Solar Charging

Short Round 

If the sun is shining and there's no wind, all you need to be completely comfy is a good ray of sun.

Solar charging with an extra blanket.  Actually two blankets this morning.  We ended up going down to -1 early this morning and Maisie got pretty cold even with a jacket last night.  I added Cheeto's old super sized blanket this morning and she looks much more comfortable.  

Murphy, if you weren't such a doofus we wouldn't be laughing at your snow "teeth" that make you look like Howdy Doody ;-).

The sleigh ride was a blast!  More to come as I collect pictures and videos.  

A Mother's Love

Every afternoon around 2:30/3:00 Christopher leaves the barn by himself, walks past the sheep water tank, out and around the corner to the front field, gets a drink from the horse waterer and then returns to the rest of the sheep still sleeping in the barn.  

He may nose around a bit by the horse stalls, but mostly it's just to get a drink.  The water is from the same source.  The sheep tank is inside the barn, out of the sun.  The horse waterer is a smaller capacity tank and sits in full sun.  Both are cleaned regularly, but I know which one I'd drink from...and it's not the horse's water.

I drove Frankie in the arena the other day.  To get there we go through the gate at the front corner of the barn and past the horse stalls.  I leave that gate open until we drive back through when we are finished. Frankie and I drive into the barn to unhook and unharness and afterward back out front for a bath.

Along comes Christopher.  He gets a drink, sees the open gate and thinks there is no one around and decides to wander out into the yard driveway for a snack.  I started spraying Frankie down just as he got started eating and he saw us...and panicked.

"Oh no!  There's that stupid horse!  And there's water spraying everywhere!  Oh waily-waily!*"

He cried and cried and I tried to talk to him to get him to calm down and wait just a minute while I finished giving Frankie a quick bath and then could go help him find his way home, but nothing was helping.  

"Oh noooo!  Help me!" 

He was in zero danger ;-).  

"Momma!  MOMMA!  Help me, momma!"

"Hey!  Who's out here bothering my kid!"

He stopped screaming and started eating as soon as he saw her coming.

"Christopher?  You woke me up for this?"

"Well, I guess while I'm out here, is that grass any good?"

I'm not sure if Short Round would still come running if Ellie yelled for her.  I doubt I'll find out.  Ellie doesn't get herself in too many scary situations.  I bet Krista never stops taking care of Christopher and Maggie :-).

* "Oh waily-waily!" is from The Wee Free Men by Terry Prachett.  This is one of my very favorite books...in case you are looking for a really good story.  I've lost track of how many times I've listened to it.  If you like audio books, the reader is perfect!

 

Baa-shing Through The Snow...Or Rain

Well, the weather outside is looking a bit frightful, or at least damp, but we're all wearing wool anyway...right?  If you were thinking about coming out today to see the sheep, come on out!  The barn is actually quite cozy even on the nastiest of days.  

* * * * *

A...um...few years ago my friend Susan and I tried to pull one of our trusty sleds like this (sort of ;-) with Handy. I don't think I even got a turn on the sled before it went a** over tea kettle and broke into a million pieces. That wasn't our first sledding wreck...and it wasn't our last. Those are some of my most favorite-est memories.

I'm not sure Maisie would agree, but I think I can almost hear her laughing...or maybe that's Susan or possibly 20, my other favorite sledding buddy ;-D.

If you'd like to work this as a puzzle, here you go :-). 

Merry Christmas!

Happy Halloween

"Yeah...they dressed me up as a spider."

"A spider."

"But wait...don't spiders bite people?"

"You better give me a bunch of cookies!"

"I prefer to think of myself as a super hero!"

While you sure don't want to see your deluxe Halloween costume destroyed, I'd be lying if I didn't admit there is a little part of me that sort of misses the Maisie who wouldn't even wear a wizards hat.

Between A [Gate] And A Hard Place

As I mentioned the other day, I was sure Krista's kids would be happy to demonstrate their "amazing" gate skills and they were.  Luckily only one of the little thugs can still fit through.  I love the looks on Krista's and Christopher's faces.

 "Now open the latch for us, Maggie!"

Breaking And Exiting

Meanwhile, back in July...and June...and May...and, to be honest, again just two days ago...  These five hoodlums lovely sheep, have been outsmarting me by busting out of their paddock and running wild in the yard.  Well, if we're being honest, I've technically left a gate unlatched and thereby outdumbed my own self.  Where I'm being outsmarted is trying to get them back in.  

This is not my first experience with leaving gates unlatched and finding sheep grazing picturesquely in the yard.  I'm actually pro level.  I'm eating breakfast, hear a sheep bell that sounds too close, look out the window, see the entire flock out in the yard and jump up and run outside yelling and clapping my hands and they all race back to the barn and I latch the gate. 

I've given up yelling at Krista and her loyal followers.  She barely raises her head and when she does, it's just to take everyone under the Christmas card pine tree that she knows I can't get under and continues eating until I get around to her side of the tree and then she trots to the other side and continues eating and when I get back around to that side...

 After much effort (and usually much cursing) I can get her to eventually saunter back to the barn "area", but even then the chances I'm going to be able to get them back in their paddock are low.

Her favorite move is "Okay.  Lighten up, lady.  We're going back in (insert eye roll)."  She'll calmly lead them all past the truck, heading straight for the open gate...and right at the last minute, when she gets me just far enough around the truck, she'll make a break for it and race around the far side of the truck and back down the driveway and back to eating.  Her kids think this is the funniest thing ever.  

We have gone round and round about this.  Literally.  If Kate were younger, she'd have nipped this in the bud, problem solved.  One day, after we'd gone around the truck five or six times like that, I'd had enough and grabbed a buggy whip and I nipped her in the [butt] myself.  "Oh, you want us to go back in the field?  Why didn't you just say so?"

You might think I could just end this story here, but this is not the end of the gate shenanigans.  Krista's well schooled kids can get through even latched gates.  I feel like I have a picture of that somewhere back in the phone archives, but I need to get busy so I may just try to take another picture this morning.  I'm sure they'd be glad to demonstrate (insert eye roll).

All Together Now

"Yum!  Icicles!"

"Dude, you better be careful.  You know what can happen!"

"I can't believe he's doing that."

"I tried to warn him."

"Spud, it's okay.  I'm just using..."

(All together now)   

"...my teefers!"  :-D

Hug A Sheep Day - 2020 Style

The only complaint I've ever received about our Hug A Sheep Day farm parties is that out of town folks can't join in. This year? Everyone gets to come to the party! :-D

National Hug a Sheep Day is this Saturday...which is also Halloween...wink, wink.  While we mostly aren't up to hugging Maisie, you know we are probably going to make her dress up ;-).  As far as hugging goes, we are going to try to do several fun live online events throughout the day.  There will not be an on farm party this year :-/.

The tentative schedule involves a couple of flock walks, a cookie party, a spinning demonstration, a fleece show/sale, a surprise in the Wool House...and Maisie's Halloween costume, which might be our most epic yet.  "There may be no survivors."  That book quote is not just a prediction, but also a clue.  Any guesses?

The live events will be hosted on Instagram.  I should be able to record them and post links over to Facebook and hopefully on the blog as well.  I'm not super tech savvy though, so the safest (and most likely funniest) thing would probably be to watch them live. 

I'll post the firmed up schedule on Thursday.  We'll be doing some live audiovisual tests on Friday, so there may some opportunities to give it a try ahead of time if you need/want to.  My best recommendation is find a kid somewhere that can help you get set up.

Stay tuned!  

By the way, 20 wanted me to assure everyone that he had absolutely nothing to do with 2020 and he hopes no one is holding it against him.

Put Your Coffee Down

The 2020 Iditarod started yesterday.  Well, the ceremonial start was yesterday.  The actual start is today.  And like the Iditarod, my Iknitarod has once again made a ceremonial start...and will restart today.  Sigh...

I was planning on doing my official start post yesterday to let you know who and what I was knitting and introduce my Iknitarider and share my Ravatar, but something hilarious happened and I'm going to preempt that post with something silly.

Put your coffee down.

View this post on Instagram

😂😂😂😂😂 . . We are using a working chute for shearing this year. I wanted everyone to practice going through ahead of time so they wouldn’t be scared on shearing day. I know you shouldn’t laugh at your kids, but... 😂😂😂😂😂 . #theyareFLUFFY #orfat🙄

A post shared by Sara Dunham (@thecrazysheeplady) on Mar 7, 2020 at 3:07pm PST

A Strange Voice In The Barn

As I was starting to do evening chores the other night and the sheep were filtering in from the back field I heard a strange "ba-a-a-a-a".  Low and gravel-y. 

"Who was that?" I called out. 

"Ba-a-a-a-a."

Hmmmm...  "Who said that?" I asked again, hoping to see someone's lips move, but it was nearly dark. 

"Ba-a-a-a-a."

I know pretty much every "baaaa" in the flock.  Rarely does someone say something that I don't at least recognize as a familiar voice.  A deep voice does not necessarily mean a ram or wether (boys); a high voice doesn't necessarily mean a ewe (girls).  Liddy can growl with the best of them and Jared sings soprano ;-).

I called out one more time.  The sheep looking most intently at me was Big Moose.  He was standing just outside the door though and it was too dark to see his black face...and besides, I knew his voice.  Still...  I pulled out the lamb dinner call.

"Beh-bies?"

"Ba-a-a-a-a-a!"  "Baaaaaa!"

It was Big Moose.  His voice had changed!

View this post on Instagram

This is fixin’ to be a blog post and will make more sense in a few minutes. Just need to have this sound bite uploaded first 😉.

A post shared by Sara Dunham (@thecrazysheeplady) on Mar 5, 2020 at 7:43am PST

And Mini Moose's hasn't.  Just something silly to make you laugh :-).

View this post on Instagram

Running and jumping their way back to the barn.

A post shared by Sara Dunham (@thecrazysheeplady) on Mar 3, 2020 at 8:03am PST

Speaking of big voices, if you missed this video the other day, that's Biscuit with the Big Baaa hollering as the sheep run up.  And you definitely don't want to miss Maisie racing everyone in with her propeller spinning :-D.

Lamb Camp Legacy...The Outtakes

My plan was to do the official post for the new Lamb Camp Legacy yarn this evening, but the  photo outtakes were so funny I couldn't help posting them first.  For all you Baaxter fans... :-D.

I'd been walking around trying to take some nice pictures of the yarn and noticed the sheep were in the side field with a lovely sunset behind them.  I set the basket of yarn down in there thinking it would be nice if I could take a picture with Rocky and Jared in the background.  Rocky and Baaxter walked right up.

Baaxter in the lead.

I couldn't believe my luck and started shooting.

I moved over a bit to get out of the sun glare...

...and that's where things headed south.

"You sure you're supposed to eat that, son?"

"Yeah, I get to do whatever I want..."

...because I'm yarn worthy!  And I know my Auntie Reg will bail me out ;-)."

He ate the tag.  I tried to take it away from him, but all I could get back was the yarn.  Hope his Auntie Reg makes him something nice with it ;-D.

I'll post the "real" pictures tomorrow and if anyone would like to buy some really nice yarn with only a little bit of sheep spit on it...

Birthday Memories

It was getting late and the sun was going down and I thought about postponing Maisie's birthday party.  When I walked out back and saw that all the sheep were grazing out in the back fields, it was the icing on the cake...until I saw Maisie standing just down the hill staring up at me...like she was waiting.

I grabbed a bale of straw and carried it through the barn lot.  I tossed it over the short fence, turned around and found Maisie now standing right beside me.  "I know what today is!"  I opened the gate and she walked herself through without any fuss.  I think she really DID know it was her birthday.  

I went back and gathered up the "cake", her candle, one of Auntie Reg's birthday balloons and my camera.  Maisie was grazing at the far corner of the...whatever you'd call that little area with the mounting block.  She watched me assemble her cake and then quietly walked over and dug right in.

She totally knew it was her birthday.

"I've never seen a balloon before."

The only sheep near the barn were Cheeto, who's knee is bothering her, Clover Belly, who was hoping for early dinner and Biscuit...who probably also knew what that bale of straw meant ;-). After Maisie had eaten as many Cheerios as I thought she needed, I let them come in and join the party.

"I've never been to a birthday party before.  This is fun!  I LOVE birthday cake!"

"I love this balloon!"

And then we all heard it.  Sheep bells.  Coming in fast.  Someone out in the field finally noticed the party in progress at the barn and everyone  raced in.

And that was the end of the Maisie's seventh birthday party.  It was one of her very best.  Another great Wovember Memory :-).

Tricks Or Treats...Mostly Just Treats

After Maisie's, um, disappointing (?) debut as The Devil Went To Dairy Queen last year, we decided she would dress up as an angel this year.  An angel with a flowing robe, big feathered wings...and a halo...floating over her head.  Auntie Reg, Stella and I busted out the hot glue for our most elaborate costume yet.

As no one will ever forget her ripping off her fancy wizard hat and stomping it into the ground, we figured we'd have to duct tape the halo to her head.  Just kidding.  It only looks like it's duct taped ;-).  Turned out we didn't have anything to worry about.  

Except it's Maisie...so there was still a little bit of devil hiding underneath her angelic robe ;-D.  Great idea, Karen!

"What is happening to Maisie, Liddy?"

"She's getting all the Cheerios, that's what!"

"All. The. Cheerios."

I would love to know what was going through Cheeto's mind.

What a little angel :-).

The Dairy Queen Halloween fundraiser for the Harrison County Humane Society got rained out last Saturday, but they've rescheduled it for this Saturday (5:00) and Maisie will once again be going to do her part to help.  The Devil Goes Back To Dairy Queen :-D.  Maybe we'll go "live" on Instagram!