Bad news, good news?

Hubby had to put down Christopher our Horned Dorset ram this week. Not really sure what all was going on with him. But, at the end he had pneumonia and was pressing his head against the wall. We are thinking, despite all the sheep getting wormed with Cydectin, that he had either Barber Pole or Meningial worm which lowered his overall resistance. He had been laying around a LOT since fall, and his joints were starting to swell causing him pain. He is no longer in pain, but he will be missed! For some reason unknown to us he loved kids!!

I did not get the full time mail route that I expected to get. So, I will be back to being a sub (for now). But, now that I am not going to be working 6 days a week, I am going to request that the surgeon fix my shoulder. The shot he put in did not help in the least.

At least now I will have time to get the rest of the trim up inside the house, and finish the painting that needs to be done. And, I will be able to get to all of the fleeces and roving in the house and greenhouse! I hope to take the time to get everything photographed and posted on the wool blog to sell.

And, hopefully this spring the big garden will be up and growing. I hope to grow LOTS of tomatoes and peppers for making salsa! As well as the herbs involved. I was hoping to get a high tunnel, but without the job to pay for it....I will have to do some low tunnels.

And, I will finally have time to make soap and lotion! I contacted the farmer's market manager at the market I did for years before the job got in the way. Now I need to wait and see.

Time for dinner. Early to bed. Two more days of work this week and a North Easter's worth of snow to drive in tomorrow... They are calling for at least 6-12" depending on where you are. I think we have the 6" already here at 6 pm and it not supposed to stop for another 6 hours.

Have a great night all.

TTFN.

Look what followed us home.

 Introducing Peaches (on the left)

and Betty (on the right).

They were born this past March

at Fruitcake Farm in Grafton, NH.

Candace is our only surviving 'original'

from Fruitcake Farm. 

We are happy to have 2 more of their

sheep. And happy to help another former

shepherd with re-homing their lambs.

 They will be in quarantine until Wednesday morning

just to get them used to us, and the the sheep on the 

other side of the gate. Once the sheep on the right side

of the barn go back up the hill to the neighbors

(after breeding), and the other two rams go back in

with the Horned Dorset (their date for next year),

they will go into the lamb pen with the other four

lambs from this year, as well as the llama and alpaca.

 Jeremy. Our Dorset/Romney ram.

He just came home from breeding in

New London this Saturday.

Below is his dad, Stormy.

 Looking into the ram pen with Shea (Icelandic), 

Arty (Icelandic/Romney), and Christopher.

 Some of the ewes trying to figure out what is going on.

We are blessed!

 We went to Whitefield, NH today to do one of

our last shearing jobs for the year.

Here you can see some of the 5 Romney ewes

looking out of their barn watching me, and

watching Daisy the dog. 

 As you can see, they still have snow on the 

ground. It was all of 30 degrees at 8:30 am.

 What do you mean you want to shear me?

 Peek a boo! I see you.

 Their after shearing shot.

 Cannon Mountain has quite a bit on snow.

 Started this hat about an hour into our trip north.

Finished in just before we got home.

Our newest bulky yarn made from Romney wool.

That is what 4 out of 5 of the sheep we sheared today are.

 We went one exit further south going home today

to pick up two 8 gates I found on Craigslist.

Not only did I get 2 gates in great shape for $50,

they are 10', not 8' The guy says, so you get 

2' for free. Enjoy! What a blessing!!

These gates go for more than $100 each new.

 It is a good thing I've got a big van. 

And that there was a bungee cord still in the van.

 Jeremy peaking around the corner.

Christopher is out in the woods hunting acorns.

 A llama and alpaca in the front yard 

with the lambs and wethers.

 I LOVE my camera. I zoomed in, not the full 40X, 

to get the ewes out in the back pasture.

 Zooming out to see both.

 And, zooming out completely.

Miss Mary is still a tiny lamb.

She is at least 8 weeks younger than the rest.

She will be 6 months old come Election Day.

Enjoy what is left of your fall before winter hits your part of the world.

Or summer, depending on where you are. ;)