Solstice Sheep Of The Day - Mini Moose

Mini Moose is a sheep as nice as he looks.  And he's about as un-Mini as he can get, but he's also a lot of floof.  You can stick your hand down into his wool and there's not much hand left sticking out.  That floof is one of my all time favorite fleeces.

I have a wool post in the works that I just haven't had time to put together, but I'll tease you with a couple of pictures of Mini Moose's wool.  There's a whole lot more to the story though, so don't let me forget to come back to it.

I know you'll want to hear more about this.

That little hint of gray mixed in.

Mini Moose is one of the sweetest sheep we've had and I'm sure that's partly due to who his dad is, one of the Nistock rams.  He's a Rocky grandson.  He came over here from Final Frontier Farm with Cheeto and Big Moose back in 2019.  

Mini Moose got his name just after he was born.  We didn't get many gray lambs and after Big Moose arrived and he was So Big that I immediately called him Big Moose, the next gray lamb born was much smaller...hence Mini Moose.  Both boys were lambing shed favorites and I couldn't resist bringing them over here after they were weaned.  

Jacobs aren't large sheep, but standing next to Tessa really illustrates how un-Mini he ended up.  I would guess him at almost 300 pounds.  He definitely was when he was a year or two younger.  His fleece weighs in around 10 pounds each year.  I think you could pretty easily knit three sweaters from him every year and I have one in my queue.

Mini Moose's favorite treat is handfuls of the "good alfalfa" :-).

2023 Tour De Fleece Wrap Up

I didn't spin quite as much yarn as last year, but I'm not too far off.  I did spin at least 15 minutes every day, taking the Tour's two rest days when I needed them, and ended up with well over five hours of spinning in total.  I wish I could commit to 15 a day all year.  Or not "commit" to it, but just enjoy doing it without needing the structure.  

I ended up with a whole basket of yarn I really like. 

The red is the yarn from Blaze, my friend's sheep.  The dark gray is Tessa.  The creamy white is Ellie.

I love when the yarn looks just like the sheep.  Ellie is definitely round, soft and cuddly.

Murphy is quite a "sheep with too much character" most of the time, but he grows some beautiful wool.  This light gray skein is especially soft and I would bet most people would pick it as their favorite.

The beautiful medium gray is Mini Moose.  I spun a sample from him last year and it was one of my favorite yarns I've ever spun.  This skein did not let me down.

Another sheep who never lets me down is Muffin.  She's finally starting to get some gray hairs, but I actually like that better than her solid black lamb fleece.  I think it gives her yarn some depth. Can you believe she and Biscuit are six (!).  

I was going to link to the finished black and white sweater, but as I scrolled through the March posts looking for the best post, I decided 20 catching up with us on the trail might be my favorite.  Lots of reminders of what was going on and now that's over and I love my finished sweater, I have to admit it was all pretty fun :-).

I didn't get a great shot of Big Moose (the little dark gray skein), but it's too hot to go back out and try for a new one.  I took some "in process" shots while I was combing it, so he'll (hopefully) get some more attention in a day or so.

We are continuing on spinning this week in support of the women's race.  I decided I'd only spin ewes so I've spun a little bit of Emily and Annebelly for old times sake and am now working on a bobbin of Cheeto so Big Moose could bring his mom along for the ride :-).

Keep Those Cards And Letters Coming

I know it would be way more professional to have a website with a "buy it now" button and a way to easily calculate shipping costs and an immediate "thank you for your order" response, but those sites are expensive and fairly time consuming to maintain and just don't feel like the way our small farm operates.

I have LOVED getting your order emails with stories about who your favorite sheep is or which story is your favorite or how long you've been following along.  No one has followed the blog since a specific date.  They've followed "since Maisie was a baby".  Or Biscuit.  Or Baaxter.  Or Early.  Lots of Early love.

I also love that most people are saying they are excited about the yarn, but extra excited about the book of stories.  I'm also a little nervous about that as it's much more a booklet than a book and after spending so many hours trying to put that small collection together I was quite sure I would never attempt anything bigger.  

Now, a week or so away from "sending it to print" and being actually a little proud of what I got back, even though it's small, I think maybe I might try to write an actual book.  The stories are important.  Those animals are important...and not just to me.  When you share a story back, whether it's a story from here or a story from your life, it's a story that means something.  That's important.

I should have made it mandatory that you share your favorite sheep or a story with your order, because that's been the best part of the last couple of days. I think I've responded back to everyone who shared a memory, giving a little extra tidbit in return.  Let's keep that going.

Is you send me a story, I'll send you back one in return.  No purchase necessary.  No time limit.  If you are having a happy or a sad day and would like or need a story, send me an email with a story or at least just tell me who your favorite sheep is that day and I'll send one back.  It's fun :-D.

I'll do my best to answer as quickly as possible.  And, as always, if you ever don't get a response to an email, please check back because I get a stupid amount of 'not fun story' emails and sometimes things get lost.  

So here's an extra story for the Early folks...

I think everyone knows that Short Round is Ellie's mom.  I'm not sure everyone remembers that she was also Early's mom.  Before anyone thinks badly of her for not taking care of Early, that's a whole 'nother story and it was completely NOT her fault.  I'll share that story some other time.  She was a very good mother.

I never really had any real connection with Short Round like I did Cheeto or Krista.  Those two ewes, while being just part of a commercial flock, were friendly old ewes and became part of my family.  Short Round...well, Short Round was just Short Round, but I thought that sweet Early, who didn't get a chance to do much with his life, would have at least wanted to take care of his mom so she came over here to pension out.

Does that wrinkly nose look familiar?  There is no denying who his momma was :-).  So Short Round got on the trailer that day as a "just a sheep" (but they are never just sheep) and walked off the trailer here with Ellie a pet.  I sure didn't expect her to become friendly, but she settled right in and is now one of my favorite sheep.  Maybe Cheeto and Willard helped with that.  

I'm sure Willard taught her to eat banana peels, one of his very favorite treats.  That's what she's hoping I'm bringing her in the first picture.  She also eats baby carrots.  Petunia will eat a few, too, but that's about it for healthy snacks around here.  No one else would dream of eating anything that wasn't bread or crackers or cookies ;-).  

* * * * *

Just as stories should not go without saying, neither should thanks.  I am so incredibly grateful for all the yarn box orders the last two days.  I was so worried about where all my sheep would end up (again not the most professional), but even the emails from people I'd not met before were obviously long time friends.  Thank you!

I have another batch of yarn in the washer right now.   The sun is shining and there's a nice breeze across the porch, so I think it will dry quickly and I can keep packing.  I think there are only 20 or so skeins left after this group :-o.

Snow Angels

B. Willard was a gift that kept on giving.  He came over as a lamb from Tring Farm years ago.  I think he'd been weaned.  I don't remember bottling him...but maybe I finished him here...  Okay, blog to the rescue.  He was 5 weeks old and anyone looking at this youngster would know this was Baby Willard.  That classic Willard look.  

It's fun...and a bit sad...to go back and read the old stories and look at pictures.  Willard was a never ending source of entertainment.  We called him the Sheep of Impeccable Character.  He truly was.  I said B. Willard B. Mine to him all the time.  He was the star of the very first Hug a Sheep Day.  

Willard's biggest gift to me was his sweet and cheerful personality.  He ended up with terrible arthritis in his legs, but he kept "making the donuts" as long as he could, hobbling out to graze in the yard each morning, giving me a nod as he walked past the porch where I was usually sitting.  He and Cheeto took the best care of Early and he never seemed to mind when Ellie used him as a springboard.  I think he loved those lambs.

A gift we gave each other was the late night and early morning barn checks.  Willard had always been a good napper and loved to sleep flat out on his side.  I can't count how many times I saw him like that over the years and raced over to make sure he was still breathing.  As he got old and stiff, he frequently could no longer get himself back up and he'd get himself in trouble trying.  

After one too many times finding himself "upside down" for too long (sheep are not designed to lay like that) and worrying that one day I'd find him dead, I started making a late night trek to the barn and setting my alarm to get back up there early in the morning so he wasn't unsupervised so long.  

I am not a night owl.  I like being up in the morning, but I'd used the rising sun as my alarm.  Trudging up to the barn in the pitch dark was something new.  I didn't hate it.  In fact, walking up there with a big cup of coffee and the dogs and cats, especially when Salt was here, became the highlight of my day.  

I'd click on my flashlight, and say "Hey guys, just me." before I walked into the barn in an effort not to startle everyone else.  If there was a problem, I'd fix it and if not I'd say "'Morning, Willard.  'Morning, Cheeto." and go sit on the Wool House porch, drink my coffee and watch the sun come up.  

I did this for at least two years and I think they loved that morning routine as much as I did.  And seeing the two of them cuddled up together at night sharing a pile of hay was the sweetest way to end each day.  They took the best care of each other...and that took care of me.

I miss that so much.

It's getting better.  My day is not ruined now by not seeing their smiling faces, but I did have the conversation with myself the other day that there was really no reason anymore for making that early morning trek.  They were gone.  My driveway buddy Salt was gone.  The rest of the barn would really prefer I not bother them until daybreak.

That morning I found Ellie stuck somewhere needing help.  This morning I found a "snow angel".  In the near dark it just looked like a dark spot on the ground, but when I got closer I saw it was a sheep print (camera brightened).  Seeing the two legs stretched out in front told me this had been where a comfortably warm and happy sheep had slept...and that made me happy.  

I'd have missed it if I'd not been out there early.  A gift.

No Words

My head knows it was the right thing to do...but my heart is broken.

Cheeto and B. Willard

2011 and 2010 - January 20, 2022

December

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December was a blur...but it was a pretty darn decent blur.

The 2022 Calendars

"Dis my calendar."

"Those are some pretty pictures!" (Thanks for the shameless plug, Bea :-D.)

And some snarky pictures ;-D.

And a couple more victory lap pictures 💕.

And some good short stories.

And much appreciation for everyone in our farm family, near and far.

Of course Ellie made the Lamb Camp calendar.

With some sweet snuggling siblings.

And some sweet snacking siblings.

And even super sweet Cheeto, who loved helping raise Short Round and Krista's lambs this spring.

* * * * *

I know it's late and many of you have already purchased your 2022 calendars, but we are going to go ahead and print a small run for anyone who would like to support the farm and spend the upcoming year with your favorite sheep, cats, dogs, horses...  

The Equinox Farm calendars are the same larger 12" x 12" format as last year and the Lamb Camp calendars remain the traditional 6" x 8" size.  Everyone enjoyed the little stories on the farm calendar last year, including me, so I've added them again this year as well.  I think they are sweet and fun.

The farm calendars are $18 and the Lamb Camps are $12.  The shipping...yikes :-/.  I haven't gotten any sample quotes, but I tried to send a small package of 20 Christmas cards to neighboring Lexington (30 minutes away) the other day and it was going to cost $10.65 and take 4 days to get there :-(.

So...for the local folks, if you are interested, we are going to offer pick up options at Tim's print shop in Corporate Center, just off New Circle Road and an on farm pick up option on Saturday, December 18th.  Fighting New Circle Road isn't much fun, but coming out to the farm and saying hi to the sheep might be a nice holiday break.  I'll post more details in a couple of days.

For the not local folks...I'm guessing the shipping is going to be $10.65 for most of the country and probably $15 or so for parts distant.  I still have some mailers left from last year, so I'll donate those to the cause and that will save you a dollar or so.  Sigh...

If you are interested in purchasing a calendar, just send me an email letting me know what you'd like and please provide your mailing address.  I will start shipping calendars on Monday (maybe Saturday if they get assembled in time) and will do my very best to get everything sent out quickly in case they are Christmas gifts.  

I will also include an invoice and return envelope in the mailer and you can stick a check back in the mail to me (preferred method) or we can usually figure out how to do an online payment method if we need to.  I'm going to try to get smarter/more tech-y in the new year.

* * * * *

The calendar is late going to print this year.  Another hard one in the books for sure, though once again I found comfort in looking back through the photos I'd collected over the year, many of which I knew at the time would be the last ones I'd take.

Having three dogs over the age of 15 was not for the faint of heart. Neither is trying to raise a puppy it turns out.  Bea only "keeps our feet warm" when she runs herself completely out of gas and has to rest and recharge.  She gets high points for entertainment though...most of the time, but I sure wish Comby was still here to bust her cat chasing chops.  Possum is far too polite.

As always a special thanks to Saint Tim for doing all the hard work and heavy lifting and a grateful thank you to all of you who have become such an important part of our farm family.  Your care and kindness is appreciated more than you can imagine.  Here's to a new year!

July

July was a hard month...but we are all still here.  As I finally worked on my month end compilation I kept coming across pictures I'd taken for blog posts.  Stories I wanted to share...and just didn't.  I'm going to try to return to them.  They are good memories.  There have been some bad memories too...but they deserve sharing as well.  

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The Month End

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I'm not really sure why I take all these pictures.  I mean, the sunrises are beautiful, but do I need to document all of them?  Or pictures of the Cheeto and Willard.  They all look mostly the same, honestly.  Possum has so many bed pictures I had to pick only a few favorites to keep the video from being even longer. 

The lambs at least grow and change and I like the series of pictures of me petting Christopher, Maggie coming over to see why I'd be talking to any other lamb but her and then turning to the camera as if in disbelief before curling up in the now empty spot after she told Christopher to get lost.  Christopher talking to Lancelot is cute as well.

I probably have taken a hundred pictures of Salt in the driveway.  I can't even begin to count Kate and Tilly pictures over the years.  If I need a good laugh, I love to go back and look at Maisie pictures or that crazy video of Liddy getting stuck in the shearing chute.  I love to get prompts that takes me to an old picture of Buddy or Comby or Hank or Keebler or Lila or...

This morning one of my favorite Instagram follows @springcoyoteranch posted

"Shepherds love to capture a “perfect” moment even if it’s for nobody else to see. There’s a certain feeling of peace you get looking at the sheep. Soaking in all the details of a scene…sheep grazing contentedly, the sun rising or setting over them, mothers and lambs, a favorite ewe gazing back at you in a knowing way. For a fleeting moment all of your hard work is manifest in pure joy and satisfaction. Looking back at old photos, I catch that feeling again for just a little bit."

I love looking back at these old photos. There is a lot I want to remember this every month.

Gate Runners

It goes without saying that all sheep will run out an open gate.  For a sheep, there is nothing better than racing out to a fresh field or busting into the barn hoping to find an open bale of hay or feed bag.  If they see an open gate...they're out it. 

Only a few sheep will think to check a closed gate.  An even fewer will try to figure out a way to unlatch a closed gate.  Most sheep can figure out how to push open a "closed", but unlatched gate.  Only a rare few can figure out how to pull an unlatched gate towards them to open it.  

Murphy is a serial gate opener.  He can spot an unlatched chain from probably 25' away and I think takes great pride in that.  He can manipulate a push through gate with ease and is also adept at wedging his pointy head into a tiny crack at a stall door and pushing those open as well.  

Woolliam was exceptionally good at using his foot to pull a gate towards him and B. Willard has reached master status with that as well.  Willard is also notorious for using his foot to bang a latched gate long enough that I finally give up and open it for him.

Cheeto and Short Round would never think to check for an unlatched gate, but Krista...is another gate runner :-/.  She figured out quickly that the yard was quite fun and never misses an opportunity to take everyone on a walk-about.  I don't know if she taught Christopher to do the same or if it's genetic.  He will walk away from the feed trough if he thinks he can go exploring.

Possum's not thrilled about it either.

 

May

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...And Then This Happened

No snow this time ;-)

I'd always planned to retire this sweet old ewe over here.  I can't remember where she originally came from, but she was part of a small starter flock for a new shepherd several quite a few years ago.  Due to an unexpected move she had to give up her small flock and they ended up at Final Frontier Farm.  

The shepherd's name was Krista and I don't know if it was because this ewe stood out as she was a different color or maybe just extra friendly or...I don't know...but we started calling her "the Krista ewe".  She was a good momma and over the years became just Krista.  You've seen her here a few times (put Krista in the "search this blog" box).  My favorite post was with her personal guard dog, Stella.

After the horrible outcomes from the last two bottle babies, I really had my doubts if I'd ever put myself through that again.  My thinking was "only if someone really needs me"...but then those were exactly the lambs most likely to have issues that could break your heart.  When Kathy gifted me Early's sister, that seemed like the best of all possible worlds.

While Ellie was having a big time being the star of the show here bouncing on and off and on and around between her mom and Uncle Willard and Aunt Cheeto, I knew she'd Willard would have more fun if she had some friends her own age to play with ;-).  I worked out a deal with Kathy to bring Krista on over when she lambed.

Krista, the old pro, had her two lambs up and nursing the other morning when Kathy found her.  Everything seemed okay, but as the morning progressed she could tell the smaller lamb wasn't nursing as well as she should.  She stomach tubed her to get some colostrum in her and increase her energy and  I worked with her that afternoon trying to help her get it figured out.  

She knew where to go and how to latch on, but couldn't figure out the sucking part.  We tubed her some more and again that evening and by morning we thought things were looking better.  She stayed bright and active and wasn't 'crying hungry', but she was still not getting enough to eat and starting to fall behind.  

Her lower jaw sticks out just a bit further than it should, but not so much that you'd think it would cause that much trouble.  She still constantly tries to latch on, but after a second or two her tongue shoots out the side of her mouth and she loses any suction she might have almost had.  Krista is being very patient with her.

I spent yesterday trying to get her latched onto a bottle in hopes of being able to supplement her and occasionally she figures it out and gets pretty excited about it...and then loses focus and forgets how to make it work.  At least with a bottle I can keep poking her tongue back in her mouth and it takes much less effort for her to get the milk flowing.  

Today is a new day.  Keep your fingers crossed.  In the meantime, we need some new names!  The little girl is a tough little scrappy fighter.  Her brother is bigger, but a relaxed sweet lump of a lamb.  He's growing like a weed and will soon be able to keep up with his crazy cousin Ellie...Willard hopes ;-).

Well This, Then...

Well, this happened yesterday...

...and then this happened 12 hours later :-o.

Lamb or freak April snow...tough call ;-).  Lamb first; snow post tomorrow!  

You know who she is :-).  I named her Ellie :-).  Here is a bit more of her story:

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She and her mom, Short Round, are hanging out in Easy Breezy and after only a little bit of eye rolling from Cheeto and B. Willard, everyone is quite happy...especially me :-).

Sound asleep on her bunk bed last night.  Here's a bit more of the night check:

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Lamb Camp at Equinox Farm, Cynthiana, Kentucky :-)