Shetland Sheep: Rich in History, Rich in Textiles

Shetland Sheep: Rich in History, Rich in Textiles! Our farm mission is to enjoy and promote the wonderful diversity of the Shetland breed by fully utilizing to the best of our ability all they have to offer historically. We believe the best preservation and management of this breed includes it's full spectrum of history. We encourage old and new shepherds alike to join in the fun by engaging in fiber arts, especially spinning and knitting, as this breed is so intimately linked with those aspects of the arts.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Wow Kapow!

We are having just the most fantastic spring weather I could ever dream of! Last Friday nite, we cooked out on the campfire...on March 16th! That is surely the only time in my lifetime I'll get to do that! We wore t-shirts with short sleeves and were perfectly comfortable. Afterwards, we roasted marshmallows and made s'mores. It was a great memory.

Since we are in June-like weather rather than the nasty grip of unforgiving winter like the last several years, spring jobs are actually getting done this year. How nice that is. Each day, I work at getting one more thing done so that by week's end, much has been accomplished. The fruit trees are getting good prunings and so are the shrubs, things are getting cleaned up, windows are getting washed, and the tractor started easily. Is THIS what spring could be like??? I like it!

Musical barn has begun. Pens have been rearranged, with some new ones built and old ones taken down. Some animals were combined, others were...well...not! The littles and the littlelittles have new play spaces with new things to hop on. And cute little pony thought he could clear a chain link gate...only to find out that he couldn't......

We are now less one gate...

We have two more new little chicks here at the farm...two little buff silkies...hens hopefully! They are so cute! I'll have more photo heavy blogs coming up as soon as I find that cord for the camera!

We have other new things to report, but I'll wait until the pictures are ready. Wait 'til you see!

Someone made her very first pie today! And can you believe, the bluebirds have been here a whole week already? I've never seen them here so early. They are singing so much, you'd think we were on a set for a Hollywood western.

The sheep are gleeful creatures these days. The ewes are out on pasture, just ahead of green up. Yes!!! I wrote green up!!! Our grass is turning green. We've never had ewes on pasture before lambing...this is a first! Is THIS what spring could be like??? I'm getting real used to this! Lil' Rainbow is very leapy these days! She stays very close with her ewe lamb from last year, Lacey. Together, they move all around the pasture, grazing, running, and bursting with happiness. Mona and her ewe lamb from last year are the same. That little ewe is Maewyn. They are all so cute together! And the rams have settled down from their spring sillies, compliments to the nearly eighty degree weather! Wooly Bear really looks forward to his daily scratches through the fence I give him. He'll chase anyone else away if they come for a turn. Wooly Bear IS king of the farm, afterall!

Meanwhile, I cleaned out the back porch that was full of snowpants, mittens, boots, and all the winter trip hazards, hung up the sled, cleared out the stashed gooey rotten pumpkins hidden away (WHAT are THESE DOING IN HERE!!!), washed the curtains, and HUNG THEM ON THE CLOTHES LINE TO DRY! Aaaahhhh!! I just love the smell of fresh clean laundry just off the line! I've never hung things on the line in March before! I'm getting REAL used to this weather!! I scrubbed Swifty's kennel, and got rid of the winter bed for kitties they use on those super cold nights. Swifty helped with the clean up by chewing off the rim of his dish...his way of spring cleaning I guess!

Can you believe the spring peepers have been calling for nearly a week now? And the heat has been off even longer. Daytimes bring open windows with fresh breezes...boy...I'm getting REAL used to this!!!!

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