I fell of the edge...

It's been a long few weeks.

Right after I last posted, I was inundated with traffic plan work (good, but tiring), as well as having to do a major dye run to prepare for not one, but three fiber shows in less than 30 days.

I didn't do much other than work and dye (die?). Because the traffic plans are done at the computer, the last thing I wanted to do was to  sit at the computer and blog. Sorry...

In the interim, I've been to 3 shows - 1 very good, 1 so-so, and 1 outstanding. Check out Fiber Voodoo for the complete recap.

I've also traded spinning wheels around - I sold the Country Craftsman (which I still love, but don't need too big, fast wheels), to buy this beauty:

 It's a Canadian, tilt-tension production wheel. Presumably made by one of the Vezinas (there are 2 or 3), and while it has some alignment issues, spins very, very fast. I have met my match! With the Ashford in the picture, you can get a sense of the scale. The drive wheel is 29" diameter.

I've also tried and failed to hatch turkey eggs in an incubator. It's hard to get anything better than a 70% hatch rate, and because I had to hold some of them almost a week before putting them in, and having to take the incubator to a friends when I was out of town (it needed water about every 2-3 days), I wasn't surprised. However, 2 of my 3 turkey hens are sitting on a communal nest, and are close to hatching peeps (if they can manage better than I did). I'll be sure to update that soon.

I'm in a photography class, and we have to do homework before this week's session. I went around yesterday with it on auto and took some cool pictures of Mr. Big's feathers and the pavo real (Peacock in Spanish - it means royal turkey).

Sunlight iridescence - lovely!

He is royalty!

The back-stage view

Tang is doing well, had a little gas the other day, which after last winter's ordeal, I'm a little hyper about, so she got slop with peppermint, and she's fine. I think she got some hay that was a little higher fiber than some in the bale pile. You all know what high-fiber foods do...

I've also added some new stock - a trio of satin rabbits. The copper doe kindled on Mother's day - 7 vigorous kits. She's being a good mom, and protective. The chocolate doe is due on the 21st, so the nest box will go in on Saturday, just to make sure. The buck is a broken Siamese, and looks kind of like a clouded leopard on his back - he's young, so will be ready for the girls in about a month. I won't breed them back that quickly - there's only so much rabbit one can eat! I make killer rabbit tacos - I can't wait!

Leigh emailed me, asking what the baking progress has been. With work and shows, I really haven't been baking at all. However, I'm hoping to very soon. I will post a recipe blog when I get my sandwich bread dialed in. Interestingly, I have psyllium husk on hand - I give psyllium powder to Tang for sand accumulation. I'm just going to use that. I can tell you that it makes her slop (soaked timothy hay pellets) very slimy, so it should work really well to help replace gluten in bread.

Because I love her, here's a candid shot of Tang, licking her salt block - her tongue is very wide...