Just one of the many reasons I'm crazy..

about Jack!





Despite the long hours he puts in at work, and all the other work he has going on when he gets home, and elsewhere- he's never too busy to stop and play.





He's a great guy.

A great Dad.

And a great husband.

A New Project...

Today was our "groundbreaking" day on getting started on our house. We had planned to build several years ago, but we built a shop first, and along the way during that project we built living quarters in the upstairs. Then.. we were going to start a house. However, we've been cozy and content ever since, and just hadn't been real motivated to leap into building a house after we finished the shop. (and I say we, meaning not just Jack and I, but my Dad, my brother, friends.. a lot of people fit into that "we".. there were a lot of people that helped us along.. a tremendous amount of help!)

We have come to the point though, where we need more space - Wyatt needs his own room! We love where we live now, but it's becoming a necessary. So, all that being said, this is where we're building our house. (it's just beyond our shop/apartment) Unfortunately, those trees there in the front had to be cut down to accommodate an electric line/pole.

We hate to cut down living trees, but really didn't have any other options that were feesible. We will miss those trees, but will replace them with smaller ones in a different area that will hopefully someday reach those heights!

I'm sure the sheep will miss them too, but at the time this pic was taken, that's not what was on their minds. Starting a chainsaw up around here is like ringing a dinner bell.. they came from all corners of the pasture to see what we were trimming, and to see if there was anything in it for them!

There was. With that done, (yet not completely finished.. as there is still wood split, laying everywhere! Not to mention some branches remaining in the sheep pen.. ) but today was the day our excavator was scheduled to dig the basement. It went great -

and we have a hole in the ground!

It will be an on-going project, building this house.. and we cant even begin to have an idea of when we'll be finished, but we're getting started, and we're excited to be at this point.

Hey! Someone get me out of here!

Today was a full schedule, but nearing the end of the day, I noticed that LeRoy wasn't out grazing with the other boys. Which.. is unusual. The boys are in a separate lot from the girls, and it's fairly easy to find them - if they're not in the lot, they're in the barn. (unlike the ewe pen where you have to go up and down seven hills to find one of them that is coincidentally hiding on the other side of the barn) So, with all the heat, I thought i'd better just check the barn to make sure LeRoy was ok. There's a fan running in the barn, so I just assumed he stayed behind to have full access to the fan! Well.. along the way, I saw a big hind end under our wagon that is parked outside the barn. The boys sometimes lay under the wagon, so I wasn't overly concerned at first, but then I noticed he wasn't moving.


That's because he didn't have room to move! How in the world he got wedged in here, I'll never know. Le Roy had got himself trapped under the axle on the wagon - literally, with no room to spare. The wagon has a load of barn siding/metal on it and the back tires are flat, but they were flat before he got under there, so it's a wonder that he got there, but it was a bit of a wonder that we were able to get him out too. Jack had to "jack" up the wagon and I was on the pulling end. Free at last!

I doubt he'll try that again.

Disclaimer: I didn't leave him to go and get the camera..(lol) that would've been dirty. Of all things, Jack was watching Wyatt at the moment and I had my camera to take a few pictures of the rams while I had free hands.. who knew this is what I'd come back with.

Owen County Fan Fair

I mentioned in my last post that I stopped by the OCFF on the way home from "sheep shopping'' - and.. I did a little more shopping there:



(and I say I don't like to shop..lol) This painting was painted in acrylics by Ron Devore. I met Mr. Devore 3 years ago when I set up at the Owen County Arts in the Park. He had a painting of dairy cows out in a grassy field with the barn back in the distance.. I've thought about that painting so much over the past few years, that when I saw this one, I didn't go home to think about it! Here's a little bit of a close up on the details of his artwork. He is currently painting a series of paintings - the barn quilts of Owen County. (Kentucky) He painted 2 pictures of this barn - the barn quilt was on the other side of the barn. It is a beautiful painting as well, but I liked this view of the barn. It's more "lived in". The side with the quilt faced the road and did not have cattle tromping in front of it - the grass was all green in front of the barn.. freshly mowed. You know this side of the barn is being used- and I love it.

I was a bit sad to learn that he doesn't always record/photograph his work, and several of his barn quilt paintings have already sold. I inquired about the possibility of displaying his work on a website for others outside of our area to see and appreciate. If that works out, I will be posting a link. His work really is something to see!

Another great find of the day was.... pottery!
This is by Heartsong Pottery - by Gail Herrington of Owen County, Ky.

She was set up with another local potter and they had such beautiful pottery .. I thought of starting my Christmas shopping, but then.. wait, I have just the place for these pieces!

I love these pieces. Someone once asked me if I use my own pottery. I guess it's not good advertisement to say "no" but.. in all honesty, I prefer other potters work. I know what goes into a piece, and when i look at my work, I think of the night I stayed up pulling handles, or glazing them outside when snow was blowing in the barn and my fingers were freezing! You get the idea. I display someone elses pottery in my home and I look at it and remember the day Wyatt and I went shopping for sheep and we stopped by the art fair. I am then freed up to just enjoy the piece and it's beauty. (with no thoughts of sleepless nights and freezing fingers!)

There are such wonderful artists all around us.

A New Ram

We were looking to add a new ram to our flock this year, and we feel this ram lamb will just the right addition to our flock! I have to say though, the decision wasn't easy.

In addition to great fleece and conformation, we were also looking to add pattern to our flock.

This guy - currently known as 476 looks to be a gray moorit (with a double gray gene) (thanks to everyone who has had a hand in helping to decipher this!) I'll know more about what his pattern is when lambs hit the ground, but we're really looking forward to the 2012 lambs.

We will also be using our mouflon ram lamb as well as ziggy, or moorit ram, this breeding season.

476 was one of a triplet of 3 ram lambs. Just to give you an idea of how hard the decision was, just look at his brothers:

and that's not to count the other ram lambs there to choose from! This beautiful gray moorit has a fleece that just glistens..and the spotted ram? goodness, i need to quit looking at these pictures because i want them all. (Jack is supportive of this venture, but he might not be if I bought 3 or more rams at once! lol) These rams, along with other wonderful Icelandic lambs, are available at H&K farms - located in Pleasureville, KY.

We also purchased a gray moorit ewe lamb and a moorit mouflon ewe that we are excited to bring home. (and Sir Charles.. I can't wait to show you Sir Charles, an icelandic/border leicester cross)

It was a great day visiting H&K farm and then, to top the day off, Wyatt and I stopped by the Owen County Fan Fair - a new event in a nearby county to welcome Nascar fans. There were local artists, and potters.. and a big inflatable bouncy house for Wyatt! I did a little shopping there too! (pictures coming... I love local art)

I'd better stay home for a while now.