Archives for Craft

New Sheep Suits!

January 5, 2011 | 15 Comments

Big Day! Our new sheep coats arrived. Check it out. I've been long searching for a well-made, good-fitting sheep suit to replace the some-what tattered sheep covers we've used for years. At this time of year, it's especially important to keep the fleece clean. Hay and bedding straw mess up fleece faster than you can say "VM". Our "husky" rams and large wethers have been especially tough to outfit. Even the largest of our old coats aren't big enough for our big guys in their super-sized fleeces. After poking around and talking to other sheep-people I found the website for Rocky
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Winter Shares Color Choices (last but not least!)

December 31, 2010 | 4 Comments

Attention Sheep Shares 2010 members. Here's a peek at your color choices (all new colors!) for the winter yarn and fiber shares. Please let me know your preference via email. Shares begin shipping next week. Happy New Year! Cormo Alpaca Lace, left to right: amaryllis, marigold, purple coneflower celestial, cactus flower, squash blossom, granny smith And some close ups: squash blossom cactus flower granny smith purple coneflower marigold amaryllis celestial
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2010 – A Year In Pictures

December 31, 2010 | 16 Comments

This morning I combed through my iphoto library while sipping coffee and watching daybreak. What struck me most is that in a year of challenges and some major crashing and burning, stuff got done. Sheep were fed, shorn, lambed. Yarn got dyed, shipped, shared. Through Flock For Healthy Hearts we raised over $3500 for the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women, a campaign to promote awareness of the serious but often overlooked risks of heart disease in women. I can't thank you enough for your support. (If you would like to make a donation, please follow the link in
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Simple Gifts: Mellow Winter Morning

December 30, 2010 | 4 Comments

Mornings like today's are sublime. Sunshine, temps in mid 30's, yard full of sheep, no wind. Couldn't ask for a better way to start the day. Or to end the year. Come back tomorrow for a look back at 2010 in pictures. Sheep Shares 2010 members, stay tuned. I've been busy in the dye studio and am excited to share color choices for the winter shares tomorrow!
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Sheep Shares Yarn CSA Winners

December 22, 2010 | 5 Comments

The two lucky winners of Sheep Shares 2011 Farm Yarn samplers are: Marie (comment posted 12/21 at 7:17 pm) and Kris (comment posted 12/17 at 10:44 pm) Welcome to the flock! Mistral's first morning, from April 2010 If you are interested in joining Sheep Shares CSA 2011, we still have yarn shares available. We now have a wait list for fiber shares. Thanks to everyone who helped spread the word!
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Llama Drama

December 18, 2010 | 11 Comments

What a wild way to end the week. I was in Boston Friday for an appointment with my cardiologist, back in time for dinner with good friends last night. This morning I was headed east again (attending a lovely memorial service for my friend's mom). Having spent two days in the car bouncing back and forth on the Mass. Turnpike, I was looking forward to a little quiet time today. A chance to catch my breath, catch up on correspondence, write holiday cards and maybe bake some cookies. But that all went out the window this afternoon just as I
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Thoughts from a Fiber Farm in Fall

October 30, 2010 | 10 Comments

What's there to think about? The "work" of the moment is thinking and planning for next spring. It's time to place the rams with the ewes. HIgh time. The flock is restless and impatient. With four eligible and highly motivated boys (Teaberry, Parsely, Chai and Cinder) and dozens of young ewes, I have more options than ever before for pairing. With one black and one moorit ram, there's more potential for breeding for color. I could easily breed 50 or more ewes. So exciting. So tempting. But really, I do not need 100+ lambs next year. This summer we rotated
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Lambs In TV Land

October 26, 2010 | 20 Comments

Monday was a big day. Holly and I popped Mistral and Georgia into the back of my Highlander for a special field trip. We were guests on channel 22's (WWLP, our local NBC station) lifestyle program, MassAppeal. The night before, I didn't sleep very well. In the wee hours of morning I found myself questioning the sanity of taking two lambs who have never set hoof off the farm to a television studio for live program. It was an hour drive. Mistral was vocal, Georgia, quiet. I sang show tunes to help them relax on the way to Springfield. I
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A Grateful Flock!

October 16, 2010 | 9 Comments

First, let me say I am deeply touched by and grateful for your response to my invitation to Flock for Healthy Hearts, in support of Go Red for Women and the American Heart Association. With your help we quickly surpassed my initial goal of raising $2500 and the giving continues. It says a lot about the strength and love within the larger fiber community, how we rally and tend to each other. I can't thank you enough. I encourage you to share this post and this link for Go Red For Women. There's information about the movement and more importantly a
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Fiber, Friends and Foliage

October 3, 2010 | 11 Comments

We love visitors! A few scenes from Saturday's Fiber, Friends and Foliage open house. Thanks to everyone for sharing a special afternoon with us (and to those of you who were with us in spirit!). Mistral & Georgia share an apple. Crackerjack greeted his fans. Lambs love making friends. Especially Mistral. Lambs also love pumpkin decorating. Georgia and Holly – naptime! A sneak peek at the Fall Yarn Shares. Local Hero Llama Tired lambsters. photos courtesy of Madeline Kennedy, Lori Parker, Holly Sonntag, and Mike Parry. thank you!!
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