A Spectacular Day with a Brilliant Sky

The perfect snow greeted us this morning.  More powder like yesterday and only around 6".  When I reached the barnyard the sheep greeted me, and they had already done their snow clearing.  When I let Sal and Cirrus out this morning Sal hesitated for just a few seconds to take it all in and then went off to join the sheep.  The geese have the perfect feet to walk on snow and will go through anything and then they stop and lay in the snow.

 The sky was AMAZINGLY blue and the water in the trough, crystal clear.

 There had been more than an inch of ice on most of the water, yesterday but the insulation from the snow melted it all.  The temperature was 14 degrees.

 Which of these beautiful sheep did the artistic loop I wonder.

 What is it about snow that cleans the water this clean?

So much to ponder on this Spectacular Day.

Sheep are no Whimps

Well, the snow finally arrived.  The forecast is for 12"-18" by morning.  Nothing like New England, but still could be significant.  The sheep seem to like the snow and the geese look like they like it better than cold ground.

When the ground is cold the geese stand on one foot at a time a lot.  Today, they were laying in the snow.  Good insulation.  Here is Greta looking at the camera.

Zorra looks like a white sheep, accept for her head.

The snow today was some of the finest powder I have ever seen.

I swept a path to the barnyard and then around the barnyard.  I picked up the sheep feed bowls because when it snows a lot they get covered and we, most me, trips on them.  When I was picking up the bowls and putting them in a pile the sheep thought I was going to give them some grain. I figured they deserved a treat so I gave them a little.  I have to make a mental note-- next time I want snow cleared I just have to walk around with some grain and the sheep will do all the clearing.  

Might not work in the morning if the snow gets as deep as predicted, though.

We have been having trouble with the cold tripping the electric outlet at the water trough but with the snow, I don't have to worry, they all love to eat the snow.

A Beautiful New Cabinet

I have been cleaning the fiber studio on days that the weather will allow.  I am always amazed at how much space there is in this small building when it is clean and organized.

One of the things that allows me to be more organized is the beautiful new cabinet that John built for me.  It is pine with cedar doors.  The doors will help to keep the stink bugs out and the cedar will help with the moths.  I have put the yarn from our sheep in the cabinet and balls of roving and rolled up batts from the Finns.  It actually already has more in it than when I took the picture.

 In the picture below you can see how nice and deep it is too.  I will still have to find more storage space for things that are finished and ready to be sold.  I guess I can now say, "we are open", though some people want to see more product.  John and I were talking about this today.  He wants to build some things and I want knit, weave, and felt some thing.  Neither of us want to market anything, so I guess that means things will accumulate and need to be stored somewhere, though it seems like every time we make something, someone comes along to give it to, so maybe it won't be a problem.    I told John that at least we can be busy doing what we like.

I finished John's hat.   I should knit a few more hats but I have some mittens I want to knit with the Mira/Charlotte yarn I have, to see how they come out.

This is the yarn I want to make the mittens from.  The yarn I used for John's hat is all hand spun but this is some of the yarn we sent off to the small mill to spin.  I like the way it came out and I love the color.

It is clear that there is more cleaning to be done but I need to keep creating while I am on a roll.  

Appreciating the Weather One Has

I don't think the animals particularly appreciate that it has been so nice the past two days.  It was 60 degrees and amazing yesterday.

Cirrus appreciated that the ice was gone in both the puddle pond and their tub.  He was in and out of water all day.  I think the sheep appreciate that the ground is not so hard and rutty as it has been, but I don't think they care if it is cloudy or cold.  What they do probably appreciate, is that I have been in a much better mood the last couple of days.

I am pretty particular about what I like when it comes to weather.  I don't like temperatures between 17-42 degrees if it is cloudy and/or windy.  I like 12 degrees or even below if it is sunny and still, I like the upper 40's and rain.  I love snow and even blizzards but what can you do with 20's, 30's and 40's with gray skies and wind.

 I feel guilty and spoiled that we had a 60 degree day yesterday when much of New England and northern states, where family and friends live, are still under a couple of feet of snow.  I have missed not having any real accumulation of snow yet this winter but I would probably be griping if we had a lot also.  It is definitely more difficult taking care of the animals with heavy snow.

I have decided I should just be happy with whatever we get and do things accordingly.  I need to dress for wind and wear brighter colors on the gray days and go out and play.

I vow to take my lead from the animals at Cabin Spring Farm and appreciate every day and get in the lea if the wind gets too bad.

Wabi-Sabi at Cabin Spring Farm

Wabi-sabi is the quintessential Japanese aesthetic. It is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. It is a beauty of things modest and humble. It is a beauty of things unconventional…

Leonard Koren

Today, my assignment  to find my inner monk and artist, was to go out and take pictures in the tradition of wabi-sabi.  Here is my project.

I can't seem to get a slideshow to work so here are a few selected photos from the slideshow.

Overlapping

Ah, the opportunities when things overlap.

  Monday there were 10 kids here, in the house, for a "no school fiber day".  Since there was no school Tuesday either (teacher inservice), we had a second day of fiber fun with 5.  Monday afternoon, I received an email from a fiber artist in the Lynchburg area, asking if she and two friends could tour the farm on Tuesday.  I hate to turn down anyone for a farm tour, especially a fiber enthusiast, so I explained the situation and invited them to come see our fiber art in progress and take a peak at the rest of the farm.  I found out that the reason they were coming to Lexington was to put some felt hats in the Stitchin Post, a local fiber arts store.  I asked the artisan if she would come by the farm first so we could see her hats.  She did, everyone tried on hats, we took pictures, and had a great time together.  The women came just before we broke for lunch so I was able to give them a quick tour while the kids and Beverly ate lunch.

I am so glad I went with the overlap plan.  The kids had a lot of fun, the Lynchburg ladies enjoyed the farm and said they would be back, and I met someone else who wants to explore tapestry weaving.  You just never know what will happen when you don't allow yourself to get in the way of the overlapping plans of the Universe.

When we lived on the Cape,  MANY people came to visit in the summer.  We never said "no" to anyone so there was often an overlap of some family members and friends that did not initially know each other.  I remember one visitor once remarking that it was always fun to see who would be overlapping their visit.  One summer, Lyndy commented to me that there were only 2 days, I think it was,  the whole summer that no one was at our house.  I had not realized.  No one ever wanted to be entertained so it was easy.

Distaff Day at Bowerwood last week went great!  We had 11 spinners and a few spectators.  When I arrived to open the doors and set up some chairs, 3 people I did not know, were just arriving for an indoor picnic.  One introduced herself as one of the founders of Boxerwood.  She told me they came for a walk around and a picnic and heard the spinners were going to be there, so they would stay out of the way.  I insisted they use the big table in the area between where we were and the kitchen.  At that time, I had no idea how many spinners would be there, but was used to overlapping and knew it was the right thing to do.

A photographer from our weekly paper, came by to take some pictures of us spinning and turns out she is an old friend of one of the picnickers, so they catch up.  Overlapping, is an interesting phenomena.

Here are a few pictures from "no school fiber day".   The repeat campers are getting older and taller and  I remember when they were as young as the camper in the last picture.

Such concentration, I love it.

Lanolin

My fingertips are sliding off the keys as I write this morning.  Mira, Zorra, Amelia, and Charlotte made sure to grease up my fingertips before I left the barnyard.

Mira and Zorra especially love to get scratches, and will leave food to come get some if I am in the area.  Charlotte and Amelia will come when the food is gone.  This morning all four were lined up facing me to get their heads, necks, and shoulders rubbed.

Mira has downy fleece below her chin and around her face.  She has a little grease along the back and sides of her neck.  Charlotte doesn't seem as soft in the downy areas but she doesn't like the same kind of touching either.  Zorra is soft all over and not as greasy.  She is the only one of the Finn or Finn crosses here that like to be touched, and she will let me part and look deep down into her locks and dream of spinning her fleece.  Amelia, likes a lighter touch and not as long.  She is the go to sheep if you have cracked fingertips in the winter as she has the most lanolin in her fleece.

I have been working with the fiber that came back from the mill.  They use gentle soap to clean the fleece rather than the chemicals that commercial mills use and do a fine job -but- there is not much lanolin left.  This year I think I will try to process more of the fleece here.  I can't believe it will be time to shear again in 3 months.  I will use the suint method again this year as I had great results with it, last.  It took some of the grease out but not all so there is some of the wools natural water repellant left.  https://mozfiberlife.wordpress.com/fsm/ 

Some spinners like to spin in the grease and wash the wool after.  I will try more of that too.  So interesting to explore.  One day still, I would like to make some good quality lanolin.  It is kind of like making maple syrup out of maple sap, which I have done.