Happy Halloween

For many years we dressed up the newest lambs for Halloween.  It was always hilarious and frequently chaotic, but always fun.  Maisie had been the craziest costumed lamb and after watching her paw her wizard hat off and stomp it into the ground, we figured we'd never dress her up again.

Several years later the humane society hosted a Halloween fundraiser at the local Dairy Queen and I got the idea to bring her out of costume retirement and dress her up as The Devil Went To Dairy Queen.  

We trailered her to town and I'd recruited lots of help for what I was sure was going to complete carnage.  She marched off the trailer in her devil costume and walked right up on stage like she was meant to be there.

After that, she become the official Halloween sheep and we laughed until we cried at some of her crazy costumes.  She knew she was the star and every year we laughed about how much she hated her first Halloween and how much she loved Halloween after she "grew up".

Last year I couldn't bear to try to figure out who was going to replace Maisie for Tricks or Treats.  We just had a good pumpkin party and muddled through.   This year we were presented with the perfect scenario :-).

Remember how I changed Lily's name?

I'd tried to explain to her what a Sheep Detective was and how Lily in the movie was the star of the show, but I don't think she really understood until she read the book with me ;-).

"I get it now.  This is a pretty good story!"

I was pretty sure she had never been dressed up for Halloween before, but thought she'd probably not mind and I was right.  We tied her hat on and then the magnifying glass and she just happily stood by my side while everyone snapped pictures like she was a celebrity.

"Happy Halloween!"

Saturday Morning Flock Walk And More

Tomorrow (Saturday) is National Hug A Sheep Day...and Halloween.  We have plans for both :-).

For the last several years, I've done a Hug A Sheep Day morning Flock Walk live on Instagram.  I know not everyone uses Instagram and I'm sorry about that, but for the folks who can watch, it will start at 8:00 (eastern time) this year.  

I love watching Murphy, and now Lily sometimes too, lead the flock out to pasture and I think that's something everyone will enjoy.  Usually I stop for a few minutes and chat with everyone before I open the gate and think that might be fun to share as well.  

This picture is a screen capture from the barn cameras yesterday morning.  Everyone mills around, checking in with me, getting a drink, loosening up, staring out back and then once the gate is open, get to business "making the donuts".  It's a great way to start the day.  

If you can't watch it live, I think it will stay on the grid so you can watch at a later time.  I'll try to remember to share a link over here, just in case that helps.  

The farm party will start at 1:00 and run until 4:00.  If anyone needs directions, let me know!  

As it's also Halloween, there will be a costume this year.  It won't be quite the same without the little darlin', but it will still be fun - more sweet than exciting...probably.  I'm going to shoot for that to go off around 3:00 and I'll share pictures later for everyone not able to make it out.

Speaking of donuts, Auntie Reg is bringing the famous pumpkin donuts from Winchester and we'll have hot and cold cider from Stepping Stone Farm, too. 

The weather looks fabulous.  Not wool wearing weather, but bring it anyway.  We can all enjoy a show and tell...as we sit around in our t-shirts.  

How are you celebrating Hug A Sheep Day this year?

2027 Calendars

After re-taking all the pictures of the calendars this morning...I guess my photo skills peaked somewhere back in the early summer.  The colors on these are better than the first try, but still not good.  I color corrected them as best I could without setting up a third photo shoot and just included a screen shot of the back cover so you can see what they should look like.  Sigh...

I used the same format as the last few years so there are fun big pictures and lots of little pictures and a story-ish caption at the bottom of each month.

You know Pinot's going to be there.

Sweet Lily got a feature.

Of course the horses.

And crazy Archie.

I love including a night shot each year.  

Air Fryer (the chicken peeking in from the left) noticed that she didn't get a big picture (oops), but almost everyone else is there.

* * * * *

Everything is basically the same as in past years.  The calendars will stay at $25 each and I will still only charge actual shipping costs.  The shipping itself is where things might change a bit.  

 

The post office has still not found my package mailed August 28 that is still lost somewhere IN one of their post offices...but they don't exactly know where (thanks AI :-/).  I have heard so many horror stories lately that I really don't know if I want to trust them with anything anymore, even if they are somewhat replaceable if they lose them...or several of them.  

Tim printed 100 calendars.  There's no longer a cost effective way to add on a few more if we run short.  And if we run short because of how many the USPS loses, I'm going to be really cranky.  How does everyone feel about UPS?

Local folks...I'd just come pick them up.  If you'd like to come out to the farm for a visit, we can do a fun 'sheep side' pickup option (please make an appointment).  For anyone near Lexington, a pick up at Tim's shop is an easy option, too.  We will also have them available on Saturday for the Hug a Sheep Day farm party.

As always, if you'd like to purchase a calendar or anything else from the farm shop, just send me an email with what you'd like and where it should be shipped.  I'll include an invoice and return envelope and you can send your payment the old fashioned way.  

Please don't chance sending cash anymore due to above mentioned mail issues.  Checks are easiest for me, but I can also figure out a PayPal invoice or maybe even Venmo if that's preferred. 

Am I missing anything?  Any questions?

Insert Face Palm Emoji

  "I'm actually just eating a piece of spinach, but it looks like I'm sticking my tongue out at my mom and she thinks this is a pretty funny picture and even if it probably wouldn't have made the calendar, she wished she'd have remembered that she had a whole group of pictures that had never been even looked at and just now found when she downloaded the pictures she took of the finished calendars this morning using the wrong white balance setting so now she has to take them all again.  Or something like that."

As has been the case all summer and most of the fall, I can't seem to get out of my own way.  The calendars are done and they turned out well even if I missed reviewing a whole group of pictures that might have been contenders.  

Luckily there was nothing heart breaking in the missed folders.  I can still share them here and I bet there will be a few that will make nice puzzles.  So, as has been the case all summer and most of the fall, it's all okay.

I'll be back tomorrow with an official calendar post!

Because Every Day Is A Good Day...

...to Hug A Sheep :-).  

 

And it's A Really Bad Day that can't be helped by hugging a sheep.

I went out to New York over the weekend to visit friends and pick up seven bags of beautiful roving from Acorn Works Fiber - Levi, Murphy, Tessa, Tabitha, Tavia, Muffin and Blossom.  I stopped by Skoog Farm and picked up Lori before we went to the mill.  Lori did a fun recap and as always it was a too short visit.

Of course I then went on to Nistock Farms and helped Robin get ready for her WAFA (Wool and Fiber Arts)** sale and learned more about how that works.  We also did our usual visiting, maple syrup and ice cream run, Chinese carry out, sheep checking, dog walking, rock hunting, story telling...  Another too short visit, but what a privilege to be able to go do these things.

A really nice surprise was finding out that Murphy's mom is still there.  Her name is Copper and she's 16 years old.  She's a moorit (brown) sheep, but other than being smaller that the big galoot, she looks and acts just like him.  

It took both Robin and Andy to get their hands on her.  I guess if you can outsmart and outrun two experienced shepherds when you are 16 (very old for a sheep), you are doing alright.  Robin handed her off to me and I told her about Murphy and how he was doing well and how important he was to the flock and she actually seemed interested...for about a minute...and then said "Okay, fine, that's enough updates" and split.  

Those good old crazy sheeps.

Speaking of hugging sheep, don't forget that this Saturday is the Official Hug a Sheep Day.  It's always the last Saturday of October.  We will, as usual, be hosting an open farm party from 1:00 to 4:00.  

This is a very relaxed event and if this crazy nice weather holds, it will be a beautiful day to sit out with your spinning wheel or knitting and enjoy visiting with friends two legged and four.  We'll have treats of some sort and the sheep are hoping you'll bring treats as well ;-).

The party is for everyone, not just fiber folks, and if you have any questions or need directions, just shoot me an email.  We'd love to see you.

* * * * *

**The live sale is over, but you can still watch the video and if you'd like to purchase any of Robin's  beautiful colored curls and roving, fiber tools...I think you just send her a DM or you could also visit her website or email her if you don't do Facebook.