Monthly Archives: September 2018
We have a new chicken coop for the dozen babies we bought a short time ago. They have grown so fast and needed a bigger, safe home. So my neighbor put chicken wire and a door on this 3 sided structure which he finished tonight and we have moved the chickens into it.Sheep photos
Please enjoy the sheep photos today:
First ones in get prime real estate.
Eventually everyone finds a place – even this baby has learned to squeeze in when hungry.
The look on these faces makes me think they got in and ate fast.
Sheep housing
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This is our latest sheep housing, which will protect about 7-8 sheep from the weather if needed and that thing in the middle is a feeder for winter. We will put a breeding group in this area for two months. We take a cattle panel which is 18′ long, bend it and attach to 4 x 4, railroad ties or whatever on each side of the bottom. By attaching several together we can make the house as long as we need it and covered with plastic or a tarp, it will last 2-3 years before needing a new cover. It makes a great chicken coop or just a storage shed as well.
We are still making applesauce and apple butter and will be for the next few weeks (on and off), The apples are picked and the potatoes are harvested and we are making some slow progress. But winter is getting closer with each day.
Locked out
I tried to post on Friday, but was locked out, so tried again today SUCCESSFULLY. 
I made a brief visit to the fair. Mostly I went to visit with sheep and their shepherds, but took a few minutes and hurried over to see what was new in quilts. My neighbor took best fleece in her division. Next year I will have to hold back a fleece to enter.
This one grabbed my eye. The quilter has a marvelous picture of a loved one. Someday, I tell myself, I will do a portrait.
And it’s not a fair unless you see the grange renderings. They are always so beautifully done with the fresh fruits and vegetables.
Applesauce and plying
Over the last two days I’ve canned 24 quarts of applesauce plus 2 pints. But if I could say 50 pints, it would sound more impressive. They are cull apples because we didn’t get them sprayed with anything so, I’m losing about half of each apple to insects. Still there are plenty of apples to go around. I’m canning the sauce now and when it’s ugly and cold, we can make apple butter.
And in between batches, I’ve decided it is past time to turn some of my spun singles into plied yarn ready to use.
This is the soft luscious wool from our dog, Beau. I am so pleased with the way it spun up, but don’t have a project in mind yet
A pretty red wool, probably destined to be a scarf as there isn’t enough for a sweater. I think I fell in love with this color, so purchased the roving.
I’m guessing this was one of our Babydoll sheep. But when I don’t label things, I forget. Since there isn’t much wool, that’s my best guess.
All of these are now washed and ready to wind and use when I decide what to knit. Plus I am plying a lot of – maybe 2# of brown yarn I have spun singles. It looks as if there is enough for a sweater. Maybe I can show that tomorrow.
Chicks moving day
Chicks moving day finally happened!. They are now in the barn in a safe cage and out of the sewing studio. I know they weren’t in here very long, but they don’t belong in here. They belong in the barn and now that they are feathered, that’s where they are. They also have perches and more room, so win for all.
We picked up the building permit to be able to double the size of the barn roof, picked up a gift for a friend and went to the feed store.
Many of the apples are ready to pick, so I spent some time picking 5 grocery bags full. I don’t climb ladders, therefore I tried to shake some down. I will pick more tomorrow and then the rains will be back. It seems at this point, I’m running out to do what I can on the days that it doesn’t rain. And it wasn’t that long ago that we were wishing for rain. It would be nice to have alternating days.
The last three days, I worked on this scarf during appointments and free time, but decided there are things, I don’t like about it, so raveled it and will start again. The white is angora rabbit plied to black wool, so it is very soft and warm and I anticipate wearing it during the cold this winter.
Thunder, lightning, rain
The last day and a half, the weather has put on a real show. After being dry for so long, it decided to Thunder, lightning and rain several times throughout yesterday and this morning. Alternating with this was drenching rain. I’m not convinced my shower rains that much. It certainly has been a big change.
I could have quilted, or knitted, but I chose to ply the Pyrenees dog hair that combed from Beau. 
Plied and wrapped,
Then washed
and hung to dry hand – it shows beige, but if off white.
Here is the finished product hanging from the shower. When totally dry, I will put it aside for inspiration to hit me. And of course after this was all done and I was putting things away, I found another skein which still has to be plied at different time as I am done for today.
Officially a farm
Does this officially make us a farm? We signed the papers and it has been promised by the end of the month. All this craziness started because I felt that I was not being active enough with my hobbies being quilting and knitting. I thought a few sheep would get us moving. They have!
https://massenameadows.com
https://massenameadows.com
– my new website has taken much of my time lately. It is in a simple state and may be for some time. I hope you’ll come visit me at the farm site. As I have time, I will continue to put my sewing/quilting and living posts on this site and my farm life will be on both sites.
Chills and fever
Chills and fever, alternating, with no other symptoms have kept me busy this past week. Now I’m trying to get over how tired it made me feel.
I did accomplish some spinning this week. 
then I took two sky photos so that when the rains come, I can remember there was a sunny time.
