Keep Those Cards And Letters Coming

I know it would be way more professional to have a website with a "buy it now" button and a way to easily calculate shipping costs and an immediate "thank you for your order" response, but those sites are expensive and fairly time consuming to maintain and just don't feel like the way our small farm operates.

I have LOVED getting your order emails with stories about who your favorite sheep is or which story is your favorite or how long you've been following along.  No one has followed the blog since a specific date.  They've followed "since Maisie was a baby".  Or Biscuit.  Or Baaxter.  Or Early.  Lots of Early love.

I also love that most people are saying they are excited about the yarn, but extra excited about the book of stories.  I'm also a little nervous about that as it's much more a booklet than a book and after spending so many hours trying to put that small collection together I was quite sure I would never attempt anything bigger.  

Now, a week or so away from "sending it to print" and being actually a little proud of what I got back, even though it's small, I think maybe I might try to write an actual book.  The stories are important.  Those animals are important...and not just to me.  When you share a story back, whether it's a story from here or a story from your life, it's a story that means something.  That's important.

I should have made it mandatory that you share your favorite sheep or a story with your order, because that's been the best part of the last couple of days. I think I've responded back to everyone who shared a memory, giving a little extra tidbit in return.  Let's keep that going.

Is you send me a story, I'll send you back one in return.  No purchase necessary.  No time limit.  If you are having a happy or a sad day and would like or need a story, send me an email with a story or at least just tell me who your favorite sheep is that day and I'll send one back.  It's fun :-D.

I'll do my best to answer as quickly as possible.  And, as always, if you ever don't get a response to an email, please check back because I get a stupid amount of 'not fun story' emails and sometimes things get lost.  

So here's an extra story for the Early folks...

I think everyone knows that Short Round is Ellie's mom.  I'm not sure everyone remembers that she was also Early's mom.  Before anyone thinks badly of her for not taking care of Early, that's a whole 'nother story and it was completely NOT her fault.  I'll share that story some other time.  She was a very good mother.

I never really had any real connection with Short Round like I did Cheeto or Krista.  Those two ewes, while being just part of a commercial flock, were friendly old ewes and became part of my family.  Short Round...well, Short Round was just Short Round, but I thought that sweet Early, who didn't get a chance to do much with his life, would have at least wanted to take care of his mom so she came over here to pension out.

Does that wrinkly nose look familiar?  There is no denying who his momma was :-).  So Short Round got on the trailer that day as a "just a sheep" (but they are never just sheep) and walked off the trailer here with Ellie a pet.  I sure didn't expect her to become friendly, but she settled right in and is now one of my favorite sheep.  Maybe Cheeto and Willard helped with that.  

I'm sure Willard taught her to eat banana peels, one of his very favorite treats.  That's what she's hoping I'm bringing her in the first picture.  She also eats baby carrots.  Petunia will eat a few, too, but that's about it for healthy snacks around here.  No one else would dream of eating anything that wasn't bread or crackers or cookies ;-).  

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Just as stories should not go without saying, neither should thanks.  I am so incredibly grateful for all the yarn box orders the last two days.  I was so worried about where all my sheep would end up (again not the most professional), but even the emails from people I'd not met before were obviously long time friends.  Thank you!

I have another batch of yarn in the washer right now.   The sun is shining and there's a nice breeze across the porch, so I think it will dry quickly and I can keep packing.  I think there are only 20 or so skeins left after this group :-o.