PUSSY WILLOWS-ONE MITTEN FINISHED

GREETING

The weather has been crazy.  One day last week we had 3 inches of rain.  Roads and driveways washed out.

Rivers overflowed their banks.  Only a few patches of snow left in the woods.  Maple sugaring season has started.  Buckets are out and steam is coming from sugar houses and yes its mud season here.

PUSSY WILLOWS

  Every year its gets harder and harder to reach the pussy willows. I am trimming them and have started some branches to root in water

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MITTENS

I have started the second mitten  I have made a pair of these before but remember having an easier time with the decreasing on the top .  They are a dense mitten which will surely keep my hands warm.

FIBERuary is over and It was fun and  I learned so much from each blogger and presenter at Sheep and Shawl.  Be sure to check in with Sheep and Shawl and The FIBERuary site for more events that will be happening throughout the year.

CHICKENS

The two coops have merged and things have settled down.  The weather has been so warm that I have taken off the insulation on the door and am letting them out every day.

Many thanks for reading my blog and I hope you have a wonderful day. Carole

 

 

 

SOME FRIGHTFUL WEATHER-THE SPINNING WHEEL SLEUTH-MITTENS

GREETINGS

This winter has been one for the record books  With very warm weather to temps plummeting to more than 15 below.  And the winds were howling and bringing wind chills  close to 35 below.  Last night we had snow and now all the trees are covered in ice.  But the temps are suppose to go up to nearly 50.  With the help of Chris we have gotten through this cold snap with no frozen pipes. What a relief.

THE SPINNING WHEEL SLUETH

This wonderful newsletter about antique wheels and looms is put together by an old friend Florence Feldman Wood.  She and I worked together with many other folks forming the first “GATHERING” a local SOAR type event held in New England.  We reconnected  when I started the FIBERuary Blog.  IF you are interested in wheels  and looms this is the newsletter to have.  There is so much information about upcoming events where to get a wheel repaired and more.

MITTENS

I can’t seem to find any of my mittens  I have  cheap pairs to wear when I am doing dirty chores but my regular ones are missing.  So this year I am making more.  I have done the fleece lined and now I am making a pair of Checker Board Mittens.

The pattern is from The Fox Geese and Fences pattern book by Robin Hansen.  I have made many mittens from this book .

Many thanks for reading my blog today. Carole

 

WINTER IS HERE-SHEEP FRIGHT-SPINNING

GREETINGS

It’s a winter wonderland out there today.  Lil was sledding  and snow flakes flying through the air.  We are supposed to get bitter temps over the weekend so I will try and bundle up the house more.

SHEEP FRIGHT

Last night I went up to feed the sheep later than usual around 7 pm.  There were no sheep in the barn and it was so dark I couldn’t see them in the pasture.  I called and called with no one baaing  or coming..  With all the talk about coyotes and the recent article on FIBERuary about them I panicked.  In a last ditch effort I opened the grain bin and they all came running covered with snow.  This small flock has never been known to sleep outside.  My Border Leicesters always did.    With coyotes around I am keeping them in at night and will be sure to get them in before dark from now on end.

 

SPINNING

I am spinning everyday now trying to get all those bags of wool turned into yarn, and eventually into rugs, mittens, hats and scarves. Yesterdays spinning was Alpaca, and I am almost finished with that bag.  Still have one more bag of  alpaca to spin which I will get started on today.  I am going to ply it with a dark wool for added strength and then make a hoodie scarf with it.

Many thanks for reading my blog on this now bright sunny winters day.  Hope you have a wonderful day.  Carole

 

 

SNOW DAY-I AM IN THE HAY AGAIN-FIBERuary

GREETINGS

The  cold has returned and along with it came some snow.   We were only suppose to get a couple of inches but got around 4.  Walking is very difficult, it seems like there is ice everywhere beneath the snow

I AM IN THE HAY AGAIN

Hay is a precious commodity when you have sheep.  I buy from 3 or so hay farmers every year.  This year was a very poor year for making hay and it was in a limited supply.  So far I have gone through the three farmers and they are out.  Luckily a farmer a stones throw away from my farm has some second cut and I am welcome to buy it as long as it lasts.  So for the time being my sheep will have that.  At the same time I inquired about a  place to pasture my sheep during the summer.   My sheep used to go on what we called Summer Camp for the summer and they loved it.  I really missed them and found it harder and harder to move fence and walk in ruddy pasture.  So for the past 4 or 5 years they have been at home all year round.  Which means being fed hay all year .   There are things in the pasture for them to nibble on just not enough.  Tim (the hay man) brought up a possible problem that I have been thinking about even if the sheep remain here.  Coyotes are always howling across the river and this year for the first time I heard one on my mountain range.  As much as I loved Elliott I don’t want another Llama.  I don’t know what to do about it.  I really am not interested in having a guard  dog either but something will have to be done.

FIBERuary

If you have not visited FIBERuary please do.  There are wonderful articles with many more to come    I will be giving a talk tomorrow on Stories from the farm at Sheep and Shawl, please join me there.

Many thanks for reading my blog on this winters day  Hope you  are all enjoying your day.  Carole