Sneaky Sheep!

Yes, that is my Piper, who got his name as a lamb--who had a perfectly good mama in Abigail--but decided he liked me (and a bottle) more! He is a hoot and has been leading the crew out there coming up with the new raffle (actually several I hear) that will start March 1-- some really cool ideas coming out soon so stay tuned--I am sworn to secrecy or there will be a mutiny in the barn yard for sure! ha!

The winner of the February raffle will be announced here on Feb. 28 after Moose chooses a name!

Sheeeeeeee's Baaaaaack!

Well, far be it from me to stay away TOO long! Influenza be darned!!! ha! It has been a long week of off my feet time so appreciate everyone's patience with us! I am posting this picture (thank you James!) from my Franken Yarn spinner pal--gives me a giggle every time I see it! He decided to take on the Babe spinning wheel challenge and I believe got over THREE pounds of singles spun on this bobbin! The bobbin was quoted as saying-- eek, no more fiber!!!

Don't forget we draw names for our first Avon Breast Cancer Walk raffle on the 28th-- I believe my office assistant Moose will be choosing the names.... He is always with me everywhere I go, complete with a very special bed in the office where supposedly, no dogs are allowed--isn't he special! Actually yes!

We have great plans for March's raffle so keep checking in, we are going to be running several for you to choose from--fun fun fun!!! The sheep are making sure I keep their secrets for a few more days--they know I am not very good at that! Hope you are not snowed in--our blizzard turned into a snow/rain/snow/rain/ice event--YUK! All the critters are bored silly and I am sure tomorrow will be a riot around here watching everyone work off some steam!

Thank You Joyce!!!

Isn't this the greatest??? Meet our talented new friend Joyce who drew this great picture in her journal after visiting our site! Absolutely love it! The only draw back is that it 'rats me out' for my online shopping! However, can't wait to see the new head board lamp for some late night reading--you know, for those of us who seem to never sleep??? :0) You can check out more about her on her blog by clicking on the picture....

Thank you all too for your generosity with the February sheep raffle! They are SO happy and have raised $172 to date to support Breast Cancer Research through the Chicago Avon Walk. Thank you and keep an eye on our Avon page, lots of new items will be appearing and new raffles each month--never know what these sheep are up to you know!

Hope you are all WARM and safe--our thoughts are with people dealing with the weather extremes! PS- no more talks from ME about sissy winters ok? Promise!! ha!

Oh happy day for Bella!

Hi all! Quick post to tell you all that Bella has found her forver home! WOohoo! We are so happy for her and are sure she will be very happy with her new owners! Hooray! Thank you for all your good thoughts for Bella--it worked!!

We are working on some web changes/improvements this weekend so watch for more info on the sheep's funraising activities! You can see the current Avon walk benefit yarns on our site now (thank you to my web guru!) and we will be adding some for sale benefit items soon. I have to go learn some 'new tricks' to update the site and I am not always very patient on that note.... :0) Happy Saturday and more very soon!!

There They Go A Walkin' Down The Street! Eek!

It is just bedlam around this farm since the sheep found out my sisters are walking in the Avon Breast Cancer Walk in Chicago! Ugh! They are on the war path because they are not being allowed to walk too.... Suffice it to say, they are not happy--they don't like to be told no! (remind you of anyone??) So to appease the masses outside, we have all decided to raise funds to support and sponsor my sisters. They will be walking an entire weekend in June, for more info on the walk itself, you can visit http://walk.avonfoundation.org/site/PageServer?pagename=chic_home_2k7 to read more about it.

We are raffling off yarn and/or fiber each month til the walk. SO, our first raffle includes five skeins of special yarn from our very own sheeps. They all want in on this and I am spinning away as fast as I can (I have suggested they learn too but....) for next month's raffle.

You can find the particulars on our site , tickets are $2 each and we hope to raise this fund to contribute from 'Friends of the Homestead Sheep'. The February raffle will end on the 28th and we will announce the winner--who will receive the special items postage paid by the sheep.

It is for a good cause and you have a chance to help many many people with any donation. AND get a chance at some fantastic yarn!

We are waiting for our web guru to connect the dots on our website so it should all be there for you later tonight. Story of my web life! ha!

We will also be adding themed items for sale and ALL proceeds of the sales and donations will be put directly into the walk fund.

This should be fun and hope you all stay tuned! Lots more in store!

Baby It's COLD Outside!

WHEW! It is colder than we've seen it for years here in WI! Guess that is what I get for walking around saying we have 'sissy' winters huh? Ugh! It is wind chills of 30+ BELOW zero today and we are in for it for a few days yet....

Will be heading off shortly to spin some yarn in front of our corn burning stove for sure! AND feeling guilty for our friends outside--even though they assure me they are fine and in their warmest hide outs til this is all over.... :0)

I added some new yarns this morning and am planning a pretty big site update this weekend. We have a 'designated' charity again--we lost ours when OohMahNee (in Pittsburgh, PA) had to close its doors after Katrina hit LA. You may have read about Checkers in a previous post-- very fun things to come that are going to help him and his long term resident rescues! Keep an eye out, hoping to get it all together tomorrow!

Also have a fund raiser we are going to hold a raffle to benefit breast cancer research--my two sisters have signed up for the Avon walk (the LONG one!) in Chicago this summer. The sheep are totally ticked that they cannot drive down for the walk so we are brewing up a raffle to appease them--and keep them from stealing our truck keys that weekend! Hope you are all warm--more updates this weekend as I get the new 'stuff' posted on the site!!!!

Bella Needs a Home!

We received an email from a friend of our family--she lives near my little sister in Chicago and is a peach. She works in rescue and helps some needy dogs find good forever homes.

Bella was found in Nashville, starving and alone. Althought her first pictures are difficult to view, please trust that she is now in very good hands! You may remember my sister's dogs Mason and Livi--yep, from the same rescue efforts!!

Here are the words of her wonderful rescuer's email: 'Bella is a 6-10 month old pit mix who is disease-free, and now vaccinated and microchipped - just SEVERELY underweight. She currently weighs 25 pounds, and should probably weighat least 35 pounds. She got along splendidly with the house cat at the vet's office, and seems to love other dogs as well (we will test thisout again after she gets a little weight on her and is more herself, but she was being boarded in the same run as a shepherd mix at the vet's office and got along just fine.

Last night and this morning she met about 10 different dogs and was extremely happy and friendly each time -even when the little cairn terrier snapped and snarled at her!). She is so loving, and just grateful to have been rescued. She also appears to be housebroken, but anyone taking her in should expect an accident or two just because of all the changes that have happened in her life! If you are looking for a new pet for your family, or you can thinkof others that you might know who you can forward this to, I would behappy to talk to anyone who is interested in discussing adopting Bella. I'm happy if she finds a home in Chicago, but I"m also willing to drive her back to Nashville for the right home. I am attaching the photos from last Monday right after I found her - she literally was almost starved to death, so they're a bit painful to lookat...I'm also attaching photos from last night..she is very tired, as you will see from the photos!


SO, while we wish we could take Bella in (still pondering as a friend for Libby our deaf BC), we are hoping to at least help find her a happy forever home. She is sweet, beautiful and in need of someone to call her own. Can you help??? If you know of anyone, please email and we will put you in contact with her person!

(*Please note there will be very strict guidelines that will be attached to this adoption-- she deserves peace now and the guidelines only serve to help us insure her future happiness.)