First breakfast in the new barn! This past weekend the sheep moved into their new barn! We are far from done, but made a big effort to get one side of it contained enough for them to get inside and eat out of the feeder bunks. Just in the nick of time, as the weather turned cold about a week ago- down to single digits at night, barely above freezing during the day. Bill really got a workout pounding the fence posts in to the frozen ground. The sheep don't care so much, but the dogs are really in need of shelter from the wind. They all have nice straw beds now, and the water trough is in a place where it is easier to maintain. It's too late to get electric service to the barn, as the ground is frozen solid and we can't dig the trench for the power line, so we won't have trough heaters this winter. That means breaking the ice every day, but it's not so bad as we have a hose with running water for filling. That sure beats hauling 5 gallon buckets from the creek, which is what we did a few years ago.
It's been slow going the past couple of weeks, mostly due to the cold weather. I have been bundling up in my Alaskan gear (insulated Carhartt coveralls, Sorrell boots and insulated leather gloves), which is keeping me toasty warm, but it's hard to move around and use hammer and nails. The air compressors are freezing up, which means no nail gun. We are figuring out that we have to bring all that equipment into the basement at night to thaw out. But in spite of all the challenges, we are happy to see the progress each day. We hope to have the other side of the barn ready by next weekend, which means that we can split the sheep up and let our very frustrated ram, JC, start breeding. He has busted out of his pasture twice now trying to get to the ewes, but I managed to catch him both times.
learning how to sort fleece I took one weekend off early this month to attend a fiber sorting and grading class in the Okanogan Highlands. I learned so much about fiber and what makes good quality yarn. We covered everything from the chemistry of fibers (right down to the molecular structure), to the physical properties of the individual fiber, to the way fibers act when they are spun together, and lots more. All with the goal of getting a superior end product. I am so excited to use what I learned this winter when I process the few remaining fleeces that I have. Not only was the class fun, but I had never been to Molson, a very small town near the Canadian border. It's referred to as a ghost town, but there are still a few people living there, and they have an historic Grange Hall that is fully functional and used for all kinds of community events. The kitchen has an old wood fired cooking stove that is still used from time to time. One of our instructors said the area was very much like the Scottish Highlands.
Lucky! In other news around the ranch, we took Callie in for spaying last week. She is 6 months old now, and 63 lbs! She is going to be a big girl. She got to spend the night in the house after her operation, but went back outside the next day. She was in a small area that we separated off to keep her from being too active for the first few days, and she did remarkably well. She was quite content to be there, didn't mind her cone, and was very well behaved. I'm glad we got her spayed sooner rather than later, as we have seen a coyote lurking around.
Our little wood stove is keeping the house cozy- a toasty 70+ degrees inside, 8 degrees outside. Not bad for an 80 year old house with sawdust for insulation. Plus it's the perfect temperature underneath for raising bread dough and keeping boots warm. And of course our cat, Lucky, has made it his spot for the winter.
I am posting this on November 19th- it's Bill's birthday today! I'm making his favorite meatball recipe, with fresh homemade pasta. We are having Thanksgiving with his family next week, and are reflecting on how much we have to be thankful for, especially with all that happened this year. We are full of gratitude to all of our family and friends who helped us recover from the fire, including those who sent their thoughts and prayers from afar. It has made all the difference and been a big part of what has kept us going. Stay tuned for more updates in a couple of weeks.
Our little wood stove is keeping the house cozy- a toasty 70+ degrees inside, 8 degrees outside. Not bad for an 80 year old house with sawdust for insulation. Plus it's the perfect temperature underneath for raising bread dough and keeping boots warm. And of course our cat, Lucky, has made it his spot for the winter.
I am posting this on November 19th- it's Bill's birthday today! I'm making his favorite meatball recipe, with fresh homemade pasta. We are having Thanksgiving with his family next week, and are reflecting on how much we have to be thankful for, especially with all that happened this year. We are full of gratitude to all of our family and friends who helped us recover from the fire, including those who sent their thoughts and prayers from afar. It has made all the difference and been a big part of what has kept us going. Stay tuned for more updates in a couple of weeks.
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