If You Are Looking For A Way To Beat The Heat

 Try looking for four leaf clovers.  

(Click to biggify)

There are at least eight here, but even I can't find them all in the photo.  I'd invite you to come out and look in person...but it's outside the shade cloth area so I think I'd just spend a bit more time looking on the computer screen in the air conditioning ;-).

Maybe it would help to look for them in a puzzle format.

Tabitha

Very few of our Jacob sheep get to be well known around here.  Several are remembered for their stories, but remained cookie "tossers" until the very end of their lives.  

Tabitha was loved by everyone and she loved family and visitors alike.  While she was never hugged or even touched by anyone other than us, she was very happy to come up and take cookies straight from your hand.  Everyone loved that about her.

She has not been well for a couple of years and the last month has been a struggle.  She stayed happy until the end though and went out grazing in Del Boca Vista every day and ate cookies and Cheerios when she lost her appetite for regular food.  

I knew the heat this week was going to be very hard on her and I'm glad she left us at the beginning of the week rather than struggling through several more really hard days.  She was a good sheep and we will all miss her.

Tabitha 

April 2017 - June 29, 2026

Pinot's Pergola

Several year ago I built a small(ish) shaded stand for my night blooming cereus. That worked so well and the plant has been so happy under it that we decided to build a Wool House version to try to help me get through summer as well. 

Since we have Pinot's Porch and Pinot's Patio, it's only fitting this is Pinot's Pergola.  When I was putting his fence (that you can barely see in the picture) back up, I made an extra side paddock...Pinot's Paddock :-).

I went with a pergola design because I didn't want to completely cover up the front of the Wool House. There are several most months of the year that I actually like the sun shining through the windows and front doors.  For those months that I don't...here's hoping the removeable shade cloths will help.

With some roll down side shades.

The vining flowers in the elevated (because of sheep ;-) pots are cardinal vines that the hummingbirds are supposed to love.  Can't wait!

I spotted this four leaf clover while we were hanging the side shades yesterday.  I was standing up on a ladder when I spotted it.  Tim couldn't find it.  Pinot did...and ate it ;-D.

I built this raised bed using leftover scraps from the builders.  The big nails holding the 8"x8" sides together are the spikes we used every year to anchor Maisie's "birthday cake" to the bale of straw.

The little shelf holding the not so little anymore hoya is another favorite detail.  That tiny cutting happened after the parent plant crashed during a storm last year...or maybe the year before...  It's been living in the window over the wash room sink and has done so well that it's outgrown that spot.  I hope it likes this outside location for summer.  

I also treated myself to a bird bath fountain.  I filled the basin with broken chunks of old clay pots so there are plenty of spots for bees, butterflies and birds to land.  Waiting for my first visitors!  In the meantime, I have a beautiful place to sit out with Pinot and watch the bats and fireflies.

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If you'd like to sit out with me and Pinot for a minute, enjoy!

 

A [Three]fer

Three new puzzles for the price of one ;-).

Sunbeam Sheep

I really thought things were starting to settle down...  I did take my camera out this evening for a few minutes though finally.  Surprisingly the batteries were still charged up enough to use it.  Just for fun I took this sunbeam shot and it's a nice way to end the day.

  

The Sweater Story

I've had a pretty crazy life so far!  After being lost along the highway and being so scared and sad, I now live on a quiet sheep farm with a cat who says I'm the only good rabbit on the farm!  I've met the other rabbit and he seems fine to me, but apparently there are some issues with cats...or at least this particular cat.  

When we got home to the farm it felt good to get a nice warm bath and have my scraped up nose doctored on.  It was still pretty cold so the lady wrapped me up in a big dry towel.

And now I have my very own sweater!  Pinot, that's the other rabbit, says he's glad he doesn't have to wear a stupid old sweater, but I like it.  It's very warm and soft and fuzzy and I don't think I'll ever be cold again.

It started with brushing out some really pretty wool.  The lady said it didn't come from one of the sheep here, but that it had been left behind on a table at a big sheep show so she thought it would be perfect for my sweater.  She said just because something gets left behind doesn't mean it's not worth anything.  Sometimes things just get lost.

Then the big orange cat helped her spin it into yarn.

She said the wool was from a Romney sheep and that she really enjoyed spinning this yarn.  She said she thought it would be fuzzier, but that she still liked it.

I had to try the sweater on a million times because she wanted it to fit me just right.

When she washed it, the yarn got much softer and fuzzy and then she was really, really happy with it.  She said it was "a Sara fleece for sure!"  

I'm not sure what the means, but I was really, really happy with it too.

She found a pretty heart that she pinned to the front.  She said I could tuck all my memories in there and they'd never be lost again.  I still can't remember what my name was, but she's calling me Annie and I like that.  I'll tuck into in my heart.

May

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May was a big month and so much never made the blog...because sometimes it's more important to keep your head up and keep treading water.  Springtime...

Maryland Sheep and Wool seems like forever ago. May rain brought lots of May flowers.  The butterflies are arriving.  The bees are doing great.  I may still try to say more about the little rabbit sweater.  I definitely will say and show more about the addition to the Wool House...when it's finally finished.