Category: Blog

Happy Solstice, folks! Summer is here 🙂

Got a bunch of wool stuff done this week-

Daphne and Dottie fleeces washed-

So that’s all this year’s fleeces washed up, which is super cool.

And, I did some felting. I was going to try and document my process for the blog, but just getting the felt made really took it out of me. Maybe I need to refine my method so it’s not so hard on the back. As it stands, it involves a lot of kneading and rolling and patting and rubbing while bent over our picnic table.

Anyway, I was very pleased with the results- 4 fine layers of carded wool makes for a nice lightweight, flexible fabric that should work well for making sheep puppets.

From left to right- Dottie (dark), Esther, Dottie (light), Daphne, Edgar, more Esther

Also this week I had a vet out to see Felix for his arthritis. He’s been having trouble with his knees for a while, and I wanted to get him something to help keep him comfortable and mobile for as long as possible. So I’ve got him on Meloxicam now. I think it is helping some, but so far not as much as the Rimadyl did when I had him on that a few weeks back (trial with leftover chewables from dear departed Sadie pup). Maybe it takes a while to get the inflammation down? At least I can slip him the pills pretty easily with his alfalfa pellets.

Alrighty- that’s all I’ve got for now. Have good week everyone-

And it’s a cuke!

Two actually. Aren’t they pretty?

I am also unreasonably enamored with my fennel

Wool-wise, I’ve been working my way through washing up Dottie’s fleece

Beautiful shades of grey. Probably two more batches to go. Big fleece on the girl this year!

And I’ve made a fresh start on The Shepherd’s vest. Am almost back to where I was before I sadly had to rip out from my first go. I think I have a strategy for working in a skein that is a little bit heavier weight than the rest of the batch, which should put me over the finish-line, yardage-wise (fingers crossed).

Don’t want to jinx myself by posting a picture yet though. Maybe next week.

Have a good one, folks! 🙂

Cool and rainy weekend here- but veg are still going strong in the hoophouse

I’m really excited about the pretty little melon plants with all their flowers

and we’ve already got a couple of little cukes shaping up!

and a few tiny tomatoes

And after a fresh coat of oil courtesy of The Man, the potting bench is positively glowing

And out in the garden, peonies are about ready to pop

In sheep and wool news, I finally got the last of Felix sheared the other day (yay!), so he’s looking much more respectable now. Wasn’t able to get a good post-haircut pic yet, but I have just finished up about 440 yards of fingering weight Felix 2 ply that I think he’d be pleased with

And as I have quite a bit of yarn and other woolen goods accumulated, I’m thinking I will participate in the Alger Sunday market this summer, maybe just twice a month(?) and see how it goes. First day is July 11. if you’re in the area, stop by and say hi!

Things are coming along well in the hoophouse- though we’re having a bit of an issue with voles. Their digging has disrupted some cucumber plants, so I’ve spread some critter repellant, and am monitoring for further digging activity and smoosh down any tunnels. Fingers crossed that the cucumbers recover from their rodent damage.

Excited to see that the tiny calendula seedlings I planted about a month ago are now starting to show buds!

Hopefully they’ll be blooming soon, but in the meantime I’ve planted some hanging baskets to keep the bees and other pollinators excited about being in there 🙂

Once the calendulas are in full swing, the baskets will brighten the front door.

And speaking of bright-wanted to give a shoutout to The Man for his work on a custom water hydrant stabilizer. Now it is a full fledged watering station with hose hanger. Pretty darn spiffy in Kubota orange!

And in chicken news- the girls are pumping out eggs a lot faster than we can eat them, so we’ve started offering them for sale on a first-honk, first serve basis.

We’ve had a few honks already, so hopefully we’ll get takers for maybe 4 or 5 extra dozen a week.