If you're wondering what I've been up to the past few days,  it hasn't been delivering lambs. The mysterious lack of action in the birthing barn has me double checking the calendar. We're well within the window, but the lamb count remains zippo. What I do have is a barn full of restless ewes. I'm keeping close watch on developments. Several of the ewes are really bagging up. If I were to bet on who'll go first, I'd say its Thalia, whose udder is the size of a bowling ball. Poor girl is having trouble walking. Ordinarily mellow, she was
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Today I wrap up the naming of our new CVM/Romeldale lambs – who will arrive in less than four weeks. For ewe lamb #6 we've chosen the name "Kona" suggested by Madeline, who explained that Kona is a type of coffee, a rich brown color. Since Kona is Java's sister, this name works really well. I thought long and hard about naming ram lamb #7, the rose-gray lamb. Since this ram will be the cornerstone of my new flock, the right name is especially important. Cindy's suggestion "Red" reminded me of a name I saw on a list of colors
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I've spent the last two days catching up on projects in the studio and preparing for lambing. The expectant mommas are looking larger by the minute and I know the lambs can come at almost anytime. With the cold and blustery days we've had so far this week, I'm glad I haven't had to deal with newborns in the birthing barn. Not yet. Despite the winds, Caitlyn and company were lounging in the yard when I arrived this morning. The sun must have felt warm enough, though I can't imagine it was pleasant being out in the open. I know
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Names for ewe lambs #4 and #5 have been chosen: The very dark brown lamb #4 is "Cinder" a name suggested by Kris. Lamb #5 is aptly named "Biscuit" by Valerie. Thanks Kris, Valerie and everybody – my brain's on overload this week with so much happening here, and it's nice to have so many thoughtful names to choose from (without having to think of them myself). Holly and I were heading to a Fiber Twist meeting in Greenfield today and I totally zoned out and got on the interstate heading south instead. Had to drive all the way to
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This morning's "to do" list included relocating 2 cormo rams and nine wethers from their winter quarters in the carriage barn to their summer digs – the paddock at the top of Patten Hill. The maneuver entails coaxing them into the horse trailer and a 3 mile trek uphill on town roads, since our farm road is still impassable from last winter's ice storm. The boys were surprisingly cooperative. After corralling them into the rig, we loaded water buckets, grain pails, a manger and mineral feeder into the back of the truck and off we went. Buster offered to be
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Exciting news – Chris Spitzer has sent a new batch of photos of the CVM/Romeldale lambs. Good heavens, I was astonished to see how much they have filled out. I feel bad for Chris's daughter, Randi, who did some heavy lifting so we can admire these lambs. What fun (for us, that is)! Note: You can click on the photos to make larger, except for the first one – I spaced out and forgot to super-size it, sorry). Tumbleweed (formerly ram lamb #1): Java (ewe lamb #2): And Java again, in profile, so you can see her lovely fleece and
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I can't believe another week has flown by. Just a quick progress note on the naming of the CVM/Romeldale lambs. The brown lamb with the white cap, Ewe Lamb #2 is JAVA, a name suggested by Diane.  Sandy colored Ewe Lamb #3 is DUNE which was suggested by April. Diane and April will receive sets of Little Lamb Note cards featuring the lambs from year's past. Thank you everyone for your help. It's really wonderful that when this group arrives at my farm next month, they will all have terrific names especially chosen for them. I had an update from
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Here's a glimpse of my shearer, Andy Rice, in action as he unfleeces one of my Cormo ewes. I am rough skirting the fleece as it comes off the sheep, which saves a ton of time on the skirting table. On shearing day last week we repeated this process 33 times.  I was exhausted by the day's end. I don't know how Andy manages to do this day after day at this time of year, with lots of travel in between gigs. It is just plain hard work.
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I gave Mike a camcorder for Christmas and we've playing with it, making some exciting movies of our golden retrievers, the sheep, our shoes (well, we didn't know the camera was on). My sheep are no strangers to cameras. I take shots every day and the lamb cam is permanently mounted to the barn wall like "big brother" watching their every move.  Ordinarily a bunch of big-time hams, they were completely freaked out by the camcorder. So it's a good thing I'm getting them use to it now, before I film the arrivals and antics of the little ones. Here's
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For me, the only thing more exciting than waiting for lambs to arrive is waiting for the arrival of freshly spun skeins and carded roving from the fiber mill. I picked up the first of my spring yarns at the spinnery this week. This yarn run has been in the queue at Green Mountain Spinnery since the end of last year. In February the newly shorn fleeces from my Cormo-cross yearlings joined my late autumn wool clip at the mill to produce boxes of glowing skeins (now stacked floor to ceiling in the studio). For me, the timing is a
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