Happy 2018

Kay and Billy

2018 came in with a WHAM! Cold weather. Ice. Freezing rain. And, of course, lambs.

Jaanet went first, and delivered a beautiful little boy we named Aandrew. Lily was next – in the heart of the storm – with a ewe lamb we named Lisaa. Next morning, Kay had Billy.

Lily and Lisaa

We worried about Kay. She and Jaanet are first time mommas – both 2 years old. And though Jaanet, once a famous bottle baby, handled birthing like a champ, Kay had a rough time. We had to strip her milk and put Billy on target, and even then, she was less than thrilled with the concept of nursing.

All is well now, though, and the 3 mommas are sharing the maternity ward with their lambs and lots of hay!

2018 Lambs & their Mommas

Every time I think I’m getting too old for this, we get faced with a lamb or a chick or a puppy, and my world view changes right quick. Speaking of puppy…say Hi to Emmolee!

 Emmolee the Flyin’ Puppadorg

 

Advertisements

Au naturel

mitt kit au naturel

Haven’t been doing any knitting for nearly a year and spinning? Well, let’s just say that tendinitis in a thumb puts a crimp in your fiber life.

But, I’m nearly back, I guess. I still have several fleeces to process from the spring shearing. Feels good to be back on the wheel, but my thumb still is not at 100%.

These yarns are, as you might guess, Gulf Coast Native. This was an order from NYC for mostly natural flavors, with a dash of naturally dyed.

So, top – bottom: 3-ply GCN Lamb, GCN fat singles, GCN/GCNI 2-ply tweed, and GCN fat singles dyed with onion skins.

Hey, 2017 is Really Here!

Started the week with Lily hangin’ around the barnyard doin’ nothin’. Judgin’ by the size of her underments, I moved her to the jug, which in April becomes “The Shearin’ Shed.” She didn’t mind. She didn’t want to move. I brought her Gatorade and Power Punch and plenty of water, and she was content to be fussed over. And that was that. For two days.

This morning, I got down to the jug in time to see these two dudes bawlin’ their heads off. “Where’s mah bawbaw?” She still has a lot goin’ on back there, so tittie findin’ is not all that simple.

That’s not stoppin’ em, though. They are determined little buggizz.

This feller is Eddy, named after the great #15 Eddy Pineiro. Not sure of his average yet, but he is the younger of the two, so we’re stickin’ with Eddy. Ah, the older feller, of course, is Steve, named after the other great kicker of all time, Stephen Gostkowski. Sorry, but there was no doubt they’d be named for kickers. I do believe my shoulder is dislocated from the moment I felt her belly hopin’ to feel a lamb move. Ka BOOM. Yeah. THAT’S why she was layin’ around alright!

Post-Matthew Farm Update

Jaanet – Gettin’ Big!

Since the last update, there have been several changes! Yes, Jaanet is gettin’ big. She has beautiful Perkins characteristics — ooooh that fleece! She’s sharing the pastures with seven other sheep; a dozen have gone, temporarily, to a friend’s farm for “grass camp” so that our pastures can be regrown.

While the grass grows, Elle has been working on illustrations for The Adventures of Curly Lumpkin. What began, 5 years ago, as a 35000 word novel, is turning into a series of illustrated books. I hesitate to use the word “children’s” in reference to the Curly stories. They fit all of us.

Also, we have a few active “adoptions” this year. These are part of our CSA, and allow us to buy things like grass seed and any extra special care the flock needs. We’re making every effort to send out monthly updates and fleece samples to our CSA participants this year. So far, so good.

And speaking of good, we had no problems at all with Hurricane Matthew this week. He roared along the east coast of the state, and although we got a bit of rain, we didn’t lose power for one single second. The sheep divided their rainy time between the sky blue barn and the pasture…and all are just fine!

Thanks, every body, for your continuing support – moral and otherwise!! HA!

Red Hot Diamondbacks

 

A HO.

One down and one to go. Used more than half of the handspun…but there was quite a bit of singles yarn (orange) left on one bobbin. I wound it off and weighed it…and I’m 2g over what I need. Phew.

Another HO.

This is the 2nd stage TdS ’16 sock. I Love It. Really cushy. Halfway done with its mate.

Front of the Remember Sock

Back of the Remember Sock

Save

Red Hots ~ Update

Red Hots Yum Yum

Down below there, on the ol’ blog, there’s a post about Rolags for Red Hots. I forgot o’mitey to tune y’all in on the finished skein. Here it is. Going to be, possibly, short socks. Oh My.

Marled

Dove’s Roost Ragg for Socks

Here’s 340 yards of gawjus soft marled yarn. One ply is tawny alpaca; one ply is Gulf Coast Native. Since March, I’ve been a sock-knitting fool, turning out several pair for Sock Madness’ Team Kweechah Knotweed, and now for Tour de Sock’s Team Cool yer Heels. This yarn is for Stage Two of Tour de Sock, a lurvley cabley design which I’ll happily brag about lateron.