Have to Get More Rest - Footsteps?

Back to school today after a three day weekend. I fell asleep twice in Gretchen's global history class. And her class is interesting! After school I ran down to the road with the sheep so they wouldn't go under the fence and cross the road again. I had let the White Boys go so I could get their walk over with before the rain started. They were a bit put off by the change in routine and ran away down the road. Black clouds rolled in overhead but the rain held off so I could get everybody uphill to the pond. Wow, was I dragging. Every step was an effort. Finn and Knut came back and we got into our regular routine. I've got chores half done and had to come into the apt. to rest. I need to cut up about a hundred pounds of soap tonight, and was going to make more...but I don't think so. Matt is out giving a bid to a client. Pray she takes his price. It would go a long way to getting us through the winter. She is changing her Victorian home into an "inn." Just Matt's cup of tea. I just heard footsteps walking around the hay mow above me. I was just up there in the dark throwing hay down to the boy's pen. They are seperated from the girls now and must be fed and watered every day. There were no sheep up there and the big barn doors are closed. Now I have the creeps. I tried to call Matt, but we don't have cell phones anymore and directory assistance gave me a number that doesn't answer. Okay.....All the dogs are barking like crazy outside. What to do, what to do. Watch the wrap up of the Democratic debate and try not to think about it. Heard it again...how did I ever get through last winter here alone with no cozy apartment? I know how...I had not heard all these ghost stories yet! Let me tame this vivid imagination of mine and do some sewing... this old antique machine I am using with all metal parts makes so much noise I can't hear a thing. Fine with me!

The Great Escape

It has been threatening rain all day so I waited to let the sheep out. Figured I would just save them a run back into the barn on this hot humid day. They usually enjoy lying around in the darkness of the barn during the heat of the day anyway. I opened the gate around 2:30 and they filed out. I walked the little doggies and went back inside before getting in the truck to make my rounds of the fence - or no fence - line. Then I spied the culprits. It's usually the goats who slip under the fence but this time it was the sheep. You can see on the far left of the picture the white dots across the road. So off I go with my staff. I parked the truck on the side of the road and got out. What a beautiful picture they made, spread out on the pretty green field. I have grass on my side of the road, but it has not been mowed and the sheep have to eat around the stalks of old grass. Poor babies! More sheep saw me over there walking around looking happy and contented and decided to run across the road! Not good! Sheep are creatures of habit and will do it again and again if they can get away with it.

I ran around and gathered them together, then down the road comes an old tractor pulling a manure spreader. The sheep scattered everywhere. The farmer could see my frustration and raised his arms in the air as if to say, "What did you expect me to do about it??"

Then I really got going and yelled at them to go home while running around and waving my arms around. That did the trick and across the road they went. I followed them beating my staff on the ground, a sound that is very annoying to them.

I am planning to get new fence up in the spring. Then, only then, will I breathe a sigh of relief...and so will my neighbors.

Got Buttons?

I am seriously low on buttons. I went on a button making jag a couple of years ago that saw me through until now. I have several bags that need buttons. Luckily I found a basket of Sculpey clay, lots of good colors. Polymer clay is expensive, and I don't need that expense right now. Tonight I will be rolling out clay. At Vermont Sheep and Wool I met a polymer artist, a former BOCES teacher, who makes the most amazing buttons. She photo transfers onto clay, and does patterns and mosaics in her buttons. Darned if I didn't lose her name. I do remember the name of the artist who taught her, Donna Cato. She published a book I have to find. In the meantime I will make my big, funky buttons ala Maggie's Farm. People love them, but often complain of them breaking. Now I try with all my might to break the button before I sew it on a bag. A car door slamming on it will do it, which I have done myself. I am thinking about wooden buttons in the future - but there is something about this clay that I really like. Jan is making some adorable buttons which will be on display at my booth at NY State Sheep and Wool, coming up real soon...

Need a Clone of Myself

While I am producing all these delightful goodies to support my farm, chores are not getting done. I had the beginning of an anxiety attack this morning, thinking about winter coming on and all the tasks that must be completed before freezing or snowfall. When I go to work I can forget about all this and pretend the problems don't exist. When I am here it's all in front of me. There is a mountain of hay on top of me right now that has to be laid out across the floor. A couple of the wagons had too much milk weed for my liking (reported to be poisonous to sheep). I have enough trouble keeping them healthy without feeding them poisonous weeds. They manage to find them on their own. So I will have to sort out the milk weedy bales for insulation and seperate the others for feeding. It's still hot out - fine with me. I will suffer the discomfort of heat and humidity gladly. It means I don't have to sling heavy bales down the chute for their food. Randy got a job in a pallet factory. Unless he wants to do weekend work I will have to find another hired man. I am looking over a few at school right now, trying to pick out a good one. Trouble is, most of them live south of here in Chenango County, south of Norwich where our school is. At $3 a gallon, transportation becomes a problem. Back to running the sewing machine...all this will have to wait two weeks until Rhinebeck is over. Just hope I make enough money to get my unpainted in-stock kitchen cabinets. I'm getting awfully tired of this folding table kitchen.

Pokeberries Are Ready

It's finally time to pick the pokeberries. Izzy has purple streaks on his back. I will have purple fingers and the kids in school will say EEEWWWW, what's on your fingers???? I have to boil the berries then strain the skins and pits out. You never know exactly what color the berries will dye the wool. One year the wool was yellow, another year pink. I use vinegar as a mordant, a French word meaning
"bite," which helps the color stick to the wool. Another mordant would give it a different color. I have some alum somewhere but have no idea where to look. People often ask if I use natural dyes, but most of them have no idea the amount of work it takes to gather and prepare all the materials. Natural dyes are beautiful and I still want to go in that direction someday. For now a combination of naturals and synthetics will have to do.

Walking with Velvet

We continued our search for Celeste, Velvet's mother today. Nothing to report. I can't imagine there would be much left by now, with all the varmints around at night. Velvet was keeping close behind me, sometimes stepping on the back of my rubber clog and bumping her nose on the back of my calf. She wanted to stay close to her "mother figure." She nibbled on delectable plants here and there, and played on a rock wall probably dating to colonial times. What a delightful little playmate she is!

Soap, Soap and More Soap

I made a batch of Rosemary soap today. Looks like it will set up okay. The Clary Sage with Lavender from yesterday is perfect. Soap making is a cross between cooking and a chemistry experiment, so one can only hope that everything goes alright. Sometimes I think the alignment of the planets has a lot to do with it. I had a couple of batches go screwy last winter and it totally freaked me out. The soap was hard as cement and wouldn't cut right because it was so hard...but the soap was amazingly wonderful. Very good lather and the bars are lasting forever. I finally figured out my olive oil amount was off. Now the soap cuts fine. I will have to invest in molds one of these days, but for now my primitive milk carton molds will have to do. I take my soap for granted - after all, it is everywhere in my home. When I go to someone else's house, or go travelling, and have to use commercial soap I realize how nice mine is. Soap is good thing. I was just talking to Gretchen the other day about a WWII movie with Cate Blanchett and a host of others. A group of women being held in a Japanese prison camp were fighting over a tiny sliver of soap. It kind of brought home how important soap is to all of us. Yes, I am thoroughly spoiled with my soap dish and bath tub piled high with every kind of soap I make.

New Front Door

Now I have a front door. No steps to get to it, and the gas pipe crosses in front of it, but these are minor technicalities. A little touching up with hunter green paint and we're in business (once the gas pipe is moved and the steps are built.

Look What Holly Found!

I think Holly and I heard the peep-peep-peeps at the same time but she led me to it. This tiny little Bantam mom was sitting on eggs in the old stock tank at the East End of the barn. There was an old garbage can in the tank and she had hunkered down in it, perfectly hidden and protected, covered with old baling twine. I checked the other eggs and they were cold and watery - no more chicks. I put the little family in the hen house where they would be safe from cats and have lots to eat. The little mom saw the bowl of chicken crumbles and started chowing down. She had been fasting for weeks, sitting on those eggs. The Mixed Up Chickens, who are now HUGE, pecked at the new chicks a bit so I hung around to give mom a chance to eat without having to protect the chicks. I put them in an old cat carrier under the nest boxes so they could be under some cover, but no, they wanted to run around with mom. I went outside and picked some of their favorite weeds, hoping that would distract them from the new roommates. We'll see how it goes. Chicks have usually done just fine in there - their biggest danger is me stepping on them.

Where are the Apples Going?

I was wondering why there are no apples on the ground. Was something eating them right out of the trees? Deer maybe? Now I know...the sheep are eating them after they fall. I was happy to finally see them in action. These small tart apples are very good for them, and a nice treat.

Sad and Beautiful

We combed the hill, the apple orchard and the lower pond area for Celeste with no success. The dogs know where she is but my dogs are not smart enough to figure out what we are looking for then take us to it. We had almost 50 acres to cover, with lots of nooks and crannies. We'll try again tomorrow. In the meantime I took some pictures of the pretty fall afternoon, a little cloudy, but nonetheless lovely.

Colorscape

Our beautiful ridge...

Keeping Cool Before We Try to Keep Warm

The big pine tree provides shade for the gang. Thunderstorms are coming, and so is winter. I was going through last spring's pictures looking for pictures of Celeste. Everything was so drag in the barn, except for the colorful sweaters on the babies. I have a boxful that are rather small now from shrinkage during washing. Jan and I will undoubtedley be knitting more. No wonder Celeste rejected little Velvet. She was an old lady trying to take care of twins! Funny, in my mind I never thought she was growing old. I had given her up when we moved to yet another rental and Matt made me give away some of my goats. I still have a hard time talking about that period of my life. I was very lucky to get her back when I bought the farm. Stacy Bonus of Lavender Hill Farm was gracious and generous to bring her back to me. I will forever be indebted to her. Celeste was not happy at her farm and would bang her head against the barn all the time. She was happy and contented here, you see she just wanted to come home and be with all her friends. I thought I would get some shots of the beautiful ridge behind the farm...a glorious backdrop for our lives here on the Farm where Celeste spent her last year. I had a phone order today...someone who saw my goods at the Garden State Sheep Breeders show last month. She said she kept thinking about my Mother Fiber and Shepherds Friend Hand Creme. Yes!

Ouch!

Some kitty friends are keeping me company while I sew. It can be "tough love" at times when they decide to climb up my leg...but they are so cute it's hard to resist. I got some more wool dyed last night and today. Rain expected and cooler temperatures coming, so I spun it in the washing machine to get the excess water out and put it out to dry. All day I've had one eye on the sky. I am skirting lamb's wool and kid mohair fleeces to sell raw at my booth. AJ called from Nevada and we had a nice talk. He's getting ready for another MEPS exam for Chaplain Candidate school and is looking for an apt. near Fuller, his seminary in Pasadena, California. Mia is working as an RN in New Jersey and their mother is keeping sheep in New York. We're spread out all over the place.

Nature's Way

I'm watching the buzzards fly around this particular area of the hill. I'll search for what's left of Celeste up there. I like the idea of her being part of the environment in many ways, not just placed in a hole. And I have her beautiful head.

Forgive and Forget

He knows the quickest way for gaining forgiveness is to do some home improvements. He may have dropped the ball on my birthday but putting in my barn doors is helping the sitution. These beautiful doors came from the garbage dump at a home renovation in New Jersey. They are double French doors - one will be the back entrance to my workshop and the other will be the front door. They are weatherproof and let a lot of light in. Matt will build steps in the front and a stoop in the back out of slate from the field. It will be easier for me to get the wild horde of dogs out in the morning without having to go through the outer barn.

Good Bye Celeste

We saw buzzards circling over the hill yesterday. With such a busy work week, and decreasing light in the evening, I was not getting up the hill until dark and couldn't look around the way I like. Then the White Boys disappeared last night and brought home a guest - a tiny yapping dog we couldn't get close to in the fog. Got the Boys locked up then got some shut eye. My internal alarm clock woke me up at 6, dark and foggy. When I took the inside doggies out they shot up the hill, Tanner ripping the lease out of my hand. I knew something was going on up there. Sure enough, Holly brought back a piece of flesh. I could tell right away it was Celeste by the color and length of her coat. I got Matt up and showed it to him. He thought it was a deer initially, but I knew better. Deer hair is spiky, this was smooth. I ran out to the barnyard to look for Celeste, but she was nowhere to be found. Matt went up the hill to look around and found a skull with backbone still attached but nothing else, in a cove in the apple orchard. She made a feast for whomever, probably my own dogs. Flesh is flesh and the White Boys are one step away from wild. I can't imagine they would let coyotes that close. I think Celeste was around ten or eleven. She's given me three beautiful black doe kids in the last couple of years. There's more to her story that I will tell another time when I am not hurting so much. Her daughter, little Velvet, is a constant reminder of her mother's beautiful blue eyes. Velvet's twin sister must be following another mother around now. I hope that doe lets her nurse or it will be a quick weaning. Fortunately, there is a lot of green grass still in the fields, along with apples on the ground. I hope Celeste died of old age. I like the idea that she died on the wild hill, the way a goat should. Colored goats are less domesticated than white goats and are a true throwback to the originals, running around the fertile crescent thousands of years ago. I have her skull, with horns, and will save it as a reminder of the twinkling blue/tan/green eyes that used to inhabit it.

Breathtaking Views

I can hardly stay on the road on the way to school. I have been stopping here and there to take pictures on the way home. It seems odd to be taking in the fall colors when it's 85 degrees outside and the air is positively steamy. The weather is supposed to turn cool and rainy next week. I've missed some good wool drying days this week, but I did get a lot of soap and two beautiful bags made. It was a five day work week with one late night, so what did I expect? I would love to hit the hay right now at a healthy 11 PM, but the White Boys have decided to take off. Who knows where they went. There are thousands of wild acres around here where they can run around and have fun, but there are also lots of farmers armed to the hilt who don't take well to stray dogs coming around. They came up to the pond with me and kept on going. I will wait up through Jay Leno and hope they come back. Bad doggies! Bad doggies!

Jan Wants A Gator

I take a short cut through the auto-tech garage every day when I go to work. That way I can sneak into my classroom on the far end of the hall. This Gator has been parked in the garage for the last several days. Jan is scheming to get one. I think it's a neat item, especially the back bed that fits two bales. Last time I heard, a Gator is a cool ten thousand. I think we both should get one so we can have Gator races across the fields. I don't know - she comes from the Motor City and would be a tough opponent.

Friday Evening

What a week, much drama at work which I can't talk about - and much drama at home I don't want to talk about. But the critters need care and life goes on. I have to focus on the Rhinebeck show. The almond soap I made night before last came out fine so I will cut it up tonight and make the rosemary tomorrow, along with sewing bags and skirting wool. It was HOT today and I was stuck in staff developement workshops all day. Oh, please save me. The powers that be took me away from my friends I am with every day and put me with the "C" wing people. I guess they want to remind me once in a while that I belong to the Special Education staff and I'm only on loan to Career Academy. Okay, so I did learn how to do a behavior intervention, yada, yada, yada. I know nothing about the kids we discussed all afternoon, never met them, and just couldn't wait to get out of there. The construction on the new wing killed the air conditioning in the school so it was "moist." One nice thing...a good buddy of mine in special ed, Roger, brought in an old spinning wheel he picked up at an antique shop. He put a new treadle on it and asked me to look at it. There we were in the parking lot, in the blazing sun, with passersby stopping to look, spinning on this odd, patched together old timey spinning wheel. It was great.

Family Night

It's Family Night at school and we are making a spaghetti dinner for the kids and their families. I had a chance to run out to Wal-Mart and was pleased to find my slim styled canning jars on sale. Got a bunch for my Shepherd's Friend Hand Creme. I prefer them to the white plastic jars, although they are better for carrying in a purse, I have to admit. I won't get home until 9 or so tonight so I think I will give myself the night off of soapmaking and do a little sewing. Every minute is precious from now until the trailer pulls out of the Farm on the way to Rhinebeck. It was 85 in Norwich today, hot and stuffy in the classrooms. Whoops, parents are coming in!

More Soap

I'm waiting for the lye bath and oil mixture to cool down to 98 degrees. This is almond soap, sooooo nice. I finished last night's bag after work, then dinner, then dog walk, then chores. I have one goat, Cinnamon, down for some reason. I think Tommy Boy butted him when he might have gotten near a doe, but Cinnamon is a wether. TB is a bully and might have rammed him even though he is no threat. I am treating him with Banamine, Vitamin B. and Ivomec, just in case this is meningeal worm, in which case the damage is done. Matt is home from work tomorrow so I will call Dr. Rachel in the morning. She hasn't been here in several months. Started the soap at 9, even though I am exhausted. Much "drama" at work today and it drained me. Have to stay until 9 tomorrow as it is "Family Night." It's a delightful affair where we, the teachers, make a spaghetti dinner for the students' families...however, I am such a creature of routine that the thought of not coming home to do my dailies, well, it's unsettling. I will bring my spinning wheel, maybe Gretchen will remember to bring hers, and we'll spin. There is something so neat about spinning with a partner, or a group, and I haven't done that in SO long. Yes, I am a lone spinner. Me and the television. I have to cut up fabric to wrap all this soap in. I'm cutting up the lavender before I go to bed. Jan has a truckload to wrap down south in New Jersey. She is going to get together with Mia to get the job done. I will have a bunch here to do myself, along with skirting fleeces, putting together kits of several samples of roving (they did well at Fingerlakes) and putting photos into the notecards. I have Monday off so that will help get some things done and give me a little time to rest, I hope.

Good to Keep Busy

Got home from work and straight away started sewing. I got most of one bag made before the doggie trek up the hill, then chores. Made my usual 48 pound batch of lavender soap tonight, and cut up the lemongrass I made on Sunday. I got it spread out on the drying rack in the guest room. While I was making the lavender I got the pot of scraps hot enough to spread out in the box top. I added some shea butter hand creme and vitamin e, along with clove oil. It should make nice shaving soap. Finished up in time to get a load of laundry in, feed the kitties (have to do it after the dogs are night-night) eat my bowl of shredded wheat and turn on Jay Leno. Better hit the hay.

Full of Surprises

I walked into the classroom I call home and found my desk covered with presents, cards and flowers. What a lucky girl I am. I cast my fate to the wind and came up here to make a life, and found all these friends who care about me. I even got a copy of one of my favorite movies, Moonstruck, just because I mentioned it a while back and Gretchen made a mental note. I got all kinds of goodies including Tractor Supply and La Maison Blanche (my favorite French bakery) gift certificates, a photo album with hand painted cover, chocolate, berries and whipped cream compote, caramel corn, truck air freshener, breath mints (?!), a potted plant and lots of cute cards. I came home to find another present that arrived in the mail - a nifty cordless mouse from my professor friend, George, and drop dead gorgeous socks from Lynne, the Sock Lady. Hannah sent me fabric to make her a bag for school - I am so fulfilled! Time to get the doggies out, it's almost dark already and Matt went out to talk to the West Winfield lady he might be building a bed and breakfast for. Chores and sewing ahead for me tonight, after a lovely, lovely day.

Every Day Like a Birthday

Every day is like a birthday on the Farm. I have kitties, doggies, bunnies, llamas, sheep, lambies, goaties, chickies, and, let's see - what else? Oh, yes, my own personal companion/farm hand Mattie! What else could a girl want? It may have taken too long to get here, and the road was a rocky one, but I'm finally settling in. I loved birthdays when I was little. The woman in this picture was my mother's best friend on Staten Island, Ann Kinderman. We lived on the sixth floor of an apartment building, one in a huge project on the Staten Island Expressway. It was filled with returning veterans and my mother had company all the time. One day my father came home and told her he bought a house on the wild frontier of New Jersey. It must have been tough for her to leave her friends. My mother still held birthday parties for us, but things started to change in the country. I remember coming home from school and my bed would be made with a new bedspread and covered with presents. I never got over not having that attention on my birthday and still wait for my bed to be covered with presents! I'm on another frontier, far away from any family, and my mother has passed on to a place where life is easier for her, I hope. Mia called to get Matt straight on what day my birthday is. She had her first day of real RN BSN nursing yesterday, and loved it...another birthday present for me - a professional daughter who considers her mother an inspiration! I hope she goes shopping with that first pay check and buys herself something special - God knows she deserves it! The weather is balmy today and will be all week, although the weather people say we could have snow any time. We need to get wood in - tough to find seasoned wood around here. It sells so fast the lumber jacks can't cut enough. If I can manage to get my tractor up here from Pa. I can cut wood from my own land, it's just getting it back to the barn that's the problem. Challenges and new frontiers...that's life on the Farm.

Another Bloody Sunday

Here we go again, dutifully watching another installment of The War, the Ken Burns documentary. It started out as a blissfully relaxing Sunday morning, lying in bed until almost nine. I was up until one am watching Bill Mahre so the doggies were taken out in the wee hours to pee and held it until we got up at nine. So nice...I got four bags cut out this morning and made Lemongrass soap in the afternoon. I finished printing out the pictures for my Maryland Sheep and Wool application. It must be postmarked tomorrow. This will be my third application, and wish I could say it would be a charm. They are very fussy and don't want any more wool. They want different, unique products, related to sheep ofcourse. I am hoping my sheep signs and bags will work. Got some great pictures and printed them out on 8x10 glossy photo paper. Maybe that will help. Last year I bought some expensive advertising thinking that might help get me in, but no deal. I know my stuff is good enough, but will they want it? Don't know...I won't know for months. Had a lovely walk with the doggies tonight. Matt spent some time working on my workroom electric, says he will put the French doors in next weekend. That will be great. Then I will be able to get the dogs out in the morning easier. The best part will be not having everyone troop through the Milk Room to get in here. I'm tired and would love to go to bed, but still have to check on chickens and put cat food out, change the kitty boxes, get clothes ready for school tomorrow, fill out the Md. application, take the doggies out, get the sheep in, close the gate, etc. Seems like nothing compared to fighting my way through Europe. What a terrific series this is. Last week when the veterans were attending the dedication of the WWII Memorial in Washington, and they were sharing their war stories, Matt had tears rolling down his cheeks. He's like that...every time the American flag goes by in a parade he cries. Nice to have a Patriot in the family.

Pre Birthday Saturday

I asked Matt to go to the post office and pick up the package Mia said she sent me for my birthday. He said, "It's your Birthday???" Realizing he doesn't know WHAT day my birthday is, and was totally unprepared for it anyway, I said, yeah it's my birthday. He was very nice to me all day, swept and mopped the floor in the apt., went into New Berlin to get me eggplant parmigian, fixed the light over the Milk Room steps I've had to feel my way up and down in the dark for a year, and even went with me for our nightly doggie walk up the hill. I figured I might as well be celebrating it on a Saturday anyway, since we both are working on Monday (my birthday.) We explored the apple orchard, which has quite a few ripe apples ready for picking. I want to make a pie from the apples in MY orchard. They are small, but taste terrific. There are plenty left for the deer who take shelter from the hunters. Mia sent me a beautiful picture of me holding baby Hannah on my lap on my wedding day. I washed a black fleece, then dyed another one, and cut out a bag. I'm going out into the Milk Room to make some Rosemary soap now. One of my favorite kitties, Lizzie, is on my shoulder. OH, she's so sweet. Lizzie loves to climb up my back and sit on my shoulders as I go about my business. The movie World Trade Center with Nicholas Cage is on TV. Omigosh, it brings me back to Voorhees High School, where I was making copies in the copy room on Sept. 11. The door to the media tech's workroom opened and he motioned for me to come in. Several people including the principal were gathered around a big screen TV. We were only 35 miles from Manhattan. Our guidance counselor's husband was killed, and many families were involved in various ways. The principal wisely would not allow TV's to be turned on in the classrooms, as many other local schools did. With a quivering voice and shaky hand I called Matt on the job site where he was working and asked if he was alright. He answered, in his own indomitable Blue Collar spirit, "Ain't no Towel Head gonna get ME, Baby!" It was beautiful. We feel so far removed up here in our peaceful little valley in Central New York. I like it that way.