I know, many fiber artists have already been to many fiber shows this year, but around here, our show season starts in July.
This year will be the first time Diamond B Sheep Farm has attended Fiber U. The show is July 13-14 at the Cowan Civic Center in Lebanon, Missouri. I will even be teaching a class called "Exploring Fiber Tools" at this show! Visit www.mopaca.org for more information and registration forms for Fiber U.
We will also be returning for the fourth time to Fiber Christmas in Kellyville, Oklahoma on July 26 & 27. I love this show! We have the best time every year, and get to see all of our fiber friends and catch up on what is on their spinning wheel and what fibery critters now reside in their pastures. Kate has all the classes listed at www.fiberchristmas.com
Next, we will be a Fiber Daze in Mt. Vernon, Missouri. The show is September 20-21, and this will be our third year to attend. The class list for this show is simply amazing. To see it, please visit http://www.fiberfolksofswmo.com/fiber-daze-2013.html
Finally, and most exciting for us, we are hosting the first annual Diamond State Fiber Festival here in Greenwood, Arkansas. The festival is October 4-5 at the Sebastian County Fairgrounds, and we will have both vendors and classes. Information can be found at www.diamondbsheepfarm.com It is a little scary, but we have lots of support, so come out and join the fun!
So, if you come see me at a show, what can you expect to find in the booth? I have lots of colorful rovings, some gorgeous batts, natural fibers from our herd, and plenty of handspun yarns ready to go. This year we have added a couple of new items! First, I received a blending board from my dear friend, Linette, for Christmas. I have been having a blast making rolags, which are a ton of fun to make, and even more fun to spin - lots of rolags in our booth! I have also added fiber kits. These kits are made up of coordinated dyed and natural locks, rovings, and lots of add ins. They are perfect for those of you with blending boards, drum or hand carders, combs, or if you just need some variety in your stash! We should have a colorful booth!
And remember, I can talk sheep and fiber all day - you don't have to come to shop, just come to visit!
~Lori
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Where Does The Time Go???
Wow. It has been a while. Again. What can I say? I get easily distracted.
Let's catch up. We have had a tough year with the sheep. Seems like every time we turned around we lost somebody. And it was always the sheep who held a special place in my heart. Lots of tears have been shed in the last few months.
We bred nearly all of the ewes this past winter, and ended up with 30 lambs. Four lambs became bottle babies, and became very special to me. Two of those lambs developed mechanical pneumonia due to being bottle fed, and did not survive.
We have "rented" a pasture adjacent to ours in exchange for the upkeep for several years now. Since becoming shepherds, we have used that pasture as the main pasture for out cattle. In May, the owners decided they wanted to sell, and the price was too steep for us to consider for nothing more than a cow pasture. It was too steep period. Anyway, it was bought, and we lost that pasture. Now some tough decisions had to be made. We chose to reduce the sheep herd by half, and sell most of the Boer goats. I now have a herd of sheep made up of my very favorites with marvelous fleeces. It was hard to let the others go, but we were significantly overpopulated, and feed and hay have become very expensive.
We have also decided to host the First Annual Diamond State Fiber Festival here in Greenwood in October. This part of Arkansas does not have a big fiber festival, so we chose to put one on ourselves. Crazy? Quite possibly! You can visit the Diamond B Sheep Farm website for more information.
I have also decided to fairly well close the Etsy shop. I have come to the realization that nearly everything I make is for sale. For years I have been crafting - quilting, sewing, knitting, etc. But when I look around my home, I don't have much to show for it. I am not leaving a legacy for my children. I want them to have keepsakes in their homes that Mama made, things they can pass on to my grandchildren. It takes a lot of time to run a successful Etsy shop, always making new items to add, photographing and uploading pictures, cataloging items, time that could be spent on other pursuits. Now I will be focusing on the four fiber shows I attend each year, I will sell fleeces from the website in the spring, and spend my free time working on lovelies for my family, friends, and home. I may even dig the sewing machine out from under the bags of fleeces! And who knows, I might possibly find time to update this blog more than once every 6 months!
~Lori
Let's catch up. We have had a tough year with the sheep. Seems like every time we turned around we lost somebody. And it was always the sheep who held a special place in my heart. Lots of tears have been shed in the last few months.
We bred nearly all of the ewes this past winter, and ended up with 30 lambs. Four lambs became bottle babies, and became very special to me. Two of those lambs developed mechanical pneumonia due to being bottle fed, and did not survive.
We have "rented" a pasture adjacent to ours in exchange for the upkeep for several years now. Since becoming shepherds, we have used that pasture as the main pasture for out cattle. In May, the owners decided they wanted to sell, and the price was too steep for us to consider for nothing more than a cow pasture. It was too steep period. Anyway, it was bought, and we lost that pasture. Now some tough decisions had to be made. We chose to reduce the sheep herd by half, and sell most of the Boer goats. I now have a herd of sheep made up of my very favorites with marvelous fleeces. It was hard to let the others go, but we were significantly overpopulated, and feed and hay have become very expensive.
We have also decided to host the First Annual Diamond State Fiber Festival here in Greenwood in October. This part of Arkansas does not have a big fiber festival, so we chose to put one on ourselves. Crazy? Quite possibly! You can visit the Diamond B Sheep Farm website for more information.
I have also decided to fairly well close the Etsy shop. I have come to the realization that nearly everything I make is for sale. For years I have been crafting - quilting, sewing, knitting, etc. But when I look around my home, I don't have much to show for it. I am not leaving a legacy for my children. I want them to have keepsakes in their homes that Mama made, things they can pass on to my grandchildren. It takes a lot of time to run a successful Etsy shop, always making new items to add, photographing and uploading pictures, cataloging items, time that could be spent on other pursuits. Now I will be focusing on the four fiber shows I attend each year, I will sell fleeces from the website in the spring, and spend my free time working on lovelies for my family, friends, and home. I may even dig the sewing machine out from under the bags of fleeces! And who knows, I might possibly find time to update this blog more than once every 6 months!
~Lori
Friday, October 19, 2012
So.....It has been a couple of months...
Yeah, I know, I am not good about keeping up to date on this blog. I have too many things to distract me, I suppose. But I plan to do better.
First, some inspiration for a new hairdo:
Isn't she just a hoot? I wish we had a whole flock of them! We call her Phylis Diller - just look at that updo. And when she does her chicken-head-jerky-thing, her do flips and bobs with her. Makes me smile just looking at her.
Then, we had a totally unplanned addition to the farm. No....not more sheep. Geez. This time it was a baby donkey!
Dexter showed up about 11 o'clock one Saturday night. Izzy, our mini donkey, began raising a rukus, so hubby went out to check and see what all the fuss was about. He turned on the spotlight and exclaimed "We have a baby donkey!" It belongs to our big donkey, Taffy. We did not even know she was expecting. Yes, I know what can happen when you put a boy and a girl donkey together in a pasture, but we thought Taffy was just a bit chunky, she honestly did not look pregnant! Anyway, Dexter loves to be loved on. When you scratch his back, he moves his mouth around like he is chewing a big ole wad of Hubba Bubba. It's hilarious! And I have never felt anything so soft in my life. Seriously! This little guy has the softest fur I have ever had my hands in. Wonder if I can spin it..........
Then, we have one more addition. You know I lost my long time companion this summer, and how it broke my heart. Well, I tried to make a convert of hubby's dog, Gracie, into the mama's dog. It didn't work. I have always wanted a Blue Heeler of my own, and we went and looked at a litter. My goodness, I had forgotten how busy puppies are - here, there, chewing on each other, nipping at hands, running everywhere they went. I walked away and went back home to think about it. Well, the boys wanted him badly (translate into, "Mom, you know you want him, and we will help take care of him!"), so we went back and brought the new mama's dog home.
Meet Shadow:
He is a ball of lightning. He is so smart it is scary and he NEVER runs out of energy. Never-ever-ever. He drinks water like a camel, but sure can't "hold it" like one. I have never seen a more prolific tinkler in my life. He hasn't learned that mama likes to give kisses without having her face eaten off in return, but he will. We have yet to snuggle. But he learned "sit" in one day, and has nearly mastered "lay down". I can now sit and do a bit of spinning or weaving with him out and about, as long as Maverick the Terrible and Gracie are penned up. He is a character!
One more thing - I sold the Hammett loom. It was too big for my liking, and I couldn't get the hang of a counterbalace loom. I found this cutie pie within driving distance, and I am happily weaving on my first set of dishtowels:
It is a Harrisville Designs 4 harness, 6 treadle jack style loom. I love it! I understand how it works, it takes up very little space, and can fold up to just 13 inches wide when not in use! (like that will ever happen!) Once I got it warped up, I can weave up a storm.
More later...........
Lori
First, some inspiration for a new hairdo:
Isn't she just a hoot? I wish we had a whole flock of them! We call her Phylis Diller - just look at that updo. And when she does her chicken-head-jerky-thing, her do flips and bobs with her. Makes me smile just looking at her.
Then, we had a totally unplanned addition to the farm. No....not more sheep. Geez. This time it was a baby donkey!
Dexter showed up about 11 o'clock one Saturday night. Izzy, our mini donkey, began raising a rukus, so hubby went out to check and see what all the fuss was about. He turned on the spotlight and exclaimed "We have a baby donkey!" It belongs to our big donkey, Taffy. We did not even know she was expecting. Yes, I know what can happen when you put a boy and a girl donkey together in a pasture, but we thought Taffy was just a bit chunky, she honestly did not look pregnant! Anyway, Dexter loves to be loved on. When you scratch his back, he moves his mouth around like he is chewing a big ole wad of Hubba Bubba. It's hilarious! And I have never felt anything so soft in my life. Seriously! This little guy has the softest fur I have ever had my hands in. Wonder if I can spin it..........
Then, we have one more addition. You know I lost my long time companion this summer, and how it broke my heart. Well, I tried to make a convert of hubby's dog, Gracie, into the mama's dog. It didn't work. I have always wanted a Blue Heeler of my own, and we went and looked at a litter. My goodness, I had forgotten how busy puppies are - here, there, chewing on each other, nipping at hands, running everywhere they went. I walked away and went back home to think about it. Well, the boys wanted him badly (translate into, "Mom, you know you want him, and we will help take care of him!"), so we went back and brought the new mama's dog home.
Meet Shadow:
He is a ball of lightning. He is so smart it is scary and he NEVER runs out of energy. Never-ever-ever. He drinks water like a camel, but sure can't "hold it" like one. I have never seen a more prolific tinkler in my life. He hasn't learned that mama likes to give kisses without having her face eaten off in return, but he will. We have yet to snuggle. But he learned "sit" in one day, and has nearly mastered "lay down". I can now sit and do a bit of spinning or weaving with him out and about, as long as Maverick the Terrible and Gracie are penned up. He is a character!
One more thing - I sold the Hammett loom. It was too big for my liking, and I couldn't get the hang of a counterbalace loom. I found this cutie pie within driving distance, and I am happily weaving on my first set of dishtowels:
It is a Harrisville Designs 4 harness, 6 treadle jack style loom. I love it! I understand how it works, it takes up very little space, and can fold up to just 13 inches wide when not in use! (like that will ever happen!) Once I got it warped up, I can weave up a storm.
More later...........
Lori
Monday, July 23, 2012
Before Fiber Christmas In July
This coming weekend I will once again be a vendor at Fiber Christmas in July in Kellyville, Oklahoma. This will be our third year to participate. Kate Lowder, of Lowder Colour Farms, puts on a fantastic show each year, and it draws quite the crowd of fiber folk from all over the place. I am very excited this year because we will have all new display pieces for our booth. Stan and I have been working hard building and painting, and the kids have pitched in and helped, too.
I have more roving and yarn to take to the show than ever before - over 80 rovings and 40+ handspun yarns. I was disappointed with my booth last year, it looked very empty and sad in my opinion, so this year I am making sure it is full to the max!
I have been cranking along on the sock machine, too! It is a blast to play with! On my 5th attempt, I finally turned out a perfect sock. Woo-Hoo! I plan to take the little beast with me to the show for others to play with.
I am really proud of this machine. I bought it back before Christmas off of ebay. It was a dirty, grimey mess. I spent hours cleaning off the years of grease and grime, and was well rewarded for my efforts. It even had an amazing coat of paint under it all!
~Lori
I have more roving and yarn to take to the show than ever before - over 80 rovings and 40+ handspun yarns. I was disappointed with my booth last year, it looked very empty and sad in my opinion, so this year I am making sure it is full to the max!
I have been cranking along on the sock machine, too! It is a blast to play with! On my 5th attempt, I finally turned out a perfect sock. Woo-Hoo! I plan to take the little beast with me to the show for others to play with.
I am really proud of this machine. I bought it back before Christmas off of ebay. It was a dirty, grimey mess. I spent hours cleaning off the years of grease and grime, and was well rewarded for my efforts. It even had an amazing coat of paint under it all!
~Lori
Monday, July 9, 2012
Goodbye, Dear Friend
This past weekend was one of the hardest in my life. I had to make the decision to have my dear sweet Lily Belle put to sleep. She is now resting peacefully up on the hillside under an oak tree where my husband and sons prepared a very nice place for her.
Now, I am not going to carry on and mourn like I have lost a child, but she was a member of the family. More importantly, she was the mama's dog. Eleven years ago we were able to able to make the transition from rent houses to a house of our own, so I could finally have an inside dog. Hubby had long ago learned to say "okay, honey, if that is what you want." I took off alone to the Humane Society to find a cute little snuggly lap dog. Unfortunately, all of the small dogs had signs on the cage door that either said "Doesn't do well with children" (we have three), "Doesn't get along with cats" (we had one), or it was just plain ugly. Sorry, there really are ugly dogs. So I asked to go to the back and just walk through all of the big dogs. I did not want a large dog because we already had two cattle dogs outside. But, it couldn't hurt to look - there might be a puppy, and those are small! Anyway, I was walking through the rows and rows of concrete block pens just looking. All of the dogs were barking, whining, and jumping against the chain link gates to their pens, the noise was deafening. I walked down the last row, and right near the end I walked past a pen where the dog was just sitting there. I didn't think much of it, and headed for the door. I hadn't seen the puppy I had pictured in my mind to come home with us, and I didn't want an adult dog. Just as I reached for the door handle to leave, it dawned on me. That dog was just sitting there. It wasn't barking, it wasn't begging for attention, it was just sitting. I decided it must be sick, so I would go back and check before I notified the front desk. Back through the roar, all the way to the last row, and there that dog still sat. It looked to be a basset mix, golden in color, long bodied, with short stubby legs that turned out where it sat. Big. Brown. Eyes. I stared, it stared. I tried to call it to the front of the pen, and it acted like it wanted to come, but was afraid. Those eyes.
I'm a sucker. So I went to the front and asked about the sad dog with the big brown eyes. They said she had been found wandering in a parking lot, covered in ticks. She was very timid, but sweet. So, sucker that I am, I asked to meet her. They brought her to the visiting room and she hid in the opposite corner under a bench. I sat down on the floor and called to her. She wouldn't come. For about 30 minutes I sat in the floor and just talked to her in a soft voice. Finally, she slowly crept over and sat nearer. Then a little nearer. When I first reached to pet her, she flinched like I was going to hit her. It broke my heart. For the next half hour, I petted and scratched, and she sat still and let me. But she was big, and an adult, and so shy, and we had three small kiddos. This would never work, I told myself. So, reluctantly, I got up and left.
I told my husband about her when we got home. I couldn't quit thinking about her, so the next day we loaded up the children and headed back to see how she would behave around them. When they brought her in the visiting room, she immediately hid behind my legs. My legs! Not in the corner. She let me pet her, and slowly warmed up to my husband, but wouldn't let the kids pet her. We decided she was not really the right fit for us, so we left. I felt sorry for her, and on the way out I gave the front desk half of her adoption fee, hoping that would help another, more suited family, choose that sweet girl.
It was the middle of July, and so very hot. That evening the power went out. All over the region. Thankfully, we got ours back quickly. But much of the region did not. The next night we were watching the news, and they did a story about how the Humane Society was struggling to keep the animals cool. They were asking for fans and generators to run them. I couldn't stand thinking of that golden girl with the big brown eyes suffering in that heat. She was so quiet, she wouldn't get the attention the noise-makers would. They were not allowing any adoptions because they could not do background checks without electricity, but as soon as the power was back on, I made a bee-line up there and she came home with me.
It didn't take long until Lily Belle was well adjusted to our household. She only had one accident in the house before she was house-trained. She went from a scrawny 39 pounds at adoption, to over 60 pounds the first year. She was happy, healthy, and while she loved our family, she was devoted to me. Lily was never 10 feet from me when I was home. If I changed rooms, so did she. She slept on her yellow blanket on my side of the bed every night. She always got the last bite of everything I ate. She had to stay in a huge crate when we were not home because she apparently had seperation anxiety and would drag our belongings from all over the house into the living room if she was left alone. Years and years went by, and she slowly aged. Her golden face turned white, and she began gaining a little more weight because of slowing down. We often called her a speed bump because she liked to sleep right in the main walkways of the house. Her teeth began to wear down, and she slept more and more. About three weeks ago, I noticed she was having to go outside way too often, and was wetting multiple times when she was out. My never-has-an-accident house dog began standing up from a nap and losing control of her bladder. So I took her to the vet, and found out she had bladder stones. The options were either surgery or try a medicine based cure. She had been with us for eleven years, and I know was at least two years old when we got her, at the minimum she was thirteen. Probably more like fourteen or fifteen. So I opted for the much less expensive medicine. Several years earlier we had nearly lost Lily because she had a terrible time coming out from under anesthesia, so I was very concerned she would not come out of the surgery.
Lily got better. She quit having accidents in the house, but was still needing to go outside much more often than usual. Last Wednesday, I took her out, and she ignored me when I tried to get her to come back in the house. So I went up on the hill to fuss at her. Then I saw it. She was passing a lot of blood. I went cold. Maybe it was a one time thing. Next trip outside I watched again and the same thing happened. I knew it wasn't related, but the next morning I called the vet and asked if it could be the bladder stones clearing up? Is this normal? Please? But it wasn't. My normally sedentary dog was wandering aimlessly around the house, panting. She couldn't get still. She began needing to go outside every couple of hours, and having accidents in the house again. So I sat the children down and talked to them. Lily had been part of their lives for as long as they could remember. Even though we live on a farm and lose animals regularly, this was different and was going to be hard. I went to bed Thursday night crying and petting my girl, who was, as always, by my side of the bed, but panting hard. She had accidents Thursday during the night, and by Friday morning, I had mostly made up my mind. She had several more accidents. It broke my heart. I knew what had to be done. I called the vet, and about 2:30 Friday afternoon, Lily Belle laid down on her blanket on the back porch and went off to sleep forever, hearing mama tell her how much she was loved and always would be. Our dear vet prayed with us, and it was over. My sweet brown eyed girl was gone.
I am crying as I type this. I have missed her every time I turn around this weekend. I can't bear to put her food dish away or fold up her towel in her pen. I don't want to vacuum because her fur is all over the house. I will likely have reminders of her on my black pants forever, and I am smiling through my tears because of that. I cried when we came home from church yesterday because she wasn't there to let out. Her yellow blanket that she always slept on is gone from my side of the bed because we wrapped her in it. I convinced our shepherd mix, Gracie, to sleep on my side last night, but it isn't the same. She doesn't snore, Lily did. I look up and still expect to see her just a few feet from me, and I checked under my recliner before I put it down for her, out of habit. I told the kids to take all three, I mean two, dogs outside. My heart hurts.
I will miss her for a long time. She was my dog. Goodbye, Lily Belle. Mama loves you.
Now, I am not going to carry on and mourn like I have lost a child, but she was a member of the family. More importantly, she was the mama's dog. Eleven years ago we were able to able to make the transition from rent houses to a house of our own, so I could finally have an inside dog. Hubby had long ago learned to say "okay, honey, if that is what you want." I took off alone to the Humane Society to find a cute little snuggly lap dog. Unfortunately, all of the small dogs had signs on the cage door that either said "Doesn't do well with children" (we have three), "Doesn't get along with cats" (we had one), or it was just plain ugly. Sorry, there really are ugly dogs. So I asked to go to the back and just walk through all of the big dogs. I did not want a large dog because we already had two cattle dogs outside. But, it couldn't hurt to look - there might be a puppy, and those are small! Anyway, I was walking through the rows and rows of concrete block pens just looking. All of the dogs were barking, whining, and jumping against the chain link gates to their pens, the noise was deafening. I walked down the last row, and right near the end I walked past a pen where the dog was just sitting there. I didn't think much of it, and headed for the door. I hadn't seen the puppy I had pictured in my mind to come home with us, and I didn't want an adult dog. Just as I reached for the door handle to leave, it dawned on me. That dog was just sitting there. It wasn't barking, it wasn't begging for attention, it was just sitting. I decided it must be sick, so I would go back and check before I notified the front desk. Back through the roar, all the way to the last row, and there that dog still sat. It looked to be a basset mix, golden in color, long bodied, with short stubby legs that turned out where it sat. Big. Brown. Eyes. I stared, it stared. I tried to call it to the front of the pen, and it acted like it wanted to come, but was afraid. Those eyes.
I'm a sucker. So I went to the front and asked about the sad dog with the big brown eyes. They said she had been found wandering in a parking lot, covered in ticks. She was very timid, but sweet. So, sucker that I am, I asked to meet her. They brought her to the visiting room and she hid in the opposite corner under a bench. I sat down on the floor and called to her. She wouldn't come. For about 30 minutes I sat in the floor and just talked to her in a soft voice. Finally, she slowly crept over and sat nearer. Then a little nearer. When I first reached to pet her, she flinched like I was going to hit her. It broke my heart. For the next half hour, I petted and scratched, and she sat still and let me. But she was big, and an adult, and so shy, and we had three small kiddos. This would never work, I told myself. So, reluctantly, I got up and left.
I told my husband about her when we got home. I couldn't quit thinking about her, so the next day we loaded up the children and headed back to see how she would behave around them. When they brought her in the visiting room, she immediately hid behind my legs. My legs! Not in the corner. She let me pet her, and slowly warmed up to my husband, but wouldn't let the kids pet her. We decided she was not really the right fit for us, so we left. I felt sorry for her, and on the way out I gave the front desk half of her adoption fee, hoping that would help another, more suited family, choose that sweet girl.
It was the middle of July, and so very hot. That evening the power went out. All over the region. Thankfully, we got ours back quickly. But much of the region did not. The next night we were watching the news, and they did a story about how the Humane Society was struggling to keep the animals cool. They were asking for fans and generators to run them. I couldn't stand thinking of that golden girl with the big brown eyes suffering in that heat. She was so quiet, she wouldn't get the attention the noise-makers would. They were not allowing any adoptions because they could not do background checks without electricity, but as soon as the power was back on, I made a bee-line up there and she came home with me.
It didn't take long until Lily Belle was well adjusted to our household. She only had one accident in the house before she was house-trained. She went from a scrawny 39 pounds at adoption, to over 60 pounds the first year. She was happy, healthy, and while she loved our family, she was devoted to me. Lily was never 10 feet from me when I was home. If I changed rooms, so did she. She slept on her yellow blanket on my side of the bed every night. She always got the last bite of everything I ate. She had to stay in a huge crate when we were not home because she apparently had seperation anxiety and would drag our belongings from all over the house into the living room if she was left alone. Years and years went by, and she slowly aged. Her golden face turned white, and she began gaining a little more weight because of slowing down. We often called her a speed bump because she liked to sleep right in the main walkways of the house. Her teeth began to wear down, and she slept more and more. About three weeks ago, I noticed she was having to go outside way too often, and was wetting multiple times when she was out. My never-has-an-accident house dog began standing up from a nap and losing control of her bladder. So I took her to the vet, and found out she had bladder stones. The options were either surgery or try a medicine based cure. She had been with us for eleven years, and I know was at least two years old when we got her, at the minimum she was thirteen. Probably more like fourteen or fifteen. So I opted for the much less expensive medicine. Several years earlier we had nearly lost Lily because she had a terrible time coming out from under anesthesia, so I was very concerned she would not come out of the surgery.
Lily got better. She quit having accidents in the house, but was still needing to go outside much more often than usual. Last Wednesday, I took her out, and she ignored me when I tried to get her to come back in the house. So I went up on the hill to fuss at her. Then I saw it. She was passing a lot of blood. I went cold. Maybe it was a one time thing. Next trip outside I watched again and the same thing happened. I knew it wasn't related, but the next morning I called the vet and asked if it could be the bladder stones clearing up? Is this normal? Please? But it wasn't. My normally sedentary dog was wandering aimlessly around the house, panting. She couldn't get still. She began needing to go outside every couple of hours, and having accidents in the house again. So I sat the children down and talked to them. Lily had been part of their lives for as long as they could remember. Even though we live on a farm and lose animals regularly, this was different and was going to be hard. I went to bed Thursday night crying and petting my girl, who was, as always, by my side of the bed, but panting hard. She had accidents Thursday during the night, and by Friday morning, I had mostly made up my mind. She had several more accidents. It broke my heart. I knew what had to be done. I called the vet, and about 2:30 Friday afternoon, Lily Belle laid down on her blanket on the back porch and went off to sleep forever, hearing mama tell her how much she was loved and always would be. Our dear vet prayed with us, and it was over. My sweet brown eyed girl was gone.
I am crying as I type this. I have missed her every time I turn around this weekend. I can't bear to put her food dish away or fold up her towel in her pen. I don't want to vacuum because her fur is all over the house. I will likely have reminders of her on my black pants forever, and I am smiling through my tears because of that. I cried when we came home from church yesterday because she wasn't there to let out. Her yellow blanket that she always slept on is gone from my side of the bed because we wrapped her in it. I convinced our shepherd mix, Gracie, to sleep on my side last night, but it isn't the same. She doesn't snore, Lily did. I look up and still expect to see her just a few feet from me, and I checked under my recliner before I put it down for her, out of habit. I told the kids to take all three, I mean two, dogs outside. My heart hurts.
I will miss her for a long time. She was my dog. Goodbye, Lily Belle. Mama loves you.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Sure is hot! We have just barely started July here in Arkansas, and already we have tolerated 10 days that topped out over 100 degrees. Rain would sure be nice, too. I am glad we already have our hay in the barn for the year.
I thought you might like to meet a couple of my favorite animals.
This is Daisy, our Jersey milk cow and Huey, who thinks I am his mama. Huey is a Border Leicester/Shetland wether. His mama is Naomi, my favorite animal on the farm. When she gave birth this year, Huey was born first. One of the sheep dogs apparently thought Huey belonged to her, so she attacked Naomi as she was cleaning the baby up. After she had the second one, she abandoned Huey, so we wound up raising him. Now he follows us everywhere, and even loves to ride in the truck - up front in mama's lap, of course.
A couple of years ago, when my oldest son hit the teen years and began inhaling food, I started noticing how much milk and butter we were going through. I mentioned it to my husband, and we added it up and realized we could feed a milk cow for less than I was spending at the grocery store on dairy products. The added bonus was the calf would be destined for the freezer each year (but not this year's calf - she is a beauty!). Daisy has lived with us since she was 5 months old. We use a small home milking machine each night to milk her, and here is what is usually in our fridge:
I have learned to make butter and yogurt, and am learning to make cheese - not lot of success in that area yet. I have figured out the fastest and easiest way to make butter is to shake the cream in a jar for about 10 minutes. The butter forms almost like magic! We don't use near the cream that Daisy produces, so much of it stays in the fridge until it gets good and thick, then it goes to the chickens. We call it "chicken candy". If they were large enough, they would knock me over when they saw a jar in my hand!
Speaking of chickens, this is Gonzo.
He loves to eat grain out of my hand. He also likes grasshoppers and other various bugs my 12 year old catches for him to dine on.
Gonzo is an Araucana rooster. He has just learned to crow. Isn't he handsome?
And this one was just too funny not to include. Remember I mentioned the sheep dogs? Well, hubby gave one of them, Ginger, a haircut. Scarlett is waiting until we make a trip to town before she gets her haircut. Apparently Ginger's fur dulled the blades, so we have to get another set.
Almost looks like Scarlett is saying "Who are you?" It is hard to believe there isn't more dog than that under all that fur.
By the way - there are more fleeces for sale on the Diamond B website , and new dyed fiber in the Etsy shop. July contest has started in the FIX group on Ravelry , with this month's prizes being good sized boxes of fibery goodness. Any purchase from the participating shops earns you an entry, and there is no limit to the number of entries each month! Come join us!
Till next time!
~Lori
I thought you might like to meet a couple of my favorite animals.
This is Daisy, our Jersey milk cow and Huey, who thinks I am his mama. Huey is a Border Leicester/Shetland wether. His mama is Naomi, my favorite animal on the farm. When she gave birth this year, Huey was born first. One of the sheep dogs apparently thought Huey belonged to her, so she attacked Naomi as she was cleaning the baby up. After she had the second one, she abandoned Huey, so we wound up raising him. Now he follows us everywhere, and even loves to ride in the truck - up front in mama's lap, of course.
A couple of years ago, when my oldest son hit the teen years and began inhaling food, I started noticing how much milk and butter we were going through. I mentioned it to my husband, and we added it up and realized we could feed a milk cow for less than I was spending at the grocery store on dairy products. The added bonus was the calf would be destined for the freezer each year (but not this year's calf - she is a beauty!). Daisy has lived with us since she was 5 months old. We use a small home milking machine each night to milk her, and here is what is usually in our fridge:
I have learned to make butter and yogurt, and am learning to make cheese - not lot of success in that area yet. I have figured out the fastest and easiest way to make butter is to shake the cream in a jar for about 10 minutes. The butter forms almost like magic! We don't use near the cream that Daisy produces, so much of it stays in the fridge until it gets good and thick, then it goes to the chickens. We call it "chicken candy". If they were large enough, they would knock me over when they saw a jar in my hand!
Speaking of chickens, this is Gonzo.
He loves to eat grain out of my hand. He also likes grasshoppers and other various bugs my 12 year old catches for him to dine on.
Gonzo is an Araucana rooster. He has just learned to crow. Isn't he handsome?
And this one was just too funny not to include. Remember I mentioned the sheep dogs? Well, hubby gave one of them, Ginger, a haircut. Scarlett is waiting until we make a trip to town before she gets her haircut. Apparently Ginger's fur dulled the blades, so we have to get another set.
Almost looks like Scarlett is saying "Who are you?" It is hard to believe there isn't more dog than that under all that fur.
By the way - there are more fleeces for sale on the Diamond B website , and new dyed fiber in the Etsy shop. July contest has started in the FIX group on Ravelry , with this month's prizes being good sized boxes of fibery goodness. Any purchase from the participating shops earns you an entry, and there is no limit to the number of entries each month! Come join us!
Till next time!
~Lori
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
I admit. I have a problem.
I do, and I need somebody to save me from myself. It lurks in the back of my mind, always sneaking up on me at my weakest moments. So, deep breath, here goes......I have too many works in progress, and I can't stop myself from starting new ones. There. I said it out loud. Actually, I typed it, but it still counts. I have excuses out the wazoo for why I don't want to quit my bad habit: "I could make that pattern, it doesn't look hard." "I can enter it in the county fair." "Idle hands are the devil's playground." "I may have a lot of knitting going at once, but that means I will finish a lot at once, too!" "What if the world comes to an end and there are no more yarn stores, and it gets really cold? I will have a head start because I have lots of warm, hand knitted things that are close to being finished!" Ummm, I plan to be raptured out if the world comes to an end, but it is still a good excuse. Here is how bad it is (and these are only the ones I am willing to share!)
The blue wool sweater is sitting in the time out zone in the craft room. It is knit top down, all in one piece, which is my favorite style to knit. Before I started, I read a couple of reviews of the pattern which said the sleeves were too tight, so add ten stitches under the arm in the body. Now I have everything done except the sleeves. I am halfway down the first sleeve, and it is hugemongo and needs to be ripped back because an elephant could walk through it. I'm mad at it. If I got busy, I could probably finish it by winter. (That's what I said last summer, too.)
But this:
is calling my name. Begging to be played with. The color...oh so rich purple! And it is alpaca. And I have had the pattern picked out for over two months. And it is top down and knitted in one piece. And I am sure I could finish it by winter. And it is too hot to play outside.
Sooooo......maybe if I just swatch it:
And, isn't the world supposed to end in December? I might need it!
~Lori
The blue wool sweater is sitting in the time out zone in the craft room. It is knit top down, all in one piece, which is my favorite style to knit. Before I started, I read a couple of reviews of the pattern which said the sleeves were too tight, so add ten stitches under the arm in the body. Now I have everything done except the sleeves. I am halfway down the first sleeve, and it is hugemongo and needs to be ripped back because an elephant could walk through it. I'm mad at it. If I got busy, I could probably finish it by winter. (That's what I said last summer, too.)
Then we come to the lavender silk summer sweater. I got this yarn from a couple of people who were destashing on Ravelry. The yarn is super soft, drapey and gorgeous. The pattern is a sleeveless cowl neck sweater, perfect for summer. And I have my fun alpaca polymer clay stitch markers from Yarn Demon Designs on each side - they make me smile every time I come to one of them. It is a bottom up pattern, and now that I have divided the front from the back for the sleeves, I am having to knit and purl back and forth instead of knitting in the round. Purl. harumfff. I hate to purl. So I try and make myself do a few rows a day. I really want to wear this by the end of summer. It doesn't look like much in the picture, but trust me, it will be beautiful!
Then, I am ashamed to admit, but I actually had to search for this one. That is really sad, because it is probably the most time consuming thing I have ever made. It is an Elizabeth Zimmermann Adult Surpise Jacket. It is suppose to be a knit-a-long with the FIX group on Ravelry. Many have already finished theirs. All of the yarn for it, well over 1000 yards, was handspun by me. It is all garter stitch, so no purling. Piece of cake - I can knit at lightning speed. I planned to finish it to hang in my booth when I go to fiber shows. I have one coming up in a month. Don't think I will get done. When I decided to post this on the blog, I couldn't find the project bag this sweater was stored in. Well, after all, I did gut and clean up the wool room about a month ago, so I had "put it up" where I could find it again. No excuses on this one. I suppose I just lost interest.
But this:
is calling my name. Begging to be played with. The color...oh so rich purple! And it is alpaca. And I have had the pattern picked out for over two months. And it is top down and knitted in one piece. And I am sure I could finish it by winter. And it is too hot to play outside.
Sooooo......maybe if I just swatch it:
And, isn't the world supposed to end in December? I might need it!
~Lori
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