Flock and fiber

Last Wednesday the three 'barn ewes' (because they share a stall at night) – Bernice, Bitsy, and Bridget – got their toes trimmed, and the latter two got bigger coats (Bernice got a bigger coat and fleece detail shots the day her son left). Good opportunity for photos: ✅

Bitsy's fleece is jet black, always a struggle for the camera.

Bridget and Bitsy, on the left, in their bigger coats

That inspired me to look for other flock photo opps:

Mother Boop, behind, and daughter Blossom

Woolly rumps!

On Sunday afternoon I drove down to the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival with a couple friends. I delivered my Clemes & Clemes drumcarder to someone who will hopefully use it more than I have (which wouldn't take much). Divesting!!! I also dropped off Bette's 2024 fleece and a washed and picked Romney lamb fleece at a mill's booth. I've had the Romney for years, thinking I'd card it with that drum carder; time to have someone else turn it into roving that I can sell or spin. I found a fellow Jenkins Junkie's champion entry in the fiber arts competition and drooled over it (along with a captivating needle-felted fox), then just walked around window-shopping until the festival closed, since the Jenkins didn't have a booth there to tempt me with their latest model and I didn't need anything else. Well, that's not quite true; soap and shampoo are essentials – and I couldn't resist this shawl magnet. 😁

The famous Wanda Jenkins on the left, with me and another fiber friend.

Check out the bead 'water droplet' at the end of the fox' paw!

I took along my biggest spindle with its plying project, the last third of Prada's black fiber, but didn't have time to sit and spin there. Two-thirds is plied and skeined, awaiting a wash so I can start knitting a Dala Sweater with it. I still need to dye my white skein red for the yolk pattern. Can I finish it by the end of the year? I also finished spinning the ounce of silk hankies that I dug out of deep stash; I'm planning to ply it with a soft, fat fingering single I have yet to spin from my first ever Inglenook Fibers purchase (from a destash).

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That's it for now from . . .

Full September

volunteer 'sunshine' in our garden

When the State Fair ended and our schedules returned to 'normal,' I felt a little giddy, like a big load had lifted. Yeah; that was short-lived. Garden harvest and fruit preservation season waits for no one, and with my upcoming trip to NE taking a considerable bite out of the month, I can't afford to dawdle. I finally procured a lug of so-so peaches, and have been picking our prunes to freeze and dehydrate. Since these won't wait, making applesauce will have to. I'll lose most of the apples on our first-to-ripen tree, but should have plenty to sauce from the others once the stone fruit is put up and I'm back from my trip. The limiting factor? My ability to stand for extended periods. Nothing 'cripples' me like standing; my knees stiffen and my sciatica screams. So I adapt my work to sitting at the table when possible, and take icing breaks when it's not. (This is also why I'm so behind on skirting fleeces.)

I've been helping a little with the firewood, but Rick has been doing the lion's share. Last night he got a bunch of the split hardwood moved into the new woodshed. The woodpile has been Poppy's obsession for days, as well as some cabinets in the shop. Apparently varmints are afoot, and we have to physically drag her inside to get her to stop her fruitless hunts. (Then she moves from window to window, bark-screaming when she sees a Western Gray Squirrel scurrying around preparing for winter.) The obsession seems to have affected her ability to focus in agility class, so I'm limiting her freedom on class days.

before any of the wood had been moved inside

AHA! A California Ground Squirrel scurried out when I approached to take this photo.

Yesterday morning Bitsy was unusually cuddly; it was loverly. 😍 Some of the sheep need bigger coats and I should go through the flock to check feet for needed trims. Just add it to the list....

That's it for now from . . .

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 . . .

Breaking news

If you follow me on Instagram and/or Facebook, you know that my title is all too accurate. Sometime on Friday Bud got his right front leg caught in his hay feeder, and by the time I found him Friday night he was exhausted from struggling and very, very broken  –  as in a broken humerus, nerve damage, and probably extensive soft tissue damage. At this point he doesn't/can't use his right shoulder and leg at all, and the prognosis is guarded whether he gets surgery or simple conservative management, so we are opting for the second. That means giving him time, managing the pain and swelling, and keeping his rumen going by getting him to eat . . . something, anything. He has hay and I've offered him maple leaves, Purina Lamb & Ewe pellets (plain and dressed with Nutri-Drench), dandelion leaves, and beet greens; the only thing he does more than taste are the dandelion leaves which are hard to find right now, just emerging as they are with the recent rain and cooler weather. You can be sure I'm scouring the property for them. 

And yes, earlier that same day I posted to Instagram/FB about spending quality time with Bud while cleaning up his fleece and getting a coat on him.

I do have a post I started early last week with more ordinary updates that I will finish, and lots of photos of fall beauty that deserve a post of their own, so there may be a relative 'posting frenzy' coming up. Hopefully I'll hear from you in the comments!

That's it for now from a somber . . .