Keeping Busy on the Farm

I'm keeping busy. IMG_2286

Most of the photos are from yesterday but this was a few days ago. I like this view.

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Morning chores. Do you see the grass on this ewe's back? The dallisgrass is tall right now and it's sticky. (From the web: Once dallisgrass seed heads ripen they can be infected with an ergot fungus. Infected seed heads are black and sticky.") It is so strong that it trips me up when I walk and get my feet stuck under it. The sheep are coming in with it draped around their necks. They are dirty because all the dust sticks to the dirt. We'll need rain to get them clean again.

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The sheep were going into this paddock on the right. I pulled the net fence out of the dallisgrass and put it back in so that it tipped the other way so hopefully they don't get their horns in the fence.

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There is a 3-wire electric fence here that you can barely see. I stomped down the dallisgrass on the side of the paddock they'll be in so that the fenceline is more visible. The only way this fence works when the grass is so tall is that the flock is used to the configuration of the paddocks.

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The ewes don't even want to venture in when it's that tall. They walked in and then came back to this part in the lane where they could graze normally.

Catalyst-Buster

The rams spend most of their time right now at this fence looking for the ewes. At night there are always a few ewes hanging around here. Tomorrow is the day, boys.

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A good contrast of lilac and black and white coloring. Also typical 2-horn and 4-horn contrast. That's Catalyst on the left and Buster on the right.

1019-dyed yarn

This photo is from a few days ago. These are yarns I used as the warp for two shawls that I just finished weaving. There will be photos of them after they are washed. These are dyed with weeping willow and hollyhock. IMG_2324

More recent dyed yarn.  Weeping willow on the left and coreopsis on the right. The three shades are successive runs through the same dyebath. All that color from 8 ounces of flowers!

Eucalyptus

I set up this pot outside. Eucalyptus getting ready to add yarn.

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I am moving onto plans for a sunflower series of chenille scarves for my upcoming show. I finally got to the warp dyeing part.

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There will be more photos as I progress with these.

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Warp chains--two scarves each.

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While I was dyeing yesterday we got a hay delivery. Eighty more bales to go in the barn.

Redbud leaf

Color inspiration next to my dye table. Redbud leaf. It is incredible what you can see when you look closely.

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Ginny in her usual behavior. He's not going to throw it, Ginny.