The Last Days of Summer
As I am writing this, I can hear the pitter patter of rain drops on the back porch. I have heard this sound all summer. We have had rain nearly every day. In the month of July, we had 26 days of rain. Our pasture is knee deep and lush, not something I have ever said in mid August. The garden is doing the best it has ever done. I am in the middle of canning tomatoes now. The corn is ready to freeze and we have been enjoying the new potatoes. I love the rain and I am not complaining but it has made putting up our hay a great challenge. We need at least 3 and better yet, 4 dry days to get the hay up. Hopefully we have some dry days coming up this week but not today. I can hear the roar of the creek from the kitchen window this morning, as we had thunderstorms during the night.
The days are getting shorter and the trees in the woods have that "look" about them. The animals have already started putting on their winter coats and I am wondering just what kind of winter follows a summer like this? I can feel fall in the air. Breeding season for the dairy goats will be starting any day now. It will be in the 40's these next few nights and that will put the does in heat. The milk production is starting to drop, as it always does this time of year.
I was able to enter the "Tour de Fleece" this year, which is a challenge to spin every day that the "Tour de France" is going on. It was so good for me to take on the challenge and because of it, the yarn that is coming off the wheel is getting so much better. There was a time when I wondered if I would ever be able to get the hang of it. I am working on a fleece now from Ruth, who was a black lamb but has lightened up to the most beautiful different shades of gray. I love working with her fleece and I think the yarn is going to be gorgeous. I cannot wait to get the fiber off of "Knit" and "Purl", our two Angora does born this spring. "Knit" is the lightest dove gray and "Purl" has ringlets of curls hanging. I am looking forward to those fleeces. With our cool, wet summer I have been able to do a whole lot of spinning. I am also looking forward to getting the fiber off our 2 alapacas. We got them after the shearer was here this spring, so they have kept their coats on all summer. I'm glad it had been so cool. It has been a challenge to win their trust but I am making headway. They are such sweet animals.
Well, I need to get to the garden and pick more tomatoes. Today I am canning chili tomatoes, so I will be hungry for a pot of chili before the day is over. Enjoy these last, few days of summer. It won't be long and we'll be shoveling the white stuff.
The days are getting shorter and the trees in the woods have that "look" about them. The animals have already started putting on their winter coats and I am wondering just what kind of winter follows a summer like this? I can feel fall in the air. Breeding season for the dairy goats will be starting any day now. It will be in the 40's these next few nights and that will put the does in heat. The milk production is starting to drop, as it always does this time of year.
I was able to enter the "Tour de Fleece" this year, which is a challenge to spin every day that the "Tour de France" is going on. It was so good for me to take on the challenge and because of it, the yarn that is coming off the wheel is getting so much better. There was a time when I wondered if I would ever be able to get the hang of it. I am working on a fleece now from Ruth, who was a black lamb but has lightened up to the most beautiful different shades of gray. I love working with her fleece and I think the yarn is going to be gorgeous. I cannot wait to get the fiber off of "Knit" and "Purl", our two Angora does born this spring. "Knit" is the lightest dove gray and "Purl" has ringlets of curls hanging. I am looking forward to those fleeces. With our cool, wet summer I have been able to do a whole lot of spinning. I am also looking forward to getting the fiber off our 2 alapacas. We got them after the shearer was here this spring, so they have kept their coats on all summer. I'm glad it had been so cool. It has been a challenge to win their trust but I am making headway. They are such sweet animals.
Well, I need to get to the garden and pick more tomatoes. Today I am canning chili tomatoes, so I will be hungry for a pot of chili before the day is over. Enjoy these last, few days of summer. It won't be long and we'll be shoveling the white stuff.
Our pastures are lush too for this time of year. How about some pictures? ;-) Seriously, would love to see your spinning and fiber! :-D
ReplyDeleteThanks Sara but I don't have a real good camera and I am saving my pennies for a drum carder (priorities, you know). I would love your input on that purchase when it happens too. Thanks for giving me the inspiration to join your team in the Tour de Fleece.
DeleteYou don't need a "real good camera". Inexpensive point and shoots take great pics these days :-). And they are a great addition to your "diary" and you may treasure those pictures some day.
ReplyDeleteDrum carders - if you end up with a lot of sheep and fiber, you may wish to just have it done professionally. Doing a little wool here and there is perfect for a drum carder, but once I got more than a couple sheep, I found I don't use my carder for much other than sampling and it's an expensive tool to just be a paper weight... I'd first look for a good mill somewhere around there. Or mail fleeces to Ohio Valley...