More About Shearing Day

I've written a couple of posts about shearing day already, but I have so many photos to share. As John worked through the main flock I brought in the sheep from other areas. The two ewes with two-week old lambs were shorn (last post) and then the three Jacob rams.IMG_8593This is the yearling ram, Rotor.IMG_8597 lilac and black ramsA good comparison of a lilac Jacob (Nash) and black & white (Rotor).Rotor fleeceThis is Rotor's fleece.IMG_8618They aren't all spotted. This is one of the BFL-Jacob cross ewes.DSC_5281Lots of people help to make Shearing Day fun and easy for me. Kathleen weighed fleeces.DSC_5273-StephanyStephany and Gynna wrangled sheep all morning.DSC_5341Alison and many others helped at the skirting table.DSC_5321People are welcome to skirt their fleeces before buying or ask for advice about fleeces.DSC_5364 DSC_5323It was a great day to stand in the sun with your hands in freshly shorn wool.IMG_8622One more ewe to be shorn and then it was Faulkner's turn.IMG_8631His buddy, Jerry looked on. Faulkner weighed in at 235 lbs (down about 30 pounds from what he sometimes weighs in the summer).DSC_5387 Jacob fleeceFresh Jacob fleece.Faulkner's fleeceFaulkner's fleece.DSC_5349While the shearing and wool sorting was going on, friends were helping buyers in the shop.Farm Club group photoLater we got everyone (almost) to the barn for a group photo. That's a lot of enthusiastic friends!

Shearing Day

We sheared on Sunday. What a gorgeous day for shearing (but hoping that the weather doesn't continue this way--winter shouldn't be over yet).IMG_8551The day before we were cleaning up the area around the barn and pushed the brush pile into the corral area where it's safer to burn. The sheep thought that there might be something worth eating...IMG_8552...or scratching on. I didn't want them ruining a whole year of wool growth the night before being shorn so it was time to move them to the barn.IMG_8559I called the dogs in and Ginny got to help with the big group. Sunday:IMG_8561 Farm Club members are ready for action.IMG_8563First sheep.IMG_8566Mary is ready to grab and bag the fleece.DSC_5259Wait a minute. These sheep don't look right.DSC_5264Cute, but not the right sheep.DSC_5257We started the day with 10 sheep from another farm.  We told John (shearer) that was his warm-up.IMG_8601-waiting for shearingWe got underway with the Jacobs. Farm Club members did all the work. Visitors watched. and I changed gates and moved sheep while playing with my camera.IMG_8572Here John is shearing Dazzle...IMG_8570 Amy and lamb...while Amy holds her lamb.IMG_8588 Peggy & CarolynI think this is my favorite photo of the day. Peggy and Caroline babysit twins while their mom is being shorn.

 

Overdue for Shearing

The flock is looking rather ragged. It's a good thing we're shearing in two days.1058 Mable (1)Mable.GinsengGinseng.921 ShelbyShelby.JazzJazz.12086 NoelNoel.PetraPetra.Petra (1)Petra again.DSC_5239I'm not sure who this is but she's certainly round.954 SpringSpeaking of big and round, this is Spring. Last year she was so big that we had a couple of wagers on lambing--when and how many?Isabelle with GoProIsabelle sporting her tech head-gear. The video will be coming soon.

Cute, Cute, Cute

It will still be a few weeks before I have any more lambs so the first three have more than their share of photos.DSC_4942This is Delight with her twins. Dazzle and 16001This is Dazzle with her single lamb. One of the problems I have photographing Jacob sheep is the fact that they have black markings around their eyes. I find that it is hard to expose the photo properly and also be able to see the faces. I edited this lower photo to where I could see the lamb's eyes, although they aren't showing up here very well and the photo looks washed out compared to the top one. Here is another example.

The original is on the left. The black is too black, but I'm not very good at lightening it up just enough to see the eyes better. I lightened the shadows on the one on the right and it looks OK when it stands alone and is not next to the first version. I also tried dodging around that right eye, but it didn't help much. I think I need a lesson.16002-3 version 1Here is another pair of photos. Which is better? Top or bottom?16002-3 - Version 216002-3 (1)At least I have CUTE going for me. 16002-3

16001 - head

Ginny 1Speaking of cute, can you tell the difference in these two photos? It's not in editing. Try the focus...Ginny's focus, that is.Ginny 2

Meow & Woof Yarn

Who could resist yarns with this theme? I couldn't and I hope that my customers can't. This is one of the most recent additions to the shop. The yarn is dyed to match cats and dogs and some of the proceeds are given back to animal rescue projects.DSC_4851This is a selection of the BFL yarn in fingering weight. That's a light weight yarn often used for knitting socks. You might wonder how purple and pink fit into cat and dog colors. The purple is called "cheshire cat". I still didn't understand how that fit until I googled "cheshire cat" and found that Disney's version of the cheshire cat is indeed purple.DSC_4861What about this one? It's called Kitten Nose Pink.DSC_4839It's easy to see the calico here.DSC_4878These yarns are Merino fingering weight. They come in the same colorways. I bought a variety of each because I couldn't get them all.DSC_4847Here is my first project using one of the yarns. One skein will easily make a scarf.DSC_5106I also tried the Zoom Loom to see how they looked. The yarn is too thin to use singly, but doubled it's great! I have ordered more and wait until you see what those look like. There will be a special surprise yarn as well!

 

 

Random Thoughts in Photos

Seen while driving in town the other day...lumber patternI liked the patterns of the wood. I especially noticed the part that doesn't show up very well here but the bottom right where the heartwood (I think) makes the half circles. Weaving ideas.IMG_8433Also while driving. I was on Pedrick Road east of Dixon. I really wanted a photo of the snow-covered Sierras. It's been awhile since we've had that view. The lens on the phone makes the mountains too far away for that shot, but I like seeing the train.IMG_8434In this shot too.IMG_8337I may have shown this photo before, but I like this sunset view. It makes the mud and swampy "lake" worthwhile.IMG_8329And speaking of lots of water, this was a result of the last storm that came through. This is a very old fig tree that the kids used to play in a long time ago. Note the steps and the treehouse platform. The roots of this tree have been rotten for some time and the dogs often found something to bark at in the hole in the trunk. giraffe sculptureI'll bet you didn't know that we had giraffes in Solano County. These two are about a mile from here where I take Ginny to herding lessons.IMG_8407And while we're talking about herding, this is Ginny working "her flock" at home.