2009 BFL roving colors

I've been sorting, washing and dyeing fleeces for the past couple weeks, trying to get a batch ready to send to Stonehedge in the hopes I can get it back in time for the Wooster fiber festival. These are the colors I'm thinking of using - 2 parts orange, 2 parts fuscia, 1 part marigold, 1 part lilac. The lilac is scaring me a little - not sure if its too dark and too blue, so I'm going to do a test batch on my viking combs once the pink dries and see how it spins up.

Clio had her twins yesterday afternoon. I missed her in the evening when I was checking for the last few pregnant ewes and found her under the hedge tree along the stream, sleeping in the shade. They are big, robust lambs, and after picking up the ram lamb to carry him to the barn before it got dark, I could see why she'd been lying around the last couple days, and having trouble getting to her feet! The ram is a stunner; beautiful earset, super blue, and just that "hey, look at me" attitude. The ewe lamb is Kipling, and if he turns out like I think he will, his name will be McTurk. Notice his black spots on the fronts of both front feet? The sire is Lockerbie, so they are 25% Loyalty, 25% Titus, and 6.25% Jamie.

This is Gypsy having a snack. She is doing relly well; no diarrhea, she is steadily gaining weight, and she is not the least bit bloaty. I really like using a bucket to feed bottle lambs. This way is more natural, since they eat each time they feel hungry, just like on mama. This way, they don't gorge themselves every few hours when a bottle is offered. Its also easier on the shepherd with a busy schedule. :^) She is such a good natured little thing, and loves her smooches. The redbuds are in bloom along the road. The dogwoods aren't far behind. Its been such a cool spring that the past couple days in the 80s have been quite an adjustment.

Another new Ohio BFL Shepherdess

This is Alex with one of her new BFL lambs. Her ewe, Kerryn, just had a set of healthy ram lambs. Congratulations, Alex!

Twins

Sometime during the afternoon, China, a yearling from last year's LAI, had a sweet set of twin ewe lambs. She had them all clean, dry, fed, and brought them back to the barn from the pasture tonight when it was time for their evening grain. Boy, are they cute! And very blue. Their names are Oakley and Oralee, and they are by Lockerbie, making them 25% Carryhouse R1, 25% Titus, and 6.25% Jamie.

Wildhare Project for sale

Wildhares Ruby Slippers and Red Dawn as juniors.

Wildhares D'oro as a junior.

I've been wrestling with this question for a while now. I hate to be thought of as one of those people who start something, and then don't finish it. But I have to admit to myself, I've lost interest in this project. I have 3 RED French Angora type rabbits - a buck and 2 does, that I'd like to find a new home for. They are the first generation of wool rabbits from a cross between my grand champion French Angoras (Phoenix, Carmen, Evan, Valhalla) and 3 different New Zealand Reds. All have been shown, one doe has a leg, and the buck got raves from Ron Petras and S. Vecchio at the last show in Lisbon. They have nice dense wool with good texture and red color. They are ready to breed now.

I can bring them to the Ohio mini convention. I'd definitely like to place them as a group. Naturally, they are not pedigreed as French, and cannot be registered. They would be the first generation on a purebred, registered French pedigree according the ARBA rules.

The new owner can have my extensive list of names for red rabbits. :^) :^)

The two pictures above are Serenade's twin daughters, Sarabande and Shivaree. They are sired by Lanark, and are 25% Jamie, 25% Carryhouse R1, and 12.5% Loyalty. They are BIG lambs, and ever so elegant.

This is Arlene and her ram lamb. He is sired by Larkhall, and is 25% Carryhouse R1, 6.25% Loyalty.