WOW .............. 2017 already

Where has all the time gone.  Working on changing the little house into a wool house, progress is slow, but then so am I.

I finally made enough room that the 4 harness floor loom I bought last winter was delivered by it's former owner in October, and I have some cones of yarn and bought some odds and ends of leftovers at the Handweavers Sale this fall.  Now to find the time for weaving.

California is finally getting some much needed rain.  Front pasture is flooding but not as much as last January so far.  More rain is predicted for the next week.  Sheep and goats are enjoying all the green grass, but not so much the muddy spots.

Hope everyone has a great 2017 and the world gets back in balance where it should be.

Happy New Year

It's about time for ..................................

an update.

Here are the Shetlands back in March waiting for their turn to meet the shearer.

After sharing fleeces with my helpers for their services that day and their purchasing

a couple more, sold some fleece, took some to the mill, and donated over 80 pounds to

Wool for Worthy Causes, I still had shelves full of fleece, I decided to venture into a new

endeavor and entered 7 fleeces in  the Monterey County Fair.

So pleased with the results when I opened the mail on Saturday.

Here is the comment sheet on Ebony's fleece

and Daphne's comment sheet

Can't wait now for next year's shearing

Fire Season in CA is here

My neighbor called me Sunday afternoon about 4

and said her power was out and there was a fire on the mountain. 

You can just barely see the smoke and patch of burnt grass.

As you can see all the green grass is now brown and very dry.

it didn't take long for the wind to expand it's territory, fortunately

Cal Fire brings in Air support immediately here.  The Helicopters

are able to refill in the lake at the bottom of the mountain.

There were also 2 fixed wing planes too along with a spotter plane flying above.

so glad there is an orange grove between me and the mountain.

Great job by Cal Fire getting this under

control in 2 hours and staying overnight

watching for flare ups.

2016 Update

January 30th brought a lot of rain all at once but still not an end to the California drought

March was shearing time, fleece, lots and lots of fleece

Shearing staff taking a break

Not much time for the shearer to take a break

One of the three Finns getting sheared

and one lone Babydoll Southdown after shearing

if you look close in my weed patches you might find some flowers

Shetlands started lambing April 9th, here is Clara and her ram lamb.

This morning Ousto also lambed, two black ram lambs.

And waiting her turn is Ollie, hope there is a ewe lamb or two in there.

How green is my valley ...........

 

Hoping all my friends in Blog land are well and enjoying spring, for those areas making the news with still getting snow or hail the size of golf balls there is still some open space in California.

Today is Hug A Sheep Day

 



 

Cookies?  Did you bring cookies?

 

 

They even like Wheat Thins Popped

wow it's ben a year.

I am still here, still having computer issues, will try to use my tablet and do more posting. Until then enjoy one of my morning sunrises.

Everyone ready for Halloween?  Thanksgiving?  Christmas?  Time is flying by, time to finalize Shetland breeding groups, bring in another load of hay, find some motivation to get things done.  I have been needle felting, and made some orifice hooks for spinners out of wine corks and beads, now I need to find spinners that need orifice hooks, lol.

I didn't make it to the big Fresno Fair this year, missed my chance for a corn dog and other fair food.  Weather is finally cooling down into the 80's with even a 79 in the seven day forecast, now where have I stored my sweat shirts and cold weather clothes?  The big draft horse and equipment sale is coming up the end of this month, always a fun event.

 

what's up

August is almost over and boy oh boy I will not miss it when it's gone.  August 3rd, my cousin who was in the process of moving from California to Idaho came to spend one night enroute.  When he called and said he was about 2 hours away I decided ok, time to put clean cover on the sofa.  As I took the one off the sofa out to the washer (my laundry is out in a separate building) I walked down the three steps and went about 5ft and almost stepped on a coiled rattlesnake.  $@#;;&% ran back in the house found my shotgun, box of shells, loaded one shell and shot the snake from the deck.  As I watched to make sure I got the snake I see a second one come out from under the steps ....... that I had just gone up and down.  I quickly loaded another shell  and blew that sucker away too.  Both snakes were about 3 ft long one with 8 rattles the other had 9. 

My one night visit with my cousin lasted 5 days, he had kidney stone surgery two weeks before traveling.  Ended up taking him to Urgent Care Facility and getting him some antibiotics.  Would have been a nice visit if either one of is was feeling well.  He is going to be 85 this year and since Idaho is a ways away don't know when we will see each other again.

I had my kidney stone surgery on Monday, feeling much better, just waiting to get off antibiotics tomorrow so hopefully I will have an appetite and food will taste good.  Haven't been to fiber group get togethers in over a month, hoping to feel up to going on Sunday.

Come on Fall ...... I seriously need some rain.

If it's over 100 degrees how can I have frostbite?

Well I have made it thru July, weather 7 day forecasts are a continuous rolling 102 to 107, and August is known to be more of the same.  Why oh why did I move to a place that has 6 to 8 months of summer.  I am so looking forward to Fall.  The last few years it has rained just enough on one day of the Big Fresno Fair to mess with attendance, Fair runs for 10 days in the beginning of October, can't wait.  It was cloudy, with thunder and lightning Wednesday with a few sprinkles, not even enough to dampen the dust, just saw a few drops of water in one of the dogs feed dishes.  Don't need lightning starting fires....there are 2 major fires just north of here, the Sand Fire in Mariposa County, near Yosemite, area is close to last years huge Rim Fire.  Saturday a fire started in Madera County area of the Sierras called the French Fire, brought a lot of smoke my way Saturday night.  And now, I see my cousin in Shasta County posted pictures of lightning caused fires in her area.

Two of the older Doppler ewes each had a single ewe lamb two weeks ago and are doing fine.   The Shetlands are having issues with the hot weather but the ewes do have a big fig tree to hide under during the day.  Bella and Dollar hang out in the house close to the fans.

How do I have frostbite?   I am living on popsicles and I noticed the tip of my tongue seems s little tender, LOL.

Doctor has been on vacation so nothing has been scheduled yet for my kidney stone, since it is in my kidney and not causing blockage it is not an emergency .....

Stick a fork in me I'm done ....

Here it is mid July, temps hanging out in the 100 - 105+ range, day or two have slipped to 98/99 but still feels like 100 ....... last two days have been humid from the clouds coming north from Arizona, no rain left to share with California.  My two zucchini plants had a few blossoms ..... no zucchini, yellow squash has some new growth but no squash right now, tomatoes are disappointing, not producing enough to make the time or the water worth the effort.  I should just go to local farmer's stands would probably be cheaper in the long run.

Still haven't figured out how to download pictures from my tablet, lambs are getting big.  I banded all but one of the ram lambs, he was too small when I did the others, need to get him done before it is too late.  On the downside of making them all wethers looks like I have one that is not going to have horns, oh well.

Finally made doctor appointment, had to go for referral since it has been 5 years since my last appointment with the urologist, then go through xrays, CT scan, yada, yada, yada, yes I have another kidney stone, parked in my left kidney so have to go for another treatment to blast it out one of these days.

I'm ready for winter but I know the rest of you are enjoying the idea of a long hot summer.

Go California Chrome

Today's is the final leg of the triple crown in horse racing, something I don't pay a lot of attention to until after it's over. 

But today is different, California Chrome is a local horse to this valley and trained at Harris Ranch across the river from me. 

Go California Chrome.

Just to let you know I am still alive. Google error will not let me post on my computer.  I bought a tablet several months ago and am a slow learner when it comes to new things. Lots of new lambs and baby goats but camera died too.
So I now have a new camera too, now I just need to figure out how to load pictures here and I will be all set.

If you have heard there is a drought in California it is true, very little rain this year and what little grass grew in my pastures is now gone. Weatherman has predicted the next 3 days will be over 100 degrees.

I have been able to follow a few blogs, hope to catch up with the rest of you soon

Goodbye 2013 .... Hello 2014

 

Those green coats are getting well used .... took them off the 2 ram lambs Saturday morning, kicked them and mom out of the stock trailer into the big world of the rest of the herd.  Got up Sunday morning only to find 2 new lambs, this time 2 ewe lambs, so they got the coats and are now living in the trailer since nights are still down in the low 30's.

 

Temps have been in the 60's during the day .... good for growing winter veggies, I have planted 36 Broccoli and 12 Cauliflower in the raised beds.

 



I planted 18 Lettuce plants in 2 old rusty wheelbarrows, I can move them under cover when needed.

 

 



Dollar is wondering where all the green grass is we should have by now.  Farmers and Ranchers are really going to be hurting if we don't get some rain soon.  All the hills and pastures are still brown and dry.  Weatherman said this morning this is the dryest in the 100 years of record keeping.

 



 

Little bull calf is growing on alfalfa but would be much cheaper to feed if there was any grass in his pasture.

 



 

Wish there was some way to take some of the rain and snow that everyone is already tired of and send some of it to California.  Ski resorts here would love some of your snow and the Farmers and Ranchers would love to have some of your rain.

 

Wishing you all a

 

***** Happy New Year *****



Outgrowing their shirts

Here are the 2 lambs born little over 2 weeks ago, their shirts are more like muscle shirts now, no I have not cut any off, they are just outgrowing them.  Think I will take them off tomorrow and get ready to turn them out with the rest of the ewes and lambs.  Temps are now in the mid 30's at night and still in the 60's during the day.

 

 

Today there was a big package in my mailbox ....Sweatshirt sleeves ........... I hope no one in Idaho is running around with cold arms.   I had sent a picture of the lambs the day they were born to my cousin's daughter ........ today she sent me a whole wardrobe for future lambs, LOL.  Now I am thinking how handy these will be when the Shetlands start to lamb, first off, it will be easier to keep track of twins born to ewes if they have matching coats, and if I start off getting them used to wearing something they should be easier to get them to wear coatx.

.

 

Still no significant rain here, it has only rained twice about 1/2 inch each time, grass is trying to sprout but until we get a really good rain and the ground gets some much needed moisture there is nothing for the sheep or goats to eat.  My latest stack of 72 bales of alfalfa is dwindling fast.

 

Hope everyone had a great Christmas

and

looking forward to a

Great New Year!

Merry Christmas to All

I should have taken the date off my camera tonight, since I did not put up a tree this year I pulled out a picture of my first Teddy Bear Tree from `99, this was the first year I did this kind of tree, the one in 2000 was much better but I don't know where I put the pictures.

 

I now have a trunk full of stuff animals for decorating one of my Christmas Trees, not only are there oodles of Teddy Bears there is a collection of sheep, some goats, border collies and dalmatians and a Christmas Mouse.

 

Best wishes for a Happy Holiday Season and looking forward to a really

great New Year, hope I remember to date my checks 2014.

It's been awhile .......................

Hmmm, been a month + since I posted, lots going on, cousin and his wife were here for 5 days, one daughter came to visit for 4 days, sick for a week, and then cousin was back for 2 days.  Add this to cold weather, new lambs, and issues with my truck, replacing one piece at a time, new battery, new starter, new alternator, getting a new truck one piece at a time.

 

Single little ram lamb born Nov.  22.

 

Snow last Saturday morning, was supposed to snow at 500 ft. but it is at about 1500, I like to look at it but glad it is up higher, I am at 463 ft.

 



 

Didn't see one ewe when I was feeding, found her with her lambs down in the ditch out of the wind, hmm, 2 more ram lambs.  Out of the last 5 lambs, 4 are rams.  Hope those stats change when it is time for the Shetlands to lamb.

 

And now wearing sleeves from an old sweatshirt and bedded down in the stock trailer.

 

Still debating about pulling out Christmas decorations, as much as I like them, it will be time to put them away so soon, but I will dig out some.

 

 

Hope everyone is staying safe, warm and dry,

 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

Winners

My cousin and his wife are here for a visit so she drew the winning names for me. 

And the winners of the Tombstone Livestock and Tombstone Tidings giveaway are ............

Betty from Thru my Back Door won the Erma Bombeck Book.
Sara from Punkin's Patch won the roving.

Congratulations you two, I have more roving and a Erma Bombeck book so those that did not win will have a chance again in the future.

Draft Horse Auction Sale Items and Birthday Presents

Last Saturday I went with my daughters to the big Draft Horse and Equipment Sale in Tulare, CA.  This is a huge and very fun event, there are well trained horses, wagons, carts, stage coaches, chuck wagons, and surreys for sale.  This year there were hundreds of saddles for sale along with a lot of antique and craft items too.  This used to be held in Spring and Fall, not sure if I missed the spring sale or if they are now just holding it once a year.

 

 Neat Barn wood hutch for someone's patio

 

 

 and a sink with a hand pump to go with it

 

 

a nice garden bench from old wheels

 

 

 

I would have brought this life size sheep home to put in my pasture but they were not aucitoning it off til much later or maybe even the next day

 

 

 an outhouse for children or a short person

 

 

I have 6 more photos but I have tried to post them all afternoon and keep getting an error, so that's all for now.  There were a couple of barn wood playhouses, and outhouse with a short door, showing a pair of ladies boots and lace trimmed skirt under the door.  Also took a picture of a tractor disk on a stand to hold briquets under cast iron dutch over for cooking outdoors. 

 



I bought myself a couple of birthday presents lately. 

 



One of our Fiber Group Members was going to sell this wheel at the Weaver's Guild, but I bought it instead, It's a Clemes and Clemes, ruh roh, just noticed I left a toilet paper tube on the lazy kate, LOL, I was going to wind off the bottom bobbin to take the yarn back to the owner.  The white yarn on the kate is a full bobbin I spun on this wheel the day I bought it.

 

Since everyone seems to name their wheels I think I will call her Clementine.  The Ashford can be Ashley and the Louet will be Louise .....................

 

I got this really neat dress form at the Draft Horse Sale and Auction.

 

Guess she needs a name ..... Auction Annie, Tulare Tess, Dressform Dotty????  Hmmm any suggestions?

 

And a birthday present from one of my daughter's ...

a birdhouse made out of one of her old boots and a horse bit.