Frolic 'n Fibers

What's In a Game?

2010-11-28T07:58:00.000-08:00

I started making presents for my family about three years ago, when I discovered Etsy. I'd been long disenchanted with the way the tide was turning in the Commercial Toy world. Due to a constant flood of advertising,we are made to feel cheap or unworthy if we can't fulfill our children's every desire, and this at a time when most families are just getting by. When I discovered Etsy, I decided to join the Handmade Movement, and stand up to Commercialism. But how to do it? How could I make something for my grandchildren that could possibly compete with Walmart and Best Buy? Hmmmmm....

I put my thinking cap on and tried to remember back when I was in their shoes. When I was a little girl we had one black and white television with no remote control. We got three stations. Barbie was not yet a household word, and computers were something out of a sci-fi magazine. I had a number of different "favorite games" and when I look back on them now, they all taught me something. I used to play "grocery store", a game in which my Stay-at-home-mom would lay out all manner of canned goods around the living room, and I would push my play grocery cart around and pick out this weeks fare. At the end of the game Mom would be the cashier, tallying up the totals and taking my play money. Sometimes I had to put back the twinkies because I was low on cash. Menu planning, frugality, and addition were some of the skills I learned from this game.

My favorite of all fun-times were Saturdays at Grandpa's. Every other Saturday my Dad and my Uncle would take me and my cousins out to visit Grandpa. Grandpa had few toys, and even less money for treats. But he had a fruit orchard and made all his own jams, and each Saturday morning he would make us hot cakes from scratch (deep fried in Crisco oil!) with homemade jam on top. While the cakes were frying, my cousins and I were allowed to play "kitchen" in the garage. Grandpa's play kitchen consisted of a wooden box with two plastic basins on top. One held a miriad of discarded kitchen utensils...a bent spoon, a broken ladel, an old potato masher, a set of measuring spoons with two missing. The other basin held sand. I will never forget the fun we would have making all manner of delicacies for ourselves and our baby dolls...that was more fun than any three girls ever had!

These memories fresh in my mind, my first homemade project was "kitchen sets" for my five grandaughters. I made them all aprons with their names embroidered on them, and set them up with all the utensils needed for a well stocked kitchen. I gathered most of these from my attic, but found some at the local Goodwill and a few choice items at garage sales :) I then made them home-made "play dough" and dyed rice and beans in kool aid to complete the cupboard. With their mothers in mind, I then bought each one a plastic table cloth to lay out of the floor before each "cooking session" which could be shook out in the yard after playing. They absolutely loved it, and trust me, there is nothing like seeing a homemade gift being enjoyed (again and again!) by your children!

Since then I've made many other handmade gifts for my grandgirls and have since expanded to cover the rest of the family as well. It's no longer just about battling commercialism and the almighty dollar. It's not just about teaching our children how to "pretend" and how important that is. For me it's also about sharing a little bit of myself with my family. I'm hoping that someday I can be a part of some special memory, just like my Mom and my Grandpa are a part of mine.

A Day at The Spa...kindof.

2010-08-06T15:58:00.001-07:00

Well we've been working on getting our "llama shearing stall" completed and it's taken (so-what-else-is-new) longer than expected, but we're finally in the "90% done and usable as-is" stage! Today Blue Skies and Cholula took their turns and except for one small moment when Cholula decided that she only wanted to be half sheared (we got one side done, and she tried to cush, almost hanging herself and fully panicking myself), all went pretty well. But the best part of the day was bath time, after all the shearing was done and everything cleaned and put away. Since it's gotten up in the upper 90's and even triple digits lately, the girls have really taken to the water. Every afternoon they get their barn misters turned on, for a little llama air-conditioning, and most afternoons they get a hosing off. Here's a few pics of some wet but happy llamas :)

Holidays with the Grandgirls!

2010-05-22T07:14:00.000-07:00

We were so lucky this year to be able to spend some quality time with our Grandgirls over the last holidays. Easter was spent at Auntie's house with Mike and Shyla. I love the "Anticipating" Easter" picture of Shyla! She and Mike are here, all dressed up and "going for a walk". And of course it wouldn't be Easter without my cousin Carol and my Auntie June. We all need to get together for our share of Wine-ing and Whining each year about this time!

Then Les and I got to babysit "the girls" while Jen and Robert went to a concert in Portland. Lucky me...it fell on Mother's Day! Cindy, Em and Mel made a "tissue paper boquet" for their mom and then we all baked some cookies for "Mom" but somehow most of the batter went to the Cooks...as well it should be!
Here's the finished product!

More Teddy Pics and Llamas in the Front Yard

2010-05-10T16:11:00.001-07:00

Here's some recent Teddy pics. He's growing like a weed and then some! He's still just precious, but getting to that 7 or 8 yr old boy stage...the one where they say "Awww Mom, please don't hug me in front of the guys!" I can still get him to fall asleep in my lap though :) We finally let the llamas out in the front yard. I've been trying to get Les to let me do it forever and he finally gave up the fight. To be honest, I think he just couldn't face mowing the lawn this year...it was getting a bit out of hand. The girls are loving it! And last, but not least, here's some pics of T before the big shearing day. I haven't weighed his fleece yet, but it's got to be at least 10 pounds. That's a whole lotta T!

Meet Teddy Bear!

2010-04-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

We have a new addition to the family! His name is Theodore (Teddy for short) and he was born to Sadie Lady Wednesday evening. She is a wonderful mama and is taking good care of him. Today he became "king of the straw bale" and is hopping around and feeling his oats!

Welcome to the Woman Cave!

2010-03-16T15:54:00.000-07:00

My husband calls my new studio my Woman Cave...and it appears to be true, because I am so comfortable in my new "happy place"! Here's a few pics of my studio and my second Spinning Class which I held last weekend. It was called "From Hay to Handspun" and was a two day class touching on the animals, fiber preparation, dying and basic spinning techniques. The gals seemed to really enjoy it, which was so gratifying for me. Hopefully, they found a new "happy place" for themselves :)

All My Pretty Girls!

2010-03-04T09:11:00.000-08:00

Here's a picture taken yesterday of my ladies as they waited anxiously outside the "hay barn" for their breakfast.... How typical is that, I ask you?! Those girls do enjoy their food!

In this picture it looks as though Ivory might be whispering a secret to Sadie Lady, but actually she is just using Mom as a pillow, having a nice little snooze in the afternoon sun!

And finally, wasn't I the lucky Nana to be invited to my grandaughter's preschool for family day! Here's Shyla modeling the pretty necklace that she made, and Bailie creating her OOAK clay pot...such creativity! Aren't I lucky to have all these pretty girls?!

It's been some time...

2010-02-27T19:16:00.000-08:00

I've been a very baaaaaaaad blogger! So caught up in trying to get ready for Market and just taking care of "things" that I have neglected my blog. Here's some pics from today to try and make ammends :)

My boy Badger! We now have him on a diet of raw hamburger, high grade puppy chow and yogurt...along with some Probiotics and Nutritional Yeast for anticipatory digestional improvement :) Let's all keep our fingers (and paws) crossed!

Ivory....my most pretty, and most cantankerous goat! She really is lovely, but was raised with a "hands off" attitude. So that's really where we are at! We've gotten to the point of an occasional nose scratch (thanks to the advent of Peanuts), but that's about it...hopefully we'll do better with her kids!

The happy family! T and his girls! They really are sweet together. I have begun separating the girls at night so that they can become comfortable in their new kidding pen. It is directly across the barn from T's pen and he can keep an eye on them. In the mornings when I let the girls out, T can be heard "bleeeeeeeeeting" away until he realizes that they are now in the same pasture as he is! It's really too cute!

Meet Max!

2009-11-27T16:26:00.000-08:00

This has got to be a first! My husband was commissioned by a very nice lady to create some "jewelry" for a metal sculpture that she was having built. Check out these awesome photos that she sent of the finished product!

Steel My Art on Etsy's Front Page!

2009-11-27T13:07:00.000-08:00

My husband's Etsy shop Steel My Art was on Etsy's Front Page this morning with his "Oink, Oink, Oink" little piggy garden art! We are so excited! Please check it out if you get a chance!http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=27291678My

Moving Day for The Goats!

2009-11-21T17:44:00.000-08:00

Today was moving day for Badger and The Goats! It was really a little unnerving but also exciting for everyone. It took us most of the day to put the finishing touches on "Goatland" including fencing in their goat yard, moving and improving the feeder, and moving some yucky goat bedding so that they would feel more at home...oh and of course we had to move Badger's feeder as well! Boy, was everyone upset when we moved the feeders out of the old barn and into the new. I think they all thought that they would never eat again! But as you can see, we soon alleviated those fears by administering great big "goat treats"! Even Badger got a well deserved peanut butter flavored gourmet doggie cookie :)

Come play in the AppleTree House!

2009-11-20T06:41:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered this amazing new doll designer Debra Brucker. Her Etsy shop is called Apple Tree House and she makes beautiful and earth friendly Waldorf style dolls. She is currently making one with some of my yarns which are on their way to her as we "speak". I can't wait to see her latest creation! Here's wishing her continued success and here's the link to her fabulous shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/AppleTreeHouse

It's about Time!

2009-11-17T19:17:00.000-08:00

Well I guess it's about time for another post....or maybe way past! Yesterday was another "barnbuilding day" and we finished the lean-to...finally! Next step is gutters and the french drain. Then there's nothing left to do but fencing....YUK! On a more comedic (but also heartwrenching) note, check out my favorite chicken Goldie. She's not so gold anymore! I have never seen a chicken molt quite like this one! Hopefully her next set of eggs will profit from the transformation! Here's a cute pic of Mr. T, after this month's shearing. I left a little fur on his feet since he looked so cute!

Badger on the Mend and Funky Carrots

2009-08-26T12:09:00.000-07:00

It's been so long since I've blogged that I hardly know where to begin, so I'll start with some good news. When we first got our new LGD Badger, he was thin as a rail but we thought he'd fill out with all the dog food to himself. I was trying to distant myself so that Badger would bond with the goats and not with me, and with all that beautiful fur we missed how really thin he had become. Apparently he had a nasty case of worms. Thank goodness for our neighbor and big animal vet (everyone needs one of them right next door :D) because he found the worms in time and gave him the cure. Now, thanks to lots of Puppy Chow and the occasional bowl of Chicken and Rice, Badger is acting like a new dog!

Yesterday we had our first "Six Egg Day", and since we only have six chickens that is quite the accomplishment! Everyone got watermelon rinds, leftover salad and last year's canned pumpkin..."Braaaaaaack!" That's chicken for "YUM"!

The barn is coming along very slow but fairly sure. Les has been busy with his business and I with mine, and it just seems like there is never time enough in the day. To top it off, Sugarfoot got a foxtail stuck in her eye (Bless our neighbor AGAIN), and we've been having to catch her three times a day and give her antibiotic ointment (I can't begin to explain how much fun THAT is), and she has decided that she definitely does not like the process. So the majority of my day is spent dreaming up new ways to cajole her into the catch pen. So far "goat grain" seems to be the winner, but sometimes even that doesn't work :(

I don't know what happened to my carrots this year. They are about 2" in diameter, which is fine. But they are also 2" long, so that they resemble little orange legos. If they grow at all, they are REALLY funky, like these two that have grown together. I named them Di and Les... Married ten years and still cuddling...awwwwwwwwwww!

I'm an Autonomous Artisan!

2009-07-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to be a featured artist in the blog Autonomous Artisans! It is hosted by Lynne of Pirate Pixie Crew on Artfire, which is exciting in it's own right since she has such a fabulous studio! Her shop features the most adorable hand knitted hats and accessories for all those little pixies and mini pirates in your life...and also the grownup ones! Check her out at http://piratepixiecrew.artfire.com/ Oh, and click the logo above to read my article!

Featured Artfire Artisan

2009-07-01T16:43:00.000-07:00

I just found this great new shop called Nothing But String on Artfire. She is a member of my new guild "Shops With Less than Five Sales" and is the featured artisan this week. Check her out if you get a chance for beautiful crocheted jewelry and home decor. ..Her colors are amazing! The link is http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&seller_id=34490&rmore=1&op=new

Hello, I'm Stuck

2009-06-15T17:00:00.001-07:00

This is one of our new darling does. Her real name is Ivory, but I've decided that I'm going to get her one of those irritating press on name tags that we have all had to wear at one time or another, and hers will say, "Hell0. I'm Stuck"...exclamation mark! Now I am well aware that goats have a nasty reputation for getting themselves in precarious situations, mainly due to the fact that they are never content to be where they are at any given time. And I thought that my dear little Olivia was the Queen of Stuck...but NOoooo, this gal has her beat by a country mile. She's been stuck in the gate, stuck in the fence, stuck in the stall devider and most recently, stuck in the feeder. And not just one time either! So to date we have super-reinforced and goat-proofed all of the above and hopefully we have her outsmarted...or do we???? Stay tuned for the next episode of "Hello. I'm Stuck" and maybe this time I'll be able to capture it on camera!

P.S. That's her Little Miss Innocent look...pretty good huh? :D

Have Goat Will Travel

2009-06-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

As my blogger friend Claire said, "I have been a bad bad blogger!" and I do apologize for my absence. It's just been one of those months when time gets away and is somehow lost completely! We had a call from our wonderful goat people at Ronan Country Fibers, saying they needed their spare pasture and was there any way we could come and get T and Badger? At the same time someone turned on the Ornamental Iron Business switch, and all of a sudden my husband has way more work than he can handle. That means work on the barn comes to a screeching halt, and I do Markets and Farmwork until things get under control. The new fencing is not yet done and the new barn not yet completed, so we need to manufacture goat housing in a hurry!

But long story short, we finally got to go Goat Shopping, and ended up purchasing two lovely ladies to keep Mr. T company! Their official names are Satin and Ivory, but we have nicknamed them Sadie and Ivy, and they are pretty as they can be, although pretty shy...so I'm working on loosening them up a little. So far, as close as they will let me get, is talking through the goat feeder...and of course at that point they are being occupied by food, so are generally content!

We really did not intend to purchase the girls when we went to pick up Mr. T and Badger (famous last words!), but as fate had it, I fell in love with our two girls, mother and daughter, and so we squeezed everyone in. We were driving the Jimmy, so the ride home was a new experience, with my husband, myself, three goats and a very large dog! Here are a few pics of our adventure in "goat transport". Outside of a little poop in the door handle everything went amazingly well. I'm thinking of starting another business called "Have Goat Will Travel".

Growth!

2009-04-23T18:21:00.000-07:00

The coolest thing about this past week is that we have our first "new barn inhabitants"! We moved the new chicks into the new chicken coop this past weekend, and they are really enjoying themselves. It seems as though they have doubled in size over the last few days, and they are starting to do real chicken things, like cluck, peck and scratch! They look so gangly and awkward right now, that they are really a kick to watch. We're going to give it another day, and then introduce them to the big bad outside world. One or two days later we'll bring in the big girls and see how the two co-mingle. Keep your pointy chicken toes crossed!

The other development is that we finally got the upper rafters and joists up on the "top" barn roof (hopefully this will put an end to the "barn roof nightmares" that I've been having). One of the pics shows me way up in the air, weilding my trusty hammer. Now, I really do feel like a contractor...but I still get scared...what a weenie :)

Last Day of the Countdown Sale!

2009-04-13T16:09:00.001-07:00

I've been having a big sale in my Etsy shop called the Countdown to 100 Sale, and today is the last day! If you get a chance, please stop by and see what all the fuss is about at http://www.frolicnfibers.etsy.com

Waiting for the Barn, and Speed Sticks!

2009-04-07T14:54:00.000-07:00

We are good friends with our Market neighbor Tim of Wood I Kid You?, and his wife and sister inlaw Judy and Donna of Threads of Magique. Today, I need to show off two fabulous gifts that we received from them. The first was a set of fabulous "Speed Sticks" which were made by Tim. He "loaned" them to me to "test" for him last Thursday. I swiftly set about making this fun and funky scarf, which took me under an hour to make, including fringe! Being an "instant gratification" kind of a gal, I said "Wow, this really is my speed!" I was so excited to report in on these life-changing needles, and to beg him to cut me a deal on them, that it didn't even register when he said to me "I made them for you...they're yours!" What a great guy he is, on top of being a great craftsman!

No sooner had I adjusted to receiving such a wonderful gift, than here came Donna and Judy to visit with us. I love it when they stop by, because there's always news of their latest projects and blogging adventures, and because they usually bring their doggie Nicky who is just such a cutie...I'm a sucker for a furry friend! Judy wanted to show us her newest creation, and when she unveiled it, I knew I was in love! It was a picturesque fiber art wall hanging, complete with four little furry goats, a pasture with a new fence, and new barn, and....wait a minute...that's OUR farm! I don't know what we did to deserve such lovely people in our lives. OK, enough of the mushy stuff...Let's get to Barn Building! Oh I almost forgot the best part! The label on our new wall hanging reads as follows:

Don't forget to stop by their shops at both Etsy and Artfire when you get the chance...they are well worth the look! http://www.threadsofmagique.etsy.com/
http://www.woodikidyou.etsy.com/

Ears Up!

2009-03-29T07:31:00.001-07:00

It looks like it's an "ears up" from all of the llamas overseeing our progress yesterday, and that's a good sign. We finally started putting up the rafters and even worked on some interior walls...it's really starting to take shape now! Only a few more steps to go and we'll be putting on some roofing. If the weather holds, we're hoping that will be this week. Keep your toenails crossed :)

This last pic is of our ever threatening sky, taken through our new barn rafters. I just thought it was such a telling picture. ..something about our plodding progress occuring in the midst of Mother Nature at work, makes me feel more a part of the land.

Today, of course...it's snowing.

Fiber Arts Fridays-Drying and Picking Table

2009-03-25T17:17:00.001-07:00

I don't know about all of you...but I like to dye and process fibers and yarns all year long, not just when the sun is shining! This little gem has been a lifesaver for me in both Winter and Summer. The idea was given to us by our goat mentors Carol and Jeff from Ronan Country Fibers. It is technically a "sorting table" but I use it to pick fiber, sort and to dry. The best part about it is that it is so portable. I can set it up or take it down in a matter of seconds.

The materials you will need are (8) 3' pieces of 1 1/2" PVC pipe, (4) 2" long pieces of 1 1/2" PVC pipe, (4) 1 1/2" T's, (4) 1 1/2" elbows, a can of PVC glue, a 4x4" section of bird netting or plastic deer fencing, and a bunch of zip ties.

First, glue each of the four small 2" pieces of pipe to each of the four elbows.

Next glue each of the four T's onto the other end of the small pieces, making sure that the Elbow and the T are perpendicular.

Next insert the 3' pieces of pipe in between each of the Elbows and T's, making a square, with all the T openings facing up.

Next, insert the remaining (4) 3' pieces of pipe into each of the T openings and turn the table rightside up.

Last, lay the netting over the table and attach with zip ties, stretching and adjusting as you go.

Note: You can glue all the pieces together except the legs, or just some of the pieces, whichever you prefer. I did it this way, so that I could more easily store it away when not in use.

PS. This table also makes a great doggie spot (see picture #1) and an even greater playhouse for my two grandaughters. Just throw a couple of blankets over it and...Voila! Instant entertainment!

For more Fiber Arts Fridays posts, please visit Alpaca Farmgirl at http://www.alpacafarmgirl.com/

Migrating Friends

2009-03-25T11:04:00.000-07:00

Good morning all! I wanted to share with you this couple of geese who have taken to stopping by our yard. We have a pond next door to us, and another on the other side of our property. My hubby says it must be too long between ponds (it's about a mile :)) because they use our place as

a rest stop a couple of times each day. I love to watch them. First the female eats while the male keeps watch for predators, then they switch places. And boy do they make a racket when they are arriving or departing! Today I know they saw me sneak out on the deck, and they were good enough to let me photograph them. Such a lovely couple!

Fiber Arts Friday-Threads of Magique

2009-03-24T20:45:00.001-07:00

For this week's Fiber Arts Fridays I would like to introduce two of my Market friends Judy and Donna. They own this beautiful Etsy shop called http://www.threadsofmagique.etsy.com/ and make gorgeous quilts, dolls and fiber arts wall hangings. Here are just a couple of their recent creations.

Please let them know if you love their work....and who wouldn't ?! Their blog address is http://www.threadsofmagique.blogspot.com/

and they have some lovely pics there as well!

On top of it all, their "hubby" and "brother in law" Tim has his own beautiful items on display at http://www.woodikidyou.etsy.com/. What a talented family! Next thing you know, their dog Nicky will be opening his own on-line store!

For more fiber fun, check out the other Fiber Arts Fridays participants at http://www.alpacafarmgirl.com/ Thanks for looking!

Living in Color!

2009-03-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

I was five years old in 1963 when my parents announced that we would be watching The Wizard of Oz on a friend's new TV. We had a black and white television...no remote or cable...just rabbit ears and three channels, and that's all I'd ever known. I will never forget the feeling of wonder and awe when Dorothy's house touched down and she (with Toto wrapped in her arms) opened her front door on the Land of Oz. Because what my parents had "neglected" to mention, was that the new set was a COLOR television...the first we'd ever seen! That transformation from black and white to a world in living color was so spectacular that even now it gives me goosebumps! And from such a small beginning, sprang a life-long affair with color!

Our local Grower's Market begins this week, and even though we're a few days early, for me it always signifies the start of Spring. I've spent the last few days getting ready... spinning up a few new yarns, tagging stock, and of course dying. I never tire of the sense of suspense, the "tickle me" wonder of dying a new batch of yarn or fiber. I never know exactly how it will turn out, and I'm glad that I don't. It's kind of like opening that Land of Oz door and never quite knowing what will be on the other side!

So many people tell me that my husband and I are "living their dream", running our small farm, doing what we love to do, and aiming towards making a sustainable living. And they are so right! I feel so blessed to be taking care of our "critters", harvesting their fiber and spinning my yarns. And what better way to express my happiness than through these colors and textures? I attribute my new lifestyle to my Dad, who loved my llamas, who bought me my first wheel, and who always told me "If you don't love what you do, then you'd better go do something else"...and so we did!

For more looks at my yarns please visit my etsy store at http://www.frolicnfibers.etsy.com/ and be sure to check out Fiber Fridays at http://www.alpacafarmgirl.com/ for wonderful articles on all things fiber related!

Now We're Cookin' !

2009-03-12T16:42:00.001-07:00

Or as my mother used to say, "Now we're cookin' with gas!" Les and I tackled the remaining six poles today, since the weather has been cooperating. We didn't want to chance waiting until Saturday, since we're expecting some more rain. We lucked out...today was picture perfect! I almost put shorts on, that's how gorgeous it was! Perfect pole sinking weather. I thought we made pretty good time at just one hour per pole to dig the hole, set the pole and concrete it in. And we only had one major "boo-boo" which Les is going to correct tomorrow. Luckily it is on one of the short poles. Those 17' Big Berthas are really a bugger to set. So we held off concreting that one in, and he'll fix it in the morning. Can you spot it? It's about 4" out of line, and we decided that was just too far off. Oh well, live and learn :)

It's finally starting to take shape now, and I'm having so much fun just standing in the middle of my barn and planning the interior. We decided we're going to incorporate the chicken coop and yard into the barn as well. It will allow me access to their nesting boxes from either inside or outside of the barn and that will be convenient. Here's a couple pics of our current layers, giving their approval to the project...can't you just see them smiling?!

Visiting the goats and Badger

2009-03-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my hubby's birthday. He turned 55, so I gave him the option of either running around town and trying to find places that would give him a senior discount (he,he,he....) or going to visit our favorite goat farm to see Mr. T and to meet our new LGD, Badger. He picked the goat farm. What a surprise! Our goat "grandparents" from Ronan Country Fibers are housing Mr. T for us until we get our barn done, and our pastures re-fenced. They have been so wonderful to us...I don't know what we'd do without them! Carol called last week with the best surprise ever. She knew that we had been looking for a Large Guard Dog to protect our animals and she got a line on one that needed a new home. Long story short is that he was raised as a "goat dog" and had lost his flock...so like many of us today, he found himself unemployed. Unfortunately there are no unemployment benefits for dogs that lose their goats! I was so anxious to meet him, and now that we have, we are convinced that he will work out beautifully...and the plus is that he's such a pretty boy also!

The bonus of the trip was getting to see the new baby goats! These pictures really don't do them justice. They are such a lovely shade of russet! One of them wandered off from mom and my hubby got these pics of their LGDs babysitting the little guy. Such a wonderful day!

Teakettle Llamas

2009-03-01T11:31:00.001-08:00

My Llama Grandma calls this the Teakettle position...we call it "Happy Llamas"! We have a storm moving in and it's clouding up and very windy. The girls are "cushed" and enjoying the fresh air before the rain hits, I think. It's so good to see them looking relaxed and happy. It does my soul good :)

Good Morning Sunshine!

2009-02-28T06:52:00.000-08:00

I just had to share this most beautiful sunrise with all of you. My hubby and I were just getting up this morning when we caught it. Sometimes even God amazes me with his extraordinary gifts...this was one of them!

Scarves and More Scarves!

2009-02-24T09:14:00.000-08:00

One of my wonderful Etsy customers, Jackie, sent me this picture of a new scarf she is working on called "Olivia and Mr. T Go To Coney Island"! She's using some of my onion skin mohair yarn, but also some multicolored yarn with sequins that have been cut from soda cans! I love all the different textures and shades. See the little mohair curls? Doesn't it make you want to reach out and touch it?! I so love it when people send me pictures of the finished product. I'm not such a great knitter myself, so I'm always amazed :) Here's a couple more from past customers who were good enough to send me these pics...

Hey, what are you guys doing?!

2009-02-22T10:44:00.000-08:00

Here's a pic of the llamas hurrying to see what all the fuss is about. Yesterday was "Big Holes and
Bigger Poles Day". Note the next pic of a proud hubby with Pole #1:) I think that all in all, it was pretty successful. We actually accomplished exactly half of what we set out to do, but like my husband so succinctly put it, "It's not like we're professional barn builders you know"! So it's all good. The only bummer is that it began to rain last night, effectively turning our barn pad into a giant Mud Wrestling Pit, and that means that we'll have to put off progress for a few more days. The upside of this is that both my hubby (bless his heart), my best friend Kim (double bless her heart) and myself are so sore that we can hardly move. This should give us time to recoop!

The final picture is of Llama Playtime. Sassy and Cholula decided we needed some break-time entertainment (Note: no llamas were harmed in the making of this post)!

Happy 3 Egg Day!

2009-02-19T19:39:00.000-08:00

Ok, I admit it...I DID put all of my eggs in one basket! But really, today is the first day this year that we have gotten one egg from each chicken! Woo Hoo!!!! It's amazing how little it takes to make me happy.

And no, we did not get our poles in the ground today. We did get the lumber delivered, and we did spend the last few hours trying to measure and get all the corners straight on the barn pad. We finally gave up when twilight approached and we could no longer see, but we are determined to give it a better shot tomorrow!

Bless this Mess...

2009-02-17T13:27:00.000-08:00

I thought this was a great picture to describe what the "lady of the lake" is probably thinking right now..." God, bless these crazy people who have decided to build a barn in February"! The Mary statue is a whole "nother" story, best left for another time, but suffice it to say that I had to move her to make room for our latest "pipe hole" and when I went to snap this pic of our project, there she was!

My beautifully greening pasture is now one huge mudhole in the shape of a cross. I am hoping that the KKK doesn't see fit to set it on fire in the near future. But the water and electricity are almost there, and Thursday has been tentatively scheduled as "big holes and poles day". Another big storm is scheduled for this weekend so we figure we better get a move on!

Oh, and everything is COVERED in mud. These boots are only two pairs of probably ten. The good news is that even a leisurely stroll is bound to wear off five pounds, when wearing an extra 3 pounds of mud on each foot...got to look on the bright side :)

Progress?

2009-02-10T17:00:00.000-08:00

So...here's a picture of our barn pad looking exactly like it did on Saturday, only now it's covered in snow. It looks like nature is conspiring against us yet again! Even my patient and longsuffering husband refuses to dig post holes in the snow...go figure.

The next pic is of "Llama Lock Down" with Blue Skies in the foreground..."Mommmm! I thought we were getting a NEW barn!" We did rent the ditchwitch for this next weekend, ordered the siding (some really nice 1x12 rough cut boards) and decided on the roof color today. Green. I won :), so I guess some progress is being made!

The Groundbreaking!

2009-02-07T12:33:00.000-08:00

Well I really haven't felt up to blogging since the goats were taken, but I knew that I needed to jump back in here eventually, soooo...I thought it appropriate to start with today. We have been over all the possible options for keeping our remaining animals safe, and getting some new does (after all, there is Mr. T to consider!) and my hubby (bless his heart :)) and I have decided to do a number of things different this time. We're looking into LGD's and have put our feelers out for one who will suit our needs, and our pocketbook. But first we're building a new four sided and lockable barn, the prospect of which is both invigorating and terrifying! Of course there is the cost to consider, and since our business is pretty slow (understatement) right now, taking a loan out for a barn almost declares us certifiably insane. But we've wanted one for a long time, and we figure if we're going to have the animals, it's only right to house them properly. The barn will provide better shelter and a place to lock them up at night if necessary, and will raise our property value. It will also give us tons of conveniences like LIGHT during the winter months, lots of hay storage, and even catch pens, kidding and grooming stalls...I'm swear I'm giddy just thinking about it! So here are the before and after groundbreaking pics plus one of the llamas looking on. Blue Skies was all for the change but the others were having serious doubts. This picture is of Blue Skies and Cholula "discussing the matter". I'm not worried though... with a little "treat persuasion" they'll all come around eventually!

Les and I are going to build the barn ourselves (double bless his heart), so I'll keep you posted as we make progress. Tomorrow we go shopping for plumbing and electrical piping and Monday we're renting a Ditchwitch. If nothing else, the physical exercize ought to make us sleep better :)

Oh, and an update on the Mountain Lions. We haven't caught them yet, but I think we're on our way. A neighbor told us that if we have an attack, and contact the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Dept. that they could help. Well, last week the lions came back and tried to attack the llamas (thankfully noone was hurt) and so I called the OFW and to my wonder, they actually have a trapper on call who will come out and eradicate the cougars! He is professional and experienced and I feel sure that he will trap them given time. I thought I would throw out that info for anyone else who might have the same problem.

Here's to The Goats.

2009-01-20T18:03:00.000-08:00

I think most of you have already heard about our tragedy this last week, but for any who haven't, we had a terrible attack by a family of mountain lions. We think that it was a mother lion teaching her two youngs how to hunt. But the end result is that we have lost our four Angora goats Olivia, Aspen, Reno and Laurel. I'm not going to get on my soapbox and go on about whether it was right or wrong, good or bad, whether the lions needed them for food or for education...all I can say at this time after almost 6 days, is that I miss them dearly and wish I could have protected them better. I'm sure most of you have lost "good friends" such as these and will indulge me while I offer a quick word about each of them.

Aspen was always one of my favorites because she was the one who really enjoyed a "good petting". I think she was probably one of the smartest and knew that if she succumbed to "the pet" then a treat was likely to follow. The fact that she was not shy made her a great photographic subject as well...although I usually got shots of her nose since she tended to get too close. She enjoyed hot tea, green onions and being with her best buddy, Laurel.

What can I say about Reno? When he first came to us he had "pizzle rot"...which is exactly what you would expect. Therefore, he and I became friends out of necessity, since every couple of months he needed to be thoroughly cleaned up. He was the most skittish of all the goats, but we came to a "through the fence" understanding. I loved his crooked smile...it always made me think that he invisioned himself "quite the man" even though he was really "womens' best friend" :) and totally harmless.

Laurel taught me a valuable lesson just recently. We had never been particularily close. She was a beautiful goat, but a little reserved. Well, about two weeks ago I noticed that her fur had become really lovely this last season. I couldn't resist touching her, so during their morning breakfast I would sneak up on her and give her a pet. As it turns out, she didn't mind the petting at all. It made me realize that some people want to be loved but just don't know how to initiate the process. Anyway, I'm glad that we became closer those last few weeks.

Olivia. I called her my "smiley goat". She had a wonderful attitude. It didn't matter whether she was stuck in a fence, being sheared, or getting a treat...she always had the same calm, accepting, happy demeanor. She was the most trusting of all the goats. When I called her, she came. When I haltered her, she walked. When I petted her, she stood still. When I photographed her, she smiled! Quite the sweetheart, and I will miss her dearly.

We had the llamas before the goats, and somewhere along the way we adopted the phrase "they're just GOATS" while trying to gauge the appropriateness of their food, their housing, their overall well-being. But they weren't JUST goats. They were individual beings with their own silly quirks, likes and dislikes, fears and foibles. They inhanced our lives immensely and will be greatly missed.

Olivia's New Clothes!

2009-01-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

This weekend was Pedicure Day for the girl goats...I like to think of it as a day at the Angora Avalon Day Spa! First we have a warm foot bath (which I can assure you they REALLY dislike...goats hate water), then we have our nails trimmed (only slightly better), and finally a quick brushing (to rid everyone of unsightly stickers, poop balls and unidentified clinginging objects). The only bright side, in the goats' opinion, is that everyone gets a treat afterwards! Olivia did however, get a new jacket also. Her fiber has grown to about 2" since the last shearing, and her old one was getting a little "snug"...WE blame it on the Holidays, they blame it on fat fur...we all have our excuses :D

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T10:18:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! I guess New Year's Eve is really the designated time to review all that happened over the past year, and New Year's Day should be the time to look ahead...but it seems I'm doing both today. As is fitting, this has been a year unlike any other. It was my second year "home" after having semi-retired and I feel so blessed to have been able to spend this time doing what I love. I've been able to spend so much more time with my animals, and also with the grandbabies, who are my light and my joy! I've also branched out with my spinning, learning how to love the mohair (what an experience!) and becoming more adventurous with my dyeing and my art yarns. I found Etsy, which has been such a great learning experience, not to mention Mary Jane's Farmgirls where I feel so welcomed and so at home. I'm slowly learning how to "blog"...that's still a pretty intimidating venue for me! And in conjunction with blogging, I'm having a lot of fun taking pictures and journaling, neither of which have ever been my strong suit!

My husband joined me for my second season at the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Markets in Ashland and in Medford, Oregon. I brought my yarns and fibers and he brought his metal art. It was something of a learning experience and took some adjustment on my part, since I was used to "going it alone", but we didn't get a divorce or tear each other's hair out, or even our own...and we made a little money, so all in all I've got to call it a success!

The holidays were wonderful. We were so lucky to spend them with Les' parents, our two sons and my son's extended family, including my two grandaughters (shown here in their finery!) Bailie and Shyla. What would the holidays be without the little ones!? We made gingerbread men and decorated them on Christmas Eve, then had a wonderful dinner before Santa Claus came! Also, my Auntie June was able to come and stay with us, and we had such a good visit, which included a little too much wine and way too many giggles! I must say that a very good time was had by all!

It has been a challenging year financially, but I think we are lucky to be staying afloat with construction being what it is right now...so many of our friends and family are much worse off. Everytime I think of how much worse it could be, I am grateful. I'm convinced that it is doing us all good to be having to tighten our belts a bit. Both of the boys had to go find other employment when our business slowed up, but I am so thankful that they have both found jobs that they enjoy, and that can support them. I am a great believer in that good old Silver Lining!

Today, my husband and I built our brand new Goat Feeder! I told him that was absolutely the best New Years Present Ever! Yesterday we put the poles in the ground and today we designed and built it from just scrap wood and fencing. The picture is of Aspen and Laurel enjoying their new feeder but all of them were really quite excited! We had been feeding them out of troughs on the ground and it makes for a lot of waste. For some reason, every day at least one goat thinks that they have to be IN the trough in order to eat FROM the trough. Being in the trough, leads to pooping in the trough...which leads to peeing in the trough...which leads to a whole bunch of hay that isn't worth a hill of beans! Soooo....hopefully this will make for a more pleasant dining experience for all! Happy New Year to all the critters, and of course to you also!

Alee's Dolls!!!

2008-12-28T12:18:00.000-08:00

Finally they have arrived! It only SEEMS like forever, because I have been so anxiously awaiting my new girls! I ordered these dolls from Alee, http://www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com/ and http://www.awarmheart.com/ for my two grandaughters aged 2 and 3, for Christmas. Alee even customized them with the girls' hair and eye color, and agreed to use my yarn for their hair so that they would be extra special! She is so clever. They are just adorable...and so squeezably soft! You know, to me it's all about the touchy/feely side of things...go figure :)

Llama butts...or shall we say derierres?

2008-11-27T20:13:00.000-08:00

You know, you don't intentionally take a picture of your animal's behind, but no sooner do you get the camera focused than they turn away and bend over and ....voila...Lllama butts! And I have to say that llamas must have the most graceful bottoms that I have ever seen! So I decided, why fight it...let's celebrate the camelid posteriors. Happy Llama Derierre Day!

A Roll in The Hay

2008-11-26T09:47:00.001-08:00

Anyone for a "roll in the hay"? Apparently my llama Blue Skies was up for it! We prepared the barn for winter last weekend...cleaned out the hay barn, put down fresh straw (otherwise known as "junk food") dug a new drainage ditch, and generally cleaned stuff up. I was pretty proud of us! But the best part of this yearly process is the fact that it is the first in a series of what we call "hay days". There is nothing a llama loves better than a good roll...neck down, head rubbing, scratching the back, feet in the air! And till you've seen it...you haven't lived! It's almost impossible to catch them in the act, but my hubby got a pretty good shot of Blue Skies, so I thought I'd share it; along with a few other very happy, very dirty llama pics :)

Olivia's New Clothes

2008-11-12T07:05:00.000-08:00

Hopefully, I'll be able to get this post to "take"...I think I am blogger-challenged! Anyhow, we finally finished shearing this last week and decided to try and "blanket" Olivia. Her coat is so fine and curly, but it has a lot of oil also. Consequently, EVERYTHING sticks to her...I call her my little "velcro goat". The other advantage of a blanket is it should help keep her warm and toasty in case the bigger goats kick her out of the barn. At least that's the idea. Now if i can just keep her from getting stuck on everything from fencing to doghouses....

2008-10-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

So finally the big day has arrived! Olivia's long awaited Mr. T has joined our little family. He seems to be adjusting well...eating, drinking, exploring and doing his "Bucky Business" whenever (and with whomever!) he can. So the question is...will Olivia's true love be true? Stay tuned for more of Olivia's antics coming soon!

Is This Yarn Boring...or Have I Just Run Out of Names?

2008-10-04T20:18:00.000-07:00

This is my new yarn...and it has yet to be named! As usual, I am in a quandry! It is natural Merino which I've plied with gold thread and it is 100% soft and squishy and "un-put-down-able!" but for the life of me I cannot give it a name. Help! I'm drowning in Charmin-like softness and need someone to name it before I am lost forever!

My hubby the Etsyan!!

2008-09-07T14:24:00.000-07:00

This post was supposed to be all about my adventurous, not to mention courageous husband who has opened his own Etsy shop called Steel My Art. He is a metal worker and does metal art on the side, and has been observing me having lots of fun with my Etsy shop. Well he decided that he "wanted a little of that" and after a little brainstorming and a whole lot of picture taking...Voila! He's in business. Well he had only been on Etsy for three days (count 'em 3) when he had his first sale! Wow, it took me a month for MY first sale! That was yesterday. This morning he got a "convo" from someone who wants him to ship to AUSTRALIA! OK, no big deal... I can be gracious about this...no matter that I have been slaving away for 4 months, going to Market, selling on Etsy, making his dinner, folding his underwear....I CAN be a good sport! But this afternoon he got featured in a Treasury! OK that's it! He's a GUY for heaven's sake...he's not even supposed to be in my venue! But wait...what's that Convo I just got...you've got to be kidding....I'm in a Treasury ALSO! Now what are the chances of that, I ask you??? Maybe we should buy a lottery ticket today!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.phproom_id=24512

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=24568

Olivia's Big News!

2008-09-05T15:44:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we visited Ronan Country Fibers in Selma, Oregon. It is Olivia's hometown farm, and we went there on the premise of buying some yearling Mohair. The Ronans were just so gracious and welcoming to us, answering all my many questions about Mohair and raising Angora goats, that we ended up spending two hours there, and believe me I could have stayed all day! Thank God (again!) for my patient and supportive husband. I had told the Ronan's that I was interested in looking at and learning about their bucks, for future use. Well, one thing led to another, and ....well, I hated to do this without her approval, but she wasn't there at the time...and well...we fell in love with and purchased a boyfriend for Olivia! His name is T3 and we're going to call him "Mr. T". I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! We couldn't bring him home right away, because we have some barn adjustments to make. So I told Olivia about her betrothal, and she's a little apprehensive. It's been months since her last haircut and she is worried that he won't find her attractive. Now I ask you...who could resist that face? More to come as the barn is readied and his arrival draws near!

Meet Llama JJ!

2008-08-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

This wonderous creature was made for me by the daughter of one of my wonderful Market Neighbors! Jesse is 11, and her specialty is making animal sculptures out of "found" natural items such as pine needles, sticks, nut shells and rocks. She binds them all together with everyday recycled items such as rubber bands and twisty ties. Ingenious! I am so proud to be the owner of her very first llama sculpture. It is named Llama JJ in honor of Jessica, the talented and environmentally conscious artist!

OMG, I'm getting worse at this...not better!

2008-08-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

So I've been selling online for about 4 months now, and I seem to be getting worse at naming my products...not better! My thanks to all of my Etsy forum friends and my friends at MaryJane's Farm for helping with the Watermelon Yarn Dilemna. I did go ahead and remove the "icky-sticky" watermelon picture, and was just ready to take a new pic of a whole melon with the yarn...when the yarn sold! Hahaha...things just happen that way sometimes! Now I have this huge watermelon with nothing to photograph with it...Oh well, (munch, munch, munch) I'll just have to deal with it!

I would appreciate your help with this new yarn. It's not quite red, and not quite rose, and not quite pink. It reminds me of something, but I'm blocked as to what???? Any ideas?

Watermelon Yarn?

2008-08-20T07:40:00.000-07:00

I've made this new yarn and I've named it Watermelon. I really love the name because it just fits so well, and I think this pic really showcases the colors. In the picture, though, it looks as though the yarn is touching the watermelon...trust me, it's not!

So here's the question. Does the fact that I took this picture with the yarn so close to the watermelon make the yarn look "sticky"? It's just that whenever I think of watermelon (and I do often this time of year, yum!) I can almost feel that sticky feeling on my fingers...of course maybe not everyone is as messy as me when it comes to eating watermelon! What do you think?

Doggles!

2008-08-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

In the title picture of my blog, you see my dog Chloe, being her natural Farmgirl self, and relaxing with the Ladies. Here you see here in her Alter Ego, "Duner Dog" and looking totally embarassed! But there is some reasoning behind dressing her up and parading her around in public, besides "just for fun" of course! My husband is a dune addict. Just like we are all farm and fiber addicts! The first time we took her duning we found that she loved riding in my Rhino (formerly known as the Llama Bean Picker Upper), but there was one problem. She accumulated so much sand in her eyes, that it was still coming out a week later. The logical solution....Doggles! Yes, they are a real doggie product! You can buy them at most pet stores and they are fairly reasonable. Trust me, I tried making them myself first, but just could not get them to work right! Anyhow, she's OK with them when we are riding, but tends to get irritated with them when we are not in motion....hence, the picture. "Awww, come on Mom, everyone's looking!"

I Am in a Treasury!

2008-08-14T16:35:00.001-07:00

I am so lucky to have been featured in this gorgeous Fall Treasury by merkabajewelry! I'm still working on figuring out how to take a "print screen" and turn it into a picture, so until I do here is the link to the treasury. Check it out if you get a moment! Woo Hoo!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=1747

OK, now that I've got THAT out of my system...here's some of my new yarn for you to take a gander at. I'm branching out and using a little more wool in my yarns. The idea is to give them a bit more body and general "squishiness", and the colors I'm able to dye are...well, "to DIE for"! Sorry, I've always been a sucker for puns! Any comments would be appreciated.

Wow! Coupons!

2008-08-11T15:10:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, to most online retailers this would just be "old hat" but I'm fairly new to all of this (fairly elderly also, considering the use of the expression "old hat"!), so to me this is really exciting. I'm going to start offering coupons! Does anyone have any good ideas about how best to distribute them? I have an Etsy shop and sell at the Grower's Market also...but am unsure of the etiquette attached to distribution. Who knows, I may even work my way up to "giveaways"....Contests...Fiber Fairs...a B&M Store...Running for President...What am I crazy??? By the way, until recently I thought B&M stood for bowel movement. I couldn't figure out why anyone would want a store....never mind.

Say Cheese!

2008-08-06T16:50:00.001-07:00

I've gotten some pretty cute goat pictures in my time, but this one takes the cake! You know, usually goats do exactly the opposite of what you want them to do (see goat post below!), but Olivia and I have what I like to think of as a special bond, so sometimes (sometimes, mind you) she and I are on the same wavelength! This morning was hectic and I was posting a new yarn, and all I needed to finish was a picture of a smiling goat. Now I have pictures of smirking goats, laughing goats, and braying goats...but not a single full tooth smile. So down I go to the goatyard all pessimistic and dripping with sarcasm and call out "Say Cheese, Olivia! Yeah, right." What does she do? She smiles! Well, I'll be damned. I think she just did it to prove me wrong, but I love her anyway...after all, who could resist that face?!

Farm Fresh Flowers Series

2008-08-06T07:20:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to show this picture of my new yarn. It's called, obviously, Pink Hydrangeas. I was spinning this mohair at the Growers Market yesterday, when these beautiful flowers from Fry Family Farm caught my eye. How perfect was that?! This is the second time this has happened, so I think I'll start a yarn series called....hmmm... What do you think? Fryed Yarn? Fryed Mohair? Yarn and Fryed Flowers? Any ideas? Oh and the Etsy Forumer who came up with the name for my new fiber below (Mystic Sea) is Catiahades, who has an awesome etsy shop also! Check her out at catiahades.etsy.com!

Applesauce Anyone?...No, that's dumb...

2008-08-04T11:09:00.000-07:00

Here is yet another challenge for my fellow Etsy Forumers. What to call this conglomeration of green fiber? This past weekend I asked them to come up with a name for my new yarn (see post below!) and they gave me such an outstanding response that I thought I'd try it again. The yarn BTW, ended up with the name "Hawaiian Punch", offered by Karmacrochet...check out her awesome shop at Etsy also!

A Yarn by Any Other Name...

2008-08-02T12:43:00.000-07:00

I'm having a heck of a time. I've been spinning and selling, spinning and selling... and not only am I running out of names, but my yarns seem to be getting wilder and wilder. Somebody stop me! Or at least help me name this one, because I'm at a loss. I'd really like to list it this afternoon, but it's going to be pretty sad if I have to call it "Just Yarn". HELP!

Funny thing about goats...

2008-08-01T21:13:00.000-07:00

So this is my newest yarn, it's the color of these flowers, hence the name "Zinnias". Well I thought it would be a catchy idea to get a picture of the goat who produced the mohair eating a zinnia...simple, right? First I looked Zinnias up on the internet under "poisonous/non-poisonous plants", and no problem there. Well good. Next, I had to catch the goat. Funny thing about goats, when you have grain or just plain don't want to be bothered, they are all lovey-dovey like they haven't seen you in 5 years. But as soon as you want them to do something, forget it. If you haven't tried dosey-doing around the goat yard with a 75 pound running hairball, you haven't lived. And the worse part about catching a goat who does not want to be caught, is that they tend to be "drama queens". As soon as you catch one, they bray continually and at full lung capacity so that the entire countryside thinks you are slaughtering the poor thing! Well, we got through that part, not fun in 90 degree weather but typical, and haltered up the goat. I am not an expert photographer, and knew I had to halter her if I had a prayer of getting this shot before she ate the flowers. Next I brought out the zinnias and waited for her to gobble them up. Nothing. "Yum!" I said, encouragingly. Nothing but the chomping of dry grass. As it turns out, goats do not like zinnias, no matter how safe and nourishing they may be. This shot was actually a result of cheating. I called her name, stuffed in the zinnia and got the shot before she was able to spit it out. If nothing else I've proven I still have my dexterity, even at 50!

Denise's Scarf

2008-07-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

I already published one picture of this scarf and "it's kitty" but I didn't think it did it justice, so here is a more detailed view. This yarn was purchased from me at last Saturday's Market, and my customer was sweet enough to think of me and send me pictures of her finished scarf! It made me remember, yet again, that the people are the best part of the Growers Market...I am so lucky to be amongst them each week!

To List or Not to List...another question!

2008-07-25T13:48:00.000-07:00

I really love the feel and color of this yarn. It's all alpaca and super soft. The only thing is I feel it is more of a Fall color than a Summer one, so I'm thinking of waiting to list it. My husband says I have nothing to lose. I thought I could benefit from some other opinions...anyone have any ideas?

2008-07-22T17:09:00.000-07:00

You know, I think the best thing about living in the country in the Summertime is the harvest! Every day I get to go out and pick whatever is ripe...it makes meal planning a little difficult, but hey, every day is an adventure! Tonight we're having summer squash and salad and I'll be canning the tomatos and zucchini....you dont EVEN want to see the size of my OTHER zucchini :)

My "moment of fame"!

2008-07-22T15:52:00.000-07:00

This may be my best and I'm sure only "moment of fame", so I'm going to take this opportunity to brag a little! I was chosen to do the first Ashland Saturday Market (quite an honor for me because they are short on space and can only handle so many crafters each day). It was so much fun to be in on the first Market Day! Anyway, I was lucky enough to get an interview on KOBI, Channel 5 local news on Saturday evening, and then to top it off the Ashland Daily Tidings included me in their article about the Market which ran July 28th. To see a copy of the article, click on this link http://www.dailytidings.com/2008/0721/stories/0721_market.php There...I think I've got it out of my system...thanks for listening!

To Dye or Not to Dye...that is the question.

2008-07-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

Ok, so here it is. My husband and I are having a debate over my newest yarn. One of us thinks that it should be over-dyed with pink or rose, and the other thinks it should be left alone and that "someone is bound to love it". I'm not a big yellow fan (I guess that gives it away!), so maybe that is "coloring" my point of view! What do you think?

Naked Reno

2008-06-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

Almost all done...in 101!

2008-06-30T10:58:00.001-07:00

Well, Ok it was a little warmer than 101 this past weekend...more like 106! Yuk! But it is true that we only have one animal left to shear, that being (you guessed it) Sugarfoot! I really do love her a lot, but she can be a pain in the rear sometimes. The last time we caught her it was amidst quite a bit of attitude, spitting, fuss and general commotion so I am not looking forward to her yearly haircut!

But for the most part, and except for a few fashion rechecks, all shearing is complete and everyone is feeling lighter and friskier! The nexxt post is a picture of Reno with his new "do". I was having a difficult time holding him still. I think he was anxious to get back to the girls and "strutt his stuff"! Typical Reno!