What's New?

Emma says, "We have a surprise for you!"

What do you get when you take this...

... and combine it with this, and bake for five months?

THESE!

Please join us in welcoming Sequoia (left, firstborn) and Sitka (right), our brand new Nigerian dwarf goat doelings! They were born the evening of October 13th.

Aren't they beautiful?

We are just so thrilled with their gorgeous markings.

Sitka's coloring reminds me of a traditional Inuit sealskin jacket with a white ruff at the hem and matching pants.

Although their eyes aren't blue (that's just the flash), they do carry a blue-eyed gene.

Mama Hermione Granger delivered them without any assistance and has been very attentive.

Here is a little movie of them just after being born!

In fiberarts news, all I have to report is that a) I finally received my Ravelry invitation (I am StasiaSpins if you would like to find me), and b) I had to use my quilting scissors to trim the kids' umbilical cords before putting iodine on them. Sigh. Oh - the Angoras also got their fall haircuts (is there anything more pitiful than this?)

Actually, that is a fib. There has been fiber action at Tuppinz Farm! Tonight I had a few minutes to cast on some purple Malabrigo to make the Cabled Pop-Up Mitten designed by Cindi Moist of Yellow Dog Knitting - woo hoo! The pattern is free with purchase of Malabrigo yarn, and they do do mailorder! There is also a wonderful matching reversible Malabrigo scarf, which I'm also making. I want to do the mittens before finishing the scarf so that I'm sure I will have enough yarn for the set.

I enjoyed this knitting so much because of my new Knit Picks Harmony needles. It is true - a single 24" cable needle can be used for Magic Loop knitting! The best way I can describe using this needle is to say... I didn't notice it! The cable is so flexible, it didn't cramp my style. The wood tips are so smooth that I didn't feel them. All I noticed was the yarn... and isn't that what it's all about? I am thrilled that I ordered a complete set of these and I would definitely recommend them to y'all.

Well, that's the extent of my current creativity. Raising not one, but two unlooked-for kittens has been... interesting, and it's kept me busy. I thought I was finished with kittenhood (never mind puppyhood...) but here we are again.

Our biggest concern was whether teenage Max and little Yoda would get along after Max was un-quarantined.

Luckily, we needn't have worried.

In fact, we have a hard time trying to pry them apart.

Our second concern was whether the puppies would accept the kittens.

Again, we needn't have worried.

Emma says, "That's enough blogging, Mama. It's time for a nap!"

Maybe for her. And maybe you all are enjoying Ravelry, but I haven't the time to take even a little peek. Cats, dogs, goats - my life is a never-ending round of pooper-scooping these days. Not to mention that Jeff said we have a "giant mouse" in the house. Giant mouse? Is there, perhaps, another word for giant mouse??? I guess a rat can't be as bad as the bats we had flying around the living room in August... will I ever get used to farm life? Will I ever get to use my quilting scissors to actually make a quilt again?

Hope you, at least, are having a creative day!

Yee-Ha! Or Is That Hee-Haw!?

Here's the big news!

Jasmine ("Jazz") and her foal Eli have come to Tuppinz Farm!

We'd been interested in donkeys as pasture alarms for the sheep for some time, but couldn't find any small ones (small sheep and small fences equal a need for small donkeys. We tried a friend's alert llama, but he just stepped over our E'Nets, so llama went back home to mama.)

But when these two became available very near to us, we knew that it was providential.

They could not be better pasture companion. Judging from the echoes that resound from the nearby hills when Jazz brays, we'll be kept informed of any nighttime predator activity tout de suite.

Best of all, they love to be hugged and kissed. Our kind of livestock, for sure.

The goaties are too busy fattening up for winter to be jealous. (Hermione, the orange and white doe on the right, is really fat, as she is due to deliver next week!)

The guinea fowl are all grown up. Here they are stopping to investigate the pumpkin display as they go about their tick-munching rounds (go, guineas!!!)

Fall is here in her full glory. I'd love to paint this scene with my new watercolors... but at present I'm too busy shoveling donkey poop.

Have a beautiful day!