Uncovered Memories by Marge Inman

I saw this article and picture in The Denver Post and a flood of memories came to me. Some of my most pleasant memories are of lambs.

Usually several twin lambs arrive each spring. The mother may only claim one of the babies and the other must be rescued or it will die. As soon as the abandoned baby is found, it must have a human caretaker. Sometimes it is near death from cold temperatures and near starvation.

My brother Paul would carry it into our kitchen and place it with rags on the oven door. Paul would rub it dry thus increasing its circulation. As the lamb felt the warmth of the oven and improved circulation its head would rise and with open eyes look around. It would struggle to stand,l but was too weak.

We had to find food for this already named lamb, Pete. We always had some glass pop bottles and nipples for lambs. Mother would heat cow's milk, pour it into a bottle and attempt to feed Pete. It soon knew how to swallow and drink that life giving milk.

Pete was so cute, as all baby lambs are. Here is a picture of him at a few weeks of age.

He was fun to feed and play with. He never missed a meal. All pet lambs come running when they spy the milk bottle and they drink quickly and noisily!

Have you ever seen baby lambs run? They run with stiffened legs so they bounce. They look like very large hailstones bouncing in the grass.

Pete was an adorable pet.

One time we had twin pet lambs named Mutt and Jeff. They were the last pet lambs I had. By this time, I was a senior in high school. All the lambs had to be taken to market and sold when they became big enough. It was an especially sad day when Mutt and Jeff had to leave me. I remember they sold for a total of $9.00. This was enough for me to buy my class ring.

Perhaps you are wondering if we ever butchered the lambs. We didn't, as the folks preferred beef and pork. But to this day, I cannot bring myself to eat lamb or mutton. To me it seems as if I would be a cannibal if I did.

Marge Inman - 19 April 2009

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The editor sincerely appreciates the contribution to The Jerome Journal of this article with the pictures by Marjorie McElvain Inman of Littleton, Colorado. She grew up in Lincoln Township southwest of Jerome.