That's All Folks!

There have not been any new lambs.  The two remaining sheep are likely not pregnant although one of them is very large and may yet surprise us if she was missed in her cycle for breeding but then bred later.  The other has never looked pregnant.  So now it is time to do the math and discover the final results from the event.  That can wait for a few days.

Meanwhile we have had some nice sunny days and can start cleaning up the garden.  It was St. Patrick's Day yesterday; the day to plant potatoes in Ireland according to my old friend who lives there.  Dave spent it digging up the rhubarb patch.  We moved some of it up here from the farm to my house and I now have a patch of my own next to the kitchen door.  Of course, it is shrouded in wire netting to keep the deer out of it.  Although the leaves are poisonous for them, they eat it anyway; and anything else of value that sticks a shoot more than a half inch above ground.

I have spent the day threading my loom under the remote tutelage of Mary P., Master Weaver who helped me to wind my warp and 'beam it up' last week.  We had several exchanges today by e-mail of pictures of my progress and by phone for her advice.  She talked me through to the 'tying on' stage - not to be confused with tying up which will happen tomorrow and is a whole different part of the process.  I am using grey wool from our flock that was grown two years ago.  My first project involves weaving a sample to determine how it works into blanket cloth and to try some of the weaving patterns.

 Ready to tie on

Meanwhile, another friend in Vancouver is knitting her first pair of socks.  She ran into difficulty and e-mailed for help turning the heel.  Now there is a challenge, talking (or writing) someone through that process.  She may end up with some funny looking socks.

It is raining again tonight.  I will have a good excuse to stay inside tomorrow and to finish dressing this loom ready for some weaving.