Something to make you smile

Below is the link to an enjoyable short video called Extreme Sheepherding.  You  may have seen it.  I can’t tell you if this is real or if there is some computer generated images involved.  Regardless, it’s neat to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3qvJgY9XQI

FIRST OUTING

Lambing is done and I am very glad.  There were not supposed to be any births this spring but one of the rams wasn’t in agreement with that decision, and made his way thru two sets of gates to make sure we would.  Here are pictures of their first time out of the barn with their Moms.  The alpacas were very curious but gentle.  All is well and the little ones sure are sweet.

Tristian and Patrick

Socks and her twins

Cinda with Mayze and Moe

Well hello there!

You are so tall!

So cute

 

The last lamb to arrive did not arrive easily.  We were leaving for the second day of Sheep and Wool and checked the barn first.  Branwyn had started to deliver but the little guy was stuck – two legs and his head were out and his head was huge and floppy.  We waited for a contaction and Tom pulled him out.  He couldn’t stand and couldn’t hold his head up – it really was big.  Got Mom and baby cleaned up and settled and hoped for the best.  When we got home the baby was fine.  Standing and nursing and his head was a normal size.  Fluid had built up in his head from being stuck in the birth canal and everything has resolved itself with time once he was unstuck.  The ewe is an old girl and very friendly – I was happy to not lose either one of them. 

Braunwyn was the last to lamb - here she is with her baby, he's very little but healthy.

SPRING LAMBS

Here are some pictures from the farm during lambing. 

Socks with her day old twins

Cinda's twins - 2 days old - Mayze (white) and Moe

Sue with Cinda's little boy Moe

Sue with Cinda's little girl Mazye

Cinda

Rose, the very large Romney is keeping these two expectant Mom's company.

Brawyn - waiting to lamb

Some of the flock at Victorian Oaks

More of the flock members

NH SHEEP & WOOL FESTIVAL, MAY 9TH & 10TH

The 33rd annual New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival will be held May 9 & 10, 2009. 

This is a Mother’s Day tradition – come and visit us in the Roby Bldg.  We’ll have homespun handknit wearables, fleeces – raw and processed, roving and yarns.  We look forward to see you!

 

 

The New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival is held at the Hopkinton State Fairgrounds Directions - The Hopkinton State Fair is located west of Concord, New Hampshire in Contoocook.. We are about 15-20 minutes drive time from Concord, 40-45 minutes from Manchester or Laconia and about 90 minutes from Boston. Take I-93 to I-89. Drive up I-89 and get off at Exit 7. This is the easiest and quickest route to the fairgrounds. Follow the signs to the fairgrounds.

Hodgepodge featured on the Life Show

Very exciting news – the shop has been featured in a local tv show called the Life Show.  Read below to find out more and find the link to see the show.    

Gordon Weinberger’s, Infinite Persistence Life Show is taking off with public enthusiasm and support!  Viewership and in-studio audience participation is doubling each week. This sounds like a recipe for a Wall Street winner. However, unlike Weinberger’s previous venture, Gordon’s Pies (which went public in 2001 when the company was acquired by Mrs. Smith’s Bakeries), Infinite Persistence is all about focusing on the people of Lake Sunapee’s Communities including Newport, Sunapee and New London in which Weinberger and his cast live and work.

http://www.exquisite-productions.com/page225.html

MISC. THINGS TO SHARE

Here are some  pictures from SugarRiver Spinners meetings:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tom C. and Jerry Y. members of the Sugar River Spinners.

Our monthly meetings are held on the first Sunday of the month in the fellowship hall of the Methodist Church on the common in Newport, NH.   We have outgrown meeting in members homes.

Norma wearing the beautiful beaded scarf she made

 

Scarf with beads knitted into the ends. Just gorgeous!

 

Driving thru Sunapee last week, I saw some clouds that needed to have their picture taken.  It was a day that couldn’t decide if it would rain or be sunny.  I loved the look of these clouds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More eye candy from the shop – love the colors of  all these wonderful yarns – a variety of Debbie Bliss

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here comes Peter Cottontail …

Spinners Easter Basket filled with colorful wool and silk to spin, natural color wool, a book on spinning, a drop spindle, a knitty knotty and wool wash.

Remember the excitement of waiting for the Easter Bunny?  Why not surprise a spinner or knitter with an Easter Basket?!   Who would not be thrilled to receive a basket of colorful yarn or fiber?  Or some cashmere to make a pair of decadent socks to pamper yourself with at home.

Knitters Easter Basket filled with beautiful yarn, pattern book, knitting needles and a cute stuffed sheep.

Small project bag with cashmere yarn & needles

We also have an assortment of hand knitted wearables for spring weather.  Come in and take a look. 

Adorable little girls spring sweater

Cotton shawl in blues and greens

Cotton shawl in blue tones

 

Retreat Pictures

Site of the retreat

Soo Nipi Lodge http://www.soo-nipi-lodge.com/

Cathie Zoeller gives an excellent massage!

Group photo

Enjoying the sun room

Let's eat lunch! Chicken salad sandwiches, homemade carrot soup and homebaked goodies.

Visiting Hodgepodge Yarn and Fiber

Dispite the weather outside, it was spring inside the lodge.

Mt Sunapee with snow on the trails

Beautiful

This bag was a big hit! We all want to make one.

We all enjoyed ourselves

 

Thankyou Jeanette and Suzanne for planning this wonderful event. See you next year!

Knitters/Spinners Retreat

Just returned home from a wonderful weekend retreat held at the SooNipi Lodge in Newport, NH.  There were 17 of us from different knitting/spinning groups in NH, MA and CT.  Everyone blended so well and many new friends were made.  We all decided that we MUST do this again next year.  Jeanette, the lodge owner, was a wonderful hostess who welcomed us on Friday afternoon.  We were pampered in the comfy atmosphere of a renovated, 100 plus year old dairy barn with a beautiful view of Mt. Sunapee.  We had  sun, rain with thunder and lightening, snow and wind during the course of our stay.  That’s New England weather for you!    It was a relaxing time – especially for those of us who took advantage of having a massage on Saturday!  There was also a trip to HodgePodge to delight in the yarn offerings!  The food was delicious, plentiful and it was such a treat to not have to think about cooking.  

I will post pictures tomorrow of this fabulous retreat!

Shearing at Victorian Acres

As the saying goes, the best laid plans of mice and men ….  we were all set for shearing last Sunday.  Had contained the flock a couple days earlier to keep them dry for the big day.  The sheep had a conference and decided not to participate.  They busted out of a gate that they never pay any attention to.   Our shearer did one sheep and called things to a halt.  The sheep had gotten too wet, as it was raining that day.  We will be sheared sometime before NH Sheep and Wool.