The Willard Pillow

Billy Belly has always loved sleeping on a pillow.  I thought it was just him, but in searching for that 2007 picture, I found quite a few of Emily, his momma, sleeping on her last lamb, Casper Belly.  I'm trying to remember who he used to sleep on before he moved to Easy Breezy...ah, it was Boudreaux!  That's right.  Good old blog :-).

He frequently snuggled up with Renny, even in the summer.  I'm glad he has B. Willard now.  If I had to pick a wool pillow...it would definitely be Willard.  Good old B. Willard :-).

A sheep of (mostly) Impeccable Character ;-).

Meanwhile, Back At The Ranch

By the time we got to the Jacobs on shearing day it was getting late, everyone was tired and they got shorted on pictures.  I love the sunbleached chocolate color of their full fleeces, but also love how black and white they look underneath.  We've had some lovely evening light this spring.

The T's.  Ts just looks wrong.  I'm in a grammar vortex :-o.

Sun to the camera face.

Sun to my back.

Billy Belly and Annabelly.  Both came through winter in good order.  I was relieved.  I was afraid they'd be thin.  They are both 13 I think.  Or, wait, Billy Belly is just 12.  Annabelly was the first Emily lamb.  Billy Belly and Baby Belly were her second lambs.

Time flies!

Yarn Along - Make Yarn Use Yarn - Week Two

So far, so good...even if the Yarn Along post (that I am GOING to do every week this year!) is a day late.  I even doubled up posts for Tuesday so there wouldn't be a conflict for Wednesday.  Sigh...

I've now spun two bobbins of Liddy and a small skein of Emily/Annabelly on the CPW.  At the house I clocked 310 yards of Hershey on the Joy.  I also found (another) hat pattern I just can't live without, so Miss B and I dyed some stashed Jester yarn for that.  We also dyed some roving for her and half of a 2013 Elizabeth fleece that I found when I cleaned up the barn last year.

We started with a skein of medium gray and a skein of dark gray.  I also had a skein of dark green and medium green Jester already dyed from a project from several years ago...unfinished, like so many others, languishing in my stash.  

I was happy with the dark green, so left that as is.  The light green (far right) got over dyed to make the dark navy and dark brown.  The dark blue was done with one of the three blues I have that I didn't think to make a note of.  I'm pretty sure we added some black to darken it as well, but again, no note.  Make Yarn. Use Yarn. LABEL Yarn :-o.

The brown was done in stages.  First we used red over the green and then over-dyed that with yellow. We still weren't happy, so over-dyed that with brown.  Jacob is a great yarn for beginning dyers because it takes a ton of abuse.

The white is a small skein of Annabelly I'd had to spin to finish off the collar of the Jester sweater several years ago.  I love that she is going to be part of this Jester project as well :-).  She was the first of the Belly lambs he adopted all those years ago.

I should have been ready to cast on, but I decided to take down of the Christmas decorations yesterday which then gave me too much time to stew on everything and this morning I decided I wasn't absolutely happy with the dark green, so we over-dyed it a couple more times again.

The small squiggle of yarn next to the original light green is where we started.  The brownish green next to it is the dark green over-dyed with orange and the skein next to that was the same original dark green over-dyed with brown.  I think I'm leaning towards the orange green at this point.  Now I just need to "git knittin".

Here is the hat.  It's Gone To The Mountains by fellow Yarn Along-er Andee Fagan.  Here is the story behind the pattern.  Not only is it really pretty, but the pattern is for a good cause as well ;-).

Here is the Hershey skein.  New followers are probably wondering what I used to dye this chocolate color. Actually, you are probably wondering why a grey sheep is named Hershey in the first place, now that I think about it ;-).  Here is why.  Isn't he cute?  And wow, look how young everyone looks! And the "big white lamb"?  That ended up being Rocket - Andy and Levi's dad :-).

I have a couple neat books to share and I'd include one here, but I need to go haul all my house plants back in the house.  Yes, after several days in the single digits, it's been raining and mid to upper 60s. Everyone got out for a good shower and drink and needs to come back in in the off chance it hits freezing tonight.  Plus, I'd like to actually Cast On and Use Yarn!  

Joining in with Ginny...

Bring Out Your Wool, Yarn, Books, Used Equipment, Spinning Wheels, Cookies...

Don't forget about the Yarn Sale/Swap Meet/Open Farm Day this Saturday from 10:00 until 3:00!

Come out and meet the sheep (and dogs, cats, horses, chickens, birds...), talk sheep "til your eyes glaze over", catch up on your Tour de Fleece spinning (or whatever project you are working on), do a little shopping, selling or trading (fiber related only please) or just hang out with Jester, Ford and Emily in the breezy barn aisle.

If you are interested in learning about spinning, knitting, weaving or probably most any fiber craft, this would be a perfect opportunity.  Interested in learning about different breeds of sheep, how to care for them, trim feet...Robin and I both love to "talk sheep" :-).  Interested in learning how to run a tractor or weed eater?  Yet another Perfect Opportunity for me you ;-).

We have plenty of space and cool breeze (and if we run out, the tack room is cool, the Wool House porch and neighboring trees are shaded and pretty cool and the Wool House itself is air conditioned. Jester might even share his fan.  Or not.

Everyone seemed pretty excited about the PB&J offer (my kind of crowd!), so I'll have that and a big bag of apples and a cooler full of water.  Considered it a shepherd's lunch!  I do know some shepherds that can put out a fancier spread than that...but this will the "realistic shepherd's lunch" ;-).  Feel free to bring a sack lunch.  

"Will there be cookies?"

I'm sure there will be.  Or maybe some tortilla chips, saltines or Cheerios...

Just a head's up - we'll be sharing the barn with Del Boca Vista.  They come in the aisleway when it gets too hot and humid in their little shed.  Keep in mind that these three sheep are quite elderly and not in the best shape.  We love them anyway and as long as they are happy and want to stick around, they can.  Just don't be surprised.

If you have any questions or need directions, just drop me an email.  If you are planning on coming and want to advertise what you'll be bringing to swap or sell, you can do so in the comments or send me an email and I'll post it for you.  

Robin is packing her truck tonight and leaving at dawn tomorrow.  If there is something special you'd like her to bring from NY - prize winning fleeces, roving, sparkly colored roving, Cotswold yarn... let her know right away.  She's bringing two rams for The Training Center, so doesn't have a ton of room, but she's a pretty clever packer.

See you Saturday!

Winter Siesta

Well, it's turned into "almost winter", finally.  I think it was down in the 20's last night.  Felt like it at least.  Some spitting snow this morning, but the sun has tried to come out a bit this afternoon.

I'd spent a good bit of the morning at the dentist and my mouth was so sore that I wanted to just go curl up on the couch and do something warm and non-violent like knit.  I couldn't resist Liddy's cute smile though so I grabbed my camera and sat down next to her on the barn lot couch.

Here's where Liddy and I were sitting.

Here's where Hank and Baba were sleeping.  More on that tomorrow ;-).

Here's where Andy was sleeping.  See him tucked into the background?

Baaxter will never outgrow being Baby B.

Here's where Kate was sleeping - at the ready!

Jester gave me a big scare last week, but he's a tough old bird and keeps on keeping on.

If I posted this green grass picture in June, you'd never suspect a thing...except for all that wool.

Liddy stood up and snuggled with me for awhile and then turned around and laid back down with her butt tucked up next to my lap, just like when she was a baby.  Such a good lambie :-).

Here's where Emily was sleeping.  Wool pillows are better than gate pillows :-).

Maisie looks like such a cute, tubby little angel...

"One of my orneries was supposed to go straight south from Kentucky to Tennessee, but I sent it the scenic route through California."

Seriously, we watched the tracking.  Sigh...  Did everyone else get everything okay and in a timely manner?  Anything damaged in shipping?  

*     *     *     *     *

Thank you so very much for all your holiday orders!  I'd set a goal this past year to not just pay all the sheep's feed and bedding expenses, but to try to cover everything sheep related - minerals, vaccinations, deworming, shearing, miscellaneous vet bills, supplies like water tanks, buckets, new gates, Hank's food and medical expenses, Kate's food and medical expenses, one bobcat rental (we rent a bobcat twice a year to clean out the barn) and one farm payment.  

It ended up being a pretty crazy and not super productive (I didn't think) year, but we all managed to cover everything I'd hoped except for making the mortgage payment and I'm actually pretty close to getting that done, too, if I throw in the petty cash jar (now that I think about it!).  Andy pushed me backwards a little, but he was worth it ;-).  I'm putting it in the win column!   

I didn't figure in everything* like barn electric/gas/water bills, insurance premiums, fuel for car/truck/tractor, a couple loads of gravel...and goodness knows what else I'm not thinking about right now (luckily Saint Tim doesn't keep score).  I think I'm going to try and make a good run at some of that for 2016 along with some fiber and artistic goals and I'd sure like to try to write a book.

Here's to 2016!

*I also didn't figure in cookie expenses because thanks to two festivals, Hug a Sheep Day, various farm visits and extra $5 bills tucked into envelopes here and there, the cookie coffer has stayed in the black for a couple years now...and that's all the sheep really care about ;-D.  

Thank you!!!

A Collective Sigh Of Relief

With a little rain and some 80s instead of 90s...

Hershey's back in front of  "his" fan, Emily and Casper Belly (left) and Baby Belly and Clover Belly (right) are all settled back in "their" spots in the outer stall.

No one is crowding Daniel or getting on B. Willard's last nerve and even Hank (sleeping in the back) has come out of his "dog cave".

Whew!

How Hot Is It?

There are Jacobs in the aisleway of the barn!  Completely against the code of Jacobs.  Jacobs hang out in the outer stall (except Billy Belly who is always in the inner stall - maybe because he snores or something).   Jacobs, being a more "feral" breed than, say, any of the Nistock sheep, don't like to draw attention to themselves.  They stay "outside".  Yesterday they were "inside".  That's pretty darn hot.

Ford, Henri and Jester have learned to like being in the aisleway.  It took awhile.  That's Heidi and Allie standing up.  Look how many sheep are lined up along the wall.  

I'm not sure who's idea it was, momma Baby Belly or daughter Clover Belly (like Emily and Casper Belly, they are inseparable), but there they are, smack in the middle of the aisleway.  I took this through the gate because I knew if I got too close I'd spook them and they'd scatter.  Let 'em sleep.

Oh, and here comes Casper Belly with momma Emily behind her.  It's getting pretty crowded in there!

Uh oh, and now Hershey (cue duh duh duh duh music).  I'm not sure why he left his Number One Profile position in front of the outer stall's fan.  Possibly Murphy finally got one over on him.  Or maybe he came in to get a drink and saw I was in the barn.  He's the opposite of feral ;-).

Daniel has been ruling the left side of the aisleway fan.  Last year he had the outer fan.  Hershey pushed him out this year.  Is he making a move on the aisleway fan too now???  Can you tell how close he's standing over Daniel?

"Ready to say Uncle yet?"

"I can take whatever you dish out."

Actually, I'm not sure that's what's going on.  For some reason, the hotter it gets the closer sheep want to stand.  The physics of it probably work if everyone's a sheep, but if it's me they are all leaning on, usually at least four at a time...it's not at all cooling or comfortable.

But it could be a show of strength.  I think of Jester as being a pretty big sheep.  He's definitely big for a Jacob.  He's actually using the gate as a head rest (I think), but I wouldn't be surprised if he's was wishing he could get a couple licks in on Hershey.  

B. Willard just wishes everyone would go back inside.

Yesterday seemed to be the hottest day so far.  Today is supposed to be in the 90s too, but tomorrow there's a chance of rain and the high is just the upper 80s.  I can't believe I'm saying "just the upper 80s".  Sigh...

Assigned Seats

Casper Belly is always sleeping with her mom, Emily.  Hershey is always by the big fan.  Murphy is always near the big fan.  I predict next year he makes a move to unseat Hershey.  Try to help me remember that.  That's Allie peeking in the front.

Poor Buddy.  That wall can't be that comfortable, even with an ear pillow.

Here's the odd(est) one, Woolliam.  Woolliam never sleeps outside.  Never.  He sleeps in the inside stall in the back corner.  For years that's his spot and no one ever challenges him.  Or if they have, they've never won.  Even though I know he wouldn't be out here if he wasn't so hot, I think he's adorable sleeping on his straw pillow.  No one sleeps like Woolliam.  No one.

A Baker's Dozen - Fresh From The Oven...Or At Least It Feels That Way

I've spent quite a bit of time in the barn the last week because the weather has been so hot and sooo humid that the sheep are not just miserable, but a couple are really struggling.  Sheep handle cold just fine.  It's the heat that will kill them, especially if they are a little, um, well padded insulated fat.

There are fans in all three areas, but the big barrel fan in the outside stall is the most popular.  And whoever manages to stake their claim to the primo spot in front of it (blocking all the air for everyone else) seems to keep it for the whole summer.  One year it was Graham.  Last year it was Daniel.  This year it's Hershey.

Emily and Casper Belly

Renny, dreaming of being a Liddy babysitter so she could get at all that crazy lush grass.

And look who's out with "the main prison population".  Yep, that's Jester.  What a funny old guy. Occasionally he asks to go out, so I let him out.  This time he walked up to Woolliam, punched him in the head (I think they are actually friends, so more of a "guy thing") and then over to say hello to Emily, his adopted daughter.  Very sweet.  Now he's listening to Rebecca Boone go on and on about something and he's probably wishing he was back in the retirement paddock ;-).

Maisie is not one of the sheep that I'm most worried about (for a change!).  She seems to be handling the heat okay.  Part of that might be because her tummy is hairy, not woolly.  Bill, the sheep shearer, told me the best way to cool a sheep down is shear off their belly wool and wool around their neck. And if they are in real, immediate trouble, pour cool water over the back of their neck.

"That's nice, but I'd prefer just to drink my water."

Daniel is very hot, but he's trying to sleep it off.

B. Willard is sleeping like a beached whale.  He always does that.

He gave me a scare the other afternoon when I thought he wasn't breathing.  This is not the first time he's done that!

"Yeesh, lady, I keep telling you I'm fine!"

Poor Spud, stuck back there in the corner has had the most trouble with the heat.  Since Jester seemed to be so much better just moving into the aisleway, I tried that with Spud.  I should have sheared him. I thought he seemed better in there, but the second day I realized he wasn't.  By that point, even after I sheared him, he was not "right".

He was laying down too much and at odd times, walking stiff legged behind, keeping his back legs close together, having trouble getting his legs in position to lay down.  Luckily I have good sheep gurus and vets to call on and a quick diagnosis of heat stress was made.  

I didn't realize their muscles would "tie up" like a horse in situations like that.  We treated pretty aggressively with IV fluids, vitamins and minerals and anti-inflammatories and I think he's going to be okay.  He's still not 100%, but we have a cool(ish) day predicted for today and I'm hoping that will help.  I'm sorry, Spud :-/.

Baaxter's hot too, but he likes the opened up aisleway.  He's the one who'd been hogging the inside stall's fan, so everyone else likes that he's enjoying the open aisleway, too ;-).

I like this picture of PPPP...

...but I like the story in this one better - her head on the gate, the motion of the shade cloth.  Sadly, I let her be overexposed and by the time I fixed that the breeze disappeared.  The story of summer.  At least the rain has stopped for a few days.  Farmers all over are cutting and baling hay like mad!