Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Under cover

We (Rick with either Brian's or my help) have spent the last week working when we can on roofing the shop. With more rain arriving today, we were motivated to keep at it last night until all but the ridge cap was on just before midnight. I hope my knees are up to agility tonight; Rick's and Brian's are sore as well.





Under this morning's cloudy skies, ridge gap showing
When the sheep were out on pasture Sunday I noticed that Bauble's coat had a broken leg strap (she is a surprisingly big girl for being out of Blaise, my smallest ewe). Fortunately, it stayed in place instead of entangling her; as soon as I brought them in for the night I caught her and changed it out for a bigger coat.  As I looked over everyone lined up at the feeders, I noticed how clean Blossom's and Bernice's fleeces looked. That was the kick in the pants I needed to get the last two lambs coated. Wrestling matches, both; they need to spend time haltered and tied or shearing them next spring is going to be a nightmare. Of course I parted fleeces to admire what Bauble, Blossom, and Bernice are growing and all of them are looking fabulous, especially the lambs. (You'll have to take my word for it, as it was too dark to take photos.) I always have more requests for gray fleeces than I can fill, so I should have some thrilled customers next spring with an all-time high of four.


Pretty Blossom (who I'm tempted to register as 'Bobby Sox'

Sanson's daughters keeping teasing him and Bench
Bitsy
Then yesterday I noticed that orphaned Bitsy was either laying down – or limping on her left front. 😞 The ewes aren't nice to her and she hasn't figured out how to slip out of the pasture with the other lambs, but when out on pasture she has enough room to avoid the mean girls. Not so in the fold, so last night I let her stay in the aisleway of the Sheep Sheraton so she could eat and sleep in close proximity, but without harrassment. She didn't limp as much this morning, so separate night quarters are the way  forward.

I'm finally back to work on my sweater. Before I started knitting again yesterday, I put the hem of Ariya on my longest circular needle so I could try it on; YAY, it FITS! Now I can knit on with anticipation. 😁

I have another batch of beautiful fall scenes to share, but will save them for a separate post as this one is already photo-heavy.

So that's it for now from . . .

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Project progress

We had a very small version of a barn-raising here yesterday. On Friday the trusses for the new shop were delivered, and on Monday the boards and metal for the roof were delivered. Rick and Brian took Tuesday off (along with a friend of Brian's), Rick rented a big fork lift, and the three of them worked until well after dark. Rick hoped to get the metal roof on, but that proved to be overambitious. The revised goal is to work in the evenings to get the 2x4s and metal on before the weekend. Our weather is definitely trending wetter as this month progresses, but this week has been lovely – such a blessing.





My much smaller, much less important sweater project is also progressing. On Sunday I used up the last of the four skeins that were washed and ready. Today I finished plying the last of the fiber. Now to skein, wash and measure the last three turtles, then get back to knitting. But first I need to put Ariya's hem on my longest circular and try it on, both to see how much longer the body needs to be and to make sure the rest of it fits. The possibility of it not fitting is rather terrifying!

Today is Rick's birthday, but we're postponing his celebration dinner until after church on Sabbath so his mom and step-dad can join us. But I did make granola and his second-favorite cake yesterday so he had some goodies to enjoy before then.

That's it for now from . . .

Friday, October 18, 2024

Autumn appreciation and more 'awful pie'

Once again 'we interrupt this program' with breaking news. Blaise was dead when I went down to do chores this morning. I don't know what happened; it didn't look like she struggled so hopefully she passed away peacefully in her sleep. She and Bitsy have been laying down more than usual the last few days, but both always got up when I went into their stall to refresh hay and water. She wasn't that old, not yet ten, but she's been frail since she nearly died after getting beat up early in the 2022 lambing season. Now Bitsy, who has lived almost exclusively with her dam since her birth exactly seven months ago today, is now with the rest of the ewes and ewe lambs. You may recall that the one time I put her and Blaise in the pasture with the flock, Bitsy ended up three-legged lame. So far she is sad and confused, but otherwise okay; if that changes, I might just put all four ewe lambs in the stall to make sure all of them are weaned.
Baby Blaise, 2014; my first "flashy" lamb

Always my sweetheart, 2018


 

############################
Now for the season at hand. Autumn kind of snuck up on me; one day I realized that the days were shorter  and the grass was greener, but I hadn't noticed the fall foliage I usually enjoy so much. Once I started looking for it I caught glimpses here and there, at home, in town, and in between, but the timing seems off. Still, I've been collecting photos to share; I hope you enjoy. 
Fall showers mean the return of fog.
this dogwood in town is a fall feature

Shaggy mane mushrooms in the arena; another fall feature!

First harvest.






Autumn means raindrops on spiderwebs.

More shaggy manes.



And color in our garden this morning, seen while I was mulching rhubarb plants, picking tomatoes and zucchini, and snacking on a few ripe strawberries:

There is more to pick: beets, volunteer kale, sweet peppers, basil, parsley, some small eggplants, and possibly more tomatoes.

This evening the house was 63°, so Rick built our first fire. Humans and dogs are all enjoying it. 😁

That's it for the third post(!) in a week from . . .