Friday, January 02, 2009

Looking Forward to 2009

Happy New Year!!

I always love New Year's Day. I usually take it easy, recuperating from the night before - I just can't take late nights out like I used to. But this year we left before the stroke of midnight since Stan had to work at 7 a.m. New Year's Day.

We made it past the all the hub-bub of Christmas and now it's time to start clearing out the cobwebs -- reassess things and try to make them better. This time of year I always start thinking about painting the walls, cleaning the carpets, getting new window treatments, putting in ceramic tile, etc. Little by little, the days are starting to get longer and before we know it, spring will be coming. That means doing the taxes, filling out the FAFSA, shearing and lambing, a new garden - so much to look forward to.

But in the meantime we have sunny bright COLD days with a thick marshmallow blanket of snow to deal with. I love that I can feed and close up the chickens and the sheep by 4:30 in the afternoon and then settle in for the whole evening.

Right now I'm reading "The Friday Night Knitter's Club" by Kate Jacobs. My son gave it to me for Christmas along with a bag of Ghirardelli Dark Chocolates. (Someone HAD to be coaching him on that decision!) He liked the blurb on the book jacket that reading this book would make one "yearn for yarn". It's pretty good so far - I'm about 2/3 through it already and the dark chocolates are long gone. :^)

I'm off work until Sunday afternoon, so I plan to do more felting while I'm home. I started a new landscape wool painting this week and I am finishing up a little felted purse. I hope to do a hat or large bag if I get off this computer soon.

I would like to take this opportunity to say thanks so much to everyone who bought sheep, wool, hides, yarn, knitted items or soap from us this year. Without your support and patronage, I wouldn't be able to continue living out my dream come true of having sheep.

And thanks so much to all the wonderful sheep and wool friends who helped me get through over 10 months of unemployment by sharing their knowledge and friendship. I really did have a blast this year. The travel experiences and learning opportunities were a wonderful reminder of all the great things the universe has to send our way, even when we feel we have nothing to offer in return.

3 comments:

  1. we don't even go out any more on New Years Eve, we jut enjoy staying home with the critters. Happy New Year!

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  2. Umm... so how does one become a customer? ;-)

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  3. I know what you mean Joanna, it's nice to stay in on New Year's Eve, especially when it's really cold outside. We have some old friends who entertain every New Year's Eve and St. Patrick's Day (and the first Saturday in June - the Woodtick Festival). It's nice to catch up with them and many of the friends we otherwise hardly get to see throughout the year.

    Oh my Kat, your question reminds me that I really need to update my web site and get some stuff up on etsy.com. I created an etsy shop earlier this year, but I've never listed anything. My web site is www.riveroakssheep.com. I need to add a shopping cart to it.

    I do some shows and booths locally too, that's where the knitted and felted stuff sells. But one very astute Shetland breeder became a customer when he jumped on my innocent blog comment about cutting down on my Shetland flock. He got two of my nicest ewes. Thanks Garrett! :-)

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Getting ready for Christmas Markets!

  I'll be doing two Christmas markets this year. The first one is at Sapsucker Farms in Brook Park, MN Nov. 18-19th. And the second one ...