Finally!
We finally managed to get the goats out this weekend. They should really have gone out 2 or 3 weeks ago, but our landlord has been doing some work putting a new driveway in to the rear of the barns.
This meant that some of the existing fencing had to be taken down and hence the fields weren't stock proof, plus great big holes outside the barns where the drains were re-dug, kept them trapped inside! On Friday the workmen had reached a point where we could make a temporary fence with some field gates and let the does and kids out. The sheep and the bucks are still confined to their barn but all the work should be finished by the end of this week so they should be out by next weekend.
Letting the mums and kids out for the first time after the winter is always slightly traumatic for the kids. For their entire lives so far the world has consisted of an indoor space roughly 30m x 20m. To suddenly be confronted with the big wide world is a bit of a shock to their system.
The does on the other hand can't wait to hit the fresh new grass and they take off without a care for their kids. The kids are left behind in the barn with a gaping hole (open doors) where the world used to end and their mums have disappeared to boot. Much bleating ensues. Seriously, the decibel level is astounding. We have to gradually herd them outside, blocking escape routes back to the safety of the barn, and drive them into the field until they catch sight of their mums and run to find them. It can take a couple of hours to reach this point, but it's always worth it.
That pesky pygmy Henry always has to come and see what's going on ;)
Turning now to knitterly things, what's the most fun you can have with your clothes on? Well, I think this would make my Top 10:
A couple of months ago I treated myself to a new ball winder and swift, but this weekend was the first time I actually got them out to play with. Six skeins of Rowan Summer Tweed for my next project arrived Saturday morning, and within about 10 minutes I had these:
I was actually disappointed it took so little time to wind them, and had to resist the urge to wind every skein in my stash!
Saturday's post also brought me, all the way from the US, courtesy of Amazon.com, Barbara Walker's Knitting from the Top; Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks; and Ann Budd's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns.
I have had just a brief look through each one but already know these are going to become "bibles" I will refer to again and again. All three are incredibly well written and inspire me to create for myself rather than following other people's patterns. Now, I have no desire to become a knitwear designer, but to have the basic building blocks and guidance that will give me the ability to knit myself a sweater (or sock) incorporating a stitch pattern I would like to use / a certain type of neckline / a certain type of shaping, using whatever yarn I want seems to me to offer endless possibilities I can't wait to explore.
This meant that some of the existing fencing had to be taken down and hence the fields weren't stock proof, plus great big holes outside the barns where the drains were re-dug, kept them trapped inside! On Friday the workmen had reached a point where we could make a temporary fence with some field gates and let the does and kids out. The sheep and the bucks are still confined to their barn but all the work should be finished by the end of this week so they should be out by next weekend.
Letting the mums and kids out for the first time after the winter is always slightly traumatic for the kids. For their entire lives so far the world has consisted of an indoor space roughly 30m x 20m. To suddenly be confronted with the big wide world is a bit of a shock to their system.
The does on the other hand can't wait to hit the fresh new grass and they take off without a care for their kids. The kids are left behind in the barn with a gaping hole (open doors) where the world used to end and their mums have disappeared to boot. Much bleating ensues. Seriously, the decibel level is astounding. We have to gradually herd them outside, blocking escape routes back to the safety of the barn, and drive them into the field until they catch sight of their mums and run to find them. It can take a couple of hours to reach this point, but it's always worth it.
That pesky pygmy Henry always has to come and see what's going on ;)
Turning now to knitterly things, what's the most fun you can have with your clothes on? Well, I think this would make my Top 10:
A couple of months ago I treated myself to a new ball winder and swift, but this weekend was the first time I actually got them out to play with. Six skeins of Rowan Summer Tweed for my next project arrived Saturday morning, and within about 10 minutes I had these:
I was actually disappointed it took so little time to wind them, and had to resist the urge to wind every skein in my stash!
Saturday's post also brought me, all the way from the US, courtesy of Amazon.com, Barbara Walker's Knitting from the Top; Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks; and Ann Budd's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns.
I have had just a brief look through each one but already know these are going to become "bibles" I will refer to again and again. All three are incredibly well written and inspire me to create for myself rather than following other people's patterns. Now, I have no desire to become a knitwear designer, but to have the basic building blocks and guidance that will give me the ability to knit myself a sweater (or sock) incorporating a stitch pattern I would like to use / a certain type of neckline / a certain type of shaping, using whatever yarn I want seems to me to offer endless possibilities I can't wait to explore.
posted by Carolyn at 11:32 am
4 Comments:
What adorable pics!!
I'm totally addicted to my ball winder, too.
When we let our cat out for the first time aged 6 months, she went bezzerk! She could not understand grass and it freaked her out so much she ran across the pond without sinking!
So I can guess what it was like for the wee goats....
2 wonderful book additions for your libary I have them too.. They GREAT! Your flock looks so wondeful.. I bet you have lots of fiber spun! btw~ your hutch looks just like mine too ;o))
Lovely wound cakes too... Looking forward to seeing what you mkae with that pretty yarn
Oh good gracious--those pictures are adorable!!!!
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