tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5452203765554045132024-03-14T12:11:37.797-06:00Little Wren's Nest“A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.”Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-17837180274649358792021-02-21T19:12:00.000-07:002021-02-21T19:12:18.461-07:00<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6WiJtMBL8eM" width="320" youtube-src-id="6WiJtMBL8eM"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p>I can’t believe I’m adding another post here. It’s been AGES since I posted. I’ve left social media as such, and I’m in my last semester of graduate school. Since the summer of 2017 I’ve been trying to stay in the mountains as often as possible. My graduate program includes summer classes, so the summer of 2021 promises to be the most freedom I’ve had since the summer of 2017. </p><p>We’ve all had setbacks with the pandemic. Life will likely never be the same. Not all change is bad. Having said that, I’ve also had several surgeries on my left foot since fracturing it in 2018. I have enough metal in there now to set off the alarm at the airport. My latest was a double joint fusion in September of 2020. I’m healing still - doing my own PT because I have no time to go to any appointments for it. I work full time, go to school to complete my last few classes, and I work a part time internship I have to complete to earn my degree. It’s crazy busy, but my husband picks up the slack where I can’t, and we’re making it through. </p><p>The weather the last few days has had me a bit droopy. It’s cold, we’ve had a lot of snow (NOT complaining about the snow though!), and I’m feeling the lack of time in nature. I took up rock hounding and lapidary pursuits while unable to physically hike. It has helped to be able to get into the outdoors and find agates and jaspers. Hard to believe it’s 2021. </p>Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-78556496072078403712015-12-19T16:37:00.001-07:002015-12-19T16:59:34.634-07:00A Long Time AwayI haven't blogged for ages! It's been so long I had a hard time remembering how to sign on to blogspot!<br />
The Little Wren's Nest has been busy! We have 8 dogs (two Bigs and 6 Littles), still have the parrots and the canary, and I'm still spinning, knitting, crocheting, and weaving. I have even messed around with Sculpy and other polymer clays. My efforts on that front have been in vain. I will never be a traditional artist. I can't draw, my painting is embarrassing, and now I know I can't sculpt either. It's OK though. It's good to know your talents and your limits. Otherwise I'd probably be good at nothing but try everything.<br />
I'm headed back to school next month to finish my BA and move on to my master's degree. Between working full time, going to school part time, and running a home, I'm not sure what the overall impact will be on my spinning and knitting.<br />
I have a studio in the midst of construction. I will eventually be able to work from home - I think. So lots of things are changing and there is a lot of potential waiting to be tapped into.<br />
I've collected a couple of new wheels. I have my Rose and the Kromski still but I've also acquired a Columbine wheel (yellow) named Princess Buttercup and a newer Ashford Traditional wheel I named Ophelia and will likely take to work.<br />
I started teaching knitting and crochet for free at work during lunches and breaks. I've had a few good students and a few who started and then gave up.<br />
January will find me giving free drop spindle lessons to a few very interested parties at work. I've been knitting A LOT of hats and shawls and found myself falling far behind on my spinning. So I'm going to focus on that. I have a 30lb bump of rambouillet wool waiting to be dyed and spun up into lovely yarn. I've done a few blending experiments on my drum carder with wool roving and angora. My most recent yarn has been a blend of wool, angora, and alpaca. It's light, soft, and blue and white. Here's an angora/wool blend I dyed and knitted up into a slouch hat. These are so much fun to knit and wear!<br />
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And now I'm sort of up to date. I plan on posting more about everything going on but mostly the artsy craftsy fiber side of life. Be back soon!<br />
<br />Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-35857162685875473912013-08-25T20:50:00.003-06:002013-08-25T20:50:56.793-06:00Crocheted Rug PatternI've been doing a lot of work on crocheting rugs lately. Here is my latest pattern for those interested. I'm using old sheets, flat and fitted, stripping them, joining the strips, and rolling them into a fabric ball before beginning the rug.<br />
I use a GINORMOUS crochet hook. It's roughly the size of a dry erase marker. I think it's a Q or something close to that.<br />
<br />
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">Rug Pattern:<br /> <br />
R1: Ch 5. Using a slip stitch join chain to form a circle. Place stitch
marker in last stitch to mark end of round and move marker with each
row so you keep track of the end of the round.<br /> <br /> R2: 2 sc in each ch st around. (10 stitches) Place marker in last stitch.<br /> R3: *1 sc in next st, 2 sc in next st* repeat around.<br /> R3: *1 sc in each of next two st, 2 sc in next st*, repeat around<br /> R4: *1 sc in each of next three st, 2 sc in next st*, repeat around<br /> R5: *1 sc in each of next four st, 2 sc in next st*, repeat around<br /> R6: *1 sc in each of next five st, 2 sc in next st* repeat around<br /> R7: *1 sc in each of next six st, 2 sc in next st*, repeat around<br /> <br />
~ During this row you may find your rug is curling up into a bowl
shape. If you want to continue to form a bowl, keep following the
pattern using the next logical stitch combination. To make a rug, follow
below:<br /> <br /> ~Remove stitch marker from rug. At this point, repeat
R7 until the rug begins to flatten. Once you notice your edges
flattening out, start the next row at any point.<br /> <br /> Row X: *1sc in
each of next seven st, 2 sc in next st*, repeat until edges seem to be
loose but not wavy. At any point begin next row.<br /> <br /> Row Y: *1sc in
each of next eight st, 2 sc in next st*, repeat until you notice edges
becoming too loose. At any point begin next row.<br /> <br /> Row Z: *1 sc
in each of next nine st, 2 sc in next st*, repeat until you are
comfortable moving to next row or you run out of fabric.<br /> <br /> If you
have any questions, please feel free to PM me. This pattern is pretty
flexible so if you're comfortable, you can modify it to suit your own
preferences for your rug's design and shape. <br /> Enjoy!!</span></span></h5>
Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-90842438680182156702012-12-30T21:06:00.000-07:002012-12-30T21:06:03.962-07:00Is it over yet???I just can't wait for 2012 to be over. Today my 3 outside dogs got out of my yard... allegedly. Neighbors I don't even know called the cops who showed up and issued me 3 financial citations (one for each dog) and threatened me with jail time if they get another report on my dogs. The dogs, in their defense, didn't damage property or hurt livestock, they were just allegedly seen outside my yard. So in order to keep out of further entanglements with the cops (who could burn in hell for all I really care) and to keep from incurring more debt I cannot afford to pay, I have to take my dogs to the animal shelter first thing tomorrow morning. They are never going to understand what happened and will be confused, scared, lonely and very sad. And I have no way to explain to them what happened and why they have to go away.<br />
Honestly this is almost the last straw for me. 2012 has been a horrible, awful year. I suppose it is only fitting that it should go out this way. I was hoping for a nice, quiet, uneventful winter. So far, I've been out of luck. So tomorrow morning at 10am sharp I will be saying goodbye to three dogs who have shown me nothing but loyalty and love, who have protected me when I was alone, comforted me when I was sad, and made me laugh and feel needed when nothing and no one else on this planet could do that. I have to turn around and walk out of the shelter and go back to work as though nothing has changed and my life isn't slowly falling apart again at the seams, piece by little piece. I sometimes wonder what will actually be left of me when all of this fallout is said and done. When the dust settles and I'm sitting in the middle of that mystery, what will I have around me? People are fickle creatures and nobody likes someone whose life is constantly bombarded with trouble. Animals love unconditionally and deeply. Maybe when all of mine are gone and I have nothing left then I'll know some profound sense of freedom I wouldn't have otherwise known. Either that, or I'll be completely bereft and tired of this mockery of a life I'm living right now.<br />
None of that changes the unspeakable injustice I'm about to inflict on these beloved, sweet dogs tomorrow and I have no idea how I'm going to manage what I have to do or live with it afterward without constant crying episodes. I have hated almost all of 2012 and I'll be glad to see it go. I won't look back on it fondly, I won't reminisce about the good old days of 2012 or the good times I had that were preciously few and far between. I'll put it behind me, shake the dust off my feet and somehow go forward into more unknown and chaos. I'm terrified to even imagine what 2013 has in store for me. Yes, I've lost the ability to be an optimist. I won't apologize for it or even feel bad. I still have "things" in my life that enable me to eat and keep a roof over my head. But what kind of life quality is that when you list your blessings as inanimate items that allow you merely to further experience the crap life gets to throw at you? Maybe 2013 will provide me with a different perspective and this time next year I will know hope and happiness again. Maybe I'll have things to look forward to and enjoy again. But for now, it's drudgery and sheer force of will keeping me on my feet. I know God is not a respecter of persons and has no favorites. But for once, I'd like to feel like He was looking out for JUST ME JUST ONCE and that I could be His first priority. Just once. But it's not going to happen. It doesn't happen like that and nobody lives happily ever after either. These are the hard lessons life instills in us over the rocky roads, right?<br />
Well, tomorrow is going to be hellish and I need my sleep. I'm going to take my cold/flu and strep throat drugs and try to imagine that I'm someone else for just a few hours until I'm forced to face the harsh light of yet another day on this terra firma.<br />
Here's hoping that everyone else reading this is having a better life than I am right now and that you can count your blessings on both hands and actually feel good about them. This ungrateful wretch who has no business worrying over her paltry 1st world problems is going to bed.<br />
<br />Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-79926737028965628482012-11-15T20:16:00.000-07:002012-11-15T20:16:40.238-07:00After A Long DayToday was a long day at work. And by long, I mean wrong end of a wormhole in the space/time continuum kind of long. Just getting home felt like some kind of triumphant victory.<br />
Walking through the door, I noticed the house was quiet and I felt a little lonely about it. Feeling a little sorry for myself I guess that I didn't have a family at home waiting for me. It was late enough that mostly all I had time for was chores before putting the birds to bed and tucking the puppies and I into bed as well. Imagine my surprise when the night took an unexpected turn. <br />
It began innocently enough with letting the puppies out of their crate and into the yard and opening the parrot cages so they could all stretch their wings, play around and have their way with their play stand toys. My African Grey, Sam, started howling like a wolf. Before long, he had Qwynn, my other African Grey howling as well. Daisy, the Amazon parrot began to sing "You Are My Sunshine" during all this howling and the Quakers started counting from 1-4 and yelling "Yahooo!!!" after saying "four!" All typical vocalizations for my house, but I can't remember the last time we all did it together. So I gave everyone treats and copious amounts of praise for their various performances and things quieted enough so that I could eat, tend to the puppies and put some Christmas gifts in the spare room until wrapping time.<br />
The moment I started cleaning the floors, Sam and Qwynn were howling again. I figured, what the heck? I started howling too. The puppies, Pippa and Baylee got in on the howling bit and then Qwynn and Sam were calling the puppies by name and telling them to "c'mon!" so the birds could throw them pellets and watch the puppies eat them. The Quakers started laughing and by that time I was laughing while sweeping the floor. It was obviously Jack Johnson time when Sam gave up howling for singing. Sam LOVES Jack Johnson. So I finished chores with Daisy and Sam singing "You Are my Sunshine" while Jack Johnson sang "Better Together" (Daisy thinks EVERY song is You Are My Sunshine) and everyone else making happy noises and taking the occasional time out to crack a nut or pellet. This hilarity and play kept up for close to an hour before, chores done, I gave everyone kisses on their beaks, told them night night and turned down the lights. Mr Fish (beta fish) got a clean bowl of water with new rocks, the birds all got clean water in their bowls, and now my house is quiet.<br />
But it's a different kind of quiet than it was when I got home. This kind of quiet seems content and at peace while the remnants of innocent happiness echo a little from time to time when I remember some cute little thing one of these critters I share my life with did tonight. We had actual joy tonight, each in our own way. We enjoyed the company we shared, the songs we sang, the numbers we counted, and the laughs that the Quaker parrots can't help but inspire when they get started laughing themselves. I think even the beta fish is happy in his new bowl with new rocks. The puppies are happy any time the birds share their pellets by throwing them on the floor. It might be a "you had to be there" kind of evening. Just reading back over what I wrote I'm not sure I'm able to explain how the night went and how the joy just surprised me out of nowhere.<br />
A fire is crackling in the wood burning stove now and the flames glow red through the front door of its hot metal belly while I type this. It's the only light in that room. The ceiling fan is working hard to distribute the warmth evenly around the house and there's a soft sighing as its blades sweep at the heat. The birds' night lights are leaking a soft blue hue and some beak grinding is going on while they all settle down for sleep. Two sweet and sleepy puppies have taken up their posts behind me on the comfy chair while I type here and I realize that I have a strange life and I share it with strange creatures sometimes. Even the people I love have their own unique strangeness about them I suppose. But this is my life. And I'm learning to be happy again. Not every night will feel like this one did. But on those other nights, I'll have the warm memory of this one and hopefully others to come to remind me that joy will return and maybe when I least expect it and in an unexpected way.<br />
For tonight, however, I am HOME. Truly not just a place with walls and beams but also a place of love and dreams... and hope. Always hope.Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-64837524784611163792012-11-13T20:34:00.002-07:002012-11-13T20:34:42.014-07:00Crazy lifeWell, "they" say that life is what happens when you are making other plans and boy is this true! Since December 2011 my life has changed drastically. I'm on a single income now (long story I won't be sharing) and because of that, I had to find homes for all my sheep, all my rabbits, all the chickens,some of my birds and my hedgehog. I have 9 parrots left, 3 outside dogs, two inside chihuahuas for snuggles and companionship, and one cat for rodent control in the garage and surrounding area. Still seems like a lot when I type it out but believe me, compared to the chores, feed bills and cleaning I was facing alone previously, the gang I have now is much easier to handle.<br />
However, on a brighter note, I am still spinning! I entered yarn into our state fair this year and won several ribbons. My knitting is improving with each project I undertake, although I still have a lot to learn, and I've decided to start a small savings account so that next year I can buy a Hitchhiker wheel from the Merlin Tree in order to have an "at work" wheel. Sounds crazy, right? But I can't tell you what a stress reliever spinning is for me. Hand me some fiber, sit me at a wheel, and anxiety and stress just melt away for the little while I get to just spin.<br />
Tonight I worked on a sweet little bobbin of "Caribbean" with turquoise and coral. Looking forward to seeing what the yarn turns out like.<br />
In the meanwhile, I'll figure out this whole Google+ picture posting mess from my phone and get some new pics out of projects and the fun things going on at The Little Wren's Nest.<br />
Before I go, this is Pippa, my birthday puppy. She is a chihuahua mix and my little sweet snuggle bug. Being gone all day at work left her lonely and sad. I got her a companion and named her Baylee. Baylee is a chihuahua/doxie mix. I can't get to a picture of her at the moment but will post one when I can. :)<br />
I hope you're all looking forward to Thanksgiving as much as I am! Blessings and peace!<br />
Renee <br />
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<br />Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-54949602496083957572012-06-20T10:40:00.002-06:002012-06-20T10:40:25.645-06:00After a prolonged absence, I am back. :) Can't post much now but there will be more to come with pictures. Summer is officially here today. Have a wonderful day!Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-19062873367909260772011-09-10T11:02:00.000-06:002011-09-10T11:02:00.830-06:00Spinners' Study GroupThursday night I attended my first Spinners' Study group as a Boise Valley Handweavers Guild member. Yay! I looked forward to it all week! Since I began to spin just over a year ago, I've only spun with other spinners twice. Once I spun with Carol Dunn at TOTS last October and then in February I attended the Winter Blues Spin In in Crouch, ID. Both of those experiences were so good for me as a spinner. I learn something new every time I spin with someone else. However, all my spinning in between and since has been a solo deal. When I looked into the Guild and read their website, at first I didn't think I'd really be a good fit. I'm not a weaver. I crochet, knit, quilt and spin but I just can't see myself picking up another craft right now. Space and expense are the main reasons. Oh yeah... and time. :) But when I read that they have a spinners' study group that meets once a month, I decided to give it a shot and join. I'm so happy I did!<br />
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</tbody></table>There were a lot of us there. I didn't do a head count but more than 10 of us showed up with wheels and some brought bobbin lace and other projects. Because I was the new kid on the block I did lots of listening but they were all so welcoming and warm that it wasn't long before I felt comfortable enough to take part in some of the conversations going on. Right now the study group isn't actually studying anything in particular we're just meeting to spin and talk. Like a quilting bee with spinning instead of quilting. I got to feel other people's fiber and ask them about it. Peggy, one of the ladies I sat next to showed me how to do a lovely long draw with a long stapled fiber. She was sooooooo good at it!! I decided that by this time next year I will be able to do a lovely even long draw single too. Peggy made it look easy but I know it will take me practice and more practice.<br />
There were two other new spinners there besides myself and they were both spinning on Ashford Traditional wheels. Seeing their wheels made me miss my first wheel a bit. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Rowenna and Suzannah and wouldn't trade them for anything. But my first wheel was a Traddy and to me, just looking at that wheel says "spinning wheel". Plus, their wheels were stained a lovely dark and deep brown which was very attractive. Everyone was spinning something different too. Mitzi was using a Columbine wheel and it was pretty cool to watch. Her bobbins for that thing are enormous! I just had my Concord silk/merino blend wool and kept working on that. Jeff ordered some lovely Polwarth wool for me and I'm very excited to get it and see what it's like to spin. I listened to some of them talk about their fiber stash and I was in awe. I have lots of fiber and my sheep and rabbits are growing more for me every day but I have NOTHING like some of these ladies do. Amazing. I'd better hurry and stash more if I'm to catch up. lol!<br />
It was a wonderful time with some wonderful ladies and I'm already looking forward to next month's meeting. I'll take better and more pictures next time to shows some of the other projects and wool the others are working on. Meanwhile, I feel the need to spin coming on. Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-7959978509012842152011-09-04T12:05:00.002-06:002011-09-04T12:05:30.855-06:00My favorite Simon's Cat videoThe bird in this Simon's Cat makes me laugh every time without fail. :)<br />
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Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-75533804958430490392011-08-26T18:53:00.000-06:002011-08-26T18:53:01.729-06:00Spinning at the Fair<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spinning in the Home Arts Division area</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This year at the fair I had the huge privilege of demonstrating spinning in the Home Art Division (12). I've only spun in public once before at the folk life fair at Trailing of the Sheep last fall so it made me a little nervous thinking about doing it at the fair. But once I got set up and started spinning, as always, I become calm and focused and started enjoying myself. I was surprised at how many people stopped and had questions. Most of the men were curious about the mechanics of the wheel. Most of the kids wanted to know how I turned the fluffly stuff into "string" and I had at least 5 other people ask where they could get lessons. I referred them to my teacher of course, Cleo Gallinger at the Sheep Shed in Nampa,ID. I spun for 5 hours last Sunday and managed to fill a bobbin with 4oz. of wool and start plying. I had some folks come back several times to check my progress because they wanted to see what plying looked like.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGH1HS3HYFezJtPx2Q_oylXzcwor-3Iwh7791B0MVDyoceZlgIEoeAzrA93VpLMUDugzLvuWqRT3E4s_z-jwpPBYgQWiTGej9u16fH6yVYcPX6bzcjibhZKE2AcDVW_w_MATDDFYWTSs/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGH1HS3HYFezJtPx2Q_oylXzcwor-3Iwh7791B0MVDyoceZlgIEoeAzrA93VpLMUDugzLvuWqRT3E4s_z-jwpPBYgQWiTGej9u16fH6yVYcPX6bzcjibhZKE2AcDVW_w_MATDDFYWTSs/s400/008.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spinning</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>I had a really enjoyable afternoon spinning away, trying to answer questions intelligently and referring people who wanted to know more to viable resources. On the advice of my mentor Carol Dunn, I took a few skeins of my yarn so that people could touch them. Almost everything at the fair has the "Please Do Not Touch" label on it. A lot of people were interested in touching and feeling homespun yarn. I took some of my angora/wool yarn and a small tote of the blue angora I had drum carded.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOX0Oc5GONYo9gauDrvZcgpwnYSuqIReBRTohJMg3YLnPtpPI6mE98B7biFZtmEgqBMo2Fol2GzEvSEfFJCoobuy0t-_8l8mD9HcdxbU3q43mIi3HAD1-eIMwMG_fPJqzf2d3DSmu4WY/s1600/105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAOX0Oc5GONYo9gauDrvZcgpwnYSuqIReBRTohJMg3YLnPtpPI6mE98B7biFZtmEgqBMo2Fol2GzEvSEfFJCoobuy0t-_8l8mD9HcdxbU3q43mIi3HAD1-eIMwMG_fPJqzf2d3DSmu4WY/s400/105.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The yarn I took for "hands-on" purposes</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4JEP_7tdy3IJVrlubuXj8MNlFHhzf_ERNXb8ZCn6fYuISgV2GznXi6lKnJPWKiFWPAt0p6nx49OFbUMsd8LlhLEnMgZVEglkZjLntprW3P5EeRQ-htf6A90kawe_ATNSZwi2WDFD1DiI/s1600/iPhone+6.2010+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4JEP_7tdy3IJVrlubuXj8MNlFHhzf_ERNXb8ZCn6fYuISgV2GznXi6lKnJPWKiFWPAt0p6nx49OFbUMsd8LlhLEnMgZVEglkZjLntprW3P5EeRQ-htf6A90kawe_ATNSZwi2WDFD1DiI/s320/iPhone+6.2010+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue carded angora for touching</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The kids who stopped by LOVED feeling the angora and everyone said it felt like cotton candy. If I'd known then what I know now, I would have taken some home made drop spindles and a little wool and given some of them the chance to spin on their own. Many people seemed daunted by the cost of a spinning wheel but were interested when I mentioned that you don't have to own a wheel to spin. If I get the chance to demonstrate spinning in public again, I'll have some quality home made drop spindles and a big hank of wool roving with me like in the picture below.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzxObKQNMPCAPntocN0AMkazbs7YMT0thwiXxVPM1Y342MYWFL2PWDzx2DvnIE9wNxJv4d5lGuKkNTUAJ7FtYe7e0Flv3LG0fhgvmGGxV1fPLb1MRUFCvWtlW76FD20rZlg96nVZgcXA/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzxObKQNMPCAPntocN0AMkazbs7YMT0thwiXxVPM1Y342MYWFL2PWDzx2DvnIE9wNxJv4d5lGuKkNTUAJ7FtYe7e0Flv3LG0fhgvmGGxV1fPLb1MRUFCvWtlW76FD20rZlg96nVZgcXA/s400/005.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The good quality drop spindle my husband made for me with some fiber samples spun onto it</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Meanwhile, I'm still basking in the delight of seeing so many people interested in this fiber art and willing to ask questions and possibly take the next step and learn spinning for themselves.<br />
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Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-82475615493377976262011-08-20T20:44:00.000-06:002011-08-20T20:44:29.756-06:00Baby Parrots Learn Their Names From Their ParentsTruly this is amazing! More proof that parrots are intelligent creatures! Check this out and be sure the watch the video.
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<br /><a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/07/13/baby-parrots-learn-their-names-from-their-parents/">Baby Parrots Learn Their Names From Their Parents</a>Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-53940175212777775482011-08-19T21:53:00.000-06:002011-08-19T21:53:00.561-06:00Blue Ribbon YarnI got brave. After spinning for a year I decided to do something to "nudge" my spinning and I entered 4 skeins of yarn into our fair. I bought bamboo fiber and camel/silk fiber to spin specifically to fill two of the 4 categories I entered. I already had skeins spun for the other two categories. Submissions were due on Tuesday, judging was Wednesday, and today the fair opened. My husband took me and we made a bee line for the home arts division in the Expo building to see how the yarn did. And in no particular order....<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiue_IrXfpFwNve3KmVpE-EglYqQO0zlqOMJEw6QK7yhoDkSuIIOp1sir1PUhLYc1wZGaLUnpcf1MGbiz0f5jf1qbwKLZKNPKYtnkaPIpKcZT5M26S7IGgQpFz_4DtLAhS3RRv05Ifgm-E/s1600/040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiue_IrXfpFwNve3KmVpE-EglYqQO0zlqOMJEw6QK7yhoDkSuIIOp1sir1PUhLYc1wZGaLUnpcf1MGbiz0f5jf1qbwKLZKNPKYtnkaPIpKcZT5M26S7IGgQpFz_4DtLAhS3RRv05Ifgm-E/s640/040.JPG" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bamboo yarn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The purple and pink yarn top center is my bamboo entry for the plant fiber class in the colorway "Be Mine". It was the oddest fiber I think I've spun to date and I'm not really sure I'd do it again. I have no plans for this stuff so I'll attempt to sell it more than likely unless I put it in my cedar chest. Mom would have me stash it in the cedar chest I bet. The yarn itself turned out shiny and slick and lovely but it doesn't behave at all like an animal fiber would. Still - it turned out pretty enough for a blue ribbon. :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60xB_YiiINETXDUoaDEYhP-aTsuTUzbKyQ7tsNmayZoFCirAttw6TDpef2dCUHckPMn6QJVAKMhCy3T517xOcb_j0c1ZZQhbbSxSL6E0zLWZwnLahZWIA3Un9SGO3V9oQ6L0OUHHIky0/s1600/041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60xB_YiiINETXDUoaDEYhP-aTsuTUzbKyQ7tsNmayZoFCirAttw6TDpef2dCUHckPMn6QJVAKMhCy3T517xOcb_j0c1ZZQhbbSxSL6E0zLWZwnLahZWIA3Un9SGO3V9oQ6L0OUHHIky0/s400/041.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wool/silk blend</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Next up is the blended fiber yarn category. I entered this merino wool/silk blend in the colorway "MacKenzie" and it won a blue ribbon. I bought the fiber from The Fiber Addict and this is just a small portion of what I got from 8 oz of fiber. It will be a prayer shawl someday I think. :) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkkTtay-Jp2P0NvuMQATBkRRLVC9mhdJpBiri1EgoIiYgU9EiboUIxcbli0azSjuffKbmwqOmWSm3PdIj_Lge_p-LhX7G5zzA8u_7493a3OiLstGqmwYVr0XEJKUy3UnEVh7WgfWyd60/s1600/043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkkTtay-Jp2P0NvuMQATBkRRLVC9mhdJpBiri1EgoIiYgU9EiboUIxcbli0azSjuffKbmwqOmWSm3PdIj_Lge_p-LhX7G5zzA8u_7493a3OiLstGqmwYVr0XEJKUy3UnEVh7WgfWyd60/s640/043.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheep wool yarn</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In the back center of this picture is a dark blue yarn in the colorway "Peacock" that I spun from 100% wool fiber I bought from The Fiber Addict. It placed in first place (yay!) and is actually a smaller portion of a much larger skein I produced and have already started knitting from. This yarn is making a prayer shawl for a friend of mine at work. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mGYdoZlsioVFLm_ojwO0zX-iW6SFASZxr4MRVg6Caie1UvrxAD9BRGNapAvXYeG9LuBRTVXFEK5bTvf11JlspYhbE1yKZ3AlZxiykkeLNDPYC-76gfGwp6Id5DUeemmFOdodahUSWck/s1600/042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mGYdoZlsioVFLm_ojwO0zX-iW6SFASZxr4MRVg6Caie1UvrxAD9BRGNapAvXYeG9LuBRTVXFEK5bTvf11JlspYhbE1yKZ3AlZxiykkeLNDPYC-76gfGwp6Id5DUeemmFOdodahUSWck/s640/042.JPG" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Other" yarn = camel/silk</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Last but not least, I entered a skein of silk/baby camel down that I spun after buying the fiber online some time back. This yarn was going to be my masterpiece of TourDeFleece. I didn't actually spin in during TdF though because I ran out of time. This yarn was my last project completed. I loving call it "Saucy Wench" yarn. The fiber was lovely to look at, soft as buttercream to the touch, BUT IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL! Just like a saucy wench. lol! I really had a hard time spinning this fiber into an even, uniform single. Plying it was a challenge as well because plying a thinner section of single to a thicker section of single creates non-uniform 2-ply yarn. I had to trick this fiber over and over again to become what it finally is. I still actually have fiber left over that I may not look at again for at least another year! But Saucy Wench placed second which completely shocked me. I wasn't sure the judges would appreciate the difficulties involved spinning this fiber. Apparently either they completely understood or I completely underestimated the way the final product looks. I'm still not happy with it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now I will take credit for spinning these yarns. But I got feedback on which of my yarns to enter before making my final decisions. Carol Dunn looked and touched and advised and Nancy McDaniel did the same. And thanks to the advice I received from them, I will be bringing home 3 blue ribbons and one red ribbon from the fair. What I'm really interested in seeing are the judges' comments for the yarn. On every project I've entered I've always been able to come away with useful suggestions from what the judges say or even don't say on the judging cards. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Aside from bragging rights (which I'm really trying NOT to exercise!) what will I come away with from this experience? Well first I'm a more confident spinner. While I know I have a LONG way to go and a lot more to learn, I feel better about my spinning after this and I think I will take on bigger challenges with more confidence in future spinning ventures. Tonight Jeff, the conspiracy theorist and "out there" kind of nut, asked me if I'd spin Yeti fur or chupacabra fur. I said yes to the first, especially if it's a baby Yeti and no to the second due to short staple length. LOL! See? I'm braver already. I'm now willing to spin mythological creature fur!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Secondly, I'm going to put more of my skeins in more competitions. I think I can take constructive criticism now without it discouraging me too much. Last year at Trailing of The Sheep I didn't enter the skein competition. This year I think I will. I won't enter the SAME skeins of course, but I'm thinking already about what kinds of yarn I can spin up for TOTS. I may introduce strands of glitter into some of my yarn to start. It's a small start, but it's something right?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Overall, I'm tickled pink over the judges' decisions, my improving skills as a spinner, and that I have people like Carol and Nancy to turn to for advice on which skeins to submit, how to submit them appropriately, etc. Without their help, things could have turned out differently. I had no idea to only submit with 3 ties and to make the ties the same color as the skeins. If not for Nancy and Carol, my skeins would have shown up with white kite string ties in four places and not all of them figure 8's. Doesn't sound like a big deal, but it is really in competition. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another really cool thing is that when I went to admire the llamas and alpacas on display at the fair, I met breeders and owners who shear those lovely animals, have bags of fiber they don't know what to do with, and are willing to talk with me about taking some of that lovely fiber off their hands! I networked a little! Again - doesn't sound like much, but it really is - for me anyway.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's a picture of one of the alpaca crias.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD8FhIxnL_domE3_o04hsWyZjeSEs4NKmXBLwgaGlBkOa9b11HencuThH61KvEyrlgPZP9KppHMmFfwJibhayDNR1McFWtG_WggvC_PgKW1xY2BB6CMV29FpH_-PYt-degH4ojezr99u0/s1600/045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD8FhIxnL_domE3_o04hsWyZjeSEs4NKmXBLwgaGlBkOa9b11HencuThH61KvEyrlgPZP9KppHMmFfwJibhayDNR1McFWtG_WggvC_PgKW1xY2BB6CMV29FpH_-PYt-degH4ojezr99u0/s640/045.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alpacas</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Isn't he/she adorable??? I just LOVE alpacas!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3J07D6zXc0dNo1pp9LUukqxbpNfqatcZ3jjSbfZFZF_vVBxf2udiIj5dpK5DbjF_v4OS3uioB7cJ_4ev5SU_TX6FGFwkhmSVqNMJVLVZbRyjhntWTNyHhOiN94t-2fEuk6bm0qTZ1tA/s1600/044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge3J07D6zXc0dNo1pp9LUukqxbpNfqatcZ3jjSbfZFZF_vVBxf2udiIj5dpK5DbjF_v4OS3uioB7cJ_4ev5SU_TX6FGFwkhmSVqNMJVLVZbRyjhntWTNyHhOiN94t-2fEuk6bm0qTZ1tA/s320/044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another side note. I didn't know we had a beekeepers' club in the valley! Yay!! I will be in touch with these folks about honey and beeswax for my soap in the near future. The fair has been very good to me this year I'd say. Now I have a whole week's worth of vacation events to blog about but that's going to have to wait for another day. It's late, I'm tired, fighting yet ANOTHER migraine, and I have church in the morning. But I wanted to share this while I'm still excited about it and it's all still fresh and new for me. Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-77789758441898547892011-07-30T21:50:00.001-06:002011-07-30T21:57:41.320-06:00The Great end of a Very Good WeekThis last week has been full of wonderful things and today was the cherry on top. First, there was the buildup to Thursday. Thursday was my official one year anniversary of spinning! A year ago I made one of the best decisions for myself that I've ever made. I met Cleo Gallinger that day and she taught me to make things with my hands that I never imagined I would be capable of. Spinning and the people who were brought into my life because of spinning changed my life for the better forever. I've grown as a person, I've learned new and wonderful skills and I've made great strides spiritually as well. Last year I remember being in a spiritual crisis of sorts. Now I'm not saying that today everything is resolved and perfect, but the journey started last year and I'm growing. What more could I ask?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGr0GdKY3JmbEYwEH7X8H35fTg5xTgsppxJpMOABAygP-zF-TCiADMUXfuawga4B7btN6aWZmO4TcqoUCc48tB72VIpJB15epnD5PNKrYL5Bz8ejJDM8y6v10ShOljXbcau-gGSFtsyo/s1600/iPhone+Pics+485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGr0GdKY3JmbEYwEH7X8H35fTg5xTgsppxJpMOABAygP-zF-TCiADMUXfuawga4B7btN6aWZmO4TcqoUCc48tB72VIpJB15epnD5PNKrYL5Bz8ejJDM8y6v10ShOljXbcau-gGSFtsyo/s640/iPhone+Pics+485.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Then Friday was the year anniversary of my friendship with Carol Dunn and the purchase of my first fiber animal - an angora rabbit named Neema. A gentler, sweeter bunny you couldn't find. Here she is sleeping on her back in my lap the day I brought her home. :)<br />
My lesson to myself here is this I guess. There is A LOT of sadness in life. The world is full of it. Grief and sorrow knock on everyone's door eventually and demand an entrance. But there is also healing to be found. It doesn't all come at once and sometimes you aren't even aware that it's happening until you look backward and realize the vast difference that stands between the you who exists now and the you who existed then. The last year has held that for me. Healing. I have moments of actual joy now. There were days when I doubted I would ever feel that again. And yet here I am.<br />
Friday was also my Quaker parrot Buttons' hatch day. Here she is just after giving herself a bath in her water bowl and looking at me as though it's my fault she got water in her nose. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSQ9dmZH6LuaV0KPs6dJr8AS-6m-T1XA2E7lUc72DLgiamxBm3k-8t8r3NS4Ik_rkFQj_1djIVxuqqhIXvoQlpWTLDOwNeSK0i0ncO8oZFmKiKMi9BKdiHTTTFq2ESoR7YLzjG9zRxLo/s1600/iPhone+Pics+415.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSQ9dmZH6LuaV0KPs6dJr8AS-6m-T1XA2E7lUc72DLgiamxBm3k-8t8r3NS4Ik_rkFQj_1djIVxuqqhIXvoQlpWTLDOwNeSK0i0ncO8oZFmKiKMi9BKdiHTTTFq2ESoR7YLzjG9zRxLo/s640/iPhone+Pics+415.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Buttons turned 6 years old and I've had her since she was just a year and a half old. I remember thinking when I was researching what parrot I wanted after getting my cockatiel that I would NEVER want a Quaker parrot. They were noisy and not very pretty in my eyes. Then I met cranky, mistreated Buttons who was cage aggressive bit me every chance she got. I fell in love. And we've been learning to love each other better every day since then. Even as I brought other parrots into the house, Buttons and I have always had a special relationship.<br />
And now, thanks to her stellar example of parrot awesomeness, I am the proud owner of FOUR Quakers. FOUR? Yes, you read that right. On Thursday I would have said THREE. But Friday changed everything. I went into Parrots N Stuff in Boise to buy some bird food and pellets for the crew and lingered to play with some of the babies Melody has in the store. Just before checking out and leaving with the food, I heard that Melody had a blue Quaker in the back. I had to see it. I've always wanted a blue Quaker. The moment I met "Bo", I was in love. Of course. Bo had her doubts at first. She came out of the cage readily enough but proceeded to show me she wanted to boss me around by biting and fluffing up and throwing her weight around. 45 minutes later she was giving me kisses, rubbing her head on my face and mumbling in my ear. I called my husband and ended up bringing that girl home. She's a 5 year old Quaker who's had a multiple household past but I will be her 3rd and last home. She's found a forever home here with us. The honeymoon period may wear off and she may bite and act like a normal Quaker in a few weeks. But it won't matter one bit. She belongs here. I changed her name to Ellie and have been taking pictures and video like a maniac. Here she is.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6t0JgilIaMhrS8sxs_RNMnSTnEMPNNEUGQcsq7ZV1Bkh8xLXau-qAGKdmyP1ALD_yuAmj2BTOdLhwaDEtiX1Z6Uw6DgP-V-EtAvKfsa6tZ04u_MGmm6xp0Z0wJvopxR5sAuUT3Van1OU/s1600/070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6t0JgilIaMhrS8sxs_RNMnSTnEMPNNEUGQcsq7ZV1Bkh8xLXau-qAGKdmyP1ALD_yuAmj2BTOdLhwaDEtiX1Z6Uw6DgP-V-EtAvKfsa6tZ04u_MGmm6xp0Z0wJvopxR5sAuUT3Van1OU/s400/070.JPG" width="297" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxbE_6YyhO_v0GtqGQFhnXIoJMkM_gg-rgtEoWO6PGNtQ-JX0JE01KEOgBWWhiNs22FCUMuW7-i4hQWDRZk3w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Today I left Ellie at home with Jeff and my friend Susie and I went to Shelly's Birds owned by Shelley Reedy and visited baby Quakers and baby caiques. Susie did all the driving and I went along for the ride and got to know my sweet friend a bit better. She's a pretty amazing lady. She got right into playing with the baby birds when we arrived. Shelley made us at home and we got to have fun with all the babies! What clowns! Here's Susie with both of the caique babies. One is facing forward on one shoulder and the other is backward on Susie's other shoulder. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUCZeMo34q-eLKnkl48di08fTZJXiHbThbQCkVpNeMaX0MaMPxsF7afbFhqVjZiNiuK5LA9fQ_0IekWsXPwKtgeE4swrjcYZQJrKIWhqukiZ70DShUuASelplXTEGg2MrgvGKabD23xI/s1600/075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUCZeMo34q-eLKnkl48di08fTZJXiHbThbQCkVpNeMaX0MaMPxsF7afbFhqVjZiNiuK5LA9fQ_0IekWsXPwKtgeE4swrjcYZQJrKIWhqukiZ70DShUuASelplXTEGg2MrgvGKabD23xI/s400/075.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>While she played with them, I messed around with the Quaker mob. Even though I had a new one at home, it was hard to resist these little ones. I have a soft spot for Quakers, what can I say?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgqoloZEk49Zqs6JtgG5vg4wevhi6FSPHx4clkKIET48T1TTGbn49jhbfrdoXIwW5WX0hDQ3yQRsMStFTek0XTG2IPYVo43mzM3x3hDD999XcLSHaWfQMsOAS4tIJ7HlZ1tQhWH09UTg/s1600/082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgqoloZEk49Zqs6JtgG5vg4wevhi6FSPHx4clkKIET48T1TTGbn49jhbfrdoXIwW5WX0hDQ3yQRsMStFTek0XTG2IPYVo43mzM3x3hDD999XcLSHaWfQMsOAS4tIJ7HlZ1tQhWH09UTg/s320/082.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>You can just see in their eyes that they're plotting mischief can't you? Shelley raises these babies in her home hand feeding and socializing them all the while. By the time they go to new homes they're healthy, well adjusted birds who are hand tame, good natured and very sweet if somewhat mischievous. :) I like a little mischief in my birds.<br />
Finally our visit was over and it was time to head home to my crew here. By the time I got home my awesome husband had watered sheep and rabbits and he changed the birds' waters and swept the floor and wiped it down for me. When they're out all day my crew can really make a mess so it was nice to have that taken care of. Jeff is wonderful with the birds and very good to me.<br />
I covered everyone up and we all said our nite nites and then it was off to La La Land for the birds. Now I'm here blogging and feeling a bit sleepy myself. I just couldn't let this week end and pass into history completely without recording the great things that I celebrated and the fun things I got to have a part in. Life can be good, God is always great, and I am truly blessed.Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-4009890885401189872011-07-18T21:54:00.001-06:002011-07-19T09:22:18.783-06:00Sawtooth Mountain Mama Craft FairThe annual SMMCF came around again this month and my friend Karren and I had it on our list of "very important things to do." So we met in town at 7am and started to drive. It's an easy 3 hour drive from here to there but we had good company, a little music and loads of beautiful scenery to keep us busy!! The craft fair itself first of all smelled amazing. They had this bakery there that was making Navajo tacos and scones with honey and butter. Mmmmmmm!!! I didn't splurge on a scone but it was very tempting. There was a booth with dutch oven food - pulled BBQ pork and potatoes and cheese, a sno-cone booth, ice cream in giant waffle cones and a ton of other food we ended up just avoiding to keep from putting on 150 lbs each. :)<br />
As for the craft booths, there were A LOT of jewelry booths. Some good. Some not so good. I don't wear much if any jewelry so it wasn't hard to look and not touch. There was a booth of homemade Native American flutes and a really amazing booth of these giant bells that were welded onto things like gears. They were functional art and too expensive for me but lovely to look at. I only found ONE fiber booth. Nobody was spinning either which disappointed me. Basically, as wonderful as it was to wander around and look and "oooohhh" and "aaaahhh" at things, we didn't find anything we couldn't live without. So we drove to Redfish Lake next and bought shirts. I try to get one every year when I go up. Here is this year's version.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPbt3vSbjOe63Hk6wuNZgXggzzXGW4QTcusabmxt_0DbUdroCnQzglvCeUUAJM8afjZykeQraHnDBLv3A0UJk0OIjDjWztxbjuY0rLAoCTfjebM8zRh1dHQrfALVRiyY6BWgXcFdKWPA/s1600/047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPbt3vSbjOe63Hk6wuNZgXggzzXGW4QTcusabmxt_0DbUdroCnQzglvCeUUAJM8afjZykeQraHnDBLv3A0UJk0OIjDjWztxbjuY0rLAoCTfjebM8zRh1dHQrfALVRiyY6BWgXcFdKWPA/s640/047.JPG" width="478px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMHPV9ZtCum0n4TZy2UH_XTK03jz3_vs6mIR7vIQ9-8O7dx01LIF_MNT8HYtpWw4xrXXKYaUtDQHpZhGe38aaTzjEJZGbGIGMlZqGc3f7VOFtmA6S7wYcNWft2BP4ojtIf1pxCTIhtw4/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMHPV9ZtCum0n4TZy2UH_XTK03jz3_vs6mIR7vIQ9-8O7dx01LIF_MNT8HYtpWw4xrXXKYaUtDQHpZhGe38aaTzjEJZGbGIGMlZqGc3f7VOFtmA6S7wYcNWft2BP4ojtIf1pxCTIhtw4/s640/011.JPG" width="476px" /></a></div><br />
Here is a picture of a few of the Sawtooth peaks as we were leaving Redfish Lake. Man I love those mountains!! I used to hike and backpack in them when I was younger and some days I long to do it again.<br />
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We went next to Alturas lake, got out our flip flops and towels and headed for the beach! The wildflowers up there this time of year are gorgeous too.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxg67w2VRnGNaoL-3L2yM8IsnFaJOGgEudtVBpqnVUi4UQW5BMBAcE4RqDjAa_rapwveifXkhf9ZJcE3abQMdH3Bu57vof5-Nk7I-OJqwpvQYYRD3g0gQ_tjT38_0wFCG2eWNBAJMwpU/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxg67w2VRnGNaoL-3L2yM8IsnFaJOGgEudtVBpqnVUi4UQW5BMBAcE4RqDjAa_rapwveifXkhf9ZJcE3abQMdH3Bu57vof5-Nk7I-OJqwpvQYYRD3g0gQ_tjT38_0wFCG2eWNBAJMwpU/s640/006.JPG" width="478px" /></a></div> Alturas was FREEZING! There is still a lot of snow in those peaks and it feels like it's melting directly into this lake. lol! Karren and I waded in until we were up to our knees and almost immediately lost feeling in both feet. My ankles started to ache and I realized why all the kids on the beach were making sand castles instead of swimming. ICE COLD WATER will do that. lol!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUlZH0lXsSfN2gj62OcHdtTqGYTo6SGiexKVZPofkrlil70EiGjRouCqBJ-guJ7VzIcTt9hFrMMYuSeYeFgsZxCBXlMoqqqiiX1sO-NVGfZ7p81EEyeGXpX3IKqigSok_4RtnOyKBoyDY/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUlZH0lXsSfN2gj62OcHdtTqGYTo6SGiexKVZPofkrlil70EiGjRouCqBJ-guJ7VzIcTt9hFrMMYuSeYeFgsZxCBXlMoqqqiiX1sO-NVGfZ7p81EEyeGXpX3IKqigSok_4RtnOyKBoyDY/s640/010.JPG" width="478px" /></a></div>These gems grow just about everywhere you look. It's purple penstemon, buttercup and sheep sorrel in this picture. American bistort, monkshood, lupine and indian paintbrush grow in perfusion too. It's a wonderful area to learn about local flora and edible vs. poisonous plants. I cut my teeth on the subject up here. Just me and my field guides. There were fields of blooming blue camas up there as well. When the breeze blew it looked like a rippling lake of blue with the flower heads bobbing in the wind.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8il6TNL5QRt3HdlB7xC5Bgd2a_SDi_2QNp7zAgzXRkA9wUw6CMm_D1mtR9DUWLfwDPrUKK4v301NV-T5CaLyudgLMiC6i2pj-uQDKMtygRMtwMGGWtv_c2szFSufP7rHBr7kYTrgcB4/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8il6TNL5QRt3HdlB7xC5Bgd2a_SDi_2QNp7zAgzXRkA9wUw6CMm_D1mtR9DUWLfwDPrUKK4v301NV-T5CaLyudgLMiC6i2pj-uQDKMtygRMtwMGGWtv_c2szFSufP7rHBr7kYTrgcB4/s640/020.JPG" width="478px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Next stop was this lovely little waterfall off the side of the road. I've driven by it a hundred times at least and never really stopped to play in it. This time we stopped. Both of us got down into the pool at the bottom and splashed around. I stood under it completely clothed and got a good soaking and I laughed the whole time. These are the things that seem ridiculous and frivolous if you think about them too long and you just keep driving by that waterfall until one day you don't go that way any longer and you've missed your chance. I'm not going to miss any more chances to enjoy something even if it's childish or frivolous. I got doused in this waterfall and even though I looked funny and even though I steamed dry on the way home, it was wonderful to laugh and feel good. The water was pretty cold but not as cold as Alturas lake was. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLx498_AVjtwbL2qJaOIcfVBk_1TaArVAVpXxlYlaNMdO7IEzLoeyCrQ8ylH9Hv8H5WHcVpX4GRhGJvfF00riLful0oM-I1C8Ot_-c1WxYP6uQSl5_DpkTgkncFOea2NHLmlGGOiKzxo/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLx498_AVjtwbL2qJaOIcfVBk_1TaArVAVpXxlYlaNMdO7IEzLoeyCrQ8ylH9Hv8H5WHcVpX4GRhGJvfF00riLful0oM-I1C8Ot_-c1WxYP6uQSl5_DpkTgkncFOea2NHLmlGGOiKzxo/s640/017.JPG" width="478px" /></a></div>The Payette River was running high. Lots of groups were out riding the rapids. They looked cold but seemed like they were having fun. When we drove by the rafts when the river was calm on top the rafters were spread out on the rafts soaking in warm sunshine before they hit the next patch of cold, rough water. This picture is of a narrow area and although we could walk down to the water's edge, no amount of coaxing was going to get me in there. It's deep, fast, cold, and the undertow would be incredible I'm sure. But it was lovely to look at.<br />
We just basically had a great time being outdoors on a warm sunny day in the middle of the woods. We had a little craft fair, a little lake time, some waterfall action, a river walk and a long drive to soak it all in. We topped it off with dinner in Horseshoe Bend at a nice little restaurant with good service. Can't ask for better than that.<br />
Today I had to go back to work. Somehow even the grind of the normal every day activities didn't seem as onerous after Sunday's activities. I definitely need to get out like this more often.Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-10739731909001863062011-07-01T22:11:00.000-06:002011-07-01T22:11:42.778-06:00Tour de FleeceMy one year spinning anniversary is in a couple of weeks! Yay!!! This has been the best crafting year I've had in years! I started spinning during the last week of July 2010. This year, on Ravelry, I read about the Tour de Fleece. It takes place from July 2- July 24 this year and I've joined the Namaste Farms team! My goals are:<br />
<br />
1. Spin every day during TdF<br />
2. Finish my blue angora/wool blend yarn and work on my yarn for the 2011 state fair<br />
3. I will spin baby camel fleece on 7-22 since it's the "challenge" day<br />
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I finished the yarn I was working on my Sonata (Susannah) and I think I'm going to try to spin the angora on her now that her bobbins are freed up. Rowenna (Majacraft Rose) will be spinning the wool. I plyed the yarn I've named "Twilight in the Berry Patch". It was a one-of-a-kind dyed roving from The Fiber Addict. She said she didn't like the way it came out when she dyed it. I was pretty fond of it so I decided to tackle it and see what I ended up with. Here it is still on the bobbin before I put it on the niddy noddy. I have 3 skeins. One = 200 yds, one = 160 yds, one = 93 yards. So I didn't get as much out of that 8 oz braid as I would have liked but it's a nice fingering weight yarn and it will make great socks!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi516aiQWJp0MKwObf2Y2I4S_JToRqeojXRmUpar8t89_1lOAwIZXk5qL6ZeVwst0-IlApJJD9NK9fKmXOyCpoLO8B_0hT2GtL1XS_F7bxHAY6w70ZbkDQC2d85bhRxbVaFfJUWueDCS2I/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi516aiQWJp0MKwObf2Y2I4S_JToRqeojXRmUpar8t89_1lOAwIZXk5qL6ZeVwst0-IlApJJD9NK9fKmXOyCpoLO8B_0hT2GtL1XS_F7bxHAY6w70ZbkDQC2d85bhRxbVaFfJUWueDCS2I/s640/025.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>Basically this means I have all my tools and all the material ready to rock for tomorrow night when I officially start TdF.<br />
I also got 8 oz of fiber from Susie Drukman in Montana in the mail today and I got 8oz of a new soap scent from Majestic Mountain Sage. So my whole holiday weekend will be spent enjoying good weather, playing with the animals and Jeff and crafting to my heart's content. Can't complain about that!Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-87090645864949343712011-06-29T16:42:00.001-06:002011-06-29T16:43:20.104-06:00Viking SheepLast night I came home to loudly complaining chickens at the gate of their chicken pen. Directly behind them stood Maddie the lamb. She was not supposed to be there. Upon further inspection I realized that my marauding sheep sacked the plastic construction fence Jeff put up to keep the sheep out of the chicken area. To make the raid a complete success, they had liberally sampled the chicken water, chased the chickens around and then lolled lazily in the shade in the chicken area, thus preventing the chickens from enjoying the shade themselves. Apparently I have Viking sheep - sacking and pillaging everywhere they go. So Jeff attempted to fix the plastic fence. I woke up this morning to sheep in the chicken area again. At this point, the chickens are getting pretty darn sick of the sheep drinking their water and hogging their shade. Today we put up a wire fence between the sheep and chickens and are hoping for better results. I had no idea sheep were so very curious! I solemnly explained to Clover,Finley, Fiona and Maddie that they are not, in fact, chickens, that they need to stay in their own sheep pen, and that the chickens don't really have anything over there that the sheep don't have too. The grass can't be greener on the other side because NEITHER side has grass. I'm not sure how much of my little talk they took in. By the end of my speech, Finley was chewing on a lock of my long hair he'd snuck from behind my shoulder, Maddie had a thousand yard stare on and Clover and Fiona were scratching and blinking the whole time. I'm not entirely sure they knew I was actually talking to THEM. *sigh* So in the morning, I hope to go out and find the sheep in the sheep pen and the chickens in the chicken pen and never the twain shall meet again. I'll let you know how that works out....Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-78093828994131429072011-06-25T09:09:00.000-06:002011-06-25T09:09:37.526-06:00Goings on at the Wren's NestOur rabbitry (OK - just 3 bunnies but STILL!) has undergone a radical change thanks to Jeff. He's amazing! He built a bunny condo. Licorice, my first angora has a ginormous cage that she thoroughly enjoys. However the baby bunnies I'm raising have been stuck in little cages in the garage on saw horses to be up and away from the cats. Kitty likes to sleep near the bunnies and Butterscotch is very allergic to cats. Yep. It's true. Anyway, Jeff built a 3-bunny condo for me to house all the bunnies in.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpsEYJ7E-WGFKvGHz5aCRPAraBcCSjMBYoj9vSczV4dMxZX8t-G0LL4sGWHyJqI4XvVGpjtqfz84fwGlyySmdUNf0-jcZOlaaPK2_QErkGwgHTxReOOMvYtwaS8PIr_LxYJQXnVr-zGVM/s1600/iPhone+6.2010+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpsEYJ7E-WGFKvGHz5aCRPAraBcCSjMBYoj9vSczV4dMxZX8t-G0LL4sGWHyJqI4XvVGpjtqfz84fwGlyySmdUNf0-jcZOlaaPK2_QErkGwgHTxReOOMvYtwaS8PIr_LxYJQXnVr-zGVM/s320/iPhone+6.2010+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> Each bunny has their own compartment. Between each compartment is a small sliver of space I can slide hay into for them to self dispense. Last night Butterscotch decided to self dispense herself into Abbi's area through this compartment so Jeff is going to work on it a bit more. But it's so nice to have them OUT of the garage and into this new space. They each get a little sliver of sunshine in their cage each day but they can move in and out of the sun at will. They're under a carport type of shelter so no direct rain or snow will get into or on their hutches and I can sweep everything out of the doors of the hutches onto the concrete floor below for easy cleaning. Licorice already misses her litter box but I was spending a small fortune on kitty litter for her. I may go back to letting her use it if she continues to pout about it but she'll be the only one. They hay dispensers are keeping them from "nesting" in their hay and letting it mat their fur so I'll have better quality angora to spin after shearing. Hooray!!<br />
Speaking of spinning angora, I dyed my first loose angora. Carol, my mentor, gave me some white angora a while back to practice spinning with. I needed some blue angora to match to some amazing wool I just spun and she walked me via e-mial through dyeing it before spinning it. I was so scared I was going to felt it. But I used Gaywool dye in cornflower, put it in my crockpot in the bathroom with the fan on and the window open (because it's an acid dye and would be harmful to my parrots) and let it "cook" for two hours.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHn91IUL2kZPgNOXrGeIAvSo4JHzot6LFVm0zF1nqEmBDKBgAhhuhz73Un81UB7fAjGoxKNvtQRHwtv9_w0Ce8wNeo99w3ydMJZHsxggJxhK2hyphenhyphenVjRkmO6iQ-irpYW4QnA7aYMUYsQn0/s1600/iPhone+Pics+214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHn91IUL2kZPgNOXrGeIAvSo4JHzot6LFVm0zF1nqEmBDKBgAhhuhz73Un81UB7fAjGoxKNvtQRHwtv9_w0Ce8wNeo99w3ydMJZHsxggJxhK2hyphenhyphenVjRkmO6iQ-irpYW4QnA7aYMUYsQn0/s320/iPhone+Pics+214.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Afterward I let it cool in the pot overnight. I achieved complete dye exhaust and the water was clear the next morning. I washed it all in Kookaburra and set it out to dry. Yesterday some of it was dry enough to drum card. Previously I had not had good luck with drum carding angora. Now I believe I was expecting too much from my poor drum carder because yesterday I got some beautiful batts off it. Here's my cotton candy colored angora.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjD8C8_AWV39ISfXTU2uZ2_zgSBspotY4b2BrC8-Ap678mbKRBd7dkV_xUAC6KbQBIoovuw8X67eNjVKcwUPbmqosOxmak2OJd0R5rzaOmg-NRjV6SBNQt7fgLmMdeEUdBL1Tv20Du8Rk/s1600/iPhone+6.2010+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjD8C8_AWV39ISfXTU2uZ2_zgSBspotY4b2BrC8-Ap678mbKRBd7dkV_xUAC6KbQBIoovuw8X67eNjVKcwUPbmqosOxmak2OJd0R5rzaOmg-NRjV6SBNQt7fgLmMdeEUdBL1Tv20Du8Rk/s320/iPhone+6.2010+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Isn't it lovely? And it's a perfect match to my spun wool. I hope to start spinning it very soon. I still have about half of what I dyed left to drum card. It should be dry enough to work on more tonight. I had yesterday off and it was so nice. I could really get used to staying home and doing "farm" chores all the time. Alas, that will not happen. But it's a nice dream. My mom worked outside the home until the day she died. If it's good enough for her, it's good enough for me. But a girl can dream!<br />
Daisy has been making HUGE strides in learning to sing You Are My Sunshine and she's teaching Qwynn to sing it as well. She doesn't like being recorded but I managed to get a little of her song on my phone.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/6Fbbe3EB00A?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>I love her little voice. When she first started to get her voice she sounded possessed. She's much better now. There's so much going on here right now! Things are busy at the Nest and we're all working hard and making the best of every opportunity. I am making more soap. Jeff bought me a new double soap mold for Mother's Day and I've played with it already.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJccGX_GBPG2BPCWW_moAKVIwPV-Rhz0RtJiIsafuYoPsIdOOxKfq5zcc1I_7UznVpJwkAqFFao7YrONW6EZYLnWfGTPbw8OvIiH_rbAcicGq4yEScAC4vVBPyWb9z-_VYdGkbJDBSyJ4/s1600/iPhone+Pics+172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJccGX_GBPG2BPCWW_moAKVIwPV-Rhz0RtJiIsafuYoPsIdOOxKfq5zcc1I_7UznVpJwkAqFFao7YrONW6EZYLnWfGTPbw8OvIiH_rbAcicGq4yEScAC4vVBPyWb9z-_VYdGkbJDBSyJ4/s320/iPhone+Pics+172.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It turned out some nice soap that I used the crinkle cutter on. This is what i got.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUruvcPj2-2v6Or86-jkEvWb4kBn_42BRXCR4BA2qu1-Glwh7v-p6FkJHcWBiJ-S7cZ9XbzIUqUjr00Ul8aWKsy-NXREfRU5np9X35dT7m2VCVFNyE4JBkzlNqqNANDjnLmilwqdD_aw/s1600/iPhone+Pics+192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUruvcPj2-2v6Or86-jkEvWb4kBn_42BRXCR4BA2qu1-Glwh7v-p6FkJHcWBiJ-S7cZ9XbzIUqUjr00Ul8aWKsy-NXREfRU5np9X35dT7m2VCVFNyE4JBkzlNqqNANDjnLmilwqdD_aw/s320/iPhone+Pics+192.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I set up my ArtFire studio online for anyone who wants to buy soap or yarn. So far, no bites. But I've sold a lot of soap at work to co-workers. I finally perfected my recipe and I'm turning out some nice soap. I'm pretty pleased. When my husband calls me on the phone to tell me the soap he used that morning was awesome, I count that as a success. Jeff loves me and encourages me but for him to call me over soap is a pretty big deal in my mind. <br />
Well, that's it for now. New things are happening here every day and I'll write more as I can. Hope everyone has a great weekend!Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-53907504245449691862011-06-18T21:30:00.000-06:002011-06-18T21:30:40.209-06:00Wild Fox at the CabinI went to visit my dad and Zo today at the cabin in Placerville. I took my spinning wheel and some fiber and two of my Quaker Parrots, Poppy and Buttons. We took the 1.5 hour drive into the mountains and with each mile the scenery and the scent changed. I could smell the scents of pine and woodsmoke and it made my heart happy. When we got to Dad's I took the birds inside then got my wheel and fiber and I sat on the couch and spun while visiting with Dad and Zo. The birds were very good girls. About an hour before I left, a wild fox that visits my dad's place from time to time stopped in for a brief visit and an apple that Dad or Zo had put outside. They have nicknamed her Jackie Brown. Apparently there is another fox they call Blondie who also visits but didn't make an appearance today.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/gqfDoXBXve0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>It was really nice to be inside the warm cabin with Dad and Zo just visiting and chatting and spinning while it rained outside and the gloomy sky made the outside greenery seem just that much greener somehow. I love the mountains in summer! I took Dad some Scentsy for his place and he seemed to like the fragrances I picked out. Zo was sensitive to them so I hope Dad only uses the Scentsy upstairs. It was a really good day though. 3.5 hours of driving total but the company and together time made it seem like nothing. When I got home I had the new soap mold waiting so I popped in a couple batches of soap. They will be ready for cutting tomorrow evening. I made more Summer Breeze and a new scent I call Oak Forest. It smells "green" to me. Hopefully it makes good soap. I dyed it a red color just for fun and made the Summer Breeze batch a solid light yellow. I'll post pics if they turn out any good. I've found the secret to my soap. I wasn't super fatting my batches enough. I used a bar of mint/tea tree in the shower the other day and discovered I'd perfected my recipe! Thankfully I write down what I do on each batch so today I duplicated the soap batter from that batch and I'll do it in each batch hereafter. Yay!! :) It's just good, clean fun. :) lol!Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-51172904535314861452011-06-17T20:52:00.000-06:002011-06-17T20:52:33.068-06:00Qwynn playingMy African Grey parrot felt playful tonight. I got some great video of her batting around her favorite toy while on her play stand. After I fed and changed out everyone's water, swept floors and wiped up messes Qwynn decided to treat me to a play session inside her cage. When she does this, she talks to her toys and herself and generally just gets chatty. I recorded two sessions and this one is the short one. I don't know what I would do without my birds. I'd probably feel lost a lot and more than a little lonely. Right now at my house it's cool and quiet. The ceiling fan which is off when the birds are out is now merrily working away on low speed and the blinds are closed. Cage covers are all on and quiet beak grinding and food crunching is taking place in the background. Last night I spun while all this went on too and tonight I'm reminded once again that the simple things in life are the best things. It's not what you have but who you love that counts. And there isn't much of anything better in life than loving and being loved in return. Here's Qwynn, aka "Big Girl", playing for me tonight.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/cR7mt3cCs0k?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-74385598057803877212011-06-12T19:10:00.000-06:002011-06-12T19:10:06.154-06:00Sheep CoatsIn order to protect the fleece my sheep are diligently growing for me, it has become necessary to put sheep coats on them. Since we're basically dry lotting them and feeding hay year-round their fleece would eventually be FULL of vegetable matter and other less savory material. Sheep coats are a great way for a spinner to get wool that she doesn't have to spend endless hours on picking vegetable matter out of before washing and drying her wool to card and spin. I looked at Rocky Sheep Suits and his stuff looks AWESOME. However... my sheep are still lambs. So I'd have to buy one coat each while they're lambs and then FOUR coats PER SHEEP after they become adults. The idea here is that you change the coats to fit the sheep as they grow their wool and then start over with the smallest coat again once they've been sheared. Sounds great. However, there's no way I could shell out that kind of money right now justifiably. Enter Cleo Gallinger of The Sheep Shed in Nampa, ID. She's the breeder that sold the lambs to me and it just so happens that she sews her own sheep coats. As my spinning mentor, she's also the one I buy my raw fleece from and who I've learned most everything "sheep" from. She very graciously took time out of her day last Friday afternoon to teach me to sew my own sheep coats. She would sew one part and then have me do the other part. She's a great mentor. So today I began the task of fitting the completed coat and sewing the other 3 coats. I have 3 completed and one not started. Maddie - the smallest lamb - is proving a challenge. Here's the coat before the leg straps get sewn on.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzbskPEF7nwipk_UhYtaYgaAXa-FODeuc3af51GTWuzR8IJgfowDfmuVENiAvjwFk_V9bSaOl9pexR1gzolqdVwrlpNdhmgwk_65hXws1CM-exCchJBktczoMs7c8ar62hUvmuwdmMes/s1600/Sheep+coat+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzbskPEF7nwipk_UhYtaYgaAXa-FODeuc3af51GTWuzR8IJgfowDfmuVENiAvjwFk_V9bSaOl9pexR1gzolqdVwrlpNdhmgwk_65hXws1CM-exCchJBktczoMs7c8ar62hUvmuwdmMes/s640/Sheep+coat+1.JPG" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheep coat chest collar</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Notice the attractive chest strap. :) Mom made me jumpers out of this material when I was a little girl. Just so happens I found some extra material. Heeheehee. I sewed the leg straps from the same stuff.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBa4ELX734-9rQukLp1-hHJz0ZkG9sxe8bumaDqHubCi50Qjw5TXEHG-r5md38XZPmg7vRLUtklahwE8U51fPwpR6RSSMj49CsRVblRMunQsI6OVrW3yRkn-MgSHBeNvHuUYameEZa6I/s1600/Leg+Strap+to+sheep+coat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBa4ELX734-9rQukLp1-hHJz0ZkG9sxe8bumaDqHubCi50Qjw5TXEHG-r5md38XZPmg7vRLUtklahwE8U51fPwpR6RSSMj49CsRVblRMunQsI6OVrW3yRkn-MgSHBeNvHuUYameEZa6I/s640/Leg+Strap+to+sheep+coat.JPG" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leg Strap in pastels</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The toughest part wasn't getting the first sheep coat on. Clover's coat fit perfectly. The tough part was getting Finley's on the 3rd time after 2 re-fits and even harder was getting Fiona's on finally after FIVE attempts. She was tough because it took me forever to figure out her body was shorter than the other two. She's still not happy with me and it's going to take a while to win her trust back. But they agreed, albeit reuctantly, to model the coats for me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pyxgvZFAeP4NvnbFRG2V02fHrDrkStZLg5rPU4i1M3TcZACryJfFN1O-AfTdohUzQrUghpxxKgRllcMDzVSo9sAQTNXbr5INt39a9fgGdwaY6K9HJJIUkNCamJwYAt1G1g5kWygy91Y/s1600/Far+off+Finley+in+sheep+coat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pyxgvZFAeP4NvnbFRG2V02fHrDrkStZLg5rPU4i1M3TcZACryJfFN1O-AfTdohUzQrUghpxxKgRllcMDzVSo9sAQTNXbr5INt39a9fgGdwaY6K9HJJIUkNCamJwYAt1G1g5kWygy91Y/s640/Far+off+Finley+in+sheep+coat.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finley's a bit upset still about the fitting of his coat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnPjfOkHCnQTMSkPFeA1VUDINP8q_GWCavgIFKh1ONXGBKmo-EZKEBvsmOMAHBMzdL47lgujnJ_zC02kEGDfSZ5_Fp-WrFvAk9MEihpNrzXe8wQ8N2g2kK1JeLH1Kq_Cc660wwww2_So/s1600/Clover+in+her+sheep+coat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnPjfOkHCnQTMSkPFeA1VUDINP8q_GWCavgIFKh1ONXGBKmo-EZKEBvsmOMAHBMzdL47lgujnJ_zC02kEGDfSZ5_Fp-WrFvAk9MEihpNrzXe8wQ8N2g2kK1JeLH1Kq_Cc660wwww2_So/s640/Clover+in+her+sheep+coat.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clover is happy as can be. Hers fit the first try!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Here's the back end of Clover's sheep coat. Notice how the leg straps don't hang too low but are still roomy enough for her to move around and lie down without having them cut into her legs. Fiona's had to be adjusted because she kept slipping out of hers on one side.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZ3m-OoNMQsaPt5rhB87eUSu3I4GreIV3EuAIK3zvaavZuE3AX3Um83Mn8-1f3OW7dVFrfXXqBbZsjFBgMmCOp2nWsjYPVWZl4r0wrMK3ZfngqWBYisWpHMelXtktJxY4uODM2puJdJM/s1600/Back+side+of+sheep+coat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZ3m-OoNMQsaPt5rhB87eUSu3I4GreIV3EuAIK3zvaavZuE3AX3Um83Mn8-1f3OW7dVFrfXXqBbZsjFBgMmCOp2nWsjYPVWZl4r0wrMK3ZfngqWBYisWpHMelXtktJxY4uODM2puJdJM/s640/Back+side+of+sheep+coat.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leg straps in the back. Just right!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I still have Maddie's to finish so my sewing machine and fabric etc. aren't put away quite yet. But I think I have the hang of it now if I'll just measure right to begin with! Not my strong suit so I'm hoping to bribe Jeff into measuring for me next time. All in all, a good day's work and well worth the effort. Three out of four are coated and the 4th will be done before the week is out. Thanks to Cleo this was virtually painless and MUCH less expensive. I spent $9.00 at JoAnn Fabric today to buy the inside of the leg straps using a 50% off coupon. The rest of the material and things I already had. All I spent was time, which, as I said, was well worth the effort. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comparing notes about their new coats</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Now I just keep an eye on them and when it looks like they're outgrowing their current coats, I take new measurements, store the coats they have on and sew the next batch. Yay! I'm not expecting any problems but with animals the one think I've learned is to count on the unexpected. I'm going to check on them first thing in the morning to see how they weathered the night's sleep and if anyone slipped out of their leg straps or their coats are causing problems. Crossing my fingers and hoping for the best though! :)Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-1193522966531689482011-06-05T10:26:00.000-06:002011-06-05T10:26:50.532-06:00Cowboy churchOur neighbors have these odd get-togethers where they play music loud and have LOTS of guests on Sundays and Tuesday nights. I just found out that they do what they call "Cowboy Church" on Sunday and they have a Bible study on Tuesday nights. What I thought were weird nights to party turned out to be Bible studies. It sounds like they have fun and their driveway and parking area is usually very full. This morning, for example, they have trucks all over out there parked and you can hear the music with the windows open. My lesson here - Don't make assumptions. We all kind of keep to ourselves out here in the country. It's one reason why we like to live out here. We like our privacy. But when our sheep arrived, it caused a tiny stir in the very near vicinity and when Mr. S came over to ask Jeff about them, he mentioned that we were welcome to come to their meetings if we liked. I think it was a very nice gesture and I need to remember that even though we keep to ourselves, there are still things worth reaching out over.<br />
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This is my sanctuary room. It doesn't look like this right now since I have soap curing everywhere, a hedgehog cage and two different spinning wheels in there now but it's the room I craft in when I can clear a space. I think everyone should have a place to go that's just their own if they can. It doesn't have to be an entire room, but if you can swing it, it's nice. :)Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-14965865790821389992011-06-01T20:42:00.000-06:002011-06-01T20:42:10.710-06:00Kisses from a shy girlTonight when I got home later than usual the first thing I did was grab the grain bucket and go out to see my lambs. They were lounging around in their shed staying out of the sun and the awful wind up here on the hill today. We're getting another storm in tonight with a high of 58 deg. F. tomorrow and rain so the wind is blasting away bringing it in. When the sheep saw me they startled but the minute they saw the grain bucket they already knew what was in it and over to me they came! Maddie, the tiniest, finally ate out of my hands. Clover and Fiona hogged the bucket and Finley had some grain from my hands but wasn't as interested today in grain as he was yesterday. They make these funny chuffing sounds while they eat grain. It makes me laugh when they do it. When they lost interest in grain they went to grazing and I took that opportunity to change their water and take care of the chickens. The injured chicken seems to be doing alright and I'm cautiously optimistic. I cried for a half hour this morning because I was afraid we were going to have to put her down. Jeff, ever the encouraging rock, told me he thought she was doing better and we'd pray about it and he'd check on her every chance he could. I think she's OK today and we're hoping for even better over the next couple of days. Anyway, I digress. This is a sheep story.<br />
I cleaned the rabbit hutches, watered the chickens and fed them and went in to turn over the hay I have for the lambs. They eat the top stuff and the stuff at the bottom just sits there until I turn it. When they saw me do that, they all rushed into the shed where I'd moved their feed buckets because of imminent rain tonight and tomorrow and started munching. I shrugged and started to leave when to my shock and pleasure, they all followed me out of the shed crying after me. I stopped and crouched down and they all came over and rubbed on me and the shyest girls, Maddie and Fiona, got right up in my face and nuzzled me and sniffed my face and let me give them kisses on their soft little noses. I was so surprised and pleased! The lambs have been making a lot of noise now that they're away from their previously familiar surroundings and flock. They stick pretty close together. Our closest neighbors have noticed their presence and have come over to see them. As if you could ignore the cute little faces, fluffy, fleecy babies and thier "baaaaaaa"ing all over the place. lol!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lambs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'm very pleased with my progress with the little ones. I'll go out and check on them and the lame chicken once more just before complete dark to make sure everyone is snuggled and tucked in for the night. I'm really enjoying my sheep. I need to find a pattern to sew them coats to protect the wool for me though. Cleo recommended a book that has a pattern for sheep coats so it's off to the bookstore for me this weekend. Lots to learn and a steep learning curve with animals. But for tonight, it's all good! :)Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-87142490055419558342011-05-31T17:49:00.000-06:002011-05-31T17:49:42.238-06:00My Lambs Have ArrivedAlready I've been educated about sheep. First, they are curious but spook easily. They wanted to know what a chicken was. So they chased mine. One of my hens was injured in the chase and I'm keeping a close eye on her. Her leg doesn't appear to be broken but she's not putting weight on it. She can get in and out of her nest box and she's close to food and water so I'm giving her a couple of days before I panic. The weather is supposed to be cool and wet here so she won't overheat in the coop.<br />
Sheep also chase cats. Kitty came out to visit me while I was on guard duty. I had to sit and make sure the sheep didn't cross the invisible line into the chicken area until Jeff got back from Home Depot and made the invisible line visible by putting up some fencing. Clover, the black lamb, saw Kitty and was curious to know what she was. So she and the other 3 lambs ambled over and gave Kitty a good sniff. Kitty didn't know WHAT to do so she ran and they followed. I've never seen a cat scale a chain link fence gate as fast as Kitty did today. Jeff brought back fencing and now the sheep are in the sheep area and the chickens are in the chicken area and never the twain shall meet again... we hope. Bet I don't get eggs for a few days. They're pretty traumatized!<br />
Once I had the grain, I put it in the "grain bucket" and started teaching them that the grain bucket means grain and when I clink the handle on the bucket they will eventually come to associate that with their treat. After a few hours of sitting with them and talking to them and taking pictures of them and finally bringing them grain, I got to pet them. They're all bottle fed babies except Clover, the dark ewe. Finley is a wether and the rest are ewes. Finley already let me pet him earlier today but the rest hung back until this video. It felt so nice to pet these little lambs and imagine my surprise at Clover being so happy to be touched! Without further ado, here is my little flock.<br />
They make me think of one of my mom's favorite Bible verses.<br />
"Fear not little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/DB27JUSZ8HE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-43153266406308208532011-05-29T23:33:00.001-06:002011-05-29T23:35:41.554-06:00Another rainy SundayIt was a gloomy, rainy Sunday here...again. While Jeff was busy outside getting ready for Operation Sheep Delivery which is taking place in two short days, I stayed inside with the birds and spun and knitted. Not a very fair trade I'll admit. While Jeff slaved away I got to play. My project for the day is a merino/silk blend called "MacKenzie" and I finished one bobbin and started another. It's going to make a lovely prayer shawl for someone!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinAzffbow99cLTEMmtgLYEVz4ezkVsMq1ldti-Iv7AguLVslwDaaRk5GI2GLoVQU1EVuTho60tF79B9qhskXMYhf-sPfCjCuJ3Erhd3Abpn0AMp1Y6QwTuaKBi1WI-QEohYQBoQNDDoU/s1600/MacKenzie+single.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjinAzffbow99cLTEMmtgLYEVz4ezkVsMq1ldti-Iv7AguLVslwDaaRk5GI2GLoVQU1EVuTho60tF79B9qhskXMYhf-sPfCjCuJ3Erhd3Abpn0AMp1Y6QwTuaKBi1WI-QEohYQBoQNDDoU/s640/MacKenzie+single.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>I'm spinning it on Suzannah and the more I spin on her the more I love her. She's such a great little workhorse of a wheel! She's the perfect height for my body and I can comfortably spin on her no matter where I sit. So I got a lot of spinning done and tonight I worked more on my latest prayer shawl. I'm knitting it from "Peacock 2" yarn I spun from Corriedale top. When it's done I'll post pics. For now, it's a secret surprise. My coworker keeps hinting that she'd like a shawl and I think this one will be for her. :) It gives me secret delight to be able to do something like this and I find myself smiling a lot more when I have this kind of fun secret.<br />
Today was pretty gloomy for most of the day but there was a moment just before 7pm when Mr. Sunshine came out to play. He made a pretty picture.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFkZmr6Hl83J56mLROCRzokCAft4apsf63R6uZSAtS5o1VZISdUmQujOSRtFjmVfgoA6BcQl2o6kUw_U8YPvtn8ZM38mgjyLcGQISft9HQbjcSX2Aw-c1dv2V_RIEgos9XYAj-DbjQNzo/s1600/Sun+in+clouds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFkZmr6Hl83J56mLROCRzokCAft4apsf63R6uZSAtS5o1VZISdUmQujOSRtFjmVfgoA6BcQl2o6kUw_U8YPvtn8ZM38mgjyLcGQISft9HQbjcSX2Aw-c1dv2V_RIEgos9XYAj-DbjQNzo/s640/Sun+in+clouds.JPG" width="478" /></a></div>But you can see the next storm coming and come it did. We're back to gloom again. But the rumor from the weatherman is that tomorrow will be better and Tuesday even better than that. I'm really excited for Tuesday because our sheep will arrive then. I've never owned livestock before. I've had horses but somehow they just aren't in the same class as sheep or cows to me. If the little black sheep turns out to be a wether, I'm naming him Caleb I think instead of Clover. We'll see. His/her name is the only one still undecided I think. Finley, Fiona, and Maddie are all named.<br />
The birds were all very good today. When it was quiet in the house (the Quakers were napping) Daisy sang to me under her breath in just the quietest, sweetest voice and I just enjoyed spinning while she sang for me. She was making up her own words and tune and I reveled in it. I have a niece who used to sing like that when she was a tiny tot and Daisy singing to me reminded me of that. God gave parrots such wonderful intelligence! I'm so blessed to have them in my life. We don't have human children but our animals depend on us just the same for their needs and love and attention. AND, I'll never have to worry about any of them borrowing the car, staying out too late or getting boyfriends I don't like. :)Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-545220376555404513.post-68474721376248604462011-05-27T18:55:00.002-06:002011-05-27T18:55:54.371-06:00Daisy sings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/LX5sKnCOi1U?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Daisy, with a little coaching from yours truly, is learning to sing "You Are My Sunshine". And she really IS my sunshine.Little Wrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01558388720362076569noreply@blogger.com0