Which Direction

Spent the last day of 2010 feeding and caring for all the stock, then skirted two fleeces and got one in the wash. Sheared Hershey, my brown BFL wether, he has not been feeling well and was not eating today. After shearing I let him out in the yard to graze, he only picked at what little grass is out there. Nothing is coming out of him, even though he is drinking alot of water. I drenched him with apple cider vinegar, probiotics, thiamin and some Banamine for pain. He has always been a pet, and is my favorite colored fleece to spin and knit. His twin Cocoa is not friendly but has the same fleece. Some sheep are special and form a bond with their shepherd, others are just sheep, but you care for them all the same.

Skirting

Wanted to get this fleece of Sweet William's skirted and in the wash, but new friends came over to decide which spinning wheel they would like to buy to spin their llama fiber on. I am not a big fan of llama fiber, but they had some soft brown fiber that I picked open with my hands and when spun, it was lovely. The best part of the visit was the baby they had in a play pen in the back of their mini van. A six week old rejected cria in diapers and a llama jacket, red of course for the holidays. It was a sweet brown and white spotted baby that gave kisses. What a great holiday gift.

Another cold day

Bitter cold again this morning but everyone got a warm drink of water to go with their grain and hay. Cold weather makes sheep and goats so hungry you can get mowed down while pouring grain in a feeder. When I go out the door, there they are, waiting, and not patiently. Even the chickens and cats are under my feet, and if you come out late, they will meet you at the back door and follow you until you feed them. The only way they can keep warm is to keep eating, and that means more money to make wool and mohair and eggs. I did find three eggs this morning, that is a good sign we are on the road to spring.

Snowballs

This may be how snowballs were invented. After the roads thawed a bit, I made it over to the horse pasture to feed the dog, the rooster, and break the ice in the water tank. Pennelope was dragging snowballs behind her. Made the trip back to the house for scissors, then returned to trim her tail. They didn't seem to bother her, but most animals would be frightened.

Clearing the snow

Pennelope blows the snow off the grass and continues to graze, this is the first time I have seen this happen. I usually feed them hay in the winter, but this pasture has plenty of grass. Most of the time, snow melts quickly in Georgia, but this year has been totally different from the past.

Pawing for grass

The horses have plenty of tall grass to graze but were pawing the ground and blowing with their mouth to uncover the grass. The sheep and goat pastures never had much grass due to the drought, and have been supplemented with hay and grain all year. With no wind break this pasture is very cold and windy.

Sheep came in

Even Dan and his girls came to the barn last night, backed up to the blowing snow. They have plenty of wool and fat on their backs, but are uneasy about the snow.

Scared Goats

Found the young does in a clearing under a few trees. They seemed to be afraid to walk in the snow. They wouldn't come down to the barn when I called to them, only after I walked to them would they follow me. They were dry, so they slept in the barn last night. Eager to eat their grain and get started munching on the hay I brought them, I assume all is well.

Sugar Pie looses

Sugar Pie is old and retired, and is the boss doe of the young doe pasture. Someone is taking her postion, don't know who, it has been too cold and snowy to spend enough time to find out who it is. I was scared yesterday morning when the only one to greet me was Wolf, who had blood on him.  I do know Sugar Pie is his favorite doe and he has been cleaning her injured horn.

Making time for Christmas

The snow is beautiful, but it means lots more work. Before I could have Christmas everyone had to be fed and hayed and water tanks had to be warmed. There are a lot of pens and pastures and the snow on your boots and all the heavy clothes, slow you down. It's a four hour work out every morning.

The sun returns

The sun returned for awhile today and was appreciated by all, even the dogs came out of hibernation. I was successful at bringing in a load of sheep and goat feed and a load of hay, to get the stock through the holidays, but not so lucky at finding gifts. Animals are so easy to please, just be there, same place, same time, same meal. Most of my gifts are from artists at the gallery, handmade and local. I know the person that made them and how they made them and what they made them with. I see their face when I see the product. Not a barge travelling thousands of miles.

Keep on the sunnyside

Even the sheep are looking for the sunny spots to rest, good luck. It was sleeting yesterday morning as I fed the stock and loaded up the truck to head down to the Peachtree handspinner's meeting and Christmas party. I made a fast trip to the post office to pick-up a spinning wheel for a lucky young lady, by the time I left the sleet had stopped. We had a big crowd and a great time. Fought the traffic and made it home before dark, just in time to check on Trinket, a small yearling doe I sheared last week, and turned back out in the bottom pasture. When I fed her herd earlier that morning, she was chewing her cud but she was shivering, so I picked her up, put her on the gator and brought her to the lambing barn, a much warmer barn.  Put her in a pen with hay, warm water and a friend to keep her company. She was fine, she had someone smaller than her to pick on. Checked on the Barn cat and her three kittens that were spayed by the mobile vet unit that comes to Cartersville. They were enjoying their stay in the cabin, with the heat on low.

Winter coat

If I had this winter coat I wouldn't complain so much about the weather. Pennelope, the sheep and the Pyrenees seem to love this weather. They are all equipped with wooly coats and come alive the colder it gets. Pennelope can be seen bucking and kicking at the wind, the sheep prong on all four feet, and the Pyrenees try to catch snowflakes and chase their tail. Guess they stored all that solar energy when it was so hot and need to let it out.

All mine

Goats love Christmas too

Sugar Ray enjoying his Christmas tree

A gift to be simple

Normally, we have a few cold days then return to warmer temperatures and work goes on. Not this year, looks like the cold, and record breaking cold is here to stay. Fortunately, all the livestock has good shelter and plenty to eat. I knitted by the fire until early this morning and needle felted four more sheep. I got Summer's fleece washed and next to the wood stove to dry, Sweetheart's kid fleece dyed and drying also. I can keep dye pots going on the wood stove, the hard part is washing outside, won't happen today, the hosepipes will be frozen. LuAnn from Pine Mountain drove in the blowing snow to pick-up her scarf made from her goat, Puff, she was thrilled. Feels good to see someone so happy with a simple gift of fiber from an animal she cared for, sheared, I washed, spun and wove into a scarf. She will always have part of Puff with her.

Preparing for the storm

While I was feeding, haying and watering this morning, preparing for the days ahead of freezing temperatures and possibly, snow, I saw at least twenty deer feeding in the back pasture. Way too many for my pastures to support. I picked the biggest doe and made a perfect, clean shot, as she fell straight to the ground. More development moving to the country force the deer to move onto us and eat our crops and pastures, our battle is continual. It's another job to keep the numbers under control that helps them stay healthy as well. And a bonus that we love to eat a natural, organic product. I taught my kids to hunt, clean, cook and eat everything that you kill. You will think about that before you pick up a gun.

Balmy day

Yesterday was a much kinder day. Still, everyone got warm water and plenty of feed to get fueled up for the storm ahead. I was able to skirt, wash, and dye a yearling mohair fleece from Maria's girl. Then pick and card some white fleece for me, so I can make sheep ornaments. It has to be in the 40's before I can work outside with fiber. Have an order for three knitted scarves in three different colors, for Christmas gifts, one down and two to go. What  a perfect way to spend a cold, long winter's night, knitting by the fire.

Mighty dog

Half Pint doesn't need a cape to feel mighty. She can fly across the yard exploding with barks at every bird, cat, or loud noise without that lamb coat. I'm sure she has high blood pressure. She hates being restricted in that thing, but she shakes and shivers, and hates cold weather. Beware of a sixteen pound dog in a red cape with a pit bull attitude. I am already tired of hauling water so I brought in three hose pipes by the wood stove to thaw, then hooked them up by the house where the hot water flows and everyone got a drink of 100 degree water. Sheep and goats get a powerful thirst when it is this cold and are waiting by the water tank in the morning for that drink of warm water. I could just break the ice on top of the tank, but they will drink very little of icy water, after a few days of not drinking plenty of fluids they can lock down in a hurry. Better safe than sorry. Cold weather increases the feed and hay bill as they consume more to keep warm, okay, I'm ready to get above freezing again.

Lambs

Dan the Man ram is in with a few ewes, haven't seen any lamb making, but some rams are private with their affection. He does guard the ewes and keeps them at the far end of the pasture, just in case I should try to take him back out. He finally let them come up the hill for a small amount of grain and water, after that, it's back to the land of far, far away.

500 mile trip

After feeding, haying and hauling everyone a warm drink of water, Alex and I loaded up and made a 500 mile round trip to pick up Tuxedo, a former Grand Champion buck that was no longer needed for his services. Don't know where I will put him as I am packed with goats, especially bucks. But, I feel like every animal that is born here is my responsibility, til death do us part. I will probably be going back to pick up the does as the owner has had a very bad year. The cold weather has brought outside chores and washing to a halt. I am just not prepared for below freezing temps, most of my time is spent hauling warm water and hay, have to keep those goats eating and drinking in cold weather, to prevent any stomach troubles. Alex is great help, never complains about the weather or any job I ask her to do, and is good company on a long drive, it would have been miserable making the trip alone. Today will be spent finding Tux a spot where he will settle down and behave with the other bucks, not a good time to bring a buck in rut into the flock, as they will have to establish dominance and bang on every post and building.