Tag Archives: In Pictures

I had so much to do this morning but the light was so lovely that I finally couldn’t resist grabbing my camera.

Sabine is absolutely the happiest creature I have ever encountered in my whole life. She is just filled with joy all the time.

Lyra, one of our Colored Border Leicester ewes.

Charley the Wonder Pig

Buster & Charley

Charley and Buster

Young Adelaide

Churchill

Cini and Lucy

Lovely Hannah

Cosmo

Camouflage sheep!

McPhee

Clark

Luna & Stella

Gnocchi

Madison

Buster & friend

Bennett

Alabama

Cassiopia

Jack

Feenat

Daisy & Coconut

How was your weekend?

Be sure to check out the BY HAND blog where I’ve posted a step-by-step photo tutorial for making fresh pasta without any special ingredients or equipment.

This morning while doing chores I noticed that every time I walked the bale of hay in the back pasture, there was a different configuration of animals around it. The round bale is clearly the farm version of a water cooler.

DUCK MEETING!

Lucy found an egg yesterday (one of the young hens has been laying out) and she has been carrying it around with her ever since, treating it like her baby.

She is the most perplexing, precious dog I’ve ever known.

This weekend was crazy busy, even by my standards! First we had two lovely house guests (Hi Julie and Paulette!) who arrived on Thursday.They were the best kinds of guests- fun, helpful and interesting.

On Friday morning, the farrier came to trim Daisy’s and Coconut’s hooves, so I started the morning by encouraging, coaxing and eventually dragging the donkeys into one stall of the barn. Then it was time to round up the sheep and goats, because my friend Emily was coming in the afternoon to shear a few of the sheep and to help me work the entire flock.

Friday was my first time rounding up sheep since I got sick, and let me tell you, those sheep kicked my ass. I flat-out refused to give up, though, and with some help from Amy and Emily, every animal on the farm was wormed and had their hooves trimmed on Friday. I didn’t feel too bad on Saturday but yesterday was pure hell. I was just sore all over and felt 1000-years-old. I also felt proud of myself for not giving up, and happy that my flock is healthy.

On Sunday, Amy and her family came back over to help me take down the garden fences. It was a tough decision to give up the giant kitchen gardens, but I am taking steps to simplify my life, and the garden was the first casualty. I thought it would be sad when it came time to actually do the work, but I honestly felt like the weight of the world was lifting off me. Next year, I will join a local veggie CSA, shop at the farmers market and support my local farmers during vegetable season.

While we worked, Amy’s daughter Neve gleaned what was left to be had in the garden. I love that kid! She was at it for at least an hour, quietly working from plant to plant.

Her take-home included lots of mouse melons, peppers and tomatoes.

Once the fences we gone, we let the ewe and doe flock out to graze in the lawn and garden area. They were happy and contented, which made me feel the same.

In the background of all this madness, I was furiously dyeing yarn in preparation for our big party on October 13. It had been so long since I had time to dye yarn that I had forgotten how enjoyable it is.

All in all, it was a productive, exhausting, laughter-filled weekend. As always, I was reminded of how lucky I am to have great friends.

How was your weekend?

Young donkeys in love, under the watchful eye of a bovine chaperone.

Little Stella is turning into quite a bruiser.

Sweet Luna. She is getting so thin from nursing Stella! Lucky for her, it’s nearly time to ween the calf.

Marco and Orzo, the two puppies we are not keeping. Both are going to great farms as soon as their fencing is completed.

I’m not entirely sure why Charley is sporting a mohair toupee…

Sam

Bertie, giving me a skeptical look. She is the most suspicious animal I’ve ever known! If I offered her a handful of grain, she would take it and then immediately start looking around for the proper authorities to report me to.

Young donkeys in love, under the watchful eye of a bovine chaperone.

Little Stella is turning into quite a bruiser.

Sweet Luna. She is getting so thin from nursing Stella! Lucky for her, it’s nearly time to ween the calf.

Marco and Orzo, the two puppies we are not keeping. Both are going to great farms as soon as their fencing is completed.

I’m not entirely sure why Charley is sporting a mohair toupee…

Sam

Bertie, giving me a skeptical look. She is the most suspicious animal I’ve ever known! If I offered her a handful of grain, she would take it and then immediately start looking around for the proper authorities to report me to.

Charley and Churchill taking a snuggly nap.

Jerry the wonder llama

Stella practicing looking fierce. Silly calf! You can look fierce with those eye lashes.

I adore this picture of Gnocci trying to get Lucy’s attention.

And this one of Cini and Gnocchi. They worked together yesterday for the first time and it nearly killed me. Watching the dog that figures largest in my life teaching his son the family business was just so perfect and lovely.

Elwyn out for a stroll.