Black and white

Last night I finished the two ounces of "white mystery wool" on Paisley and started a half-ounce sample of black Shetland from Kara on Tamarin.

I also finished four ounces of white alpaca singles. The black fiber is to separate it from another four ounces of white alpaca, which I will add to this bobbin (gotta love those big Louet bobbins!).

This afternoon my big-eyed, beautiful, black Bodhran left for his new home.

I had so much fun spinning that lavender mystery batt with my Turkish spindle that I asked Jeannie to pick up a little surprise for me when she went to Paradise Fiber in Spokane. She brought me this shiny Louet merino silk top

AND this gorgeous silk hanky! (I know, it's not black or white - it's "Sagebrush.") This will be a totally new adventure for me. Any tips?

Between the spinning last night and Bodhran's departure this afternoon, I took a little drive in the country. Some background first. At the end of June, Shetland breeder Mylrea Estell went to Jim Chastain's Whistlestop Farm to shop for a new ewe lamb. She saw a scurred ram lamb there with "amazing fleece and absolutely correct structure," and emailed me about him. I thanked her for thinking of me, but after a 100% ram year here, I wasn't in the market for another ram. It took a full month to register that those scurs had to come from somewhere, and maybe I should check out the dam! After checking with Jim to see if he would be willing to sell the ewe (yes, but only as a package deal with her scurred ram lamb), I asked Juliann if she could spot the poll carriers (what would I do without Juliann?). Bingo! So off I went this morning to take a look at some white sheep.

This is the ewe, a big-bodied seven-year-old by Drum Jings (AI).

This is her handsome son by an F1 Island Skeld ram.

Both of them have good breed character, excellent structure, and extremely consistent, crimpy fleece. While both are a bit bigger-boned than I prefer, I think they could be excellent crosses on what I already have. With Brava gone and Inky's thin condition putting her breeding status in question, I need another proven poll-carrier ewe. I don't need another ram, but perhaps I will look back and see that getting this lamb was an incredible blessing....

And no, the Chastains don't just have white sheep:

"Lucky," Jim's black and white border collie, was a big help with the sheep and so wonderful to watch at work:
I just love this last photo. Yes, he really was "hiding" behind that grass stem. Ha!

That's it for now from . . .