New Year's Eve

I enjoyed reading this from the New York Times today:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/opinion/31mon3.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

The Christmas Sweater

Here is a picture of Tim's sweater. It was knitted in secret and finished on 22nd - thanks to my knitting angels that answered questions and snuck over to help at all hours of the day and night. This was my first handspun/handknit effort, and believe you me, I learned a LOT.


The fleece was Ford's, our second ram (that's him on the left and no, it's not snowing here). I spun a light and a dark single and then plied them together. I copied the design from one of Tim's favorite sweaters. No tears involved and I'm ready to spin and knit another one....hmmm, with some cables I think :-).

Don't Panic!

He's okay, just resting. I spied them from the back porch and couldn't resist snapping a picture...after I made sure that he was indeed just resting.

His buddies aren't always this kind. There has been some serious "paying back" going on, especially from Aria, the old bay mare, who's suffered the wrath of this young punk for several years now. She knows this is her window of opportunity and has used the time wisely to move herself up in the "pecking order" and is finally bossing someone else around for a change. Perhaps her most amusing act is waiting until I've let them out of their stalls in the morning and then marching right into T-Bone's stall and peeing. Take that! I can just see her holding it all night, just for this opportunity.

The good news is that he's making some progress with the bad foot and actually using it a little - a huge step forward, no pun intended. Perhaps a Christmas miracle?

Happy Holidays!

We're in the middle of all the last minute scrambling to get every last thing done, but I wanted to take a break to wish everyone a happy holiday.






For anyone not familiar with the Christmas card collection, this is our 2007 design. I paint a new card each year and for the last four years they’ve introduced or incriminated various characters on our farm. This year’s card was tough because of the issues with T-Bone’s foot. I wasn’t sure how I would handle the “worst case scenario”, but finally realized that whatever happened, he’d always be with us in our hearts, just as are Sammy Super Dog, Punkin, Baby Beverly, Sophie and all our other much missed friends and family. Thankfully he’s still with us, fighting on bravely, and he’s glad to not be the “bad boy” on the card this year, a spot that can rightly only go to Boudreaux The Biter ;-).

The inside greeting is our repeated wish of Peace and Joy. Happy Holidays!

Ghosts Of Christmases Past

I haven't had time to do much of the silly sheep stuff I normally do at Christmastime, so here are a couple pictures from Christmases past. Popcorn PP Pants got to do an actual formal Christmas photo (would credit the photographer, but no longer remember...) and Henrietta participated in a humane society fundraiser at the local Tractor Supply Company. No one ever expects a sheep!

It's Beginning To Look A Little Like Christmas

Stella and I took advantage of the beautiful spring weather today and put lights on the big tree in our front yard. I knew it was pretty tall, but now, putting it in perspective with the flag pole on the left (that's a Packers flag, not a disrespected American flag) and front of the house on the right, I'm really impressed. I like this tree so well that if it wasn't going to rain tonight, I'd drag a sleeping bag out there and camp under its happy glow.

It's So Tempting...

...to title this entry "What on earth...!?!" Just happy to see it and hoping the forecast for heavy rains for the next two days heads south.

Go out and play!

"You Wouldn't Understand..."

Sorry to be so few and far between. With everything going on with T-Bone and trying to fill Christmas orders, I'm buried. Have no new or good news to report with T's foot. I took him to the clinic the other day for follow up x-rays and we didn't learn anything very helpful other than we've done everything we can and from here on out, it's going to be up to him. I feel very bad for him. No one likes to be sick over the holidays (or any time).

When I got back from the vet clinic, I thought the ground was still frozen enough that I could turn the truck and trailer around in the sheep field. The weather was warming up and I thought that if I didn't get it done then, with the warm rain coming in, we wouldn't get it done for at least a week and I didn't want to chance being without the trailer if I needed it. So, I gave it a good try and....there she sat.


One thing you learn living with Jacob sheep, is never, ever, ever leave the keys in the vehicle/tractor/ATV. There probably aren't any Cheviots out there that are clever enough to steal a truck, but you just can't trust those wily Jacobs.


Or Buddy and Boudreaux either, come to think of it.


Actually, as a baby, Popcorn PP Pants was pretty fond of the ATV as well.

Must be a "sheep" thing.

When The Saints Go Marching

I'm surrounded by saints. Whether it's Saint Tim for being such a good sport about everything, T-Bone for being such a brave patient, Judy for coming over and standing in the rain (we were in the barn, but it rained so hard we were sure we weren't) for hours while we worked on T-Bone's foot yesterday, to young Ewen McTeagle, who was recruited to join a walking nativity scene in a Christmas parade Saturday night. This turned out to be quite the walk, but most parades are. We had a good time though and I think we all slept well that night ;-).