Iron Man race...

Yesterday was the Iron Man race here. It started Sunday morning about 7 AM with a 2 1/2 mile swim in the Tn. river, then a 112 mile bike ride  5 miles past my house to Mt. Cove Farm then down Hog Jowl Rd. They had to make a loop 2 times that way, past our house. Then through Chickamauga, then back to Chattanooga. Then a 26 mile race on foot around Chatt. twice to finish the race. They had til midnight to finish.

That's a long race. I still haven't been all the way to Mt. Cove farm on my bike yet and it's just 5 miles there from here. I am going to do it. Now that it's getting cooler, I may attempt it. I just can't even imagine swimming for 2 1/2 miles in the Tn. River.

So the 1st 4 bikes came past us about 9:15. The rest took awhile longer to get here. It was amazing to watch them. There were about 2,181 people entered. Haven't really heard all the news about who won and home many finished. I did hear about the girl from another country who came here to train for this race. She had to quit because of cramping. And there were so many people who raced for other people who weren't here.
Like the man who was hit and killed while running last week. His dad ran and crossed the finish line at 11:30 last night. And the man who's son had cancer and met him at the finish line last year. His son died in May. So many stories like this. So seeing these people riding past our house was so amazing. The determination people has is awesome.

All day it was like this. There were some by their selves, but so many in packs. There were a lot of places where people gathered to cheer them on and give them water and encouragement along the way. It was just an amazing race. Great way to spend a day.

Last year, they didn't come down our road. The year before, someone had thrown oil and nails across the road and several people were hurt. So they went on up 193. But I guess they really monitored the roads before any bikes came through this time. Really make ya wonder about people when things like this happen.

A good shepherd.

A good shepherd knows her sheep. I feel like I am a good shepherd. I know the sounds they make. I know if it's a happy sound or a distressed sound. I can tell when they want to move to another pasture.I just know my sheep.

So this morning, I was going to feed the chickens when I heard a sheep way down at the bottom of the pasture. I looked and all the sheep were up under the shelter of the garden shed. So I called "sheep" and they all looked at me. And I heard the sheep again, way down by the road. I kept calling and it answered.

I looked at all the sheep so I knew who it was. My favorite lamb baby, Campbelle. And it was raining. Had been all morning. I slept in too, so it was about 9:30.

I got halfway to where she was, way down in the corner. In the picture, the fence line meets way down by the road, and she was smack in the corner. So I went to get fence cutters and ran down to her. Poor baby. All I could see was her rear end. She was stuck between the 2 posts in the corner. Just enough room for a small sheep to squeeze in there to eat the bushes. She couldn't go forward any more, but didn't know to go backward to get out. So all I did was pull her backward and out she came. I guess I better put something in there to keep this from happening again. Because it will. Sheep are not the brightest of creatures.

That's her by the fence. No telling how long she'd been there like that. Poor baby girl. She was fine though.

This is what I see out my back door of the studio. Goats in the barn. It's been raining since yesterday. I need hay bad.

They finally mowed the hay fields next door to the South of us. Not to the North of us yet. I hope they get to mow it soon. I love to see hay in the fields. I think most people have cut hay 4 or 5 times this year. It's been a really good hay year here.

This is out the front door of the studio.

I planted some more kale in the big bed by the green beans a few days ago. They should be popping up in a few days. I gave the beans a good shot of fish emulsion a few days ago. They were looking a bit yellow at the bottom. They look better already. And the radishes I planted a few days ago are already up. I don't see carrots yet but should after all this wonderful rain God has provided for them. The kale and turnip greens look amazing. I can pick some kale already. I am SO thankful for this rain.

Nice cool rainy day here. Good day to stay inside and get some knitting done. And soap wrapped. And dryer balls made. And so much much to do.

Yay, 3 more weeks to procrastinate!

Plans have changed yet again. We have rain in the forecast for this weekend. So Valley Fest has been postponed to Oct. 17th. And moved to the high school as well. So right now, I have 3 more weeks to procrastinate. I am good at that.

It has rained since last night. We really need rain. I don't think I have ever seen leaves changing colors in September. Ever. But they are around here. The nights are already cooler too. On the way home today, I saw smoke coming out of someone's chimney. Not ready for that yet. But we do have lots of wood. And more up on the mountain at a friends house, waiting for us to go get it.

So since, I didn't have to keep wrapping soap today, I went to town and paid bills. Went to see my mom too. A little different Friday for me.

Sunday, the Iron man race will be coming down our road again! They turned before our road last year because the year before last, someone put oil and nails on this road. Not a good thing.  But they will be back this year. I missed it 2 years ago when my mom fell and I had to stay with her at her house. We will not be able to leave Sunday. Churches won't even have a morning service. Pretty big thing around here.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Oh, pigs!

So, sometimes it's good to not make plans. because as soon as you do, they change.

Like yesterday. I planned to stay home all day and work on getting ready for Valley Fest Saturday. Got a phone call from my friends Steve and Sarah. They are the ones who got the 2 pigs I was going to get back in March. But chickened out and sold them to my friends. First timers, they were. Had the perfect place to put them. They grew and grew and grew. They were great pigs, those 2. Happy pigs. Big fat pigs.

Til Monday.

They had an appointment at the butcher. But they weren't going. Nope, not those pigs. They were perfectly happy right where they were, thank you.

Steve called wanting advice on how to get those pigs in the trailer and to the butcher. He had fixed it up where their pen was blocked up and the trailer was wide open, ready for them to walk right on in.

But they had other plans. Like laying down at the bottom of their pig pen, in the shade. And spend the day there. Like a pig should, right?

So Steve called me asking for help. I said I'd be there as soon as I could. He had 3 guys coming too. And Sarah. We were going to run them up the hill into the smaller area, then push them into the trailer. Just like that. Sounds easy, right? Well, they are PIGS! Pigs don't do what you want them to do. They do what pigs want to do. And that's all.

We ran those pigs up and down that hill. A LOT. Also had a dog chasing them. And a cattle prod. And lots of sticks.

Well, needless to say, the pigs will be staying in their little piece of heaven for 3 more weeks. They won this time.

Speaking of changed plans. I had talked myself out of breeding the sheep this year. I just didn't want to go through what we did the last time. But, the more I thought about it, the more I thought about it. I had a few people asking about lambs. So I have talked myself into breeding just 5 of the older ewes. Darla, Annabelle, her daughter Buttercup, Adele and her daughter Cassadee.

I'm going to also take the 2 wethers to the butcher Oct. 6th. Already have them sold. I need money! Then I will start looking for a ram. A friend has Finn rams, so will probably get one from her.

I'll take the other 5 ewes, Adalaide, Amarillo, Campbelle, Cara and Cameron out along with the 2 alpacas and put them in another pasture til the other 5 ewes are bred. Then I'll keep the ram with Oden, the buck, in the back yard.

Speaking of Oden the buck. He's coming home next week. Then he will be with Freja and Olga for awhile. I'll keep the 2 little does away til I think the big girls are bred.

So, some changes around here.

And speaking of changes again, it's the first day of fall y'all!!!!! So fun! It was a warm day though. I have had to water the garden a lot because no rain. Sure could use some. The garden is coming along real nice. Should be able to go back to the farmer's market next weekend.

I like change, really.

Milk machine...

I'm just milking Freja once a day now. It takes 2 days to get half a gallon. But it's worth it. I love goat milk!

I'll get my buck Oden back the end of September. Then he goes in with Olga and Freja for awhile. Hopefully there will be kids in March.

The chickens are out again...

and back in the garden.

I did get the electric netting fence around most all of the kale and collards, so I hope the rest will be ok. I tried to block off all the holes around the fence too. But Black Bart is the first one out there. And he clucks so the girls follow him. Darn ole rooster.

I got more collards and turnips planted Tuesday and watered in really good.  Today I planted 2 rows of carrots to the right of the radishes. I think I'll plant a few more rows of radishes later.

So far, it's looking good out here in the garden. Buckwheat has flowers already. The bees are bringing in lots of bright yellow pollen right now. So I hope they'll have lots of honey to make it through the winter. I hope I don't have to start feeding them for awhile.

I am feeding the humming birds about every 4 days now. They come let me know when the feeder's about empty. I added a full cup of sugar this morning for them. They are getting ready for their long flight soon. I see them all over the place, in the window box and the flowers. I was sitting out under the cedar tree in the garden the other day knitting and I heard them all in the tree. I love them.

What's going on in your gardens right now? Anyone planting fall crops?

Cardigan and old rocker.

I started this cardigan a few weeks ago in my knitting class. I hope to have it finished in a few weeks. But it sure is boring right now. Purl a row, knit a row. Boring. And I have some pretty noticeable holes in a few places. Don't know how that happened. But last night, I thought about just embroidering some cute little flowers over the holes when I'm finished. Good solution, I think! I can't wait to get this done now.

I also got my very favorite magazine a few days ago. Taproot. I love it. There is a pattern for a Cicily shawl I want to make. Just about every issue has some knitting patterns and lots of other crafty things to make. This issue also has the instructions for how to make a cloth basket out of clothes line rope. So looks like I will have plenty to do.

 And this is my new old rocker. I took it down the road to the people who made my farm sign to make a new rung for it last month. Christina brought it back yesterday and it's now back on the front porch of my studio, where it's been for years. It came with this house, so I know it's pretty old. I love this rocker. And now it rocks so much better. I will get a lot of knitting done out here now.

I just need to stain the new rung now and it'll look better.