Ups and downs

I was going to try and post one last time in September, but "the best laid plans" and all that. This week has been a rollercoaster ride that has challenged me to just hang on. So what has been going on around here?

The week started off early Sunday with another agility trial. Poppy and I "blew the Q" in our first class, but qualified and won each of our next three. It helped that Poppy got to play with her friend Lily (a Golden Retriever we've met at previous trials) before classes started, but Poppy is also settling down and listening better. It was a looong day, so I took photos while waiting for the results of our last class (which was also the last class of the day 😵). We had what I thought was a major fault and didn't know if we qualified or not, so I took photos with and without a third qualifying ribbon. Never anticipated that we could win that class, so our photos are missing a blue; I'm so proud of my girl!

There was a professional photographer on site, too, and she got some good action shots. I am getting several, and will show those off when I get them.

On Monday I was contacted by someone looking for a small Shetland ram to use on her Shetland/Ouessant ewes. I thought Bench might fit her wishes and so did she; a flurry of communications with photos followed and Rick even drew blood for the tests she required. But in the end Bench proved (with Rick's more accurate estimate) to be bigger than was suitable, so that fell through. I was bummed, because as I've said, I have too many sheep.

Even though my knees held up for the trial (with a preemptive dose of Aleve beforehand), I decided to seek help before the left one got any worse. On Tuesday I went to the Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician that has helped me before, and he thought my left knee problem was either sciatic or referred pain from my hip, worked on it accordingly, and gave me exercises to do. There wasn't another convenient appointment for later this week, but I scheduled two/week for the next two weeks. It felt okay on Wednesday, and that night I went to agility class. In the middle of running a course, with no provocation or warning, my left knee spasmed with white-hot pain and I went down. I managed to finish the class by standing in one place or hobbling around just a little (good practice, since Poppy needs more distance work) and barely managed to make it home since using the clutch hurt. I called and left a message at the clinic and they got me in on Thursday. Now the diagnosis includes a spasming muscle on the back of my knee, which may still be precipitated by sciatica and/or seized hip muscles. It is getting better with ice and Aleve, but I walk like Frankenstein's monster and still worry about making a wrong move and going down again.

after this morning's activities; see below

Bridget is NOT impressed with the new arrangement!

So of course I decide on a whim to do a major sheep shuffle this morning. 🙄 Earlier this week I got one side of the Ram-ada Inn securable, so I put Bud in there away from the ladies, and Bijou and Bridget got the small Ram-ada lot with access to the other side. That took some doing because the other two rams wanted in on whatever Bijou was getting, and Bud and Bridget weren't thrilled about leaving the other ewes and lambs.  Time will tell if I got Bud away from the ladies in time; if Bridget settles (she is the only one intentionally getting bred this year), I hope her lambing date makes it clear that Bijou is the sire. I'm going to talk to Rick about getting Bud "tutored" (Gary Larson fans will get it 😉); he'll make a better fiber pet than flock sire.

In spite of the 0.6 inches of rain we got on the day I last posted, Rick and Brian have made more progress on the shop:

It doesn't take much rain at this time of year to make the grass start growing again; we got another good shower this morning. Now that the sun is out again, I'm going to ride Stella (one activity – so far – that doesn't hurt), clean house, check the garden, and make food for potluck tomorrow. When it's time to ice the knee and hip again, there's spinning and knitting to keep my hands busy.

That's what has been going on around . . .

Taking advantage of this dry September

Brown pastures and constant watering aside, our extended dry season has been a blessing. If it holds (notwithstanding the occasional day of showers, like today), we just might get the shop dried in and firewood stored before the rainy season sets in. Last Sunday we got the retaining wall backfilled and the remaining dirt spread out; hopefully that will keep if from turning our driveway to a mud slide. I slipped off to OFFF for the afternoon while Rick continued working on it; when I got back we set the three support posts for the east side. This is going to be a more imposing structure than I might have wished for across the driveway from the front of our house, but a barn quilt in the peak of the gable end might add visual interest. Maybe if I paint one, Rick will mount it. Maybe.

At OFFF I had an extensive list of spindles to buy for others (as usual) and managed to pick up some beauties for myself (also usual), as well as a few needed items. My new needle protectors will save me grief while knitting Ariya; I didn't have any that would stay on the 3mm needles I'm using.

I can get kind of obsessed about "one more row" on Ariya, but must tear myself away to take care of other pressing needs. On top of the lovely tomatoes our own garden is producing, one of our neighbors has given us more so I've had enough to preserve. I've canned 21 quarts and 13 pints (one broke), and am making a batch of condensed tomato soup (so much better than Campbell's) today. I was also given a bunch of bell peppers, so I'm going to try this. 'Tis the season to try new recipes to use all the fresh produce!

'Tis also the season for Shetland hormones to start circulating. The other morning this greeted me in the ram lot:

No one is hurt, just lots of pushing and butting. They will stay frustrated; with my overabundance of sheep and underabundance of hay, there will be no breeding this year. I wanted to put Bridget with Bijou before he leaves for his new home since she didn't settle last year, but can't figure out where I'd put them.  The lambs need to be weaned and on top of that, Bud needs to be separated from females, but I hesitate to put him with three adult rams in rut. I guess the easiest solution would be to put him with Bridget, but he wouldn't be my first choice as a sire. Sigh; if I could just get one of my guys to fix the gates of the Ram-ada Inn so they can be secured, my current logistical problems would be solved....

Sky shows continue both morning and evening; the days are definitely getting shorter:

sunset from horseback along our lane, with tethered raptor kite over vineyard

same sunset from back at home, looking west

sunrise

sunset, looking north

same sunset, looking west through our obstructed view

this morning's sunrise, before it clouded over and started to rain

That's it for now from . . .

Of blocks and bales

Last night Rick finished laying the retaining wall for the new woodshed/shop. He worked as a mason through high school, college, and part of vet school; I'm proud of him for dusting off his skills to save money on the construction (using half-priced blocks he bought from a private party). He's also discovered for himself (because he doesn't listen to me 😉) that you get physically stronger and lose some of those "old age aches and pains" when you 'work out' regularly!

Every day I eye our shrinking hay supply while dishing out the 'full meal deal' for two horses and 17 sheep. We had considerable left over from last year and bought all of the first and second cutting orchard grass our favorite producer had this year, which seemed like enough . . . for a little while. I am crossing fingers and toes that once the rains start and the pasture starts to grow again, the ewes and lambs can mostly be sustained by grass  until next hay season. It would also help tremendously to sell some sheep, but so far none of my efforts in that direction have born results.

Ram lamb Bud, front, is about the same size as yearling Bauble!

Sweet Bauble

"Bauble butt;" that tiny white tail tip inspired her name

I sat in the pasture watching sheep eat hay and waiting....

Ah, a 'victim'!

After loving on Bethany awhile, I haltered her, tried to get a lot of the VM out of her gorgeous fleece, and put a coat on her to keep additional trash out. The drama below is not from the coat; she is reacting to the restraint of the halter. It's just that before the coat goes on, I'm desperately trying to keep her from throwing herself down and adding more VM to the fleece I'm trying to clean up!

Blossom, her twin Bud, and Bethany's twin Bernice still await coats

In other 'farm' news, the chickens are doing great and laying well. I got the pictured eight eggs out of nine hens one day recently; good thing, as I had requests for six dozen today! The photo doesn't accurately capture colors, but it gives you an idea – medium/dark brown, beige, pale blue, light green, and a darker green one. Variety  = spice of life. 😁

I also love the variety of 'sky shows' this time of year. Sunrises, sunsets, clouds, rainbows; so much beauty to enjoy!

Mt. St. Helens (L)  and Mt. Adams (R)

Mt. Jefferson

Mt. Hood

Everything's better on horseback!

Rick came home with some peaches and asked for another peach pie. The last time he asked I used the last frozen crust made by my mother, so this time I had to make my own. Lo and behold, I found a simple recipe using oil that worked up beautifully. Tasted good, too. Since the recipe was for a double crust, I put one in the freezer; time will tell if this recipe freezes well but I am hopeful.

I've dehydrated two gallon bags full of prunes but haven't started utilizing our apples yet. I canned another seven pints of tomatoes using some lids my mom brought me. One jar broke and three others didn't seal; I think the lids were so old that the rubber had deteriorated. And I was so excited to get free lids....

I finished my handspun small shawl last week (in under three weeks!), and wore it to church last Sabbath.

I plan to wear it again next Sunday to the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. Now I'm back to working on my handspun Ariya sweater.

That's it for now from . . .