We all had our favourite sheep.
This one was Olav's and it was called Min-Sau (My-Sheep).

In the summer the sheep roam the mountains on their own.
There is idyll in Kvæven, which is the mountain farm/cabin where we collected the sheep each autumn - on our way back to Rygnestad.
Debbie the sheep dog keeps watches carefully!

A proud mother with lamb.

The lambs come out to catch the first rays of sun in the spring.
They were often found racing back and to between the house and the barn.
(Photo: Nina Vik).

Olav built a little house for the bottle-fed lambs (lambs without a mother).
There they were fed milk (animal-formula) and concentrate fodder so they could grow big and strong.

In some cases lambs were bottle-fed, especially if it was a triplet or quadruplet, because their mother did not have enough milk for all of them.

During the most busy times of lamming it was important to colour-code the lambs and their mothers. The lambs would often leave the pen and stray - not to find their way back home without some help from humans.

Rams also need fresh air in the winter!
A little walk with Hild and Adelheid..

When there is no need to chase the sheep, Sue was quick at making friends behind 'enemy-lines'.

Sue was our first sheepdog and arrived in 1976. A black and white Border Collie. She had to learn how to be a sheepdog at the same time as we learnt how to own and train a dog. She was always obedient and had a favourite toy when she wasn't working: "Takk-Takk" ("Thanks-Thanks"). Takk-Takk was a little squeaky plastic bear/doll holding an ice-cream. Sue was mainly Olav's pal.

As Sue got older we started training Debbie, also a black and white Border Collie. Debbie was more sensitive and easily distracted compared to Sue. Even so, she was good at herding sheep. Debbie also enjoyed Takk-Takk, and was not able/willing to put the toy down when it was time to work. In the end Debbie chewed Takk-Takk till it didn't squeak anymore! Debbie was mainly Janet's dog.

After Sue died it was time to get yet another sheepdog (in 1988). This time we got a tricolour Border Collie, Shep. Shep was afraid of the dark, which was OK because we seldom herded sheep at night. So far Shep was the best sheepdog we'd had with excellent instincts from her good blood-line. Sadly she ran out in front of a car after only a few years, and we had to put her down.

Shamu came to Rygnestad in 1991. She was the last sheepdog Janet and Olav had at Rygnestad. Adelheid and Tron have since had more dogs. Shamu is named after the killer whale at Disneyland in California. Shamu was a good sheep-herder, especially when working together with Debbie. Shamu was not interested in Takk-Takk (although it was fun chasing after Debbie - photo), but she did like to chew toys to pieces, such as a little yellow toy tractor and a rug (photos)! It was mainly Adelheid who trained and therefore worked well with Shamu.

Shamu and Debbie at Nasefjell in the eastern mountains of Setesdal.

Our first cat, Pussi, grew up together with the kids - her she is going mouse hunting with Ann Kristin in 1965.
Our second cat, Kenny, came to Rygnestad from Hornnes in 1983. He enjoyed sitting on Janet's lap while she was in the comfy chair solving crossword puzzles.

Trixie the cat "watching over" all the budgies.
At one stage there were 13 budgies in the cage at Rygnestad (mainly it was Adelheid's hobby).
Olav made the cage together with Adelheid. The cage was a corner-unit with room for a whole tree!

The rabbits, Limahl and Wham, also got a home-made house and pen. Olav helped Hild with the carpentry, she named the rabbits herself.

Blakken was the first horse on the farm. He was a real farm horse before the tractor took over all the hard work.

Olav hanging on to Stuttvig Stjerna's tail
Adelheid, Hild and Sue the dog looking on.
The horse was mainly Adelheid and Hild's hobby and responsibility. Stuttvig Stjerna was a Dølahest (Norwegian breed) and a retired competition-trotter.

Out for a walk with the kick-sled ("sparken").
Hild, Stuttvig, Adelheid and the dogs Debbie and Sue.