Full Circle...

It's like it was 'meant to be'.  In March of this year, I rolled my Jeep on an icy hillside near my home.  Fortunately, I was wearing my seat belt and was not seriously injured.  Unfortunately, the same could not be said for my Jeep.  With over two-hundred-thousand miles on it and in need of new brakes, muffler and whatever else a 1994 car might need in 2010, the decision was made to surrender the Jeep to the mechanic who towed it, in lieu of paying the $150.00 tow charge and the  large amount of money it would cost to fix it up.

I was VERY sad to  say good-bye to my Jeep.  It is the first (and only) vehicle that I have ever had that actually fit me.  You see, I'm short.  In particular, my legs are short.  Which means that with almost every vehicle I've ever driven, I've had to put a pillow behind my back in order to reach the pedals.  *** NO WISE CRACKS ALLOWED!!! ***  If, by some miracle, I could reach the pedals, the seat would be too big and would hit me on the back of my calf ~ making driving for any length of time very uncomfortable.  As in leg cramps. 

Not only did my Jeep fit me like a glove, I felt safe in it!  It handled so well and hugged the road more securely than any vehicle I had ever driven.  That was something that I definitely missed in the car that I got to replace the Jeep.  I was scared silly driving that thing!  On almost every curve, it felt like it was going to slide right off the road.  And of course, there was the omnipresent pillow...

On September 12, I had another accident.  Nothing serious.  A fender bender.  But, once again, the results of driving an ancient (1989), beater of a vehicle, meant that the little bit of damage that was done pretty much totalled the piece of crap ~ I mean nice, little, gray car.  No tears shed over this one!  I  NEVER felt safe driving that puppy...

Once again, I found myself without 'wheels'.  A dear friend (Doc) mentioned that he had run into the mechanic who towed my Jeep, after my rollover accident.  Apparently, instead of junking the Jeep for parts, 'Jeremey' decided that he could fix it up!  He took parts from another Jeep that he had at his shop and "Ah-la-peanut-butter-sandwiches"  ~ My Jeep is restored!!!  Jeremey even repainted it to disguise the fact that it has two "new" doors and a new rear hatch!

Last Sunday, thanks to "Doc",  my beloved Jeep came home to the Bluff Country!  How could a car accident possibly be a good thing?  This one was!  I am no longer driving that too big, scary, unsafe, gray car.  I am now, cruising around, safely and comfortably in a vehicle that fits me like a glove and gives me confidence when I am driving it.  The Jeep has been tuned up, fixed up and is in better shape than before I rolled it!

You wouldn't believe how HAPPY one could be

to be driving a 1994 Jeep, once again!

I love my Jeep.

My Jeep is my Friend.

It feels like Family.

LONG  LIVE  THE  JEEP!

Life is good in the Bluff Country!

DREAM SAYS...

"Be still my heart!.   I can barely stand the excitement..."

"Yawn! "

What I've been doing that's kept me from Blogging...

I've got a vehicle!

But that's a subject for another post.

The main thing about having a vehicle is that

last Sunday, I drove to a local dairy goat breeder's place and got a big  jug of FRESH  goat milk!  So fresh that I watched her milk the goats!

Karyl Dronen, , a partner at "Body Shop Farm"  uses an automatic milker so she milked  quite a few goats in a short period of time.

They are SO cute!

It's so cute how they run right into the stanchions (where there is grain awaiting them)  to get milked. 

These two are doubled up in a stanchion!

Thanks to all these lovely ladies,

I've been making

Goat Milk Soap!

Thank you Girls!

DREAM says...

"Oh, Good Grief!  Now she's talking to GOATS!

I  guess it's OK as long as she just brings their milk home.

She better not even think about bringing one of those necked creatures over here and putting them in MY pasture!"

No problem, Dreamer ~ the goats are quite happy where they are.

And I'm busy making SOAP!

;-)

Poor baby boys!

Or should I say:  "Poor Zest!"?

It finally occurred to me that I needed to separate the ram lambs from the rest of the flock!  I've never done it this late, but I've never had lambing as late as I did this year either.  Since the only way I could get "Rain" (one of Zest's twins) into the paddock I was moving the boys to, was to let Zest in there ~ Zest is keeping all the baby boys  company. 

"Chrome" (HST),  "Burdock" (black) and "Rain" (moorit) are all

FOR SALE

Chrome and Burdock are flock sire quality but Rain should be wethered

and kept as a fiber pet (he has heavenly SOFT fleece),  because his tail is too long and woolly.

Rain's twin brother "Storm Warning" is growing into his lovely tail quite nicely. 

I think he would be an excellent flock sire as well!

Storm is also FOR SALE...

I have to admit, I've got a real soft spot in my heart for Storm.

He's SUCH a sweet, gentle ram lamb.  I just love him.

In fact, I love Storm so much, that if he doesn't go to a breeding home, I plan on wethering him (I do not want to keep an intact ram) and keeping him for his fleece (AND his personality!).

The other boy that has totally won me over is

"Polar Bear"

I think he's going to grow into a spectacular ram!

His fleece is incredible, his conformation excellent and he's a gentle, respectful ram lamb.

If he doesn't sell, I plan on using Bear on a few of my adult ewes this fall.

He's that good!

Another wonderful, breeding quality ram lamb is
"Burdock"

one of Destiny's triplets

Which, of course, means that Burdock is

an Alice grandson!

Who would have ever guessed?

;-)

This big galoot is

Chrome:

He is AWESOME!

(in spite of the burrs in his fleece!  I'll get them out)

If you want to breed for incredibly dense, soft, moderately crimped fleece and  super conformation on HST Shetlands, you should  be looking at this guy!

Chrome is for sale for $400.00

I still have one other ram lamb, who has not been separated yet.

It appears that Godiva doesn't think it's time to wean her stunning, black ram lamb!

Since he was the last lamb born and is quite a bit younger than the other boys, I'm willing to give him another week with his Mom.  THEN  he's going in with the boys and will be available for sale!

He really is a gorgeous, black ram lamb with just incredible, VERY black fleece.

He's out of my line that goes back to "White Diamond" and his fleece shows it!

DREAM says...

"Gee!  I'm really going to miss (cough, cough!) those obnoxious ~ I mean sweet boys!

Is it almost time for pumpkins yet???"

Soon, Dreamer. 

Very soon...

I'll TRY to do better...

I don't know why I've been SO bad about keeping up my blogs lately!

How on Earth did I keep up with things when I was working  full  time?

I'll try to catch you up with  pictures of a few of my girls...

Sable

She's all grown-up and I (and the sheep) adore her!

My beautiful "Bellamica" (Bella)

Lately, Bella's been enjoying coming out into the sheep pasture with Sable and I.  Here she is supervising an orderly exit from the sheep barn...

Look how BIG those ram lambs are!

That's Angel's white, "Polar Bear" and Godiva's "Jazz".

Speaking of BIG babies...

THIS is what a ten year old, Shetland ewe can do without anything but grass!

(OK, I did give her a little bit of creep feed, each day, for the first month.  But ever since then, it's been just grass). 

 And animal crackers...  

;-)

Beautiful "Clover"

Is one of only two ewe lambs that I have left for sale.

The other is Destiny's triplet:

"Kiss"

My precious "Sara" ~ with her silky, soft fleece

will be leaving for her new home next week.

:-(

I'm sure going to miss her!

Fall is finally here!

I'm loving the cool temperatures.

The chickens are loving my garden...

As is "miss Daisy"...

DREAM says...

"ExCUSE me! 

 Do I see chickens on MY blog???

They have their own blog!

And they BETTER not be eating MY

PUMPKINS!!! "

uh-oh.
(click on 'pumpkins' to see who's eating the pumpkins in 2007)

I'm in Awe...

A friend posted this on her Facebook page.

It took my breath away.

Eternal Options...This could make me change my mind about cremation!

WOOL COFFINS!!!

"Natural Legacy"

Distributed in the USA by Hainsworth

The Swaledale casket is made using pure virgin wool, supported on a strong recycled fibreboard frame. Wool is a fiber with a true "green" lineage that is both sustainable and biodegradable. The interior is generously lined with cotton and attractively edged in jute.

Independently tested and accredited for strength and weight bearing, the Swaledale's unique design combines the highest environmental standards with an attractive and soft feel. Designed to differ from the traditional wooden casket, it offers a contemporary style with comfortable handling. The concept is completed with a personalized embroidered woolen name plate. All the materials used in the Swaledale casket are readily biodegradable and suitable for cremation and all types of burial.
 

What a GREAT idea!

Being wrapped in wool is like being given an Eternal Hug!

I absolutely love this idea and if I weren't planning on being cremated (with no visitation) this is the type of coffin I would want.

DREAM says...

"I've already GOT one!  And a wool pillow as well..."

That you do, my beautiful Dreamer,

that you do!

;-)

You just have to love Alice...

Alice is the only sheep that I have left out of my original "foundation flock" of Shetland sheep.  She's ten years old now and still going strong.  Those of you who read this blog know that Alice successfully raised triplet lambs (again) this Spring.  

Alice is a "double coated" Shetland.

That means that she has a shorter, finer undercoat and a longer, coarser, outer coat.  The difference between the two coats is not great and I don't separate them for spinning.  I love the soft, bouncy yarn that I spin from Alice's wool.

Alice is pretty familiar with the routine of having her photo taken.

As you can see, she's got posing down to a science!

I especially love how she makes her ears droop!

I wonder if it's hereditary?

;-)

Alice still has most of her teeth.

Oh, darn! 

Now I've embarrassed her...

DREAM says...

"I can make MY ears droop!

Sort of..."

You're perfect, Dreamer.

Absolutely perfect!

HAS!

(Hug A Sheep!)

I  HAS...

(Hugged a Sheep)

HAS ewe???