April Showers

The chickens love Del Boca Vista, especially when it's raining.  Jester is a good sport about it.  Just realized I never shared that we put Ford down a few weeks ago.  Jester was pretty upset about it for awhile, but he's doing okay now.  He's had to watch a lot of old friends go over the years.  There are a lot of old friends...and some sad decisions coming up :-(.

Front row:  Chocula, Burrnie, Levi  Back row:  Murphy and Spud

Chocula

Liddy and Murphy.  I don't really think of Liddy as being super small, but I guess she is.  Or maybe Murphy is just super big, which is true.

In case child services comes after me, I had to pick up a new sheep arthritis prescription for Woolliam at the "people pharmacy" today.  I had to sign off on my "relationship to the patient". Since there wasn't a check box for sheep/pet/animal...I checked off that he was my "child". They'd put it under Murphy's name I guess because he was the most recent animal on the scary vet bill this month.  He's fine now, but gave us all quite a scare.

  Maisie: "I stay inside when it's raining."

Not sure why Hershey felt like he needed hair extensions.  Kids...

Yarn Along - The New Year

After a supremely disappointing lack of spinning (and knitting and weaving) last year, I've decided my theme for the new year is Make Yarn. Use Yarn.  Short, sweet and to the point.  

I've moved the CPW (Canadian Production Wheel) out to the Wool House and the Joy to the...house house (main house? people house? slightly larger house full of wool?).  I miss seeing "Hyacinthe" in the house, but I wasn't using her there.  She and I can chatter away out in the Wool House and the Joy and I can spin quietly in the evenings without being distracting.

I brought Hershey's lamb fleece in for the Joy and look who's on the CPW today.  It's Liddy!

I really enjoy spinning on this antique wheel and it truly is a productive wheel.  I didn't think to look at the clock when I started this bobbin, but I have 2.4 ounces packed on there.  I'm not in a hurry and speed is not a priority, but I do have to admit being pretty happy to fill a bobbin in one sitting.

Isn't she pretty?

Before I could spin that though I had to free up the bobbin.  If it takes you well over a year to ply off two small skeins, you need to Make Yarn. Use Yarn.  The gray skein is some Jacob I picked to use to learn how to use this wheel last September.  The "red" is some California Red gifted to me from, wait for it, California :-).  It had been sitting on the wheel since February :-o.

Both skeins ended up a bit underspun, but not horrible.  I keep walking past them and find myself picking them up and smooshing on them, smiling.  I especially like the Red.  There is definitely a hint of red color to the wool, but also has a darker red hair blended in.  You may be able to biggify these picture to see it.  

Wool is fun.  Spinning is fun.  We are going to Spin Wool this year!

Starting with Liddy.

The sun provided a welcome boost to everyone this afternoon.  Jester and Ford were able to soak up some rays.

And the main flock headed out back.  Or got herded out back ;-).

Thank ya, Kate :-).

No knitting and no new book to share this week.  I'm just happy to have some yarn to share.  Make Yarn. Use Yarn. Report Back Next Week!  It's going to be a great year :-D.

Joining in with Ginny...

Our Little Girl Is (Maybe) Growing Up

Today is Maisie's birthday. Well, actually I guess technically it was the 24th, but in my mind/heart, she was born the Sunday after Thanksgiving...so it's sort of a floating holiday ;-).  "Cake" for all!

"What is the hold up with my cake?!?"

Oops, false start.  We forgot something!

"Wait....what the heck is that?!?"

Everything seems pretty calm, cool and collected...so far...

Yep, that's the Maisie we all know and love ;-D.  She actually tolerated her party hat pretty well after the initial fit.

And proceeded to stuff herself with birthday cake (Cheerios :-)

"Hey, what's going on over here?"

"REG!!!  Don't give her all my cake!!!"

The candle didn't last long in the "cake", but held just fine in her, um, fluffy-ness.

And as long as Reg tossed the Cheerios behind her back...

...she was okay with sharing.  One of these two sisters is the "sheep chicken".

And even Jester and Ford got a few handfuls.

"I need more cake in my cake box, Auntie Reg."

And then, as with all good Maisie parties, things deteriorated quickly ;-).

The rest of the flock got to share the goodies too.  More pictures tomorrow!

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Kate and I had a blast working at the dog trial!  Here are some gorgeous pictures from Friday.  I'm hoping he took some on Saturday, too, and will share them if I see them.  Thank you thank you thank you!!!

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!

Yarn Along - Are You Ready To Make Some Yarn?

Other than taking care of the "live" fiber, there has been very little "fiber" work done here lately.  Am I just not good at prioritizing my time?  Probably.  Is there really just not enough time in the day? Surely I could Find Five somewhere.  Am I just lacking some inspiration?  Uh, I'm surrounded by inspiration every day :-o.  

Well, guess what!  It's Tour de Fleece time...again...seriously... is it almost July already...again?!?   Time to prioritize my time, Find Five (why do I have to keep fighting the same battle over and over?!?) and get ready to be inspired.  Hopefully this will be just the kick in the pants I've been needing.

I did actually finish skirting all the spring fleeces the other day.  Well, almost all the fleeces.  Right after I took down the skirting table, put away all the sheets and bags, cleaned up the discarded wool...I found two huge bags of wool from Baaxter's cousins at Foxglove Farm.  Sigh...

As I was skirting, I started washing fleeces headed to the mill next month.  Boudreaux was his usually messy mess, Ford is so old and frail that I wasn't sure his fleece would even be salvageable, and Graham...  I'd taken some fleece off him before I took him to the diagnostic lab.  I'd not saved any of his adult fleeces, thinking he'd live forever :-(.

My dear old guys...  Three of my fanciest and favorite-est fleeces over the years.  How did it get to be so many years.  I knew Graham would be okay.  Ohio Valley Natural Fibers always does an amazing job cleaning up Boudreaux.  Ford...I wasn't so sure.  I decided to dig out my wool combs and see what I had.  

Gray - Ford    White - Graham     Dark gray - Boudreaux

Beautiful, as I knew it would be.  I'm not sure how I'm going to spin this or what I'm going to make, but I'd like something to have and to hold from one of the funniest, most irritating, Why you little...! wanted to strangle half the time, dearest sheep ever.

Ford.  You can almost tell by looking this is a bit iffy.  Not only is the fiber maybe not as sound as it used to be, but he has some skin scurf in there that would not be fun to work around.  Combing is always the best bet for fleeces like this.  

The combs will catch most of the VM and it did take out almost all of the little stuff.  Yes, it does look like a lot of waste...

...but what is left is classic silky soft Ford :-).

Sheepmom - don't look at this next picture!

Boudreaux came from Nistock Farms and should have stayed there and been the superstar of the wool world that he could have been if he'd lived the life of luxury, wearing a protective coat and been meticulously maintained.  That's what it would have taken. Missing something?  Boudreaux probably has it stuck in his fleece somewhere ;-).

Luckily the big machines at Ohio Valley do a great job cleaning most of the yearly collection.  Combs would be my choice if I wanted to process it all at home.

Ooh!  Ahh!

And yes, I'm still using my trusty beer cheese lid diz.  Boudreaux and I are classy if nothing else ;-D.

Boudreaux's bird nest.

Have you ever tried to take a picture of dark wool or yarn (or other dark items) and had this happen? The color is correct on the pictures above this one.  Would you like to know why your camera does this and what to do about it?

A tiny gift basket, ready to kick off the Tour de Fleece Saturday.  

Once again we have a Punkin's Patch/My Favorite Sheep team started on Ravelry.  This is open to anyone!  You do not have to be a good spinner.  You could even use this event to LEARN to spin.  It's just for fun and to challenge ourselves to make yarn, maybe lots of yarn, maybe just a little each day, learn something new...actually get a wheel out, dust it off and see if you remember how to spin.  

Not to worry, it's just like riding a bike! ;-D

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I have no books to share this week.  I started three different (very popular) ones and haven't loved any of them enough to keep listening.  Wait, I did listen to the latest Stephanie Plum mystery, Tricky Twenty-Two, and Bullwinkle and I powered through that.  

Any recommendations for something silly like that?

Note To Self

If your knitting bag is made from a feed sack...

...don't take it in the field for a sheep shot :-o.

Baaxter got about 3 seconds to see his sweater.

"We just wanted to, um, look at it."

"What were you thinking?"

Much safer to hang out in Del Boca Vista for the afternoon - this was actually Wednesday.  I spent too much time visiting with the sheep and taking pictures and didn't get as much done as I'd hoped, but still felt okay about things.

Yesterday I headed into some tough trail with some "purl through the back loop" that made me think of the mushers crossing The Burn.  I still hoped to finish both sleeves last night, but got off trail and did a bunch of fun "purl through the back loop" on the wrong sleeve and had to back track and re-start.  

I don't think I'm mathematically out of the race yet, but I really need to have a couple of good knitting days to catch up.  Here's a trail shot from the end of the day Wednesday. 

And some snow shots.

Sweet Liddy is definitely her momma's girl.

We both like to play in the snow :-).