Yesterday evening while I was finishing up my work for the day, I heard the tinkling sound of the little bells that the goats and sheep wear here on the Amalfi Coast. For some reason that sound just makes me inexplicable happy. Smiling, I stopped to listen as they passed through the small piazza outside our garden. But then that tinkling sound got really loud, as if the sheep were IN our garden. “Oh, no,” I thought, “Someone has left the gate open.” I had visions of a nice, plump sheep munching away at my new gardenia. I looked out the window to instead see the overgrown terrace above our garden filled with sheep and goats!
How perfect! I’ve always joked about getting a goat to cut down on the weeds next door so they stop growing into our garden. This was the perfect solution as this crowd of goats and sheep were clearly happy to have such a feast before them. They worked away for about an hour, while some of the goats explored the area. I do suspect they were trying to figure out how to get to my gardenia down below!
Just listen to that wonderful sound! I had the windows open and the house filled with their happy calls and tinkling bells. This morning I can see the real dent that they made, and I hope they come back soon to work on the lower terrace.
Oh I've heard that lovely sound too…*way* too close to our garden. They were indeed in there, munching on our pea plants! They had performed a sneak attack from below…our poor goats were watching from inside their pens, probably wondering why *they* didn't get those special snacks!
For the record, if you want grasses trimmed, sheep are better than goats; goats tend to like high things and brush and don't graze so much as "browse." 😀
Ciao Michelle! I was thinking about you last evening while watching the goats climb all over. There was a really cute little kid, too! 🙂
Yikes… eating your pea plants! Naughty sheep. And that is so not fair for the goats to watch! Yes, I think the big dent was made by the large group of sheep who didn't move as much. You're right, the goats were much more about nibbling and moving on.
I love it! Your videos really add a lot to your blog…grazie mille!
I especially like the goat that jumped down onto the lower roof and then stretched up to munch on the edges of the lawn.
Love the video, although it did remind me of the time we had sheep in our garden in the UK and remind me that we MUST get on with fencing our garden here. It is amazing how much they can eat in a short time!
Fabulous! I grew up with bell-less sheep and goats but the neighborhood cows and bulls all had bells. When we heard bells in our backyard it meant an extremely large bull had wandered over from the neighbors house.
Ciao! I love it! The tinkle of all of those bells is like music! I really enjoyed watching the video. Makes me wish I were there!! Also reminds me of a hike we took in Tuscany where a shepherd moved his flock of sheep up the dirt road we were walking along. Not many bells, but lots of bleating! Wish there were more agriculture here where I am.
I love those herds. down in Sicily we would call them geep herds.. and they are so cute.. smelly but cute..;)
Great video! I wish there were bands of oats and sheep wandering around my place as the brush and weeds have really been growing. Seems like a cheap and easy way to get my yard cleaned up.
This post make me laugh… 🙂
What a lovely view! I want to get myself some sheep and goats one day when we do up the old country house. Much better then a lawn mower!
Can I borrow one? Our lawn at Positano needs trimming.
Ciao Marybeth! Thanks! I liked that goat as well since he was doing a mighty fine job of cleaning the wall. 🙂
Ciao LindyLouMac! I wasn't aware just HOW much they could eat in a short time. In two evenings they did a great job of cleaning two larges terraces. Good luck with the fence building!
Ciao Amber! I thought of you when I was making this video. Yikes, yeah the bells wouldn't have the same pleasant associations for you! 🙂
Ciao Erin! I like the sheep in the middle of the street roadblocks in Italy. 🙂 It doesn't happen too often here, so I just try to enjoy it when it does.
Ciao odisseaitaliana! Thanks for stopping by and introducing me to your blog. In bocca al lupo for your exams!
Ciao Gil! Usually the neighbors just clean and burn the overgrowth a couple of times a year, which is quite annoying. This is a much better solution!!
Ciao mododj! Thanks for stopping by. Always happy to share a laugh! 🙂
Ciao Leanne! I suggested that to the boyfriend yesterday, but it didn't take. 🙂 Hope you can do that soon down in Calabria!
Ciao Scintilla! These came with three shepherds to make sure they didn't eat anything they weren't supposed to. Without someone paying attention I think they would have eaten everything!! 🙂
That is too amazing for words.. so funny !
That is fantastic!
Much nicer sounding than a lawn-mower!
Ciao Anne! Ciao Pat! It was such a treat!
Ciao Alison! Yes, much much better than a lawnmower. 🙂
Wonderful sound… I spent a year in Switzerland as a child, and the cows wore bells for their walk up into the mountains and then back down again. It was lovely to walk with them. Thanks for jogging the memory!
Ciao AmyEmilia! I'm happy I could remind you of a nice memory. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!