Category Archive: sheep
Wee sheep movie plus
Plus I actually got a bit of sewing done today. Without a doubt there will still be color shifting.
Feeding triplets
Some days it feels as if I spend the entire day feeding triplets, even though that is not true. It just seems that way. This morning for the first time in 3 weeks, I was able to spend my hour at the gym. Although I come home tired, it is worth the time. I try to get a rest time on those days, for at least half an hour. However do humans who have triplets manage all this – they can’t walk away for 2 or 3 hours, knowing all will be safe until they return?
This afternoon we made a quick trip to the church with some gloves we picked up for the homeless as JoAnn’s is having their sale to move out winter items. They were at a terrific buy at $.50/pair and perfect for this in barely above freezing weather. This is Beau’s favorite place. He loves it when we can include him in a car trip. I must have 2 dog biscuits. One when he gets into the car, then the second is expected when I come back to the car from wherever it is that I had to go, whether for 10 minutes or for a quick trip to a door. He is such a funny boy!
In between feedings, I also get to slip in the fun things like laundry, cooking, and some cleaning. I’m hoping to visit the sewing studio tomorrow, but there are more plants that need to be put into the ground as well. This is such a wonderful, busy time of the year.
Time blocks
It seems my life is currently measured in 4 hour time blocks.
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6 AM: feed babies, check everyone, and let them outside for the day.
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Home to a selected project for an hour and a half before prepping breakfast
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10 AM: feed babies, sheep check, and give mothers food and fresh water
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Home to normal daily activities such as laundry, minimal housework, etc
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2 PM: feed babies, again the check on everyone
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Usually by this time, I need to take a rest or at least find an activity that sits me down
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6 PM: feed babies, feed adults plus water and close the doors for the night.
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Family time, worship, and maybe knitting time
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10 PM: feed babies, last check on everyone plus any needed water
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Home to drop until 5:30 AM time to prepare bottles again.
Bottles babies are a lot of extra trouble, and it only lasts 2 months, but on the other hand, one does have to delegate the time blocks so they don’t get away. After the first feeding, I try to use that hour plus to sew, quilt, plant, or check on my seed growing for the hoop house.
Since we are still doing renovations to the barn, that takes supervision and choices as well during the day. Today, Mary came over for some quilt help and we were both tired enough, we rested while visiting after feeding babies.
Tonight after the 6PM feeding, I was able to get some knitting done, but at this time of day, I am slow. 
I am knitting this lovely pattern found on Ravelry, using the yarn at the top of this page. It has a 20 row repeat, but only on 12 stitches on each sock. The rest is all knitted and therefore goes quickly.
Here is today’s “cuteness” photo
Mountain blocks
The mountain blocks have been put together. Now I have to decide on an arrangement. I was surprised at how fast they went together. I laid them all out in piles and then just chain sewed them. Fast and easy.
These little ones start solid food early.
Amos and Andy arrived
Amos (dark) and Andy arrived in this world while I was bottle feeding thee three that started the birthing event this year. Most of these lambs have a dark daddy and a white mother. And they are pretty well split between the dark and the white.
We had company share lunch with us today. I made a lasagna using foods from the freezer, which were tomatoes, zucchini and Swiss chard. It was delicious. I’m working hard on my goal of using all the foods in at least one of the two freezers before we start putting food in for the next winter. We start with strawberries, so we will need some foods in the second freezer to carry us through until the bulk of the seasonal produce that we freeze gets ripe. But it would be nice to start the winter with totally new foods in the freezer.
It was suggested to me tonight that if I wanted to be inspired to lose some weight, I should watch a Netflix film “Obesity – the post-mortem” It was an interesting film, but takes a strong stomach.
Meet Peppy
Meet Peppy, our latest little ewe lamb, who did it right. I fed the bottle babies, went home to get something, came back 15 minutes later. She had entered the world at 9# and was already nursing. It would be so wonderful if every baby entered this way and we could let nature do all the work. She is #13 and the 9th ewe lamb.
We are expecting another 10-12 babies in March. I am also anticipating good moms that will have plenty of milk so there will not be more bottle babies. In that way, I’ll also get nightly sleep and perhaps be able to get some sewing and quilting done.
Other than that, we spent a share of our day at Costco, and of course going back and forth to the barn to feed the bottle babies. So for the first time in over a year, I did not finish my “One monthly goal” with Elm Street Quilts.
Moving day
These two have learned to pull things down and drag them around, so it is definitely Moving Day. They were also trying to jump onto the couch. They were moved to the barn. They have their kennel in a heated room for the nights. as I was afraid moving them from the house to really cold might be a bit of a shock when the nights are below freezing. But in a couple days they will have acclimated and after Saturday, we are supposed to have a week of above freezing nights. 
They will become real sheep and learn the ways of their kind. And I will get the toys picked up and clean the floors less frequently. Plus today was vaccination day and it was easier for them, to all be together. I will still be taking bottles up for them 5 times a day so we will have a lot of interaction.
When you need a boost , it’s very handy to have mom resting nearby.
There! – With mom’s help, she made it into the feeder.
My next step is to try to figure out how to get some of these cute videos onto this page. Apparently I am very limited as to size, so will work on that to give you more entertainment in the future. One can spend a lot of time enjoying them.
As for the people who live here. Today, we had our general blood work done. When we came home, 
the friend that was here visiting yesterday stopped by with the most delicious loaf of home-made sour dough bread which we willingly accepted and is now half eaten. It is wonderful to have friends share with you especially when you have added responsibilities.
Exchange students and sheep
usThis morning we had the privilege of introducing our sheep and dogs to two exchange students who had not been to visit a farm before. Beau insisted on being in the photo as he firmly believes each visitor is here to pet him. The girls’ hostess is a friend so it was fun to visit with her while they were here, plus she brought us lovely shortcake to go with the strawberries that I had thawed.
We chose a time the lambs would be hungry so the girls would get to experience feeding them as well. It looks like they enjoyed the experience.
We enjoyed their visit and hopefully they will get a chance to return and watch the lambs as they grow.
This morning the peas were sprouted, so the plan is to put them in the hoop house Friday when the weather is warmer. Perfect timing! This will give us early peapods as well as peas.
Delectable mountain tutorial
I’m not sure if this is more for me or you. The delectable mountain tutorial was a dry run before I actually cut out my pieces for the quilt.
I started with 8 1/2″ squares cut on the diagonal. In this case I used the same fabric for the light color in each of my blocks. Sew them together and 
square them up. This I found to be the most crucial step, because somehow when I sewed those large triangles, they didn’t always come out square. So I squared to 8″. (the rest of these photos is using my practice piece)
I put 2 of these new squares together with sides reversed and matching the diagonal line, then cut the 8″ pieces into 4 -2″ pieces and 
switched the two outside pieces and then the two inside pieces so they now look like this. Because you have cut two of these squares, one is the reverse of the other and can be put together like this
to complete your mountain. If you have trouble visualizing this, you might want to make two squares and try it out first. It makes more sense once you have done it.
NEWS ITEM: Meet Paco and Pepita, our latest additions
She is white, but she is fresh and not yet dried in this photo.
Kaarsten, Kristie, and a new start
Meet Kaarsten and Kristie, our two newest family members.
Here are Petunia and Pepe’, our first two who were not expected to survive. Looks like they are doing well.
Our frozen wonderland has made me long for the sewing machine and a new quilt start. Really, I had run out of projects? – no, not really. Just a creative need.
This batch of fat quarters has been hanging around the sewing studio. I have no idea where they came from or when. They are not a grouping that I would have chosen, so they must have chosen me. They needed a purpose and so they are becoming mountains.
I have cut triangles from 8 of these pieces and sewn them together ready to square them up and cut again. Tomorrow, I’ll show you how they are going together.