Lambs of Suburbia

I joined a Zoom call with a colleague yesterday afternoon to find her giggling uncontrollably. I've known her for more than 20 years, and I can attest that she's not the giggly sort. So it gave me great joy to see my friend enjoying...whatever it was to such a degree. There's been a good deal of stress in our organization of late, so finding things to laugh about is a welcome respite.

Turns out that she'd just been talking to another colleague of ours who's been vexed by a pernicious silkweed infestation in his yard. After receiving a quote from a traditional landscaping service that approached $1,000, he sought a more cost-effective solution.

The answer, my friends, is Babydoll Southdowns.

According to the North American Babydoll Southdown Sheep Association and Registry (NABSSAR), "BABYDOLL Southdown sheep are known for their docile dispositions. For this reason, they are often kept as pets, but they are also used in a variety of ways such as grass mowers and weed eaters in vineyards and orchards and 4H projects. They are small in stature and are easy to handle."

Some goddamn genius has raised a flock of sheep here in Northern Virginia and hires them out to homeowners and businesses as a natural alternative to chemical and/or expensive lawn services. Branded as Lamb Mowers, they advertise themselves as the "Safest and Cutest weed-control Services in the DMV". And as the photo below attests, they don't appear to be wrong.

I reckon this isn't all that revolutionary a concept down Rootsy's way, but up here in the land of tract homes and manicured yards, it's a damn joy. 

Get your giggle on, friends.