(this is an Ashford Electric Spinner, the jury is out as to whether I spin faster with it or not…)
So I spun this:
(this is 100% Pygora)
And this:
(this is a Heinz 57 yarn…everything is in it)
and that:
(that was my first attempt to n ply on the new e-spinner. It didn’t go well but we made friends in the end.)
for pictures of our chickens, I thought a blogpost was in order. :)
This is Scrapper. She is some sort of Silkie mix a friend gave me because of my fondness for Silkie Chickens. She works well in our free range group because her eyes are not covered like a full Silkie’s would be. Oh and did I mention her name is Scrapper? There is a reason for that.
This is Rudy. He is an Icelandic chicken. I suspect that a bit of Silkie is in there too. I intended to kept the breed pure but didn’t think it through when I put them with the Silkie crosses. (You are shocked aren’t you? Those who know me know I rarely think it through) You see the Silkies are great for sitting on the eggs BUT the eggs they lay are the same color and I can’t tell which are which. ::Le Sigh::
Here is the chicken congregation. I am not sure what the meeting was about, they are got quiet when I showed up. As you see we have more mutts; lesson learned. However, they still lay a good amount of eggs and keep the mosquito population down in the summer.
Here you see our Icelandic Rooster Yosemite Sam and the other Silkie that’s been causing all the trouble, Alice. Perhaps that is what the meetings about….must be serious if they let the roosters in.
Our two Icelandic Hens, Henny Penny and Twig.
I asked the ewe lambs what was going on but they wouldn’t talk…
And the calves were no help either. I doubt the chickens were discussing the need to bring more bottles of milk, however insistent these two are.
Yes. It’s true. 30 lbs true. Time to do.something. Soooo…today I started the Body by Vi challenge. Yes, I have done it all before. I feel like a smoker who is trying to quit, you just gotta keep trying.
In the interest of playing along here’s a before picture:
Please don’t snicker, jeer and point…it isn’t nice. really.
Sorry, I couldn’t resist. And honestly, I am a little afraid.
I will let you know how it goes. My goal is to update daily….yikes!
Here’s something a little less depressing though:
A yarny update! www.countingsheepfarm.etsy.com
What’s with all the updates you ask?
Well, I’ll tell ya! I’m broke. There you have it: I’m fat and I’m broke. Geez you guys are brutal!
<very big grin>
I would like to thank everyone for being patient while I dealt with the crisis our family was going through. Now it is time to get back to work though!
Today’s update includes hand carded batts that I have dizzed into roving.
First I carded the batts, sending them thru the carder several times to evenly blend the fibers together.
Then I ran them thru a diz to make them super spinnable! I have found that newbie are often hesitant to try batts because they are quite sure how to draft them. That’s quite a shame because batts make wonderful yarn.
Each batt to roving was then braided to keep the fiber in order, again to make the spinning easier.
I have also added some beautiful Suri Alpaca locks.
As always, you can find it all here.
but I still got loot!
We had a lovely Thanksgiving. It was nice to have the whole family together as we celebrated our first holiday without my uncle. Today we opted to sleep this afternoon instead of shop but we did manage to wrangle the husband into watching the kids for a bit of shopping.
I came home for a bit of a nap, a little exhausted still from my early morning quality time with 32lb Mr. Turkey and found my swap package from desertgarden!
So many great things!! A handspun, handknit heart, a handmade diz, glass beads, silk ribbons, fiber galore!, and a beautiful spindle.
If you get a chance, be sure to check out the lovely things she has in her shop!
If I do say so myself.
The etsy shop has been updated with the full sized versions of the phatfiber samples for the December box now that the samples themselves are on their way! It feels great to be back in the groove again…
(Here’s a closer look in case you missed yesterday’s post…)
And I am excited to introduce my new yarn: Sweater Babe!
Sweater Babe is 100% BFL and is a 4 ply worsted weight yarn. Each skein is 500 yards and is enough to make the short sleeved cardigan pictured above! If you are in the mood for a new sweater or cardigan or shawl (or whatever) keep an eye out, I have lots of new colors to list!
With the recent death of my uncle I found the Phatfiber theme for December (Childhood Favorites) poignant.
I did three separate colorways: Hardy Dam, Hardy Pond and Sirens.
Each summer, we spent the lazy days at Hardy Dam. You would find us floating in the pontoon boat on the pond or swimming at the beach right by the dam. We made a lifetime of memories on that water.
I did the Sirens colorway because as a child I would often stare at the light reflecting on the deep water as we floated in my father’s lastest fix her up speed boat and wonder just what was under there. I was quite sure there were mermaids. There are only 2! samples of the Sirens colorway. If you happen to get one be sure to let me know you found the Siren! and I will send you a 4 ounce braid of the Sirens colorway. Good luck!
As a side note, Twila and I made it to Irish Dance class after missing the last two weeks and my instructor and I had interesting conversation about life and death and what we really mourn for…
As I drove home I scanned through the stations and came upon the song If I Die Young. I have heard it before but never really listened. I love the part where it says…
Save your tears, keep ‘em in your pocket. Save ‘em for time when you’re really gonna need them.
I think Uncle Dan would have liked that too. I think he would agree.
Harriet Beecher Stowe once said:
The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.
I am so thankful for the time we had with my uncle to say those necessary things, to do what must be done. We listened to the memories other shared of him, we found peace and comfort in the legacy he left behind. There is something powerful that comes from having no regrets…
He is no fool who gives up what he cannot have for what he cannot lose. – Jim Elliot
See ya in heaven Uncle Dan...
3-5-55/11-11-11 2:19pm
Sent from Rachel's iPhone
www.countingsheepfarm.com
Another day home and a lot was accomplished…
the dye pots were filled
I found that crazy camera charger
tied up some loose ends and worked on a few to dos
Tomorrow I head back to the hospital. My uncle isn’t saying much now….
I wish my sister still lived just down the road from the hospital, not forever away in Memphis. She’s nurse you know…
I wish that everything wasn’t happening so fast. I wish it wasn’t happening at all…
I wish my uncle could go to Florida one more time…just like he wanted.
I wish I was a little stronger, a little wiser…
But wishes doesn’t make anything easier and it doesn’t mend broken hearts.
Hope on the other hand…now that is something to hang on to.
Today I am sitting at home. I am not at the hospital, I am not running children to various activities. I am not cleaning (yet) and I am not at church. I am tired and just need to be nowhere for awhile.
I feel guilty because I am not with my family at the hospital and even more guilty that I can’t give my Aunt the break I am taking right now.
For those of you waiting for your last fiber/yarn club shipment, I apologize and I thank you for your patience. I haven’t forgotten you and will be shipping soon.
Today I am at the rehab hospital with my Aunt and Uncle learning how to help when he comes home. I am glad to have a part. I am thankful for the reminder that sometimes we are called to the part of the strong and sometimes we are called to the part of the weak. Both are valid and worthy of respect. Some lessons are best learned when we are strong; some lessons only the weak understand and we will each have our turn at both. I am also thankful to learn that love makes us strong enough to do what we must.
We do the best we can with what we have and thank God for the rest...
Sorry for the typos and bad grammar...typing a blogpost from the phone is a bit tricky.
Sent from Rachel's iPhone
www.countingsheepfarm.com
I have several fabulous blog posts planned but alas my camera charger is missing and of course the battery is dead. So the fabulousness will have to wait.
In the meantime check out the etsy store :) There are a few things in there and a some of them are on sale!
