Just a pile of fiber.

This is the Hobbit Barn. It's so little and the right side is very short. I don't know how many times I've whacked my head and said some really bad things.And most of it is really old oak. it's like metal. Cannot get a nail in it to save a life. But, it's not going anywhere, this Hobbit Barn! The man who built it, he made things to last just about forever.

There are 2 long areas to the left. The far one has a wide opening. When we first bought this place, there was a really old car in it. But one of the family came and got it.

It needs a new roof put on, because there are some leaky places. But I like it. It keeps animals warm and safe in winter. Mostly dry when it rains.

So I put all the sheep in here yesterday, waiting on a guy to come shear the 2 wethers. I have to take them to the butcher Tuesday morning. So didn't want to waste their fleeces.  And the lady who has been supposed to come since March, has not shown up yet. So found a young man who has just started shearing. He went to a school at MTSU last year. He's shorn some sheep, but still learning. I thought he could practice some more on mine.

Annabelle, wanting out of the barn.

I asked him if he wanted to practice on some more. Poor Darla has been miserable. So he said sure.  Here's Darla. She's huge! They were really impressed with her wool. It's about 6". Really nice fiber.

                                                              I just love this picture.

This is my favorite lamb, Campbelle. She's so little. She's the smallest of the quads. And looks so much smaller now that she's got all her wool off. We got all 4 of the quads done. Annabelle and Darla and Buttercup. Man, was she a wild mess! I still have not got to get too close to that one. Her mother, Annabelle, is finally letting me scratch her head now, after 3 years.

                                                              Campbelle, naked.

                                                                   Annabelle, naked.

Cameron, being sheared. She was so good. And her wool is beautiful. All grey and brown and black. Even had a little white mixed in there too.

Here's the 3 black sheep. The 2 on the left are the boys. I think I am going to have a really hard time taking them to the butcher. I have never really been too sad to see any animals go. I know this is what they're for. But these 2 guys are so sweet. And their fleece is so pretty. I'm probably going to cry over this.

Don't know what happened, but these 2 pics got stuck together. You can see the fluffy girls up there. Amarillo, on the right, was going to be sheared. They had her. But she went all crazy and jumped over the panel at the entrance of the barn. So off she went and there was no catching her. And it was getting late and they needed to leave. So Cara, Adele and Cassidy didn't get sheared either. When I let those 3 out of the barn, they ran leaping to the others. It was so funny!

And when we let each sheep out after being sheared, the others would all come running to see who it was. They'd do some sniffing, then head butting, then wander off for some grass. It's funny, watching them. They all look so much smaller. But I am pleased with how they all looked after shearing. Very healthy weights. And their eyes looked great, really pink! So didn't have to worm any of them. Very happy with how they looked.

11 bags of wool right there. From 8 sheep. Darla, Buttercup and Annabelle all had to have 2 bags. Lots of wool on those girls.

I am thinking about sending it all to a mill. There's supposed to be a new mill in N. Ga. now.

This is just half of Annabelle's fleece. There's a whole other bag full. It's not too dirty. Lots of grass and hay in there, though.

So pretty! Can't wait to get it all cleaned and start spinning now! But 12 fleeces might take awhile.

Anyone want to come help skirt, wash, card and spin now?

35

As of March 7th, when I started this real food journey, I have lost 35 pounds! I really never have gone this long without giving up way sooner than this. And I have never lost this much weight. I'd never been this heavy either.

And all I did was stop eating anything with flour, of any kind, and sugar. Also had to stop drinking coffee, because I had to have sweet cream in it. That's about all I've done.

So I started thinking of some of the reasons I am still on this journey today.

1- I FEEL SO GOOD! I guess within a few days, I noticed how much better I felt. I mean, when I'd get up out of bed in the mornings, I felt like I'd been in a marathon. Just sore all over. I couldn't even cross my legs or put my arms behind my back. I can now!

2- I don't hurt when I eat real food like I did when I ate crappy food. It really did hurt to even eat a sandwich or chips or fries. But I loved them so much, I'd eat them anyway. I actually ate a handful of chips a few days ago. And it hurt. Didn't like it at all.

3- My face is not as red as it used to get when I'd do anything.

4- Oh, and my hands. I always thought I had arthritis, especially in my right hand. I hand milked goats for 10 years, so thought that was how that happened. It hurt to even make a fist or cross my fingers. But I can now! No pain at all! I had sold all my goats last year. Bought 2 does last month and am milking one of them twice a day now. No problems at all.

5- I do not have any health or dental insurance at all. I cannot afford to be sick. This is the main reason that I am doing this. I do not want to be dependent on any kind of drugs or doctors. I have never been one to run to a doctor anyway. And I do not want to have to be on any medications. I'd rather just be on good food.

6- I don't belch anymore either! I used to do that all day long. It was gross. I hated it. But when a person eats so much, like I did, it produces lots of gas, and it has to come out somehow. I am not doing that any more.

7- Also, at night, I'd have to rub my nose with Vicks, just to breath when I'd lay down. Not any more.

8-I am sick of fat clothes! They are just down right ugly to me and I just don't like the way they fir me! Seriously, anything over a size 16 is horrible to me. Like a big ole sack. I want to wear pretty clothes that fit nice. I want to wear overalls again. And cute skirts.And dresses.

9-I'm tired of being the biggest person in my family. My brother and sister were always smaller than me. I always felt awkward around them. My mom is only 100 pounds. I'm afraid I'm going to hurt her if I hug too hard.

10- I just want to be healthy. Just a healthy person. There is nothing wrong with being a little over weight, but not for me. It was just getting uncomfortable for me. When it's even hard to bend over to tie my shoes, that's bad. When I can't cross my legs, that's bad. When my stomach sits on my lap, that's bad. When I can't see my feet, that's bad.

So today, I weigh 215. I still feel really big. I am not going to buy or make clothes til I get below 200. And I will! I have to. For me.

I'm sure I'll think of lots more reasons later. But this is enough for now. I'll talk more about what I eat in another post. But I am loving this way of life for me. It's also made my husband lose some weight and feel a bit better too. He has a little more energy.

Thank you all for reading my posts and for being so encouraging to me. I need it.

In the garden.

It has done nothin' but rain the past week here. I know, I am NOT complaining at all. We have got nothing like in other parts of the country, I feel so bad for all the people in Houston and surrounding areas. And now Arkansas and Idaho. So sad. It's just rained  for an hour or so. Sometimes really hard, sometimes stormy with high winds. But nothing too serious here. Just right for the gardens though.

I only have 6 cabbages. I have had a hard time the past several years getting them to make heads. These were looking promising, but I do believe I have a rabbit that likes cabbage. And cabbage moths too. So don't know if I'll get cabbage or not. I need another bag of DE to put on everything out there.

Little baby squashes! It's also been awhile since we've had success with squash and zucchini. But looking good so far!

Of course, I have never had a problem with the radishes. They grow great here. The beets now, they are slow, but growing finally.

This is the collards and kale mix up. I forgot I had planted collard seeds, then planted kale seeds. Then I forgot I had planted anything a few days later, and tilled half the row before I remembered I'd planted it. But the part I tilled has come up so much better than the other side. Did the same thing at the end of this row, where I had planted the organic kale seeds I got from Taryn at Wooly Moss Roots in Oregon. They are now coming up good! So I guess maybe next time I plant seeds, a few days later I'll till the rows.

This is the 4 dill plants I got from my friend Jane at Pocket Farm, over the ridge from me. And the bell peppers, cabbage and squash. Also tilled a row and put more kale in. But I didn't till later and they aren't coming up near as good as the other row is.

My husband wandered out to the garden Monday, after breakfast. He said he's tired of falling asleep after eating. Well, it's because he goes right from the table to his recliner in front of the tv. He's been blaming all the pills he takes. I don't know about that. So I told him he needed to go outside after eating and do something. I put him to work in the garden. He hoed the corn rows. Did a great job too. He used to do that in Indiana when he was a kid. I got some Blue Lake pole beans to plant in the corn when the corn gets about another foot taller.

These are some marigolds that popped up from last year. Of course, in between the rows of beans and peas. So I just till and mow around them. I love marigolds.

And of course my 2nd favorite flowers, the wild daisy, is coming up all all over the gardens. I am leaving most of them, because I love them. I had to show my husband what they were so he'd leave the ones in the corn alone. Because he's a man, and he seems to like killing things.

So the garden is really looking great so far. I have been weeding and mulching a lot. I have to still tie the rest of the tomato plants we staked last week. They are growing like weeds!

I hope y'all aren't being flooded by all this rain and are able to plant a garden.