A Day at the Farm

I have been lucky lately to be able to do some things on the weekends that are fiber related. In April I got to travel with my husband and met three other couples at a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) fiber farm. Juniper Moon Farm relocated from Martha's Vineyard to Palmyra, VA. I can't say I was heart broken that they moved closer to me from NY. I had wanted to travel to NY but knew that was out of the question for a while. So when they moved closer, that was my opportunity to do a farm visit. In April they did a spring shearing. It was like no other sheep shearing I have been to. The farm and the house where the hostess lives were open to everyone who came. I didn't take very many pictures because I was busy socializing but I did manage to get a few shots off.

Here is a shot where the ladies are waiting their turn to get their summer clip. There is one who is not like the others. Can you find him? Some of the ladies got sheared already and some have their babies with them.

Here is a shot with a mom and her twins. The hostess put matching ribbons on the moms and their babies so we could see who belonged to whom. Everyone was so cute.

Here is the woman who came to shear. I heard she has won awards for doing such a good job. The shearing took place in the barn and everyone found a good place to see everything that was going on.

Here another picture of the same animal. This was seemed very relaxed and really didn't put up much of a fight. It must know that summer is coming and this really is the best way to cool off.

Of all the animals on the farm I am most excited about meeting this guy below. His start in life was very hard and his twin didn't make it. This is Rushworth. He is the smallest lamb I have ever seen. I think the time we took this photo he weigh 5/6 pounds. He was so small he could walk underneath is mom to nurse. It was so much fun watching him huddle close to his mom when they laid down in the barn. How could anyone not all in love with little guy?



Watching Rushworth nurse was so cute. He just stands under mom and gets what he needs. Way too sweet. The day at Juniper Moon was really fun. There was a pot luck, items to be bought, fiber to be fondled and lots and lots of happy people, goats, sheep and dogs. The chickens looked a little concerned with so many people coming and going but when we all went to eat behind the house I think they got happier. If you have a chance to visit Juniper Moon Farm that would be great. If you don't then you can check out their forum on Ravelry. They even have a LambCam. It's outside in a little shed where you really get to see lots of sheep and goats. I did make a purchase while at the farm so I feel like the day was totally complete. I have not spun this up yet but hopefully it will be one of the next two things to be done. I will post what it looks like once it's done.

A Future UFO

A Future UFO

I am in the process of starting a future UFO. My fiber friends (who are also known as enablers) introduced me to new group on Ravelry. It's called BlankieMania. I need to get my head examined but I joined. I have not however joined a swap on the site but instead decided to be a part of a small group here locally.

So to get ready for the local swap I used a ball of sock yarn that was spending way too much time in my sock stash drawer. My friend Ashley gave me her digital scale after I made a fuss about it on Facebook. A check was written and now I am the proud owner of the cutest little digital scale for weighing yarn.

The point to the swap is to measure out 20 balls of yarn that all weigh 5 grams each. There are 20 people in the swap and everyone does the same thing. Then all the yarn is mailed along with a SASE to the swap moderator and she gives everyone one of all the skeins and packs then up and off they go back into the mail. Each person gets 20 different little skeins to start on a sock blankie that is made up of a bizzion little mitered squares. This will be a long term project or a future UFO.

I chose yarn that I really am not wild about-it has pink. I am not a huge fan of pink or blue so this one could go. Maybe someone will be crazy about the color. I honestly don't know why I bought this stuff but I did and now it's going to have some new homes! So stay tuned for the future UFO.

New Addition

New Addition
I know this post will be shocking for some and amusing for others. I just thought I should go ahead and talk about it first and get it done. This is mostly for my family members. This will be shocking in a way for them but they know me so maybe it won't be THAT shocking.

For those who don't know me very well I am a bit rebellious and I do things that my family does not always approve of. Take tattoos for instance. I got my first one when I was well into my 30's in Kingsville, Texas while attending a conference for Navy Wives Clubs of America. I was with a group of friends and of course we egged each other on and I caved. I got a very small yellow rose (in a place not for public display) and have been very happy with it ever since. I then got a second tattoo in my 40s while again away from home at a conference for the United States Personal Chef Assoc. in Tucson, AZ. A friend took me to a place where she had a tattoo done and I had another small tattoo (yet again in a place not for public consumption). Do we see a trend here??

While my oldest son and my DIL came to visit in April this year, we visited a tattoo parlor in Norfolk. No, it was not exactly for me but for my son. Actually we both were thinking about getting a new tattoo but I was the only one who made an appointment. The appointment was for Friday, May 7. I did loads of research about what I wanted my tattoo to look like and told the artist what I wanted. Thankfully I had another friend who had a similar tattoo done there so he was familiar with the other artist's work. I kept the appointment. Of course I took morale support and it was needed. If you have ever had a tattoo in a sensitive place you understand the morale support concept. They are there to distract you from swearing and screaming out loud.

This is what happens when you get home from such an adventure. You sit with a lovely bag of frozen peas and wait for the swelling to down. It takes a while but this is a good start.

Yes, that is my foot. Very sensitive place. I had heard this before getting my tattoo but now I know it for sure. Hurt does not begin to describe getting a tattoo on my foot. Agony is more like it. I took some Tylenol before going but that didn't even begin to put a dent in the pain. Alcohol would have worked much better in my humble opinion. It's not allowed but I sure could have used some! Here is what the pain and agony was all about.


I wanted a design that was all me. I am a native Texan and a dedicated knitter so I wanted a tattoo that represented that. So here is my concept. The artist did a great job knowing what I wanted. I was super pleased and am thankful that it turned out so well because it's not like I get a redo if it goes badly...


It's in my favorite color and includes my favorite state. Here is what I see and down below is what everyone else sees.

This what everyone else sees when I am barefooted. I have been trying not to wear shoes all weekend to give it time to heal. Right now it feels like a wicked sunburn. In a few more days the pain will pass. I will however have to invest in some really good sunscreen so that my color stays fresh. I can always go and have a touch up of the color but hopefully that won't be for a while.

So now I have gotten a tattoo in my 30s, 40s and 50s. I am now thinking about what to do in my 60s. Any ideas? I was thinking about a spinning wheel or maybe some sheep... or....

Catching Up

Catching Up

I didn't realize how long it had been since I last blogged until the other day. I just have been caught up in a heavy work schedule and lost track of time. So much has been going on, that I hope that I can remember what to catch up on. I have been knitting on the same project forever. I am not one for having a lot of UFOs hanging out so I have been working on the same thing and it's boring me to tears. I made a promise not to buy any yarn until Maryland Sheep and Wool and I haven't. I am debating whether or not I will hang in there another six months and not buy anymore yarn. I am positive that I can, but I am wondering about gifts for friends and family. What if I don't have a color they like for a certain project? My taste seems to be more earth tones and more subdued colors compared to what everyone else likes. So I keep working on this project until the answer comes to me.

I joined a local CSA (Community Support Agriculture) farm that does a fiber CSA. I split a share with another spinner. I am very excited to see how it goes. I think we might get to attend a day of dyeing and then get our shares in the fall after they come back from the processor. I will post all of this as soon as it happens.

I came and went to Maryland Sheep & Wool Show with a group of ladies that were tons of fun from a knitting group that I belong to. Had a great time and made a few smallish purchases and one really long overdue one.

Just this past week (5/7/10) I added something new to me. It was painful but I thought it turned out well.

We got the garden in and a new rain barrel hooked up to the one we bought last year so watering the garden should cost us a little less. The next big addition is going to be a compost bin of some sort. Can you tell I am really into the gardening thing. If I could figure out where to put a bin for Vermicomposting (composting with Red Wigglers) I would. I am afraid the dogs would go after the juices that come from that kind of composting. Not a wonderful thought.

So can see that I have been busy doing thing and I have been taking pictures in hopes that I would be able to find time to catch up on what's been going on. So stay tuned for posts on each of the events listed above. I took pictures for the purchases for MDS&W and hopefully I can get some posts done this week with my lesser working schedule. So please hang in there with me while I do some catching up!

MIA

MIA
I know I have not been around because I have been working more hours than I can handle so blogging and most knitting has fallen by the wayside. I have been some great adventures but I am just too tired to blog about them right now. My schedule changes next week so hopefully life will be more quiet and I will have time to knit, sleep, sleep, garden, knit and sleep some more. So please hang in there and I will have some accounts of the last few weeks. They really have been very busy with work and fiber adventures.
Thanks,
VAPurl