Meanwhile back on the Farm ~ Wool, Fur & Feathers

I had to go visit the kids' at their farm.  So many new faces to see!  Unfortunately, the most important new face is not going to be present in this post.  Hopefully, Annie will forgive me.  :(   She is the new German Shepherd gran puppy.  I will catch her a little later along with Elliot, the gran cat. ;)  Even with these over sites, there were a lot of new friends to make acquaintances with.

 

Farmerboy is still waiting for the paperwork on his newest Shetlands.  Their names have been forgotten by my son...  He better get those papers soon... I have a habit of coming up with some doozies on my own! ;)  Here is his new Ewe.  I call her Freckles. (Yep, that is how fast I play the name game! LOL)  She is absolutely darling.  Freckles keeps the flock guessing what she is doing in the pasture.  She will eat any green vegetation she finds.  The rest of the group is spoilt and picky about their eats.  So when they see her nibbling away happily, they all come running thinking she has a special treat! LOL

 

 

Why did Farmerboy buy another ewe your asking?  First, Freckles has a tendency to produce spotted lambs.  Second, she has super fine fleece.  See these majorly crimped curls?  They are so springy and tight like a fine carpet.  The original flock has some great crimp, but this is ridiculous! :)

Our Max and his beautiful colored fleece went on to a new farm with a new group of  ewes.  It was bitter sweet.  I know he will be happy, but I will miss scratching his forehead.  He was a gorgeous ram. *sigh*  To bring in a fresh blood line, a new ram came to the fold.  Kind of looks like Count Chocula to me.... Maybe??? ;)   Any who, next Easter should bring us some very interesting lambs.

Not to be out done by the new sheep, little Moon Pie decided to bless the kids with the first babies born to their farm... Let's just call the new arrivals "The Lucky Seven".    This photo was taken after number five.  Momma took a rest and then surprised the kids with two more!

 

The local businesses are sent to bid on 4H animals at the county fair.  One of the purchases made for my son's facility was a duck.  None of the crew bidding wanted to have the honor of butchering and eating their winnings from the highest bid... So yeah you guessed it, the boy who raised the duck was told to deliver the feathered friend to kids' farm.  They found out before they left the auction that in fact two ducks were going to be delivered.  By the time they arrived, there were three!   Apparently, the boy who raised them was having problems with a raccoon that attacked one of the male ducks.  He said its best chance for survival was to stay with the other two.  After a little TLC to the wounded member, all the feathered friends are settling in nicely.  :)

 

 

 

Can you believe it?  Even the new fruit trees planted this year are getting into the action!    I can't believe one is actually going to produce pears!!  LOL

 



It has been such a fun summer.  I just wrapped up the Tour de Fleece last weekend.  (Photos coming soon!)   This month is going to be spent washing fleece, ordering some shelving and painting my new studio area.  I cannot wait to get my sewing machines and art supplies back in order.  My goal is to have the space up and running by my vacation in early September!  :)

Where did June go?

I cannot believe we are already in July!  It has been a busy time trying to get Farmerboy's room emptied out and the majority of my studio items moved into it.  Some of my items are in storage in the closet area, since we have not tackled the walls or floors yet.  Farmerboy still has a few larger pieces left to move.  I am not to worried.  It is a functional space.  Hopefully, the studio will get finished by mid August. 

What else happened in June?   Quite a bit actually.  Even with all the rain, we were able to frequent some flea markets.  Yay!  I found out my cable provider has always offered Hallmark Movies and Mysteries.  Love the shows!  Purchased a new Schacht Ladybug spinning wheel to spin along with my Matchless during the Tour de Fleece ;) on Ravelry.  Will share those details in a post very soon!   Was able to use my sewing machine for the first time in way to long AND set up my large drafting table that has been in storage for 15 years.  Excited to work on some projects with those REAL soon! :)  Finally and most importantly, this guy showed up on the 2nd of June in our pond.  You guessed it... Gary is back!   I almost had a photo of him sunning his body on the terracotta island we made, but he was too quick.  So, a head shot will have to do!

Four years and counting Gary...

I feel like a load of necessary work was completed in June.  It will be wonderful to get back into some projects that have been waiting patiently.  I am more than excited to start this chapter! :) 

I hope everyone had the same beautiful day that Northern Illinois was given to celebrate The Glorious Fourth! 

Valentine's Day or Easter?

The weather makes me think that it should have been Easter not Valentine's Day.  Trust me... I am NOT complaining.  ;)  So, it honestly didn't seem odd when the kids stopped in last night with a Valentine's purchase from Theisens... Baby chicks! 

 

Farmerboy always loved having chickens.  Believe it or not, his wife does not eat eggs!  She does like to bake though, so they will come in handy for that.  He wanted to get 12, and they compromised on 10.  Great compromise for him since his lovely bride did not really want chickens.  I have to admit... I always loved raising chickens.  Here is a close up of one of the crazier looking ones!

 

 

 

 

Aren't they darling?  It always amazes me when I hold on to them.  For those that question a higher being, look at these tiny little critters.  Only a higher being could create such a wonder.  Absolutely amazing!

 

I hope everyone had a Happy Valentine's Day.  Ours was quiet and that is okay with me.  Tomorrow is our anniversary... twenty-seven years and counting.  :)

Down on the Farm Visit

There has been a lot going on lately keeping me close to home.  But on one of the warmer days, Mr. Hollow talked me into visiting the kids' farm.  Farmerboy has been laying flooring in the kitchen and working on his workshop.  I laugh at the fact that I did not take any photos of his hard work... just some animal shots. ;) 

 

In the shop, Farmerboy has three new furry mice catchers:  Here is mama kitty.  I call her Moon Pie.  If she looks directly at you, her eyes are as big as Moon Pies... I swear!!  She is the sweetest tempered cat with the tiniest feet for her size.

 

 

This is a photo of her kitten Patches.  I think her fur looks like someone dripped paint all over.  On her other side, she sports some big splotches.  Patches is very vocal and one heck of a climber!

I cannot remember the name of this one.  Isn't she a beauty?  This is Patches sister.  She is quiet and like her sister loves to climb.  Her favorite spot is looking out the new window Farmerboy just put in.  I imagine she is wondering about where all the mice went, since their arrival.  It didn't take long for the pests to stop going in their domain!

Here are the piglets Farmerboy purchased in the fall.  Oh my, they sure have grown.  It never ceases to amaze me how furry pigs are.   I was there for feeding time.  There is one particular one that makes so much noise when she eats, it is funny.  Maybe the noise has a calming effect on her.  I am not sure. 

The one to the left is not growing like the others, but she can mix it up with the best of them.  They have just got moved to their new digs with plenty of space to sprawl out and relax.  :)

My favorite part of the farm is the barn.  If you go into the upper loft, the ceiling is amazingly high.  I helped the kids stack hay inside over the summer... That seems like such a long time ago.  *sigh*

I have always had a love of barns.  They have that rustic cozy feeling inside, and the hay stacked makes it even better.  It saddens me how many wooden barns in the area have fallen to decay with new steal sheds taking their place.  I understand the reasons for the progression, but it is still sad none the less.

Oh yeah, the sheep have their own cozy shed.  It use to be a home to pigs back in the day but is a perfect spot for the sheep.  They love it!  As you can see, they have quiet the wool jackets going on.  I believe they are scheduled to be sheared next weekend.  Farmerboy's flock this year has a great variety of colors and textures of wool.  There will even be some solid black lamb fleeces coming off this year.  Very exciting to this spinner!  :)

Always a couple of interested sheep wondering if there is some feed in the bucket!  LOL

Farmerboy's wife always can be counted on to pitch in with taking care of the animals.  This girl's not afraid to shovel some pig manure.   And if you ever smelled pig manure, you would know she is a Saint for helping out!   Whew wee!!!

I think they are pretty happy on their farm.  That day was such a fun time and makes me think that spring is around the corner.  Hard to believe it is only the end of January!

Summertime... Fleece, Fabric & the Return of ...



Oh my heavens... Where is the summer going?  I have been so busy!  Here is a little bit of my summer antics.  First, I got some cool new combs and another carder for processing all of that Shetland wool.   Also, I have been doing loads of reading on Ravelry regarding the processing and spinning of raw fleeces.  I have learned so much that I will need to revamp my tutorial on "how to wash raw fleece".   And oh the lovely fleeces!!!  There are many wonderful caring shepherds selling their wares on Etsy and Ravelry... got to have more than just Shetland to spin. ;)   (More on that in future posts!)

 

Here is my latest processed fleece.  The taupe colored fleece is from Farmerboy's Ariel.   The gray bun in the upper left corner is from Lego.   They were two of the original 3 that started out this crazy group.   Beneath the gray, there is some Targhee / Rambouillet fiber from Kami over at "Ranching Traditions".  I haven't spun the fiber yet, but this stuff is spongy and destined to be socks.  So, let the fine spinning begin!

 

At present, I'm still messing around with combed top purchased from "Edgewood Garden Studios" on Etsy...  Love her colors. :)  It is really good practice.   And hey... It  actually looks like yarn!  LOL 

 

 

Did you think I was too busy for the Flea Markets?  Of course not! ;)   Mr. Hollow and I just went up to Jefferson, Wisconsin this morning and had to bring home some vintage fabric.   Although we did not go on the 127 this year (the first time of being a no show in 14 years),  we have been hitting a lot of the smaller venues.   One of the vendors today had an old Viking machine in its original case (heavy metal at its finest)  and also there was an old treadle White, but I managed to pass them up without too much regret.  I am in the process of getting a studio area set up in my house, so my spending has been sparse until my room is semi functional... At least for bigger items anyways! ;)   There aren't enough words to convey how thrilling it will be to get my sewing machines and fabric easily accessible to me... Whenever, I feel the need.  Yipee!!

At the beginning of the summer, Mr. Hollow and I discussed removing the pond from our back yard.  It was June already with no sign of Gary, and Farmerboy is moving out with the purchase of a farmette.  (How cool is that?)  The pond had always been his project.  And as of the last few years, Mr. Hollow has gotten stuck with the cleaning of it anyways. :(  LOL  Not two days later after discussing the demolition, I looked out the back window and guess who was walking across the yard?  Yeah, you know who.  Mr. Gary made his appearance ambling around, sniffing the air and going plunk right into his pond.   Apparently, he winters in our back yard under one of Farmerboy's sheds that he is not planning on moving... Lucky for Gary right?  ;)  Guess that means the pond is staying.

The "Gas and Steam Engine Show" will be in Baraboo this next weekend.  I am very excited to attend.  Hopefully, the rain they are predicting will move out of the weather forecast. :(  I finally purchased a new memory card for my camera and will get plenty of photos. 

Christmas Cactus Update & Gary's Back!!

Remember the Christmas and Thanksgiving Cacti cuttings that I was rooting back in the beginning of March?  (Click Here to Revisit)  Over two months and a whole lot of newly found patience later, I am proud to show you the new little plants.  The pot below houses 5 little transplants. If you look at the two center cuttings, there are some wee little segments growing.  The older Christmas Cactus variety seemed to root a whole lot faster than the Thanksgiving variety.  Trust me on this one, I was watching very closely....   Can you hear the stress in that statement? LOL 



 

 

One of the Thanksgiving clippings has a nice sized segment growing.  Once it got started, the new growth has had rapid development.

I know, I know... Patience is a virtue.  This little excursion was packed full of that lesson in life.  It really has been such a fun experience for me.  I only lost one of the clippings... Pretty good average.  :)  The only thing that I would have done different-- I would have planted  a bunch of clippings in one larger pot that they could grow for a few years in.  Other than that, I would call this a successful adventure.

How about a little Mother's Day surprise?  I got home from work yesterday and look who was waiting for me out in the pond...  Gary the snapping turtle!   He was all muddy.  Mr. Hollow spotted him first when he arrived home shortly before me.  It appears as though Gary had just arrived to his summer digs.   I was so excited!!  For three years in a row, this little guy has appeared in the Spring and disappeared in the Fall.  He is a true wonder of nature.  I couldn't have asked for a better kick off to Mother's Day weekend.  :)

To All The Mom's Out There 

Happy Mother's Day!

He's Back...

To be completely honest, the beginning of summer has kicked off in a slightly stressful way for me with too many "to do" lists and sad happenings in our community.  Just when the pressure started to get tiresome, look who decided to show up in our pond... Yep, it's Gary.  (Read about his first arrival here.)  Our snapping turtle from last year made the trek again to vacation with our family for the warm months.  His arrival made a huge bright spot in a dark couple of weeks for me.  I thought it was appropriate to celebrate our reunion by sharing a hot dog. :)  

 

 

Isn't he handsome?  Here he is peeking out from behind a pond lily for his close up...  or a chunk of hot dog! ;)

Enjoy the little things in life.  For one day you will look back and realize that they were the big things.  :)

Is it Springtime?? The Sheep Think So



Here are the newest members of the flock.  Let me introduce you to Max.  He is the new son of Marlena.  Marlena's  is one of our registered sheep and has fleece in a gorgeous grey color. (Which reminds me.  I have loads of fleeces that need to be washed!)   Although his coat color will change over the upcoming months, he is quite a site with his black and white spots!

 

Marlena had a little bit of a rough time after having these two.  I am not surprised, since her twins are pretty large.   This is a photo with Max a few hours old.  Little Max's fleece colors remind me and Farmer Girl's Grandpa more of a goat than a sheep. LOL

Luke has to check out all of the new arrivals.  So Farmer Girl took Max's sister Macey over for introductions.  Macey wasn't the least bit afraid.  Max, on the other hand, is a ball of energy.  Holding on to him is a chore.  The introduction was to quick for photos.  I have NEVER seen a lamb with such energy.

Hopefully, this is a sign that warm temps are coming to Northern Illinois finally.  I have fleeces to get out and wash and am going to try my hand at creating some roving. :)

Sphinx Hummingbird Moth

Look who came to visit my plants.  Although I would have swore it was a mini version of a Hummingbird, this little guy is actually a moth.  He is a Sphinx Hummingbird Moth that sports the most beautiful brown and burnt orange colors.  (My favorites! :) )  

 

 

It is so amazing to see how fast his wings flutter.  He has such an exotic "zebra-style" print on his head.  :)

His actions and movements are spot on for a Hummingbird.  I followed him around for 20 minutes and came across a second one that was photo shy.  It decided to flit across to the neighbors plants.  :(

This picture was taken by a group of plants directly under our Hummingbird feeder.  Right now, the Hummingbirds are fighting like mad!  This little guy paid no attention to the feeder, and the birds hadn't the least bit of interest in him.  :)

Backyard Pond Critters

I have been spending my free time enjoying the natural wonders in our small pond.  Each year we stock the water feature with fish, but this year was different.  We decided to let the pond have a more natural overgrown appearance.  The pond lilies look wonderful, since they have kicked into high growth this year.  While the fish are still enjoying themselves in the indoor tank, the little critters in nature were allowed to take over the pond.  

 

There were days and nights when the visiting frogs were so loud!  It was the meet and greet spot and apparently a little bit more... Since there weren't any fish to spoil their activities, it wasn't long before the pond was filled with tadpoles.  It was so exciting to watch them get their little feet.  I haven't observed this phenomenon for years. :)

They love to munch on the algae surrounding the lily pads. 

Here is one of the little guys that already has his legs and is a fully developed frog.  He is still sporting a tail...  The last remnant of his early aquatic life. *sigh* 

While watching the bugs skate on the surface of the water, I had an unexpected visitor swim up to check out the action...  A snapping turtle who had made a very long journey to our pond.  He has been named Gary T. Snapper and is the self professed King of the pond.   It is so much fun watching him swim between the lilies and sun himself.  I've spent many a moment pondering how he made the journey to this small obscure pond.  He has definitely earned the right to claim this water as his home.  :)