Life in the fast lane

(Moonrise over the farm)

At least that's how it seems these past few weeks.....which I know is pretty laughable to some of you who work full time away from home and also manage to maintain things on the home front. I'm such a homebody and cherish my quiet time on the farm, but it's been a whirlwind of activities during the month of May.  I can't really complain because everything that's been going on has been so much fun.  I'm just feeling a little disorganized and behind in the chore department.   I've discovered that those chores don't seem to go anywhere.  They sit there waiting until I get myself together and starting working on them-which can be bad or good, depending on how you look at it.

(some flowers in progress)

(Marlene and I made these beauties)

Last Friday I had so much fun in Nicola Brown's felting workshop that was held at Jan Durham's house.  I went with a very small goal. I wanted to learn to make felt flowers and I accomplished that, plus had such a fun day with my table-mate, Marlene Williams.  Everyone else worked very hard on bigger projects like nuno felted scarves and iPad cases, but we were content to play along with our flowers.  I'm very happy to know how to do these now and can see unlimited possibilities for using them as embellishment on lots of things. Nicola is always fun to take a workshop with and if you ever have the opportunity, jump on it.  She's gone on to teach in California right now, then will be returning home to Ireland after that.  I'm hoping she'll be back in Kentucky to teach again this time next year.

I've got more good stuff getting ready to happen and I'll be back soon with news about that.  Happy summer everyone!

(Haven't tried duplicating these poppies in felt, but I'm thinking about it!)

Number Nine

We finally were able to go to Cincinnati on Sunday and I got to spend some quality time holding grand-baby number nine!  I was sick for more than a week after he was born and didn't get to go to the hospital with Mike.  Shortly after I got well, Mike came down with the sickness, then it was the natural dye workshop and finally the Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival.

Baby Atticus is such a little blond cutie, it was hard to relinquish him, once I got my hands on him.  I'm a baby lover from way back and there's nothing I enjoy more than having a tiny body snuggled up against me.  After raising three boys and experiencing the eight grandchildren before him, I know all too well that these first months go by in a blur.  Crimson and Taylor are in a bit of a newborn-in-the-house fog, but settling in and hitting their stride in their roles as a mom and dad.  We can't wait for Atticus to be big enough to come find out what life on the farm is all about!

(my beloved peonies are blooming-avert your eyes from the weeds!)

 So, it's back to real life.  The Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival is behind us and it was pretty terrific - the best yet!  I saw so many of you and met lots of new folks and answered the question, "What kind of sheep are those?" at least a hundred times.  Everyone who got a look at my girls in their pen wondered where they got those gorgeous curly locks.  For the record, they are half Wensleydale and they've got luster and curls galore.  My grand-daughter, Jordan, was a fantastic help the whole weekend and grandson, Coleman, pitched in on Saturday and Saturday evening for the Farm-to-Table dinner.  It was great fun having them around.

(Carson enjoying the view of growing, growing grass)

So what's happening around the farm this week?  Mostly regrouping, reorganizing and gearing up for the next event on the calendar.  What's not happening?  Mowing .... mowing that desperately needs doing.  Mike reminded me last night that I'm always in this agitated frame of mind in May and early June because the grass it growing and it's raining and getting the timing right for mowing is so difficult.  We've even hired a little help this year and are still struggling to hit a day when he's available to come mow and it's not too wet.  Our farm is one of those "picturesque", hilly places that makes mowing a bit of an adventure, even when it's dry.  You do not attempt it when the ground is wet.  Mike also reminded me that this phase will pass and soon enough the grass-growing frenzy will slow down.

Tomorrow I'm off for a felting class.  The fabulous Nicola Brown is here from Ireland again and I'm taking one of her workshops.  Honestly, Nicola is so much fun to be around, I'd take the workshop even if I didn't already know I was going to learn so much!  Nicola comes to the states for teaching gigs at least once a year and we're so lucky to be on her itinerary.

So, here's a question.  If you knew you were going to have only two days to spend in New York City, what would you want to see and do?  That's going to be part of my next adventure and I'm having trouble making a plan.  I need help!

Crazy time, lazy time

(under stormy skies last week)

It's that time of year.  The one when I feel I'm totally crazy for living this life I live.  So, so much to do and it all needs doing right now!  I'm sure I can hear the grass (and weeds) growing and it has rained so much that the ground is saturated and everything is too wet.  By the time it dries out enough to get on the mower and the tractor, another rainy spell is forecast.  Plus, the fiber festival is THIS WEEKEND!  (and, I am so not ready)  I'm giving myself a pep talk.  I'm trying to relax about it and just go with the flow.  I'm probably not going to get any more new yarn dyed or any more fibers spun up or any more felted bowls ready, but I have some fabulous natural colored roving and some freshly shorn fleeces that are lovely and I'm going to have a good time!  New to my booth this year are some really great yarn tools (and you know how we fiber people like to add new tools to our arsenal!)  Wes and Elissha Waltrip have designed some great "yarn buddies" and a very clever and affordable swift/skein winder that I'm sure many of you need to add to your collection. My wonderful grand-daughter, Jordan, is coming to help me again and we'll have time to sit and spin together or knit or just chat, so what more could I ask for?  Well, maybe some lovely weather so all you folks will want to be there at the festival with us.

I am excited about this year's festival.  It promises to be bigger and better than ever.  All the vendor spots are full and there will be even more vendors set up outside.  I'll be in the livestock area, which this year has been moved so that it's adjacent to the big vendor areas.  I'm going to have a few half Wensleydale yearling ewes with me that will be for sale.  Their fleeces are so bright and beautiful, they practically sparkle!  I'm even thinking about bringing Miss Luna along (she's a big girl now).  Come on by for a visit while you're at the festival.

As far as lazy time, that would be what all the animals who live here are enjoying.  Without lambs to raise this year, the ewes are doing nothing but eating and sleeping, eating and sleeping and then, maybe more eating.

(Pippi - all her spots revealed!)