Sunday Morning on the Farm

What a blessing - Sunday morning when I can wake up and lie there pondering my existence, make coffee at my leisure (which is usually pretty quick) and stroke whatever kitties or dogs are keeping me warm at the time. There are advantages to living in the barn. I can walk through two doors in my LL Bean granny gown that Mia bought for me and the sheep are right there, unless they have wandered out the other side into the barnyard. It really comes in handy when a hard rain or blizzard is going on outside and we're all undercover together. I don't have to dig trenches to the barn like most farmers. Right now they are outside enjoying the fabulous Postma hay I bought last week. It must taste like candy to them as they are not lining up at the gate to get out and graze. I will graze them again from time to time but the grassy clumps are fewer and fewer and it's not growing like crazy between grazings any more. A few sheep and goats are out but sticking close. They keep the area around the barn mowed for me and allow for easy petting and scratching. Much on deck for today - two batches of soap, I hope, if all goes well, and some wool dyeing. I skirted a GIANT old wether fleece last night which I will dye Jacquard Pumpkin - one of my favorites - for an orange run. I have lots of baby soft llama which is full of VM unfortunately (vegetable matter for you civilians). I might blend it with the wool. Matt doesn't know it but I will need him to hold some lambs for me to clip this week. If I don't get a run out to Frankenmuth soon they won't be able to bring it to me at Rhinebeck, just three weeks away. Pressure, pressure. They have a big run ready to bring to me there, along with some natural colored Merino/BFL and white Rambouillet for the purists who don't want dyed wool. Better get going as the day is flying by.