Lambs

We had the first of our lambs earlier this month. I was anticipating late March, and the first ones arrived on the evening of the 1st of April.

We have 4 ewe lambs and 1 little ram. That'll be great if they keep coming 4 ewes to a ram!

These little mouflon twins were the first to arrive. This pic was taken a few hours after they were born. They're so active jumping around, it's hard to get a pic of them now! Plus, it would be easier to get a picture if I could set Wyatt down, but with the protective mothers, we've learned that is not an option. So, pictures are going to be limited to just what we can get. It doesn't help that my camera is acting up either! I'm having a hard time getting it to focus.. arh.

we've been putting the lambs up in the barn for just a few days when the lambs are born. We generally leave them on the pasture, but i'm shearing them as they have their babies... and keeping them in the barn for a few extra days just to make sure all is going well with them.

This is Josie's little girl. I should say big girl. Josie has twinned every year, but this year she 'singled' with this big beautiful girl.

These 2 belong to Delilah.. they're sweet. Not that i can catch them now, but when they were in the barn.. they were pretty friendly.

And of course, my helper in training! He's having fun. (well, except for the protective mother stuff... we bring the lambs to the other side of the gate now)

Meanwhile, the others are enjoying the sunshine, the green grass and the breeze... waiting for their time.

Except maybe Myrtle:

What's that Myrtle? I can't hear you.

"""I SAID SHEAR ME!!"""

"""HEAR ME?""""

"SSSHHHHEEEAAAAARRRRR ME!"

Oh, yes, now that you said it slower, and louder, I get it.

That was kinda creepy!

In the absence of a better title...

Is this the same ram that drives the 'Ewe Haul' truck?

Looks like it from here... must be his day off.

The Self Reliant Spinner

Little Ewenice, Big City!

Ewenice has packed her box and is headed to New York City!


She was thrilled when I told her she was invited, but when I told her exactly where in the city she was going, her eyes got big, and her wool stood on end. (Just as though she had exclamation points following her) !! She turned pale and said that now -she really had nothing appropriate to wear!

(this from a ewe that didn't pack a swimsuit KNOWING she was going to California. Imagine my surprise when I heard she was on the beach... a N'ewe'd beach, no less. Talk about a postcard in need of censorship.)



(photo removed due to content)



I told her more important than what she's going to wear, she needed to think about staying out of trouble... and, taking it easy! She is due to lamb here in a few months. (another story.. one of a fence climbing ewe.. well.. you get the picture)

She's actually going to be doing some work while she's in the city. This trip could be a big break for her, but I'm just hoping she has a good trip, and gets there safe. (traveling in a postal box should well prepare her for the NYC taxicabs.. You've not had an exciting ride until you've tried that!)

It might be a few months before we hear back from her, but I'll post more about the assignment she's on when she checks in and there's more to tell..

The Era Following The Pony Express

A pot here...

and a pot there..

It's definitely not been a quick process.. I have been working 3rd shift, well, potting 3rd shift. Not every night of course, but just here and there I'm making pots between the hours of midnight and 6am. I decorate them during the day while Wyatt is awake, but the pots are made while he's sleeping.

I have been working with the white clay, and sgraffito designs. I plan to switch back over to the brown clay here in the next 2 weeks. (Ewenice clay) All the tools, pottery wheel, sponges, wedging board...etc.. everything has to be cleaned thoroughly to use the white clay, so I'm trying to make an abundance of white clay items before I bring out the brown clay again. I am almost out of mugs on my website, so I'm trying to make several of each design so that I can have a good assortment on there, as well as a nice display for the fiber festival that is quickly approaching. The above design is a new one. Very similar to the "ewenited we stand" , but without the wording. I like the simplicity of this one. For whatever reason, I think of Charlie's angels when i see this one. Maybe i'll call it Charile's Ewes? (no, nevermind.. someone might think i'm meaning - sheen..baah! )
(And Alice, if you're reading this, you won't believe it... but I'm making plates. Well, ok, saucers. lol. )

I have another sketch that i'm working up of a postal worker. Ewe.S.Postal worker of course. I probably won't put it on the mugs, but I think they might find their way on some envelopes just for fun.

A Little Helper

But a huge help!

I've been unable to do much of anything this week (i thought i could lift something that my back couldn't) Jack has been wonderful about taking over the sheep chores, and Wyatt has jumped right in too! Plus, it's given Wyatt a good reason to get out on his tractor! (He won't be "old" enough for it until this time next year..but who goes by the recommended ages on the label? )

Boy that was fun!

It was a beautiful week, and looks like we're in for more nice weather this coming week! How nice it is to open the door and hear birds chirping. Winter is so quiet, but it sounds like spring out there. (and feeling like it too!)

Wool art and projects?

Does anyone have any icelandic wool projects they'd like to share photos of?

I have added a page to my website and would love to post your project / projects along with a link to your website, or blog, etc.

Thanks!

http://flatcreekwoolandpottery.com/icelandicfiberart.html

They say it's better to give than recieve

I say "that's not always true"

Our friend Donna Perkins painted this beautiful portrait of Wyatt and gave it to him as a gift. What a talent! Thanks for sharing your talent with us Donna!

The Sign Read "9 Weeks Til Spring"

I was driving into town last week and passing by a Nursery, I noticed a sign that was advertising to many, the hope of warmer weather, birds chirping, and plans of gardening projects. What I got from the sign was a touch of panic - 9 weeks? !! I still have a lot of winter projects to do!!

I think we're down to 8 weeks now. (just in case you have a lot of winter projects to finish up as well)

I am looking forward to spring, but have to admit, I am enjoying winter. Hope you are as well!

I'm Out Of Wool!

Well, not exactly. I don't think the wool well will ever run dry. What I'm actually out of is washed wool to card. It is the goal for the winter to wash up and card all of the fleeces. (yes, it would be so much more practical to send it out, but for now, I'm enjoying processing it here) SO.... with wool drying on the shelf, and having stated my excuse for not carding wool today, I experimented with clay instead.

(i say experiment, because so many times, i have no idea what I'm doing, but I had in mind to try a sculpture today)

I have been adding pages to our website, and when I came across this picture the other day of Carlie it reminded me of how sweet she is and how much i would enjoy sitting out in the field with her. She was sweet from the time she was born, so it is just in her personality. Many times I would go out to check on the sheep and sit down in the field for a minute and here comes Carlie. She would sit down right next to me and put her head on my leg and close her eyes. She is a 1/2 sister to Ziggy, Didi, and Roxy - who also seem to have a "sweet gene."

.

So thinking back on summer days and hanging out with Carlie, this is what came out of the clay.

This is what I love about clay - this looks like just a lump of clay, but Carlie was in there all along! I just had to find her.

The piece still needs a lot of work, and who knows if it will ever make it to the kiln, but it was a fun experiment.

Latest Mug Design..

Ewe.S.Military

Hey Guys!

Where is everyone going?

The sheep seemed to be a bit leary of this guy. They've seen him plenty, but he must have looked different to them from this angle!

It was so warm last Friday when these pics were taken. (60's) It was fun to let Wyatt run around in the field - and it was great for me too, as I was able to take some pictures! It seems it's been a while since I've had the opportunity to have 2 hands free to hold a camera.

Oh wait, someone is going to be friendly. Yes, that's our Roxy. She's a sweet little ewe lamb.

We have a sale pending on the 6 ewe lambs that were listed on our sale page, but this girl didn't make that list. We chose 3 lambs to keep from this years lambing and Roxy was so sweet, I hated to part with her.

Sadly, this pretty little lamb is one that will be leaving. Isn't that a sweet face?


And little Charolette, she will be moving on to another pasture too.

This is a picture of "the gang" that we are keeping. Roxy is the icelandic in the front middle. Her sister DiDi in the back right is the lamb that had a broken leg earlier in the year. She has healed so well, and runs and gallops with the rest of them! I have to say, our vet was amazing and so kind. He said that he wished all of his patients had the will to live that she had. She really was something. She was a good patient. Despite the broken leg, she seemed to enjoy her trips to the vet. She is back to being a sheep now. The little lamb on the left is her little friend, that we've renamed "lil friend". I kept her with DiDi for company the many, many weeks that DiDi had to be separated from everyone else. So... those are the lambs we're keeping. They're nice little ewes. And oh yes, the other characters in the picture...

that is Hickory and Hiccup. They came to stay with us back in the summer (and never went home) They were bottle lambs that our friends raised. They are probably some relation to our "myrtle" but we're not sure. They came from the same farm. They hang close to DiDi and the other 2 girls.

We enjoy all of the sheep here, and while we hate to see any of them leave, we're glad that they will be going to a good home.

Happy New Year

Hope everyone had a great New Years Eve.



We rang in the new year here sleeping! Which, come to think of it is out of the ordinary for me to be asleep at that hour. so that was a party.



We have a winner for the giveaway! (thank you random.org for the number) The winner is Hidaway Farms Shetlands. I will be in touch with you to get your information. Thanks for playing!

Best wishes to you all for a great 2011!

Is It Winter Yet?

The sheep don't seem to mind it much. They have a path carved out from one barn to another.

This snow has hung on for several days now, but it is raining out tonight and quickly melting. We're supposed to be up in the 50's this weekend, so I thought i had better take a couple of snow pictures - you know, just in case we don't get any more snow this year! :)

and oh yes, Wyatt says "howdy".

After Christmas Giveaway

Merry Christmas! Hoping everyone is having a great holiday.

The day and season may be coming to an end, but the giving isn't over. I'm giving away a mug of choice. Below are a couple of examples, but the mugs that you have to choose from can be found at http://www.flatcreekwoolandpottery.com/potterymugs.html

Just leave your name or a comment below and on New Years Day, I will log onto a website that will randomly pick a number and I will post the winner then.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

A gift from God - A gift sent down,

He came to save the lost.

Christ was born in a humble manger,

but he died nailed to a cross.

This sacrifice becomes salvation,

for all who will believe.

Not just an "I know" in our heads -

but from our heart, a trust that's deep.

The cost to us of this gift?
Well, it's totally free!

But like any other gift that's given,

it's one we must receive.

Our wish to you this season,

is for the joy that's spoke of in His Word.

And that we share this gift with others,

for some have never heard.

Merry Christmas.

Rosco

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?

Little Guy

Little Wyatt turned 1 last week. What a wonderful year we've had.

Rough sketch...

October and November..

Goodness, where does the time go? The month of October was over in a flash, and November seems to be clicking along at a similar pace.

October was the month for our fall shearing. I was really hoping to get started in September, but was probably lucky to get them sheared in October. It's not an organized shearing where they are all put up and sheared in a few hours.. it's a month long process. A sheep here - and a sheep there. I think 5 sheared in one day was the record. I've heard some shear more than 100 a day, but it will never be a goal of mine. Shearing went pretty well, other than near the end... my toughest girl was on the shearing board and my clippers started to short out - argh! She's a fighter to begin with and she's just hard to settle down - so to have her nearly controlled and the shears not work was really aggravating! And to turn her loose half sheared wouldn't have been appropriate (although it has happened before)

this was her first shearing back a couple of years ago- and my first attempt at shearing. Is it any wonder she is a fighter now?

On a positive note, I called Oster and explained the problem i was having and they sent out a replacement cord - i was impressed with their customer service.

So with 'most' of the sheep sheared, it was time to get back to pottery.

It took a while to get back into the swing of things. A lot of pots were made and soon tossed - because I couldn't trim them in time and they would dry out - argh! But not all is lost.. they will be recycled into another pot.

I hope to fire the kiln later this week. It's full of special requests, orders, and a few new things too.

I don't know if you noticed, but Ewenice was getting pretty big! Here, I thought it was a grazing and grain issue.. what was I thinking? She is actually not due until spring.. looking at the calendar, I'm thinking it will be in May.

This little ornament I'm hoping will be ready next week. I was trying to design an ornament that looked a little more like a suffolk, and Susy here was what came out of the clay. She'll be made from white stoneware clay and will have handpainted black legs and face, and a little red on the hat.

When I can't get down to the pottery room, I've been enjoying working with the wool, and have been experimenting with the "fulling" felting process. I'm excited about a few new projects and will share results when they are finished.

I've been picking thru wool from our Henry - which is a yearling icelandic ram. It is on the drying shelf and the carder is standing by.

We have 3 yearlings that was sired by our moorit ram Andy. Henry and Ziggy are 2 of the 3 and after going thru their wool, I am looking forward to our next crop of lambs as Andy is the flock sire this season. He will then be moving on to another flock. We've enjoyed having Andy here,
he's been a good ram with such a laid back personality.

Thanks Andy!