Wildlife on the Farm

I have added a Sunday nuno felting class on June 9, from 10:30 to 1 p.m. I have a wet felting class this weekend with room for a few more. We will be making a bowl that can be turned into a yarn bowl.

 On a dreary day last week, I took a walk about the farm. I discovered this turtle on the path that I walk from the house to the animal barn. The face looks somewhat like a face, if you enlarge it. Fast moving turtle. I came back after half hour and it was nowhere to be found.

 I finally made it to the pond with my camera. This goose has been sitting about 2 weeks ow, so I hope to see goslings in about a week. Her nest is about a foot above the pond water level and surrounded by weeds.

 The beaver is now long gone, but his lodge remains. It is very easy to spot now that everything else has turned green.

Technically, Shetland sheep would not be called wildlife, but they do tend to be distrustful. Spots had triplets and, sure enough, she has not been able to feed them all. This was the little guy that kept getting left out, so I am now bottle feeding him. He has learned to come up to me for the bottle, but he keeps me at arm's length . He does not like being picked up and he runs as soon as he feels full.

I started a new design at the Hampton, Virginia show. It is freeform, so it will not have a pattern.The back is almost done, so I will post a photo next time.

I have pulled the Pantone colors for fall and winter. Currently I am working in shades of natural black and brown to create freeform knit and crochet kits.

I discovered that one of the Shetland/Border Leicester crosses is pregnant. I am currently spinning her fleece. It is one of the blackest to date. And, Columbian is still hanging in there, getting bigger every day. They are the only two left to deliver.

In other news, we lost Pearl last week. She became a pet back when I first started raising animals. I was sorry to see her go. She gave me some awesome lambs over the years. I am castrating her last two lambs and keeping them. They are 1/2 Merino, 1/4 Shetland and 1/4 Border Leicester. They feel like Merino and are a lovely white. Not as sticky as the Merinos, so they will be a lovely addition to my flock.

Hurricane, Beavers and Woodbine Fiber Festival

 I took this photo the day before the rains started. Gorgeous colors of autumn that are now gone.

 Since most of my shows are now art shows, I am trying to make more finished items. The scarf above used 28 yards of my supercoils and I added two copper accents to create a closure.

 The Woodbine Fiber Festival was mall this year since the storm was coming in the next day and everyone was busy preparing for it. Those who came had fun and, as always new friends were made. I actually sent some of my fleeces home with Heather of Sweitzer's Mill, PA, to have them spun into lace weight yarn suitable for the Green Crochet Shawl.

 Last week we discovered that a beaver had dug a channel in our pond and created himself a lodge at the north end. He is very industrious, but we are managing to keep the water flowing - Marc is going out twice a day to uncover the manhole that allows the water to flow south. His lodge is the pile of cattails and wood just to the left of the tree trunk.

 I actually spotted the beaver checking his perimeter during the storm. The two pictures above were taken during the height of the storm, so I was really glad that they kind of turned out.

All of the animals went into the barn on Monday morning. The wind was coming in horizontal, so their shelters were not working out. I managed to get all 100 of them in. If it does not rain today, I will slowly start moving them out. The areas where the goats usually hang out is still too wet to let them out.

I head to the Oaks, PA, Sugarloaf tomorrow. I plan to leave later than originally planned in hopes that the road cleanup will have been finished. Don't know that many people will come out, but I have committed to doing the show.

I have scheduled a art yarn classes and nuno felting since they have been the most requested:

Art Yarn Class: November 8, 2012 11-4 as well as Dec 13, 2012 10-3


Nuno Felting: Nov 10, 2012 10-1

Drop Spindling Set your own date.

Evening classes available upon request.