Home Sweet Home

There is something so sweet about pulling in to the farm driveway on a Friday night after a looooonnng week at work, knowing I don't have to leave the farm all weekend.  I stayed at school until 5 or so to work on Special Ed. paperwork then drove home in the snow and falling temps.  We've had snow for a few days in a row - nothing substantial but enough to make driving difficult with roads covered with ice and slush.  To go over 40 is to risk your life on the roads I travel.  Bless their hearts the people at work never give me a hard time about being a few minutes late in bad weather.   I'm so glad to be home with my sheep, dogs and cats.  I made an easy dinner of tuna on the local Heidelberg Bakery's French Peasant Bread, then we headed out to chores.  I've been staying in the barn late at night working on fleeces and tonight was no different.  I have a rhythm going.  Pick the wool, pulling locks apart and taking out bits of dirt, hay, dried poo and burdock.  The wool goes in the washer with hot water and detergent.  I watch the tub fill then swish it around with my hands.  I leave the wool in the washer overnight, then spin it out the next day.  I have two giant pots ready on the dye stove filled with water, dye and mordant, either vinegar or citric acid.  I divide the wool between the two pots, bring it to a boil while stirring and lifting the wool, then turn the heat down to a simmer.  I get another fleece or two ready for the washer while the pots are cooking.  I turn off the pots before I got to bed, or, when it is very cold, I leave the pots on a very low heat to prevent the milk room pipes from freezing.  In the morning I take the washed wool out of the washer and put it in a bag, then dump the cooled down dyed wool in the washer for rinsing.  The dye pots are prepared and the washed wool goes in.  And so it goes.  I have quite a back log of dyed wool waiting to be put out to dry.  The best place to dry wool is the "kitchen" table next to the wood stove.  The intense heat is fantastic to dry wool and since it's right under my nose I can continue picking and pulling apart locks.  I can't leave the wool out when I go to work because new dog, Cooper, likes to jump up on the table and lie on the wool, causing most of it to fly off the table.  Nothing is easy around here, but I get it done.  I'm thinking I have three or four runs of roving done.  I love roving.  I don't care for mill spun yarn but roving is still close enough to the fleece stage that I can remain in touch with the animal.  I adore hand spun yarn, and Kim is still loving to spin.  Now Hannah is spinning which is absolutely wonderful.  Can't wait to see what they both bring to Maryland.   I'm hoping to get all this wool packed up and off to John at Frankenmuth by the end of next week.  I'm hoping to get 100 pounds done and shipped.  At $40 a pound, you do the math, that would go a long way to paying for hay, taxes and the lease on my extra land.  One can only live and hope...