Fiber and flowers forever!

Along with some fog:

and a furry feline:

("Help; I've started alliterating and I can't shut up!" I know, it's a recurring problem.) 😉

Last Sunday a couple came to see sheep and pick up one last fleece (Bart's last, from 2016) I'd found and advertised on Ravelry. All four of us, Rick included, had a nice chat, finding all kinds of things in common between us – wood-turning, fiber arts (of course), being vegetarian, a veterinarian in each couple, and more. Brigitte was my little ambassador, being pushy eagerly seeking attention from both visitors, but we still managed to peek under the covers at several fleeces. Eventually they left with Bart's fleece and a reservation for a fleece from this spring's coming shearing. I could hardly believe my eyes when the wife sent me a photo of some beautiful combed top from Bart's fleece that very evening, and a photo of a machine-knit sample the next day! The woman is The Fiber Flash!

Meanwhile, I twiddle my little spindles and create a little yarn here and there. 😉 It does add up over time. Since the first of the month I've spun up a little bump of white Dorset a friend gave me a few years back. I finished the singles last night at Brian's basketball game and resumed knitting on a Baby Surprise Jacket.

Today I started spinning this flame-colored roving I got from another friend for Christmas after splitting it in two.

I'm thinking of doing a three-ply with it and the Dorset; we'll see.

As for flowers, here are the newest blossoms on my orchid inside, and the first of the annual flower parade, snowdrops, outside:

Finally, a little (and a LOT) of fanfare. First of all, I got three eggs for the first time this month. Second of all, my friend finally got to come home from the hospital today! I'm going to visit her tomorrow after work.

Farewell for now from . . .

Can-do atitude

Or maybe that should be CATitude!

When I was riding my horse in our arena recently, Chuckie joined us as he often does. Eventually he perched on the kick-rail. It took me a couple passes to realize that he was staring intently at something. Was it a mouse or a mole? No . . . look carefully (or click to biggify).

Apparently Chuckie was having visions of venison! Ha!

I thought of it more as a cute photo opportunity than proof of intent – until a few days later. I was riding again, and noticed the four does that frequent our neighborhood down in the woods below the arena. Chuckie joined us in the arena again, and when Lance got nosy, Chuckie climbed the fence and jumped into a nearby tree. From there he caught sight of the deer,

and struck a very stalkish stance!

(Then he just settled down and looked cute.)

Chuckie does like his trees.

Or maybe he just likes heights!

He definitely likes hands. 😍

So here are some New Year's recommendations from The Chuckie Channel:

1)  Dream big; add some excitement to your life!

2) Aim high; the view is better from up there.

3) Give and receive love with abandon – and get a massage once in awhile.

That's it for the first week of 2019 from . . .

If you can't do-over, just do

So Mary Engelbreit posted this on Instagram yesterday, and kicked me gently in the rear.

It helped that the news about my friend in the hospital today was slightly improved. Regardless, it was Brian's last day of Christmas break, and his last opportunity to make good on a suggestion – that we clean out the Sheep Sheraton together. How do you pass up an offer like that??? Besides, hard physical labor and accomplishing a much needed task would help dispel the helpless anxiety I was feeling over yesterday's accident.

It was still cold and foggy when we started. The ewes got pasture time while we got to work cleaning their quarters.

 Nice view of the house and the new gate Rick made from the sheepfold.

The straw/hay/manure pack was especially deep, 'thanks' to all the stems the girls are wasting. We could only get first cutting hay last year; none of the fine, leafy 2nd, 3rd, or 4th cutting orchardgrass they're used to. So thankful for the little used Kubota with a front-end loader my parents brought us from Texas!

As we worked, the fog lifted some. The girls noticed the new gate with some concern. 

 "It's safer here under our favorite tree."

And four hours later, the fold looked and smelled much cleaner!

I started a spinning project today to participate in a year-long challenge on the Jenkins YarnTools forum on Ravelry. I also have two knitting WIPS (works in progress), an almost unheard of level of diversity for this monogamous crafter. I'm not sure how long I can keep this up, but I'm doing it for now.

That's it for now from . . .

Can we have a do-over?

Photos and thoughts have been queuing up the last few days, but with everyone on holiday schedules, time on my laptop has been limited. Then today happened....

It started out beautifully. I woke up late (there were a LOT of fireworks and gunshots at midnight), saw color out our window, and jumped up to capture this:

Brian slept in, so after doing chores and eating breakfast, Rick and I headed out for a walk.

As you can see, it was a gorgeous day and I took Jackson along. He was excited to be included, but taking him was a mistake. As we headed up the final hill he lagged, and tonight he is clearly feeling it, walking like an old man. Poor puppy; I won't do that to him again – and feel bad that I did it to him today. Hard to accept that my best doggo is getting older. 😞

I putzed around until noon, waiting and wondering about the day's plans. Getting on my horse on New Year's Day is my one firm tradition (I'll also eat black-eyed peas if I can), and a friend and I wanted to ride together if possible. Once I got the 'all clear' from the family, I headed to my friend's place to ride there.

We were enjoying good conversation, good horses, and great weather when something happened. I was in front, and then my friend's horse came up alongside – riderless. I whipped my head around to see her laying on the gravel drive....

Tonight my friend is in trauma intensive care with serious injuries, and I am beside myself. Mts. Hood and Jefferson glowed in the evening light as I neared home with Lance, but they could not elevate my mood. I don't know if I'll get to those other posts that were percolating; right now my heart isn't in it....