We've hit the winter doldrums. Freeze, snow, thaw, freeze, snow, thaw, repeat. Ice dams on the barn roof, glacial ice sheets in the barn yard, ginormous mountains of grimy slush everywhere. Winter has worn out its welcome but it's too early to start hunting for signs of spring. Instead I'm looking for signs of winter easing up: the angle of the sun in the sky – a little higher than it was just a week ago; a few extra minutes of daylight for evening chores.
Aside from the drama of our weekly storms, there's a sameness to winter farm routine. In the barn the vibe is calm but expectant. When we arrive the sheep anticipate green hay and fresh water. They inspect our pockets for apples and carrots. They position themselves at the feeders and watch as we chuck in the flakes. They pose patiently for photos.
We expect all animals pictured in this post (except for Amy, black-face ewe in first photo and Crackerjack – wouldn't that be something??!) to deliver lambs seven weeks from now.
Before that happens, we will shear the flock. Great googly-moogly, it's quiet now but about to get very busy!
In this lull it's time for a special contest: the Winter's Waning Give-away! Want to know more? Scroll down.
Next Friday I will draw one name from the commenters to this post. The lucky winner will received 4 delectable skeins of Foxfire Fiber's Wool Alpaca Twist in snowy white (pictured below) and a copy of my book: Teach Yourself Visually Hand-Dyeing (prize total value of +$72), so you can dye them any color you wish. I'll even throw in the turkey feather, if you want it.
Two Things to Enter:
– Comment here on this post, sharing an observation that winter is winding down – or share something that you like about this time of year. (be sure to include your email address where it asks for it so I can contact you if you win). One entry per person, please.
– Share this post in at least one other place (blog it, tweet it, forward to a friend, or post on Ravelry or Facebook). Spread the word about the contest.
Good Luck!
