Amazing Linda Batts!!

OK everyone, if you have not perused my friend Linda's site, highly recommend it!! I purchased a few of her new batts a few weeks ago and I had WAY too much fun spinning them! I bought a few different batts and spun them all together, with some strips of shredded silk scarves for a little contrast and texture change! love the yarn, love the batts--be sure to check her out!! (PS- there are a few Linda batts on the Holly pages--get them before me for sure!!)

Been a little colder again and I swear the sheep have spring fever too--but are still enjoying the snow! They can be standing in one place, and all of a sudden are four feet off the ground! Then they tear off, head butt a buddy and take off the other direction--which leads to a very serious game of tag--one I don't want to play--they all play like tough little boys do! Crash and bang!! Otherwise, working on our update when I can drag the sheep away from playing and keeping Bobbi and Andrew from sneaking into the barn to eat all the cat's food. Turkeys! More tomorrow!!

One scary reason to protect our sheep!! eek!

Wowser! This is a WI cougar and a family north and east of us snapped these pictures (hope they don't mind me scamming them from the email my sister in law sent me!). Here is the caption that came with the pictures:

Beware-when traveling "up north". FOR MY FRIENDS WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE ANIMALS OF WISCONSIN, THIS IS A WISCONSIN COUGAR.Spooner is 6 miles from Shell LakeFrom a guy out in Spooner WI, pictures taken from his kitchen onto his deck. The cat was watching his little kids playing on the kitchen floor.

Wowser again and eek!! We have never seen a couger here in our part of WI but when I lived in Baraboo (further north) I did hear them yowling away in the woods at night. We watched the owner's dairy cows really close--never let them have their calves in the fields! Here we worry mainly about coyotes and their stray dog pals. When people abandon dogs out here thinking they will find a farm home, some do but others start to run with the coyotes. SO, that is why we have llamas and Great Pyrenees, and I hope never to have to cope with some bad thing in our pastures or flock!

The coyotes here are naughty but so far we have an agreement of sorts. They are very respectful of Bobbi and Andrew, who would love to get their teeth into them. However, they love to tease the dogs at night, running right down our boundary fences like, 'hey, I know you can't get me, nana nana neener.'

Bobbi cured that sassy coyote one day when we were out feeding the sheep--almost sunset and she was sitting all crouched down by the back fence. All of a sudden we heard the most horrid scary movie screeches! There was Bobbi with the coyote by the nose through the fence. She got sick of him taunting her so she waited for him, he got too close and got a good nosebleed out of the deal. He was fine, but ran off into the back woods howling every step. He was NOT happy. They don't tease Bobbi any more! :0)

Bobbie, Andrew and the llamas --oh and of course Casper the donkey are all my heros--but it is scary to me also that Bobbi is so willing to 'step up'. Argh.

Anyway, working on our update--the sheep are having breakfast salads (hay) right now so no getting them to work for a while! :0) Over and out!

Today's update--and stars!

Well, the sheep and I pooped out on the second part of our update so check out new fiber--dyed, unwashed AND some pretty cool batts today! Tomorrow we will be adding new awesome Holly items, handspun yarn and 3 Chic Knit items!

Today's stars are: Casey our North Country Cheviot (her best friend is our Speedy sheep), Bram our Shetland (his best friend is Vaughan) and Steeler a Merino cross who spends his time keeping the group of boys in line--he is top sheep! All three of the sheep have fleeces on the unwashed pages and next week you will see more of their fiber all dyed up and maybe even carded--wheeeee! Have to get a handle on my attachment to their fleeces--I cannot believe shearing time is so close--ugh! Better keep at the fleeces or we will have no place to put them but in the entire new basement--NOPE! Hope you are all well, more fun items tomorrow so please stop back in!

Snow Day Update Today!

Here are today's stars! The farthest picture is Ruby, an old Suffolk girlie who retired here, and unbeknownst to us, was preggers! She is the sweetest girl ever (I always say that don't I??) and is the old 'type' Suffolk, one that has legs strong enough to hold her frame--the US Suffolks of today tend to be big as a pony and have stick thin legs--leads to what our Woolamina sheep endured--lots of foot trouble and arthritis at the age of 3. Sad. However, Ruby loves to um, nap, and keep up with her little family. She gave us two wonderful babies--Frannie (middle) and Tater(far right).

Frannie looks much like her mama and has the fleece characteristics of a soft, almost curly crimp and long locks like their Corriedale papa. Tater has much the same but has longer locks, less crimp--both great for ANY project for sure!

They live in Bobbi and Andrew's group (our Great Pyr's) and I swear, Ruby is shameless when it comes to a good face wash from Bobbi--can you imagine? ick! Bobbi sleeps curled up with Ruby and it is priceless, some day I am going to be able to sneak out and get a picture of them!

If you missed their fleeces on last week's update, watch for the end of the week update, I saved back some of each fleece, combined them, washed and dyed them--as soon as they are dry, you will be seeing them!!! Yey!

I am off to sort through fleeces, will have lots of new unwashed wool, dyed fiber, yarn, Holly items and some surprises! Remember, shearing is coming soon BUT we never run out of fleeces here--if you are looking for something please email!!

Check out Holly's update, Linda's , Elle's and of course Carolyn's site in the meantime! Over and out!

You are all amazing!!

Well, once again you are all amazing!! Together we have raised $1000.75 for Holly! It just floors me how a group of people from all over the world can be so generous and willing to help a friend they may never have met face to face. You will never know how much comfort you have given Holly through your donations and purchases. Your generosity has taken her financial worries and made them manageable for her--thank you!

THAT said, there are a few more auctions ending tomorrow, AND lots of great items for sale (new things still being added!!) so be sure to check them all out!

The sheep are busy washing and dyeing new fleeces so will be updating with new yarns and fiber Sunday afternoon late-keep an eye out!! Happy weekend!

Happy Thursday!

Hello everyone! want to be sure to thank you ALL for participating through donation or purchase for Holly's fund! You are amazing and thank you so much! Helping carry her financial worries is very comforting to her right now and again, we can never offer enough thanks--the donations have all been spectacular--and purchases beyond generous!

The sheep managed to ignore the sun long enough to update the site today--our sheepy pictures today are (left) Lily, our Shetland (whose mama is our Shannon) and Baaxter (twin to Piper and their mama is Abigail). Baaxter is one of the infamous McNair Romney sheep and we have new offerings on the dyed fiber page from both Lily and Baaxter. Also new items on the roving page and unwashed page--be sure to take a look!

On our roving page you will find some of Humphrey's camel fiber for sale--the proceeds from this sale are going straight to our friend Elle of vintagek who is working hard to help her brother pay for his cancer treatments. It is a hard time right now for her family and of course, the sheep want to help. SO, don't miss out and help the sheep help Elle..... Over and out for now--will be updating yarn pages this weekend and more fiber so keep an eye out!!

Rain, I mean Ice, no snow, no rain???? argh

Well, hope everyone's weather is warm & DRY!! Werido weather here that is keeping the sheep inside (they do not appreciate that!) keeping company with Monte and Casper (horse and honkey donkey). They are ready to get back outside and play steam engine snorting fire for a good romp! Sorry sheeps and everyone, too cold and nasty to be out in the rain--:0)

We will be adding new Holly items tomorrow so be sure to check out the site and also hoping the sheep will be able to knuckle down and get their update done too? Let's hope!

And again, thank you so so much for following our Circle the Wagon fundraiser for our friend HollyEQQ! You are all providing her immeasurable comfort as she waits for her appointments to pan out--you are all just the best. Have some fun though, lots of items available for sale and auction! Be sure to check out Holly's site also--I hear there might be an update tonight??? Remember, she is a fiber/color wizard!! Bwaaahahahahaha! Over and out for now--more tomorrow!

Please say a prayer for the kids at NIU....

I hope none of you are touched by the terror we are with the shooting at Northern IL University--I can only imagine how many people this will affect. I think this is the scariest thing that has happened to our family--my niece is in her second year of school at NIU, heard the gunshots and took her cell phone and locked herself in her dormroom closet. She and her boyfriend are fine physically but I can't imagine the toll this will take on our kids long term. And how DO you stop the idiots who for whatever twisted reason decide to take a gun and just start shooting at random people?

Please give a prayer/good thought for them and hug up your kids every chance you get..... this is a sad day for our children and their families, our hearts are with the families and students at NIU.

Pack your wagon!

Howdy pardners! Hope all is well and thank you again for all you are donating/purchasing to help Holly!! She is comforted very much by all of you so be sure to give yourselves a pat on the back--we are grateful for each and everyone of you!

There are new auctions and items almost daily so be sure to keep an eye on the website! Fun fun fun!!

The sheep just updated with new fiber, roving and more is in the works for this weekend--oh, and new yarns too! The picture is the sheep's donation to the Holly fund--the whole story is on the listing on the site--kind of silly but was really fun.

We will be offering lots of new fiber preparations now that we have a brand spanking new Patrick Green Triple Picker--ooh la la and thank you hubby! Been playing way too much! Hope all is well with everyone, over and out for now!

worky worky worky!!

Everyone has been working away and being so wonderfully generous to Holly!! This skein is our first auction yarn, the current bid is $5 and you can bid on this until April 15! Don't miss out, for more info on the Triage yarn, visit the site and click on Holly's pages! Lots lots more to see there, this fiber community is absolutely beyond anything we ever expected--Holly thanks you all and the sheep are working hard to get everyone's items on the site today--keep checking back for sure!! And don't worry, this is an 'open ended' effort that came up sort of quickly so we are happy to accept donations as you have time or are willing. Again, thank you!

Please email yarn bids to the sheep at ryan3 at tds dot net and the sheep will keep a current total on the yarn's listing.... fun fun fun!! We are planning several auctions and a raffle --the sheep are having a riot! Thank you all and more a little later this afternoon- baaaa

Circlin' the Wagons!

A happy snowy day to you all! The sheep just finished an update to the site that also includes the 'kick off' of our Circlin' the Wagons for our Holly! I am sure you all have heard me rave about Hollyeqq's talent with color, fiber and yarn? If not, be sure to visit her store!! Holly is a dear friend and when we found out she was facing some major medical issues, the sheep and all the friends of Holly & the Homestead started putting their noggins together for ways to help Holly out.

We wanted to help defray the cost of things like lodging (she is traveling far from home for surgery), meals, fuel for her car and possibly babysitting services for her beloved Abilene (grayhound). We are starting out with items for sale and will be adding silent auctions and a raffle very soon. Have some fun AND help a fellow fiber artist that needs a little extra care.

Our friends Lexi Boeger and Linda of the Yarn Museum are currently hosting a yarn challenge to benefit Holly so be sure to check that out and get in on the action!!

Anyone is welcome to participate, and if you choose to donate an item to be sold for Holly's benefit, please contact me via email or check out our site for details! Paint your Wagon and follow us!!!