It Was A SHEEPY Kind of Morning...

One of those lazy, semi-foggy mornings that just lure one out to sit with the sheep!





DREAM says...

"I know you're sucking up to me but that's OK.
You can go play with your chickens now..."

I'd Like to be the FIRST...

To wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Isn't she adorable?
I bought her at the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival. This is the first time that I went for 2 days ~ without any sheep. What a blast!

I actually took two classes (knitting short rows and knitting with thrums) and learned so much! I also visited the sheep breeds display. It was fascinating, seeing all the different types of sheep! Best of all, it was SO nice to see the familiar faces of friends that I've come to care deeply for ~ yet see so seldom.

And then there was the SHOPPING!
I got:

This beautiful wicker basket from "The Basket Lady". She makes the most beautiful baskets and prices them unbelievably reasonably. Of course (and this is not the 'good part')...once I had the basket, I felt compelled to FILL it!

I swore I was not going to buy any roving this year. I always get sucked in by the stunning colors of hand painted roving. But this year, I stuck to my guns! Of course, I did get two HUGE skeins of hand painted Alpaca YARN and a beautiful pattern to make myself a shawl. I do so love my shawls! It'll be my Christmas present to ME.

Speaking of gifts to me: While perusing the Vendor's barn for the 50th time to get out of the hot sun, I saw a lovely couple with a display of Books that I recognized and have wanted to buy for quite some time! It was Jack and Barbara Maloney and their TRUE tale of the adventures of a Mid-life couple when they chucked life as they knew it and headed for the Scottish Isles and a life of tending sheep! I think this has got to be a great book for anyone who loves sheep.

I can't wait to read it!! Jack & Barbara are the parents of Eileen at Knot All That and also have their own website called, you guessed it: "Life on the Wee Mad Road"

I also got extra bobbins for my Roberta spinner, three bars of exquisitly "spice" scented Goat Milk Soap, and LOTS more yarn but I'm not talking about that now... ;-)

I admit, I was anxious to get back home to my beautiful, new babies. I left all the animals under the excellent watch of my good friend, Virginia. The sheep were happy new move back over to the side pasture today and Splash and Java got to spend their first afternoon OUT SIDE in the Bluff Country.

Java was so excited that she did a little DANCE!
'You put your left foot in,
you put your left foot out,
you put your left foot in
and you shake it all about...'

Splash just ran around exploring his bright new world.

Oh yes, one other thing I wanted to share:

This is my latest KNITTING project! It's a "Mosaic" pattern and is really EASY! It's my first time doing any type of "colorwork" (I'm intimidated by anything new) and I absolutely love it. The yarn is light Musket (Alice) Shetland and Fawn Shetland, blended with a little mohair. I'll be doing much more of this in the future...

All-in-all, it was a wonderful weekend.
And I'm so glad to be back home!

DREAM says...

"Life is Good in the Bluff Country!"

I Feel SO Much Better...

THEY'RE HERE!! My very first pair of Mille Fleur breeding stock, bantam Cochins arrived at the local post office at 7:10 this morning. As much as I tossed and turned and had really weird dreams all night long, I can tell you: that phone call jerked me out of a VERY sound sleep!

I threw on some clothes and jumped in the car and rushed into town. I was so scared on the drive home because they weren't "peeping"! The box was SO quiet.

But as soon as I opened it, out bounced two, obviously very healthy (all-be-it THIRSTY and HUNGRY) young Cochins!

This is "Java"
(she's a 4 month old pullet *young hen*)

I chose her because her markings are VERY nice.

The "Mille Fleur" pattern in Cochins is a work in progress and there are no perfect birds. Therefore, I am selecting pairs that will lead me closer and closer to developing a show quality line of Mille Fleur patterned Cochins. (much like I did with developing a line of quality, HST Shetlands!)

This is "SPLASH".
(he's about 3 1/2 months old ~ cockerel is the name for a young rooster)

I love his color and think he has very nice "type" for a young bird.

Both of these birds are very young and will most likely change dramatically as they mature. But, I feel like I'm off to a good start...

Thank you, Josh Singleton for all the hard work you've put into developing the Mille Fleur bantam Cochin and for letting me purchase these sweet, beautiful birds. I love them already and look forward to perpetuating the line that you've worked so hard to produce!

DREAM says...

"Welcome to the Bluff Country Splash and Java!"

"Mom's got pairs of these goofy looking birds 'Millie Flower' Cochins coming from at least two other breeders so we may as well sit back and watch the show..."

They're On The Way....

My very first pair of Mille Fleur breeding stock bantam Cochins left Utah, last night and should arrive in the Bluff Country early tomorrow morning! Their breeder (Josh Singleton of Utah) let them out for one last romp before placing them in the box that would bring them to their new home.

I went to my local post office and told them to call me the MINUTE my babies arrive and I will come in to get them. Please keep them in your thoughts and say prayers ~ wave DPNs or whatever it is that you do when you hope to influence the outcome of things ~ for them to have a safe journey!

DREAM says...

"God's speed, little ones.
Here's the thing: I'll grant you, they ARE kind of cute. I guess they'll be OK. I'm sure this means there will be another chicken post tomorrow, which is OK as long as I and my friends GET EQUAL TIME!"

It's a deal Dreamer!

If You Think the EWES Had it Bad...

My poor boys have been banned to the outer pasture, to make room for more CHICKENS in the barn!

They have plenty of good grazing and fresh water and shelter, so they're not exactly 'abused' but they're not exactly getting lots of attention either. Then again, that's not such a bad thing with rams. The truth is, I hope to have all three boys gone within the next month. Hunter (beautiful, Mioget, HST, 2yr old ram) is for sale. (although, I MIGHT just use him, quick before he goes!) I had a buyer for him but she can't take him until December and I do not want to keep an intact ram any longer.

Here are the results of his 2year old fleece micron test: He averaged 23.7 microns, with a standard deviation of 6.3, a coefficient of variation of 26.6, had 2% of his fibers below 15 microns, 85.4% below 30 microns, and a spin fineness of 24.3 microns. Contact me if you are interested in adding this handsome boy to YOUR flock!

The girls are enjoying the side pasture again today.

I have to move them back to their main pasture, before I leave for work because I don't have the electric hooked up on the temporary fence any more.

I LOVE this picture of my Black Cochin: "SHINE"

DREAM says...

"BOY! Things sure are CRAZY around here!"

Two Days in a Row and SHEEP....!

"Anybody want to push me on the swing?"

I moved the girls to fresh pasture today. They are in heaven! Of course, they have to check out the "hay" I have drying in piles that I raked yesterday and turned earlier today.

I'll bag them up before I leave for work, later this afternoon.

I'm getting quite a bit stored for this winter!

Dream's in charge of making sure it's good enough to keep...

"That is, when she's not looking for someone to push her on the swing!

DREAM says...

"Now, THAT'S more like it!
For those of you who read this blog (as opposed to just looking at it for pictures of ME) please do NOT encourage Mom when it comes to those chickens! She's wacko enough without any help from all of you! I don't mean to be bossy or anything ~
I'm just sayin'...."

Did I Ever Mention That I Tend to Throw Myself Into New Ventures???

It all started innocently enough. I was SO enjoying my Backyard Chickens. So I went to a chicken show and fell in love with a trio of Black Cochins and my three Ameraucanas. And THEN, Rayna (who hasn't blogged in longer than me!) sent me links to THIS:

Is she not the prettiest little baby chicken you've ever seen in your LIFE???

This, my Dear friends, is a "Mille Fleur" bantam Cochin pullet (baby girl)! I completely and totally ~ Fell. In. Love. With. Her. Don't worry. I didn't BUY her. Although, now I wish I had! I didn't want to rush into something that I knew nothing about. So I've spent the past week (or has it been two???) compulsively obsessively responsibly searching the Internet for anything and everything I can find about Mille Fleur Cochins. The more I've read and the more breeders I've spoken with (and there have been a LOT!) the more convinced I am that I want to start a breeding program of these remarkable birds.

As I write this blog post, I am in the process of buying this little rooster:

Ah, the wonders of the Internet!
And this lovely, young lady will be his mate...

Don't worry, she'll be much prettier when she finishes feathering out.

This is another, slightly more mature, but still youngsters, started pair that I'm considering.

Or perhaps these beautiful babies?

These chicks are from different breeders, all over the country. I've also got a trio "on order" from a top breeder in Colorado. Then, that's ENOUGH to get me started on my own breeding flock...

I'll also be breeding for show quality Black Cochins. The trio I have are SO beautiful and sweet! My grandsons can walk right up to them and pick them up and pet them. I never knew that chickens could be so pretty and so friendly.

OMG!
I'm having so much FUN!!
Now, I've got to go out and put up more roosts in my CHICKEN BARN.
I'm going to sell Hunter and not keep any rams so that barn will revert to what it originally was ~ a chicken coop! Isn't life amazing?

I hope you're all having a WONDERFUL, LONG, holiday weekend!

DREAM says...

"Even I have to admit: they are kind of cute ~ in a worthless, feathery sort of way..."

;-)

I REALLY Like My CHICKENS...

My chickens are nice.

My chickens appreciate being let out into the backyard to snatch up nasty bugs that might harm my beautiful plants.

They do NOT EAT/KILL/DESTROY all of my beautiful, backyard plants that I have labored over and cared for all summer long.

My chickens do not girdle the trunk of the lovely "Snow Crab" Tree that I have been nursing back to health after some, nasty, woolly creature girdled it this Spring!

They don't leave piles of black dirt all over the patio, where potted plants of lush, Geraniums and colorful Mums once stood.

Can you guess what I came home from work to at 11 o'clock last night???
The first clue was "raisins" on the floor in the garage that I noticed while feeding the dogs. I had left the dogs outside with the door from the (attached) garage open to the backyard so they could go out when ever they want. As I was setting down the dog food, I noticed the little, dark, raisins, scattered about the floor in the garage. Oh-oh. Sure enough. I turned on the back light and stepped out onto the patio. Over turned pots were every where. Bye-bye Geraniums who had made a third and final comeback and were just beginning to flower. So long to the 5 gorgeous, rust colored Mum plants that I had just purchased last weekend and hadn't even had time to plant yet. See you next year Hostas, Daylillies, Clematis, Daisies, Purple Cone Flowers, Irises. The only thing left are the Impatience (which they NEVER touch, so obviously do not like!),Rosemary and Thyme. Oh, and my "Zone 4 Hardy" Hibiscus and Lavender plants! I SWEAR, I would have killed the sheep if they'd ate them too!

So, my beautiful backyard is done for this year. I'm afraid, my lovely Snow Crab tree is done ~ for good. :-(
I'll probably buy a new one next year. Hope springs eternal, ya know.

It's my own fault. Once again, I obviously failed to chain the gate shut. It closes automatically but can be pushed open easily if the chain's not on. I guess I forgot to chain it when I cam in from sitting with the shits sheep yesterday...

As angry as I am at the sheep (and at myself), I am SO grateful to my DOGS! Sadie (a Treeing Walker Coonhound ~ that's a HUNTING breed folks!) and Bella (English Shepherd) were in the garage and yard WITH the sheep. As much as I would have appreciated it if they would have chased the sheep back into the pasture, I'm so grateful that they didn't ATTACK them! It could have been SO much worse....

Counting my blessings (but still mad at my sheep!) in the Bluff Country...

DREAM says...

"Burp"