Send good thoughts......

Today our thoughts are going out to anyone in the way of Gustav, now a category 5 hurricane. Please keep the people in its path in your thoughts. I cannot imagine what they are going through between preparing their homes, families and friends to flee or wait it all out.

Our friend Holly is on her way out for essentials now and watching the storm wing its way toward her home on the Florida panhandle, on the gulf. She is also preparing for her surgery (you might remember her from our fundraiser earlier this summer?) so she has extras attached to the stress and weather issues. Please keep good thoughts for her--and again, anyone in the path of this storm.

Our mama hen must be thinking rain--she has her little chicks gathered up and sheltered--probably because I was lurking with the camera to be honest though.... Again, our thoughts go out to evacuees, families and critters in the way of this storm.... We wish there was more for us to do to help.

Fiber, critters and such!

Hmmm, I see a pattern here? :0) The update is done and ready so be sure to take a look through ok? There is new dyed, washed, unwashed fiber and batts.... We will update again over the weekend too. Have to move to once a week again because the outside comfort of the sheep (for winter) needs to be done soon. It is almost like fall here all of a sudden--even trees shedding their leaves and changing colors? Oh, and by the way, would you all send some rain this way? Our pastures and hay fields are in desperate need. Jim was threatening to take every hose we have, hook it up to the sprinkler (?) and water the hayfield--now would THAT be fun to see???? Hope all is well, off to check on the sheep (jailbirds!) and spin some yarn--what are you all working on these days??

Sheep.....on the lam.....

No kidding--really! Now do these representatives of Dalai's group look like they would cause a ruckus at 830 am on a Sunday--while we are trying to get out the door to Dad & Ross' cake party??? You bet! I was innocently happy that we had chores done, the boys were munching on grass in the big pasture and I was working up to email.... Then, heard car doors and wa-la, Green County Sheriff is walking toward the house. EEK. Poor Ross, at first I thought 'what have YOU done'?? Then it came to light our boy sheep were running around on the road having gotten out through the ONE place we have not replaced the fencing yet. Naughty naughty sheep. I think they would look cute in stripes don't you? Haul those naughty boys off to county lock up I say! :0) Grass is always greener right? And lets be fair, it was not Angus or Steeler (pictures), it was the ENTIRE group out gallavanting about. Of course Monte, Casper and Dalai Llama were INSIDE the fence like, hey, don't ask ME what is going on--I am where I belong (for once). What a bunch of goons, never a dull moment I swear, but I adore them and it is too funny to stay mad at them for very long.

I have a HUGE update ready for Monday so keep an eye out and be sure you are on our email list ok? Cheerio!

Happy hay field update!

Lots of new fiber fun on the website today! Look for new roving, batts, dyed locks and lots of unwashed fiber.... We will get a yarn update done this week--and new 3 Chic Knit items too. We've been buuuuusy!

This is a shawl/throw designed by my Mom Nancy and our Molly sheep. The yarn is all my handspun and Mom's design work. Molly had input on her yarn--she is a very sweet girl who was born in the middle of winter (instead of spring) and her mama was unable to get her babies dry fast enough. As a result, after Molly arrived to stay with us, she ended up losing the bottom third of her hind leg. She is a happy go lucky grown up sheep now, carefully watched over by her best friend Keebler. Her fiber is soft and snuggly--this would be a very fun shawl or throw to have handy for cooler nights that will be here before we want them! ha! More pictures of Molly and Keebler are on our meet the sheep pages--they live with Max the llama.

Keep an eye out for another update this week--lots of yarn and more 3 Chic Knit items and fiber of course!! Toodles!

News Flash--UPDATE today!!!

Yep, you heard right! Update mission accomplished! Yey sheep!! The update includes roving (dyed & undyed), locks, picked locks, unwashed wool & more--lots from our very own sheeps this time--getting my stash (oink snort) in some sort of order--must learn to share! Bwahahahahaha!

Today we are featuring our sweet boy Treasure--who arrived here with his 'brother' Baker as bottle lambs. They are the cutest, most elegant, stoic, calm sheep ever. The only thing better than having four would be an entire pasture full--just don't tell Jim! ha! Treasure has some beautiful dyed locks on the site for you--they are just waiting to be tail spun, spun or blended into your next project--they would needle felt well, unsure of the wet felting though-definitely not an expert in that realm! (although Treasure thinks you should give it a try! ha!). The locks are from 4-5+ inches long and the curly crimp is just too pretty.

The sheep are planning another update this weekend that will include more roving, BATTS, handspun yarn and 3 Chic Knit items. Woohoo! Hope you all are enjoying this nice, cool weather--could take THIS weather all summer, if it would just rain (can you believe I said that?) so we can have good hay crops this summer too!

Remember, my ridiculous stash is out of control and if you are looking for specific types of wool, please email. We probably have it and just don't have it listed on the website. Also, happy to custom spin your own yarn, designed with our fiber or yours--keep us in mind!! Happy Friday!

Where the heck are the RYANS????

Let's see, we've had quite a few weeks here, lots of hot/humid weather that can be so hard on the sheep--and us but we spend lots and lots of time out watering and playing in the hose with Monte (our old horse). He loves a good spritz and also is sure we get one too--he puts his nose up against the end of the hose and all are drenched by the time he is done. We can't convince Casper the honkey donkey that water is good--and what a loss that is right? The piglets are wallowing in their little self made/dug pool--the even fill it themselves with a bucket of water we leave filled next to their pool--no really!! Would I kid you???? :0)

I wanted to get back to talking about sheep and the sheep breeds we have to offer here in our flock. It is fun to investigate the different breeds and crosses--and of course one you are mostly familiar with is my fav to start with--the Romney. We are lucky to have a bunch of Romney sheep from the infamous McNair flock whose bloodlines are from Kent Marsh Romneys in England. They are a very different sheep with a soft, silky fleece--and lots of long staple curls (4-6 inches). They are stockier than USA Romneys, a very stout sheep with short strong legs and a very sweet personality. I adore them--as you can see just a few are pictured from our flock--you can see the rest on our 'meet the sheep' pages on the website.




This is Noah, one of my Christmas lambs from last year. He is a McNair Romney (they all are) and has grown quite a bit since this picture. Looking forward to his next fleece, he has a very pretty curly fleece with some gray starting to work its way through. He is a sweet boy and continues to buddy up with the rest of my Christmas lambs.




This is Baaxter, he is twin to Piper (pictured further down) and his mama is Abigail. He is a big boy now, much like his papa--which means bigger fleece right???




This is Biscuit--he is Josephina's baby--they arrived together when Biscuit was a lambie--they are wonderful!

This is Abigail, famous mama of Piper and Baaxter--she had them at our farm (a rare occasion) and she is the best mama. Poor girl had to put up with me because Piper was born, saw me even though I was creeping around quietly to do chores, and Piper decided I was mom. He refused anything but a bottle and to follow me around any time I was out with the sheep. When I was no place to be seen, he was very happy with Abi but gees, poor girl--I stole her lamb!

And this is Piper, the baby who chose to follow me everywhere--slept under my loom while I skirted fleeces, walked to the mail box with me every day. He is a peach but once he learned he could outrun me, the outside the fence walks had to stop--it doesn't take much to outrun me believe me, but we walk just as much through the pastures now. He runs sort of like Phoebe on Friends (tv show)--all gangly and silly. He just cracks me up--he is such a lug. He keeps close to his Abi and Baaxter--I truly believe if allowed, sheep stay in their family and make other friends outside of it. They are amazing!

OK, off to catch up on some carding and box packing before Ross gets a bender to get to town! TTFN! Update soon before we have hay to unload too!!