Shearing the sheep again.

Today, the sheep shearer came. I have never had the sheep sheared twice a year before. But as hot as it's been, I just felt like they could use another shear before winter. Their wool had grown pretty long. So I called and they were able to come today.

I waited til they were almost here to get the sheep where I wanted them. But, they knew something was up. And they didn't want any part of it. They would not go where I had it all set up for them to be. A good sheep herding dog would have been great to have right about then. I got my 2 dogs, Bubba and Stella, thinking they might scare the sheep into the penned area. But they were absolutely worthless!

So I just waited. I had the feed trough over there with feed and good alfalfa hay in it. They all finally went in and I get the fence shut. All but Darla. She didn't want to go to this party. We did finally get her though.

This is Darla. I love this picture. Someone said it looked like she was smiling. I really don't think she was at all. If you could have seen these sheep, they were not happy about this at all. But I know that after it's all said and done, they are happy. And they all look SO much better without all that dirty hot wool on. They look so clean and white. Well, except Cameron. I love her without wool. She's so black.

But do you see an odd ball sheep here? I do. Next year, Amarillo will be the very first sheep to be caught and sheared!  She is absolutely crazy! She was the last sheep in the pen and she didn't want to be. I tolf the guys they should get her before they get Adalaide. But too late. Amarillo got out. Then she went right through the 16' welded wire cattle panel and took it with her. She bent that fence in half. And she went over onto her neck, which I thought she broke. We got her out and she took off for the hills! Crazy sheep!

So she is the only one who didn't get sheared. And she's messing up the whole clean look of the flock. Ugh!

This is Annabelle. Her wool is what I've been dyeing.

And Adalaide. Her wool is really not good. It's so kinky. I can use it for felting or dryer balls though. She looks so good sheared and cleaned.

And my favorite baby, Campbelle. She's the sweetest one of the whole bunch.

Then the crazy ewe. She really is crazy. And she's Campbelle and Cameron's mother. How are they so sweet and nice and their mother is crazy?

So, 7 more bags of wool to add to the 30 something bags here in my studio. Oh my goodness, when will I ever get all this wool cleaned, carded and spun?? I am having so much fun spinning alpaca now too. I'm spinning Misha's reddish-brown fiber and thinking I might just knit myself a sweater with it. I just might have to.