Getting ready for BSG

I'll be heading down the highway in less than two and a half weeks with my pick-up, camper and horse trailer loaded with fleeces, sheep, and all the things needed for their care and marketing. In preparation for the sheep show, I need to step up Bodhran's and Blake's halter training (although it really is going pretty well), and do what I can to make Bronwen's fleece look as natural - vs. coated - as possible. To that end, I took her coat off yesterday morning, and may hose her down to speed up and insure a successful result. It is kind of depressing to expose a pristine fleece that has been kept covered since shearing to all the debris it will inevitably collect, but if she doesn't sell I will cover her back up and should still have a very clean product at shearing next year.
It's amazing to me that she is so light across the back - even lighter than Bramble. When they were lambs, Bronwen was by far the darker one:
Bodhran has been a tough one to get good photos of, both because he's black and also because he's so friendly. Yesterday, though, he was pushing the limits of acceptable behavior, so after a couple of firm rebuffs, I actually got some shots:Which reminds me; I also need to get eartags in the boys before BSG!

This year the AGM (annual general meeting) of NASSA (North American Shetland Sheep Association) is being held in conjunction with BSG; it will be my first chance to attend an AGM. There has been a lot of heated online debate over some issues within NASSA that could result in some tension among the attendees, but I'm still looking forward to getting together with a bunch of fellow Shetland sheep lovers - particularly since several blogpals I have yet to meet in person are coming! We are going to have a blast talking and laughing and shopping and hugging, and maybe spinning and knitting, too. A couple new sheep might even be coming home with me, if things work out the way I hope!

That's it for now at . . .