So, driving over the Welsh hills yesterday, and I'm listening to the Flaming Lips cover Dark Side of the Moon. it's raining and foggy and atmospheric.

Then I notice the sheep – just standing there, mostly facing the same way, though not uniformly so, not lying down or gambolling delightfully. They're being…sinister, or evil or something – hundreds of 'em, as far as the eye can see.

They're still there, in my mind. Can someone explain that yes, they sometimes do that, and that I need not worry – they're not plotting to murder all of the grass thieves (cows), or start to actually jump over fences to make the entire human race fall asleep.

ta,

thebunk

are they on mass alert for welshmen? 🙂

they're not plotting to murder all of the grass thieves (cows)

Dude, I don't think anyone's been stealing your grass!

foggy and atmospheric

You should have wound the windows down…

They are sheep doing what sheep are known for doing – following each other. One sheep stares in no particular direction, the one next to him thinks 'hey now THAT looks fun' and joins in. The next thing they are all staring in the same no particular direction.

Then one of them gets bored and decides to walk to the other side of the field and the sheep next to him thinks 'hey now THAT looks fun'…

It's tuppin' season so they might

a) all be a bit sore
b) waiting in line

mastiles_fanylion, that explanation soothes me, though I'll now be expecting all of the sheep to be synchronised to the one sheep with initiative.

For the record – there were no hallucinatory substances taken in the making of the OP.

Just say no, kids.

Which is the ONE sheep though?

Can it fly like Neo in the matrix? How long does it take the domino effect of Neo the Sheep doing something to affect all the sheep in Wales? Is it like a sheep Mexican wave?

In fact I enjoy watching all the sheep in the field next to my house – they often run to one side of the field for no particular reason or all sit beside the house for no particular reason or congregate in the centre of the field looking at a tree for no particular reason. It is all strangely hypnotic.

looking at a tree for no particular reason

looking at a tree for no particular reason

Sometimes, if a sheep meets an obstruction (say, a tree), it simply gives up the will to live as it can't make any more forward progress.

It never occurs to it to go sideways, it just doesn't have that much brainpower.

Or it might forget why it decided to walk and just stand still.

No evil plan – just sheep-being…

On a related note, the alleged Nazarene supposedly referred to his followers as sheep.

I could comment, but we don't want another thread closed down, eh?

😉 😯

The sheep being quite independent…

I don't have access to sheep where I am, so it's a relief to see some photographic evidence that they've stopped being weird now. If someone could send a photo of a cow from today, and confirm that it isn't a sheep with some milk bottles, wearing a cows cold dead body, I'd be most grateful.

"It's tuppin' season" – I'm thinking of trying that one on with MrsBarnsley, but I'm not hoping for any real success. Woppit, you really try and shoehorn your views in at any opportunity dont you?

For what it is worth, that is an archive picture. I cannot be sure what shenanigans the sheep are up to today but I shall try to ask my daughter tonight as she likes to watch them too. Unfortunately she is only 14 months old so I may not be able to get too much in the way of detail, other than pointing lots.

Sheep are not actually that stupid. They could have been contemplating the universe's great problems in a high brow philosophical way, for all you know. Or they've been secretly cultivating a strain of grass high in THC.

I'm thinking of trying that one on with MrsBarnsley,

Well if you do, your gonna have to prepare.

1) get your Camelbak
2) cover it in red or blue paint
3) put it on backwards (so its on your front)
4) go for it animal styley

If this all goes to plan MrsBarnsley will be 'tupp'd and will have a big patch of paint on her to show for it.

Extra points if a news article appears about women in Barnsley mysteriously gaining paint patches on there backs.

Although it does somehow give the game away.

Or they could have been eating grass and shitting where they stand.

Woppit, you really try and shoehorn your views in at any opportunity dont you?

Steady…

Sheep are actually very light – I was surprised just how light the one time I straddled one in the field pictured above.

EDIT – just found this by Google…

It depends on the breed. Generally they can weigh anywhere from 100 lbs. to 200 lbs. for an adult sheep. Lambs weigh less.

Lambs weigh less. No (sheep)shit Sherlock.

Tiger, it's a beautiful thought, and you know what? I intend to put it into action this very evening. Synchronise watches chaps, 2100 hrs is gruntin' and a shuntin' time!

Sheep being weird…

Woppit, you really try and shoehorn your views in at any opportunity dont you?

I think he was sending himself up…

😳

Not been here but I'm sure you'd like it

Sheep being weird, clip from 'Black Sheep'!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHiNLx-CKeY&feature=related

snaps – it's s**t, really, really s**t.

I've seen that before. a full field of sheep, about 200, ALL of them facing in exactly the same way. really weird. Drove on, another field, another couple of hundred sheep ALL facing the same way as the others. Mental

I think you'll find barnsleymitch that the tupping is over in seconds!

You've seen me in action then… 😯

I only worry when they start rolling across cattle grids, commando style.

Pretty much unstoppable once that happens & our days will then be numbered.

I once stopped at a gate whilst on a ride to call my Dad for some reason or other. AFter I'd been there for a minute or two the sheep noticed me and started to flock towards me. By the end of the call there was a couple of hundred sheep crowding around me bleating, I had to shout to make myself heard on the phone. It was like being some kind of sheepy messiah.

Wind?

like this:

They could be just weined which means the lambs taking off them.

I only worry when they start rolling across cattle grids, commando style.

Pretty much unstoppable once that happens & our days will then be numbered.

ahmm.
commando sheep