Is she or isn't she?

When I got Kiri, I was suspicious that she was pregnant (one of those intuitive flashes I get), but then while at Michelle's, she was being such a turd and her back/ovaries were sore, I decided that I was mistaken.

This is a picture from the slaughter lot where I got her:

Note the rather tightish belly line. This was in December.

This is now:

Note the downward sag of her belly.

Equine gestation is 11 months, roughly. Since I don't know when she was bred (before going to the slaughter lot, I'm pretty sure), I have no idea when she's due.  I can tell she's foaled before from the look of her udder/teats (they've been used!).

While this is exciting, it's also very worrisome.  I don't do baby horses. I don't have the time it takes to get them handle-able, and comfortable with humans.  I hadn't bargined on a two-fer!

However, when talking to a friend today about it, we came up with a name for the (very possibly impending) foal - Who's Your Daddy.  It's gender neutral, and the barn name can be anything.

Progress reports will be intermittent, but forthcoming.

Oh, and I've had 88 inches of rain in 6 months. $%(^*$_)(%^*(^

Fiber Weekend

This weekend was wonderfully exhausting!

It started with hauling two equines over the pass in my horse trailer – Chris, who was going to a new home (she loves him!) and King, a B Welsh pony for Correy’s next driving project. Talk about Mutt and Jeff! Since the weather has been icky, I figured I’d have to chain up, and needed chains for the trailer. When I went to get them, the ones they had were so slick to put on, I bought a set for the truck too (I have some chain chains that I’ve never opened, and will now return). I had Correy’s daughter, Brin, with me – what a helper! I guess I should admit that until this time, I’ve never put chains on a vehicle… in my whole life! Fortunately, these new-fangled chains are a snap to put on, and easy to take off. It was slow going over the top, but we made it, and everyone was fine.

Got to Correy’s and dropped off the pony (sorry no picture, I wasn’t thinking…). He looks like a miniature Clydesdale. We then went to the fairground to set up (Correy and I share a booth). Again, no picture (ditto…).

We went back the next morning to finish, and these pictures don’t really show much… (Except LindaLou having a good time!!)

I was surprised very surprised by the almost complete sell out of my dyed yarn, and all but 2 skeins of Mom’s “Vintage” mohair yarn. I sold a fair amount of roving, but not as much as last year. The yarn was a total hit, in spite of both of my swifts committing suicide the night before I left so I couldn’t finish rewinding the skeins (to mix up the colors). I sold all of the superwash/bamboo, and all but 1 skein of the superwash. WOW!

I couldn’t resist this picture:

This little guy was “helping” his mom and dad in the booth behind us. It was a very long day for him (and everyone else). I was so envious!

On Sunday, Correy and I traveled out to Ashwood so I could pick up this year’s pigs. After helping with pig rodeo, I brought home these 3 boys:

They’re still pretty wild, and contained in my horse trailer. I don’t think it will take long for them to get used to the human that feeds them, however!

Rainfall total: 75 inches since November 1, 2010.

Have I mentioned that I’m ready for spring?

Iz hab code in by nose...

Today is a better living through chemistry day – Airborne and Mucinex are my friends. I finally succumbed to the cold that I thought was allergies all last week (dang). I should have known when my nose became leaky faucet Saturday, and I couldn’t seem to get warm. Oh well, hopefully, it will be the last one of the season (the first one and only other was at Thanksgiving).

As such, I had a very bori... um, relaxing weekend. I read 3 books (I read very, very fast). I brought the dyed fiber in from the porch (see previous post) because after 2 weeks it still wasn’t dry. It’s now suspended between my hutch and a box over the window thingy, and mostly dry. I fluffed and braided all but 8 oz. of the fiber that was dry. I took a nap with Lyra. I walked Annie around the pasture, having her stepping over logs (she’s very aware of where her feet are, unlike a very big horse I know), and picked up all of her feet. She had forgotten that skill when I first got her – with some work (not really all that much), she’s remembered.  And I did it without her being tied up. What a good pony.

My sister reminded me that I had not sent her pictures of Ted. 

He basically fills this basket, which is 20" across – he’s becoming rather rotund… If he looks like he's glaring, he is.  I still can't touch him without him hissing and growling.  He was all comfy before I interrupted him. I would like to be at home curled up under my down comforter with Lyra.

Oh, and after 2 days with no rain, and a little sun, it's raining again, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.  Current rainfall total: 60 inches since Nov. 1, 2010.

Spring is coming, right?

It was a good day to Dye!

It was a wonderful weekend, even though it started Thursday with a migraine that lasted through Friday. However, on Sunday, LindaLou came down from Kelso to do some dyeing. Linda and I met in Reno, and then I moved. She was pissed! She grew up in Portland, and wanted to get back, and finally did about a year ago.

Preparations for dyeing were interrupted because my washer died. It’s really nice to use the washer to presoak and spin out the fiber.

Sunday, we started out by soaking the warp she bought from me when I moved up here from Reno. Its rayon and cotton mixed, and takes the fiber reactive dyes. It’s been eons since I’ve done any of that kind dyeing, so I had to read up. I found the notes and instruction sheets from a class I took many years ago in San Diego. So, carefully following the instructions, I mixed up the dye.

Then we realized that we really didn’t know how long the warp was, because it had been chained. So after we took it out of the activator soak, we measured it – 16 yards! What was I thinking! Anyway, decided it’s probably enough for 6 shawls with fringe. Because it’s boring to weave 16 yards all the same, we decided to bag up the soaked warp, and Linda would take it, the dyes and accessories home to measure out each shawl on the warp so she could dye them all different colors.

We started on some of my fiber (of which I have a lot…). I use a turkey roaster with the little chaffing trays that I’ve modified by drilling multiple 3/8 holes to make them into steaming trays (sorry no picture of that…). I got a pound and a half of the Merino/Tussah/Bamboo (MBT) done Saturday night, and some prep work done for Sunday.


Water Lilies colorway, MBT and BFL/Tussah

Sunday, we did a lot. It was such a beautiful day that we moved everything outside, and even tried to catch some rays. I finished the first colorway, on Border Leicester/Tussah (boy, does that dye well…).

In the meantime, Linda was thinking that I was wasting dye, so she brought out some mohair locks. I used them to blot the dye off of the roving, and then put it into a plastic bag to steam. It turned out really lovely.

Water Lilies in progress with mohair

Mohair "blotter"

She also does really cool scarves – nuno felted, felted and shibori. She brought some silk scarf blanks and we blotted color with them too. The one on the right is my favorite – it looks like aged copper.

Silk Blotter scarves - future shibori

The next colorway is warmer, also done on both the MBT and Border Leicester/Silk. I like the MBT better, personally, but they’re both pretty cool!


BFL/Tussah Smith Rocks Colorway 

About the time we were hanging stuff out to dry, it started clouding up. When the temp started dropping, we moved everything back inside, leaving the roaster on the covered porch. The fumes bother both Linda and I, so leaving it outside was the best option. I also moved the poles that I hang stuff on to the porch.


Relocated Drying racks (note undyed fiber - it won't last)

However, with some snow, and more rain last night, not much dried! I’ll have to bring it all inside to dry.
The good news is that I’m picking up a washer today after work, so I’ll be able to rinse everything that needs it, and spin it out, which will hasten the drying process. UPDATE: The guy's wife gave it to a co-worker, so I'm back on the hunt...  I hate going to the laundromat...

I made up a new song for farm chores (to the tune of “Singing in the rain”):

I’m feeding in the rain

I’m feeding in the rain

What a soggy old feeling

Slip sliding away

I’m slogging out the hay

Keeping the ‘pacas at bay

I’m feeding, I’m feeding in the rain.

Looks like I’ll be singing this song for the foreseeable future! I've had 52 inches of rain since the beginning of November.

Of cats and wool (and rain)... Picture heavy

Before going on a tour of the Creekside Fiber Mill, I’d like to introduce you to the rodenators-in-training:

Chaos and Mayhem

Ted

I went through many possibilities of names for Chaos and Mayhem, and ended up coming back to the original idea after all. It’s hard to tell them apart, though possible if you get close, but the end result by either one is still the same – chaos and mayhem!! Ted is the anti-social one – you can tell, since the picture was taken of him hiding under a desk behind a box!

Unfortunately, after I picked up the fiber from Creekside, I attempted to organize my stash.  I have a garden bathtub under which the floor is rotten, so the bathtub can't be used.  Perfect, non-floor covering stash location!  However, the kittens did very naughty things and ruined a significant amount of the wool that was stored there.  I have two contractor's size trashbags full of stinky wool in the back of my truck to go to the dump.  The good news is that I got it all organized, labled, and stored in a kitten-proof manner.  I borrowed the idea of hanging bags from Mim - I call them the pod people.

On to the mill. It’s nice to have a fiber processor within driving distance that can do everything. They wash, blend, card (bats or roving), spin into your choice of yarn and make needle felt. Check out the website (Here). I have no affiliation, just a satisfied customer, yadda, yadda…

The front Door

Drying lovelyness



The Picker/Blender



After going through the Picker once

Through the carder once

After going through the carder twice - into roving

The pin-drafter

The spinner

The plyer

The needle felter with some alpaca felt

And here are some of the results of their efforts:

Yarn porn

This is 47.2% wool, 37.3% alpaca, 10% Mohair and 7.5% silk, sport weight, 2-ply. It knits up at 6.5 sts/in on size 3, and 6 sts/in on size 5 needles. The wool is from a crossbred sheep – Rambouillet, Romeldale, Montadale (known as a Rommanot), and was a nice variegated gray with really nice crimp. The alpaca was white, as was the silk, and the mohair was brillo pad gray (though not texture!). You can see the sheen of this yarn in the photo – it’s really luscious to work with, and I’m sure will dye really well. I have calculated the info for a couple of scarves – one on my loom (4 shaft) and one on my Mom’s (8 shaft). Should be as fun weaving with this as it is to knit.

Merino Alpaca Roving

The picture doesn’t accurately show the color of this fiber (it's much darker). It’s 50% moorit merino, and 50% Rose gray (though it was really chocolate brown) alpaca. It’s also really wonderful to handle, and I need to work a little on my slow skills for this – otherwise it becomes very thin rope… I’m hoping to make something for myself out of my half – Correy contributed the wool, I furnished the alpaca, so we’re sharing the result!

I've been knitting a baby sweater for a co-worker - pictures next time.

Current rainfall since November 1, 2010: 21 inches.  I'm trying not to float away...

Tomorrow...

After some discussion with my sister and Sharon, I will post a picture of the sweater whose colors I don't like.  Sharon was surprised that the "Queen of Overdye" couldn't fix them, until I explained that they had been chosen by the recipient, and weren't subject to change!  I will gladly entertain your opinions of the color scheme!

I also canned 11 qts. of turkey stock yesterday - I'll post pictures of that, too, since I think they're beautiful!

We're in for some cold weather, just in time for me to be out of town - dang.  Last year, when it got this cold, my well pump froze and I had to replace it.  I'll be scrambling tonight to get the pumphouse secured and heated so that doesn't happen when I'm in Reno!  I'm thinking about stacking strawbales around the outside (some large equine or other used the pumphouse as a rubbing spot, so it's all cattywhompus, and needs to be straightened up).  Of course, until the straw bales get wet, the 4 footed animals in the pasture will nibble on them. 

As of today, I have had 10 inches of rain in the month of November.  I usually start my rain year the first of November, since that's when I got my rain gauge 3 years ago.  The first year I kept track, I had 89.75 inches of rain.  The next year, I had 68.5, and last year I had 52+/-.  Since I'm on the coast side of the coast range, I get lots of rain and some snow.  Right now, the ground is saturated, and the rain is just pooling or running off.  The guy I get my hay from lives in the valley just to the north of me, and speculates that in our area, the land can only hold so much and all the rest runs off.  I'm not sure, but right now that's the case!