Hello, this is Maude's sister Bea.  I wanted a chance to talk to everybody about what we do here at Zoar farms every year about this time.  The days get shorter, the snow falls, the shepherd gives us dried grass to eat and we start thinking about having lambs in the spring. 

I am in right now preparing for a lamb and took part in something else we do here at this time!

 

After the shortest day of the year, the priest comes to bless us all in the name of the Lord.  The shepherd and a bunch of people walk around with a candle singing, "When You, Lord, were baptized in the Jordan".  The priest sprinkles water on everything including us and says, "You are blessed in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit".   Then they go on to someplace else and keep doing it until the whole place is blessed.

 

I always hope maybe somebody will have a treat for me to eat, but it never seems to happen.  I keep hoping.

 

I haven't heard from my sister Maude for awhile; as far as I know, she's still in Cherry Valley and having a good time.

 

I guess that's about all I had to say.  Do you do this blessing and water sprinkling where you are?  Do you sing the same tune?