Prima Dona & Chance.......and "My Chain Fell Off!!"

Do you remember this little Doll??? She is "BLUFF COUNTRY PRIMA DONA".

I fell in love with her on the morning that she was born! You can relive that morning here.. Prima Dona has grown into a very beautiful ewe lamb! I'll be showing her at the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival this fall.

You may or may not have recognized her in the picture with Daisy in my last post.

Joining Prima Dona in the "Pair of Ewe Lambs" class will be "BLUFF COUNTRY CHANCE"

This little beauty is fast becoming the moorit version of DREAM!!! She is my snuggle bug and loves to be held and hugged and cuddled.

Both Prima Dona and Chance are twins and have full-siblings who are for sale. You can see THORN and CASSY on my Breeding Stock For Sale blog...

What's that about "My Chain Falling Off", you ask??? You may remember, I am participating in the "Tour De Fleece". And I was doing really great! Spinning every day and/or night. One night I even stayed up 'till midnight because I didn't have time to spin before leaving for work in the afternoon and I didn't want to miss a day. So I spun when I got home from work at 11 o'clock at night! Yesterday, I didn't spin. I put two more strands of electric fence on a new pasture that I'm preparing for the ewes, now that I've pulled the lambs from their moms. I've been working my butt off, trying to get this pasture ready for them. Having finally got six strands of electric up, I finally decided that it is safe to put them in there now. I'll add two more strands this weekend, when I'm off work.

It's HOT. Super hot and horribly MUGGY. The worst kind of weather for me. I'd rather have blizzards!! I swear ~ that's the truth. I'm too old for this kind of heat and humidity. So, I got the fence done enough to let the girls out into their new pasture, but didn't have time to do any spinning. The first time I missed a day since the Tour began. By the time I got home from work last night, I was in pain. And feeling nauseaus. It's been an exhausting week. What, with separating all the lambs from the moms and moving groups around so that every one has good pasture and shelter. And trying to get the fencing done all by myself. And my stupid JOB... I tell you: I am too old for this! Especially the latest insult: I got my period! I'm 55 years old and haven't had one in a year and a half! I thought I was done with this crap!!!!!!!! Can you tell that I'm not particularly thrilled with this little turn of events?

Oh yeah, and my camera batteries (rechargeable) died.

Frickin heat....

ALICE says......"TELL me about it!!!"

DA BOYS.....

Remember those adorable little ram lambs????

This is "OUTLAW" on April 20, 08

Here he is today!

"BLING" on April 22

and today!

"MOON SHADOW" was a knock out from day one!

And he just keeps getting better!!

I still remember coming home from work and finding Flash's beautiful surprises...This is "White Night" on the day he was born.

He's going to be one, stunning ram!

Tomorrow, I'll add "Renegade" and "Thorn" to the group. Then all of my boys will be together!

"SHELTERING PINES CRESCENT MOON"
and
"KIMBERWOOD HUNTER"

"We did GOOD, Mom!"

That you did, my boys...that you did!

It's About THAT Time Again....

THIS is what started it:
Zest's single ram lamb is HUGE! He's almost as big as his dam and towers over all the other lambs.

When I saw him with the ewe lambs this morning (that's him, behind Chance, at the mineral feeder in the barn), and chasing around some of the adult ewes, I decided that it's time to separate the ram lambs.

I started with these four:

~ WHITE NIGHT ~


~ OUTLAW ~


~ BLING ~
and


~ MOON SHADOW ~ (the moose!).

I left Thorn in with Rosie for a few more days because he's the smallest of all the ram lambs and Renegade in with Alice 'till this weekend as I don't like to pull twins off at the same time and she's got quite a large udder.

What a great photo op!! I've had a difficult time getting interesting pictures the last couple of weeks because all the lambs want to do is graze.

Nothing like a little separation anxiety to get some nice photographs!

Now I've got to go SPIN before I leave for work.....

Spinning.....

So, I joined the "Tour De Fleece" and am spinning every day. What a great inspiration!

Although I have a "real" goal in mind, I'm starting out by spinning up this beautiful multi-red, merino/silk combed top (I'm SORRY fellow Shetland enthusiasts! I bought it years ago!). I started a shawl out of yarn I'd spun from this stuff and am almost out of yarn so now's as good a time as any to get it spun!


The shawl is an excellent project for me to knit when I'm at work and things are slow. Most of it is garter stitch with an ocassional row of yarn overs ~ basically, mindless knitting.

As soon as I get enough of this spun up to keep me knitting for awhile, I'm going to get at my REAL project for the Tour...

"THE MODERN QUILT WRAP"
I'm going to substitute natural Shetland colors for the colors used in this wrap! It'll take me forever, but I think it will be well worth the effort. So far, I've started rolling balls of roving of some of the natural colors that I have on hand.

I have several more fleeces that are being processed and am waiting for them to be done ~ plus I've got a bunch of bags of washed fleece that I need to take to the processor. It will be fun sorting through the various shades of fawn/moorit & mioget as well as the black/greys & isets of my flock.

I'm thinking of doing a spin/knit/along with other Shetland enthusiasts, if anyone would like to join me, as I'm sure I won't get anywhere close to done during the "Tour"....

New Friends...

Donna picked up her three lambs yesterday.

Here she is, getting acquainted with Debutante.

I LIKE this lady's attitude. You see, Donna has had double knee replacement surgery. But she still knows what's important in life...

Debutante seemed rather taken with Donna as well...

Bounty Hunter was not quite so thrilled to make Donna's acquaintance!

Here, he pauses to say good-bye to his sire (Kimberwood Hunter) and American Idol. I think Bounty Hunter is going to look a lot like his sire! And that's a GOOD thing!

This is the only picture I have of Spring.
Unfortunately, my camera batteries died before I brought her over to meet Donna. I did point out to Donna that she was taking two of my FRIENDLIEST ewe lambs. Of course now, that means I'll have more time to work with Zodiak's beautiful but VERY reserved triplets.....

Especially, since my three, beautiful, Angora goats also left for their new home yesterday! This could have been a very sad day for me but not only are my precious lambs going to a wonderful home but these three goats are going to a family that has goats (so knows how to care for them!) and will be participating in 4 H! The kids were so excited about their new "pets" and the parents were very impressed with how beautiful Meredith, McDreamy and McSteamy are.

All-in-All, a good day in the Bluff Country...

NOW, to fencing!

Have You Seen My Sister......?

Poor Thorn! He misses his sister (Flower). I am often asked if the ewes cry for their babies when the little ones move on to a new home. They sometimes do. But, not nearly as much as any remaining twins do!

I am feeling a bit sad for Thorn, these past few days. Both he and Rosie wander around baaing, looking for their beautiful Flower. I feel particularly bad because Flower was Rosie's first Girl (ewe lamb) and I think she misses her...

BLUFF COUNTRY THORN
Thorn is growing up VERY nicely! I shouldn't be surprised as his dam (Bluff Country Dusty Rose) is the dam of our awesome "Bluff Country American Idol". Rosie has proven that she produces excellent lambs from multiple sires.
I should have kept Flower.......

As If I Don't Have Enough to Do....

I'M IN!!!

Saying Good-Bye...

I always feel sad when my ewe lambs leave for their new homes.

Here, "BLUFF COUNTRY FLOWER" is waiting for her new owners to come get her and take her to her new home in North Carolina. Everyone should have to move close to me!!!

On the other hand, Flower (along with Sandman, Sleeping Beauty and Sunshine) are going to a wonderful new home with an incredible family, where they will be loved and cared for and carry on a HST breeding program in North Carolina!

My beautiful Dreamer waited with Sleeping Beauty and Sandman.

This was my beautiful Sunshine's very first time walking while wearing a halter!


Although Sandman and Sleeping Beauty walked willingly with their new owners, Sunny and Flower took a little coaxing to leave the only home they've ever known.

So Bella helped 'encourage' them to leave their pasture. She is such a good dog!

So, it is with mixed emotions that I say good-bye
to my beautiful SUNSHINE...


FLOWER...

and SLEEPING BEAUTY
(who is with me on my "icon" photo!)...


Take good care of my girls, SANDMAN...

I'm already looking forward to seeing the Orr family again next year, when they're coming back to pick up a ram lamb from next year's babies! In the meantime, they've promised to keep me updated with emails and photos of their beautiful new Shetlands. Thank you Melissa & Bryan! It was wonderful meeting your whole family!