And so it begins!

We are real Crofters at last - we have livestock!  It is just so exciting, I can't keep this inane grin from my face when I think of it.
On Friday, all the sheep were being brought down from the common grazings for the winter.  There were two of this year's lambs unmarked, so John was asked if he wanted them.  Now we are the proud posessors of two Cheviot X Blackface sheep - and our own croft mark, which is a red dot on the side.

Of course being suddenly responsible for stock fairly concentrates the mind, and our procrastinating about the fence came to an abrupt end.  The hole next to the gate was duly repaired and made stock-proof by these two able fencers.

And then they arrived in Angus's trailer - bounded into the bottom field and wandered happily off to explore their new home.  This field has not been grazed for two or three years, so there is plenty of still lush grass for them to feed on.

James has named them both Maddie - Maddie Mor agus Maddie Beag (Big Maddie and Little Maddie).  There they go inspecting the edges of the field already, while James fruitlessly calls on them to come and play.

It's a thankless task being a shepherd boy.

                 Maddie Beag.                                            Exploring the shelter                                            Maddie Mor