Zelda continues to surprise me. She is finally getting comfortable enough for Maria and I to get close to here, even touch her or scratch her back once in awhile. She never takes her eyes off of Red, and she keeps a vigilant watch over the other ewes, who seem to depend on her, I’ve seen ewes act as leaders before, but not in this way or to this degree. She has calmed down, she doesn’t run me over and knock me down any more, she doesn’t butt Red or challenge him directly, but she sure doesn’t submit to him either, as the other ewes do. They seem to have a healthy respect for one another.

Zelda is an intelligent ewe, and she sometimes ventures off by herself, as I found this morning when I came out to feed the barn cats. She has an attitude, and we are glad we took her in. Animals never cease to surprise me and teach me.