Random

I haven't posted much lately so here are a few pictures from here and there:

Great bowl from Lassar Ceramics in Londonderry, VT

New handspun

A cool tree outside Warwick, MA

Pigs in Petersham

Old foundation outside Warwick

Lisa and Gary's new puppy

The Vermont Country Store

BIG mountains ahead in Vermont

Shearing Day

I have a wonderful friend that owns an alpaca farm; I've written about Kate and Great Rock Alpacas before. Well, this Thursday past was shearing day. What a day and what hard work!!!! There were 74 alpaca to be sheared. Now, I've seen sheep getting sheared and they just seem to relax and get a faraway look in their eyes. Not so with alpaca! Most of them put up a pretty good fight and man, do they make a racket when they are upset.

It was a busy day and I met some very nice folks. The affair started early; I got to the farm at 8:30 and they had already been working for an hour. Once a good crowd arrived to help, I got to start skirting the alpaca fleeces with some old and some new friends. Kate's alpacas have some super nice fleece and the shearer did a great job. So, I spent the afternoon with friends and fleece.....a good thing.

Jake is Hiding

What's in the tree?

                 See her?

Scenic Overlook: Rt. 202

The Daniel Shays Highway is a pretty drive that climbs high above the Quabbin Reservoir here in Massachusetts. There is a turn-off that we have been meaning to take that overlooks the valley. Well, we took the turn and look what we saw:

Here's a link to a good article about Daniel Shay:

Shay's Rebellion

What's spinning....

Jacob fleece is my current project. I just adore this fiber. Here is a picture of some of the yarn that I have spun; this is from the ram named Hector.

Here is some lilac colored lamb fleece before washing:

And the clean fleece, batts and yarn after washing. This lilac was a remnant from a bigger fleece that felted on the sheep. I only have a little bit (and that thanks to the kind shepherd). It is spinning into the most lovely silver color.

The white batts are more of Hector's fiber and here is some more yarn from his fleece:

The Velveteen Rhinoceros

This sad little green rhino was Jake's very favorite and most beautiful, excellent toy for weeks and weeks. He loved the little thing even after its horn fell was gnawed off and one ear had worn been chewed away. And now, poor toy found abandoned and bedraggled where the had snow melted....