Okay, so I'm not technically a crofter but it made for a nice title and my sheep's ancestors almost certainly came from crofts. 😉
As I told Jeanne in the comments a couple posts back, Rick ultrasounded the yearlings for me surprisingly quickly, in fact a week ago tonight. Neither looked pregnant, so it was back to the mental drawing board to figure out how to safely introduce Sanson. When I noticed him sniffing Broadway's backside through the dividing panel yesterday morning, I decided to try giving Sanson 'protected access' by tying the girls up in their side of the Ram-ada Inn and letting him in while I rode Stella. By the time I was done riding they were eating calmly together, so I opened the gate to the wooded lot and turned them loose. I've seen a little shoving since, but none of the concerted effort by the girls to pummel Sanson, so yay.
I figured in for a penny, in for a pound; might as well introduce the other two ram lambs to their ewes, too. First I moved Bench into the empty barn stall and added Blaise without issue (no photo yet). Then I led Bridget out to the Ram-ada Inn to join Bijou, who, in spite of being the littlest (and sweetest) ram lamb, showed immediate interest and tried mounting several times! Bridget is unimpressed so far, but I'm sure she'll come around. Bridget has produced two cracking boys; I would love to have a ewe lamb of equal quality out of her to keep.
I'm not yet having adventures in crafting, other than spinning/chain-plying my TdF prize braid when I have a little free time. But friends of mine at church were given two student looms and I have been informed that I am getting one of them, although I'm not sure when. A local weaving friend is willing to try to teach me, and I have purchased a used copy of the book Leigh recently recommended, so I guess I'm inching close to another rabbit hole.
Autumn officially starts tomorrow, but I'm already happily wallowing in fall – comfortable daytime temperatures, deliciously cooler nights, morning valley fog, greening grass, changing leaves, and better sky shows (at more civilized times).
 |
| this was after agility class tonight |
We made it through another summer at . . .
12 comments:
Breeding season! So far only Sky has gone into heat and I put her off as I don't want kids in February. Need to get ready though.
I love the spindle shot. They yarn is so pretty!
And I'm really excited about your getting a loom. It's great someone is willing to teach you! Another excellent book (your teacher will likely mention it too, is Learning To Weave by Deborah Chandler. I still refer to it. Amazon has good prices on used copies right now.
Leigh, if everyone lambs by the end of March I can go to our church's women's retreat, so crossing fingers! Thanks for the second book recommendation; I've got a used copy coming!
I don't care how many times I've seen it; and I do understand the reasoning; but every time I see sheep wearing dinner jackets to go to the feed bunk, I'm just cracking up! Thanks for the grins.
Also, I'm a lap behind, but I hope you realize how blessed you are that you can actually go to Swan Island and see all the dahlias. What a gift.
Cheers
Well Tim, hopefully the grins help make up for your lack of proximity to Swan Island Dahlias. Believe me, I DO realize how blessed we are to live close enough to easily visit and enjoy commercial tulip, iris, peony, and dahlia farms with gorgeous display gardens. It's one of the MANY perks of living in this part of the country!
I recall that the Debra Chandler book is a good one. If you can find an old copy of what is often called "The Green Book," that's the one that all the weavers I know told me to get when I thought I might be a weaver (I'm not a weaver ;-) ). The actual title is "A Handweaver's Pattern Book," by Marguerite Davison. Apparently it's been reprinted with an orange cover and the reprint is not good quality. The old version was published in 1950. I've seen it on Abe's Books for around $70.
A used copy of the Debra Chandler book is on the way, A. And that is all I'm going to invest in for now, until the loom is here. I'm hoping that is before Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival, so if it has any missing or damaged parts I can pick them up there. Eugene Textile Center always has a booth there and they will probably have anything I would need.
I know you will become an amazing and dedicated weaver in jig time. It seems fiber in your hands is a natural. Don't know how you keep all your wooly guys and gals straight but obviously you're good at that, too, by the breeding program you follow for your flock. :o)
Then something else will have to give, Mama Pea, and I don't know what! As for the sheep, there are only 12 so it is easy to know them all.
I think you're going to love weaving. Its always interested me but not enough to actually pursue it.
We're having perfect weather right now -- lows in the mid to low 50's and highs in the 70's with mostly sunshine. Lots of happy people walking around here.
Good plan - particularly if there are weavers who will be there and who can assist you. There is a LOT of math involved with weaving, and even with a worksheet from my former teacher (who is awesome), the combination of the math and knowing it woul take an entire day to get my Baby Wolf set up, the warp tied on, and the reed sleighed (and I don't even remember if that's the correct order anymore :-D) was more than I could deal with. It didn't help the the very first weaving teacher I had was awful.
We'll see, Sue! Our weather is now turning gray, cool, and damp, at least for all of this week, but I don't mind. Great weather for canning applesauce!
I actually like 'lower math' (you can keep calculus) and was always good at it, so maybe I'll like that part of weaving. The time it takes to set up a loom has always sounded daunting, though. The loom I'm getting is a small one (32" square physically, I think) so maybe it will be both manageable and useful; I'd like to at least make some wool rugs.
Good to see you have a copy of the Chandler book coming. The Davison book is another must have, so put that on your Christmas list ;-). Looks like it may be back in print, so reasonably priced once again.
Post a Comment