Sunday Update!

Update accomplished-- a little late in the day but we did it! The sheep are enjoying a very pretty day, not a lot of sun but a nice breeze and only about 70? Perfect sheep weather!! They are out eating up lots of fresh grass--thanks to the rain we got last night--not enough to flood (thank goodness) but enough to renew our hay field and pastures! They did however cooperate and get their work done--hee hee!

Today's update includes new roving, dyed fiber and unwashed fiber--including the Dalai Llama fiber (cool beans color) and Garth's Icelandic x wool (beautiful auburn/blondie). Such fun! Remember, fiber piglet me (oink snort) has a hard time parting with fleeces so get them before I change my mind--I EVEN added 2 pound of my Piper's silver Romney wool--be sure to check it all out!

We will be working toward two updates each week now so keep an eye out-- the sheep are having fun with dyepots and I am washing fiber like a fiend--also hoping for a few boxes to head this way from the mills soon-- fingers crossed!!

Hay Hay holey mackerel!

Lots to get caught up on today! Sorry about that--been a busy time. And no excuse but did not make it with a Father's Day post--sorry Dad and Frank. Isn't the fishing picture cool? Looks like an antique photo of a crazy fishing camp! What a haul from Lake Michigan that day--my Dad is the farthest to the left--all grins and giggles! Dad has been amazing forever, I love you Dad--you are my hero--even if I am afraid to go out in the boat with you! hee hee!

Frank is also an amazing man--keeping up with SIX children and taking very good care of Jim & I through our house collapse & the loss of Jim's mom Claire. Another hero in our lives--we are so lucky.... We love you Frank!

As for the grass picture--that turned into 1,000 bales of HAY! Winter salad bar for the critters--the sheep are very happy to see that. Hoping we get two more crops this summer so we have enough for the winter months.

We also had Jen & John visit to shear Llamas last weekend--what a freaking rodeo. Lucky they tip big or we might not have seen those two again! You are probably familiar with Jen, she and John rescue alpacas, llamas and guanacos. We thought if we started with Dalai (pictured) who is the best behaved, we would have a good start to the day. Wrong. He did NOT want to be caught, which is rare. SO, moved on to Max, who took his cue from Dalai. SO, moved on to the queen of naughty Chaquita and wonder of all wonders, she behaved like a champ--until Jen & I went to put her back with her goaties--she could not behave one second longer. (now mind you she usually spits, drools and has a fit when sheared). Took me AND Jen to remove Chaquita's halter and in the process, we were almost combined victims of a nasty, well aimed SPIT. Eeeeew.

Then we caught Dalai--who was fine once caught but HE was the one who drooled and complained the entire hair cut. We chased Max down and he was the absolute worst--just posessed? Some wild llama spirit? John had to wrestle him to get him hobbled up so we were all safe. Ugh. Next year, needless to say, the llamas will be locked inside for the night so we don't have to chase them--the sheep were/are very properly embarassed for those llamas!

The aftermath finds Dalai looking exactly like that picture every time he sees ME and I did not have any part of his shearing time--I was too busy chasing Max--go figure! He usually saves that mad face for the camera appearances, he does not like the sheep having photo sessions? Silly llama. Same time next year Jen?? Please? :0)

Update to follow tomorrow--will include lots of cool fiber and even some shawls/throws--be sure to stop back and have a happy Saturday with lots of fibery fun involved!

Today's Update- and more!

Hello all! Hope you are having a good start to your week! Please remember to think a kind thought for all the people in WI, IA, IL and IND that have lost everything they have--farmers included. We hope someone will need some temporary housing for sheep or a horse or donkey--we have housing available and are waiting for the call..... If there is anything you can do it will be greatly appreciated, including good thoughts for their safety and recovery.

Isn't this COOL yarn? I could not resist it--it is handspun by my friend Elle of Vintage K! (you can also see their work here) She is a wonderful friend and I love her work so treated myself to the piggy yarn--see the connection?? oink snort that I am--bwaaahahahahaha! Elle felted this cute little pig as an add on to a finished project so watch for my work--pondering options at the moment.... stay tuned!

And here we have a small part of our update today--the sheep really DO work on occasion--see?? ha! Both of these pictures are Blue Face Leicester wool--from the papa of our Brenden. Don't miss out, not to continue a silly theme but this is wool I generally piglet up all to me myself and I. I need help in the de-stashing department! Be sure to browse around, new roving, dyed fiber, unwashed and washed fiber--and I hear the dyepots for this week include Humphrey camel??? oh my!

We made it!!

As you can see, our sheep are blissfully munching the newly renewed (drenched) grass in our big pasture! This is Shannon, our black Shetland girlie, she is an old old girl but loves to romp and play--keeping her baby Lily nearby (she is right next to Shannon in the picture) even though Lily is a grown up girl herself! They are a happy little family!

We are doing well here, so far so good, knock on wood--our water issues seem to be under control. The water IS out there, just heading somewhere besides our basement--the River Ryan even has a little water fall! We had a too close for comfort call with a tornado on Saturday but the only damage we have is two trees that got a bit twisted up. They are smaller trees/branches so we will save them in our campfire supply.

Our thoughts are definitely with all the weather/water victims in WI and the surrounding states. We hope things can settle down soon, and people can try to rebuild their lives. So sad.

I am behind (still and again) so am working toward a weekend update. I have a bunch of new fleeces from Graham & Margaret's sheep (sheared last week--rah!) and am working on dyeing up some new roving and locks--keep an eye out! Hope you are all safe and please keep in touch when you have time!! Over and out for now.....

Scarves in Summer???

Yep, scarves in Summer, created for a Homestead friend who is carrying them all the way to a Russian orphanage this month! Thank you Eva and Eling for your beautiful yarns that matched up perfectly, along with one skein of my own handspun. I also knit up a pretty, fluffy pink scarf to send too--we already sent a box full of scarves, these are straggling because well, you know me, I spit on deadlines and work best at the last minute! It is fun to think of our scarves/spinning heading so far way to do good for others!

The sheep just finished updating the site, lots of pretty fiber and yarn--and even some new primitive hooked sheep from Dennis T.! Did you notice the pretty Sweet Pea doll?? This was a very thoughtful gift from my friend Carolyn--we spin the Peas in a Pod yarn together that is on our sites. Her friend created this primitive doll (just my style!) complete with peas in a pod, a pea pod leaf for a hat and the DRESS even has pea pods and words describing them--now how cool is THAT??? Thank you for the birthday gift Carolyn--I never would have guessed!! You will be seeing Sweet Pea more on the site in the future--as soon as we get our yarns completed!! Happy Monday!