Kittens Meet World

Gabriel meets Chickie

I love this photo! Curious meets curiosity.

Beautiful little Trinity

Noah tackles the yard tractor.

It's a big world out there little kitties....even if you do think you are hot stuff....

Cheerful little Gabriel, Adventurous Noah and Sweet Trinity are all in need of loving homes!

Fall Colors...

Hard Maple in the front yard...

Saturday was a beautiful day--sunny and warm, but not too warm. Our fall colors are not going to be dramatic, but let's face it..even a so-so color display is still pretty fantastic, if you just look around. Many of the leaves have already been stripped from the trees, and the oaks have went straight to rusty brown. But here and there...splashes of vivid color.


Click to biggify any of these pictures to catch the colors and detail.

Most of Saturday I spent working around the place; cleaning up the gardens, putting away flotsam and jetsam that accumulate during the summer, and some housework. I also took pictures and played with the kittens. I had hoped to mow the front, but the battery didn't take the charge, so it's back on the charger for a longer period of time.


I also made a hurried trip down to Leadmine to shop at the Amish/Mennonite stores. The produce stand was shut down for the year which was a disappointment. I only wanted a few apples, but I also wanted the best fresh bread in the world. The lady that runs the stand says her mom bakes the bread and it is just so good. Oh well.... I went over to the bakery instead and got a couple of their loaves and some apple bread.

Then I went to the bulk store/scratch and dent (yes I know an odd combination, but it works..it was very busy there). I took the back roads back, and it was just so pretty.

All in all it was a nice day. The sunshine felt so good, and it's amazing how it helps with my attitude!

Rush Hour?

Prime Parking Space in the Horse and Buggy Section...

Jackdaw's Breeding Group

Fairlight Jackdaw
(Three Ring Just Jack x Fairlight Duckie)

JackieD is a black and white smirslet ram lamb born this past Spring. He is a pretty little fellow, and I finally got some good photos of him, with his head up for a change. He is a good natured little fellow, and I hope he will produce some spots for me. His conformation is nice, and I think he can add in some 'bone' to the lambs. He is a small but sturdy little fellow. I'm not sure yet what his fleece type will be, possibly double coated, or just as possibly intermediate. Jackie has four ewes, three of which will be staying here. As soon as I break up breeding groups Jackie and Selena will be going to live over at Prosperine, which is not too far down the road. He is out of Just Jack, a moorit and white flecket ram with a nice intermediate fleece and Duckie, a solid black double coated ewe. Again with this combination of bloodlines, I'm hoping that there will be some spots.

Fairlight Selena
(Minwawe Redford x Fairlight Blackberry Winter)

Selena is three and half this year, and has not lambed despite being put with a ram the last two years. Because of space restrictions, I can't keep everybody, so I hoped to sell her to a fiber home. She has a gorgeous fleece, that shears out impressively. Earlier this year, I was able to sell her to a fiber/pet home and she will also be going with Jackie to Jama's. I'm hoping she does settle to JackieD as I think she could produce some lovely lambs. We decided that putting her with Jackie when he was separated from the ewe flock would be a good thing. He would have company and she might possibly breed and settle with a longer season with the ram.

Locksfield Willow
(Fletcher Sundance x Fletcher Limmerick)

Willow is 8 1/2 now, and had the year off from lambing last year. She is a very loving, wonderful mother, so this year she gets in the breeding group. Willow has produced many lambs for me, but only three ewes. I would love to get a solid (non Ag) ewe lamb from her. She produces lovely fleeces and beautiful lambs. She has an intermediate fleece, and was a wild flecket at birth. She is also Jeffrey's dam. She is also pretty pudgy. :-) Willow was the first ewe I picked out and bought for my Shetland flock. She hasn't ever warmed up to me too much, but neither is she a wild snot, so we co-exist peacefully. I'm not expecting Willow to give me solid fleckets, but I'd happily just take a solid ewe lamb from her.

Fairlight Luna
(Minwawe Redford x Locksfield Willow)

Luna is a lovely little musket ewe, who is 3 1/2. Luna is a small ewe, with a lovely, intermediate fleece. Luna was a wild Ag flecket as a lamb--probably one of the most beautiful lambs born here. Luna is much like her mother, Willow (who she hangs around with most of the time), not overly friendly, just content to hang around on the outskirts. Like her mom she will come up for cookies, and is probably a little less suspicious of me. Luna produced Orion, a lovely yuglet sokket musket ram her first year to lamb. This year she produced a lovely solid moorit ram, Conway. I'm really hoping that she will produce some spots for me---and hope just as hard that they won't be Ag! If I can't have a non Ag ewe lamb out of Willow, I would settle for one out of her daughter.

Fairlight Rosemary
(Minwawe Redford x Locksfield Tabitha)

Lastly, but never least is my dear Rosemary. This is the friendliest, sweetest ewe on the place. She has a home here for the rest of her life, if it's up to me. She has a nice intermediate fawn fleece, but is somewhat cow hocked and her tail goes from 'okay' to 'oh no' depending on the season. This year she produced two lovely, lovely little lambs, with gorgeous fleeces. Rosetta, her daughter was one of the lambs I retained. Her fleece is so beautiful---lustrous, crimpy and a wonderful fawn color. I'm not sure Rosemary will produce color for me, as she had solid lambs this year from a flecket ram. Her sire is a smirslet/sokket and she is out of a solid moorit ewe.

And those are the breeding groups for this year. Willow's bloodline figures very prominently--she is dam of Jeffrey, great grandam to Chickie, dam of Luna, and grandam of Selena. Shandrew Rouen, my oldest ewe (she'll be 10 next spring) is also featured heavily---she is dam of Lark, grandam of Chickie, and grandam of Jackdaw.

Five more months and a bit, and we'll know the results!
(p.s...if the sheep look a little stressed, it was because I was basically stalking them to try and get some decent photos!)

Jeffrey's Breeding Group

Fairlight Jeffrey
(Stone Ridge Harris x Locksfield Willow)

Jeff is six and half years old now, and I haven't used him for several years, having had access to some rams with outside bloodlines. However, this year I wanted to give him a couple of ewes in hopes he will produce a nice ewe lamb for me. He always produces lambs that have lovely soft fleeces in the intermediate range I like. His fleece stays very consistent throughout, only falling off on the back of the britch area. However he does produce 'scadder' around his neck area, especially just before breeding season--perhaps in attempts to impress the ladies? He is sired by Stone Ridge Harris who was a grey flecket and out of Locksfield Willow, also a grey flecket. Jeff himself was a wildly spotted grey flecket as a lamb. I plan to get a fleece sample to micron before I break the group up. I had intended to get one when I put them together, but with all the excitement I completely forgot.

Jeff's twin brother, Callum, who is now a wether, sired two lambs before the big surgery. Of those two, I still have the ewe lamb, Duckie, who has produced both Omen (smirslet) and Jackdaw (this year's black and white flecket). This line seems to cross very well on spotted lines, so we shall see. Both breeding groups are basically much the same lines crossed backwards...Jeff is related to most of the girls in Jackdaw's group and Jackdaw is related to the girls in Jeff's group.

Now on to the ewes...all two of them..

Fairlight Lark
(Minwawe Redford x Shandrew Rouen)

This ewe is a nice darker moorit (under that sun bleached fleece) with a very, very dense fleece. She has one of the lower micron counts in the flock. Lark produced a nice ewe lamb for her first lambing this year, Fairlight Eve, but no spots. Lark is out of a moorit smirslet ram and a solid black ewe.

Fairlight Chickie
(Locksfield Griffen x Fairlight Duckie)

Chickie is a sweet little solid black ewe, possibly double coated. There will be a little line breeding on her dam's side by putting her back to Jeff, but nothing to close. I'm hoping for spots out of both of these ewes, but who knows. I know Jeff will produce wildly spotted Ag fleckets, but here is hoping for a nice little spotted ewe lamb that isn't Ag! Chickie's sire is a black smirslet, and again her dam, Duckie has produced both a smirslet (Chickie's twin brother) and a flecket ram.

Sorry for the slightly blurry pictures. The girls were being very clingy and nervous, and would either hang out next to the fence, or I would have to snap one across the pasture...

Fall Pictures.....

The other night, with the leaves on the ground and green grass all around, I thought I'd snap some nice photos of the dogs.

Boonie was very agreeable (as long as there were treats involved), but I can't say the same for Ashley.

Here is Boone....What a good boy....

And here is the rest of the story.....

"Please, please don't tie me to this fence and leave me...please..I'll be good..." seemed to be Ashley's thoughts. Nothing like taking a picture of a dog that thinks she is being abused and abandoned. My memory card was full up anyway, so, so much for the 'photo shoot'. I do like that one of Boone though. It's seldom I get a picture of him looking right at the camera. (And yes, Ashley is blowing coat, and despite brushing and plucking she looks pretty ratty).

I'm off to get some things done outside. The SUN IS SHINING! What a wonderful, not often seen thing around here lately. I hope to get some mowing done (battery is on the charger now), hang out lots and lots of laundry among other things.

All the critters are enjoying the sunshine. The kittens are playing madly in their pen (despite the stinky flea treatment I put on them earlier), the chickens are sunning on the south side of the buildings, the sheep ran happily out to pasture, trying to be the first one to find new fallen leaves, and even the inside cats are following the patches of sun around. Nice....

Have a great weekend.

Vacation.....Poof....

Sneak Peek of Jackdaw's Breeding Group

L-R--Rosemary (fawn), Luna (Musket), Selena (very back--Fawn), JackieD (black/white smirslet/flecket) and Willow (grey)

Well, it's almost over. This is my last day before I head back out to work on Monday. I'm disappointed in what I didn't get accomplished. I know that I did get allot done, but with the rainy weather, the outside tasks that I needed to do (mowing) didn't get done. Out of ten days of vacation there were two..count them...two..days that were dry and sunny and today is one of them--and the other was one day when I was at the lake.

Kitty Play-pen--COMPLETED--kitties installed.
It is mostly in the garage, with only about a foot outside. They can get plenty of sunshine, but safe from rain.

Last night we got a killing frost, so I'm headed out in a bit to pull and stack the rest of the garden plants. It's beautiful and sunny today and the leaves are falling in mounds. This afternoon I'm going out to sit in the sun and play with the kittens, maybe read a little and do nothing else!

Tempe---attached at the foot?

Last night we had a Fire Department soup supper fund raiser. I'm secretary for the department, so I get to take peoples money when they come in. ;-) We charge 3.00 per adult (less for kids), and 10.00 for families. There is no limit to what people can eat. It's a pretty good deal, and by not charging an arm and leg everyone can come and get a good meal for a good price. People also seem to feel more generous because of this and last night we made over $400.00. That is very, very good for this small community. We (the membership of the FD) bring various soups and desserts, so there is minimal expense for the department. All that is paid out of the budget is for paper goods, crackers, cheese etc. We hold the event in the Community Building. The FD operates with volunteers and on dues and donations only. No government funding or anything like that. We have to pay insurance and work comp, utilities and upkeep of the trucks and grounds. Our dues are 30.00 per family, and at the moment we are operating in the black. So far, with two soup suppers a year and sometimes a yard sale, we have been able to keep from raising our dues. The turnout was really nice last night and people seemed to enjoy themselves, even though the fire was spluttering around and it was chilly in the building.

Fall foliage....tattered poke berry bush

My house is kinda a mess right now, but I hope to get it in some semblance of control today. I've been working on several areas and have things scattered about, waiting to be relocated. I just can't figure out with all the work I did this past week, how things can look so...undone. Sigh..

Verity...I promise someday you'll be as beautiful on the outside as you are on the inside...and if not...who cares?? ;-)

Oh well, despite the groanings, it was a great vacation. I did get some work done--the important stuff anyway,-- and just enjoyed not having to rush to get everything done before or after work.

Have a great week.....

Mirror, Mirror

Remember this cat? Showed up out of nowhere (wearing a flea collar, no less), three weeks later had six kittens etc etc..? This is Butterfly. Butterfly is going to the vet Monday for the big spay. I'm hoping it goes well for her. She has had allot to cope with in the last several months. Butterfly would love an indoor home with someone. She would just love to have a quiet little corner in the world to call her own, with lots of good food, and someone to love her. She's probably not even a year old yet, but she has been through the mill already.

And who is this?
This is Trinity, she's one of Butterfly's daughters. She's almost a big kitty now at 10 weeks. She is shy and sweet and I've been working on her to bring her out of her shyness. She has made big steps in the last week and enjoys attention. Her markings mirror her mother's on opposite sides...except for the little Groucho Marx mustache. Trinity would also love an indoor home where she could be a little princess and not have to worry about all the meanies in the world and not have to go through the mill. If you'd like a sweet matched pair these two are it, although they don't have to go together. Trinity will be spayed before she goes to a new home.

Taking A Break...

I'm in the house, taking a break. I'm giving myself one hour of guilt free time to recuperate, before heading back out.

You see the kittens are in confinement. And it makes me feel guilty. At the moment though there is no choice. That is, if I want to get anything else done. Over the last few days the little hotshots have discovered how exciting, how thrilling it is to come into the yard with a big bad dog or two. Boone is fine as long as I'm there to make sure he minds his manners, otherwise....

Tempe---trying to get her to hold still for a photo is nigh impossible!

Need I say the instigator is Tempe? Big surprise I know.

This isn't really another cat post though, so I'll detail the escapades later...if I have the energy.

This post is about......sheep! Finally... However no pictures. I was too busy doing to take pictures this time. I'll get some of the breeding groups soon though.

The breeding groups are together. Yes! I started out this morning feeding the sheep late, so I could get the other critters cared for first. Then I captured the Shetlands while they were feeding, and scrunched them up in a small pen. Much to my dismay over the last week or two some of the ewes have shown up with cockle burrs in their wool--despite me walking the pasture before I put them in there.

My goal was to catch one, clip out cockle burrs (these were mostly around the neck and face wool, thankfully), worm, feed three animal crackers--most important step-- and sort into one of two pens. Rosemary, Luna and Willow went into the east paddock. Rouen, Duckie, Blackberry, Tabitha and the three ewe lambs, Persia, Eve and Rosetta all went back into the main flock. (Hopefully not to be bred this year). Rouen had been particularly distressing me with her cockleburry head. Ever bit of her topknot was covered in them. She got her whole head, cheeks and much of her neck wool trimmed...and loved every minute of it! She looks quite dashing..not. Anyway, once I sorted all those out, that left two in the catchpen--Chickie and Lark. Those two were going to be led down to Jeff's pasture, which is halfway across the place.

Unfortunately for my Dad, when I got to that point, he happened to show up and I enlisted his help in taking them down there. Moving two at once is much easier than trying to lead/drag one. Even at that, it's a chore. I wish they were halter broken but they aren't. Despite Chickie choking herself down once, it went pretty smooth.

After securing them in the (empty) paddock, I headed back out to the barn lot. Now came moving Jackdaw and Selena across the paddock to the east pasture, to joining Rosemary, Luna and Willow. This went remarkably well, even though JackieD veered off course to eat at the hay bale. (I believe we can see where his priorities are....sigh..). Selena was trying to be crafty, but by being patient and working with her, she went into the catch pen easily. Then it was just a matter of opening the gate into the pasture. Woot!

One group safely put together. Now it was back down to Jeff's pasture. The other day I had put up a catch pen, so it was only a matter of putting up a temporary alley way between their two pastures and coaxing Jeff and Cal to go through the alley into the catchpen. This took a while. As I've mentioned they are scardey cats. Plus Jeff was sure those forms moving through the brush on the other side were wolves..even when they baa-ed. Finally though, you could see the idea starting to stir in Jeff's mind...girls?? In he went with Cal right behind him. I had them! Then I made the catchpen smaller, put the halter on Jeff and tied him up out of the way. Reminder to self..do not use a slipknot next time! I captured Cal, who was a real toad, and kept sitting down, while I was worming him. I wrestled him into the pen I had set up for him. Which he does not like. He does not want to be separated from the mean ram, thank you very much!

While my back was turned for two and half seconds Jeff untied himself and took off, with a slip halter on, dragging the lead, chasing the girls. argh..... I had a few panels I needed to set up and secure so I went and did that, muttering under my breath. After making me want to throw myself on the ground and kick and scream, Jeff eventually came close enough for me to grab the lead rope. Then I tied him with a hard knot, and trimmed his feet, wormed him, and put raddle on his chest. And that was that. Breeding group two set up.

Off to the house I went to try and rid myself of aromatic ram smell, eat breakfast/lunch and rest a minute. Just in the nick of time too, as it started pouring down rain for a little while Now if everyone will just stay where they are suppose to! I'm very, very glad to have that chore out of the way. It will be noisy and restless around here for a few days, but that is just part of it.

Now, my hour is up and I'm off to let out the poor kitty prisoners and work on the blasted gate for their play pen. If I can get it done today they will have a nice large play area--and only total freedom when I'm watching them like hawks!

The frenetic energy of kitten....

Working Vacation....

Although the gloom is so thick it hurts my eyeballs, at least its not raining..yet. This morning after chores, I got right to moving the rest of the panels around to get ready to move the breeding groups together. Friday seems to be the chosen day--can you tell I'm procrastinating?

As I was moving panels around, I had the dogs with me, safely enclosed in pasture fencing. I looked up and there were four or five little kittens halfway down the driveway, looking for me. I didn't say a word, but kept an eye on things. After I got the panels up, I found a piece of twine and put it around Boone's neck so he and Ashley could interact (safely) with the kittens. Ashley is a scardey cat herself, so I didn't worry about leashing her. One little hiss and she'd be a bowl of jello. Boone...him, I don't trust. He is more than fine when I'm there keeping an eye on him, but I've seen him kill a baby skunk before and I know that in his eyes kittens are not different. It's a shame really. I'm used to dogs being so mellow about cats, it's hard to accept. He has come a long, long way, but it's when I'm not around that I would worry.

So anyway.. later today I'm going to try and get that gate fixed on the kitty pen, as I just can't watch them all the time, and I don't want Tempe to come to a bad end.

Ashley...all worn out...

Although it's pretty wet outside, I worked on harvesting tomatoes. As you can see, this harvest is a world apart from the 'potato harvest'. This little basket represents just a fraction of what is out there. I picked as many as it would hold and will go back out later and start tearing up vines and pick more. Not sure what I'm going to do with them all!


Yesterday it pretty much rained all day. It was cold and it was yucky. I spent most of the afternoon inside working on clearing off one of my shelves, while listening to James Herriott's All Creatures Great and Small. This particular shelf has had cardboard over the front for about three years! Hmmm... Sage is three years...wonder if there is a connection??

Finally I realized that my costlier knickknacks (some Hagen Renaker pieces for you horse collectors) were never going to be safe, and I was tired of the cardboard decor. I ended up boxing up many of the fragiles, keeping only the Hagen Renakers out, which went into my glass case. I hope to sell a couple of them, if the market ever stabilizes. Now the book shelf is clear, except, well, for books. I dusted and cleaned and sprayed for spiders and am moving some of my books from the big shelf into there. That will free up some space for the piles of books sitting around in back!

Looks so much better in there, even though there are still some piles of uncovered 'debris' that needs to be put elsewhere. (Why did I have old 45 records on that bookcase, when my record stash is in the other room??)

I also spent some time updating my website. I added some roving and some beautiful merino x white batting. This stuff would be lovely for felting or spinning (although the staple is a shorter 2.5 inches).

Yesterday when I said a post of the kittens was coming soon...I didn't mean that soon! Evidently I have lost track of the days, because I thought I had scheduled it for the next day. Couldn't get it to go back into it's hole either, once it was posted! Oh well....

Boone thinks this vacation stuff is tiring work!

Have a great week! I'm sure enjoying my time off.

Kittens Growing Fast

A rare moment of quietness--yes only five in a pile.. Verity likes to sleep off on her own.

Male Black Kitten--the only one not named yet...

Noah....that's just a yawn, even though he looks a bit fierce

Oh my Gabriel, when did you grow so big?

Tempe the Terrible....not really, okay, yes she is...but she is a
sweetheart too..sometimes

Black Male Kitten...again...

Trinity ambushes her brothers...

Gabriel doing what he does best..playing!

Little Verity....she looks like a meer-kat or maybe a wombat..or just a bat?
Homely as sin, with a big nose, eyes and ears...but inside she is all sweet (when she isn't playing a game of hide and seek!)

Alright...all you lovely people who are crazy about animals.. Here is the update. No homes found as of yet. Even though I keep badgering, uh, asking everyone I see that seems suitable, the answer so far has been no. If I can make it happen....depends on the boys...mostly Sage--I will be bringing two probably three of the little ones inside around Thanksgiving. It will be a long slow process, and they will live in the kitty condo inside when I'm not around. This (hopefully) will not pressure Sage so much he has a nervous breakdown. Meshach will be upset too, but he seems a little more stable... For sure Verity and her black brother and well...probably Tempe, if she survives that long. She has worked very hard at attaching herself to me. It's her 'tude that worries me though... If an outstanding inside home came up I would consider letting Tempe or the black male go. Consider it... The other three kittens do need homes. They will go and live at my Mom's in the bug barn/garage (in a safe environment until a little older) if not placed.

Trinity in particular wishes for a lovely inside home. She is a timid little soul, who hides allot, but when she shyly comes out of hiding and I pick her up, she is just syrup all the way through. She would thrive and become a princess in a nice indoor home. If you are interested in a matched pair, Butterfly (their mom) would also dearly love to have an inside home. She is a very mellow cat, is leash trained (really!--she had someone who loved her once), and very easy to work with. Due to all the really big events that have happened in her life since she showed up, her personality has been somewhat squelched, so I'm not sure what her true self is like. I expect she would be a love bug in the end.

Gabriel and Noah...of course they would love to be indoor kittens too, but could thrive well as spoiled barn/farm kittens. Going together would be lovely for them. They both love attention and Gabe is especially sweet and has a big purr motor.

All of these kittens and their mother will be spayed/neutered before going to new homes. They will also be wormed, flea treated and up to date on vaccinations. If you are interested in giving loving homes, where the kittens will get the proper love and attention they need, let me know!

If things were different they could all stay here....... (i.e. Boone didn't have a high prey drive...)

The Boys are Getting Ready....

Fairlight Jackdaw

....shining their hooves, striking elegant poses and in Jackdaw's case, adding a little finery to his fleece. Breeding groups...hopefully...will go together later this week. The weather is yucky, but I only have a few more panels to move around. The groups will be small this year--three ewes to Jackdaw and two to Jeffery. Getting Jeff up will be the hardest part, he and his twin wether brother Callum are like wild deer when they suspect something is up. Cal will have to be separated from his brother during the breeding season, so I will make him a nice little paddock where he will even get the shed! I don't think he'll mind a bit. Hopefully I will get some nice pictures of the rams and the ewes in their groups to post. If the sun ever comes out....

Fairlight Jeffery

Did I mention the weather is yucky? Raining, overcast with a chilly breeze. I worked out in it some this morning, moving panels around and will venture out again this afternoon--hopefully by then it'll at least not be raining. The fire is burning, but feels weak and sounds splutterly.

There are plenty of projects to do inside. My website needs to be updated, there are several areas that are screaming out---de-clutter me!! I also need to get some packages ready to mail...(I hope you haven't given up on me Vicki!)..for when I go into town later in the week.

Yesterday I did get the pantry/wool storage area cleaned and organized but it is indeed a slippery slope in there. Roving is not the easiest thing in the world to store, especially on narrow shelving! I was caught in a wool avalanche twice before I could get it all stacked just right.

Really...this is clean and organized!

There seemed to be an enormous amount of junk that needed to be thrown away. I have no idea where it came from. None. Is anyone interested in purchasing a very old cast iron meat scale? Hmmmm? No?

I mentioned that the potato digging was a bit pathetic. I went out and pulled a couple of the shriveled plants up and there were quite a few smallish potatoes clinging to the roots.

With thoughts of a sizable potato harvest I went back into the house and got two baskets to put the haul in. The 'haul' turned out to be about a dozen very small potatoes. Two baskets were not needed.

Even Boone was appalled..."do we have to survive on that all winter?"

On the bright side the soil in the potato growing container is beautiful and full of earth worms. Next year, if the season isn't so rainy, I might have to actually come up with a potato storage plan!


I also got all my winter coats and outerwear washed up/aired out and ready to roll for the season. Little by little....

Outside there is allot that needs to be done--finish the cursed kitty play pen (I hope), get all the front area and yard mowed and trimmed up. Harvest the tomatoes and pull up the plants, fill the wood box and kindling bucket, put up plastic over the chicken house window..not to mention the chicken house needs cleaned out.... I'll get as much as I can done, but there will always be a few neglected tasks, as winter comes blowing around the corner.

For now I'm off to de-clutter.....
(Kitten post coming soon!)