We are NOT Amused!

OK - here's the update on yesterday's snow.

It stopped snowing around 3 pm in the afternoon - the final amount - 18". Thank goodness for the wind shift - it took the snow streamer off to the east of us.

That's my car under all that snow. It took us 4 hours to shovel out the driveway - and to shovel paths out to the barn.

All right - the really UN-funny part of this whole thing. They (the weather experts) are calling
for another 4" to 8" of snow for us on Thursday, and then another 4" on Friday - but - first we're going to have some Rain! Yippee - I can hardly wait (note the sarcasm).

I REALLY, REALLY hope they are wrong!

If I get home before dark - I will try to take some more pictures and post them.

Still Snowing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is just an update..

It's Noon - we are supposed to get at least another 6" of snow today.

I just took this picture a few minutes ago in my backyard - this is in INCHES! This has fallen since 5 am this morning - 16".



It is snowing harder than ever. You can see the birdfeeder on the right hand side - there's at least a foot of snow on the roof. Most of it slid off because the roof is plexiglas.
The plows are not out, so I guess I get the day off of work. Ah - to live in the Great White North.

By the way - this is a localized snow squall - it is about 20 miles wide x about 40 miles long.
Everywhere else - the sun is shining - and they aren't getting ANY snow at all.

The good thing about this - it's fluffy - so it will probably compact down to about 10" in the next few days. And the ground isn't frozen yet - so it will probably melt within the week - famous last words.

Oh - and my sheep - they're all safe and sound inside the barn today. However - my ducks are out in that pond somewhere - refusing to come inside.

I'll try to post some pictures later - after the snow stops.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like.....Winter!

This is what I woke up to this morning:


6" already on the ground - and another 6" forecast for today.

I'm going back to bed!

It's That Time of Year Again

Ram Sales Time.

We are going to start a slow dispersal of our flock in anticipation of moving to the East Coast of Canada in the next few years.

The rams are the first to go, as we no longer plan on breeding. So - these 3 lovely boys are available for sale - or trade for something other than a ram.

I took these pictures in the spring right after shearing - so if anyone wants to see better pictures, just let me know - I can go out and take some more pictures tomorrow.


First up - this stunning boy - is Woolly Pedro "the clown" - I call him that - because he looks like a clown. He has a very nice personality - and is definitely the boss ram here. He's actually a
black/iset, yuglet, flecket , socket - but those of us shetland aficianados affectionately call these markings HST (head, socks, tails) - the term was coined by Nancy Krohn of Bluff Country Shetlands. Pedro is 3 years old - has a nice, crimpy, dense , single coated fleece. His horns are perfectly balanced and wide set. He also has a sweet personality. We used Pedro last year for breeding - and got lots of great spots - and some emskets.


After that, we have Ewenique Spencer. He is 1 year old, a mioget, flecket - I think. Spencer also has a crimpy, single coated fleece. His horns are wide set - but one is curling slightly inward. I don't know if that is because he has been butting heads with a much larger ram since he was small - or is a genetic trait. Spencer is still quite small - and we have never used him for breeding - but he should throw some nice spotty lambs.

This last little guy is Kalwa Taure Bernard. He was born June 2008 - so is still very small.
His fleece appears right now to be open and wavy. He is a black krunet. I really have to get a picture of him outside - not behind bars. So far - his horns look to be clearing nicely. I do think he is going to stay black.

I also have some ewes for sale - I will try to get around to posting them in the next few days.


I also have about 20 fleeces for sale - I haven't even had a chance to skirt them this year - it's been such a busy year, so I will sell them quite reasonably.

Remember - the border going into the USA is still NOT open - for sheep that is :-)

Playing Catch Up

Seems like I'm always playing catch-up these days. Barn chores, pottery, housework (especially housework), blogs - everything.

So really, I apologize to everyone who checks in regularly, but doesn't find anything new.

Two weeks ago, (Canadian Thanksgiving Holiday), we decided to take a few days and go up to Tobermory, Ontario for the weekend.

The picture at the top is of the ferry leaving port, heading over to Manatoulin Island. I snapped this picture while sitting in the dining room of our hotel having breakfast.


This next picture - although unusual - is of the rock at the lighthouse at Tobermory. I call it the drum rock. If you look closely you will see thousands of holes worn in the rock - probably from thousands - if not millions of years of the water rushing in and out around these rocks. Now - when the water comes in - it rushes through all these holes - and it sounds like drums - all different pitches of drums - some high - some low - long rumbles. It's quite fascinating - and soothing to listen to.

So my husband and son spent a couple of days at Cyprus Provincial Park, which is just a few miles outside of town. On the first day - they were rather rushed. See the picture of the guy walking on top of the rocks - well - that's what they did the first day. As a matter of fact they were so rushed - that they missed the cave underneath the rocks. It's a fabulous underground Grotto where you can go swimming. So - that evening while I was going through some travel brochures - I came across some pictures of the caves - the next day they went back - and these are some of the pictures my DH took of their day. Here's the cave from the outside:


This one is of my son sitting inside the entrance to the cave (there are 2 entrances):

This on is taken from inside - looking out at thewater through the other entrance to the cave/grotto:

The next picture is of my son standing on top of a cliff in the same area of the grotto:



And here he is again standing "under" the overhang of the cliff. He's such a good sport about
getting his picture taken (for a 16 year old boy):


It was an enjoyable weekend - oh - for the record - I did not join them on the walk. I have a bad knee and hip from a childhood disease - and can't handle the rough terrain - so - I have to be content to look at the pictures - and amuse myself by going shopping. Next year when we go - I anticipate being able to kayak to the area - and then enjoying a short walk to the grotto.

And so - when we got home on Monday - we were greeted with this:

If you look closesly - you will see a gray kitten cuddled in. This is one of our stray cats that has been hanging around - we knew she was pregnant - but she left for a week to have her kittens.
She came home with the two kittens a few days after we returned. Sadly - the little black and white kitten died - we don't know why. I am looking for a good home for this little girl and her kitten. She is just a kitten herself. Do I need to get back on my spay and neuter soapbox?
I am currently looking for a good home for 4 young cats (that includes this one).

Well - I'd better get going - it's going to be a crazy week around here. More later.

What do You do with your Wool?

A lot of people ask me that question. Sometimes I spin it -
but mostly I sell it to spinners, weavers and hobbyists.

I'd like you to meet Blizzard and William:

(OK - so this is Blizzard and Williams fleeces) - it's really Nina
wearing Blizzard and William. Nina is shy - so she cut off her head.

Anyway - This awesome grey dress was spun from the fleeces of two
of my sheep. Then Nina proceeded to weave and
make this dress from the wool. Nina is a member
of a re-enactment group - thus the medieval design.
I was super impressed to see what she had done with the fleeces.

Surprising - to look at the fleeces unwashed: Blizzard looks
quite dark grey - William looks quite light grey. However, Nina
said that when she washed and spun them - they were both,
very close to one another in colour.

Nina is also very much into dying with natural plant fibers - it's
quite fascinating to read about it. If you follow the link to her
blog - you will see some of her work.

I will soon be sending Nina some more fleeces - little does she
know - I'm going to ask her to weave me a shawl.

Coming into the Light

That kind of means out of the dungeon - which is my basement. I've been so busy lately - I have
several pottery sales coming up this next month or two - and I have been busy throwing and getting ready to fire and glaze. Every night after work - down to the dungeon till about 11 pm.
I've finally started to fire some of my stuff this last week - so - there is light at the end of the tunnel (I just hope it's not a train coming)!

Well - do you remember a little while ago - I talked about a new lamb I had bought, and if I should call her Gwen - or Wren. Well - since her mom's name is Greta - we decided to stay with the G's - and we called her Gwendolyn - Gwenny or Gwen for short. Here she is - she is just a darling wisp of a little lamb.
However - those of you who liked the name Wren - don't despair. I'd like you to meet "Wren",
She's a lovely little fawn katmoget who came to visit, and decided to stay. She's still very shy - I may have to break out the cookies, but we're working on her.


And, just for a little something different:


This is my new Inuksuk - I got him for my birthday. Don't be fooled - he's almost 5' tall - and weighs somewhere around 300 pounds - I know - I dismantled him, moved him, and set him back up again at my house. I'm going to move him again - I just haven't decided where, but I feel he's just a bit too exposed where he stands - and I'm worried that the winter winds may topple him.

Well - back to the dungeon.