Sheep again!

I'm tired of watching sheep do the dirty. The wrong thing to do is place the paddock for the sheep just outside your window. Though the fence that keeps them contained is 50 or more feet away from the house it is still there plain as plain sheep eating, sheep lying down, sheep eating snow, sheep going in the barn, sheep chewing their cuds, yes and sheep doing the dirty. It is breeding season and the ram is in the paddock with the ewes. Make no mistake, there will be lambs in the spring unless he is shooting blanks which I won't know yet. I almost feel sorry for the gals.... actually, no I don't. I've never seen a bigger bunch of harlots in my life. I think if they could wear fishnet stockings and lipstick they would. The ram, whose name is Oscar, is quite the gentleman about it and so he services them when need be and then gently nudges them to move along. He follows them around quite closely but I don't think he's overzealous. He just does the job matter of factly and without needing accolades. I think if I could personify him he would wear a bowler hat and carry a walking cane quite jauntily. He's quite British in his demeanor. He doesn't go from one sheep to the next either, just services one for the day and then on to the next. I'm not sure but it probably has something to do with the fact that the ewes are not all cycling at the same time.
It's all quite scientific and rather laid back. I wasn't sure what was going to happen when he went in the paddock with them.

So the sheep seem to be doing what needs to be done. I'm just getting tired of watching. I feel like a peeping Tom when I happen to look up from breakfast or making the bed and there they are going at it again. I'm thinking the paddock somewhere else would have been a good idea.

I have one wristlet finished but don't have a picture to upload today. My digital camera has decided to die on me.... actually it is the rechargable batteries. They won't hold a charge any longer. I noticed this recently when I replaced the batteries with freshly charged batteries right out of the battery charger and the camera turned on and then turned off right away. I remember thinking, "Well, that was rude!" Now I have managed to get the camera to last for the length of time it takes to take one picture, and I had better have everything set up so the picture is right the first time or else... you know, lighting and all that stuff. So this weekend while I am Christmas shopping, a new set of rechargeable batteries is on my list of necessities.

I took my wristlet to knit night and am pleased to say that they were met with approval. It is rather embarrassing though to go on about hating dpns and then show up with a project that requires them. Oh Daughter #1 if you only knew what I do for you. It is not my choice of colours I mean orange yellow and green... yuck! But Daughter #1 likes it and they are for her. Actually they are turning out better than I expected. I may make myself a pair. I just will use different colours. I've got some lovely polwarth rovings that I bought from Rovings. I think it is called Autumn Blaze. It is a combination of golds, roses and purples. Anyway, I am away for the next few days and so when I get back I will have batteries for the camera and then I will be able to post pictures of wristlets, scarf and who knows maybe even baby surprise sweater #2. Ambitious, I know, but maybe I can knit while at the conference. If a BC Hydro Engineer can do it, maybe I can too. Anyway, I'm off to get some breakfast. I wonder if there will be a peep show today!

New Blog to check out

Daughter #2 has decided to start a blog of her own.... it does a mother proud to see her spreading her wings and trying them out. Check out the links for Seashell's Artsie Smartsie Stuff.

Neeexxxttt!

Sometimes I feel like an assembly line. Finish one sweater and then start a pair of wristlets. Yep, out came my teeny weenie double point needles (2.75mm rosewood) and I cast on 42 stitches. 6 rows of K2, P1 and here we go with the next project. Today I will be finishing the spinning for my Noro scarf... is it a Noro scarf if you are not using Noro wool? And since I'm having numbness in my right hand and I'm getting a spinners nob on my index finger from pinching the drafted wool, having a break to knit every so often is a good reprieve from the numbness. So out come the wristlets. I think the next spinning project will be the blue merino/silk for Daughter # 2's wristlets. Daughter #1's are the ones I cast on for last night.

The pattern that I am using Is called April May (CMO125) from Cider Moon at www.cidermoon.com. Sorry the picture is not better but I don't have enough know-how with the camera to make it better with lighting and clarity etc... It is a parallel rib/lace pattern which I thought would show up in the varigated yarn I am using. The yarn is a hand spun (by me) polwarth/silk roving that I bought from Wendy Dennis in Australia. Very lovely, and quite addictive. I have another 200gm in green/turquoise/gold to be spun for myself after Christmas when things settle down. Daughter # 1's wristlets are orange varigated to yellow and then green. Green is her current favorite colour.

I'm also feeling the need to felt a bag which is already knitted. I started a sweater last year in a fushia (Yuck! I hate fushia...) and have two 13 x 13 squares. It would make a great purse or sachel, especially if I felted it. I will pick up the stitches and cast them off and then felt it today. I will also need to braid a handle and felt it too. (That won't happen today.)

So all in all, a busy day ahead for me. Make a plan and stick to your plan..... that's my new motto at least till Christmas..... neeexxxttt!

Boo hoo, sob sob!

I am not on my working retreat. I am at home. This is a big disappointment for me as I was really hoping to get lots of work done. I am gettng work done as I have stopped answering phones and am pretending to not be here, but I am not getting as much done as I would like. There are distractions and I'm not happy about that. Oh well, things are progressing but slowly.

I am continueing to work on the project from my workshop of three days ago. I have spun the 9 skeins required and am working on the scarf that the yarn harlot has on her blog called the Noro scarf. Mine will be hand spun as apposed to bought fibre and that makes a world of difference, in my opinion. It is a rib stitch scarf over an odd number of stitches and stripes from one colour to the next in gradual changes. I loved it and so I am on to that project. I shall be spinning the fibre for the in-between stripes.

Meanwhile I am still working on the baby surprise sweaters. Those I have relagated to knit night on Thursdays, but even those progress. I am almost finished two of them at the same time. Then I will be working on the wristlets for the Daughter for Christmas. In between I am trying to find time to work on the quilt.... yeah there's actually two quilts that I am working on. One is for our church raffle and the other is for our foster child in Peru. Neither one is a large quilt. But both need to be done soon. But I digress.

Scarves.... I finished two back in the summer for Christmas gifts.... yeah I forgot about them when I said the other day that I had nothing done for Christmas. Then I did get the baby sweater from our September workshop (I gave that one so there is something not right about not finishing the project you instigated in the first place) almost finished before I ran out of fibre and had to stop until I got a chance to spin more. So that is 7 UFO's.... see I really need a retreat to get some of these projects done. Ah well... the baby sweaters will wait till after Christmas, the quilts can be finished in a day or two, and the scarf is just spinning, I won't work on that until after Christmas... I just want to finish the spinning now, while the going is good. Next I need to get a hat done for a gift exchange. But that is a surprise.

I have hit the wall for my level 2 homework. I have checked through my notes and all blends need to be labeled in terms of % so I will have to wait on the blends until next week until I can get an accurate scale. I can work on the skeins that are not blended and so I will as of Monday when I have finished my scarf yarn spun. That's today.....

Remember what my Dad says.... "make a plan and stick to it". That's what I am going to do. Retreat????? I'm going to have mine anyway..... it's all part of the plan.

Christmas! Ack!

Just over 4 weeks till Christmas...... Oh My God! I'm shocked..... I'm panicked.... I'm absolutely terrified! I have nothing done. How did this happen? The only thing I've done is change the colours on my blog. I think I had better get with it.

I've worked on my Christmas poem and have that done I think. But I have only one gift ordered and I certainly haven't received it in the mail yet. What am I going to do? Well one thing is for sure... I am not going to let myself think about it too hard because I will start panicking. Ack! Oh I let myself think too long. OK I'm now hyperventilating.

When I think about baking... and gifts.... and decorationg.... and wrapping gifts... and keeping my house clean..... and... ok... I'm hyperventilating again! Why can't I be the cat and just enjoy napping under the tree when it makes it's debut? I think that being blissfully unaware of the most overwhelming time of the year would be a really lovely thing. Being a bear and hibernating through the season of light and joy would be wonderful. This time of year sees me searching for a dark cubby hole where I can wait out the next few weeks in private. I just want to hide. Maybe I could find an interesting hole that I can stick my head in.

I used to love Christmas but as the years have passed I have started to dislike it more and more. I have come to the conclusion that Christmas stresses out all mothers who have to see to the health and happiness of their children and husbands. We want Christmas to be wonderful! Full of surprises and interest. Problem is we forget about ourselves and so end up hating the very season that we want everyone else to enjoy. We work overtime trying to get it right but then we don't. Or at least I don't.....

By the time Christmas rolls around I'm usually sick. I usually wear myself out trying to do everything. Hubby is not much help. Last year he had a trip to Cold Lake in November and spent several hours in the West Edmonton Mall. I told him to do some shopping while he was there. He came home with a game.... that's it.... nothing else. The West Edmonton Mall is the biggest mall in Canada..... and he couldn't find anything. I knew then that I was in trouble.... I knew then that I couldn't ask Hubby again for help. I am completely on my own in this.

"Have a plan and execute that plan," my father always says. So I guess my next step is to put the plan on paper and then put the plan into action. Gees.... I feel like I am going into battle... like what is that all about?

Plan on paper... plan on paper... ok I guess I had better get on that..... in the meantime have a look at this:

The great big fist of winter has hit
Time to get out the scarves, hats and mits.
I find this year I don’t have as much time,
To figure out Christmas poems that rhyme.

But I’ll do my best to give you a clue,
About all that has happened and all that we do.
The first big thing I have to say,
Is I became ‘redundent’ and lost all my pay.

The College disappeared and so did my job,
It didn’t surprise me I didn’t even sob.
Businesses are closing in our little town,
But new ones are opening so I just won’t frown.

I’ve started my own called ‘Ye Olde Batt’
I’m milling wool so how about that!
I’ve bought myself sheep and some alpacas too,
Well you all know me I’ve got to have something to do.

So I am a shepherd with my very own flocks,
We give vaccines and clip nails and shear off their locks.
When I studied Philosophy at good old MUN,
I never thought I’d be having such fun.

The kids are impressed and Hubby too, I think,
I do have to say that he didn’t even blink.
It started out, with 2 alpacas, I said,
But then they’re so cute, it just went to my head.

16 animals later, I’m breeding them now,
And Hubby keeps on smiling, he’s holding out for a sow.
I asked, “Why do you want a great ugly pig?
They’re smelly and gross and nasty and big!”


You’ll have to wait till I write next year’s poem,
or check out my blog at yeoldebatt.blogspot.com
I’m sure if he wants there’ll be a pig here next year,
Then our small farm will be really in gear.

Even Daughter #1 is in on the farm,
“A horse,” she says, “A horse in the barn!”
She took up riding, on Rosie the mare,
with lessons each week, she hasn’t a care.

She has a good teacher and just loves to ride,
She sits on that horse with the greatest of pride.
Her school work too is good we can say,
We enter the teens this year and I pray!

Both of my girls give me wonderful pride,
They’re lovely and polite I cannot deny.
I worry the teen years will be a bad shock
But so far so good, my daughters just ‘rock’.

Daughter #2 keeps on doing so well,
Her marks are tremendous, her art is just swell.
She wrote a story that gave me such pride,
Her talent is growing and can’t be denied.

So from our little farm as the year passes on,
This season of Light full of joy is from God
We wish you all now, the gifts He bestows,
Joy, peace, and hope, with blessings that grow.

Merry Christmas with love from the Nichols Family

Spinning Takes Time

I went to a wonderful workshop yesterday. I learned how to do a three ply yarn and varigate the strands so that they went from one colour to the next seamlessly. Neat! We were supposed to spin 9 skeins in one day.... not huge skeins but 15 gms each. I didn't get there. I managed to complete 3 of my 9 and I have almost enough for my next one which I will finish tonight.... I might even get a couple done. I love when spinners get together because we have so much fun. Yesterday was no different and though there was a push to get it finished we still sat and chatted about everything under the sun.

I will be knitting a scarf with the fibre that I spun but I bought enough to do another project and so I may just use that to do something other than a scarf like mittens which I need desperately. My leather work gloves just don't provide enough warmth. At the workshop it was very inspirational to view all the things that people are doing.

I am off again tomorrow to spend some time on a working retreat and am expecting to get lots done. I will be back at the Master spinner's program again. I am working on the third section of my homework which is all about mohair. This is not one of my favorite fibres to say the least. I have spun one sample in just mohair and it was quite the difficult fibre to process. My next attempt will be a blend of mohair and Finn wool. I have that stuff prepared and found that though I put it through my drum carder to blend it, it still needed to be combed and dizzed to make a really nice preparation. So I will be preparing that and then a blend of mohair and cultivated silk. My last mohair skein must be a textured mohair skein. I will look forward to this one as it is much more fun to play in such a manner.

Between going to the workshop yesterday and the working retreat this weekend, I expect to get a lot done. Inspiration abounds if you just give it a chance. In January I am looking at booking a two or three day retreat at the local Lodge. It is simply a devine place for a retreat. If retreats help to get the work done then I'm all for it. I'm only too glad to take the time to spin if spinning is going to take up my time. What a wonderful way to spend a cold snowy day. Spin a little wool... look out the window at the hoar frost and snow on the trees, drink a little hot chocolate.... yeah, works for me.

The Master Spinner Rides Again

Finally I have gotten the incentive to get to work on my homework. I am consistently sitting and making inroads into the homework. Hurrah! All weekend I have been balancing yarns and mounting the samples in my binder with a write up for each one. My binder is starting to actually get somewhere and look like something. This gives me a sense of accomplishment and makes me want to do more, which is a very good thing since when I look at what is ahead of me I start to panic. But the goal is not to look too far ahead. I just need to put my head down and plough through it. Section 1 done... now on to section 2.

I think it took the coming of the cold weather to settle me down so that I could get to work without wanting to be out in the fresh air. The thing is to keep my momentum up. Now that the sheep and alpacas are settled for winter (except Rammyboy who will have to be moved out with the other boys come December) there is not a lot left to do with them other than a 10 minute feed in the morning and a 10 minute feed in the evening, and, of course, the effort of putting in clean water every few days and also keeping the boys (alpacas) from chewing the necks off each other.

Sometimes it is nice to look out my window with a cup of hot cocoa after the rush of morning chores, and watch the snow falling gently, coating everything in a downy blanket. I love to watch the birds at the feeder on days like that. They seem so happy to gather their food as they call to each other in their never-ending relay from feeder to trees and back again.

Once Hubby and the Daughters are off in the morning that's when life begins. I settle down to an hour or two of spinning homework and then my mid-morning break of cocoa and bird watching then back at the spinning homework again. Lunch comes at noon and then back at it in the afternoon. A month of that schedule and there is a real dent in the homework. The results are a pat on the back.

If I stick with it I'll be done by April. I'm already starting to think about registering for next year's courses. Can't wait. I think that tomorrow I'll wash some llama fibre. I wonder what I can do for my project? Hmmm..... I guess I'll have to think about that.