BRRRR

The coldest December I can remember in a long time is upon us. Windy!!!! Frozen hoses in the barn, tank heaters plugged in and hands so cold that I injured one and don't know how or when I did it. The injury makes barn chores longer and I don't know if I will be able to continue my job at the local orchard building seasonal fruit baskets. Tomorrow will be the test.

The Bobcat and I have come to an agreement this year. It starts for me! Up until recently it never did but it seems to sense that I need all the help I can get moving the large bales purchased form a local dairy farmer from the pick up bed to the barn. It needed gas so I tried to pour what little was left in the can into the Bobcat in the wind and half the gas poured down my sleeve. BRRR. As long as no one strikes a match near me I'll be fine but the sheep wonder who I am. Sure don't smell like Mom.

I left for the barn this afternoon leaving Bill and the dog asleep on his chair. It's one of those chairs that lifts Bill to an almost vertical position. Well, while I was gone, the dog hit the button and Bill and Rusty rose from a comfortable reclined position to almost being catapulted out the window! When I came in Bill, was screaming in a half awake state while Rusty clung to Bill's shoulder fearfully. Katy Perry was warbling away on the Ellen Show. The other dogs, dozed through the whole ordeal without moving. The whole picture struck me funny and Bill even managed to laugh with me after he calmed down. Gotta love those dogs.

It's suppose to get colder but the winds will calm. At least we don't have snow like so much of the US. Molly says our temperature are balmy compared to what they have had in Utah. 2010 is going out with a BANG.

Shades Of Shetland Shawl

I made this as a gift but since I've worn it several times so I'd better keep this one and make another! Don't want to give a used gift! It is handspun wool from the different colors of my Shetlands. It is so soft and warm and was so easy to make!

Today I got inspired to spin Shetland from several different fellow breeders and
call this shawl Friendly Shades of Shetland. I've got beautiful soft moorit roving from the Lloyds in Colorado, some soft white from Ramsay Farms in Minnesota and several colors from Celtic Herd right down the road. Along with my colors this shawl should be spectacular. Glad I've got tomorrow off so I can just sit and spin!

A PA Yankee Goes South

Collard greens,sweet potato pie,butter beans and a ride on my son in law's Harley. Not exactly a yankee celebration but soo much fun.

Happy Thanksgiving

There's always that one rude relative who shows up for dinner!

Anne Priest

As I blogged yesterday about going from a city slicker to a shepherd I kept thinking about a dear friend who went from NY actress to shepherd. She sold her NYC loft to purchase her beautiful farm in the country. Several years ago she wrote "Trafficking In Sheep" an autobiography. It detailed yearly trips to Nova Scotia with her flock and her summers on Blue Island. At 83 she still did her chores and lived with her dogs and flock still taking those summer trips to Canada . We always met at the Rhinebeck NY show, often spending the evenings together at her beautiful home on the hill. She was a gracious hostess and such a delight to share hours with over a leg of lamb and Jack Daniels. Good times and conversation never to be forgotten.

Last night I got a call that Anne had died doing her chores. It makes me sad that we have lost a wonderful BFL breeder but I smile to think that her passing amidst her flock was the perfect ending to her life as a shepherd. She will live forever in my memory. She was one of those unforgettable people for good reasons.

Forgettable

This was a week of reunions. Running into my ex after 10 years, watching Lillian again after 5 weeks off, a spinning guild reunion and a high school reunion.

Meeting my ex reminded me that my second life full of kids, sheep and friends is the best of times. So different from what it would have been.

Having Lillian and the joy of 5 year old companionship for 3 days was exhausting but fun. She makes me laugh as we do things that you can only get away with when you have a little one with you.

The spinners reunion was great. This sheepy life has given me such good times and friends.

The HS reunion in NJ was fun and so thought provoking! I learned that I am forgettable! I am not the dork that I thought everyone would recall! It was fun watching everyone read my name tag and smile at me with total lack of recognition in their eyes. Having taught for 25 years, I know that there are more forgettable kids than unforgettable and the ones whose memories linger are there for good reason.... like the boy I had who could pop his glass eye out and laugh as it rolled under the surrounding desks causing general chaos and disruption. Now that's unforgettable! I was just another gray blazer and plaid skirt that dashed through the halls.
As I looked around the room, I felt removed from the women I saw. When asked what I did since retirement my tales of 76 sheep, truck trips to festivals and the wonderful smell of sheep fell on half listening ears and blank stares. I kept my hands in my lap to conceal my broken nails and lack of nail polish. I'd come a long way from the New York metropolitan area but no regrets. We had to sing the alma mater (good thing it was printed in the program) and a few women began to cry. My two companions and I rolled our eyes and passed notes just as we did in HS. Only this time the notes said,"Is the bar still open?"
My only regret was that the math teacher who threw erasers at me for being unable to solve for X and then gave me detention for chalkdust on my blazer wasn't there. I was looking for her. Wonder if she found me forgettable????

The ID

At least that's how I think we'd spell this Muslim holiday in English. My Bosnian customers came to butcher rams today. They all had farms in Bosnia and are an education to watch. I learn something every time they butcher here. You should see the skins they took off. OOO lala. I already have them salted. One man and his son gave me fresh meat as a gift. Gifting some of the meat is part of the slaughter tradition. Never done anything with fresh lamb before so I asked them lots of questions and now have it slowly roasting with garden herbs. Smells good.