'Tis the Season

We're finally having Winter-like weather in southern Maine, and while we still haven't had any accumulating snow, the temperatures have dropped significantly and the skies are looking darker and more foreboding these days. The northern part of the state got a lot of snow on Monday, and while I am not ready to start the shoveling routine yet, I admit the the perks of copious amounts of snow do make the day job more appealing. Snow days as an adult are so much better than they ever were as a kid, and I am always as excited as the kids about predictions of big storms and possible snow days.
The sheep's fleeces are growing in quickly now that the weather's turned cold. I sunk my hand into little Obed's coat this morning and my fingers sunk in well above my knuckles - so, judging he's got a nice 4" fleece at this point. I am going to try to enter his fleece and some others into the Common Ground fleece show next September. I've never thought too seriously about coating them, since I love looking at their colors and the palette of wooly hues out there, but if I am going to get more serious about their fleeces, I will need to pay more attention to the stray hay this winter. Am going to look into some new feeders that I saw at Common Ground - canvas bags that hang from the wall, allowing the animals to pull out the hay they want. We'll see whether they work for my flock and if they help to minimize veggie matter in the wool.

Loki and Odin

It's all a big learning curve, that's for sure. One more thing that makes me happy about living at The Salty Ewe with all of these peaceful critters ... all the critters - Loki and Odin, Beate and the wooly wonders.
They are my little animal family.
Like Randall Jarrell's The Animal Family, a beautiful book that I first read many years ago, I am surrounded by fur and wool and love. And, though I am not a lonely hunter, I find great comfort and solace in their company; the substitute family that I call mine is no match for the real animals to whom I am related (all of whom live too far away for my liking (whose blood has thinned and coats have shed to suit their Southern climates) but they do the trick in a pinch. 'Tis the season to be thankful and joyous and peaceful. And, that I am.

My Beate

Common Ground Fair

I am still digesting my day at the Common Ground Fair. Incredible day all the way around - from the company of my friend Lori to incredible conversations with people I may never see again, it was a full day of everything I love. Such a good feeling to be amongst like minded people, although this year the crowd was much more diverse than what I remembered from years ago.  It's been many years since I have been to the fair; I worked at it for Maine Times when it was in Windsor, and then went twice after it had moved to Unity. Next year, we plan to take two days to do it. The more I think about it now, maybe three for me!  The sheep dog exhibition (made even better by the backdrop of some incredible fiddling from a nearby tent), meeting Kelly from Romney Ridge and Betty from Spinnakees were high points. Seeing the Zati masks...pivotal, I sense.  I made some great connections and gave out a number of my new business cards to fleece people -a whole new experience for me. Signed up to add my name to the Maine Sheep Growers list and think that I will enter some fleeces into the competition and sale next year.
Another thing I am struck by is how much I really enjoyed not having people on cell phones. It was the first time in as long as I can remember being in a group that large and not having thousands of people plugged in. It was so refreshing. Everyone was present...talking to each other, interacting and making eye contact. Soaking in everything there is to see, hear, touch and smell. I loved it. Am sure to be writing more about my unexpected meeting of some Wednesday Spinners and the masks. And the Journey Loom. And the thoughts about how it may all come together someday. It was one of those days that was just so full of positive things that you need to take a few days to process it all.

Fair Season

roving

some raw fleece

The fairs have started up in Maine and in and around New England, and I am hoping to be able to make it to a few this year. It's been a long time since I have gone to the Common Ground Fair, and this year I'm planning to go on a Friday to avoid some of the crowds that have kept me away in years past. I used to work at the Common Ground for Maine Times when I first moved to Maine in 1987, and back then it was still a relatively small event and held in Unity (if I remember correctly).
Nathan showed Hendricks and Tulip at the Acton Fair last weekend and apparently the judge thought they were good looking animals, especially the ram. Their fleece is still too short to be judged, but from what they could see, both sheep have good fleeces and conformation.  I'm curious how many other breeds have had slow-growing wool this summer do to the heat and humidity...thinking about Larry's Icelandics and how hot they must be right now. Their coats seem to grow fast enough to do two cuts per season. All this writing about wool is making me warmer than I already am, so that's it for now. Stay cool wherever you are, and keep an eye out for Earl all of you East Coasters.