Hank Goes On A Walkabout

Actually, Hank likes to take a daily walk about the yard ;-).  When we open the barn gate in the morning to let the old sheep come out and eat special food, Hank likes to come out with them and make a big lap around the house.  He checks to see if any intruders have come around and marks any suspicious spots with a big "KEEP OUT!"

Usually by the time I'm done feeding, he's had enough time out inspecting and he's ready to go back with his sheeps.  Occasionally, if I head back to the house for a second cup of coffee before he completes his circle, I'll come back later to find him sleeping by whichever gate is nearest his flock...and his BFF, Miss Maisie ;-). 

"It's about time you got back out here."

And The Names Are...

Daniel Not-Boone.  Not Daniel Boone, because one Boone (Rebecca ;-) is plenty around here!  Just kidding RB.  Sort of...  If his face looks familiar, it's because he's Marcel's younger brother.

Bitey Whitey.  This is what he looks like, but my favorite view of Bitey Whitey is when he comes up and sticks his nose in my face and his big ears fall backwards all the way down like "Do your ears hang low..."  Very cute.

And, with the shortage of grass in their paddock, having to fight over the same blades seems completely rational.

Count Chocula.  Saint Tim came up with this name accidentally last week when we were trying to do something with one of the other boys and Chocula wouldn't leave him alone and kept chewing on his shirt.

 "Cut it out, Count Chocula!" 

I think that's a great name for him :-D.

I have yet to get a good shot of Hershey, who was supposed to be a fancy pants breeding ram on a big farm and what he really wants to do...

...is just lay down next to me and catch some zzzzzz's.  He's officially one of the friendliest sheep on the farm, and we have some FRIENDLY sheeps!

"Hey!  Where'd the guy with the cookies go???" 

Yep, they're already cookie monsters.  Oh, and the big white lamb is only going to be here a couple more days.  He IS going on to the breeding farm, but in the short time he's been here he's been called Bitey Off-Whitey, Dinsdale, Graham Jr. and a few, um, other names ;-).

I'm Happy To Report

...that cat sniffing is alive and well at Equinox Farm. Poor Eli.

Bitey Whitey and Daniel Not Boone take a turn.

Then Count Chocula.

And even Bitey Off-Whitey.

Hershey didn't get involved because he is not that kinda sheep was too busy eating ;-).

Not. Funny.

So, yes, they all have names now.   We'll try to do some formal introductions tomorrow :-).

2012 Tour de Fleece Wrap Up

It wasn't a momentous Tour, but as always, good fun and educational.  I completed Reg's yarn.  For now.  The yardage wasn't as high as I think it should be to err on the side of too much rather than too little, but that's pretty easily fixed.

I had hoped to plow through a big chunk of the black, but after spinning a sample, weaving a sample, spinning a couple different samples, weaving a second sample and still not sure what I like best, I didn't "spin on with confidence" as I probably should have.  There's really no bad handspun yarn.

I got quite a bit of Buddy combed, but only a little spun.  I think that yardage was just over 100 yards.  

Keeb's walnut dyed yarn on the spindle was awful.  Not sure why and really in the spirit of the Tour, I should have worked on that issue, but since I don't have very much of that dyed fiber, I decided to wheel spin it so as not to ruin it.  So, okay, there is some bad handspun ;-).

Blossom got sampled twice and while I love the yarn, I'm not sure it's sock worthy yet.  I'd hate to slog through a pair of socks (my least favorite knitting project for some reason) and then have them wear out after a couple wears.  Luckily there's plenty to practice with :-D.

Blossom on the wheel.

Buddy, off the side of the wheel.

Buddy, being wound on my new awesome skein winder.  More about that later.

Two small woven samples for the black throw.  Hard to see the difference, but there is a little maybe if you biggify it.  The one on the left is plain weave (basic over one, under one) and the one on the right is a straight twill (like your blue jeans).  More on that later as well.

Blossom.  Her yarn is just like her, sweet, cute and smooshy :-).

And Buddy, resting on Renny's yarn.  I think this yarn is really, really pretty and I can't wait to spin the rest of it, both Buddy and Renny :-).

Okay, gotta run.  Today is cool - upper 70s - so it's 'tuterin day for the black lamb.  Who still has no official name.  But does get to stay here :-D.  Saint Tim called the bitey brown lamb Count Chocula the other night and that's a winner ;-).

20 Goes To The Wool Mill

20 has been looking forward to going to Ohio Valley Natural Fibers for a long time. We made a quick trip up last week to pick up the last of this year's roving and he had a blast.  20's a great traveling companion :-).

He was especially excited to ride the ferry!

He found a perfect sized ladder to help him get a good view of everything.

"This is WAY faster than how we do it at home!"

We took the rescue Jacob fleeces from the shearer with us and had them processed into black, white and gray roving.

20 found lots to do to keep himself busy while we waited.

He was especially intrigued by the colored wool. 

The spinning machinery was a highlight.

And when he'd seen pretty much everything, he settled in with a good book.

Until Wile E. Coyote showed up!  At first 20 thought it best that he try to hide behind some wool, but then he remembered that Hank would protect him and he sent the "genius" packing!

Back home in time for a nice afternoon nap :-).

The Pick Six

I found eight clovers that afternoon. I picked and pressed six and left two...so one wouldn't be lonely ;-).

Random.org picked six winners:

Tyche's Minder

Susan

Alice

Jean

Miha Giustina

MarmePurl

Shoot me an email with your mailing address :-D.

Are Ya Feeling Lucky Today?

As I walked over to clean Hickory's water yesterday, I noticed a four leaf clover. And remember the rule...if you see one, look for two!  There were more than two!

iPhone photo

I picked several (not saying how many so as not to give away any clues ;-) and have them pressing in a book in the Wool House. 

How many clovers do you see?  Have fun looking and leave a comment with your guess.  At the end of the day tomorrow I'll draw for some winners and send several folks a little good luck from Equinox Farm :-D.

From The Other Side Of The Wall

Can you believe it was just a year ago that Blossom was on this side of the wall?

"I see you sleeping on my cot!" 

"Her cot???  The sheep around here say the craziest things."

It's been So. Hot.  Yesterday afternoon I caught the black lamb trying to use my phone to call NY for a ride back home. Since I'm trying to get the new kids used to me and "tamed down" (they weren't bottle lambs, so aren't quite sure why we'd all want to hang out together ;-) I pulled out Blossom's cot and an extra fan and did a Claire Bear's Done Give Up in their temporary stall yesterday afternoon.

This is Bitey Whitey, the only new sheep with a name as yet.  We're tempted to go with Bitey Brownie, Blackie and Off-Whitey, but it doesn't really sound so good if your sheep all have Bitey names and surely after the heat breaks we won't taste so salty ;-).

"I'm really cute and need a really cute name.  I'm the smallest lamb, probably the most curious, definitely the most agile 'cause that lady put our feed bunk up off the ground and I can still jump in it and walk around, so maybe a circus name?  I think a circus name would fit 'cause that guy with the funny hair says this place is a circus.  I guess 'cause it's so hot???"

This picture doesn't look like this lamb at all.  I guess he's working it for the camera because in real life he doesn't look like a regal, studly ram.  He's a shaggy, sweet little love bug who immediately walks over every time I come around and stands next to me and bites me encourages me if I don't scratch his back, head, neck, ears... enough.  He loves to have his face rubbed and told what a nice boy he is and when we I get tired of this he lays down at my feet and goes to sleep.

He's given me some "street cred" with the other lambs and Bitey Whitey and then Bitey Brownie have now signed on for back scratching and face petting and hearing what sweet boys they are... :-). 

Marcel's brother is still not sure about it all, but I'm sure some cookies will help bring him around ;-).

"What are cookies?  That's all the sheep on the other side of the wall talk about!"

The black lamb is supposed to be leaving at the end of the week.  I overheard Saint Tim tell him "I wish you weren't leaving" last night.  My thoughts exactly.  Not sure if I can talk Kathy into a sale since she's expecting delivery of two breeding rams, but I think I'm going to try. 

We're hanging in there.  Stella and I had to go get strawberry milkshakes and root beer floats yesterday to keep from melting down.  Decided to go pay our water bills while we were in town and as I walked out of the water company I left my cell phone sitting on the counter.  

We got a couple minutes down the road and realized I was missing something and turned around.  As we were pulling in, one of the drivers was pulling out.  He held my cell phone out his truck window and we had a good laugh.  It's so nice to live in a town where if you left your cell phone sitting on a counter it would show up in your mailbox if you didn't remember where you'd left it. 

Sheep-a-palooza

The new sheep from Nistock Farms are here :-D.

A big wave from Julie as they approach :-D.

"Wonder what that black thing is she's holding up to her face?"

"I don't want to hear one word about my hair!"  ;-)

Hank appeared immediately to check out each new sheep as they came off the truck.

And once everyone was settled in and up to their eyes in green grass (what a crazy, but great July!), the adults settled in.

And once Hank was sure his new sheep were settled in, he came over to complete inspections on his new people.

"I love all my new friends."

The three faces in the middle are staying here.  The other three are headed to breeding farms.  The one in the middle is Marcel's brother :-). 

It's been a Sheep-a-palooza around here!  I'm enjoying having an expert shepherd on hand for a couple days.  As a captive guest, Robin's been stuck answering questions, looking at and talking sheep til the wee hours of the night :-).  I really appreciate her knowledge, experience, the beautiful sheep she raises and her friendship.