I'm a bummer Dude!

Sorry folks if I've let you down by not writing, posting, joking, laughing, visiting etc.. I was very excited a few months ago to re-join the ranks of the employed, only to discover to my chagrin that I will only be working when needed to. So, as of Sept 2nd, I will have a big whopping 3.25 hours per week to pay my bills feed, etc...

I did not post anything in the last little while because I was not in a terribly nice mood & I learned that I should not let others influence me to such a degree. Well, let me tell you, as a Pisces, I read people's feelings all the time & it wears me out. So, I withdrew in order to save what little sanity I claim to ever have had.

Now I am facing a major bummer of not having enough funds all over again. So, keeping my game plan in the forefront is difficult when obligations supercede what I want vs what I need. So, goodbye Rhinebeck this year, perhaps next...( I can't count how many years I've said that now)

On the positive side, things happen for a reason- am I meant to find better employment? I hope it comes sooner than the last job as I can't thrive for very long without the money. That just sounds so awful yet, when the bill collectors start calling, they don't care what your story is.If anyone has any thoughts on future work for me, please contact me. I am serious. At the moment. I am trying to figure out which burger flipping place is the better option...sad but true. Like the song says: I gots ta get paid!

Taking it all off...!

I hope it's not a sign of aging but yesterday I looked all over for that darn camera that I had fixed. I had taken a few pics last week & made a mental note to get new batteries as there was not enough power left in them to upload the new pics. So shearing day was yesterday , and where oh where is the camera?? Right along with  the bbq lighter that has also sneaked off into the sunset. So I had to rely on some picture taking by Vanessa from Booth Boys Farm.





 

It is difficult to book a shearer when you only have 2 animals to be done.the shearer was previously over at The Vaanderlaan Barnyard Zoo & then popped by to shear our woolly beasts. So, Vanessa brought Billy- we believe he is a Jacob and Andy-?? but boy is he ever HUGE!! This has to be the biggest sheep I have ever seen. I honestly felt intimidated by this boy!





Billy & Andy waiting their turn in the barber's seat

Andy!!

My two are barely recognizable after such a loss. The poor lambs bleating for Mom & then "What the heck? You're not my Mom!" Night & day after shearing; in fact they don't really look like sheep anymore....



Before Shearing



After Shearing

 Judging by their current size, it won't be long before the lambs outgrow their mothers.
Now for the fleece. Hubby is in the process of building a skirting table which should also be a good drying rack for fleece also. I'm still debating about what to do with the fleeces as I am not a great spinner but would like to use some of this as commemorative pieces...

Tomorrow is my first day at the new job. Bittersweet as I look forward to  a new start but will miss my time with the animals. I keep telling myself that I must work in order to feed the animals instead of myself. I wonder if they'll all miss me too? So, the knitting will be slowing down. almost done with Snowcloud- just working on the short-row collar. I have started Maude Louise- cardigan pattern that calls for 3 different needle sizes for shaping. I have the back done already! And now for something completely different: It's not green!

Down on the farm...

It's Spring and with that come changes, especially when you have farm animals. My 2nd batch of seeds have been sown. I am waiting for some not so windy weather to plant as the stems are still very fragile..

Now, all the critters know it's Spring, especially the horses. You know that saying, " The grass is always greener on the other side..."? Well, Tessa, whom I thought was acting peculiar yesterday morning decided to test the fence. Twice people came to my door yesterday to tell me a horse was out. Took 3 hours to fix, sort out etc.. why the fence was not providing the jolt required to prevent this from happening again. All is good now.



Day old Australorp chicks



On Saturday I ventured out to the Bird auction in South Mountain. I came home with a hen of mixed breeding-don't care what it is as long as it lays an egg! Sadly, it was cold & windy even inside the building. There were indoor birds there & day old chicks suffering. I was not pleased to see that. They finally decided to auction off the chicks as they could not wait. I did not go there to buy chicks but I bid on 4 -day olds. I paid for them & left. 2 chicks were upside down in the box & the other 2 were chirping albeit very slowly.Long story short, I was angry & scared all at once. Paid $8 for a box of dead chicks. I prepped a brooder all the while keeping the precious cargo warm. I opened the box put the 2 in, looked at the other 2 & they wereNOT DEAD!!! Slow movement when I rolled them. So, I held them under the heat lamp so the body temp. would increase. I flipped them over belly up so they could warm up all over..at this point they are doing the swallowing thing that means they are about to die... I made them drink, continued to hold them for 15 minutes...they are now fine & fully alert!!



Liam & Mom Clarice



Now for the Really big news..THE LAMBS ARE HERE!!!! 2 weeks early and I had no bloody camera. Well today I fixed the camera- which is why I did not post earlier. Liam was born around 11 am Sunday morning & Magnus was born early Monday morning. They are both rams which means as adults more fleece  moahhaha!!




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Magnus & Mom Beyonce-messy girl...

  So this is the first generation of the Karberry flock. I wonder if I will have ewes next year?? I may add some Icelandic & Jacob to my flock...We'll see...until then I will have the ladies shorn- yes that was booked in May before they were due to lamb. Oh well....Come vist the babies if you can. In about 4 months they should have a large set of horns already!!! Need much better fencing for sure....

New-old boxes

Recently I've noticed a lot of traffic for the nesting boxes at the same time every day....Hens are funny- when the feel ready to lay, that becomes the main focus. The problem here is too many at once & hens going in 2 at a time resulting in some broken eggs. Since I am home to observe this, I provided the hens with alternate options but they don't seem to be falling for them. So, on Friday, hubby & I built some more boxes, using scrap wood from a job site. We are frugal as we must be and I'm sure the chickens don't mind how they look. It's all about functionality.

Hopefully, this will rectify the problem. I will be adding more hens to my flock after the auction on Apr. 28th in South Mountain. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the Spencerville sale- not happy about it, but that's life.

Shearing day at Shirley Browsky's farm has been moved to next weekend and I do believe my farrier is coming next Sat....my plans are getting shot lately. I will be searching for a lift to guild on Monday because I really would like to hear about the rare sheep breeds.

My new pattern for a sock is ready to be test knitted. I had the awkward moments of changing things every other row and settled on something that is not complicated but interesting to knit. 4 round repeat-super easy to follow. It is after all the beginning!My plan is to create kits of my own yarn(giggle) as I only have 2 sheep and not enough wool to process...But next year, my flock will have doubled if nothing else.So, the designing has begun. I am looking forward to creating more!1 month from now, the sheep will be shorn and approaching lambing! I have been cleaning out the barn and mwntally taking note of how to expand space. I have decided on creating a few more pens using skids-palletts.Economical and sturdy. I have discovered that with sheep, if you see a space where you think they may be able to get out, they will.

Happy Easter All!

It is Easter Sunday and all is the same. Except for something I discovered that will change knitting for myself for ever.... In this journey called life, I seemed to have lost something.. and found it elsewhere. The discovery came about as I investigated my disatisfaction of 2 garments I had knitted for myself. My tension is good, the garments bigger than I would like: that meant only 1 thing....I am smaller than I thought.

Indeed- I started with bust measurements and lo & behold...I have lost my chest!! How the heck does that happen? I am not a thin person but holy hannah...it is only gone from there?? And guess where I found it? I suspected some time ago where I've added to my measurements. I was walking to the store- after child #2 I think, it's all a blurr-and my arms swinging kept hitting something. Yup, that something was where space was before.. ny hips/ass if you will. Once an hour glass shape to a pear. I don't know if that's a good thing but it certainly has repercussions for me as a knitter knitting for myself.

So if your knitting is off size  please take your measurements again...gravity sucks!

I am almost done with sleeves/back to Snowcloud... I am liking the simplicity. I am watching the Rosemary & Thyme series while knitting this. I have also finished a pair of socks for myself ( feet are wider after children)

I have also begun a pair of socks from Nancy Bush's Knitting on the Road...time to put some of this on Ravelry.....

New digs for chicks & reclaiming my space!

Well, I moved the little stinkers out and have reclaimed my knitting room, er..studio! I even cleaned it up and have books, a table & a couch, albeit a sagging one for my comfort and the cats too.

I seem to be working in a green phase lately and I don't mean eco-friendly green. The color green has always been 1 of my favorites. As I have been saying that this year is my knitting year and I am using up stash, I have started Snowcloud Cardigan by Littletheorem. So far I am enjoying the different construction of this piece. I am using wool-ease-egads. As I mentioned using up stash in all forms.

 I have started a pullover also but fell out of interest as 1 of my darling large dominant cats peed on the yarn. Yes, he's fixed but there are 2 large dominant males and it is not unusual for this behaviour to occur but must it be on my yarn?/ The yarn has been washed. I will continue on Snowcloud in green. Also on the needles is a lace scarf in Silk Twist by Handmaiden also green...

The scarf is not complete, so not blocked. I am looking forward to learning how to dye yarn like this!! Add that to using my own fleece, wow!

I have really enjoyed my time at home with my animals & letting my creative self be amused but I know it is coming to an end & I will have to return to the work mode once again: and not be broke!

Here are a few pics of happenings at the farm:

Forsythia in March



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Tessa in mud & sun



Spring it On!

The February Lady Sweater has been completed! -yes before St. Patty's Day.

 I wore it to the gathering in Kingston. Please forgive the quality of photos as either the cameras here are not working or a cat has chewed the usb cord. All photos are taken via Blackberry...

I am so enjoying the incredibly sunny & warm weather. It certainly has lifted my spirits! Since I have been off work for some time, I have taken advantage of that situation and have baked more, hatched chicks earlier, knit more for myself and today, I have planted seeds indoors. Since the weather is cooeprating I though I may as well go with the flow. So far tomatoes, squash & zucchini have been planted. I may purchase another box & plant different tomatoes & pumpkins. Everything else I can buy from nurseries or stores.

This evening, I will be moving the chicks to a small coop, just for themselves. They are popping the tops off the brooders and they smell!! I want my studio back.I will be experimenting with diatomaceous earth as a insect repellent and natural dewormer. Can't hurt!

I also signed up for a retreat/workshop in Wakefield today. I deserve it and investing in oneself is never a loss. So, I believe by what I've been told that I may start working in April. Not fun but I do need the funds to move on with my plans. Now, off to put clothes out on the line!