Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Lambs! -- and a Felted Purse!

I'm still crazy busy, but the Shepherd's Harvest booklet is finally at the printer and lambing has started!
You can download the booklet on here --
http://www.shepherdsharvestfestival.org/New_Site/?page_id=559


I only wanted to breed three Shetland ewes, but Hansel had other ideas... So what we have now are the intended pregnancies.  Hattie started it off with a set of twin gulmogets on Sunday night around 10 p.m.  She always seems to lamb at night and outdoors. Last year we lost one of her crossbred twins due to the cold temps and extreme winds on March 13th.  What a change of weather this year!
Who would have ever thought I would be out under a beautiful starry sky, with a warm breeze blowing on my arms (no coat required!) witnessing the birth of lambs in Minnesota in March!  It was so beautiful, there's something very special about being there with your ewes at the birth of their lambs. 

Hattie's ewe lamb, very solid black gulmoget. Very spunky, good size lamb.
Hattie's ram lamb, might be mioget, smooth polled and the best looking fleece of all the lambs so far.

My 4 yr old wether Socks is now in with the ewes (since Hansel went into the freezer in February).  And this was his first time being around lambing ewes.  He's a big Shetland/Bluefaced Leicester cross, in full fleece.  He quietly stood behind my shoulder looking into the calf hut as the newborns were being licked off and finding their legs. It was the first time since Stan's death that I've felt everything was totally right with the world.  What a good feeling!

I went out early the next morning and was surprised to see Heddy come running in the barn with the flock looking for their morning hay accompanied by a set of twins.  What a surprise, Heddy wasn't due until Wednesday.  It's the second time I've missed Heddy's lambing. Darn!  But she did an excellent job with her first set of twins - she's only 2 years old.  Her dark moorit ram lamb (with horn buds) is the first solid colored lamb I've gotten sired by Hansel.  I may need to wether him for a fiber pet, his fleece is SO dark brown. 
Heddy's ram lamb on left and gulmoget ewe lamb on right. She looks like she got her mom's Ag.
Heddy's ram lamb is very dark moorit and the first solid colored lamb we've gotten from Hansel. He has big horn buds.  

I'm pleased with the four lambs so far.  Their ear sets are all very good. Last year I had some airplane ears and longish tails sired by Hansel. River Oaks Camille (Ag grey gulmoget)  is due next week when  I'll be out of state for training for my new job.  My oldest son will be staying here to tend the sheep and chickens and keep poor Ozzie from getting too nervous without me around.

I also had an absolutely wonderful visit with Heather on March 9th.  It was so much fun to be with her visiting the Textile Center, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and StevenBe's yarn shop! We are both Pisces, her birthday is two days earlier than mine, and both were just last week.  Heather made me the coolest felted bag, I just love it!  All my friends have swooned over it.
Back view, the colors are so rich. The other photos don't show them off as much as this one does.
Front of the purse, closed.
Opened to reveal the button closure and a bright red fish.
fully lined with two pockets and the coolest wooden label.


Check out Heather's blog for the process she used in creating it here: http://woollove-functional-fiberart.blogspot.com/2012/03/marine-life-purse-for-pisces-part-3-of.html

I hope to get Heather to come back to Minnesota again to teach some felting classes. She's a great lady.


10 comments:

  1. Please do let us know about Hattie's ram lamb as he matures. We are interested in him. And or a gulmoget ewe lamb if one ends up for sale. Thanks.

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  2. Glad to see you again with sunshine on your face. The lambs are so sweet. Heather's a star who makes gorgeous pieces and always so inspiring. I followed through her process of making this bag. This one is particularly so oceanic "alive".

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  3. Becky--Congratulations on your new 'babies'! I know that you are enjoying this balmy beginning to spring, as am I!!!
    I am still talking about our time together...what a wonderful day!!! I'm also glad that you're enjoying the purse. It certainly was made with love!!!
    XXO-

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  4. Stunning lambs and that purse is really something....what a thoughtful friend.

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  5. The lambs are gorgeous; too bad you couldn't find a buyer for handsome Hansel. :-/

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  6. Thanks everyone, life is so much fun with the lambs around. They are like jumping around like popcorn this morning. And the lamb races have already begun.

    Karen, yes I will let you know about Hattie's guy. I will not be keeping any rams from now on.

    Yes, Michelle, it was too bad about Hansel not selling as a breeding ram. I cancelled his butcher appointments twice, but in the end I had to get my flock down to just one group of sheep. He was a very nice ram, and I sincerely appreciate all that he gave us.

    Terrie, you are so right about Heather. I love her blog, it's so inspiring to me.

    And Heather, thanks so much for everything! I got the book in the mail the other day. I will bring it with me on my trip. You are such a special person.

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  7. Becky--I'm glad that the book arrived. I hope you will love it as much as I do!! XXO--

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  8. Hello from a fellow central Minnesotan! That purse is fantastic! The lambs are adorable. It must be such a joy to be able to work wool directly from your own flock. It's something I hope to be able to do, someday.

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  9. Hey, thanks for stopping by my blog Lisa! I checked out your link and see you have a fabulous blog. Sorry I didn't know about it sooner. I've linked it here. When you're ready to get some lambs, there are lots of good breeders to choose from here in Minnesota.

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  10. Tell me more about Hattie's black gully lamb. :)

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