We are blessed …

I had a lovely chat with the mom of one of Alison’s good friends a few weeks back. She was very interested in fibre, so I answered lots of her questions. Recently she went to an auction, and happened to see some things that looked fibre-y and like she had to take them home. She convinced her husband to bid on a box of stuff (good man that he is, other than “What IS it?”, he complied) … then decided that she would likely never use it and remembered our conversation. She saw me at the high school last week, and invited me over to her van, showed me a lovely Louet drum carder and asked if I would like to purchase it for $50. My only hesitation in accepting her offer was in the time it took me to tell her she could likely get a lot more than that from someone else :-). She also mentioned that there were a couple of other things along with it … some “spools” (aka spindles) and something else.

Today I went to pick up the drum carder, and after paying, she grinned and said “So, do you want to see what comes with it??” and showed me the rest.

Guys, I almost cried … it was a spinning wheel. A Louet S15 .. just a starter low end one, but nonetheless, a real spinning wheel … PLUS the drum carder, PLUS a skein winder. All for $50.

I am blown away. I have wanted a spinning wheel for a couple of years, and there has been “just.no.way”. Not in the world’s economy. I couldn’t have set this up myself. List for the spinning wheel is around $500 new … and even MORE for the carder. This has been completely and utterly a God thing, aided by a timely conversation with a then-stranger and the genuine goodness of a very sweet woman in the County. I am grateful. Check out my happy fibre stuff!

It came complete with ages old Shetland or Icelandic fleece blended on the drum carder; the removal of which will be quite a project! I’m looking forward to getting it all fixed up and working!!!

On a sad note … my friend Bill Stearman lost his ex-partner today. They had parted ways last summer, then in November Gene was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He has gone downhill so quickly, and has spent the last few weeks in hospice in the upstairs apartment at Bill’s farm, along with caring relatives and an ever-changing shift of nurses. It has been a very challenging situation on so many levels. Gene was a gentle, artistic man and we will miss him.

Lambs and more lambs … lambing photos, once again!

I’m just checking out the Windows Live Writer capabilities …  what do you think of these photo albums?

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These are the birth pictures of Rosemary’s twin lambs.  They are just lovely, although I’m waiting for Babette’s (black lamb) fleece to improve.  Paris has a lovely, fine, crimpy fleece, and is sooo gentle.  Babette is a bit of a mitt-ful, on the other hand.

 

We’ve taken some of the moms out, with and without lambs, on to the front lawn to graze (the grass is always greener over the septic tank :-P).  And I’ve been taking great pains with the electric fence;  there is a coyote/wolf crisis in the county right now.

Bill Stearman's Willow Garden Shetlands (Kivu’s breeder) lost six purebred Shetland lambs this week to one ornery coyote, and my NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOUR has lost four full grown cattle to a pack of them.  It’s really, really bad.  We only use temporary fencing … six strand electric fence called “ElectraNet” which is especially designed for sheep.  Up until now, the coyotes have shown it some respect.  The last week in July and first week of August, we usually have a few days of newly-hunting puppies hitting the fence at night.  Much yelping and carrying on results from this :-).  Other things we do?  The dog is allowed to circle the sheep pasture regularly, marking his territory. 

Truthfully, the coyotes could jump this fence with ease.  Thankfully, they always check low before they jump … so far … and once they are zapped they yelp and back off silently into the bush.

And yes … I pray … an extra hedge of protection around the sheep as I lay in bed.

I was shopping in Sobey’s two weeks ago, and commented to Iain that the leg of lamb (frozen and flown in from NZ!) in the meat section cost almost the same as what it costs us to take a whole lamb to the abbatoir.  I was overheard by two men shopping nearby, who then promptly begged me to sell them farm-gate lamb.  I often wish we were in a position to overwinter more sheep and officially sell lamb; that we had a GST number and official zoning.  I know we could sell at least 10 or more lambs every year direct to consumer.  There is a great market for lamb in Ontario.  And there is so much to be said for “happy” livestock … livestock handled well (spoiled, heh heh) from birth, well fed, relaxed and happy prior to slaughter.  The meat is extraordinary.  It’s a far cry from feedlot lamb.

I am so far behind in posting I can’t believe it … I will continue to catch up as I can, amidst gardening and chores :-).  Enjoy the day!

One more attempt to save my blog …

This is a test … this is only a  test :-)

 

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