INTERSPECIES KISS

Billy Bob Thornton cat--our 12 pound rescue from the local shelter--meets Quibble--our little black Cormo X ram lamb for the first time. Quibble liked the kitty, but shortly after this shot Billy decided lamb breath isn't for him. Quibble is for sale for $150 OBO as a fiber wether. He is going to have a very soft, longer staple black fleece and will be kept coated as he develops. We also have a white unregistered Cormo X ram lamb with good size, bone and overall structure and a lovely, consistent, lustrous crimpy fleece for sale for $200 for crossbreeding.

SHETLAND EWES

Winter Sky Breathe is hopefully bred to Winter Sky Tennyson for his final lambs. A larger ewe with a perfect tail who always produces lovely lambs--all rams so far. This cross should produced polled and spots. Wintertime Ruby bred back to Wintertime Black Forrest in the hopes of a ewe lamb that is as exceptional as Red Velvet or Fudge. Ruby has produced polled rams and spots. She is a Winter Sky Sandstone daughter. Winter Sky Kir Royale is my "champagne" gulmoget/katmoget ewe sired by Wintertime Black Forrest and out of Winter Sky Kristol. She is bred to Winter Sky Buster II. A larger bodied ewe with a lovely crimpy, consistent fleece and that Shetland heartiness we love.

WINTER SCENES FROM AROUND THE FARM

HAD A HARD DAY!

At one hour old Aly's white ram lamb sired by Mars just couldn't figure out what to do with all those legs and feet. It didn't help that he was on our stone floor in the house drying out and hadn't had any colostrum yet. But by eighteen hours old he had things pretty much figured out. He and his black sister weighed in at a nice eleven pounds each. I just don't know where Aly was hiding them. More photos are posted at my cormo blog.

THE BLESSINGS OF 2009

I am ever so grateful we were able to find a horse for Meghan to love and grow with. Sofie has moments of brilliance and moments of willfulness like all equines and is managing to teach Meghan to savor the good times. Everyone who meets Sofie loves her. We also managed to find the perfect boarding barn near enough to the city we routinely visit, so Sofie is well cared for whenever we aren't around. And she has her mare pack to run with.

I am also thankful for the numerous fiber/sheep customers new and old who made 2009 a very good year for us, so we could afford to upgrade our truck and make some much needed purchases for the new paddocks. I look forward to seeing you all next season at the local farmer's markets and pet swaps.

I appreciate my sheep more than ever for their ability to hang in their during droughts, blizzards and other weather phenomenon and still produce such gorgeous fiber and lovely lambs. Their adaptability is inspiring. This season I was able to bring in more Cormo X's and I now have a small flock of exceptionally fine-fleeced animals to work with. Natural colored top from our farm is in the offing.

My daughter is funny, intelligent, savvy and a real help around the farm. We find we don't even have to talk much anymore...just know when each thing needs doing and work together to get it done. I know that her experiences on the farm are going to help her in whatever endeavor she chooses in her future. I cannot believe I didn't want children!

And then there are the ducks. What other animal can find such joy in the gloomiest, wettest and nastiest of days...to sound off with such glad tidings at the sound of a bag of spinach being opened...or rejoice in a fresh pan of water.

I am looking ever so forward to 2010 and hoping that the peace we are finding in our own lives will somehow infuse others and spread.