Goodbye 2008 -Hello 2009

So here we stand at the cusp of another year. We're still here thank you lord. Still together and still a family. We have added new chairs at the family table and watched as others were pushed in to sit empty. Life has changed and shaped us all differently. Daryl continues to work as an auto technician -the love of his lifes work, he has suffered with health concerns and come back swinging. He is still a devoted father and husband and loves coaching Jared's baseball team.
I still obcesses over fibre and bunnies, two passions that will never die -and I thank god daily for a understnading husband who allows me my hobbies. I watch my children grow daily and change to become two very unique and different people. Jared is thriving in his new school enviornment and Lindsay is well Lindsay a true Diva in all worrds and actions.
We thank you all for your friendship and support this year and hope to continue along this twisted path we call life. You all help make our daily lives brighter.
So as we open the door to allow the old year to slip out into the universe and the new year with all its bright promise to sneak in -we offer you this blessings and bright days to you all. And if the rain and darkness comes know that we are only a thought away.

HUGS all!

We're still striving for the sky
No taste for humble pie
Thanks for all your generous love
And thanks for all the fun

There's no hurry anymore
When all is said and done

Its PURPLE

Brianne has wanted a purple hat from Aunt Kim for some time now. And well as much as I hate to dye angora -she's so darn cute! So we made a little hat complete with tassle and ear flaps for the missie. And she is so worth it.

On the bunny front 6 new white satin angoras made safe arrival on Boxing Day :) Mom is so funny and so protective. Dad is unimpressed with the whole idea and has already started making eyes at other women. hmmmm. French Angoras are due on January 4th.

Everybunny in the Barn Hat

Yeah pictures!!!! And here to model both my new picture ability and to highlight our new "Everybunny in the barn" hat is Brianne -my willing sidekick and resident model. These hats contain random fibre from the rabbits gathered over the year. So far we have sold three of them :) I also did items with a picture of the bunny who provided the fibre for an item. People love the personal touch and to know about "their" bunny. But sometimes when we're cleaning brushing there is just a little bit so into the storage bag it goes until there is enough for me to spin.
I love the idea of using up every scrap of angora that comes off the rabbits. With the price of grain its a necessity. $20 a bag this morning -OUCH!!
HUGS all~~

Santa brought me a new computer :)

HURRAY!!!!! Boxing Day special it is but Kim is one happy camper. Now to hook up the digital camera and software and be abel to download pictures anew. Christmas also brought me 6 sparking white satin angora babies from Spanish Oaks Igloo bred to HH's White Knight. Can it get any better than that. Java too was spoiled by Santa who brought her a bucket of milk bones ot share with her boyfriend Zigi. Kids got more toys than they know what to do with and some much needed new clothing. Daryl is happily rocking out to Guitar Hero on the Wii.

Happy Holidays!!!!

Hey all:

Just a quick note to wish you all a Happy Holiday, happy Solstice and Merry Christmas!!! In whatever way you celebrate the holidays may you and yours be blessed and happy in the new year to come. We are so thankful for all of oyu who are a part of the tapestry that is our life!!!

Blessing upon you all
Kim and crew

2009 International Year of Natural Fibers!!!!

FAO welcomes UN Resolution on International Year of Natural Fibres 2009
Another contribution towards Millennium Development Goals
21 December 2006, Rome - Yesterday’s UN General Assembly decision declaring 2009 the International Year of Natural Fibres will contribute to the Millennium Development Goals by further developing the efficiency and sustainability of these agricultural industries that employ millions of people in some of the world’s poorest countries, according to FAO.

The UN decision follows a request by the biennial Conference of FAO in November 2005.

Millions of people around the world, among them some of the poorest people in some of the poorest countries, depend on the production and processing of natural fibres for their livelihood. Natural fibres contribute to food security and economic development for these farmers.

To raise awareness

The International Year of Natural Fibres will raise consumer awareness of natural fibres and strengthen demand for natural fibre products, improving the livelihoods of the farmers who produce them and revenues for countries that export them, says FAO. At the same time, promoting the use of natural fibres will enhance the environment.

The wide range of natural fibres includes cotton, wool, jute, flax, silk, sisal, coconut fibre and many others. Some are produced from plants, others from animals, and they are used in clothing and other consumer goods, as well as in industrial applications. Virtually every country in the world produces some natural fibres.

According to FAO, there is almost no limit to the type of activities that might form part of the International Year of Natural Fibres. Fashion shows, exhibitions, conferences, production of TV documentaries and books, and competitions for schoolchildren could all be developed in the many countries expected to take part.

Under the general guidance of an International Steering Committee, FAO would be the coordinator of activities in the Year of Natural Fibres, with many activities being undertaken by partner organizations. FAO is now seeking funding from donor countries and organizations to finance activities in support of the International Year of Natural Fibres 2009.

Funny how the simple things in life make us smile

Yesterday I had my 2 year old niece for the day which means no spinning -Brianne has a nasty habit of "helping" Aunt Kim by unwinding all the spun yarn on the bobbin :) So
we had a playdoh play date. funny how the smell and texture brings back so many happy childhood memories. We made shapes, bake cakes and shaped fabulous creatures.

Today Jared's first Christmas present arrived PR Tier a stunningly beautiful argente De'Brun doe. Sparky is already puffing himself up and looking oh so studly. How I wished the camera worked!! Take a dark rich chocolate rabbit and sprinkle it liberally with silver frosting and you have Tier. He's so happy and so am I! I didn't want him to lose his passion for rabbits.

Hope everybody is snug and warm!
HUGS
Kim

My computer hates me

I have decided my computer has been taken over by evil monkies. I cannot do any word processing, open any instant messenger or download any picture from my camera. I have virus scanned twice and nothing comes up. think it is just dying a slow death. Maybe Santa will fix my computer for Christmas???
In the meantime things are moving along here. I finished my hats and scarves and delivered them last night to the guild meeting. I'm now going to start spinning some fibre again and work on a new design I have in mind using another bag of Maggies Farm Mother Earth fibre grab bag :) Hope it turns out as well as the first one.
Kids are counting down the days till Christmas and Jared is eagerly awaiting the arrival of a girlfriend for Sparky our rescue Argente De'Brun. Yes Sparky is staying -and we've tracked down a girlfriend for him from the original breeder. He's thrilled Jared saved Sparky from his fate.
Its bitterly cold here -14 this morning so of course this means I have baby bunnies due!! I'm hoping for a white Christmas -love the snow but could do without the bitter winds that accompany it. Somebody (aka Java sucky baby of the universe) now has to have a sweatshirt to go out in -its too cold for her otherwise or so I have been informed!
HUGS to all!!! Can't add any pictures till the computer gets better.

Happy Birthday to the Greatest love of my life!

Today is my darling hubby's b-day. My best friend, love, rock and more turns 36. He's such a baby compared to me (laugh) I sometimes refer to him as my boy-toy :)
He's the man I always dreamed of but never thought I'd find. He just had to convince me of it that was all. We've been married 13 wonderful years. I pray for many more years together on this path we call life. Here he is with the kids indulging in one of his favorite hobbies paintball. Hey how many husbands and wives have dreamed of shoot each other in the butt :)
Love you darling today and always.

25 years and I still miss you badly

25 years ago you stood on your front porch and waved goodbye. Little did we realize it would be for the last time on this earth. I was 14 and my world shattered. I had never seen death lift his hand and take something or somebody I loved away. Shock, horror and dispair filled my life.
I grew older and named my son after you hoping he would be even partly the man you were to me. People could not spell or say his dutch name so they called him Jared or Jerry. Strong, dependable, always there to help me grow and learn, you were my mentor, my guidance and my friend. I know you would approve of my life and my choices. You always made your own way, first as a store keeper in Holland and later as a gardener here in Canada.
The day you died you asked me to look after your best girl -my grandmother. I told you I would till you could again. They were together holding hands when he died. He died a week short of their 55th wedding anniversary. I know the day she died you were there to take her hand and take her with you so you could be together in paradise. They showed me what partnership, love and marriage was about.
The day of his funeral this song came on the radio. It summed up so much to me. Today as we drove home from the cemetary it came on again. A message I know -that he is still here with me and we are never truly alone.

What happened here
As the New York sunset disappeared
I found an empty garden among the flagstones there
Who lived here
He must have been a gardener that cared a lot
Who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop
And now it all looks strange
It's funny how one insect can damage so much grain

And what's it for
This little empty garden by the brownstone door
And in the cracks along the sidewalk nothing grows no more
Who lived here
He must have been a gardener that cared a lot
Who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop
And we are so amazed we're crippled and we're dazed
A gardener like that one no one can replace

And I've been knocking but no one answers
And I've been knocking most all the day
Oh and I've been calling oh hey hey Johnny
Can't you come out to play

And through their tears
Some say he farmed his best in younger years
But he'd have said that roots grow stronger if only he could hear
Who lived there
He must have been a gardener that cared a lot
Who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop
Now we pray for rain, and with every drop that falls
We hear, we hear your name

Johnny can't you come out to play in your empty garden

New toy -things to keep yourself busy

My mother in law is destashing and she decided to get rid of her 4 harness LeClerc Table loom -so until it sells -its mine to play with. now to remember how to harness up this darn thing. I really don't need another hobby -I have loads to keep me busy.
Our local guild has decided to knit up hats and scarves for the local charity -think a little girl will like this for Christmas? I'm hoping to make 5 sets before our pickup day in December. Wonder if I can do it?

A Crappy day to be a rabbit breeder

Today in a word sucked. Today I had to tell an eleven year old boy that his only Rhinelander doe carries a fatal genetic flaw that she will pass on to all of her offspring. This means she cannot be bred again and the two boys Jared had kept to breed also carry this genetic flaw. He took it better than I did really. He asked if he could keep the tiger striped one he has named "Little Java" as a pet. I said yes immediately. So Jared will have one non-showable rabbit right now. This is the second attempt at his Rhinelander breeding program -they are lovely rabbits but twice his does have been no good. So we're taking a break from this and regrouping.

I also was gifted with four rescue rabbits today -one poor fellow has part of his face chewed -he was put in a cage with two bred does as the person thought they would all "bond". The larger and more agressive doe maimed the smaller one and turned on him who fortunately burrowed a hole and stayed in there till the person could come back to rescue him. We've cleaned him up and are going to try to save him. The other three are going to be put down humanely -they are too far gone to save - chewed up and very very thin. These were some beautiful meat rabbits at one time. People really need to read more and learn more before they decide to raise animals.

I'm waiting to see how fast the kids make a pet out of "Sparky" -he's a really pretty argente d'brun which is a rare and unique offshoot of the champagne rabbits.
Or how fast this huge sucker aka me will........darn pet rabbits I'm suppose to be a cold heartless breeder right?
HUGS

Making yarn

Been busy lately attending varous fibre and craft shows. It thrills me to no end when poeple purchase my handspun yarn :) We all like to hear compliments LOL.
Went to a show on Friday night and all day Saturday and sold three hats and two scarves -wheeeee!! Especially as I am not a fantastic knitter like some of the others that were there. Also sold quite a bit of felting fibres and supplies -thank goodness now the car insurance can be paid. Now to learn how to knit socks ........
Anybody want to show me how?
Well in the meantime I can keep busy spinning away of the gorgeous fibres sitting here. Just finished a batch of Maggies Farm fibres in stunning tawny golds and smokey blue greys. And an order for white angora for a customer. Its all drying outside in the sunshine. Its cold but sunny today.

I will remember.............

Today is rememberance day. It is a very special day for remembering all those who died to ensure freedom. For me my families history is very different than most here in Canada. My parents were both born in Holland - an occupied country during the wars. My dad remembers the Germans setting up a machine gun in their lviing room window to shoot down Allied paratroopers, he remembers an unexploded bomb in the kitchen floor he also remembers the Candian soliders arriving to their small village with flags and tanks and much cheering. They gave him a bar of chocolate -he didn't even know what it was.
My mom was born right after the war. My Pakke was involved in the resistance. My Beppe tells us near the end of the war they arrested him -she got the news they were putting him on the trains -a one way trip there. His brothers blew up the train tracks and rescued him. My grandmother's brother was killed for harbouring Jews and other undesirables. She told me of how the Germans broke down the door when they were having Sunday dinner together and dragged him out into the street. They shot him as his daughter toddled her first steps towards him. She wrote later in her diary of how she stood there screaming at the soliders to stop and at her brother to just lay down so they would stop shooting. He lay in the streets for three days as an example of what would happen to those who aided the resistance. I cannot imagine having the strength and courage to risk everything for the safety of others.
She too wrote of the excitement and gratitude of the Canadian soldiers arriving to liberate them. They always spoke of the Canadians with deep gratitude. Years later when they immigrated it was with so much pride that they too became Canadain citizens.
Daryl and I years later were able to go to Holland together -to stand on the street where my uncle paid the ultimate price for freedom, to see the bell tower plaque in the village listing all those in the resistance who paid for the price of freedom, to take part in the liberation day celebrations -to see the cemetaries where the brave young men who fought and died for freedom lay. To see and feel the gratitude, love and warmth that still exists in Holland for the Canadian soldiers. To walk down the streets and know what it was to be free.
I cannot imagine as a mother and a wife having to say goodbye to my loved ones, to watch each day for a telegram to arrive. For words than mean so little when you have given so much. We cannot say thank you too many times to all soilders -past and present.
We are free to do as we will, to live how we will and each day on this earth is a gift.
So to all who have or will wear a uniform -Thank you!
To all parents and spouses and children who watch and live their loved ones chosing this lifes calling -thank you!
We pray for peace, we hope for tolerance and above all we thank the great spirit above all for life.
We will not forget you.
Thank you.

Simple things are best

Funny how you do something so simple and yet so appealling. I made my first little silk bag from one cap just to see what would happen...well so far I've recieved requests for three custom bags, been asked for the pattern and am going to have them pictured in the next Silk Tidings newlsetter from Treenway LOL.
I'm NOT a technical knitter -I just can't follow anybody elses pattern it seems.
Here's a picture of two more of the silk purses.
Anybody wanting the pattern just ask -I'll happily share.

Happy Halloween

Here they are looking ready to go. Lindsay was a Kangaroo complete with joey - the costume was provided by her aunt Lorie who had a whole big trunk to pick from :) Warm and toasty not that she needed it. It was so warm here I sat out on the front porch to hand out candy and spun on the wheel while waiting for kids to arrive. Had about 50 which is way less than what I thought would come.
Jared my wodnerful creative kid decided he wanted to be "Perry the Playtupus" from a cartoon named Phineas and Ferb. Perry is a turqoiues playtpus who is a secret agent spy. Nothing like lets have a challenging costume :) Don't know where he gets his imagination from. But I think we did okay by it.
Now what to do with all the leftover Halloween chocolate......I mean what leftover halloween candy -there wean't any left really .........yum

Still kicking

I know I know bad blogger not updating her posts. I'll sing the "I'm sorry song" for you if you like. I've been very busy trying and sucessfully figuring out how I knit the "Maggie Shawl" -posted on Maggies blog -http://www.bundaflicka.blogspot.com/ -Its 8 ounces of her gorgeous Mother Fiber -Nuno/Needle Felting Kits. Her roving is stunning!
Today and tomrrow I'm helping out at the guild show and sale -sold one skein of angora yarn today :) And of course tonight is the big candy haul for two excited kids -I'll be sure to post pictures of them in costume. Java is terrified of the pumpkin -she is sure its going to eat her LOL.
Other than that its same old same old for me. Went to a job interview on Tuesday -would really like this job -9-5 monday to friday working for a custom embroidery company -nice people. Daryl is loving his new job -yes hes back at what he does best fixing cars -no overhead work here though and no electrical dyagnositc which he hates.

My husband and his younger woman :)

I busted my hubby today with another woman snuggling on the couch :) Good thing its our adorable neice Brianne (age 2) -they snuggled down on the couch together for a nap - Brianne at first wanted nothing to do with him but today nobody but "Unka Daryl" was good enough to snuggle with LOL.
They are a cute couple though.....darn it she has everything blond curls, blue eyes and a smile that goes for miles.

Ever get the urge......

To spin something different? For me I LOVE spinning angora but sometimes the urge to spin bulky yarns hits. And wool is perfect. Especially in bright vibrant colours perfect for felters yarn. Here's six of Louet's new Northern Lights colourways all spiun up into 4 ounce -65 yard skiens.
From left to right they are:

Meadow Trail
Peacock Feather
Wild Iris
Meadow Glade
Mulled wine
Fire Moss

Really really nice. There is one more that I didn't get called Fruit Punch -to me it looked too close to Mulled wine with out the nice rich tones. They are a merino cross wool so very soft with lots of loftiness to them. There are 26 colours in total I think.

Playing with Fibre

I know I know three posts in one week -wow I think that is a first for me (grin)
Today was open studio at the KHWS studio and I had a blast playing with the drum carder there. I took some dyed mohair by Jared carded it by itself, with angora and finally with three different colour alpaca batts I got on Sunday at the Open House at Wilton Road Mill. The alpaca came from South Shore Alpacas and is lovely and soft. I love the results!!!
Funny thing is I didn't care for the mohair roving before it got carded and altered the colours......will have to try some more I think ;) Good thing the studio is open every Thursday so I can indulge my love of fibres with more equipment than I have now.
My other work in progress is a buttery soft brown merino fleece that has been washed and picked for the first time. I'm going to wash it a second time, pick it again and then card it -lovely stuff from Maggie's Farm!

Rhinelanders update

Well as many of you know Jared decided on Rhinelanders as his breed of choice. He now has the orignal senior pair, a pair from the breeding the senior doe arrived with and now 7 beautiful babies (born on my birthday) to assess and decide who stays and goes.
There are 5 marked and two sport babies in the litter. I didn't know about them so they were a HUGE surprise. So cute -look like harlequins. Kids have named them little Java One and little Java Two LOL.
Here's a picture of the difference! And a picture of mommy too -she's looking good really considering her business with 7 popcorn babies! Of corse she has that look of go away down pat!

Rabbits, Fibre and the Dyewizard Himself

Busy weekend :) Rabbit show in Spencerville on Saturday -of course no rabbits in full show coat ready to go. Got 2nd place with my just turned senior French doe -both judges LOVED her body type and structure she just needs more guard hair to finish out her texture. Luckily had three rabbits able to get registered to boost the fall breeding lines.
Sunday we went to the Wilton road mill open house - nice day thank god for no rain -cause it looked like it would! And fibre and rain is not a good combination. The dyewizard himself Jared took the day out to attend with me :) He was thrilled to meet so many of his "fans" and was an instant convert to the lamb chili -he had 6 bowls!!! Can this kid eat or what. And he's so darn handsome and polite and cute -he made lots of new friends. But remember ladies he's mine at least for another 7 years!

13 years.- who would have thought it!

Yeppers 13 years of me and the big guy. It sure hasn't seemed that long. Good days, bad days and some days never to be spoken of again -laugh. We're still here though and still going strong. The gift of lace is the traditional way to celebrate 13th wedding anniversaries. Modern gifts are gifts are textiles or fur.
Whoohoo textiles - can I get mine in cashmere and maybe some mohair or silk ;)

Jazzy Jared -yarns!

Here's the latest from the dye wizard. He found some white 100% wool in the stash pile and decided he needed to unleash his creativity. 7 lots of yarn is now proudly done up -ready for the Fibre Mill open house on Sunday -mommy is taking her angora rabbits and fibre. Jared is taking his 1 of a kind dyed products :)
Wonder who will be more popular LOL. Jared of course!

Knitting with Silk caps

I recently decided to play with some of the dyed caps Jared had done for me and thougth about knittting it without spinning it first. I carefully pulled apart the cap starting at the edge and made one contunious ribbon with it. Then rolled into a ball and knit just using garter stich and slipped stitched to create a fun little bag to put on my belt -just the right size for some ID, phone and some cash. I then embellished it with some charms and ribbon and voila - I loved it!! Lots of fun too. I may make some for the teens on my Xmas list. That is if the silk caps don't all sell first!

Lord and Master

Shenanigans our lovely orange tom (13 years old and going strong) knows who is the true master of the house. HE is!! Everything and everyone is under his rule including the lowly dog. Here he uses Java as a cushion and the sad thing is she lets him ~ LOL crazy pair that they are. Grimjack our other cat - 12 year old grey tabby is chased all around the house by Java but not Shenanigans -he truly rules the roost!

Fishing with Nanny and Poppa

Kids had a real treat last night. Nanny and Poppa asked them to go fishing at a friends trout farm. Yummy!!! And so exciting for the kids to pull in a BIG one!
Here's the pics.
Arent' they just the cutest kids you have ever seen. Their cousin Brandon came as well -he turns 14 this March and is turning into a real heart-throb.
The other handsome fellow is Peter who has lived with Daryl's parents for over 20 years. He's like Daryl's kid brother and is a very special part of our family.

First Day of School!

It's that time of year again! Time when once again I am forced to admit my kids are growing way faster than I can hold them back. Jared is 10 now a powerhouse baseball player and still the dyewizard of Cornerstone Fibres. he's going into Grade 4 this year under a modified learning program to help him with his literacy problems. Thank God for teachers who listen and help you with your kids! Lindsay is off to Grade one -full time days! She's an opinionated bueatiful little girl who God help us all will be challenging her teacher as much as she is challenged.
Thank you to all who help eductate, drive our kids safely too and from school, clean up after them and help plan to make them better and learn more effectively! God bless you all!!! We as parents need all the help we can get ;)

2 Looms and 2 Spinning Wheels for Sale

Hi All:

Its time to make some room in the house. All prices are negotiable -
I CAN ship items or arrange delivery to Rhinebeck NY Sheep and Wool
Festival in October:

Country Spinner Spining Wheel - a HUGE wheel great for plying or
spinning bulky. Bobbin holds over 2lbs of completed yarn. Single
Treadle.
Asking $325

Louet S-75 Single treadle -an older model but a fantastic wheel.
Solid maple wood construction. Comes with three bobbins and lazy
Kate.
Asking $375

Large Inkle Loom -handmade but works awesome!
Asking $30

LeClerc 4 harness Table loom Dorothy 15 3/4"
Wonderful compact loom - in excellent shape.
Asking $250

Photos of all equipment can be sent to you upon request. Prices do
not include shipping but delivery to Rhinebeck is FREE.

Bunnies for Sale

Well after a fabulous spring and summer there are few bunnies left for sale here at Rocky Meadow Rabbits. We have one satin angora buck -tort, one Jersey Wooly (registered smoke pearl), one German Hybrid (broken Black) and 4 French angoras left to sell - 2 sable bucks, chocolate agouti buck and a really smart broken sable doe who might still stay. Here's some pics of the available bunnies.

Getting ready for the fall shows

We've been busy here trying to get ready for fall shows -not very sucessfully mind you. Today I finally finished my first hat/scarf set of 100% pure angora -handdyed, spun and knit. Lindsay was my reluctant model - I mean how rough is it to stand and look cute :)
I hope to make a few more and some of my long scarves -mine gets rave reviews everytime I wear it!

Time and Friday

Here's new bunny number one Fuzzies Timely Manner AKA Time a stunning smoke pearl doe from Sue Needles along with her soon to be boyfriend RM's Friday the 13th a rich and deep sable buck. Both will be shown this fall as juniors and then clipped down to get ready for the 2009 Angora Nationals ~~Here's two promising and amazing French Angoras we're proudly housing and breeding at Rocky Meadow Rabbits.
We also aquired Fuzzies Class Act -an amazing junior REW Doe and Fuzzies BCB a really nice blue pointed white buck.

Back from the Dog Trials

We're back after the fun and the rain (laugh). What a action packed three days -busy too. We cheered not only the dogs on but the 4 sheep to shawl teams as well. We bid (unsucessfully) on the shawls -the highest one sold for $225 I believe. Kingston my hometown girls placed second!!! They had an amazing desing with green and dark natural fleece -very striking. All the teams seemed very happy to spend the GCs we had donated for prizes. Its always fun to have 25 spinners and weavers at your booth at one time :) Of couse Jared's dyed items were hotly contested and fought over.
The Kingston Handloom Weavers and Spinners also ran demos all weekend long -here's Mary teaching tow young men the joy of spinning. They were very enthusiastic to learn all about it! Drop spindle kits were a huge seller this weekend and I gave lessons to get them started all weekend long.

The trials themselves were won by Amanda Milliken (fom Kingston) and her incredible dog Ethel. it had to be a run worthy of a film. They have to gather 10 sheep run the course then gather 10 more to finish the fist part. They then have to seperate 5 sheep with collars and send the rest over the hill. You then finish by penning your 5 collared sheep. Well did we ever get a show!! Amanda and Ethel had sucessfully shed off 14 of the sheep needed with one rebel left. This sheep left the group and returned twice before they sent her off. We thought she was done but oh no down the hill she trucked -JUMPING over Ethel who rightly hit the ground. The sheep then attempted to kick her with a rodeo horse worth kick. Amanda yelled at Ethel who got up off the ground looked at the sheep and then at her as if to say "can you see what I am dealing with here." Amanda stopped yelled "sorry" and away they went again to get one of the few pens of the day! Ehtel is coming on 10 and I know without a doubt that girl could do the whole run herself but its still wonderful to see true partners on the field.

I love going to Grass Creek -its so wodnerful to be a part of it all -but its nice to come home too. Today I'm off to get three new French angoras -and I remembered to charge the camera so new pictures of them will be up shortly!

Let the Sheep Dog Trials begin!

They're off and running and so are we. The 20th annual Kingston Sheep Dog trials start for us tomorrow. There are over 120 dogs running in this finishing off in the
exciting and thrilling double lift championship on Sunday. The dogs started their runs on Wednesday -crappy weather for them -poor things and mean mean nasty sheep. The sheep are run wild on Waupoos Island and never see a dog till the trials -they rerally make the dog and handler work. We'll be there Friday through Sunday manning the booth, fighting over who gets to watch the dogs (laugh) and cheering on the 4 teams at the sheep to shawl cometition on Saturday. More pictures to follow as events unfold. I love watching the dogs run -makes me miss Scamper -not that she would ever deign to herd sheep -she was above all that :)

Jazzy Jared loose again

You can always tell when Jared is bored on a rainy day - we have to dye things LOL.
8 ounce mohair roving lots and silk caps were on the menu today. He loves his colours doesn't he. Cheery and bright as the rain comes pouring down.