If you are following the actual Iditarod, one thing I find fun is the race standings box. Not only does it give the placings, but also reports when mushers arrive into checkpoints and then out again. The strategies of when and where and how long to rest are interesting and the updates are coming fast and furious.
Woke to a little snow yesterday. Cold and windy, borderline miserable. Still...a day I was looking forward to.
I knew I was close to moving past the increase rows on Marcel's
sweater. Being able to knit and watch busy birds mobbing the feeder
with a snowy backdrop? High on my list of good days. I passed the armhole checkpoint, double checked my stitch count, gauge - big smile. Went up to the barn for the noon check there...and I'd done something stupid. And that's where things went way off course.
Apparently, one year top musher Lance Mackey fell asleep on his sled and ended up two hours off course. That's how I felt standing out in the cold with the vet yesterday. Coincidentally I lost two hours as well, but there's a big difference between a top musher and an incompetent moron. He went on to win the Iditarod that year. I'm just going to be happy if I haven't injured anyone.
It took a bit to regroup, but I did finally manage to clock 12 rows last night. And today WILL be a better day.
Some good news is that the shearers had to delay a day coming down to shear because there were pretty much no dry sheep in Kentucky, even those locked in the barn. We were supposed to be shearing sheep here this morning. Friday or Saturday (much warmer) sounds better to me. And probably to our sheep as well!
16 comments:
That sweater is gorgeous; the pattern, the yarn, and your knitting.
Am wondering what you could have forgotten that would lead to a vet visit. I can think of lots of things I could do. I hope everyone is ok.
Your sweater is looking great!! the rate you're going - you'll be able to wear it next week before spring offically gets here!
I love that sweater pattern. It's going to be stunning when it's finished. We got fresh snow here last night, but it's on top of all teh snow we already have. Happy Shearing! I hope your weather warms and dries up for the big day.
The race is on! Beautious!
We are having a warm up...I'll believe it when I see more grass.
Question....when you shear the sheep and then the weather gets snowy again, do they just adjust or what?
The sweater is beautiful. Too bad you couldn't have had 6 hours straight of knitting while on the road to Chicago. Bound by the weather stinks. (Just feeling sorry for myself) Hope the shearing goes great. I'm always amazed how fast they are. Love ya . . . Miss ya . . . .
I left a gate open. Someone who wasn't a chicken ate a bunch of chicken scratch. I had the vet out as a preventative measure and I think we've dodged a bullet but won't feel really safe for another 24 hours.
Regarding shearing in the cold, supposedly sheep can acclimate in 36 hours. Interestingly, it's apparently not the wool so much that keeps them warm but the lanolin. So, if you do have to shear when it's cold, shear a little longer so you don't disturb the lanolin layer next to the skin. Most people shear their ewes before they lamb. Not only is it easier for the lambs to find the drinking fountain, but also, if the ewes are in full fleece they aren't going to feel the cold like their baby lambs so won't seek shelter when they should. That being said, one year we sheared on a hot spring day and got a nasty cold snap the next and our sheep were cold. Not like freezing to death, but uncomfortable. However, it doesn't take a super warm day for sheep in full fleece to be too hot. We've had several days already this winter that I've seen sheep just as uncomfortable from being too hot as too cold.
Who knew chicken scratch wasn't a snack for everybody? Hope you are able to stay the course all day today. Once the shearers show up, your "sled" could end up docked for a few hours. Enjoy the journey.
I hope everyone (or someone) will be fine. Scary stuff, but it happens. No matter how hard we try there is always going to be a moment when we forget or are distracted. Having the vet out was a good idea. Hope to hear everything turned out well! I understand how you feel.
Tammy
I don't know of a single animal owner who has not left a gate open at some point. It happens. I hope everybody is OK.
That sweater is beyond words. Beautiful. Go Team Sheep!
Hopefully whoever ate the chicken scratch will be okay...sending good thoughts your way. The Marcel Jacket is looking good:)
looks like you are sledding right past those frozen frog ponds. Sweater is looking great. Mush on. I left gate unlocked this week, Angoras out running everywhere harrassing the other goats. Have fun shearing, I just found out last week my shearer is not coming end of this month, coming end of next month, may have some ewes ready to lamb before he gets here.
Wow! Love the sweater! Love the color of the yarn and the pattern.
Hope everybody is ok!
Love, Ineke
Marcel is looking lovely...it just might rival my Jester sweater obsession. Maybe.
Everything looks so lovely! Sweater Marcel especially.
Nice work CrazySheepLady!
Ditto The Dancing Donkey, Hope all is okay...
Sweater=gorgeous. Mush-on!
When the weather turns cool or I shear early due to pregnant ewes, I feed coarse hay. They generate more body heat breaking it down in their rumens, so they stay warmer. As long as they have a wind break, they don't seem to mind too much.
The sweater is going to be spectacular!!
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