# FAC - July '09



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Thanks to the little bird that gave me a gentle reminder that this was in fact July first  Thank you little bird you rock :rock:

So this is the Fiber Arts Chat (FAC). Here is where we chat about all the things in our lives that are fiber or other related. We can touch base and connect with each other. This is also the place where you can take the time to introduce yourself if you are new to the group.

As for me? I've been spinning more of that beautiful Shetland fleece (in the grease. I'll post pictures of it as soon as get a chance. But it has washed up to be the most beautiful blue (light gray) color. I think a pair of socks may be in the works. I haven't tried knitting yet. My therapist doesn't want time to begin strengthening exercises yet, that starts later this month. The spinning is going well and I'm so enjoying it. 

My hand is doing very well. I have full movement now of my thumb just no strength.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

It sounds like your recovery is coming along nicely! I am so glad to hear that.

Well, I think I have discovered that I am NOT a sock person!  That is sad, the whole entire reason I wanted to knit was to make socks! :bash:
I just get bored with them fairly easy. I did complete one pair, have another pair on the needles, already have the heel turned on both and just need to finish up... I can't seem to do it. I look at them and think....uh not now.
Then I pick up the shawl and start working on it! 

Looking forward to looking at some sheep tomorrow. The more I think about it, the more I think I can make sheep work out here.


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## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

Maybe you are one of those people who just needs to have a pair in the works for vegging out in front of a movie at night? Other projects are for working on, socks could be one of those mindless things you just "do" while you're on the phone or watching tv or something?

I'm still settling on a design for my fair entry. I want something that will be stunning to look at, look incredibly complicated and be ridiculously easy to complete in a very short amount of time. I don't ask for much, do I?


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

A friend from church just gave me a bag of balls of yarn. Pale blues, pinks. Very soft and sparkly. I've been wanting to crochet some skirts for my little girls.... ooolala and here is just the yarn for it!!

I've got the cuff of my sock just about done, my dh has torn up the carpet in the living room to lay more laminate flooring... the boys are pulling staples out and working on the walls to paint. Dh bought paint last night. 

I'm feeling a lot better, I came home Monday night, still going through a lot of kleenex, but I'm definitely getting better. 

Marchwind, so glad you can move your thumb! Don't you think the spinning is good therapy???


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Well, it seems that evryone is mending up. Maybe July will treat us nicer than June did?

Marchwind, that is great that you are spinning. I am just biding my time until I can get a wheel.

mamaj, if you are getting bored with your socks you need a harder pattern, hee hee. 

WIHH, I know it is not what you want to hear, but ripping out your mistakes gets EASIER the more of it you do.  Sad but true. I just ripped back half a skein, gulp. Of course I put that project on hold for a while (until I heal from the agony of it!) but I did pick up all the stitches first.

Nellie, I am glad you are getting back to normal. It sounds like there are big doings at your place!

For me, I am just trying to keep the yard mowed and knitting on some socks. I am not buying ANYTHING. No wheels, no sheep, no new floors, no paint. I have a list of outdoor projects a mile long, but I have them all on 'ignore', until I find some motivation. I have lost my oomph, kwim? I may need a kick in the bottom...life can just be so overwhelming. Gack.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

A harder pattern???  Maybe more interesting yarn? :cowboy:
lol!
I am like WIHH I have to pay way too much attention, especially those heels!

GAM - I don't think it is lack of motivation. It is heat. yep. I walk outside, do no more than I have to and come right back here, to my cool comfy computer. lol!
((or to the chair in the living room and knitting!))

last night I was watching a movie and knitting... the movie was action, and it was moving at a fast pace... I suddenly noticed I was knitting about 100 mph! rofl! too funny. I took a breath and slowed down. I figure the actors were moving fast enough without my help.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> Mamajohnson, darlin' - it was 49ÂºF here yesterday morning - and it was glorious - todays high is 71ÂºF. (Thank you Canada for the cool air)


I'm jealous! 
It's not even 71 in the house! it is 80 in the house!!!!!!! 
and it feels cool compared to outside.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

WIHH, you have an AC? Wow. 

I think I could blame it partially on the heat, that sounds good. & it needs to rain. Cant pull weeds because the ground is too dry. The other thing is BUGS! Worser and worser bugs every day. Itching and scratching and each new bite causes the other ones to flame up anew. :flame: Ticks and chiggers and squitos, oh my!


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Nellie, glad to hear you're feeling better, and Marchwind, I am really glad to hear your hand is coming along so well! Take it easy on it until you get the go-ahead to exercise it, thorough healing can take time. 

I agree with GAM and WIHH, interesting yarn makes a project more fun to do. I am making a scarf for my son, out of hand-dyed BFL roving I bought, made by Frabjous Fibers. The colorway is called "redwood forest", and it shades through browns and bluey-greens and back, and I'm doing seed stitch. I can't knit fast enough to see the colors play out. When I'm done with it I'll post a pic here.

We have had hot weather, and no rain for what seems like a long time. Maybe 2 weeks. Irrigating the garden has become a big pain. I am so glad we have a good well. I never got my pumpkins or winter squash planted, and now it's too late.:flame: At least I can still plant some melons. 

We had a real hot spell and were miserable, and so we broke down and bought a window a/c unit and put it in the livingroom. Now we can retreat there to cool down.

The last 3 days it has been gloomy, cloudy and gray and cooler, but still NO RAIN! The ground is so dry, and the green plants are looking a little poor for lack of moisture. I lost some lettuce plants to this. 

We have friends coming for the Fourth, and we are doing a 30-minute long pyro show, our very first. I am planning the music for it, and can't make up my mind.

I have the 22 pounds of roving coming from the mill, I think it will get here tomorrow. I can hardly wait! I really like spinning better than carding!


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Grey and rainy and cool here. Shall I send some cool to the deep south?


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> - todays high is 71ÂºF. (Thank you Canada for the cool air)
> 
> Come on up everyone, its July 1st, bring the knitting, and we'll all sit out under the shade tree and enjoy the brilliant blue sky, the song of the birdies, the sunshine and gentle breezes! (Maybe bring a sweater!)


Oh I wish it would cool down like that at least 3-5 x a week. I sat under the pecan tree with crochet basket and a project and let pup entertain himself for a couple hours this AM. Upper 90s but we're blessed that it's dry air not humid yet!!!

In the house with AC it's 82. I couldn't survive the south without AC. I'd be physically sick. Minnesota sounds heavenly as far the temps. sigh


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## ~NY_Cowgirl~ (Sep 25, 2007)

I think I will finally beable to go to a fiber guild...They are doing a demo on the 4th of July...

Not much time for spinning or knitting, althoug I am knitting a shrug with out a pattern...it is turning out..sorta

I am going to be going to a camp for a week in august, I am thinking about taking a small knitting project for free time but I don't know what to take.


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## betty modin (May 15, 2002)

The deer have been in the yard-and last night I found the big dog watching and wagging her tail! Silly dog-she didn't bark until one of the little dogs came out and was startled enough to bark. This morning I had to practically ask that silly doe to move so I could go by on my way to the barn! I'm working on ways to protect the garden, because I know that as soon as the raspberries come on there will trouble.
Our first hot weather of the summer is predicted to begin tomorrow-90+ for the next few days is the forecast. Fortunately, the nights go down into the lower 50s and the mornings are still sweater weather. This is the dry time of the year for the west, so I've been watering the garden every other day, and have a hose on the newest orchard trees tonight to make sure they're ready for the heat. My house sits protected by a band of forest on the west and south, so I get filtered sunlight during the heat of the day. It's a bit harder in the winter, but it's great all summer. The sheep and poultry retreat to the barn under the large fir trees where it's cool, and every one is comfy...I can't imagine sheep in the heat without the trees!
I'm finally finished with the sweater, and have taken pictures. I will attempt to post them soon. I'm still waiting for the pictures of my newest additions-and thought I do them at the same time...make one big effort so that it's really frustrating all at one time and get it over with.
I'm working on a square baby shawl that's knitted from the inside out to the edges-that way I can stop when I run out of yarn. I'm using natural colors and putting in stripes of odd leftover yarns with the main color being soft brown. It's a simple pattern, but the counting to keep the stitches even in the triangles between the simple YO increases is crazy-making! 
I'm still spinning the brown alpaca-but I've also let my drum carder take over the dining room table. I've been working on some white alpaca, some gray romney, and some fawn shetland...and will get out the black shetland soon. I need to do more spinning. I want to do a large cabled shrug for winter-and the pattern I want takes almost 16 oz of yarn.
The elk are moving their calves down. Yesterday I listened to them off and on all day. They must have been back in the north west corner of the ranch behind me, because I could hear them but not see them-too many trees in the way along the creek between the properties. Lots of haying has been going on in the meadows here on the high prairie, so the elk have stayed up high longer than usual. 
I'm looking forward to the heat, a reason to be lazy, to stay indoors for a few days, to knit on the deck in the shade with a cool drink...hope you get the chance to do the same.
May you have seasonable weather, abundant crops, and many reasons for gratitude.
betty


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

For those who were curious, I've posted a description and some pictures here:

http://applejackcreek.com/blog/2009/07/ive-mentioned-skinless-sheepskin-rug.html


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## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

Things have been *hot* here in Central Texas too. Daily temps of 104-107! The last 2 days it has been down in the low 90's. _Cold Front_! I didn't use my AC at all. Starting today it is supposed to start warming up again.

I will spend pretty much all of today up in Temple with my Dad going to Dr. appts. He is healing well from the surgery. My family has been watching him like a hawk to keep him following the Dr's orders. He is a typical man. He doesn't like to be told "no."

I'll be taking yarn to make granny squares with. I am making an afghan for my niece for her birthday in November. It'll be done in pinks, blues, and purples to match her Hello Kitty decor. I am also starting a baby blanket for a friend who is due in the next couple of months. She has insisted that there will be no pink. So I'm using a varigated yarn with blue, purple and white. Purple just says girlie to me.


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## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

Frazzlehead, that is gorgeous! If that doesn't inspire someone to learn to weave, nothing ever will. (i'd love to, but one thing at a time. first I gotta learn the sheep)


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Frazzlehead I love your rug. Is it for your use or a gift?


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

gone-a-milkin said:


> WIHH, you have an AC? Wow.
> 
> I think I could blame it partially on the heat, that sounds good. & it needs to rain. Cant pull weeds because the ground is too dry. The other thing is BUGS! Worser and worser bugs every day. Itching and scratching and each new bite causes the other ones to flame up anew. :flame: Ticks and chiggers and squitos, oh my!


I'd love to give you all the rain we have been getting. All my tomato plants are rotted :flame:. I can't sit outside because the mosquitos love this weather.


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## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

I wrote a long post this morning only to have it eaten in cyberspace 
Everyone's been doing some amazing work. Frazzle, the rug is lovely. I did one where I laid the locks in rather than loop them around the warp; I like yours much better and think I'll do that for the second warp that's still on the loom. 
IF I ever get home again. I've been at my parents' for a month and will be here until the end of July. Their big move is in 2+ weeks. Going through a big house sorting and pitching stuff when you're 90+ is very slow, but I'm hoping we'll be ready for the movers. It's funny how you start out and say I'll take x, y, and z, but now I'm at the point of wanting no more "stuff." In fact, when I go home I'm going to do a major house-cleaning and pitch stuff now, rather than later--of course, that won't include all my fiber, spinning wheels, looms, etc.
At least the temperature here has been moderate; poor DH is suffocating with the high temperatures and humidity, and we don't have AC, just lots of ceiling fans and trees to keep the house sort of cool. The dog gets the basement! Hope everyone has a wonderful July.


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Hey Gang,

Frazzle, that rug is _really_ COOL!!! :rock: I think you did a stellar job on it and I hope you win with it!

Today the boxes of my rovings came from the mill! Just one day in transit! I am now spinning a lavender mohair/BFL blend, with a tad of angora and nylon in it. I can hardly keep my paws off the bags of roving, so prettily coiled up! 

We are having company for the weekend, so have been busy picking up the house. Helper-boy for the garden finally began work this afternoon here, I hope he works out okay, I can't keep up with it all by myself. It took him 2 days to show up for work, so I'm not holding my breath.

I hope all of you have a great Fourth, enjoy pyro, and celebrate freedom!


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

I'm still coughing stuff up, and my sinuses are draining. blech! My 12yo and I painted the second coat on the living room wall this morning. I finished weeding two of my raised beds, they are made out of old railroad ties. My dad gave me some dirt last month, and it sprouted tons of weeds along with the veggies. I laid cardboard down on the pickle and zucchini bed, but my steam ran out. I guess I'll put straw on it tomorrow. The cows got out again, and ate some of the fruit tree saplings. Argh! I'm pooped.

I forgot about the laundry that I had one of the boys run, I meant to hang it out on the line. I could probably do it now and it'd be dry by suppertime...


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Thanks for all the compliments on the rug! I'm sitting on it right now, actually ... it is sooo soft, I've decided I'm keeping it.  I will use it as a sample though - I have some horse people interested in one for a saddle pad, and I expect they'd make lovely gifts (for someone I really love - it's about 8 hours worth of weaving).

The competition at the fibre show was AMAZING ... there were SO many delicate things there, my little rug didn't stand a chance! The winner was a big felted piece (like big enough to cover a sofa), needlefelted with the faces of her 3 animals (llama, and alpaca) - done with their own fleece, and it looked SO real, the llama looked like he was about to spit right at you.  Another amazing piece was a shawl designed to evoke cathedral windows - done in deep coloured thin wool and big lacy patterns that looked like rosettes and church doorways, it was stunning. 

I'm gonna go do some knitting, now, I think ... I had a long day at work and need the therapy.

LezlieinCA ... rovings from the mill are awesome. Only sent my stuff out once but I had teh same thing as you - couldn't keep my hands off the fluffy goodness!

Nellie, you take care of yourself - you sound worn right out. Cuppa tea'll do you good!


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## short farmer (Oct 16, 2006)

Howdy all, haven't posted I noticed since Jan wonder where I have been? do love reading all your fiber news and very much enjoy the pictures of all the projects. Just yesterday finished helping friends shear 525 head of sheep, I work cheap , a few fleeces and I am in heaven. I am very proud to report that I have actually finished two rugs on my loom after watching it gather dust for the last 7 years something finally clicked and I realized that I can do this!!!!! I will attempt to post pictures when DH has time to help me. The rugs are made from scraps from the Pendleton Woolen Mills. I believe that it is the salvage ends from all there beatiful blankets, they sell them at their outlet store near Portland Ore for just pennies on the pound.
Hope everyone has a safe, sane, and blessed 4th of July


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Ohh, shortfarmer, what a great way to make rugs! And ... 525 sheep???? WOW! THat's a lotta sheep!

I wonder if Pendleton sells those ends online?


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## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

WIHH - sorry, I didn't see your daughter. While we were in the pulmonary(?) clinic for my Dad's last appt. I ended up having what I thought was an asthma attack. Well, that clinic couldn't help me so they sent me down to the emergency room. Spent 5 hours there. Did a breathing treatment just in case. Turns out they are more worried about my heart and thyroid than my lungs. I have several dr. appts this next week to find out exactly what is going on.

Through it all - I ended up making about 10 granny squares.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Nice to meetcha, short farmer. I'm a weaver, too, but have never used pendelton wool. I've heard lots of other weavers talk about using it, but I haven't run out of old skirts pants from the thrift store yet...

tryskal, how awful! Keep us updated on what they find, K?


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Thanks for all the kind thoughts, folks. I had surgery on my broken wrist on Wednesday and now I'm home on the sofa watching old movies while the screws and plates help everything knit back into place. No cast and it doesn't even hurt too terribly much, so that's better than it might be. 

I'm sending out healing thoughts to everyone else here dealing with illness or injury. 

Frazzlehead, that woven sheepskin rug is gorgeous!!! Weaving, eh? Hmmm...


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## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

ajax - I'm glad everything went smoothly. So, what's your favorite movies? When I get laid up I turn to Constatine, Blade 3, Lake Placid and Van Helsing. I also throw in some Disney cartoons just to liven it up some. Huh - I guess you could say I like action movies.


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Lucy, hope you heal up nicely!
I have just been trying to stay out of the heat. We are hitting the 100's and getting some heat indexes around 107+
ugh
I love a/c. God Bless the man who invented it!!!!!!!!


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

LezlieinCA said:


> Hey Gang,
> 
> Frazzle, that rug is _really_ COOL!!! :rock: I think you did a stellar job on it and I hope you win with it!
> 
> Today the boxes of my rovings came from the mill! Just one day in transit! I am now spinning a lavender mohair/BFL blend, with a tad of angora and nylon in it. I can hardly keep my paws off the bags of roving, so prettily coiled up! !


What mill did you use? I have a ton of fiber I need carded. 

Frazzel I love that rug I bet it feels really good on your feet. I hope everyone is doing well and has a nice 4th!


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## ~NY_Cowgirl~ (Sep 25, 2007)

Happy 4th of july!!

Well I went to the spinning demo today and they invited me to their dyeing party next saturday so hopefully i will be able to go!


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

I'm still playing with washcloths on a frame loom. I'm now gathering pieces to build a backstrap loom.

I wonder if I am over thinking this primitive loom thing?

Have a good day!
Franco Rios
http://francosfiberadventure.blogspot.com/


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## Ninn (Oct 28, 2006)

Boy, do I feel sheepish. After 13 rows on my star-ghan, I finally figured out where my error was this morning. I worked the peaks, but completely forgot the decreases for the valleys! No wonder it's ruffling and not looking like a star! So, now I can frog back 8 rows and make the correction. Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed, ya know?


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I had a full house this weekend. Both kids were home with wives and girlfriends. Youngest son had a camp out with his GF and her best friend. The oldest came up with his wife. Fun!!!

I tried knitting, on a pair of socks. Not sure if I'm ready for that. It gives a twinge to my thumb, so maybe not yet. I'll see how it feels tomorrow 

Everything else is great! Summer has finally come to the northwoods of Minnesota, along with all the bugs :viking:


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Hi Gang!

Dreamy, I used Morning Sun Fiber Barn in Wapello, Iowa. She told me her turnaround time would be three months, but she did them in exactly 2. She had to rewash some of mine that had gotten sticky while waiting their turn, and I thought it would take her a couple of weeks, but she was ready to ship 2 days later. So she must have a "fleece dryer" of some kind. They have a website so you can look them up, and she has no minimum charge, so you can send her a small, say 2 pound batch and only pay actual processing costs, no surcharges. She can do fine fibers, and dehairing, and she did my strong Romney and it came out real nice.

Lucy, I hope you heal up fast and good.

We had company for the weekend, and we had our own fireworks show, as did some of our neighbors. Today it will be quiet and we can recuperate.

Glad to hear everybody had a nice weekend.


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

LezlieinCA said:


> Hi Gang!
> 
> Dreamy, I used Morning Sun Fiber Barn in Wapello, Iowa. She told me her turnaround time would be three months, but she did them in exactly 2. She had to rewash some of mine that had gotten sticky while waiting their turn, and I thought it would take her a couple of weeks, but she was ready to ship 2 days later. So she must have a "fleece dryer" of some kind. They have a website so you can look them up, and she has no minimum charge, so you can send her a small, say 2 pound batch and only pay actual processing costs, no surcharges. She can do fine fibers, and dehairing, and she did my strong Romney and it came out real nice..


Thanks I will look them up. One more question how do you ship the fleece? Im guessing you put it in a bag then in a box and send it via ups? I've never shipped anything before so I'm clueless.


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

The muggy has arrived in our parts. Lovely weekend overall. DH managed to get to some long awaited chores. Paint side door, trim bushes, general clean up stuff.

I was able to water the critters and clean kitchen. I must have overdid my activity cause I felt bad all day Sunday. Flaring pains. Better today.
I use to say if you have good health you are richer than the richest person in the world.

Finished the scarecrow.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcountryhaven/3694105938/in/set-72157602647799084/


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## Annie in MN (Oct 15, 2002)

We tried to hay all weekend. We would get it all raked and start in on the baling, only to have it start to sprinkle. An annoying sprinkle, just enough to get things wet enough not to bale. Each day this happened. So annoying! Saturday we were picking up bales and it poured for about two minutes. Again just enough to make it too wet to do anything with for anonther day. We did finally manage to finish up on Sunday. 180 bales in the barn and the neighbor who does the baling got the same, or maybe a little more. We have an arrangement. My land, they do the work and we each get half. 

I was very lucky. I had friends in from Philadelphia and Kansas City for the weekend, so had a lot of help. I needed it on Sunday. 
We were heading out to pick up bales when I sprained my ankle (with bone chips) by missing a step and crashing to the ground. The girls took me to the ER while the men stayed and stacked the hay with the help of my neighbor and her girls. Both of the men are from the city, so didn't know the finer points of hay stacking. The girls showed them how. 
Luckily the AD unit where Mom was for the weekend is able to keep her through Wednesday, and my sister is trying to get a couple of FMLA days for Thursday and Friday. She will come here for the day to take care of Mom, and I'll try to handle the nights. The neighbor is taking care of my animals. Hobbling around the house is ok, but the uneven ground outside is difficult to navigate. 

I'm supposed to be doing spinning demonstrations for the historical society next Sunday. I'll have to leave the one treadle empty.


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Annie, your poor ankle! That stinks, especially because it sounds like there is so much that needs to be done. I hope it heals quickly and you can treadle with both feet soon.

I may not be here for a while, but don't want anyone to worry. I'm leaving today to visit friends in Ireland, then meeting my husband in England (he's already there for a conference), then we're going to do a walking trip in Wales before he does a randonneur ride from London-Edinburgh-London. Anyway, I'll be gone about a month. 

Maybe by the time I get back, my torn right arm tendon and broken left wrist will both have healed up and I can start knitting again. I'll catch up with you all in August.


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## LFmenagerie (Mar 29, 2007)

Susan- Glad your thumb is getting better. I know how much you love to work you fibers. Its good you are able to spin and morking up socks will happen soon. I remember that nice earthy yarn you were working with when we had a chance to get together.
Frazzel head- that rug is so nice! It makes me want a loom. Thanks for putting in the link. 
Leslie- Morning SUn Fiber, huh? Do they do Pygora? I have two years worth of fiber to have dehaired and didn't know where to send it. Really appriciate that info!
WIHH- I wanted to get a fire going last night but was to tired. You are inspiring me to get out there and burn those trees we downed last year so we don't have to mow around them any more. My feet are so cold right now, this morning, that I want to make some socks! I have no clue how, yet LOL.
Who mentioned bugs? I finally mowed my giganic yard down pretty short and cut through (it took a couple times) some areas that I got lazy and thought I wouldn't mow this year. It helped with the bugs some. The chickens are able to browse through easier so that wil cut down on the ticks and other bugs.
And here-
It is kidding season for the Pygoras. I am so glad that I didn't breed all of them. Wow are they cute, though. And the potential fiber....yummy! I was so excited to see a black doeling from my white buck and doe. Then we got a toupe/tan, a white, and a very light grey. Four have kidded and three are left. I left some on with the doe and others I am bottle feeding. Its so sad that I can't touch some of the skiddish does that I got so I will do more work now by bottle feeding the little ones to make it easier later when I want to handle the goats. Every day I take the goats out to browse the grasses and tree line. They are so much more healthy and it gives me thinking time. We shuffled the Alpine crosses into their own are with barn access and there was immedate peace out there. 
Toms gardens are looking beautiful as usual. It was a slow start this year since it stayed cold for quite a long time and we both seemed to have so much to do earlier that the cold crops didn't even get in. I'm looking forward to eating peas, raw while still in the garden, tomatoes off the vine, edemame, fresh cucumbers.....
Pam


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Annie, I am so sorry to hear about your accident. I'm sending healing thoughts your way. You are indeed lucky to have so many caring and helpful people near. Take it easy if you are able.

Lucy what fun! Are you going to hike Orfa's ****? I think that's how you spell it. In the Wye Valley?

Pam have fun with the babies


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Lucy--have a great time! What a fabulous opportunity.

Annie, so sorry about the ankle and the hay. Drat.

We are leaving on vacation soonish (do farmers take vacations? Short ones, and only under the threat of physical violence from their wives). I am hoping we can reconnect a bit. With 3 teens in the house (the oldest one left home is launching in a couple of weeks), things can get bumpy. 

But before we go we have to hay some more, and move pasture for the sheep (set up a couple of areas so our folks have an easier time moving them while we're gone), cultivate the corn and soybeans and sunflowers at least once more, and fix anything that breaks while we're doing the above. LOL!


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

Lordy, sounds like we are the walking wounded in the Fiber Arts community. 

Wishing quick mending(s) to all!! smile

Sam is such a handful. Seems housebreaking is going in reverse. :/
Caught him trying to pee into the floor vent. Wonder what on earth he is thinking at times. grin


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

Wow, so many injuries that I'm afraid it might be catching and I'd better watch it. I hope everyone recovers well---positive thoughts sent your way. And everyone enjoy those trips, sound great, let us know. My summer is the same as usual (I am so boring) . Still working at the garden at Watkins Woolen Mill, but haven't been demonstrating much as they've had a cutback in financing and aren't doing very many demonstrations this summer. But the campground there is very busy. Making my sister washrags and spinning on Thursdays at the new shop in Lexington, MO. Take care all and keep those pictures coming.


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Wow, I'm sorry to hear so many of us fiberholics are injured! I hope everybody heals up fast!

Pam, why don't you give the Morning Sun Fiber Barn people a call and ask about the dehairing? They say they do it. Or check out their website.

Dreamy, I put each fleece, or group of fibers, in a plastic garbage bag and just cram it into the shipping box and send either by UPS or USPS. Morning Sun returned it to me by parcel post, but you prolly could request UPS. Include your email addy to them so they can send you the invoice by email when they are done. If any problems arise they will call you.

You can also put a fleece in a garbage bag and use your vacuum to take out the air and compact it. Compacting won't hurt the wool any.

We finally got some decent rain, and had a stormy night. I think we went 3 weeks without rain. We bought a weather radio but it didn't go off last night to alert us at 3am when we had severe lightning and thunder. I hope I have it set up right. Do any of you have a weather radio? I got it because we don't always know when to take shelter (at night) or be prepared for bad stuff coming our way...


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Lezlie we have a weather radio, and it seems to go off all the time!
I can't remember exactly how I did it, but I set it up for all the surrounding counties, because we are in the corner of our county and storms seem to pop up quick so I wanted a good warning.
So far it has done well warning us on storms. And it has battery backup so if the power is out it still works. During the last really bad storm our power was out for a couple of days and we had that to at least catch the weather on every now and then.


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

LezlieinCA said:


> Dreamy, I put each fleece, or group of fibers, in a plastic garbage bag and just cram it into the shipping box and send either by UPS or USPS. Morning Sun returned it to me by parcel post, but you prolly could request UPS. Include your email addy to them so they can send you the invoice by email when they are done. If any problems arise they will call you.
> 
> You can also put a fleece in a garbage bag and use your vacuum to take out the air and compact it. Compacting won't hurt the wool any.


Thank you so much! I am going to give them a call.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Hi everyone! I hope everyone has made it through the day without any injuries.  I managed to work outside with the bobcat for much of the day and not hurt myself, break the equipment, or knock over any fence posts, so I consider the day a complete success!

I'm actually very proud of myself - my whole family is away for various reasons and so I have the house entirely to myself. I did sleep in (there are some perks to being by yourself that you just HAVE to enjoy) and then went outside to do whatever job I felt like doing. Since there are always a lot of jobs on a farm, you have a wide selection!  I fixed some posts, took down some unneeded and saggy fence wire, started work on the fenceline feeder for the sheep (got the front panels cut and affixed, just need the back wood pieces now), and fired up the bobcat to clean out the accumulated pile of waste hay and muck. Then I realized I didn't have anywhere to PUT that pile of stinky muck, so I built a really big compost bin (just four posts and some scrap lumber, but it looks SO much nicer from the road than our previous "freeform" pile). I moved the existing free form compost pile into the new bin, and tomorrow I'll make another bin and move the muck pile I made today into that. Woohoo! And yes, I kept my cell phone with me when I was working outside by myself. Safety first, after all - if I got hurt out there, nobody'd even realize I was missing until Monday when I didn't show up for work. 

In fibre news, I have been knitting a vest from the wool I got at the Olds fibre Week silent auction - it's lovely mohair/merino/llama with super soft drape to it, and I have just enough to do a vest but not a whole sweater. I am always cold (we had frost here the night before last - yes, in July, isn't that nuts?), so hey, a vest is a good piece of clothing to have! I'm inventing the pattern as I go ... so far I am very happy with how it is turning out. I'm even writing down the pattern ... if it works out, then I think I'll share it - I'll post some pictures when it's finished. 

Okay, I'm pretty smelly after a day's work with "sheep byproducts", so I think I'll head to the shower then sit down on my skinless sheepskin rug (I am sooo happy with the way it turned out, I am definitely making more!), listen to my audio book, and knit away in total peace and quiet.

Hope everyone else has a good, productive day that includes a bit of fibre work too!


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## ~NY_Cowgirl~ (Sep 25, 2007)

Yay!! I had soo much fun today!

On the 4th of July I went to a spinning demo and they invited me to their dyeing day! Wellllll........I went to it today! It was soo much fun! they showed me how to use kool aid and the one lady let me use the rest of her green dye to make a teal color... I will try to get pictures of the stuff I did. It makes me quite happy that I have 3 white sheep!!! it was a ton of Fun!


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

You're right, Cowgirl, dyeing is really fun! Kool Aid is great - it's so cheap you don't feel bad if it doesn't work out right, and it's food safe, so you don't have to worry about toxicity. I have not had good luck getting anything but PINK though ... but I think you Americans get more colours than we do up here.

Have you tried onion skins? They make a really nice yellow/tan shade.


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

Frazzle,
I felt tired just following you around. grin

I've restarted my sweater(pullover) with the Seven Dwarves(sw merino, alpaca,nylon-fingering weight) yarn I purchased from Knitpicks. I have changed my mind with this yarn so many times as to what I want to make with it and now I'm back to sweater. Using tiny cluster stitches. It began with the intention on making a scarf, but then I liked the way it was looking and decided...well, ya'll know the rest. lol

I received the July yarn issue and am already planning another wearable. I won't buy just drool at the catalog till I get several projects I have on the burner finished. Veered completely away from started projects, to make Lion Brands Half Moon Shawl with my usual pattern changes. I just can't follow recipes either. Nearly finished with it, it'll be a gift most likely to somebody.


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

yarn issue from Knitpicks....

I'm offering a free knit pattern in the give away section of this board.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Shepmom, I have no idea where this burst of energy came from ... believe me! I think there's something magically inspiring about being able to do whichever job you want in whatever order you want, that makes the work not seem so much like work. I also wanted to surprise my family with some of the stuff being done - they'd never expect me to do that stuff alone, so they'll be surprised for sure!

I had a funny thing happen today while I was doing the second compost bin - one of the sheep volunteered for shearing.  She somehow got out of the pen she's supposed to be in and wandered over to me (she was a bottle baby, she thinks people are great) ... so I put her in the barnyard pen until I was done and then managed to get her wool off today too! There's an almost full green garbage bag of spinnable wool (Columbia/Hampshire cross ... anyone looking for fleece?), and a feed sack full of seconds and VM loaded stuff (this dratted sheep kept getting into the hay last winter, so she has a lot of VM in the back part of her wool - most of that just got tossed). The feed sack goes to a friend of mine who has an aging collie dog - it'll be a doggie bed. 

So yeah ... all this energy ... I dunno! I went for acupuncture treatment for the first time recently ... apparently having all my inner energy balanced out is really good for me!


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Hi Friends,

I'm a little bummed out today, our younger cat, Julie,:benice: got out the night before last, and she has disappeared.[strongsad Just like I was afraid would happen. Both cats go outside, but our older former feral one stays around the house real good, even at night. Julie however, has been roaming farther and farther afield each time we let her out, unless we stay with her the whole time. Today is the second day she will be missing.:Bawling: I am going to go to the closest neighboring farm today and see if she is over there. I think that is where she goes. They have barns and cattle, and exciting things to explore, and other cats to meet. Julie is fixed and has had all her shots, so she should be safe.

Please cross your fingers for me that I find her or that she comes home on her own.

Thanks!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Oh Lezlie I'll keep you and your kitty in my thoughts.


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

I wish acupuncture could do that for me. Still so drunken headed/dizzy. But my muscle warfare has settled down. smile
A sheep voluntering for sheering I can just picture that. smile Sheep thinking...yoohoo, Frazzle while your Energized... 

I liked that faux sheep rug and immediately started having ideas for you. Chair cushion for folks with wood type chairs(dining, bar stools) or need extra comfort to their seated tush. (like me, lol hams and glutes have been problematic because of the sijd)

Lezlie, I hope that your cat makes it home safe and sound.


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## Woodpecker (Mar 8, 2007)

LezlieinCA said:


> Hi Friends,
> 
> I'm a little bummed out today, our younger cat, Julie,:benice: got out the night before last, and she has disappeared.[strongsad Just like I was afraid would happen. Both cats go outside, but our older former feral one stays around the house real good, even at night. Julie however, has been roaming farther and farther afield each time we let her out, unless we stay with her the whole time. Today is the second day she will be missing.:Bawling: I am going to go to the closest neighboring farm today and see if she is over there. I think that is where she goes. They have barns and cattle, and exciting things to explore, and other cats to meet. Julie is fixed and has had all her shots, so she should be safe.
> 
> ...



I hope she comes home safe and sound.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Back from our short venture out of our backyard. I hope julie comes home soon...


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

I want to thank all of you for your good wishes about Julie. She still hasn't come back home, today is day 6, and I'm quite sad about it. I don't understand animals that have to wander away from a good home, but they do, and hereabouts cats get lost in the fields of corn and beans. They can't see where they are going and they just have to keep walking til they come to the edge. I put out notices to all the farms within a mile, and the mailman is looking for her too. I am going to go further afield with notices, I don't know how far a cat will wander... how many miles? I wish I could put a GPS unit on my cats, so I could track them down.

My other cat, Missy, was born feral, and I am the only person she trusts, and she doesn't go out of the yard here. Missy is in my lap right now, and she has been glommed onto me for the last 3 days. She knows I need cat-love right now. Last Summer she once ran into the field of tall corn by the house, and I freaked, and thankfully she came to me when I called her, and didn't get lost. I think she knows not to now. This year it's all in soybeans, so the danger is less.

I am doing some spinning every day, I want to get it done so I can take my big boxful to the LYS and put it on consignment. I will take a pic later and post it so you all can see what I've been working on (I'm still working on my morning cup of coffee after a bit a crying about Julie). I also finished my son's Bday present scarf, and I'd like to show it off.

So I'll be back later... You All have a nice day.


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

{{{Lezlie}}}

Would love to see your spun yarn and son's scarf.


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Here is my son's scarf. It is hand dyed BFL roving made by Frabjous Fibers. Redwood Forest colorway.









Here is all the spun yarn I have done lately. The white is BFL wool spun from the washed lock, not carded or from the mill. The colored stuff is all what I had sent out for processing and just got back. The ones here vary in fiber content, with wool, mohair, angelina, angora, nylon, and the sari silk fiber in them.









Here is a closeup, as good as I could get. There is color-coordinated colored silk fibers added to both the yellow and the pink for effect.


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

The scarf is very nice...just the colors I'm drawn to for fall/winter. Bet he loves it.
The yarns look so soft and such nice colors. I bet they just sell like hot cakes locally.


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

I'm in crochet heaven. Tweenst books, Ravelry and my new interest with tapestry. Still awaiting 2 books. Glorius Sweaters and Ventura's book on 'More Crochet Tapestry". I'll be happily dreaming, planning and crocheting away.

Received the Crochet Liberation book. I got lots of laughs and one good cry from that one. I think what I liked best was the stories from various crocheters. 

The Bouquet of Flowers has inspired new ideas....I love flowers and crocheting flowers. I liked the design she added to tier curtains and now I want to embellish my kitchen curtains. The hardest part for me is *Choosing*, color or colors with most of my projects. Now, which flower. 

I also got Melissa Leapman's Sweater book. First time, I liked just about every single style and design.

I thought I was pattern saturated. I like to window shop for inspiration and see color selections by others to help me step away from my comfort box. This AM I decided to browse at least the tapestry patterns on Ravelry. Saw some cool socks and don't you it's in Spanish. Glanced in the yarn section....that's just too much. So many yummy yarns and colorways. My poor brain is in overload. I'm still having ringing, balance/dizzy so it doesn't help to add a super busy, planning brain into the mix. lol


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

I'm going to a knitting group tonight!! It's one on ravelry! Woo hoo!!!


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

Here is the finished dish towel done on a home made backstrap loom. Woven dimensions were 16 inch wide, 24 inch long.

Off the loom without tension, it only measures 13 wide, 21 long. I haven't even wet finished it yet. That would reduce it another 10 percent.

I had some missed picks, but I wasn't expecting perfect on the first try anyway.

More details about backstrap weaving on my blog.
http://francosfiberadventure.blogspot.com

Have a good day!
Franco Rios


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

I have barely had time to knit or anything! It is very frustrating.
BUT I did have time to go get 4 wether shetland sheep 
3 are black, one is the prettiest cocoa color. DH wants to butcher them, I want to at least keep the cocoa colored one!
I will need to turn on the charm.... hehe!:cute:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Franco that turned out nicely! What did you learn from this experiment? What will you do differently next time?


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

I learned to use safety strings on the heddle stick, the shed stick, and all the sticks that have warp wound on it. Since the loom can tip sideways and sticks can slide out.

Maybe if I used rough sticks instead of dowels that would not be an issue.

Trying to find a comfortable sitting spot is important too. Sitting on floor works good. Need a little more cushion under me though. Also cushion under the knees to keep knee joint slightly flexed.

I also liked sitting on couch with far end tied to a screw under the kitchen counter to hang the far end.

I can see a lot of potential in this method even if it is not as fast as a rigid heddle loom.

Have a good day!


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Wow is all I can say. Yesterday morning I began irrigating the garden, dry as a bone. I knew that irrigating would definitely cause it to rain, the last month all the rain and storms have gone around us. When I don't irrigate the clouds pass by with no moisture. It always seems to go that way, just like washing your car and having it all shiny clean will bring rain. I knew a front was going to pass thru, but would it bring rain with it?

Well, we now know our weather radio works, as yesterday afternoon/evening we got a doozy of a storm and the alarm sounded many times. We put the car under shelter, as they had 4" diameter hail just 15 miles south and west of us. Baseball and tennis ball size hail. It rained so hard we couldn't see the neighboring farm. We lost the satellite TV signal during the downpour. It lasted at least an hour, and in that time got 2+ inches per hour. We also didn't get the 70 mph winds they got to our West. I am thankful.

All the crops South of us were destroyed by the hail, pounded and threshed into the ground. Lots of damage in some places. Flash flooding, and a mudslide, too. The opening day of Nordic Fest in Decorah was ruined by the weather, as was Sweet Corn Dayz in Elkader, where they got some of the hail. 

It was quite the day. But my garden drank up the warm rain like crazy. 

I hope everybody else here on HT that may have had this storm is okay, too.

Today is going to be sunny and hot so I may go try to listen to the corn growing.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Lezlie, wow! Glad you guys are okay. 

We have those kind of storms here sometimes too. That big hail is scary. Glad that it missed you! 

You will surely be able to hear and see that corn growing now! 

I was just over on Ravelry voting on all of the delish! sock yarn people have dyed for Sock Summit. My head is spinning full of colors and the yarn I have to work with here seems pretty hum-drum by comparison. It is a good thing I dont have a CC or I could get myself into serious trouble on a dreary rainy day like this...

I need to get off my butt and go do something constructive today. But I dont WANNA! Everything needs cleaned, and my pot of Elbow Grease is depleted, KWIM?


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

How sad about the crops. A whole year's income, pounded into the ground. 

Glad you and yours are okay--and that you got rain for your garden.


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Here's three pics I took today when we went for a drive. A house that got hit bad (it's trees stripped bare of leaves), a cornfield, and a soybean field.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Wow Lezlie that's sad :Bawling:


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

We got whacked with hail yesterday or was it the day before, this brain is bad with time anymore. Fortunately, no big damage. The thunderstorms this past week have packed winds up to 58mph and tornadoes were seen, but no touch downs that I know of. Thank goodness.

It's been an unusual July for NC, till today. The temps have been lower and we've had dryer air. Today mid 90's and sticky. 

Do they have State crop insurance? Our local farmer told us that quite a few growers are taking advantage of the insurance...sigh...they make more with a loss. They don't even tend the crops properly.

G-a-M, I forgot to answer you about the pups ears. The base is raised but they are floppy like beagle. I'm still curious how big he gets. Good size paws on him. He gained 4 1/2 pounds since his last visit to vets last month.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Shepmom, our ACD (a female) weighs close to 50#. They can really vary in size.









This is Ruby, and I know I have posted this pic before, but it was easy.... She is nearly * y/o, already! Time flies, appearnatly.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Oh, what sad photos, Lezlie!

Here's a farm fact: Today's American farmers and ranchers receive an average of 19 cents for every retail dollar spent on food. In 1980 it was 31 cents.


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

Ruby has the same eyes(the look) I see in Sam. The eyes are forever watching. 
I think the vet was correct about him having strong ACD traits. Does she like to lay on her back? Sam lays on his back moreso then any dog I have ever seen. He also seems to talk more than any dog I have ever met. Repeated reprimands regarding biting just don't seem to stick with him, maybe that's just the puppy still. House training was going backwards. He just insisted on chewing the wrong things (wires) and peeing on the floor. Main reason he's outside and inside only if I hold him. He'll get better with age, at least I hope he does! I like to let my pets indoors to be with family as much as possible.

Does your ACD shed alot? Another surprise for me, that puppy short hair sheds alot.
Head ringing so loud can't think straight....argh

I finished up a clothespin bag for mom, a hat for the store in the fall. WIP-mittens and finishing touches on a scarf. Then, plan on studying that Seven Dwarf sweater to see what direction it will take to getting completed.


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

I am SO HAPPY!

Last evening I went outside to call Missy indoors for the night. She was in the garden, under the giant sunflower leaves of my biggest one, and JULIE WAS WITH HER!!!!

Julie came home!!!!

She is thin, and she was very thirsty, but she's in one piece and I am so happy! Every time we had bad weather while she was gone I got so worried, I felt so blue and spent days staring out at the fields for her.

17 days gone from home, and no one saw her, where she went is a mystery.

But my Little Girl is back home safe!


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Oh Lezlie! I am soo very happy for you! Give her lots of hugs and kisses (I am sure you already did!) :cute:

When stuff like this happens I always wonder if someone decided to give them a home, and they found their way to their real home.

My dog disappeared like this for 3 weeks once. Came home limping and skinny as all get out...
I always wondered where/how she disappeared.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Lezlie I am so happy for you. I'm crying happy tears for you and your kitty.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Well, there. This just made my morning. 17 days later and she came home. WHEW!


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Lezlie, that's wonderful! I'm so glad for you...and for her.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

The August FA is up now. Please post there. Here's the link http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?p=3951406#post3951406


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