A Whirled Yarn

Where are those gosh durn pictures?

 

Okay, so I admit it...I have failed at Project 365.  Completely.  Miserably.  But I have a rather good excuse (relax, it doesn't have anything to do with coal power)...I just can't tell you quite yet (oh relax Honey, I'm not pregnant again).  I just need to finalize a few things before I announce my new and ambitious plans to the world (or at least to the four people who read my blog).  I know it's hard to believe I have the fortitude to commit to a spanking new project when I can't even take one measly picture a day...

But in the mean time, The Harveyville Spinsters met this weekend at Ewephoria Farm.  It is the best sheep farm, like, ever.  With the awesomest sheep and absolutely to die for fleeces.  I mean it really, you need a fleece, you see Tina.  She'll set you up fine.  My sheep came from Tina.  So, when I found we were going there anyways, it seemed prudent to bring along adequate sheep transportation and a halter.  Because...you never know.  Plus, it is almost my tenth anniversary, and it is common knowledge that the tenth is the wool one.  Really,...it is...go look it up.

So I took just one sheep halter with me to guarantee that I would only come home with one sheep.  Well guess what?!  The second little sheepy was so small, I didn't even need a halter!  I could just pick him right up!

So here they are..Daisy and Clover...

 

Daisy may look brown to you...but part that fleece and she is black.  Black!  I am so stinkin' excited!  And the little guy, Clover, is a Shetland.  So he looks rather like a woolly pig with funny little horns.  Adorable!

 

All the pictures have been taken at a distance as they are still extremely shy.  They spend their time trying to stay out of the rest of the flocks way. 

I really don't know why they don't want to buddy right up to this...

Or this...

 

It won't be long before they are shamelessly trying to stuff their entire bodies through a four inch square of fence in order to get a cookie...just like everyone else.

How do you tell the temperature on the prairie?

By the size of your snowman...

...of course.

You know you live in a farmhouse when...

...This is what you get to deal with before that first cup of coffee in the morning...

So, I have a farmhouse in Kansas, (I meant that to sound very "Out Of Africa"...you were supposed to hear Meryl Streep as you read it...although the choice of accent was up to you.).

Our farm was originally acquired through the Homestead Act, and was in the same family for over 100 years.  The next family were hog farmers.  And like a lot of Kansas farmers, they preferred to live in town.  So our house, (as old locals love to point out when they find out where we live)... was used to house pigs.  Interestingly enough, our old house in Ithaca, NY had previously housed hippies and chickens.   Past farm animal use is apparently quite a selling point for us.  The hog farmer was eventually a victim of shortsightedness as he and his family did end up living in the house, immediately post pig.   They tried to make up for this poor planning by covering everything and anything with plastic, faux wood paneling and green shag carpet.  Perhaps the environmental overstimulation helped them to forget...

Well, there aren't any pigs left, but we still have proof that we are a small but authentic farm.

To begin with, we have one of these....

Pretty awesome, huh,...it's a grain storage thingamagingy.  Please notice how the trees have been cleverly placed to hold up the structure during a strong wind.

And we also have this...

This is the hay/poop wagon (sorry kids, you never really used it anyways).  You can use it to haul hay and grain to the paddocks and manure to "The Pile".  Tractors, you know, are way over rated... they are expensive, they pollute the air, and you can't fix them with a pair of bike training wheels.  In fact, I would bet you money there are more tractors owned by people living in subdivisions around here than on farms.  We knowingly call that "All tractor and no livestock".  (But, ahem, if you hear of a reliable, cheap, used tractor in my area...please let me know).

We also have the original settler's cabin...

Again, cleverly being held up by trees.

We have power line poles mysteriously standing lonely in the middle of pastures...

And of course, the absolute proof that you have a genuine farm...

Yes...I took a picture of our manure pile. 

Circle your Wagons

I have lots of fun things to check out all for a very good cause.  The Yarn Museum and Homestead Wool and Gift Farm are co-sponsoring an exhibit, contest and auction/sale of some incredible yarns by some very talented people (blush...me included of course).  The theme is "Circle Your Wagons" and all proceeds from sale/auction go to help pay medical expenses for a very ill fiber artist HollyEqq.

Here is my yarn "Prairie Circle"...

I know. I know, the name sounds like a culdesac in the burbs, but I was thinking about a circle of pioneer women working together on a quilt for another woman in need.  Very deep, I know.

.This only happens TODAY, So go check out the exhibit, vote for your favorite at Pluckyfluff's blog (remember, mine is there, hint, hint) and buy some yarn!

Ahh Hahh!

So this is why we bought a camel back sofa...

Keep in mind...this is supposed to be a barn cat.

This one is for The Country Doctor's Wife...eyeballs and all...

 

Viewer discretion is advised...

Caution...the following are graphic crime scene photos...

 

You may recognize the victim as the lovely, little Victorian teacup that had recently graced many a yarn-in-progress photo.  It was an up and coming teacup that had a promising career ahead of itself.  A Christmas gift and honor student, the teacup worked hard holding all my little beads...many of which are now wedged between the floor boards...

(Please ignore the dust and the dog hair that I don't dare remove... they may actually be holding the floor up.)

In the right place at the wrong time, the teacup fell victim to a known trouble maker... 

who has been brought up on many such charges in the past.

The weapon... a deadly stuffed horse.  (Although highly illegal, they can be easily obtained from your sister's bed).

 

This incident is just another illustration of the growing crime rate in our area.  Starting 9 years, 5 months and 11days ago (but who is counting, really) many have fallen victim to not only this perp (he is relativly new on the scene)  but also his two accomplices.

In memorandum, here is a list of the fallen.  Please remember that due to the incredibly long list of victims...some may have been unwittingly omitted...or cut due to space.

1. Any and all house plants...either felled by flying objects, running toddlers with no sense of direction or complete neglect due to other overwhelming obligations like nursing...still counts as their fault.

2. Any sense of Feug Shui this house may have had.

3. Most of my antique cup and saucer collection started during the brief care-free period between school and marriage.

4. Most of all the old crap my husband bought at auction during the very long, care-free period between school and marriage.

5. Romantic dinners for two.

6. The dog-child status once bestowed upon our pets...lucky for them.

7. Anything resembling my own sanity.

This post is dedicated to the memory of Teacup (circa 1900-Feb 2007).

How to make a cupcake...

1. Take one gorgeous batt of pinks, tencel and lots of white merino and angora. 

2. Spin in strings of pearly white and pearly pink sequins.

3. String glow in the dark pink thread with pink and white pearls, pink Swarovski crystals, funky bubble gum pink flower sequins, these yummy beads that look frosted with sugar and some awesome hand made cupcake beads from Candyland.  (Can I say pink one more time!?!)

4. Ply baby, ply!

5. Devour...

Pink, pink, pink, pink, pink.....there I did it.  Feel much better...

Just whirling...

Back to work...making some thick and thin "Cupcake".  You know, Gandhi urged his government members to spin everyday.  Just think how calm and grounded the world could be...

Oi, have I been busy!

Oh, don't worry, I haven't been cleaning my house, or painting the bathroom, or going through closets or anything as useless as that.

I have been... taking pictures of yarn.

 

The weather has been beautiful, and you know, your yarn just has to get out once in awhile... just like your clothes like to drive around in your car for a couple of weeks before you take it to the dry cleaners.  It just makes the world a better place.

Here it is enjoying a nice swing...

Time for a close up...

The new guys got all the attention...

Because you've just got to love fake bugs...

But all that fresh air can be rather exhausting.

 

I have ulterior motives...

He may think he is just amusing himself...but I see a job beading plying thread in his future.

Oh, don't think I haven't gone there too!