BAAAAAAAA.....BAAAAAA...HUMBUG

Sheep Treat Buried

We have had more snow in Minnesota where we live than we have had in years, or so it seems and it brings challenges we have not had in years...like finding the pumpkins given to us by a friendly farmer so that we can treat the sheep to nummy gourds.  We had a whole pickup full piled close to the fence and I tried to feed several of them before they would get soft and rot but along came the deep freeze and the insulating snow and they have been hidden now for months.  So one day when I was home I decided to see if I could once again give the girls and boys a treat.
So I guesstimated at where I thought they were buried.... somewhere on this side of that fence...

just kept shoveling right along....

of course when looking down and taking a picture the camera cord has to get in the photo too!...
Keep shoveling!

I was sure hoping that this was the right spot...

And voila!  Success.  Orange delights still in wonderful firm condition.

Way down in there like buried treasure!  I was able to grab a few out and hurl them to the sheep who immediately commenced to gobbling them up or is that gobbling them down?

Our beautiful Ophelia not too thrilled about more snow coming down.

And speaking of coming down, with all the snow on their outside hoop shelter, it came down...although one girl thinks that it is just her size for standing in.

Oh well, have to have something a little more snow proof next year.  This shelter has worked for years but so much snow this year!  The sheeps yard had to be blown out just so they could get outside of the barn!

We are now on to much warmer weather and the snow is almost off their shelter and I may try to get some repairs going on their hoop house and the boys' as theirs had collapsed earlier...Always work on the farm.
Gotta love it!

The Blessings of 2010

Some of my many blessings of 2010.

Hope you all had a blessed year and many many wishes for a happy 2011!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAD ENOUGH SNOW YET?

My goodness this winter is a year like when I was a child growing up and we were constantly shoveling snow and building snow forts and having snow ball fights.... staying outside till our cheeks were dark red and having the crisp cold snow stuffed up into the sleeves of our jackets and down into our boots and we finally went in when we were practically frostbit!  I remember it with very fond memories and playing with all the neighbor kids. 
This weather has given us a challenge down in the dip where we live as the road is almost higher than our fence in some places and since we are close to the road, the snow plow and the drifting has pretty well drifted across the ditch and the fence and progressed into the barn yard so the sheep have been stuck in the barn for a few days until we can get some of that snow moved and another panel fence put up inside the existing one!
I had to shovel snow off the boys' hut last night as it was collapsing under the weight of the snow.  Ugh!

You know that adage "if the shoe fits"?  Well one of the girls is having trouble with her hat!
So from all of us at Diamond D Shetland & Icelandics we wish you a very
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

As the world spins, we spin and spin....

I have been so busy knitting things for the sales that I have not taken much time to spin lately and it is starting to show as my homespun stash is dramatically depleted!  A job for this winter.  My wonderful friend Karen  came over last Saturday, even though she has been a little under the weather and we spent some time spinning and critiquing each other's plying methods as we watched the dvd "the gentle art of plying" by Judith M.  We concentrated on spinning colors although Karen had spun some wonderful green roving into a beautiful two ply heavy yarn.

The above is some of my colorful border leceister locks that I was just picking open and spinning from the locks after I dyed it all of cource.  Below is some of Karen's lovely spinning and her beautiful wool socks.

 We had been going to do some eco-dyeing on Saturday but just weren't up for the task but she did bring along some of her beautiful scarves that she did eco-dye and she sells at the Minnetonka Art Center I believe is the place.  I think they are quite lovely with the natural dye colors and then the maple, oak, and rose leaves.

Karen is a great lover of shibori also and has done some of it on the edges as you can see.

It was so great to get together and feel the loose fibers run through my fingers again...such good therapy.
One last sale on Saturday in Delano and then I am ready for lots and lots of "therapy"...hope you all had a good holiday!

MAKE HAY...I MEAN DYE WOOL WHEN THE SUN SHINES

We have had the most wonderful fall making it seem like summer is taking forever to come to a close...which is great as winter will then seem shorter but then rather than get into the hibernation mode we just keep doing more things outside.  I am getting tired but will just keep pushing on as I know that winter will appear one of these days.
I have a wonderful friend Karen R. that is an expert in natural dyeing and if you can ever take one of her classes, I am sure you will enjoy it.  She teaches at several venues in the state so you may get that opportunity.  I even had a natural dyeing day at the farm a couple of years ago and as anxious as I get over "entertaining" she helps keep it real and natural.  Thank God.
I also do fiber dyeing with koolaid when the grandkids around especially as it is safer.  As my little honeys are becoming older we have switched to doing some acid dyeing when we have some time together at the farm and we are not petting sheep and cats at the same time...love that multitasking!

My grandson has become a tall young man and is able to capture the sheep with my encouragement and hold him while I snap a photo or two.

I love getting the kids to the farm so they get a chance to keep in touch with animals and nature.
The littlest granddaughter has become old enough to climb on the fence as you can see her tennies and legs in the photo.
The last time I did a lot of dyeing however my sister was here from Wisconsin and we dyed lots of colors to use in yarn and fiber art.  Such pleasant surprises to see all the beautiful colors.

 Lots of color for fall and winter projects.  I do vending at several craft events and was at one in Hutchinson this last weekend and have one in Howard Lake and one in Delano coming up in the next few weeks.  Stop in and say hi if you know of these and are in the area.

Be careful what you wish for!

Remember that old adage "be careful what you wish for"?  A Shetland shepherdess close by me had an adorable little ewe that was such a pet!  Sheperdess Sue named her Jewel and after a little while she came to live at our farm.  Pet sheep can be wonderful and then again... they seem to know how to push your buttons easily!...or tear them off your sweater, whichever opportunity presents itself first! 
Jewel had twin ewe lambs for us last year and again this year.  She is the best mommy!
Her she is with this year's girls...the "little holstein" and Chocolate Chip who takes after her mommy for fleece color...badgerface? katmoget for sure.