Friday, February 20, 2015

Thursday, February 19, 2015

How many days til spring???





It's been a week since I posted last. Goodness. I have no idea why, other than just laziness I suppose. And trying to stay warm. Well, not really laziness when I am trying to keep animals watered and fed and alive. It's been SO COLD here the past week. I mean, like 8 degrees last night and tonight. And not much higher than that during the day. It's so cold, I have to haul warm water to the sheep and chickens several times a day because it freezes fast.

I know it's cold all over right now and I shouldn't complain. But I read on someone's FB post that last year this same time, we were at 70. That's a really dig difference.

I am so glad I did not breed my sheep. I see a flock of Katahdin sheep up the road popping out lambs this week and I feel so sorry for the lambs. They have no shelter at all. And it's so cold. I know they are sheep, but these are new born babies. The big cattle farm about a mile from me used to have calves in Jan. and Feb. but is now having them earlier. I am so glad.  It's just hard on little baby animals. But they survive somehow. All that good warm milk from momma.

I hope you all are staying warm where ever you are. We have a wood stove that we have been keeping filled up. It's a lot warmer this year because the wood is nice and seasoned. Last year we couldn't get the house warm when it got below 40. But now it stays about 70.

In other news, I am working on dreads. I have always liked dreads. And have been thinking about doing my hair in dreads. I have long hair nearly to my back end. And I hate washing my hair. It's always in either a pony tail or bun. So much easier to take care of that way. So I've done 3 so far. And I really love them. They are underneath in the back. And tonight, I wrapped them in some blue yarn. I hope it will make them lock faster. I also did one in Kansas' hair in back. She loves it. I'll probably do her whole head this summer. I always said she should just have dreads. She really hates to brush her hair. She could just do the neglect method, but I don't know. It would all be a matted mess. So I don't think I'll do my whole head in dreads. And I have only done the top half so far. So the bottom is normal hair. I might just do some and be done. I'll just see how my hair does. Most people say their hair has a mind of it's own when it comes to dreads. We shall see.

Friday, February 13, 2015

Poor ole Stella.



This is what happens when the grand child takes the dog hostage. She is dressed in a very old Halloween witch costume and had every nail polished. And some perfume for good measure. Because she's a farm dog. And she stinks. But she sure looks good right?


Thursday, February 12, 2015

Almost...

 but not quite ready yet.

I saw a friend had posted some daffodils her kids had just picked for her and she's just up the road. So I walked out back to the patch  back there and they are almost ready to bloom. I hope the 14 degrees tonight doesn't hurt them.








I'll be covering the bee hive up tonight. And then on Saturday night, another below 20's night. I am ready for this week to be over!

Monday, February 9, 2015

Some crocheting going on here.

I was bored yesterday so got on you tube and looked up granny squares.  Found a really good video, in 4 parts, teaching how to make these pretty sunburst squares. I love them! And fairly easy to make. But will take a lot of yarn.

I have a big bag full of cotton yarn so I am using that. I  love working with cotton. I'll see how many I can make. I have a huge cone of the cream color for the border.



And also made some flowers. I love you tube! So much good info there. The big ones are wagon wheel flowers, but I only did the first row of petals. I could not understand the rest to make the back petals.  The smaller one is really easy. I made a scarf with a hoodie and it needs some embellishments so made these for it.




I am really liking the free well water. We might just use it til late spring. It's not a deep well so will run out in summer really fast. My husband's good friend said he and his son and a few others can come do the water line and save about $1000. So we will just wait. I hope the city water police don't catch on.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Mmmmmm...



Wow. Just look at all that green. It doesn't even look real to me right now. Right there where the sheep are is just mud today. And old hay all over the mud. And bare tree branches. Just lots of brown. Not a bit of green.

It will look like this again. Soon.

On a brighter note...

this morning, I just pulled a little wool off Cara. It was so pretty, I decided to get a little off all the lambs. I am really happy with it all.

These are the quads, Click, Campbelle, Cameron and Clack. Cara is a single.

I was thinking the boys, Click and Clack, would have horrible wool. But theirs is really nice. Clack has the longest and lightest and Clack's is thick and darker, but shortest. They are on both ends here. Cameron's is really pretty. And all very crimpy.

Campbelle has the longest of the quads. And she's almost white. She's to the right of the pen.

Then Cara's is long too.

They are all so nice! Now I am really anxious to get them all sheared. I didn't get any of Cassidy's yet. But I will later.




This is Lucinda's. She was my very favorite ewe of all. She's really the reason I got Finn sheep. She was Annabelle's mother. She died a few years ago from barber pole worms. Back then, I didn't know enough about them to save her. Makes me sick. She was beautiful. Just look at her wool.

And I am sick because the girl who sheared her back then, did a horrible job. Had lots of second cuts. But I am working slowly on getting this fleece all cleaned and carded then spun. She is also the reason I wanted to learn to spin. I want to make a sweater from her wool.



This is her fleece. Most is really nice.



But you can see all the waste in the little basket on the left. Lots of waste. I am using a dog brush to flick the ends so I can card it. I've already spun some. But it's going to take a LONG time to get it all done. I want combs and a hackle so bad.




So my husband figured out a way to run the well water to both houses and just plugged the bad water line up. We are working on getting the money to get the plumbers out to get the new line dug. I asked on the bee forum what I should do about my bee hive out in the garden. They will have to go about 10" from it with the new line. The guy said it's mainly the vibration of the ditch digger that agitates the bees. I don't want the bees to leave or attack the workers while they are here. Some are saying to move it and put a screen on the entrance. Or just screen the entrance. Or wait for a warm day so most bees will be out foraging. Or a really cold day where they'll all be inside. And run water over the entrance to make it look like it's raining. I think I'll just put screen on the entrance. Or just leave them alone. I run the mower right in front of the hive and they aren;t bothered too much. We will just have to see. I just want this new water line in soon.