Wednesdays with Tech Support

Here it is another Wednesday and my computer is gone again. This time no one at tech support can even begin to fix it. After 8 hours (yes 8, a record) on the phone, I have no prospects for getting cyber connections soon. Sooo I am here at the library using their high speed internet. COOL This is so much better than my Verizon aircard connection. Who knew things could connect this fast. Welcome to the 21st century, Kathy! Now I really support gov't funding for the library system with a passion. If you need me, call.

BFL Roving

Several spinners have asked for pictures of my BFL rovings for sale. These wild colors are all I have presently but will have more in time for Rhinebeck in 3 weeks. Order by number. Price...$32. per pound. White Shetland roving is $28. per pound.

Shetland Mode

My Shetland flock was not by choice. In 2002, a local woman came by and unloaded 5 Shetland ewes and 4 lambs from her horse trailer. For 5 years they just lived on the lawn in electric net fencing being bred by different rams I selected for soft fleece. They were funny little things,especially one ram from NC that terrorized us. It wasn't until several customers at MDSW went crazy over my fleeces did I realize I had something. That ignited my interest in the breed and really connected me to my maternal Scottish ancestry.I love spinning Shetland and am really into knitting traditional patterns. The one I wore at BSG was a combination of Shetland and BFL. That pattern was the hardest thing I have ever knit. This triangle shawl was easy. My spinning isn't Shetland fine but the shawl still floats on your shoulders.Can't wait to knit another pattern after I finish reading Dr. Bowie's book on Shetland animals that Garrett suggested. Hope there's a NASSA trip to Scotland next year. My hardy Shetlands are my comic relief and just so easy. Who would have thought that 9 years ago before Shetlands.

My 3 TTT's

Usually I am quite patient. Teaching first grade taught me that. BUT there are 3 things all starting with T that will send me off in a big way. TIME...can't stand tardiness or waiting for people. TRAFFIC...will drive miles out of my way to escape it. And TECHNOLOGY...electrical cords,chargers,batteries,computers. I refer to myself as the perfect 19th century person. My computer pushed my T button big time this week. HACKED Why me? I only turn it on once a day and do emails. Well, when I turned it on Monday everything was gone. Who would want hundreds of sheep pictures??? I called my "good friends" at Tech support. My folder there is heavy enough to need a fork lift. Every tech there knows me by name. Since we do not have a high speed connection it takes hours to download and upload so while that happens, we chat. So far we have discussed population in India and the impact of swine flu, places to order a kilt, retirement in the Ozarks, my kids, and the best Scotch. Monday night we worked from 11 til 2AM getting things sorted out.My record with support is 6 hours. I must say tho that I have learned so much more about my computer and actually amaze myself when I can do something independently! Thank you guys and girls at tech support. I'm still having issues with my printer but after a few glasses of Scotch who cares. Hope my SCRAPIE records are on a backup disc.

Andrea Minicozzi came to visit today and took home G25, in the picture with Samantha my best farm helper. It was great to find a home for him since he has one of those "touch it once and you love it fleeces." I hope he does a great job breeding her Black welsh ewes. From what she tells me, he was ready to work as soon as she put him in the barn.
Unfortunately, Andrea and her friend could not stay for a visit. I felt like I did when Garrett, Rayna and Becky and I got together at Becky's home last year and I had to leave too soon to get back for my sister-in-law's wonderful dinner. Sometimes you just want to sit and talk sheep! It's an obsession. Life is so much better if you have a passion and share it with others who also have the same interest. What a great way to learn.
Andrea and I will get together again soon AND I will drive to MN again for a longer visit. That's a threat Garrett and Becky. I want to visit with LeeAnne too.

Rescues

Several weeks ago my 4 year old day care child Lillian and I took an aenemic,limp Romney ewe lamb home from a local farm. Lillian immediately named her Whitey. Dewormed,medicated and loved, Lilly and I found Whitey walking out to the road 3 days later. We no longer had to lift her to get her on her feet. Putting her in with the Blues didn't work. Whitey hated them and refused to go near them. SHE had decided she was a Shetland. Putting her in with the wee terrors was so funny to watch. In true Shetland style, they wanted nothing to do with this stranger. She was butted at the feeder and tormented. Since she needed calories, Lilly and I supervised feeding to ensure that Whitey got enough grain. Last week Whitey started butting the Shetlands back. Her wool is peeling off but the pink skin underneath reassures us that life is good for Whitey.
Yesterday, my husband directed a dumptruck driver to unload "topsoil" from our neighbor's driveway project in our front yard. We live on a piece of PA that does not have one level acre so Bill has made it his life's mission to collect enough dirt to turn this place into the great plains of PA. We have piles of dirt everywhere. Even the local gravediggers bring the dirt here. A woman at the local market once referred me to the woman married to dirt man. Well in yesterday's pile of topsoil, there was a well rooted little evergreen shrub. There was a perfect spot for it by the barn so I planted it. Shall I name it Greenie and hope for the same result?

It's Suddenly Fall

After the horrible humidity last week, I woke up to a wonderful cool morning. Suddenly, my energy was back, so I sorted the ewes and put the BFL rams in. From the looks of things, they were glad it was fall too. Isn't it funny how the separation of the ewes is painful to some. I had about 6 ewes pining for a friend that had been moved into another group. They are still standing at a gate bawling. 2 ran to me as if to say,"You made a mistake,I don't belong here!" Even though my flock numbers 90,all my sheep have names and personalities that distinguish them. It annoys me when people refer to them as "dumb". It's obvious people who say that don't work with sheep on a daily basis.

My Shetland ram will go in October 1st, since putting him in early doesn't give me lambs sooner than March anyway. He had a head banging temper tantrum when he realized he was not to be reunited with his girls. Dealing with him from now on will not be as easy as it was all summer. I love the mellowness of my BFL rams in comparison.

I was really happy with my ewe lambs this morning. They are growing well and starting to become quite stylish. Usually ewe lambs here are all exposed to a ram but this year I don't think I will exposed more than the 3 largest ones. The yearlings that did not lamb last spring are all so much larger than those that lambed. The yearling that had twins has a lot of catching up to do.


My son Tim left for Europe last Monday. He's been in Athens with my nephew and his wife so he has been calling,thanks to Vonage, and emailing daily. Today he left for Venice on the Greek ferry system so we are incommunicado for 2 days. I'm not liking this. Now I understand why my husband gets so nervous when I drive cross country by myself. Tim's final destination is Prague, where he will be studying for 2 months.