Two blogs too many

Hey folks, please visit my other blog for the latest…I cannot keep up 2 blogs anymore. If the link over on the left doesn’t work, try this http://www.cookecreeksheep.blogspot.com
Thanks!
Jami

Hey, I got felt!

Oops, my posts titles are sounding more and more like some pornographic site, but it’s fun to spoof all of you into thinking whatever your devious little minds want to because I am talking about wool felt here people!

The little wonder wash did a bit of a wonder on my crocheted purse strap. It took longer than I initially expected but it worked very well and I’ll look forward to trying it again with a larger project and maybe I’ll try to put something in with the felting item like a tennis ball to help the agitation along. Remember, this is a hand crank machine so I basically turned that handle on and off for about an hour. I did empty it out (using the nifty drain hose) and filled it back up with hot water 3 times. I was antsy and anxious and experimenting. I’m over that now! Next time I’ll keep on turning the handle. It was good exercise for my arm. Hey, we are all needing a bit more exercise, right? This farmgirl likes to flex her muscles and use them so no worries on it being a hand crank.

Thought you might like to see a picture of something unrelated…baby lambs. I have to post these while they are fresh in my mind and fresh out in the pasture and still cute! Enjoy.

Non-electric felting machine?

Can it truly be that I have found THE perfect solution for felting my knitted and crocheted items? I just bought this new toy, the Wonder Wash, for felting. The reason I did this is because I found out my front-load washing machine is terrible at felting, probably because it’s high efficiency and only uses 13 gallons of water for a 46 minute normal cycle. This isn’t enough water and the agitation is just so different from a top loading machine. I tried 4 wash cycles for a hat I made and it still didn’t turn out like I had hoped. Trashed that whole project, disappointedly, and decided after reading some reviews from felters that this Wonder Wash is super great at felting. So $42 dollars later here she is.  Now there was a choice to be made over this little wonder…electric or non-electric. I found a similar type of  counter top washing machine but it looked very cheaply made and I decided to get this one instead. I purchased the crank, non-electric version as I’m ‘told the wash cycle is only 2 minutes and I can turn a crank for 2 minutes easy. Hey, maybe the flab under my arms will disappear if I get back into felting??? It’s pressurized by a lid that screws on tightly and has a drain hose that hooks onto the bottom. I also can take this camping I figured. I’ll let you know how it goes. I do have to say it seems to be built sturdy and let’s keep our fingers crossed!

More lamb pictures

It’s been busy but now is slowing down. Only 2 ewes to go and we’ll be all finished up for 2009 lambs.

More Lambing Pics

Lambing

Hey everyone, we started lambing last Friday. Here are a couple of pictures to get you started. I’ll have more soon.

What’s been going on…

Haven’t posted for a while. A few things have been going on so here’s an update on what’s happening in my life…

My horse, Tommy, died about 2 1/2 weeks ago. He was 26 years old and he and I were partners for the past 24 years. It was a very hard loss for me for the obvious reasons that I had him for so long and we were really buddies. The other thing is that he was quite the character…a real “people horse” and the fun one in the pasture. My other horse, TC, is really missing him. Tommy and TC would play everyday, sparring and being silly and the other horses won’t do that. Tommy was also very personable. Whistle or call and he would come running to see what new adventure might be on his horizon. He was always up for a ride and still acted like a 2-year-old the last time I rode him last fall. We don’t ride in the winter around here so that was our last opportunity. Anyhow, I had a tough week after he died but I’m better now. Tommy is buried here on the farm so I’m happy for that.

Lost a ewe last week….real pregnant and not sure of the cause. Our scrapie program vet came out to do a random testing….just procedure….but he said she looked great. I have to admit I was madder about losing her 2 lambs than anything. No loss is fun of course but there was no crying over her or anything. That’s just farming.

I missed the Sewing Expo due to a snowstorm in Seattle that morning. Shucks. Oh well…I finally have realized I am not invincible and don’t throw caution to the wind like when I was younger. I did enjoy a day off from work though! Fun.

We sheared about 3 weeks ago and the ewes are looking great. Now I have a garage full of fleeces to be skirted. I am working on getting them cleaned up and bagged, ready for washing and processing.

Moved the ewes to the ‘drop pen’ last night in preparation for lambing to begin tomorrow. That means up at regular intervals throughout the night to “check butts”….yup, that’s how we tell which one is going to lamb soon. They usually go off feed right before and separate themselves from the flock and go to a corner of the pasture and start pawing the ground and getting up and down over and over. We keep a close eye in case they need help and to get them in a pen (jug) to get the lambs their first shot and umbilical cord snipped and dipped and make sure they get that important first meal. I love the baby lambs. They are so cute and sweet and the mothers make the sweetest sounds to their babies. It’s like a horse nicker…soft and low.

I haven’t done any sewing lately nor knitting but did purchase some new clothing patterns and now need to find some fabric that will suit the patterns and designs I have in mind.

My brother and sis-in-law had baby #3 on March 8. We were on a trip to the ocean for our anniversary weekend and got to stop by and see the new boy. He’s a beauty! Big boy at 11 lb, 3 oz. His 2 siblings will be coming for a 3-day visit here to the farm in early April. My niece likes to name lambs…it’s quite a production. We have to bring the lambs up to her and she ponders for a second and dubs them. We make a list of tag numbers and her names just for fun. They are city kids so coming to the farm is fun for both them and us of course. Great kids. My nephew likes to get the toy trucks out and play and ride DH’s  tractor around.

Went to Ocean Shores last weekend and enjoyed a few days away. My parents came and farm-sat for us. My mom said feeding grain to the ewes was an adventure…she never knew sheep could be so pushy! A grain bucket will bring them running that’s for sure. They only get grain right before lambing but boy, they get used to it fast! Kind of like putting a cookie in front of my face….don’t get in my path! Anyhow, on the trip, we walked on the beach and took a long hike out to Damon Point. It snowed, sleeted, hailed and the wind blew at the ocean. Pretty wild weather really. DH said “maybe we need to think of flying somewhere warm next year.” I love going to the ocean once a year and now we’ve seen the entire Washington coast from top to bottom. Always fun!

Well, there…you are all caught up and off I go to work! Enjoy this day.

I’ve got a new mother – sourdough that is

I started a sourdough “mother” from MaryJanesFarm magazine recipe. If you want to learn more about that, go here.

No “fake” yeast is used but rather natural yeast spores from the air makes this bread rise. It’s a 7-day process using organic flour but I am going to confess here and now that I used King Arthur’s All-Purpose Flour but it’s not organic and mine is not turning black like the article said might happen if not using organic flour. I couldn’t justify the cost of organic flour…over twice the cost of the non-organic. Hey, I’m making this to save money and I’m a rebel so there ya go.

This is a no-knead bread  and I’m still in that process and will let you know when the 7 days are up how it bakes up. The mother rests on Saturday and that is the day you take out 2 cups for a loaf. Sunday the routine starts again. I will let you visit MaryJane’s bread site to see the details since I don’t want to steal her thunder but it’s kind of fun to make bread from nothing but flour and water! Although it’s going to have a few items added right before the baking so that’s not exactly true either. But is sounds good, right?

So far this is what it looks like. here

Kreativ Blogger Award #2 goes to Autumn

Autumn is awarded the Kreativ Blogger Award #2 and for good reason!. Her blog is titled  Simplicity

She is very “kreativ”…take a look at her blog to see the slap of the screen door quilt block she’s dreaming up all on her own! She is also a very sweet gal and has such positive things to say on her blog. I always enjoy reading it.  So Autumn, look to the post below this one to grab the button, my dear…I’m getting lazy…and here are the rules if you want to choose some friends to pass on the award to.

Here are the rules of the award (copied from my presenter’s blog) ~ 1. Copy the award to your site – 2. Link to the person from whom you received the award – 3. Nominate 7 (gulp…seven??? Are you sure???) other bloggers – 4. Link to those on your blog – 5. Leave a message on the blogs you nominated.

Enjoy!

And the Kreativ Blogger Award #1 goes to….

Stephanie!! Of Dream Kingdom Designs. Not only does she keep up several very “kreativ” blogs but she enjoys sharing her projects with lots of good pictures. She inspires me to create more too.  Stephanie is also very helpful with techy stuff regarding blogging and has helped me do more on mine!

So, hats off to Stephanie as recipient #1 of the Kreativ Blogger Award. Here ya go, Stephanie!  Grab and go, girl!

Here are the rules of the award (copied from my presenter’s blog) ~ 1. Copy the award to your site – 2. Link to the person from whom you received the award – 3. Nominate 7 (gulp…seven??? Are you sure???) other bloggers – 4. Link to those on your blog – 5. Leave a message on the blogs you nominated. I’m going to do 7 days of awards to make it last and give me some time to link everyone to my blog that I choose.