The Bella Sinclair Award

Michelle from Boulderneigh sent me the Bella Sinclair Award. Michelle explains it best...

"The history behind it is powerfully emotional. The designer Ces said, "I designed this award to celebrate art in the blogs and to honor the value of friendship, sisterhood, sharing and caring. It is to be awarded to the gifted, accomplished, eloquent and talented blogger whose friendship and influence inspire us to do our best. That I named it after Bella Sinclair is because she epitomizes all of these things. She is an inspiration to many of us." (If you click on the Bella link, you will learn of the great tragedy in her life, and hopefully count and recount the blessings in your own.)"

The story is powerful and the artwork outstanding. Definitely out of my league, but I so enjoyed visiting them and being further inspired to always do my best.

Or pass the buck to the flowers painting out at our native plant pond.











I don't often "accept" awards. I'm not sure I truly deserve them and I worry about passing them along. Usually they are art awards or kindness awards and I am always truly flattered. Picking just five (the usual number) fellow bloggers to pass it along is stressful. We are all artists in our own way or we wouldn't be taking the time to keep our online journals and I have been fortunate to have only come across kind people along my way.

Go visit Ces and Bella Sinclair and Michelle. And be inspired. And continue doing your very best. We all enjoy your art and your friendship, sisterhood (and brotherhood), sharing and caring.

Pass it along.

Sunday Stills - Toys - Le Tour de Fleece

Thankfully I was able to use some of my favorite toys to complete my Tour de Fleece challenge. It was a photo finish (for both challenges) and I can't precisely weigh it, but I'm counting it a "win" and collecting my Maillot Jaune (Yellow Jersey).



I knew exactly what I wanted to spin for the tour this year and really, could I have chosen anything but Punkin yarn to christen the new wool house? I've had such a busy summer though that I picked an amount that I knew I'd have no trouble completing - one and one half pounds of worsted weight yarn. No sweat.

Until everything that happened, happened.



And there I was treadling my toes off, burning the midnight lanolin last night.



And again early this morning.



I have no precise way to weigh my singles - the scale is still packed away - but I tend to spin 4 ounce bobbins using my WooLee Winder (special gear driven spinning bobbins that wind the yarn on very evenly).



And the three pound box is half empty.



So a big thanks to my Jensen spinning wheel.



And Lazy Kate (a toy that holds up to three bobbins for plying yarn).

And to Punkin. Who would probably be really surprised to know that I'd saved his last shearing for so many years (until I felt like I was "good enough" to spin it) and had a whole flock of sheep now and a guardian dog and a wool house almost ready to open to the public. Or not. I always knew he had complete confidence in me.

I will continue to spin the remaining Punkin roving and then ply the first with the last... to try and end up with even skeins of two ply yarn which will then be knit into a special sweater. Pattern as yet to be determined.

For more Sunday Stills...

Sunday Stills...On A Thursday

Two weeks ago the Sunday Stills photography challenge was textures. I was thrilled. How much better could it get for a sheep "shooter". Two weeks ago, at this point, seems like a long, long time ago.

Sitting out with the sheep these last few days though watching Hank figure out his job, has given me some opportunities to capture a little texture...of the curly Cotswold variety.



Rebecca Boone has the coolest 'do and beautiful curls to boot.



Woolliam. I'm not sure if this is his head end or his butt end. Frequently happens in real life as well ;-).



Buddy's foot. I like his pants legs, socks and shoes and the mix of rock and hay underneath.

Headed out to the wool house to treadle away on my Tour de Fleece Challenge. It too is about two weeks behind :-o.

Picnic With The Pup

We moved everybody out into a slightly larger paddock this evening. Everyone seemed to be getting along "okay" (those Jacobs are a tough bunch), but just to be safe, we brought our dinner out to the barn.





We all still have a lot to learn, but we are really impressed with Hank. Everything we've had to "tell" him, he's only had to hear once. Of course he's still a puppy and we are still expecting some puppy problems for the next few months, but so far, so good.



The instincts of working dogs are fascinating.

To Serve And Protect

There are many options available to try to keep your livestock safe from predators. As the sleeping in the barn every night method is starting to get old (and isn't foolproof either), we've been desperately searching for our top choice, a good guardian dog.

Ideally, as the coyote(s) have come back within 50 yards of the barn at least twice now, we need a mature, ready to go to work dog (with big teeth!). We have not been able to find that. We feel pretty good with who we did find though.



Meet Hank (peeking out behind Buddy).

Hank is an eight month old Pyrenees/Maremma cross. He was born in a goat barn and has lived with those goats his whole life. He's not so sure about our sheep. Well, I should say he's not so sure of a few of our sheep. While he tries to be friendly, wagging his tail and kissing their noses, a few of our sheep have not returned the gesture. I think he appreciates his safety gate.



I have spent most of the day hanging out at the barn watching his every interaction. I'm impressed with his good humor towards sheep that try even my patience. I've also enjoyed watching our sheep interact with each other. I was not aware of what a jerk Peabody is and Crazy Esther might be old and feeble, but if she ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.



And I already knew how sweet Emily and her baby Caspar Belly (aka Spooky Tooth) are.



And dear old Miss Ewenice. Is there anyone who naps as beautifully? (I wish that gate bar wasn't framing the bottom :-/.) She was very depressed after she lost her baby girl. We all were. We still are.



But, as I watch Hank following (or trying to) his sheep out of the barn this evening, I feel a little hope for the future safety of our flock...and will appreciate his help.

That's Keebler and Graham Lamb in the doorway, by the way. I can't believe how big they are. Keebler can't believe I'm making him live with "sheep".