Gratitude acres
Living outside the box
Slightly Crazy
I don’t think it matters who you are, life will inevitably turn crazy at some times. At the present, I think much of the world is crazy in it’s own way. I’m heart broken over the war Putin is waging, and scared about how it could escalate. Still, life is pretty normal for at least me who am not immediately affected.
I take that back, my “normal” is most definitely someone else’s crazy- haha! I just spoke to my cousin who lives outside Florence, Italy. She laughed when I told her I was taking a quick overnight trip to Italy to check out some dogs we’re contemplating importing to the US. And before you think I’m certifiably nuts- I’m already in Sweden. Travelling in Europe is really just like traveling between states in the US. I just booked a plane ticket to Milano for me and my sister who will tag along; it was about $40. For the two of us. Both ways. Travelling within Europe is easy and fun! And since I haven’t seen my cousin in at least 20 years and she’s only 3 hours away from our destination we naturally invited ourselves over! She lives outside of Florence which is an absolutely beautiful city. I’m sure every city in Italy looks beautiful to me! And just to clarify: She didn’t think traveling to Italy was the crazy part, it was going to look at dogs In Italy that sounded c r a z y to her!
Florence, Italy.
I’ve been here before but it was so very many years ago. I look forward to seeing this beautiful city again!
I mentioned I was going to look at dogs in Italy. I’m going to visit the Il Pastore transumante kennel directed by Dario Capogrosso in Sarazzano, about an hour south of Milano. He breeds the Sila Shepherd, or Sila Sheepdog. From the very first time we saw this beautiful breed, we were impressed by it’s strength, beauty and by all we could read about it’s character and traits. But reading is one thing and experiencing it another. I’m not crazy enough to jump into a dog breed that I have not thoroughly investigated! I have to make sure it’s a good fit for us, our farm and our neighbors and community. I have to admit, going to Italy right now was not my idea, it was Scott’s, but I’m just crazy enough to love it and set it all up in one day- lol!
Talking about Scott, he has crazy energy. He supported me immediately, wholeheartedly and without any reservations when we first heard that my dad had pancreatic cancer and we realized I would have to go back for long times to be with my parents in Sweden. Working a demanding full time job, while juggling escaped pigs, runaway dogs and being on baby lamb watch takes a lot. He was there to do all the work when our very first 100% pure Valais Blacknose Lamb was born -yay! Our little ram lamb, whom we named Dawson, is fantastic and cute and absolutely perfect. My heart is actually breaking a little bit knowing I won’t see him until he’s much bigger.
Here he is: Dawson, our 100% purebred Valais Blacknose lamb. Surrogate mom is very proud and has no idea he is not hers!
Scott had just finished building a little creep heater for our new little lamb as the PA weather changes from 65 degrees one day to freezing the next. Dawson loves it and Scott says he often finds him curled up inside his cubby, and mom is happy to be right next to him outside where it’s nice and cold!
That’s enough for today when it comes to the craziness that is my life. I love it and am grateful for every person and animal in it. Grateful for all the experiences and grateful to still have peace in the lands I’m in.
Gratitude acres 
Very impressed with your little farm! You are really pioneers in this!
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Question, how did you get the 100% VBN? I didn’t this was possible in the states, best we could get was 97%
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We can now import purebred Valais as embryos through NZ. It tends to get expensive, currently around $4-7000 per embryo with no guarantee that it takes.
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The USDA now allows import of embryos from NZ. Negotiations with the UK is underway as well. Exciting times!
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