Solstice Sheep Day Two - Andy

I almost blew it on day two.  I thought I'd taken a nice picture of Andy yesterday, but when I pulled it up this evening, it wasn't in correct focus.  I looked through the last couple of folders of pictures, but none of Andy...so I picked up my camera and headed for the barn.

Night pictures are usually not a great option, but are a good challenge.  I'd hoped to sneak in and find him sleeping someplace easy to compose, but everyone was immediately on to me and jumped up.  I tried to find a shot, but this is what he kept giving me.

"This seems deeply suspicious.  What's going on?"

"I'm the Solstice Sheep of the Day?  And if I let you take my picture I get a treat?"

":-)"

Andy likes all treats, but grabbing a bite of the fancy alfalfa the old sheep get is maybe his favorite.  I was able to sneak him a handful which he grabbed and then quickly backed out of the melee.  Not everyone got treats tonight.  It would have been too crazy.  Andy tends to fly under the radar, so it was nice to let him know he was extra special today :-).

Andy is one of the bell sheep.  You have to look closely to see it in these dark pictures.  He wears the bell in memory/honor of Graham Lamb.  Graham babysat Andy when he first moved here and after Graham passed, I took the bell from his neck and placed it on Andy's.  They'd been good friends and I hope the bell reminds Andy of his old friend.

Spinning With Friends

I recently finished painting a spinning contrast apron for a good friend who's been a good friend to my flock for many years now.  These are all sheep she's spun except for some Lila she gifted back to me when I was collecting fleeces for the bottle lamb yarn.  

Well, all except one.  How we missed Blossom/Baba when we were counting up sheep...  I'm looking forward to her bringing it back so I can add her in.  

Jared and Rocky

Maisie and Hank

Levi, Andy and Woody

Rebecca Boone, Beanie Baby, Elizabeth, Lila.  Wait...  Holy smokes, I think we forgot Buddy, too! :-o

The Birthday Parties

Maisie got two birthday parties yesterday! We tried to do her party at 2:00 thinking that might be the warmest part of the day.  Turns out this is more of a Happy Hour crowd and that party sort of flopped.  Not to fear, Reg "baked" another cake and we had a birthday party re-do around 4:30 and a good time was had by all.  

The first party wasn't a complete bust.  Maisie enjoyed eating some birthday cake, but most of her friends didn't realize it was party time so they were heading out to graze the front field and she wanted to go with them.  If you are the birthday girl (or pretty much any time), you get to make the rules.

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I had technical difficulties with the live and recorded video with the first party, so I didn't even try to use my phone for the second party...and that may have been the best gift of the day.  I dusted off the Big Girl Camera and took actual pictures just like in the olden times.  

Love her little pink nose.  That's Andy in the front.

I love sweet Baba on the right, politely waiting her turn.

Walking out into the middle of this crowd carrying a box of "cake" is not for the faint of heart.   I always forget how big Murphy (at Reg's left elbow) is.  Jared, in front of her, is not small.  Muffin, in the background, is not small either, but she's doesn't like to get bounced around in the mosh pit so I snuck her a cookie later.

Reg shared with everyone, but made sure the birthday girl got the biggest share ;-).

Baaxter loves Auntie Reg.  Liddy's just there for the "cake" ;-).

Now that was a party!

Happy Birthday, silly Maisie :-)

Watching...

...for fall?  For rain?  For cooler temps?  For the upcoming Kentucky Wool Festival?  For a new puzzle :-).

This has been the hottest September I can ever remember.  We are still in the 90s and my "if I can just make it until Thursday..." has been changed this morning to "if I can just make it until Friday."  If this trend of pushing back the end of this brutal heat stretch continues, it's just going to become "I hope I make it..."

To make matters worse, other than a freak rain storm yesterday morning, we have had no rain.  Everything is brown and crispy and when the wind does blow, it's a hot wind that does nothing to help anyone.  Speaking of the freak rain, it rained 2" at the house, but only 3/8" at the Wool House, just yards away.  The rain was that spotty.  

Hank is doing pretty well.  His foot has healed up beautifully, but he's back obsessively licking both of his elbows now and right after I took this picture I had to stick the cone of shame back on him :-/.  They are actually blow up pillows now and if it wasn't so blasted hot, it probably wouldn't be that uncomfortable to wear, but still.

I'm in the final crunch week of getting ready for the wool festival.  My Ohio Valley Natural Fibers run scheduled for last week was cancelled, but they are hoping they can run my roving this Tuesday.  I have my fingers crossed, but am still stressing about a contingency plan if they can't get their machine back up and running.  

I've got a good amount of wool pumpkins made, lots of wool balls, quite a few mini wreaths and I'm finishing up some big wreaths.  I'll also have all the usual Punkin's Patch "swag" in tow and hopefully some felted sheep as well.  The calendars won't be ready until after the festival, but we have plenty of the "...and to all a good night" Christmas cards packed up and also mixed sets of all 15 years.

Tring Farm has eight pretty raw fleeces to sell and for some reason Andy and Tavia's fleeces (two of my favorites) didn't sell back in the spring, so I'll have them there as well.  Everything else is washed and ready to process,  so it will all work out somehow.  

The booth will be full and fun and pretty and if the forecast holds, it should be a great weekend.  We might even be able to wear some wool in the evenings...which seems odd to say after so many weeks/months of not breaking out of the 70s at night.  

I'll believe it when I see it.  I'm watching!

Far Out

One thing (of many) I've enjoyed about having Rocky and Jared here is watching how far they travel in search of fresh grass.  We have plenty acres open for grazing, but the majority of the sheep graze just within a stone's throw from the barn.

A big part of that may be because in the early days Hank didn't like them going too far away from the 'safe zone' and for years would call them in when he thought they'd gone far enough.  There's probably another part of it that has to do with being fat and lazy ;-).

Rocky and Jared (aka Big J) could care less if Hank tells them to stay close.  There's good grass out there and they are the men to go eat it all.  That's Jared farthest away in the picture above.

Rocky is usually close by, but I've never seen him go as far as Jared, who I've seen all the way at the back corner.  A few other sheep have taken to following them out there - Cheeto and her boys, Andy, sometimes the Ts.

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Wait! What’s coming?

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There was a fun series of pictures on Instagram one evening with Kate and Tilly herding the boys back home.  They were out there all by themselves while Cheeto was in Easy Breezy being weaned.  You've got to stay with the adults a little bit, boys!

Stone's throw... ;-)

We've had some pretty mornings, but fall is still eluding us.  There are two days next week that are forecast for 98 degrees :-o.  At the end of September...

How about a couple of new puzzles :-).  Enjoy!

Back To School Photos

I've been submitting photos for the cover of the Kentucky Wool Festival program for many years now.  Some years I have a photo ready early in the year.  Many years I don't and find myself out in the field at the end of August taking pictures, hoping for that perfect head shot.  I think of this as taking my "back to [the wool festival] photos".  Here are a few favorites.

Maisie!

"What?"

Ah, the innocent kindergartner, Big Moose.

PPPP (Popcorn PeePee Pants), the grand dame.  

The ever enduring Renny.

Handsome Andy.

Spud...the sofa ;-).

Peeking In

Several times a day I go peek in on everyone to make sure all is well in the barn.  This is one of my favorite things to do, especially on a sunny, but chilly "winter" day.  As I quietly walked down the barn aisle I noticed Maisie cashed out (one of my most favorite sights) so I quietly walked out, grabbed my camera and snuck back in.

The little darlin'.

Jared, aka Big J, soaking up some sun.

I seldom catch Kaala asleep.  She's always "busy".

Petunia, with Tavia and Clover Belly on the left.

Andy

Rebecca Boone, for the first time looking like she might be happy(ish) moved into Easy Breezy.  I've been trying for several days to get her settled in there.  A Cotswold with an opinion... ;-).

Good afternoon!

Would He?

While at first glance this appears to be a story about a sheep eating watermelon, I think the better story is actually the chickens.

I took a not super ripe watermelon out to the barn thinking everyone could share it.  The sheep were all asleep so I quietly set it down for the chickens.  Woody popped up immediately, came racing out and started gobbling it all up.  Would he share it?  No, he Woody not.  

"Boy, that sure looks good."

Note Gladys circling and circling while the others watch on in horror as the watermelon quickly disappears.  

"Can't you make him share with us, Gladys?"

"I just can't believe this!"

"Come on, Woody.  Just a little bit?"  

"No."

"The nerve!"

Here comes Andy.

Would Woody share?

"I guess I'll just eat this piece of wilted lettuce."

And Gladys is back...

...for one last attempt.

"Please?"  

"No."

Look at his gluttonous pink nose!  And the disgruntled hens.  I think I'd be a bit afraid to go to sleep tonight, Woody.  And I think I'll go get the girls their very own watermelon tomorrow.

Keeping An Eye On The [Sheep] Trail

Once again we woke to a decent snow cover this morning.  I love sheep trails through snow :-).  The snow lasted a couple hours, but as soon as the sun came out, poof!  

Andy

Spud, Murphy and Woody 

Chocula 

Daniel looks like he can smell spring coming :-).

Baaxter

Baaxter's sweater is coming along.  I've got the sleeves and body joined and am working my way up the yoke shaping trail.  The Iditarod is getting interesting...as it always does.  If you are interested, Iditarod.com does a great job sharing the race details.