Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Tennyson's First Lambs of the Season

Above are Winter Sky Kismet's twin moorit ram and black ewe(Deja Vu)sired by Tennyson. I am finding the Tennyson lambs all exhibit a different type of fiber than one sees on the tightly crimped UK lambs or more loosely curled domestic stock. All the lambs have a slightly open curly fleece that is consistent from front to back and very soft down at the skin already, so I am imagining they will develop that fine crimp I so love as they mature into the fall.

The twins below were the latest born to Glenmore Staccato who had a fabulously fleeced dark moorit ram lamb by Tennyson last year. This time she produced a lovely dark moorit ewe lamb--Pianissimo--and a musket ram lamb--Largo. Largo has the softest fiber of any lamb on the farm--like crushed velvet, so we are excited about his prospects.


Winter Sky Halla(a true shaela Kismet daughter from last year)produced a comical black smirslet ram lamb with feet and legs larger than his leaping ambitions. He looks very much like Winter Sky Chrome did as a lamb, so we will see how he shapes up. His name is Astaire.
This is Winter Sky China Silk. The last daughter out of my daughter's pet white ewe Short Tale and sired by Winter Sky Sandstone. We have found crossing Sandstone daughters with Tennyson always produces something nice and Calista is no exception. She is almost a carbon copy of Pianissimo and another dark moorit.

4 comments:

Cary ~ My Wool Mitten at Serenity Farms said...

Ohhh, Karen - what adorable photos and so many beautiful lambs!

Look forward to visiting more soon,
Cary (Russell & Rosencrantz, too!)

Deborah said...

Cary sent me over here to look at your lovely sheep. They are just beautiful. I love the lifestyle you live. I would love to turn off our electricity, but I cannot see how we could do without the air conditioner. Sigh. I suppose we are pretty spoiled, but heat and humidity are just beyond my endurance without technology.

Karen Valley said...

If we had heat and humidity often and didn't live in an underground house that stays very nicely cool in the summer I wouldn't like living without electricity nearly as much.

But I must admit I do wonder how anyone can stand to hear all the whirrings and mechanical noises associated with wiring and appliances. And to have a phone ringing all the time? I've gotten too used to the quiet of the woods.

Michelle said...

I would love to see and hear about Black Forrest's lambs. New post, please, with lots of photos! Do you ever come to Oregon? I wouldn't be able to resist some of your sheep; LOVE what you are getting in some of your fleeces.