but they seem pretty err, dumb. No offence sheep lovers!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hmmm... okay, note to self - chelsi doesn't like sheep - got it. :) LOL! That was a good post.

    Hey so I am back from Nashville and things have somewhat settled down so I have to tell ya - remember that Gelding gone wild post a while back? So I asked Joe and Todd and when i relayed the story and finish with something like "Why do they do that?" Joe smiled and said "Because it's fun."

    Then got serious and said that the testicles is not the only area in a horse where testosterone is produced and stud like behavior is common in geldings and more common when the behavior is not kept in check. Something as simple as a regular exercise program can disengage the unwanted behavior. Testosterone is still the cause of the behavior and some gelding will produce more of it than others.

    He said that most of the show geldings I am around don't show that behavior because they are, number one trained not do that crap, and number two they have better things to do when not being ridden - like resting or eating. It's really not the first thing on their mind. He said if we were to turn them out with some mares, and not touch them for a year might be doing that stuff too.

    Clear as mud? Anyway that's what they said.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Okay, so you know I HAVE to comment, since my comment started it all.

    Warning...Passionate Plea for Sheep Love...(Not like that pervs)

    I go to a wool growers meeting yearly, and most people love their sheep. (Once again, NOT in the Velcro Glove sort of way). I was raised around a small flock, and I will admit, some are a pain. I actually have a twist in my vertebrae because of an incident with a ram.

    I think large flocks are a different sort and are more like wild animals. However, people have bred all of their natural defenses from them, so all they have is the "flock".

    They SHOULD NOT have ticks...in fact those aren't an actual tick but something different but equally gross. Good husbandry should eliminate those. It is like saying horses have rain rot. They shouldn't. Nor should they have crap all over them. Yes, when it rains they stink, but I think it is mild when they are dry. I think the smell of new lambs is the best smell on earth, second only to the smell of a horse. (Lamb, not sheep). Rams stink, I agree!

    If the meat tastes like a sheep smells it was not prepared (including butchered) correctly, it is a really old sheep, or a ram.

    I could tell stories about smart sheep, but alas, I fear it would fall on deaf ears. But I will anyway because this may be my one shot at promoting sheep greatness! Sheep can pull carts, shake hands, learn their names, love routine, can recognize up to 50 faces, (National Geographic states that anyway) and can grieve losses. They provide wool for your saddle pads and blankets, leather for purses, fat for our lipstick...The next time you put on your warm wool socks, and slather your faces with Pink Blush Lip Gloss, thank a sheep!
    P.S. I LOVE my SHEEPIES. Ironically, I am not a big cow fan. Peace out.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I was thinking of this post and you Chelsi.....

    I just finished having my sheep sheared last weekend...and I've been cleaning the wool this week.

    Man sheep wool stinks...and is so greasy, too. ewww. (get it? EWE? lol!)

    ~Lisa

    ReplyDelete