I love this time of year. The water spigot at the sheep pen is frozen, a trailer load of wood needs to be brought up at least once if not twice a week... feeding hay and carrying water now to 3 different lots for the sheep.. if it sounds like i'm complaining, it's just coming across wrong. I do love it. I didn't get out to do the feeding tonight until after midnight and it was well over an hour before all was done, but while i was out there I wondered what was wrong with me, and why was i enjoying it so much?

I think a big part of it is that the sheep seem to be a little more gentle this time of year. (ok, they're hungry) In the spring , summer and fall, a large group of them don't want to have much to do with us, and just seem quite unappreciative. They won't dare be caught in the barn.. they have plenty of grass and are just fine. Actually, a few of them are quite snobby! However, this time of year, they seem to appreciate the care they are given. Oh, makes it all worth while. Well, if they would start paying for their keep it would make it all worth while.. just kidding.


All that being said, there are drawbacks here to the cold. One, it's a bit cold for Wyatt to play outside. (not to say we won't be sledding down hills when the conditions are right) But the other drawback right now is getting pottery glazed! (i do my glazing outside due to the health hazaards of spraying the materials indoors without the proper equipment) I fired the bisque firing on the pots i had been working on since the wool festival either last week or the week before (my memory is shot) and it's like getting the stars and the moon to line up to get them fired again. However - we'll have a heat wave Friday (40 degrees) and Wyatt is going to visit his Papaw and Momaw while I glaze. So.. if I'm making a special pot for you (or glazing a long overdue pot that got broke in transit.. Nancy knows what i'm talking about...by the way, she has the patience of Job! And Alice - so do you! I have some pots in there for you too! lol) But anyways, next week - Glaze firing! Come rain, sleet or snow ... (i think they're forcasting all the above! but not Friday :) )


Here's how the latest mug design turned out. I'd like to have something "catchy" to call it besides "the shear shop" but.. my mind's shot at the moment. I do have one other new design that's on a mug now but I'll need to wait a couple of months to share it. I think it's a funny one, but .. again, it could be that my mind is shot. (i'll give a hint though: it has something to do with the "ewe.s.military" )

ok.. so, what have Wyatt and I been doing during the day when it's too cold to go outside? (Wyatt will tell you it's going to be a really long winter) We've been making stockings from wool.

These stockings are wet felted in one piece and without any seams.

They are made to have shape and be somewhat rounded even when they are empty. Not that stockings should ever be empty.

Notice Mildred here eyeing this one - she's certain it's her wool because she is the only black and white sheep we have. However Mildred, it was made from Carlie and Cody. Maybe next time.

Hope everyone is having a great winter. Oh wait, it's still Fall, isn't it?