Friday's feline

On the Chuckie Channel this morning:

Even though it was a drippy day, I turned the ewes out. Poppy wanted to play, which is why she was on a leash. The five younger ewes would probably just run from her,

but my two oldest ewes, especially Vienna, who is staring back intently, would take her on. That could end up being bad for both, just like the last time she took on Jackson.

If you need a 'horse fix,' I just posted a whole boatload of photos over on Dances With Horses.

That's it for Friday from . . .

Home fires burning

We've had a few nights cold enough for a fire. Poppy approves.

We've also had some unusually warm and sunny days. Poppy approves.

We've watched more fun stuff than news-that-is-not-really-news, complete with popcorn. Poppy approves.

Outside, there's 'fire' on the ground, in the trees, and oftentimes in the morning sky. I approve.

The red-hot fire of desire (or at least hormones) has alway burned bright in Blaise, but she's "always a bridesmaid, never the bride."

Let's hope she's as keen to be a mother as she is to meet a ram, because her fortunes are about to change. On November 1, Bardot did indeed leave for a new home in Washington state . . . and a new ram arrived at Boulderneigh! Meet Spot – officially Rockinghills Ink & Spots:

I can't adequately convey how thrilled I am with this handsome three-year-old. Spot fulfills every single thing on my mental "ideal ram wish list" with his size and structure, fleece quality, intensity of color, smooth poll (no horns), and fun splashes of white spotting. I would love to put all seven of my ewes to him to see what he throws with each one, but that could result in a tripling of my flock size – way too many sheep for my facilities. So as soon as he finishes quarantining in the Ram-ada Inn with the wethers,

I plan to introduce him to Blaise, Sarai, and Vienna, as they are my three oldest ewes. Hopefully he and the younger girls will have plenty of opportunities to produce fine-fleeced offspring in future years.

I think Blaise – and Spot – will approve. 😉

I'm dreaming of a 'shepherd's Christmas' at . . .

Party of one?

 Right this way!

Yes, it was quite late on Hug a Sheep Day, but the girls welcomed me into the fold nonetheless. Well, three of them did. Grand dam(e) Sarai always hopes for cookies (wee bits of horse treats that I save for her), and her twin daughters Bridget and Bardot are reliably friendly. Bardot's version of 'friendly' is a little, um, insistent. She pushes with her head, and if I sit down in the fold like I did tonight, she will strike paw me with a front hoof. It was nice to spend that time with her, because tomorrow some people are coming to look at her and hopefully take her home.

The sheep have been drawing my eye a lot lately, so picturesque in the green grass and autumn light. There are the grand dames, Vienna (head up) and Sarai,

and Blaise (on the left, below), the only one of the other ewes not descended from Vienna and Sarai (with one of the musket girls looking like she's wearing a string bikini).

All three of the musket girls were busting out of their coats, so last night I fitted them with larger ones. They look much more comfortable now:

Other scenes of autumn:

Red Kuri squash harvest, prepped for cooking,

The Japanese maples in front are just starting to turn,

while the ones on the deck are just finishing up

A subtle sunset seen while hand-walking Lance down the lane and back,

and a much more colorful sunrise the last morning of October.

(Itty-bitty) snake alert ahead, for those who get the heebie-jeebies from seeing one (can you tell I've been scolded before???).

This little garter snake surprised me in the driveway down near the barn on a coolish morning. It's late in the year to be seeing snakes; I hope it found a place to overwinter!

Halloween is not an 'event' here, but I have saved a photo just for the occasion. Remember those shaggy mane mushrooms that came up right after Blake died? When they pass their peak picking condition, Shaggy Manes quickly deliquesce, a fancy term for turning downright ghoulish. So Happy Halloween to those of you who 'celebrate'!

Stay tuned for a November surprise from . . .

Braving the bigger world

Last Wednesday, Rick and I ventured farther afield than we had to date this year – we flew to Omaha, Nebraska! Our alma mater in Lincoln had asked The Down Home Boys, the college bluegrass band Rick played in, to come back to do some weekend music. Rick wanted me to go along, of course (he always wants me to go along), but even though my sister and some old school friends live there, I told him I didn't want to go. Between arranging care for all our animals, the risk of COVID-19 exposure, and my strong homebody bent, I just had no desire. Next thing I know, he said we had tickets. 😳

I proceeded to stitch together animal care; shouts out to our new neighbors, who offered to keep Poppy (playmates for days!!!), and other friends who shared onsite farm chores. My sister sent me a link to this article that made me feel much better about flying, and I kept my fingers busy with spinning and knitting and even got to watch a free movie that I loved. (Hitch. Yes, it's 15 years old. No, I don't watch many movies.) We got a rental car at the airport and then drove to campus, where we stayed in an on-campus guest room. Then Rick proceeded to practice a lot until their first program, Friday night vespers, while I visited with my sister and a couple of my old high school/college-and-beyond buddies.

This building is new since we last visited

The distant building houses the swimming pool where I taught kiddy swimming lessons my last summer

My sister and family are being UBER-careful during the pandemic, as they all have underlying conditions. We visited in her open garage, sitting on camp chairs with masks on. It had turned cold in Lincoln (as it did here), and believe you me, I was thankful to be wearing a mask for the bit of added warmth it gave! I was also thankful that my sister's French bulldog wanted to sit on my lap for the same reason....

On Friday we did go to my sister's and nephew's favorite craft store, Makit Takit. I had eyes only for the yarn side of the store, and even found two pretty skeins in the half-price bin – which my sister promptly snatched and paid for.

One of my friends took me around a small corner of the much-changed city of my college years. Scheels was a destination in and of itself, a combination of sculpture garden, Cabela's/athletic goods/gift/home decor store, and amusement park. Just inside the entrance there is a giant aquarium made up of three huge columns with connecting archways;  the Ferris wheel is beyond that (not operating in COVIDtimes). My friend thought I "would like the animals;" I just smiled and didn't say I prefer my wild creatures alive and free.

I loved this clever, customizable wall decor!

The 'Boys' provided a musical program for Friday evening vespers, followed by musical selections for both church services at the college church the next day. Masks were supposed to be worn for both; after a little kerfuffle over Friday evening's masklessness, there was compliance on Sabbath (they sounded just as good with masks). This is the church, minus the pipe organ, in which Rick and I were married over 36 years ago (installation started the week after our wedding).

Sunday we got out of Dodge just in time, as snow was forecast for that afternoon. In fact, our airplane picked up some ice on the way into Omaha, so had to be de-iced before we departed:

On the way home I spun and knitted some more, and we got to watch another free movie, one I've really wanted to see – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. I was not disappointed; what a wonderful film about the wonderful Fred Rogers.

We picked up Poppy from the neighbors on our way home Sunday night, and promptly built a fire to warm the chilly house. While waiting for that to happen, Poppy found a cozy place to wait:

The weekend was not all pickin' and grinnin', though. I got a text message from my parents Thursday morning letting me know that my 100-year-old aunt had died. She had just been admitted to the hospital the night before for the second time in a week; the first time she had been diagnosed with COVID-19. I'm so thankful she passed quickly; I'm so sad for my dad that he has not been able to see her or visit in person for many months. Then on Friday morning, Rick started experiencing symptoms consistent with past cardiac events. From then until now, he's been on edge, obsessing over every little sensation, but has not yet decided he needs to go to the doctor or hospital.

That's the travelogue from . . .