Well, I apparently spoke too soon last time I posted, because that very evening (May 15) Pippin was killed by a predator; it appears to have been a domestic dog. I will refrain from posting crime scene pictures, but suffice it to say that it was pretty sad.
On a more positive note, we brought home two new sheep yesterday from Santiam Valley Farm. Crystal is a yearling ewe who so far does not appear to have any horn growth. She grows a blonde fleece and has a light brown undercoat. Her little ram lamb, Duke, is eight weeks old and VERY blonde, with all the classic light-phase hallmarks. He has tiny little horn buds which you can't even see yet, but can feel when you touch his head.
In other news, Gazelle's 2004 ram lamb, Blue Mountain Red Deer, sired not one but two self-colored chocolate Soay lambs this year: a ram lamb named Hershey and a ewe lamb named Snickers. Congratulations, Proud Grandma!