You can sure tell it is spring!

I really think it is finally spring!

I saw this little guy lit on my butterfly bush yesterday. We have huge bumble bees swarming everywhere and the tulips and lilacs are blooming. We are sneezing our heads off because of all the pollen. My black Suburban is a pukey yellow/mustard color from all of it. They are even predicting storms, hail, and tornado warnings Monday night - must be spring here in Arkansas!

Here is another sign spring must be here. This is new for us this year. It is lambing time!

This little guy was born to Olivia Thursday morning and caused my husband and I both to be late for work. He is another Border Leicester/Shetland cross. Our lamb count is up to 3. Only about 19 more to go! My dibs are on Princess and Lydia, two of the Shetland ladies. Both are swollen up tight in their tummies and their udders.

We have also been keeping the road hot between here and the vet's office. One of the Shetland girls is just plain sick, and we figured out once she was sheared that she was VERY boney under all that wool, so she is being treated for all kinds ailments. The tiny baby goat, now dubbed Tiny Tim, wasn't thriving, but with some tiny doses of medicine and his wild mama's surprising patience, he is improving slightly every day. Then Beau, our little BL ram showed up with a lovely swollen spot on his face. Of course, being new to raising sheep, I read in Storey's that it could be nothing, all the way up to our entire herd was going to be infected with a deadly disease. Off to the vet we went again. Turns out it was probably nothing, but he is quarantined and on antibiotics just the same. On that same note, we have a new vet in town, and I am so happy he is willing to see our barnyard full of critters!

I have also been playing in the dyepots again. I have two shows coming up, one is the "Airing of the Quilts" here in Greenwood at the Historical Society and the other is Spanker Creek Farm in Bella Vista. Both will probably lean more towards handspun yarn than plain fiber, and I realized our stock of yarns were sadly low. Then when I started looking for something to spin, I realized our roving stock was sadly low, too! So off to the dyepots, and back to multicolored hands, I went. Now there are beautiful reds, cherries, and purples hanging on the drying rack. I can't wait to spin them!

~Lori

First Wool Baby Ever!

The first wool baby ever has been born on our farm! This little guy was born without us even knowing he was on the way! We went out to feed and my husband said "there is a lamb out there!" And, sure enough, there he was! He wasn't even dried off yet and he was running alongside the rest of the herd. His mama, Naomi, and his daddy, Smokey, are my absolute favorite sheep on the farm. He is a 3/4 Border Leicester and 1/4 Shetland cross, with curly silver black wool. He should be a real looker! Naomi won't quit looking at him - I think she knows he is special! Hopefully when they are moved out of the lambing barn I will be able to get a better picture of him. We are still watching udders and backsides grow by the minute. I fully expected a few others to go before Naomi; it looks like three of the Shetland girls may be in a race to see who can domino first. Hopefully I will be able to post more lamb pictures soon! ~Lori