More Of My Sheep, Larger Than Life

Last NAILE post and this surprise wasn't a complete surprise. I have to admit though, seeing something I painted blown up taller than me was still a bit surprising even though already I knew it was there.



I'm helping organize the new Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival which will be held next spring, for the first time, during the Bluegrass Classic Stockdog Trial in Lexington, Kentucky. Stay tuned! This is going to be an actual full blown fiber festival, all to itself, not a side tent in a large craft festival.

With sponsors including the Kentucky Sheep and Wool Producers Association, Lexington Parks and Recreation, Lexington Lions Club, The Bluegrass Classic Stockdog Association, Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office, Kentucky Proud, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, UK Cooperative Extension Service, Fayette County FFA... you can believe we are all really excited.

I don't really remember how it came about that we are using my artwork (or actually how I got talked into all those meetings...either, now that I think about it ;-) as a backdrop for post cards, posters, bumper stickers, the website and whatever you'd call this super tall display, but everyone seems to like it and I truly am happy to be able to help.



For inquiring minds, the sheep (left to right) are Punkin, Buddy, Boudreaux, Ewen McTeagle, Miss Ewenice and Henrietta. I apparently have lost quite a bit of weight in my old age (the beauty of painting yourself) and I'm happy my hair has finally gone completely gray, rather than my current Bride of Frankenstein stripe. And yes, Saint Tim, you can click to biggify to check the print quality ;-).

So why did I paint a picture of myself as an old woman? Well, besides the obvious of how I feel some mornings when I crawl out of bed... Over the years I have received forwarded emails of Jenny Joseph's "When I am an old woman" poem. I have received "When I am an old dog woman", "When I am an old cat woman", "When I am an old horse woman"... Never a "When I am an old sheep woman". I decided I would try to fix that.

My original idea was to put it together in such a way as to forward it to my friends and they could forward to their friends and so on, like the other poems. I wondered how far it might go. How long it would stay in circulation. If five years from now, someone might see it and think "I know just who would enjoy reading this" and send it back to me. In the end though, I couldn't figure out exactly how to do that, so Saint Tim printed them on paper for me and I've just sent them out the old fashion way.



Which is nicer anyway.

So, for all the old sheep women out there (and those of us that just feel old)....Enjoy :-).

Wait A Minute...Those Are MY Sheep!

Even though we were only at the NAILE to look at sheep, we felt it would be rude to not at least take a peak at the vendor area. Don't ask us how we knew exactly which booth we wanted to find - the one with all the cute sheep stuff and Woolrich clothes ;-).

I grabbed a sheep turtleneck I just had to have, a sheep coat hook for the wool house and rounded the next set of shelves and was stopped dead in my tracks.



S: Hey, those are my sheep!

D: Yeah, they do look like sheep you would have.

S: No, seriously, those are my sheep. That's P.P. and Beverly.

A couple years ago an artist emailed to ask permission to paint from a couple pictures on my website. I don't really mind if someone wants to do something like that as long as they ask permission and are doing something creative like sketching, painting, rug hooking...or just need a peaceful screen saver for their computer at work. I don't mind spotting my sheep in a specialty shop, but sure don't want to see them at "the Wal-Marts" with a "made in China" tag on the back. You understand.

Bonnie Mohr was very kind and I was flattered she liked my sheep shots. She is a fabulous artist and of course offered to sell the original oil painting to us (which we would love to have, but haven't won the lotto yet ;-). I'm hoping she'll eventually offer it as a print. Go check her out!



So where did she find the picture of Popcorn PeePee Pants? From my very first blog post.

Guess what today is.

My 500th anniversary!

I didn't even know what a blog was when I started all this. I remember having to ask my IT person what one was, how you started one... Now, it's one of my favorite parts of the day. What a great chronicle of our life on (and sometimes off) the farm.

And while mostly it's just to record our memories, I realize (and am humbled) that it's often a bright spot in other people's days as well. And I am happy too that sometimes more than that, that our blog does good for folks that have never even heard of Equinox Farm, Boudreaux the Biter, Hank the Wonder Dog or Popcorn PeePee Pants.

Last year, when I heard about Holiday Mail for Heroes, I gladly added extra cards to my mail list and posted a link to spread the word. Somehow through the "magic" of computers, they picked that up and sent us a thank you. (See, politeness really counts ;-). This year they emailed to ask if I would do the same.

Absolutely!

And, since this is an extra special post (500? Really?!?), let's make it even more fun. Follow this link for Holiday Mail for Heroes. Follow their directions - watch the deadline! Send at least 5 (up to 15) cards for soldiers and their families. Come back here and leave me a comment (on the honor system because I know no one would lie about doing something for our troops) and on December 1st, I'll draw 5 names and send you a box of Equinox Farm (your choice) Christmas cards.

Even better, forward the HMFH info to anyone else who might help and they too can leave a comment here and join in for the drawing. Don't worry about lessening your chances of winning. If we end up making a huge sheep splash, Saint Tim says he'll donate more cards for prizes.

And hey...thanks :-).

Sheep, Sheep And More Sheep

Dianne and I made a run for it took (part of) a day off yesterday to go to the North American International Livestock Exhibition in Louisville, Kentucky. You would think after a morning of feeding, cleaning up after, arguing with, doctoring on, calling people about...sheep, the last thing we'd want to do was go look at more...sheep. Is there a cure for this craziness?

I apologize - this post is picture heavy, but you don't go to the North American and see a few sheep. You see a LOT of sheep.



There were sheep getting spiffed up for the show ring.

I love this picture. Click to biggify and zoom in on the eye and the quick moving shears. And the lady with her hand up. I don't have any sheep who'd listen to that, but I don't believe this was this sheep's "first county fair" (or national exposition ;-).



There were tired sheep.



And really tired sheep.



Sheep with their own stock dogs.



Sheep working hard on PR (or looking for a handout).



Sheep who liked having their picture taken.



Sheep with big horns (and pretty fleeces).



And sheep with even bigger horns.



Sheep with hangy down ears (I really want a Tunis. Really. Santa? You out there? ;-).



Sheep with sticky out ears (and really cute faces).



And sheep with pointy up ears.



Sheep painted gray? What's up with that? Maybe someone out there who shows could explain?

There were pen after pen full of beautiful sheep. Not as many breeds represented as I'd hoped (and traditionally seen) though and the fleece show was very, very light. :-/ The fleece show several years ago was how I got interested in Cotswolds. I saw several fleeces there and knew that's what I wanted, searched online and found a breeder I liked...

Regardless, it was a great trip. There was also a surprise waiting for me in the vendor area and another near the show ring.

Tomorrow.

Fall Fiber Art

First some festive foliage from two days ago. We sure have enjoyed some great color this fall.



The same bush this morning. Is this web functional or is there an artist spider out there enjoying the beautiful fall as well?



This was definitely a dinner score.



And this tiny web? Yep, click to biggify.



Remember the tinsel? Still here and now decorated with some special spider garland. Just in time to remind us how close we are to the holidays.

YIKES!

I'd better get connected with some fall fiber art.

Sunday Stills - Fins, Feathers And Fur

A fun one!

Well, anything involving fins by default sends us to the river. I felt pretty confident about feathers as well. Fur? Well, we'll take Weaslie along and maybe she can look cute watching Saint Tim reel in the big one. The best laid plans...



Yeah, she's cute, but she's not seeing much fish action.



Yep, there's the reliable Great Blue Heron. You'll have to click to biggify or take my word for it. I like the subtle light and color of this shot.



Same bird, just a few seconds later as he continued down river. Completely different picture, eh? Light is fun.



And what do we have here? No need for Weaslie after all. Not necessarily an uncommon thought about Weaslie - just kidding! ;-).



"Ai! What are you all doing out here?"



"You kids stay back there. These boat people have some sort of fluorescent weasel with them."

I know otters are a mixed blessing, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching them (and wishing I had a 300mm lens - we'll see if Santa is still reading my blog ;-)



And this is the only fish I saw this morning. Do you see it?



Wait a minute! Well, well, well... (Definitely click to biggify, as always.) A furry otter, eating a finned fish, under the watchful eye of a feathered Heron.

BOO-YA!

For more furry, finny and feathery finds...

Steam

Here's a little better picture of the frost on our black fences steaming as the sun hits.



Horses (and sheep) steam as well (As always, click to biggify). That's how well insulated these animals are, that frost will settle on their backs and not melt until the sun comes out.



Handy, from the front porch. How lucky I am to be able to walk out the door to this each morning.

Handy enjoyed taking Michelle and Brian for a drive yesterday. Michelle was just as wonderful as I knew she would be and Brian is a natural carriage driver, wood worker, wool carder, yarn spinner and can tell some good stories (with a twinkle in his eye and great smile that will be breaking some hearts in a few years ;-) to boot.

A most enjoyable day life!

Seriously, Sheep.

Hank is not going to eat you. He's never tried to eat you. You've been living with him for several months now. Has he tried once to eat you? I didn't think so. Why can't you just let. it. go?



This is the first time in almost a week I have seen the sheep come out to graze without me yelling at them and making them leave the barn. They hate Hank. Sweet Hank who wants nothing more than to be their friend. Good boy Hank who will leave the two sheep that do like him to split the difference between the two groups and try to watch both.

I moved them into the side lot for the open house and also because it was time to rotate into there anyway. They have been holed up in the barn ever since (leading people to have to ask where the sheep were Saturday), hiding from "Hank the Horrible". I have been playing tough love with them, thinking eventually they'd give up and get hungry enough to go eat and graze by themselves.



They had to wait until they knew the monster was asleep.

At least he has his boys. (Doesn't that head tilt just melt your heart?)



Eli, on the other hand, wishes someone would think he's a monster.



But he's too cute, too.

Those nice boys are doomed ;-).

Speaking Of Cookies...

Are these not the cutest things you've ever seen? They came from a bakery in Cincinnati, Inspiring Kind, are were accompanied by a set of darling farm cookies as well: the wool house, some ponies, Hank, probably some kitties (they disappeared quickly) and even a Green Bay Packer football player.

Thank you, Alice. As always, so thoughtful.

And inspiringly kind.

Speechless...And Pretty Much Photoless

I (sort of) have an excuse. Everything was right on schedule Saturday morning...until the wind blew in. And blew away the tent we'd set up for Flat Creek Wool and Pottery. Blew it away and into several pieces. We'd set that tent up because it's a quick set up. The other tent is not...but wouldn't have blown away. Sigh. Luckily no pottery was harmed, but it did throw everything off as we re-grouped and re-set.

Everyone who came early was put to work. Everyone else seemed to show up right at 1:00. Before I knew it we were in full party mode and Tim thought I was taking pictures, I thought my father was taking pictures, even Tonya only got two pictures... There were some other people with cameras. If you have any pictures to share, I need a bail out here.

We had a beautiful day. Around 50 wonderful old friends, new friends and family friends came out to enjoy the sunshine and sheep. I think Hank even has his own fan club. Cathy from IL would be the president. Not only did she bring him a huge mailman shaped dog cookie (I'm glad our mail lady had already left at that point!), but this as well.



I was speechless. I still am. I pick it up, feel the fabulous wool texture, look at the twinkle in his eye...and carefully set it back down. Wow. Thank you, Cathy. We can count on you to teach a workshop at the Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival next spring, right?

At the end of the day, it was the best kick off for the wool house I could ever imagine. Thank you so much everyone. Please come out any time. It's there for us all to enjoy. Bring your wheel or borrow one of mine. Bring a current project or a fleece to wash... Hank would like to you bring more cookies.



This was one tired pup at the end of the day.

Thanks Jim for sharing these photos!

Here's Your Sign

Finally, after being welcomed here at Equinox Farm for over six years, we have a farm sign. See, while the ultimate reason to have an open house is to enjoy the company of fellow fiber friends (and scarf up Tonya's darling sheep pottery ;-), a side benefit is the much needed kick in the pants to get some stuff finished. Finally.



The Jotul stove is here as well. Is this not the cutest thing you've ever seen? Well, besides Keebler...and Graham Lamb...and Woolliam...and, well you get the idea. Luckily though we aren't going to need it. Here's what the weather channel says: Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 67F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph.

Could there be a better forecast for spending the afternoon sitting on the wool house porch or out in the green grass spinning or knitting or rug hooking or just relaxing? Heck, it's so nice this afternoon I'm having trouble finishing up last minute stuff like sealing that sign (I doubt we will get it hung, but we'll have it out front at least - baby steps, baby steps).

Please join us Saturday. Everyone is welcome. Even non-fiber people. Farm life is fun when it's sunny and 67 degrees. Of course, if you don't at least look like you are interested in what everyone's doing, we may stick you on a tractor or hand you a pitch fork.

Just kidding.

Sort of.

Email thecrazysheeplady at gmail dot com for directions (I'll try to check at least twice in the morning). Bring a chair if you can. Bring an extra chair.

See you tomorrow!