Sheep Shearing is Finished!

Hurrah! We finished shearing my small hand spinner’s flock yesterday and today I can barely breath. It’s a ton of work and I really missed Leslie’s help but a new person, Fran, helped me.
The shearer brought his own catcher so it was the four of us…beavering away madly in a rush to finish before the rain started. We did. Barely.

It’s been on the cool side, perfect for shearing. Although, I’m not sure the sheep appreciate being nekkid right now. A couple of weeks ago, they were suffering in an unexpected heat wave and even the shade of a tree or two didn’t help a lot. I opened the barn dogtrot and they slept there during the heat of the day. It’s always seems to capture a breeze and no matter how hot on the farm, I have two dogtrot’s that always seem to bit a bit cooler.

The fleeces are have names, are weighed and ready to be photographed. I’m doing things a bit differently this year. Because I had new, unexperienced help, anyone who buys a fleece will pay for the fleece, minus two pounds. In other words, if a fleece weighs six pounds, the buyer will pay for four pounds plus shipping on the entire weight. I’m doing this because I’m not sure they are skirted to my specifications. Fran did a good job pulling the manure and urine tags but there might be a bit of veggie matter or small felted bits left.

So, buy whatever the fleece weighs, pay for all minus two pounds and pay for shipping on the entire weight. Trust me, there aren’t two pounds of worthless matter so it’s a deal for you.

Clear as mud, eh?

Any questions, please let me know. As usually, the boys and ewes have outdone themselves and the fleeces are breathtaking. They range in weight from around five to twelve pounds, depending upon breed. I’ll have a list of available fleeces on the blog and on various lists next week.

We’re having blessed rain and everything looks nourished. Our water table is low and if we don’t recover now, we’ll have problems with hay later. We raise our own hay and feed more than forty head of horses and sheep.

We’ve finally working on the house again and doing those small things that make it finished. We hung a lot of pictures and photographs, got some molding put up around fireplaces, etc. to give a polished look, the back porch has been cleared off…just a lot of little things that have needed doing for a long while. I’m now looking at the clutter with a new eye and thinking about storage, giving a lot away (it’s tag sale season) and re-vamping my studio and office.

I spoke with Aunt Esther tonight and she’s well. She’s ninty and goes like she’s sixty or even forty! She’s been visiting her family in several states and just returned home to her quilting, crochet and needlework. She does all beautifully and, throughout the years, has gifted family and friends with quilts, pillow cases, blankets and other gifts of her hands.

Next week I’ll show the quilt pieces she recently sent me…made by family members decades long past and ready for me to put together.

And so life continues…

I have a lovely photo of the view from our front yard but blogger is being contentious. Perhaps next time…

Blessings ~

~rain
~traveling safety
~beloved Aunt Esther
~a healthy flock and herd
~our dear home – Thistle Cove Farm
~shearing is finished for another year ~I can feel the pain of the assorted bruses and bumps from being tossed about by the sheep (some can’t you know and would give everything to feel a bit of pain)