Would You Look at That!!!

Granted this probably isn't that exciting to some of you who live in environments more conducive to this kind of thing... but hey, I'm excited!Tartarian Cherries

Not quite ripe Stella Cherries

The other day while out mowing, or some such chore, I happened to look up at the cherry trees. Wow, oh, wow! (exact words, yep) I couldn't believe all the almost ripe cherries hanging off the tree. I was quite thrilled and amazed. Then I meandered away from the tree and promptly forgot all about them. Suddenly tonight in the midst of taking pictures of lambs I remembered the cherries! I don't have any idea what the connection is--lambs---cherries--but at least I remembered. I grabbed a bucket and headed down to the tree. It had lots of ripe cherries hanging in beautiful red clusters. I went back and got a ladder. I ended up picking about 15 ounces of them. There are more, way, way up in the top. The birds have discovered them too, apparently. I wasn't too happy about that, but then the birds were decidedly ticked about me being there in 'their' tree too.

I don't know what it is about these cherries... but they seem so exotic! I mean picking my very own-just-like-in-the-store cherries is pretty special. There is also a story behind these trees. Back in 1995-96 I had to have my two lovely blue Merle Collie girls put to sleep within months of each other. They were 9 and 10 years old and it was horrible to lose them. Hanna was my first ever collie and she was the most perceptive dog I've ever known. And she was gorgeous. And she knew it. Mara was her half sister and was a Smooth. Mara was a complex and sensitive girl. They were my best buds and we had lots of adventures together. Mara developed bone cancer and Hanna congestive heart failure. It was a terrible time.

The next Spring I wanted to do something to remember them by. I ordered two cherry trees and planted them near their graves. This Spring the trees are 11 years old, and this is the first real crop they've produced. Over the years each tree has had a few cherries here and there, but usually they get frozen back. This year though--this year they are glorious! Mara's Tree is the one currently loaded with ripe cherries. It is a Tartarian Cherry (I think that is correct). The cherries are very tart. Any ideas for their use? Hanna's Tree will have fewer cherries, but they are larger and slower to ripen. It is a Stella Cherry.

Such a lovely treat!

A Doe, A Deer.. Oh No, Wait, It's a Sheep!

(Locksfield Griffen x Locksfield Willow)

Here are a few pictures of Willow's exotic looking little ewe lamb. She is a musket and was born with the inside of her ears nearly white. She still has 'white ears' and they only add to her distinctive, regal look. She is lovely little girl, with a nice square rear, excellent short tail, and a very refined head.

Like Father, Like Son.....

Locksfield Griffen

Fairlight Omen
(Locksfield Griffen x Fairlight Duckie)

I went out to attemp to take some updated pictures of the lambs today. Between the storms and excessive humidity it was difficult to get anyone to cooperate. I did manage to get a few decent shots. While sitting there waiting for 'shots' to happen, I was struck by how much Omen looks like his sire, Locksfield Griffen. Not just in looks, but in the way he carries himself, and that lovely, lovely head. This little fellow will be for-sale.

Bad Tree Falling

Several weeks ago, while Mom was still in the hospital, we had a night of severe storms that went through the area. While we really had very little storm activity, we had lots of rain here at home. However in the middle of the night a rather strange strong wind came up and blew things about. The sky was clear at the time.

The next morning, I did chores as usual, and headed off to the hospital. When I got home later that evening, I decided to walk into the back upper paddock Blue (the Merino ram) and his buddy wether, Lanny Wilson normally run in, so I could rearrange fences and move them over to the other side of the ruins. It was with consternation that I saw this huge tree down on the fence. All the way down the fence. It managed to fall in a straight line, and took out at least 20 foot of fence. Squashed flat from what I can see. Posts all smashed too. It was very fortunate that I had penned Blue and Lanny up in a smaller paddock for a week or two, so that I could load a Bale Box Feeder for them and not have to worry about feeding them, since I would be gone so much.
This particular tree has been a burr under my saddle for some time. It's a Wild Cherry Tree and once they wilt they can be deadly to livestock as they contain cyanide. The Tree has been half dead for years. I was sure it would go down in the ice storm---a nice time for it to collapse since it wouldn't have leaves. But no, healthy big trees went down all around it, but it stayed firm. This year it seems to have revived itself and had put on a profusion of leaves and blossoms, just in time to crash to the ground. The tree was on the neighbors side of the fence, so is 'technically' his tree. He runs heifers in the adjoining field. In fact, when I discovered the downed tree the heifers were happily lined up snacking on the leaves. Uh oh. Well, the word was passed along to the owner, and he came and put up some tube gate panels around the leaves on his side. I stacked some limbs across the trunk to keep the cows from hopping over into my sorry little pasture. He has promised to 'take care of it', so I hope he does. I'll donate fence posts and wire, but I suspect that I'll have to be doing some internal fencing as well, since those deadly leaves will be laying about a good bit of the summer.

In the end, I had to re-route Blue and Lanny through the ewe paddock (while the ewes were shut out into the pasture) and into their second pasture on the other side of the ruins. It got a little dicey when Blue ran allot faster than I thought an old fat ram should, but it actually went smoother than I anticipated.

It's amazing what all mischief can happen on a farm (even a small pretend one), when you have your attention focused elsewhere!

Getting Back on Track.... Sorta

Early Spring--Apple tree and Redbud tree branches intertwine

Early Spring--River Birch with pink Dogwood in the background

Redbud with River Birch limbs in background

It's hard to know where to begin, after being 'away' for awhile. I appreciate all your kind thoughts, prayers and notes over the past few weeks. My Mom seems to be doing really well. Each day she gets a little stronger and more like herself. It will take awhile before she is 'raring to go'---the doctor's say about 4-6 months before everything is healed and she will be released to normal life again. In the meantime, all her vitals remain good and strong and she increases her activity a little each day. Modern medicine is pretty wonderful, as it seems every year--probably every day--they come up with ways to make surgeries and procedures safer and less invasive. However, I'd be happy to never have to experience the modern medical monster that up close and personal again. (and I'm sure Mom would agree! ha) :-) Wishful thinking, I know. Please keep my Mom in your prayers as she continues to heal, and adapt her lifestyle. I'm just so very thankful that she got to the doctor when she did.

On the home front, Spring is marching along, or is it summer already? I forget.... Regardless, from the shagginess of my yard, front pastures, flower and veggie beds, it's finally warm weather and nature is bursting at the seams. This week, I've been whacking away at the jungle. Mowing, weeding and moving fences, so the sheepies can help me in the battle. (Although sometimes the sheepies become the battle....but that's another story). This weekend I have three days off, and I hope to get flower and vegetable seeds sown and also plant some of the older plants I've been accumulating since early spring.

The lambs are growing like weeds and almost all are for-sale this year. I will be keeping one or two of the ewe lambs to add Locksfield Griffin genetics to my flock. I hope to get updated pictures this weekend of the little ones. The oldest Shetland twins (moorit rams) tower over the youngest set of twins (Duckie's smirslet ram and black ewe), and it's amusing to watch the interaction. My website has been updated with all the current for sale information and pictures. Some of the sheep have been spoken for, and am awaiting deposits.

I went to the Fiber Fair in Marshfield over the past weekend, which I hope to post more about later. The crowds were very good, better than last year I think. I sold a couple of fleeces, and quite a bit of roving. I also passed out oodles and gobs of brochures, business cards and sales-lists to people who are interested in acquiring Shetland sheep. While I was gone, Jeffery and Callum (Shetland ram and wether) made a break for it and were nonchalantly standing in the shade, bellies fat and full, when I got home. At least they didn't go 'visiting'.

Kind of a rambling post, but I hope to be posting more this week. Things are still hectic but it'll all get done eventually!

Have a good week!

My Niece is FRUGAL AND FAMOUS!

...and I am terribly proud of her and all that she has accomplished over the last few years. Check out this link where she was interviewed by the local T.V. station for her efforts to live frugally. It takes a moment to load, but is a very interesting interview.

We often benefit from her frugal-ousity and a few weeks back she handed me a sack with several good brands of toothpaste, shampoo etc. I was very tickled! At Christmas this past year, she gave everyone stockings, well, stuffed, with all kinds of sample products (good stuff too!!) she had gotten over the year. It was incredibly fun to rummage through it. I also got to try out samples of several products I had been interested in.

Here is a big, and well earned CONGRATS to you Tessa!
(I will likely be an absentee blogger for awhile, so please bear with me. My Mom just had open heart surgery and we are all concerned with being with her. Things have gone pretty well so far, but she has a rough road in front of her for awhile. Please keep her in your prayers.)