Back together again!

The girls chased sheep and lambs around for quite a while. While we were visiting we saw a shepherd come over the mountainside with all these mama sheep and some goats. When they were in view they all started "baaaiing" or bawling was more like it. The baby sheep in the pen all started calling back "I'm hungry". The called and called and called. The shepherd had to separate the goats from the sheep, separate his sons sheep from his and then the mama's were allowed in the pen with the babies. After they nursed all was quiet and peaceful.

So cute!

The shepherd's wife insisted that I have my picture taken with a baby sheep.

Sheep milk

Sheep milk is used for yogurt, butter, cream, and cheeses. The whole shepherd's family is involved in this process. They have 400 goats and 100 sheep. The shepherd of course goes out with the sheep. The sons bag up the manure to use for gardens. The ladies are responsible for milking by hand and making cheese and yogurt. They never have a day off.

The shepherd's son told me that they usually take 400 out at a time to the mountains. I told them the story of the lost sheep and asked him how in the world they know if one is missing if they have 400. He simply replied, "We know. We're with the sheep all they time. We know if one is lost."

I got one too!

Brianna has always enjoyed the baby sheep and goats.

Caught him!

The shepherd let our girls loose in a pen with maybe about 50 baby lambs. They ran around and around in circles to catch one.

My sheep hear my voice

"My sheep hear my voice." It's been so neat to live here and witness shepherds working with their sheep. These sheep were all heading away from the shepherd's son. He made some weird call, that I would never try to imitate. They all stopped in their tracks. Then he did another strange call and some came up to him. How much simpler our lives would be if we reacted that way?

By the way these are not clothes that he normally wears out with the sheep. He had just returned from school when we stopped by their home, then headed to the edge of town to the sheep pen.

Sweet as a Lamb

Our shepherd friend's that we met in the mountains have returned to the city with their sheep and goats. There is too much snow in the winter at their village, so they come back to the city. It was a four day trek for them. They mentioned that their sheep had babies, so we HAD to go see them according to our girls. Sweet picture if I do say so myself!

family pics

Today we went to our friends orchard to take family pictures. This is a shade that they make in thier orchrds and vineyard. They are pole structures and alot of times they plant grape vines around them that provide fruit and shade.

family pic

family pic

family pic

family pic

family pic

Our girls

big girl

family pic

family pic

K-pic

This is our Kurdish style pic. They never smile for a picture.

After

We have to laugh after our Kurdish picture.

Michael

This is the girls new big brother. They love him and when he goes out of town they can't wait til he comes back. He is a great guy.

Mama and her girls

Susan and Brianna

2 pretty ladies.

big girl

Susan's little girl is getting big.

orchard

This is our friend's orchard we went to, to take pictures. it's about 7 acres. They are selling it for $750,000. Land here is a little expensive, but this has a nice spring on it, and it is close to town.

Megan's house

Megan has been building several things around the house.

This is her mud house like they build in the village, but on a smaller scale. she put the roof on it tonight. She has done a good job of building it and making a mess.

She built herself a little table to sit at and draw using a piece of plywood and some other wood we had around the house. I helped her with the legs to build braces for them. She uses it quite often, as she is quite the little artist.