Snow!

Popcorn PeePee Pants and Jester, the golden eyed sheep. I am about ready to start the patterning on his sweater, but have been too busy to concentrate enough. After Christmas!



Joshua, Rebecca Boone and Buddy.



Heidi, Sherman and Annabelly - trying to figure out what B. Willard is doing out eating snow.



I think Shermie has the cutest lil' tush. Don't you just want to sneak up and pinch him? Uncle Graham, in the background, has a more paddling style butt. Poor Grahamie ;-).



I don't want anyone to pinch MY butt! And I was trying to eat grass through the snow 'cause no one would share their hay with me.



Renny and Ewenice have had the run of the farm for two days. We are in the process of rotating the main flock into a fresh paddock and their little pen was blocked off so everyone could have access to the barn during the snow over the weekend.

Ewenice used to live in the yard. She had lived by herself for quite awhile before she came here and had no interest in our "scary" sheep. Now they are all good friends and I think she kind of misses them. You can see her looking through Hank's gate gap towards them. Or maybe it's their hay piles ;-).

Sunday Stills - Potluck

...the next challenge is whatever you find interesting during the week to share with us. :-)

A new toy tool! I got talked into selling my Patrick Green Supercard last month. I didn't use it very often anymore now that we send most of our wool off to Ohio Valley Natural Fibers and I'm glad it's with someone who will put it to better use.

There are just enough occasions though when having a finer clothed carder than my beloved Louet coarse cloth would be nice. I decided the Strauch Petite Carder would fill that spot.



Some of these shots are more educational than interesting...



Stephanie aka Lunabud Knits (a vendor at both the Kentucky Wool Festival and the Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival) had been wanting to come out to the farm to meet the sheep. As a Strauch dealer, this was a perfect excuse and she was happy to bring along a Petite for me to try. We pulled out a few Keebler curls as a test.



She fluffed them out and fed them into the mouth of the carder, turning the hand crank so the drums would grab them as they turned.



The fiber transfers from the small knife like small drum onto the larger wire toothed drum. The black brush helps push the fiber down into the teeth.





She then pulled the brushed out fiber off the big drum, divided it up and ran it through one more time. Keebs is always beautiful ;-). That's the fluffy/fuzzy roll in the first picture. The smaller batt is some of Sherman's lamb fleece.

Here's a Mia shot for Ed. There are more meet the sheep shots (and a Renny update) on yesterday's post.



I had never really noticed that Mia's horns were so striped. I'm usually looking at her front view, which is not so distinct. Pretty interesting...and pretty.



Stephanie rides in style with a huge yarn ball on the side of her truck :-).

For more Sunday Stills...

Resilient Renny

At the risk of getting over-confident and jinxing things, I am reluctant, but happy to say Renny is doing really, really well. Yesterday I watched her actually starting to use her bad leg a little. The same leg I assumed (which I'm learning never to do with Renny) she'd never be able to put any weight on again.



She almost always keeps a piece of hay hanging out of her mouth. Very silly...and cute.



My friend Stephanie came out yesterday to bring me a drum carder to try (more on that tomorrow :-) and to meet the sheep.



She'd missed Hug A Sheep Day. Of course Miss Ewenice was happy to re-visit her new favorite holiday.



I hadn't noticed Weaslie underfoot. Apparently having company means not having to follow normal, never questioned rules like Stay Out of the Sheep Paddocks. Renny was curious and calm. I decided to let Weaslie stay.



You can see the wheels turning. She watches Ewenice (and most of the other sheep) interact with us and I think after all the doctoring is over, she'll happily become a friendly, ear scratching, cookie eating sheep.



In the meantime, she's happy to have Ewenice as her bodyguard.

What Happens When You Are Too Old And/Or Fat

What is Shermie up to now?



You know, Willard, it's been awhile since we snuck out back. Just stand here for a minute and look natural and then when no one is watching...



Hey! How did they get out there?!? Let US out there! The gate's shut! They're eating everything! DO SOMETHING!!!



Um, lady? Could you open the gate?

The four "lambs" can still fit under a section of fence just down the hill. I'm sure those days are drawing nigh ;-).

Not A Bit Shy

A Sherman flip book.



Notice he's running towards the camera while everyone else is running away.



Wheee!



What on earth is going on out there?



Boing!



Boing!



BOING! Great form, Shermie!

There's a wet weather creek running through there.



Wheee!



The shadows are a clue.



Company. With Cameras.



Sherman's no dummy. Any time there are Cameras, there are Cookies ;-).