Weekend Wrap Up

 This was a busy week!  More company, more rain, more Dug shenanigans, lots of work, lots of fun.

Maisie was once again our little ray of sunshine.  This time shining in from the eastern side of the barn.

The big news was of course the eclipse.  I got scared off traveling to see the totality, but we had a good time watching it from our neighborhood.  I rode my bike with Dug and Bea and we had zero traffic issues :-D.

Frankie is fully embracing his back to work regime.

The sheep slogging out on yet another rainy morning.

Wool cats beds are just the thing for a cool rainy night.  Luckily for Archie I haven't started skirting any fleeces yet :-/. 

The redbuds have been beautiful even with all the rain.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sara Dunham (@thecrazysheeplady)

 But finally the sun came out and Big J and I enjoyed morning coffee out in the driveway :-). 

This is Maisie's morning spot right now.  She still sleeps facing out the back door, just a bit further in the barn at night.  In the morning, if it's sunny, this is where you'll find her.

A pretty four leaf clover.

Among lots of other adventures, Dug embraced the party week and enjoyed a bonfire in the greenhouse.

And then went for a kayak ride and a float out in the pond this afternoon.

Missing are pictures of the raised bed garden area.  Sadly I forgot to take a before picture.  I can still get a "during" picture.  After pictures will be later this week....depending on the incoming rain :-/.

Weekend Wrap Up

The first part of the week was still a struggle mostly due to dealing with the weather, worrying about the weather, being beat down from dealing with and worrying about the weather.  It started warming up during the days some, but stayed cold at night.  We all took advantage of the sun when we could.

Jared and Short Round have been sweet for a couple of years now.  Remember when Jared lost Rocky and she sat out with him in the yard?  They are often seen together, but I've never seen him cuddle up and rest his head on her.  He was tired and still a little beat down by the weather and I was so glad to see him get some comfort from a friend.

You'll have to zoom in to see the bird gathering up stray locks of wool leftover from shearing.  Spring is here...even when it doesn't feel like it.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sara Dunham (@thecrazysheeplady)

This video of everyone heading out one morning was fun.

And on one warm afternoon even Betsy came up to the barn for a bit.  I enjoyed sitting out with everyone for awhile and got a few rows of knitting in.  I love to knit in the barn.  I'm still mushing.

This is an interesting picture and not just because the barn wall is reflecting green...surely not from the grass outside (?).  At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this was again a weather feature.  Look how many sheep are standing in the outside shed and how few can be seen in the inside stall.  

The wind was blasting from the south, the back end of the barn.  I had all the doors pulled closed, but left an opening in the door on the inside stall so they could still go out and get a drink and if anyone wanted to brave some grazing.  That opening was enough to drive everyone to the closed off side.  

Wind from the south sounds warm, but it always feels extra cold to me...and it looks like to the sheep and chickens as well.

I have always suspected that if Murphy stopped leading everyone out, Krista would take over.  She's not going to put up with his nonsense and headed out to get busy that morning.  Her kids weren't far behind her and when Murphy realized everyone was leaving without him, he ran to catch up and take back the lead.

For a couple of days Pinto decided he'd like to settle down and tie the knot.  He got sweet on Muffin after shearing and stayed pretty infatuated for awhile, not letting her out of his sight and making sure no one got too close to her...including Biscuit :-/.

Muffin put up with it for several days and then I noticed her walk away with Biscuit once morning and Pinto just kept eating and didn't seem to care.  I wonder how that all got decided.  I never saw any fighting between the boys, so I'd like to think Muffin took care of it ;-).

When Maisie gets cold she stands in the skirting area surrounded by bags of wool.  She's so clever.  That's also how I've been deciding if she needs to warm her puffy coat each night.  Sleeping in the straw with your friends has to be so much more comfortable than standing up by yourself.  She happily kits up.  Last night was the first night she didn't need her coat.

This was a fun new addition to the family and will be a funny story to share heading into the new week, so stay tuned :-).

* * * * *

The week ended on a much better note and I feel like things are getting back to "normal" finally.  Frankie and I have started back to work...just in time for a week of heavy rain predicted.  I'm hoping I don't lose my momentum outside and can instead focus on some inside jobs on the deluge days.

I'm really tired of complaining about the weather.  

Weekend Wrap Up

Mostly what I got accomplished this past week was taking care of animals. Other than a frost bit chicken comb, so far, so good. We apparently made the national news for our all time record low of 23 below zero, actual temperature. It was sunny and no wind that morning, so I didn't have a clue. 

I did get my Peerie Flooers hat finished.  Twice.  The first time I pulled it on and had flashbacks to the Mia hat.  This was an easy fix though and I just ripped back to an earlier flower pattern and re-knit the top half.  I love this hat :-).

Some more good news, the first shipment of Mug Shot mugs came the other day and they look great! I'm really happy with them - whew!  I tried to take a picture with my iPhone this a.m., but it looked terrible so I'll take some better ones later today.  

More good news, for Sandy.  She was the Random.org winner of the snowy felted sheep.  Shoot me an email with your address and I'll get her shipped out as soon as possible.

And finally, if you are needing a super cute lamb fix, go check out Shepherd Life.  You'll recognize Sarah from some of the Hug a Sheep Day parties.  Go Mira! :-D

Here are some of my favorite shots from the week:

Daniel

This might be a new favorite of Hank.

The little princess ;-).  Oh, I spun up another ounce or so of her yarn.  Probably won't need it, but better safe than sorry.

Murphy.  This might have been the -23 morning.  If not, it was the -14 morning the day before.  They are all running together at this point.

Sound asleep in the sun.  Peaceful.  The way sheep should be ;-).

How did your week wrap up?

Weekend Wrap Up...On A Monday

This is going to be a quickie. I may come back and add some more "details" later, but I'm worried about the old guys and want to head back out for a barn check.  The weather here is not good. Still, I'm trying to keep the week's end wrap up running...even if it's not technically the weekend any longer. I'd have done it last night, but I got sucked into the SNL 40th Anniversary ;-).

This was taken several days ago (when the weather was lovely) and I've actually added quite a few rows since.  I'm really enjoying knitting the Peerie Flooers hat and I'm hoping my technique is getting better as I go.  This is a "warm up" for the Iknitarod.  We are following the Yukon Quest race.  They aren't having great weather either.

More painting this year.  Wanted a small, fun project.  We'll see what develops.

16 new spindles underway.  I like to make drop spindles :-).

A HUGE box of wool arrived from Nistock Farms.  I'm trying to save opening the box for the Winter Wool Workshop...but the anticipation is killing me ;-).

And while we had cold, but sunny and no wind weather yesterday, we worked to prep the barn for the upcoming nasty week.  I wanted to run a heavy extension cord out to a heated water bucket for Del Boca Vista.  I ran the cord through some PVC jump poles.  You can see why I would want to do that ;-).

Of course Graham had to help.  He was disappointed in the lack of power tools.

As was Baaxter.  Baaxter helps with everything we do around the barn.  He is so curious and interested and not just in a nosy sheep sort of way.  I really think he's watching how we do things and wants to help. He'd totally be an engineer if he was a "real boy".

Jester and Ford enjoyed the warm afternoon.  And it really was warm.  The temps were in the low 20s but with no wind and full sun, it was actually very pleasant.  

Tim and Comby waiting for a parts delivery.

Paige (Talk's mom) and I tore up the manure spreader.  She and Tim had it back running in no time :-).

And this cold looking sunset last night definitely delivered and is still going strong.  The wind and snow is blowing down from Stella's house (the east), which very rarely happens.  The little shed in Del Boca Vista is cold with the snow blowing in.  The boys are cold :-(.  

I added a big piece of plywood to the front this morning and that seemed to help quite a bit.  I just hope it's going to help enough.  I sat in there for a bit and I think it's warmer in there than in the big barn under a lamp like we used last year.  But that's why I'm headed back up to check on them.  The plan can always change.

How did your weekend wrap up?  And for all the folks facing the cold, stay wrapped up!  ;-)

Weekend Wrap Up

Technically it's still the weekend...for a few more minutes.  I'm really trying to keep myself "accountable" each week, so here's a quick post.  It was a bit of a crazy week.

The Winter Wool Workshop is going to be a blast.  We've got four really neat people coming in from four different states.  Robin is sending THREE pretty fleeces for us to work with and Baaxter is looking forward to being the bottle lamb representative because he knows Maisie will just be a Big Fat Brat...and he's probably right.

Speaking of Maisie, her yarn is finished.  I snapped this last night after I plied the last skein.  I was "okay" with it, but still not super happy.  I washed it today and you all can start throwing rotten tomatoes at me.  That yarn is Maisie through and through.

Here's the little darlin' now ;-).  I took some more nice sheep shots on Friday.  Would you rather see sheep or Maisie's finished yarn next?

I'll end with a teefers pic of sweet little Baby B trimming a tree that's growing too close to the fence. Always helpful.  I'm looking forward to spinning his wool this summer ;-).

So how did your week wrap up?

Weekend Wrap Up

Other than a bunch of spinning and a little bit of cloth work, I don't have much to post this week. And it's not even really a BUNCH of spinning.  I really didn't think it would take me this long to spin Maisie's yarn.  I'm not finished, but I'm getting close to saying I'm getting close.  I have 11 ounces of singles to go and then on to plying, which will go faster.

It took me a good 18 hours to spin the yarn for the black throw last year.  I'll probably end up clocking that much time on this yarn, too.  I should not sit down and figure what I've got in a sweater's worth.  At least I'd have a good answer for when people wonder why I don't sell much handspun yarn or when they wonder at the cost of handspun.

I started adding up costs of sheep, feed, bedding, vet care, shearing, washing, processing, spinning equipment, spinning time, time for all the other aforementioned aspects, land, barns, fences, guardian dog...and decided to just go out and do my morning chores and move on.  I'm getting tons of enjoyment and happiness from these sheep, so the yarn is practically free...to me ;-).

I'm going to stop beating myself up about the yarn.  It's going to be beautiful and special :-).

And maybe 20 can help me get finished up!

Freshly laundered, pressed and cut (with my new rotary cutter - definitely worth the money) pieces of contrasting spinning cloths.  More painting this year!

And just when I was really feeling like I didn't get much done this week I remembered how many nice photos I took.  That takes time, too, and I think it's fair to add that in.  Plus it gives me an excuse to post more snow pictures :-).  

This is an easy photograph to take - seriously!  I stumbled on it by accident a few years ago and I think there's nothing that says 'more bang for your buck' than a sheep (or horse) standing just inside the shadowy dark barn with sunlight shining directly on her face.  (Blossom/Baba)

These pictures were all taken that same snowy morning.  I just moved around to different sides to use the light in different ways.  I love back lighting just as much as front lighting.  (Keebs and Chocs)

Or side lighting.  (PPPP)

Or Hank napping in the snow :-).  (Burrnie)

How did your week wrap up?

Weekend Wrap Up

The week's end wrap ups are working well for me! Doesn't hurt that it's winter of course, but there were actually several "spring" days this week, but only in temp, not in grass/weeks growing...  I have determined my year end goal for 2015, but now that I'm typing this out, I'm realizing that my more immediate goal is going to be to keep things moving in the "pipeline" once spring starts.  That's a pretty tough challenge.

Mini bows for mini wool wreaths.

I am quite happy with these mini wreaths and if I can figure out a way to incorporate some of their different construction ideas into the large size wreaths, everyone wins.  The large wreaths are so beautiful, but they are hand killers.  

I think these are cute.  And look at all the different colors!

That's because I got four fleeces washed during the "spring break".  Light and medium gray, black and white.  

Kate supervised...and I think was a bit disturbed by the whole process.  She came from a Katahdin farm, so the whole wool aspect of sheep is new to her.  You don't have to shear Katahdins and you sure don't put them in a washing machine ;-).

I think I'm getting close on the Mug Shot mug design.

And then look what happened!

So in the spirit of the Iknitarod, I pulled Maisie down out of the loft and started spinning :-).  Since she has figured so prominently (and not necessarily in a good way) during the last two years of the Iknitarod, I'm planning on knitting a Maisie sweater this year.  Hopefully that will keep her out of trouble...at least for two weeks!

Petunia and I smile at big fat snow flakes :-D.  I may have taken some a lot of snow pictures last night and this morning.

How did your week wrap up?