Houdini

I can't figure it out. Every single day for the past nearly two weeks Bubby has gotten out. He doesn't go anywhere, just to the other side of the fence.

The other lambs, when they get out it is always by accidents. As soon as they are out they panic - "Oh my god! What happened? Where am I?" They run back and forth bahhing. It's very hard to catch them and put them back in. But when they get in, they are instantly fine - "Oh, that's better. I'm hungry. Look, there's grass."

Bubby on the other hand, gets out on purpose. He's happy and just grazing along the fence line. No bahhing, no freaking out. I can walk right up and grab him and put him back over the fence. That is when he gets mad and bah's at me. Within at least 24 hours he is back out.

Jeremy has put Bubby back in every night for the past seven days. Then he carefully inspects the fence line for signs of Houdini-like clues. Where ever looks suspicious, Jeremy puts a log with bent nails and hooks the fence under the nails. Bubby then finds another place to get out.

Last night was ridiculous. Jeremy was out of town. I got caught in traffic on I-5 - there were 3 wrecks during rush hour. I got to Jordan 5 minutes before 6pm. If I had been any later we would have paid a late-fee at her after-school-care. Then we had to go to the grocery store because we were out of milk, butter, bread - basically all the necessities for breakfast. We had dinner at 7pm and then finally went down to the barn. It was dark already. And guess what?! Bubby was out. This time I put him in the pig-pen. Now, if you have grown up on a farm or in a farming community you know the saying "Horse-high, pig-tight and steer-strong." That is how all fence are suppose to be built. The pig pen is pig-tight and steer-strong, as proven by the two 400 lb pigs that couldn't get out. It's not horse-high but on the side that separates the pig-pen from the ewe's pasture, it is at least 4 feet tall.

The next morning on our way down to the bus, I looked over and Bubby was not "out" he was with the ewes. He had figured out how to get to the pasture with the ladies. How in the hell did he do that? I don't buy that he jumped. I've never seen him jump anything. He is stocky and milk natured. But there is no way he went under - it's pig wire! Houdini. We need to put him in the circus. The great escaping ram.

Note - The picture of Bubby was taken by my friend and farm-sitter Desiree.