Very damp and misty this morning. Turned on the heat in the apt. for the first time this weekend and found myself looking for sweatshirts to wear around the barn under my Carhart vest. What a terrific piece of equipment that vest is. Big pockets to hold shots, clippers, whatever, and thick enough to protect my chest when the goaties or big dogs decide to jump up and give me a hello. Oouch! I got 8 or 9 bunnies clipped yesterday. Gosh, I love those bunners. Gave them their ivomectin and nail trimmings. The angora filled two giant pots of deep turquoise dye. Hmmmm, nice! I will try to get it dry today, but the glorious days of drying huge amounts of fiber in one day are over. I had mohair out there to dry yesterday, but forgot to bring it in last night. Soaking wet now. If there's no sun today I'm in trouble. I want to get a run out to John at Frankenmuth and ask him to bring it to me at Rhinebeck in two weeks. It would be a miracle if he says yes. I slept until 7 - another miracle - and fed the critters in my jammies. What fun, to walk out into the barn and play with my little ones. Last year's goats are miniatures of what they should be, but still healthy and cute with good mohair. I can't imagine them breeding, but Hecky it out there with them. He's rather small, too. I don't think the big Texas girls like Lola and Dallas Alice will have anything to do with him. Don't know if he could reach them, either. Nature tells the girls to breed with the biggest, most macho buck around. Hecky hasn't even covered his face with pee to entice them. That's okay, I need a year off. The rams have been seperated from the girls since beginning of August, but I saw Horatio on a BFL cross ewe so I could have some Christmas lambs. Eric promised a Christmas visit to San Jose so Matt could have his hands full. Oh, well, what else is new? I have to go check on my new batch of chicks. Yes, another hen has hatched ten or so little ones. At first I thought the other batch escaped, then realized this is a new one. She was sitting with them under her as I walked in from work the other day. The loose goats and sheep saw me and ran over looking for food (that's how they see me - a giant sack of corn) and ran her over. Tiny chicks scattered everywhere. I was frantically trying to catch them and keep them from being squashed, but the hen kept flying up at my face, protecting her babies. I gave up and waited for her to collect them again, then popped a bucket over her. Fortunately Matt stepped in on his way to Jan's and helped me get them in a little carrying cage. I desperately need a new door on my chicken room to keep cats out but it's been two years. I might have to hire a carpenter - can you believe it????? News from NJ is good. He has twice as much merchandise at the GSSB festival but is doing about the same business as last year. Everyone complaining about money and how their houses are worth less than their mortgages. I heard my basket-maker friend, Martha Dreswick, who is responsible for my booth looking so nice with her classy baskets, has taken a job as a school bus driver full time for benefits. I want her to move up here but leaving NJ is tough. They think the schools won't be as good, etc., but little do they know that NY State spends huge amounts of $$ on education and ed jobs are very competitive because of benefits. I have a bag on the machine now, and need to get the turquoise angora washed. Matt said the Mother Fiber Needle/Nuno Fiber Packs went steadily yesterday, along with the creme and roving. The lady who bought FIVE bags three years ago was back looking at the new crop but didn't bite. I had forgotten about her. What a coup that was. Maybe she'll come back today. Matt said lots of lookers, and lots of people paying for things with dollar bills. I'm amazed they will pay $4 for a bar of soap. Thank the Goddesses. I hope Matt makes enough money so I can buy a bottle of Patchouli oil. The crop failed last year in India and the price shot up to $200 for 16 ounces. No way. It's down to $100 now. I just adore the scent and I know people will be looking for it at Rhinebeck. It's 9 am and I still have my jammies on, how heavenly. I play choral liturgal music on Sunday mornings and it resounds through the barn. Starbucks in my cup and doggies all around. Back to work tomorrow. I have a workshop at the facility on "the hill" and staff development on Friday. Only three days of kids. That's the wonder of teaching. Just when you think you can't stand another day you get some time off to spend at home on the farm. Works for me.
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