Top Nine 2019

It's the time of year to join the "Top Nine"...whatever you call it...thingy...where you "click the button" (my brain is mush) and it searches through your year of Instagram photos and assembles a collage of your nine most popular pictures.  Mine is pretty cute this year :-).  

Two from Wovember, one of silly Mini Moose and the rest from Lamb Camp at Final Frontier and Tring Farms.  I kind of thought Frankie would show up somewhere, but as we all know, it's hard to compete with babies ;-D.

The card is painted and printed and hopefully going in the mail this afternoon.  Whew!  It was a real struggle this year and I'm not really sure why.  Now that's it's done and I'm almost 48 hours away from it, I'm pretty happy with it.  It's cute and sweet and I think everyone will enjoy it.

Here's a funny story...Saint Tim's superpower is making me laugh when there seems to be nothing to laugh at.  After several super late nights struggling (unsuccessfully) to paint the card, I got up (still too tired) the other morning to find Eli's tree ("the stairway to heaven") had fallen down after the latest 3" deluge of rain.

The tree was very old.  There were only a couple branches left on it and they were barely, but bravely hanging on.  Eli used it to climb up to the porch roof (his "office").  I framed pictures of the back of the farm through it's lacy leaves.  Momma birds raised babies in the hollow trunk.  It was a good old friend.  

I stood there staring at it...turned and walked back inside...stopped in the kitchen...didn't pour myself a cup of coffee...finally went to tell Tim...and then the tears spilled.  Tim's not as sentimentally attached to trees as I am, but it was Eli's tree and it was special because of that.  

He listened to the tree story, the unhappiness with the card painting, the "I wish I'd stopped after last year like I'd said I was going to"...and "clicked the button" in his brain and said, "You should just download the Loony Tunes font and plaster "That's All Folks!" across the front...and all I could see was Maisie pasted in where Porky Pig usually is, saying "Th-th-th-that's all folks!" :-D

That's (probably) not all folks, but it was just what I needed.  

Keep laughing!

That's One!

There will be a few more snow pictures tomorrow, but I have a Wovember - Day 12 - [Wool House Crafters] Gathering at the "actual" house (warmer and with running water ;-) tonight and even though I clearly advertised that because Auntie Reg was not coming and therefore wouldn't find out, I was Not Dusting...even I'm starting to get a bit twitchy about it so I'm going to go at least run the vacuum.  Probably still not dusting though ;-).

That's Moose Who's Only Slightly Smaller Than Big Moose having fun playing in the snow.  Big Moose and Biscuit are just behind him and almost hidden is Levi, who got the whole gathering gamboling in the beginning ;-D.

Wovember - Day 11 - History

Where would I be if this hadn't happened?  

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Wovember - Day 11 - History . 🐑 At the end of October, 1992, I rescued a lamb who'd just been born at the stockyards. Knowing what I know now...that lamb should never have lived. The stress, the sanitation, did he even get colostrum...? To add insult to injury, someone who knew absolutely nothing about sheep and especially lambs picked him up at the *end* of the day (!). Luckily I found a vet who'd raised sheep himself and he did his best to help him get started and assured me "He'd be just fine". Months later, he'd look at Punkin and say "Well, I never thought I'd see you make it this far." . 🐑 I didn't know anything about sheep or wool or spinning or knitting or weaving or...I just wanted to save a baby lamb...who probably ended up saving me...and the rest is history. . 🐑 #wovember #wovember2019 #bottlelamb #destiny

A post shared by Sara Dunham (@thecrazysheeplady) on Nov 11, 2019 at 10:26am PST

Wovember - Day 9 - Traceability

I'm enjoying all the Wovember challenge prompts. Today's post is one of my favorites so far.  Oh to scroll back through old pictures :-).

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Wovember - Day 9 - Traceability 🐑 . I can trace my Muffin and Mrs. Pepperpot sweater all the way back to the day Muffin was born 😍. I can also trace the knitting of the sweater...but let's not remember that part/all those parts 😆. 🐑 . #wovember #wovember2019 #sheeptosweater #handspun #handknit #motherdaughtersweater

A post shared by Sara Dunham (@thecrazysheeplady) on Nov 9, 2019 at 5:32am PST

I remember all the challenges with raising up Muffin and her sweater.  Both were worth all the effort :-).

The Week In Review...Because It's Been A Busy One

Don't get excited.  There wasn't any knitting.  I had great hopes for posting with the monthly Yarn Along on Wednesday and even took some pictures of my current (sadly idle) project.......  Maybe today.

So, let's see...

The 2018 Christmas card is finished and printed.  Not stuffed and mailed, but they are painted, printed and on the dining room table.  Whew!!!  I'll post a puzzle version this weekend for anyone who'd like a sneak peak and I'll also have some at the Wool House tomorrow.  Not for sale (until next year), but if you come out to the farm (open this Saturday from 1:00-4:30), I'll give you one :-).  

If you didn't follow along with the Wovember Instagram photo challenge by daughterofashepherd last month, I encourage you to go check it out. There were so many interesting prompts and excellent posts from all over the world.  What a fun way to really focus on sheep and wool.  One of my posts was selected for the top ten!  :-D

The sold out calendars are back in stock.  Tim brought home some more Lamb Camp calendars last night, so everything still here on hold will ship out today.  Thank you so much for your patience...and all the orders.  Your support, on all levels, really means so much.

There are still three 2018 Equinox Farm fleeces left (Baaxter, Liddy and B. Willard) and several Tring Farm fleeces (lovely Maybelline and a few other white, gray and black), in case anyone is looking for a fun winter project.  Rebecca Boone was so dirty and greasy I offered to wash her fleece before shipping, so that was my fun project for yesterday.  Look at that shine!  Some is from the grease, some just because it's fun, shiny Cotswold.

I divided her into two parts so there'd be plenty of room in the washer to loosen up all the dirt.  Before washing on the left.  Washed on the right.

Washing wool in the winter is like an all day spa treatment.  The room gets warmer and steamier as the day progresses and it smells like heaven, not "smelly animal fur".  If you aren't aware of the Duluth "issue", here is one article that addresses it.  Clara Parkes always says it best.  

All washed and set out to dry.

Isn't she pretty?

So back to the picture of the yarn and project at the top.  That's Rebecca Boone!  I spun that yarn several years ago and had never found the perfect project for it.  Isabell Kraemer's Indigo Frost capelet kept showing up in my favorites and it (finally) dawned on me that the design shape looks just like Rebecca Boone's cool dreadlocks...and if I dyed some of the yarn, I could match her colors in the color patterning.  So I did!  

I overdyed her light gray to get a darker gray like her nose and legs and a reddish/brown to match her sunbleached locks.  I then spun some Woolliam for her white nose.  I wasn't thinking and didn't wash her yarn before I put it in the dye pot and the remaining fabric softener made the dye take up unevenly and I love the effect.  

I'm now ready to start the colorwork section and I can't wait.  Maybe today!

Sheep To Shawl

Oops, I'd forgotten we'd taken these pictures at the end of October :-o.  Probably better to show them for Wovember anyway.  That would be rationalized procrastination ;-).

"Hey, Baba?  Would you mind if we took some pictures of you and the shawl I spun and wove from your fleece?"

"I've got cookies :-)."

"Those are pretty good cookies, so...sure."

This would be a perfect shot...if she wasn't chewing :-o.

"You made this from my wool?"

"Yep."

"That's actually pretty cool!"

It's very cool!

I always love to see what kbdoolin has made, especially when it comes from our flock. Just beautiful, Karen! 

Wovember - Day One - What Wool Means To Me

Today starts my favorite month, Wovember, aka Wool for November. Daughter of a Shepherd is hosting this year’s month long Instagram photo challenge and the prompt for day one is “What wool means to me.” One picture to represent what wool means to me… I can’t figure out what to do for that. 

Wool means sheep. I have young sheep, old sheep, white sheep, colored sheep, favorite sheep, sheep I’ve thought of strangling on occasion, sheep I’m having trouble living without. I have certain sheep I can identify just by burying my nose in their wool (That's a good thing! :-).

Wool means work. I’ve spent much of the last week washing and picking the last of this year’s fleeces and then taking them to the mill to be processed. My feet and back have not forgotten. I’ve got a market day coming up and holiday orders are coming in. Thankfully the mowing season is over.

Wool means care. You can’t raise good wool without good care. Care of the sheep themselves of course, but also the land and facilities they utilize. I think you also have to care about the care you are giving. It’s hard to trek out to the barn for a night check in the pouring rain. It helps to care about why you are doing that.

Wool means friendship. I have shepherd friends and spinner friends (who helped wash and pick fleeces with me this week!), beloved sheep shearers, good vets (who I probably know too well :-o), wool festival partners, yarn shop owners, feed producers, post office clerks…

Wool means learning. I’ve been washing fleeces for 15 years and learned a new trick last week. I picked up a new weaving tip yesterday. I’ve had sheep for 26 years and I learned something new at the beginning shepherd workshop I attended last month. I took a sheep to town a couple days ago and learned something interesting about flock behavior.

Wool means pride. When I wear a sweater I’ve spun and knit from a sheep I’ve raised from lamb, I’m proud of the work I’ve done and, of course, the sheep itself. “This is Maisie. This is B. Willard…” I get the same joy from seeing other people’s dedicated work.

Wool, let’s be honest, means how I’ll pay for my winter hay each year. How I pay our vets and sheep shearer. How I pay the feed mill. How we keep the cozy fire burning in the Wool House and on a good year, contribute to a month or two of the farm mortgage.

Wool is my life. Wool is laughter and tears, sore muscles and aching backs. Wool is snuggly lamb naps in the kitchen and sitting with the adult flock under a shady tree. Wool is standing on the hillside with the guardian dog while coyotes call out back. Wool is sweat in the summer and warm sweaters in the winter. Wool is sheep.

Since I can’t figure out what photo would best illustrate the prompt, here’s a picture of a freshly washed fleece currently drying in the Wool House. This is Petunia. She’s very soft and fine and still a lovely moorit color even at her age. While she would not be a first choice for me to spin (I like coarser wools), she’s a very favorite sheep and I’ll enjoy spinning some of this for a lacy shawl, having some processed for someone else to spin and probably make a wool wreath or two…to help keep the lights on.

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I don't know that I'll repost each daily prompt over here, so if you are interested in following along, please join me on Instagram :-).

Deeply Honored

November is a special month for sheep and shepherds.  Well, all months are special, so let's say November is extra special.  It's Wovember - "celebrating WOOL for what it is".  Yep, extra special! It's just that now it WAS extra special.

Somehow the entire month has slipped by, though looking back, I did do a lot of wool celebrating. I taught a few spinning lessons, helped a friend block a wool scarf, visited three sheep farms in NY while we were picking up Kate, helped work around 200 local sheep on a couple occasions getting ready for the dog trial, picked up and sorted many of those fleeces (pulling out the "unwanted" colored ones for myself ;-) while working the shearing trailer and of course, wore a lot of wool.

Every day during the month of Wovember, Team Wovember shares fabulous and fascinating posts about wool.  The lasting tradition of breeding, raising, shearing, processing, creating and enjoying wool.  The benefits of wool, the character of different breeds, how they are handled, sights and sounds, songs about shearing, some of my favorite Twitter shepherds and so much more.  I'm sure many of you were already following along.  If not, I strongly encourage you to check it out. You'll be captivated.

I am deeply honored to have a few stories and photo essays included this year.  My sentimental favorite is probably the story of Elizabeth and her sweater.  They also included Keebler and the Iknitarod, the woven throw from Baaxter's mom, some fun pictures from Lamb Camp and Hug a Sheep Day at our farm.

I had planned on weaving a wool scarf for the WAL (wool a-long).  I'm disappointed that I couldn't get organized enough to pull that off.  Now it's December and I will be in the thick of Christmas card design and painting, shipping holiday orders from the farm shop, covering extra winter chores and enjoying our own special holiday traditions.  

I may not get it done this month either (although a warm wool scarf would sure come in handy!) and that's okay, because like every day should be Christmas or Thanksgiving or your birthday, every month is a great month to celebrate wool :-).  

Happy Wovember everyone!  Just a wee bit "late-ish".

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There's still a bit of time to wish Maisie a Happy Birthday and be included in her birthday drawing this evening.  Looks like we are just five wishes away from adding in a third box of cards :-D.

Yarning And Wovembering Along

I'm enjoying playing around with the colors and patterning for my winter mittens.  The cuff is good I think, sort of a simple holly leaf look.  The next section...I don't like how it's centered so am taking it back down and adding in one extra stitch so I can move it over and give it a completely centered look because that's totally irrationally important ;-). 

I have a little over 350 yards of the black Jacob/Texel spun.  I am super happy with this yarn and can't wait to start weaving.  I think it's going to make a fabulous throw.

It's a lot of dark, solid color though.  I think an accent color, maybe a group of stripes running the length, would be nice.  My original thought was gray, but the "black" is more of a dark, dark, dark brown.  Sort of a warm black...if that makes sense.  Maybe a brown stripe would be better?  

Just for example/experiment I pulled out a handful of the walnut dyed roving.  Also a chunk of white. Which do you prefer?  Or something completely different? 

Joining in with Ginny's Yarn Along...even though I don't have a new book...again...and the Wovember Wool Along.  If you aren't following all the neat, neat stuff for Wovember, I encourage you to do so!