Did it again....

Where does the time go? It's been a month since I last posted? Geesh! Things are happening over here!

We have 4 new faces at Kindred Spirit Farm....Angora goats! Jasper and his mom Victory are black and Captain and Chenille are white....okay, so it was Tenille, but I just can't do it! So....we gave it our own twist....she thinks Chenille is okay so that works! About 20 plus years ago, my ex and I had Angora goats and being a Capricorn, well, I miss having a few goats around. Since Ken and I are concentrating on fiber, Angora goats just make sense....that and the fact that my hands are getting arthritic and the thought of milking again makes me cringe. They are about the same size as our Shetlands and how I love these gentle little beings! Will be posting more pictures as things happen...okay?

There's a change in the weather....

Yikes! Chilly today....hot tamale?
You know that Shetland Shuffle I like to refer to....well, this year, I don't think we'll be doing that dance! Pike Hill Acer, our new moorit ram, will most likely be our "ram of choice" for the girls who want to fill their dance card. He has gorgeous fleece, horns, and conformation...what more could they ask for? He's a-hunk  a-hunka burnin' love and they will be swooning sometime very soon. Hopefully, I will get out to take some pictures today....stay tuned. In the meantime, put on some Elvis tunes and do a little dancing....it gets the heart pumping and the body warmer on these cool mornings! It's either that or a hot cup of cocoa!

Hope....

Always hope over the horizon....just thought this was a nice picture of early morning mist.....hope you enjoy.

September morn....

Today it feels like Fall is in the air. It rained last night and there is a coolness lurking this morning with more rain just starting to fall again. The dogs are loving it! Those hot muggy days were just too much for them and they did a lot of "swimming" in the kiddie pool to cool off. The Shetlands are enjoying the respite, too! They have stopped just hanging out at the water cooler and seem to actually enjoy a walk through the pasture to check things out....any new sprigs of grass? The pasture is about down to nothing and we have started feeding out some beautiful second cut hay.....not turning up their noses, I'll tell you THAT! A local farmer also gives us their "corn squeezings"....better known as husks. The sheep LOVE it! The pumpkins will soon follow.....usually a nice truck load to spoil them all before the breeding season kicks off. Ahhh, the breeding season. A year or so back I dubbed breeding season the "Shetland Shuffle"....you know, the period of who's breeding whom and how many times we change our minds about it? Well this year I pretty much am all set.....with a gorgeous new ram purchased from Pike Hill Farm. Acer is a moorit with an outstanding fleece and gorgeous conformation and horns....I can't wait to see what he will produce for lambs next Spring! For now, I will enjoy the coolness of the morning, put on a light sweater and have another cup of tea. Have a wonderful day, friends.

Summers Beauty...

I love Summer and all of it's splendor, but have to admit that Fall is probably my favorite time of year. I love the crisp mornings and the smell of the leaves as they compost and feed the Earth for next Springs growth. I love that the black flies and mosquitoes are minimal and that the sheep are content with the coolness that is approaching now. It's as though we all breathe deeper of life in the Fall....we know that winter will bring a time of gathering closer. I have to say that the "dog days" of summer are a bit much for me. The flowers that are part of our summer are exquisite, but I long for autumn breezes with the Sun dipping a little lower. I will miss the longer days of summer and will probably do some complaining about it when we change the clocks, but when winter does round the corner, I will be ready....snuggled up to the woodstove. I will then be looking forward to Spring and the new life of lambs and flowers and tiny veggies sprouting at my kitchen window. I so love New England and all of her seasons! I am content with where I am.....

Here we go again

It has been sooooooooooo long since I have been on here that I have forgotten most of everything to do with posting! Guess it's back to the drawing board and I'll have to update and tweak everything.....back again soon with some recent photos.It's been a wonderful summer and I want to be sure to get back in the swing of things. Facebook ripped me away, but I will return and start posting again! Stay tuned....

Shhhhhhhhh.....

Don't tell anyone! My hubby is a sap when it comes to ALL of our animals. That's one of the reasons I love him! :0)

Did someone say puppy shots?

I'm outta here!

Cuteness rules!

I was just writing in my journal about the fun, and the work, involved with raising pups. As much as I have LOVED rasing pups over the years (Newfs for 20+ years) ...I am really having my doubts about another litter. A few people have voiced "Are you having another litter?" Not too sure.....there are so many dogs in rescue! This has been wonderful and we may keep one for ourselves.....just not sure about a "repeat". Guilt....ain't it grand?

Hazel....

sporting her Spring polar-tec. Thank goodness our shearing was scheduled just in time for the latest warm up in the weather!

Here you go....

Ahhhh....sleeping puppies. They will be two weeks old on Sunday and eyes are starting to open.
Pretty soon.... trouble! LOL I love those little pork chop thighs on the pup in front and look at those cute little dewclaws. Do I sound like a "puppy momma"?

OH NO...not again!

Okay....time has run away from me once more. I'm sure it won't be the last time, but I promise to get my act together and find the time to post some pictures tomorrow. The Pyr puppies have been robbing some of my time lately. Do you know how long it takes to watch and cuddle and love puppies? HOURS! And a camera gets in the way...you can't snuggle with a camera in your hands! I will try really hard to snatch a couple of minutes for pictures. It's going to be hard....

She's at it again....

Phyllis has a winter wanderlust that just won't let go. Ken has to go out and send Luke up the driveway to retrieve her almost everyday now! I don't know where she thinks she's going, but she's going to be coyote bait if she keeps this up!! The guinea fowl started this whole game....I think they were just sending her out ahead of them since she's so much more plump and appetizing.

January tidbits...

Winnie with a mouthful of hay.....her usual headshot! Rosie, the ewe in front, came back into heat this week so we put her in with Barley who bred her the instant she went through the gate! Guess we'll have a few late lambs......

The ducks aren't impressed with the size of the pool, but are grateful for a place to wash-up and paddle for a minute.
I love these guys....they make me laugh everyday!

Miss Pearl was doing her best impression of "OMG it's cold outside...PLEASE can I have just a little more grain?" Those pleading eyes can't hide the big belly!

The end of the day brought a few jeweled treetops...a little compensation for a bitterly cold day.

Up the Road Apiece...

I wrote this a few years ago, but thought it very appropriate for today's weather....I had a GREAT picture of Sam, the llama, out in the sleet and snow, but I'm having quite a time trying to get it loaded. Gotta love technology or should I say my lack of knowledge of technology? Enjoy...

Well, it finally stopped snowing and the countryside is beautiful. We laughingly refer to our house as being in "the Bermuda Triangle of the North".....we're North of the Lakes Region, but South of the White Mountains. Your guess is as good as mine when listening to the weather forecast! We could get the 4 inches they're calling for in the Lakes Region or the 14 inches they predict for the White Mountains....you just never know. On this particular day, we hit the jackpot.

Ah, the beauty of winter....kind of takes your breath away. You know, the thought of doing the barn chores with two feet of snow on the ground! Now THAT will take your breath away! The sheep don't seem to mind and, quite frankly, almost revel in the new snowfall. They play their games of sheep tag and king of the mountain as they leap from the highest point of the stonewall.....or manure pile. You would think it was a Spring day except for the fact that it's now 24 degrees with a 30 mph wind blowing!! Just how DO they figure windchill anyway? Oh, who cares, cold is cold. My nostrils stick together with every breath I take as I trudge out to the pasture and carefully place flakes of hay for the sheep and llamas. Mustn't mess up their fleeces....the shearer will be coming before you know it.

Anyway....back to the beauty of winter. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? Well, I truely love a fresh snowfall as much as the next guy. Okay, maybe not as much as the snowboarder who starts waiting in September for the local ski slopes to start MAKING snow, but I can appreciate Mother Nature blanketing the area in nice fresh snow. What really fills my heart after that snowfall, though, is a freshly shoveled path all the way out to the barn and way over to the chicken coop. It almost brings a tear to my eye.

You have to love a man who's willing to shovel a path to the barn.....so you can do the chores. :0)



Like I said, I wrote this a couple of years ago, but as I sit here and look out the window at the snow falling, I realize it's almost time to go out and shovel a path to the barn.....again. How many more days til Spring?

Plant escaping!

Yup....heard there was an arctic front moving in and decided to head for warmer climates!

Ken noticed this when we were having coffee this morning and thought it looked like my plant was making a run for it. Can't say as I blame it what with temps supposed to be below zero for the next couple of nights.....how many more weeks until Spring?