Saturday night - Somewhere Else.

Emailed to me by a blog reader & friend in response to yesterday's blog post 'Friday Night'. She captioned it 'Jennifer's Backyard on Saturday Night':

Talk about yer 'Deer in the Headlight' looks. Geesh.

I would like to say that the animals in my backyard do tend to live a 'pre-hunter' bambi-esque lifestyle though. Today, the doe was joined by (and I kid you not), a pair of squirrels at the top of the tree, 2 rabbits and a groundhog, all hangin' out at the ol' pear tree. I wonder, what kind of quasi-wild/suburb gossip goes on out there? I dunno, but if a skunk starts showing up for the party, I'm calling Animal Planet. Or Disney.

On the yarn side of 'As the Forest Turns' here, Colleen has an excellent idea in the comments for that Bamboo-Ewe yarn... and call me Burger King, but you can have it your way. (and please, do NOT call me Burger King. Or Burgermeister-Meisterburger, or any Burger - I jest.) So, without further sleep-deprived commentary from teh dye potz, you can haz all 7 colors at once in tiny skeins if you want. Clickity: http://www.nysfarm.com/bamboo_ewe.htm

Friday night.

Remember the pear trees I mentioned? Well this gal is eating my pears. 2nd night in a row.

Look! Something Shiney! It's Bamboo-Ewe, in spring pastel colors! (Hey, what can I say? In the spring, we were still a little busy with January Leaves. Someday I might even get around the Valentine's Day Sale I had been planning...)

This is a 40% Bamboo, 40% Wool, 20% Nylon blend 4ply sock yarn, non-superwash (it felts shiney as well). Ain't they purty?

Peach, Lavender, Pale-Blue, Spring Green, Yellow, White and Pink. They were a custom request but oh boy do I like them! I have plans for a tank-top in the Spring Green, a baby sweater in the pink & blue, a striped felted bag with all of them.... so many ideas, so little time.

Goldfish.

I'd show you a picture, but by the time the batteries for the camera were charged.... it was time to pick a burial plot.

We went to the Carnival last night, Nora had a wonderful time. She rode rides, and played games... and won a goldfish. She threw the ball and got it in the bowl and won a decent sized goldfish. She named the wee sushi 'Pink-Rose' and off we went. Miss Rose made it through the night and part of the morning before she began gulping for air.... and started to list to one side. With the end in sight, we gave some tearful goodbyes, discussed burials and dad took her for a bike-ride. I buried Miss Rose. Moving on.

Cathy-Cate is awesome. Just sayin, cuz she came through with Tai-Chi info in abundance for me. While the style I learned was Yang, I'll go see how different it is from the Wu style taught there, thank you Cathy! It also helped me search out and find one other, who does teach Yang, and so I have 2 options now.

I've got better pictures of Plum Shadows now, and it's officially for sale:

And, Nora wanted to dye some yarn. She wanted to dye Red and Pink, but when she was almost finished with the skein, she decided it needed some blue, and so we've got shades of a Fuschia red, blue and purples. She drew a few hearts in Fuschia when she got started, which reminded me of valentines day, so I think we'll call this one 'Teenage Romance' cause it's so bright and shiney. You know? And yes, it's also now available for purchase.

I'm thrilled to say, that for those of you still waiting for 'Mint Mojito' (also a Nora yarn), I expect to have it available in a few days - Nora can't wait to dye more. Pictures when we're done here. And you know what she told me yesterday? That because we're both dyers, that she wants to have a shop right next door to me, so we can visit each other. I love this kid.

So confused.

So thrilled last night to have found a Tai-Chi meet-up... Like you see in the movies, you know? A group of people in the park in the background dong Tai-Chi?

Well I'm here to tell you that it was absolutely, positively.... NOT like that. At all. To be completely fair, the instructor did say at the beginning that it was going to be some Tai-Chi, some Yoga, and a little Pilates. Ok thinks I, I can handle a little of this & that. A few Tai-Chi moves to help me get started again is good, even mixed in with some Yoga stuff - it can't hurt, right? Yes, it can. (Especially when the only Tai-Chi was 'Wave Hands Like Clouds 4 times in a row - good call Astrid). It was mentally difficult to stay focused on keeping my 'Leaning Tree' from tipping over when I was psyched for one thing and given another, and plus let's just say my body was not ready for Yoga. So, almost 70 minutes of Yoga, 2 minutes of Pilates, and a 30-count of Tai-Chi. I am not that limber, and my thighs doth protest. Earnestly.

ETA: Let me be clear: I do not want to do Yoga.

I think I like this though:
(don't tell anyone, but I have found that if you sign your child up for Karate, Kumon, and swimming lessons - you find yourself with time to actually KNIT in 30 minute increments more than once a WEEK.) This is a sock I've actually knit myself, toe-up turkish cast-on (thank you Lisa). The colorway is a very early attempt at a color for Firebird, (or click here for the finished Boid) but obviously has way more pink than any self-respecting flame would show the world. (Pay no attention to the white yarn at the top. I couldn't remember how to do the bind-off I wanted to do, and I was at Kumon with Nora and wanted to start the mate... well, I didn't have a crochet hook to thread a lifeline so I knit in a row of bulky for later.)

I'm also fond of this: Out of the imagination and into the dye-pot last night - it's been on the 'I want to dye' colorway now since Tsock #2.

I think we'll call it 'Plum Shadows'. And yes, it's fer sale... send me a note as I haven't gotten the site updated quite yet.

Lisa, this one is for you. It's in that yarn I didn't like before but now I'm liking, and it's in the color I showed you in the other pictures though this picture doesn't quite do it justice and yes I'm mailing it to you today along with other things but not everything blah blah blah and boy are you in trouble and that's all I'm going to say about that.

Waltraud, this is for you. I'd like you to know, that my nieghbors have more than one of these - and I don't mean 1/2 knit socks (I posted both views since I couldn't decide which was better):

One last thing. You folks remember Casey, right? Our most dedicated, handy, farm-hand-turned-yarn-slave? Well, she graduated from high school this year, and is getting ready to leave (::sob::) for college next month. She will be attending Bennington University in Vermont and studying music. She's planning on putting her next billion years of productive paychecks in hock to pay for college (see college=debt/loans) but is thrilled with the opportunity, as she's been accepted to the Music department in the College and if memory serves, it was her first choice.

Any-hoo, I'm reminded of the Secret Santa thang we had going on this past winter, and was thinking if anyone was interested, we could do something similar for the young budding college-student-soon-to-be-starving-artist. You can donate cold hard through paypal, in any amount, or if you want to purchase gift cards or other small items (not much room for stuff in her packing - small shared dorm room), I'd love to surprise her when I see her off in August. I'm going to miss her, she's become part of our family and while I miss her awesome, yarn-skeining skillz, I will miss her sense of humor and her company more.

You can mail things for her to me here, please email me for the mailing address at (jennifer at nysfarm dot com) replace the wrong stuff with the correct stuff as usual. For cash donations to the pot, I've had to use the limits of blogspot and put the donation option in the sidebar called 'Graduation Gift'. If your going to mail a gift card (target, wal-mart, bed bath & beyond type places etc), I'd like to have it by August 1st so I can get it all together in time for my meet-up with her before she leaves.

Well, it's almost time for swim class (woo hoo!!), and I've got a few things to do before we leave so I guess that's it.

Stuff and some other Stuff.

So, I see I haven't posted often or recently. I do want to post more often, and I have lots of things I think about blogging... oh well, we're all here now so let's get on with it.

It's been a busy summer so far. Nora has started Karate, and is loving it. She's seen Disney's 'Mulan' perhaps a few times and was really looking forward to being 'like Mulan'. So much so, that in class when Sensei asked the students for examples of an appropriate time to use what they learn in class, other students made suggestions like "When someone bad tries to steal you" or "When someone is hitting your sister." Nora announced "When the Hun attack". Well, Sensei had to admit, that was a good time to use your Karate skills.

If I were the Hun, I'd be scared - wouldn't you?

Also, on a martial arts note, I would like to point out to anyone who may be confused, Tai Chi is NOT Yoga. I'm not certain how or why this is being confused, but I've lost count of how many times in the last 2 weeks when I have inquired at various dojo around the region about Tai Chi instruction/classes/etc, I've been pointed in the direction of a local Yoga group. Now, I've got nothing against yoga, and I'm sure it's wonderful, but I'm looking for TAI CHI.

Also, it turns out this small non-farm property has 3 pear trees, 1 apricot, 2 apple, blackberry and raspberry bushes, and in the front yard.... 2 Bing Cherries - my favorite (and I filled this several times):

In other news, Cleopatra is now available... and even better? IN STOCK.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get Nora to Karate and find the directions to what I hope is an actual Tai Chi meet-up tonite, and not a Yoga class.

Dear Diary:

Dear Diary,

I dreamt last night about that thing called 'internetz' again. It's a magical place where you can communicate with your friends, offer wares for sale, and stay in almost constant communication with everyone, all over the world. In my dream, you could even do all this in your own home but alas, in my dream, something mysterious called 'The Cable Company' messed up something called the 'Installation Date' and I was left with no internetz OR phone. For more than a week. (In my dream... I twitched a LOT for some reason.)

Instead in my dream, I had to drive to something called a 'Panera's Restaurant' where something amazing called 'wi-fi' allows you to connect to the mystical 'world wide web'. The only drawback in my dream to this temporary solution, is the drive, and the only real way to entertain the 5 year old.... is with a chocolate brownie. In my dream, we did not stay long or get much done.

But the brownie was awesome.

Love,

Gwynivar


Club Update: Club sock 2 is going out the door this week. The kitchen, the bathroom, and the dye pots were unpacked immediately - everything else is still in boxes and obviously we can live without quite a bit of 'stuff'. An interesting experiment.

I should be back online the end of the week, I apologize if I have not responded to your emails - I really have no internetz and if I keep running to Panera's, there is no dye time and way to many brownies consumed. I have not been ignoring you! Kits ordered are also being dyed and shipped, I expect to be caught up with your orders by Saturday. If you have any questions.... well, you might want to wait a couple more days to email me ;-)

If you have a Sheep or Flock Rental, don't despair. The flock is in the care of friends, and still available for pictures and fleece for the Rental program, as part of the arrangement for their care. Newsletters did not make it out the door before the move, and as soon as I find the box their in, they will go out with all sorts of updates and information for you on your rental.

Sometimes, Life throws you a Curve.

Your heading down the road, and you see this
(does anyone really go 25mph?):And then you see this one:

And you realize, that where you thought you were going to end up, and who you thought you were going to be, are not at all what really happens. Instead of being a shepherd who dyes some yarn and plays around with fiber, you find yourself turning into someone who defines herself as a dyer, who plays around at being a shepherd. And you realize a few things. A few very Important things:

1. Running a farm with 300 ewes and their occasionall 600 +/- lambs is a full time job for (occasionally) 3 adults (you are only 2 adults and a 5 year old).


2. Marketing said lambs (and pork and beef) is a full time job (unless you plan to run 750 +/- sheep the next year)


3. Dyeing and Marketing eleventy-billion pounds of yarn per year is also a full time job.


4. There is only 1 of you, and only 24 hours in a day, no matter what you do.

Something has to give, and while I do enjoy the farm and the flock.... let's do some comparisons.

1. Forcing 300 ewes and their offspring to walk through a scary chute system where their toes get wet, is not fun. In fact, it's hard labor and it sucks. When you can be thrilled it only took 6 hours to accomplish... well, that should say something. Comparison: Dyeing yarn, being creative, Earth Wind & Fire on the stereo and the internetz on the laptop? hmm. yarn dyeing wins that round.


2. Hoof-trimming 300 ewes is a messy business. (do you know what they've been standing in while waiting to get their pedicure?) Comparison: What's that you say? No manure on my clothes, gloves, or body while dyeing yarn? Imagine that. Yarn dyeing wins that round as well.


3. Healthcare for the sick, wounded, or injured animals. One word: Maggots. I think that says enough, don't you? Comparison: Any maggots in yarn? No? EXCELLENT.


4. Unrolling 2 (two) 600lb roundbales of hay every day, all winter long, is so entertaining when it's accompanied by gale-force winds bringing several inches of snow. You can't beat this kind of entertainment, really. Comparison: What's that you say? Stay INDOORS BY THE FIRE and dye more yarn? totally.

There are also some very good points about the farm. New born lambs, wild baby turkeys in the field, baby fawns grazing the hillside with their mums.

And also? A daughter who knows how to assist when a mommy sheep needs help giving birth (when she was 3, she figured out where human babies come from after watching a lamb being born). A daughter who loves to give city kids a tour of the barn, and introduce them to bottle lambs & the baby chicks. A daughter who wants to wear a pretty Minnie Mouse dress when she goes hunting for worms. Getting to spend hours and hours and hours with her, watching her grow and learn new things.

So. I asked you what you thought the picture of the truck in the last post might represent. My 2 favorite answers from the comments:

1. This is your new yarn truck with the build-in drying rack, that you bought after you found out that the Harlot posted about your yarn again. (It does look a lot like a livestock truck, though.


2. that is a truck for transporting live kindergartners... or what I'd be tempted to use as one;)

Frankly, I'm not sure which is the better idea.

The reality, is that this vehicle is a triple-decker livestock hauler. Capable of holding 276 sheep. How do I know it will hold that many? Because that's how many we were able to get on board. Yes, we have sold off the flock. This has taken me some time to come to grips with (see earlier definitions post) but it has been the best plan overall.

The Amish signs - and the Amish - have been popping up around here more and more as they have been moving up from Pennsylvania lately. (Please drive carefully. They have just as much right to the road as you do. An accident between a car and an Amish buggy is not good.) This nice gentleman is taking the draft-horses home after a busy day in the hayfields. They live down the road from us.

Recently, some Amish friends of ours suggested to a family looking to move that they stop by our farm. Yes, they do just stop in the driveway and ask if your farm is for sale. With the right offer and the flock already mostly gone (there is still a flock of about 20 here), it became apparent that selling the farm and moving really is the thing to do. We've been looking at smaller farms, closer to Syracuse but haven't found one yet. And so, we will be renting while we keep looking, waiting to see what's around the next curve in the road.

The house we've found to rent? Well, let's start by saying it has a finished apartment downstairs with it's own kitchen. IT'S OWN KITCHEN, PEOPLE! If moving to a house with a built-in dye studio isn't a Sign, then I don't know what is. It does not however, have land for the animals and they are being moved to a friend's farm until we find something for us all.

When does all this take place, you ask? How does 'next week' sound?

Oh, and in other less anxiety-ridden news, I had a concert to go to last night. My daughter is in Kindergarten, and the elementary school had their music concert. Now, Stephanie, as it seems the baton has been passed to me, could you please ask Joe how many more of these I have left to go? Everytime I tried to add it up I got dizzy and couldn't concentrate. Thanks!

Well, that's all for now folks. I really should go pack some boxes now... I've heard a rumor that I'm moving soon.

NOT NH Festival. Mass Festival. (also, I really do know where I was last weekend.)

Went to the Mass Sheep & Wool Festival, not New Hampshire (thank you Lisa - I just show up, what do I know.) show as a vendor this past weekend, and had an excellent time. (I went to NH festival as a vendor as well and had a great time but took no pictures etc.)

Got to spend time with famous people:

BrewerGnome

Cassie

And a gaggle of fiber artists lounging about - Juno, Cate, Tsarina, Kellee, Cassie (again) and names I've forgotten - sorry.


There was fine music on Sunday - don't remember for sure if they were playing on Saturday...



This is Patrick of West Elm Farm, he was generous enough to share tent space with him, and we love him for it! If you've seen us at Rhinebeck, you know he's there as well, couldn't do it without him. He makes some fine soap and awesome hand balm with lanolin, go try some, it's at the bottom of this page here.



And of course, it wouldn't have been 'normal' if there wasn't a drying rack full of drying yarn in the hotel room...

So, not much of the actual festival but that's typical for me, as I've found it really is nicer to take home some of the money made in the booth rather than spend it all at the festival... the husband is way less cranky that way ;-)

In other news, and really way other news, can anyone guess what this is a picture of? (Hint: The smart-ass answer of 'truck' will not win anyone any prizes. Perhaps guessing what the truck represents, or what is on the truck would be a step in the right direction here.)

I get the weirdest emails.

So, in this morning's email I find this:

Dear sir or madam:
We now need to purchase a large number of sheep scrap
purchase a large number of sheep wool.
We also need to purchase a large number of muskrat skin.
If you have, please tell me at once.

uh-huh. Muskrat skins... let me think... now where did I put that bin of muskrat skins? crap. Never can find something when I need it, cuz you know as soon as I tell them I'm fresh out of sheep scrap & muskrat skins, I'll totally find that bin.

eta: for those who've asked or are wondering, this is a muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) :

For those of you not familiar with this here critter, I've gone ahead and found all you need to know about the beast, to give you good standing on most game shows. Read, learn, go win a whole row on 'aquatic pond beasts' for 1000 in Jeapordy:

Muskrats: gotta love Wikipedia.

It was on Fire when I laid down on it.

Ok, so I've found (borrowed) a cable for the camera, and found some wonderful pictures. I don't have a bunch of time, so here's what I found on the camera (warning, tons of pics):

Mah couch on Fire, let me show u it:

FireBird that is, colorway: HellFire. plus the gold skeinlets to go with, and the orange in the corner is a byproduct. Every so often I would have to exhaust out a gold dye pot that gradually would go 'orange' after a few rounds of red skeins swimming around to gold-i-fy them. (that's a technical dye term, btw.)

So, how is HellFire made, you ask? My mess, let me show u it.

First we lay out the skeins and start adding red.

then we add WAY more red. (and a little more for good measure)

Then we do something arcane with a pot of gold, more red, and some steam to produce this:

After it set the couch (aka the packing department) on fire, it went to Dave-of-the-Post-Office, and I have proof he exists:

Mommy-Giraffe was a BIG help.

While I was dyeing Firebird (and vintage, and everything else) Nora got bored and wanted to dye some yarn. She wanted to dye green yarn, and so I give you Nora's favorite chewing gum, Mint-Mojito:

And also, more lambs were born:

and in fact more lambs born today but no pics yet.

Now if you'll excuse me, I must get back to the dye pots. I know your still waiting on your kit or yarn or both and I appreciate your patience.

From under the debris

I post this in a haze of migraine meds (no, it's not imitrex. no, I am not taking it, cannot take it, will never voluntarily endure take it again - giving birth was less painful).

Important facts:

1. All of the Firebird kits have shipped out, as of Tuesday the 15th. International kits were shipped out by the 12th. (except for Irene. Sorry. I'll be better next time now that your in the mailing label list.)
2. If you are concerned your kit is not the Large you expected, the skein should be tied with a black thread, and your gold lace skein should be a doubled small skeinlet, about 5-6 inches long. If instead it's a small button skeinlet, and your main color is tied with 2 white threads... well, you should get in touch with me before you cast on. Please note: this does not apply to all kits across the board. If you have questions on say, your Kitri kit, give me a shout.
3. I am dyeing and shipping out backorders (and have been all week) on a daily basis. I admit this week has not gone quite as well as I had hoped in really getting caught up. I blame the school systems for scheduling some insane thing called 'spring break'.
4. An extension of number 3 above, there is a 5 year old in the house. All Day.
5. I have amazing photos from the last week or so. I cannot find my camera cable. The amount of migraine meds leaves me in a state where I find myself putting the camera next to the computer and muttering 'make pictures go'. Osmosis is not working, but I'm hopeful.
6. There is a new set of twins, 2 girls - one white, the other black/white spots. I'd show you a picture... never mind.
7. If you've tried to reach me via phone or email in the last couple of days, things have not been working here. Spotty at best, our phone line from the pole to the house works but under the house things have degenerated into a state where 2 cans and some string would work better. Needless to say, my DSL rides the same string. As of now, in my desperation, (and probably to stop me from muttering 'make internetz go') my spouse has strung a phone line from the pole, into the living room window, and moved the dsl modem and phone directly to that outlet. I'd show you a picture... never mind.
8. I have a migraine. Have I mentioned this yet? The monitor has a lovely halo now, and I've had enough. I will catch up with the rest of things tomorrow, after several hours with an ice pack and more meds. I have a pile of packages ready to go to the post office tomorrow. I'd show you a picture... never mind.

Yarn Pron

Look! Something Shiney! Over There!

To be Defined.

The definition of the word 'Define', according to The Free Dictionary, gave me this:

Define: (v)
1. describe the nature or basic qualities of; explain.
It also offered this:
3. To give form or meaning to.

I've been pondering lately, what defines us. Or, perhaps more accurately, how do we define ourselves. How do I define myself? Describe myself? Sometimes it's hard to forget that who we were yesterday, is perhaps, not who we are today. At what point do you let go of previous job titles, career choices, life decisions and embrace the new ones? Nature abhors a vacuum (anyone for a Far Side Cartoon?) and so it is impossible to stop being one thing without becoming something else. The actual moment of switching can be faster than a blink of an eye I suppose, but the actual accepting of, believing in, claiming... well, that can take much longer.

I've defined myself as many things over the years. I find looking back, that I have enjoyed being able to define myself slightly outside the expected norms of the times. Veteran (Air Force - drove a forklift). Phone-Jockey (pc/computer helpdesk). Network Administrator (had an office and everything). Place Holder (they gave my office to someone else). Wife. Mother (best job ever). Shepherdess (midwife,vet, slayer of bugs). Some of these job titles overlapped. I was a network admin and a shepherd at the same time, but when did I stop telling folks I 'worked in computers' and start telling them I was a shepherd? Not for several years. It is understood that when someone asks what you 'do', they are asking how you make a living, not about your hobbies. This is because according to society's accepted definitions for and of ourselves, it is our ability to make money that defines us. (Ask a starving artist who is flipping burgers so he can buy more paint if he's an artist or a short-order cook to see how wrong this notion is.) So, why don't we define ourselves by what we enjoy? Why can't we define ourselves by what makes us feel complete?

A few months ago, I was introduced to someone somewhere, in a locale slightly out of my element. Whoever had the pleasure of meeting me asked me what I 'did'. They were asking for my definition - my 'label' in society. A way to neatly categorize me into their understanding of the world. In a flash, without thinking, I answered "I'm a dyer." You could see the poor man's brain processing this, and being unable to produce a suitable place to put this in his mental filing cabinet, he repeated "A dyer?" I explained what I did, he nodded knowingly and understandingly, and a little condescendingly, asked me politely if there was anything else I did (obviously I had not understood his original question). I answered him with yet another puzzle: "I'm a shepherd." He gave up, nodded as if this explained everything and I think we probably talked about the weather for a few minutes. I suppose I could have said something fancy like "I manage custom pigment-bonding with protein and cellulose-based materials for a niche segment of the art industry."

It's just easier and more fun to say "I'm a dyer." (And a wife, a mother, a veteran, and a shepherd.)

For those of you looking for help with your computers, I'm thrilled to say I've been 'out of it' for longer than moses, and am just as lost as you are with that new Vista laptop. (I'm sure there is a support group for us somewhere.)

For those of you looking for help with your forklift/flightline cargo handling needs, I frankly never want to strap down another pallet of cargo again - though driving onto a C-5 cargo plane IS pretty cool. I am however, proud of the military service I did, and am proud to be an American Veteran. (They work hard, no matter what branch or who's sitting in the Oval Office - never forget what the commitment they've made really means.)

For those of you who want to discuss office politics.... that's why I don't have the office anymore. If that office career is what's important to you, then I suggest you try sucking up to your boss. I did NOT and look where it got me. (though I'd love to wear my muck boots into the office again, just once.)

For those of you who want to discuss motherhood, I am all there. And by the way, please breastfeed your kids, it's good for them. (I mean REALLY people - what do you think is better: chemically re-constituted soy proteins simulating foodstuffs for the child you spent 9 months creating, or milk that your body is continuing to create, that is based on the needs of that child that only your body can know that your child needs? Read that sentence again.)

For those of you who are in need of an animal midwife etc, I've got some mad lambing skills and animal husbandry trivia here to pass on, just give me a shout.

For those of you in need of custom pigment-bonded protein and/or cellulose-based materials (a.k.a. hand-dyed yarns), I'm your gal. And oh look! Here's the 500lbs of yarn to prove it:

This was the 'small' box of just over 100lbs (that's 2 layers of cones there and yes, some are missing cause they've already been skeined for dyeing).

Each of these boxes are 200lbs. Please note they made a stencil to label the box just for us :-)

My New Look (aka 'thanks to the yarn mojo)

Thanks to the awesome yarn mojo created by waiting club members on Ravelry, the yarn has left the mill and is winging it's way here pronto, scheduled for a Friday Delivery.


So, here's my new 'look' for probably about the next 3 weeks.
(Just a thought, but I wouldn't sneak up on me, if I were you.)

General Updates

**If you are still waiting for your yarn or kit, I have not lost your order or dissapeared into the night with the money. I am expecting yarn from the mill in the next few business delivery days, and after that, and several sleepless days and nights, I'll mail out your packages. I appreciate your patience!
To entertain you until the yarn arrives, (Look! Something Shiney! Over There!) we'll use 'distraction technique number 32', labled 'Cute Animals' from the handy book of distractions. (These are the lambs that were born in February - a set of twins and a single. They are all doing great, even the one with the broken shoulder is now leaping & playing games with his mates.)


And here's another one...

And Look! Lambs!


And what's this? Ok, it's not a lamb but it was cute.

We'll follow that up with 'distraction technique number 17': yarn Pr0n. This is some of the yarn I dyed for a knitting class taught last saturday in Fonda. 4oz balls of worsted 4ply wool, I assimilated had 6 new/newish knitters! Fun was had by all, they are knitting hats.

Ok. You there! Back to work.

Winter 2008 Newsletter

Vancalcar Acres - Winter 2008 Newsletter

It’s March now, and I like to imagine that winter is almost over, but when last week started out with a foot of new snow, and ended with another 8… well, it’s hard to imagine anything but snow. On the positive side of things, 3 lambs were born last Monday just before the storms – a set of twins and a single. The fact that all were born in the daytime, on dry hay bedding, in the sunshine with no wind means that 2 sheep have finally gotten their acts together on this farm, and we’re just hoping the rest follow suit. Or better yet, wait until spring like they’re supposed to, because we’re not supposed to be lambing in February. I say this every year, and every year we have at least one lamb born in February just so the fates can laugh at me.

On the fiber front, I wonder have you ever heard of the Yarn Harlot? Yes, I’m sure you have. In January, 3 days after I finally snuck my loom into the house and out of the freezing garage with big weav-ish plans… she blogged the Vintage sock kit. And by blog, I mean convince eleventy billion other knitters that they also needed to share in leaf-knitting. Life as we knew it around here ended. I called the mill to order more yarn, just in case. I mean, there wasn’t really a chance of running out of yarn, it was in the triple digits here in poundage but there were the new club kits coming up and it’s best to be prepared. And then in February, I realized, the poundage was now in the double digits and dwindling FAST. The Yarn Harlot officially broke the stash here, and we’ve run out of yarn. Oh, there are skeins here and I’m finishing off as many pending orders as possible, but for all intents & purposes, the cupboards are bare. I’ve called the mill, and begged and pleaded. They do not know who the Harlot is, and were not nearly as impressed with it all as I was. Barring my calling other companies and begging them to cancel their orders to move mine ahead in line, there is nothing to do but wait. I should have yarn the 2nd week in March and I’ll probably be heavily sedated by then with anxiety and frustration.
Besides that, there are several wonderful new things planned for when the yarn DOES arrive. Obviously, filling all the pending orders if the first priority. After that, the first club kit Firebird gets prettied up and sent out the door, and then Cleopatra is released on the world. She is the first club kit from last year, and a beauty. A pattern called ‘Afterthought’ is all but printed, Swan Lake is being tested out (felted boot – how cool), and there are several new colorways I’m dyeing to release (get it? Dyeing?). End of March for the new colors is the goal, we’ll see how it goes what with sleeping and eating interrupting me now & then.
On the family front, don’t tell anyone but we seem to have gotten a complete month’s worth free of colds. Husband is the one who broke the record by bringing home the flu the last Friday in February, and he was sequestered in his room, hibernating for a week. There is not enough hand sanitizer in the world to make me feel completely safe, it’s as if he’s got bubonic or something.
I think that sums things up for now. There are a couple of farm & family related issues that I’m not ready mentally to let loose on the world, some changes around here that have left me wondering a lot about priorities and choices. With everything else going on and as busy as I’ve been, I haven’t been able to concentrate on those things right now and so, we’ll let things ruminate in my mind as I come to grips with a new reality. A good one, to be sure, but different from what I had come to expect.

Thanks for sharing time with us,

Eric, Jennifer and Nora Vancalcar

NOT what I had planned for today.

There were a ton of kits I had wanted to get mailed out today. A ton.

For some reason, I couldn't seem to get anything finished today. I didn't waste time knitting, I didn't watch tv, or read a book, or sleep in, or watch a movie....

But I DID take a walk through the pasture this morning. I'm not completely certain, but I think this is what caused my problems today. Yes, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure that the pasture walk was definately the root of my lack of completed and mailed kits today.

First, I found these:

Then, when I went back out to bring them in the space in the barn I'd made for them, I found THIS:

Frankly, I'm afraid to go out again.

Out the Door.

Both Roxie and myself, actually.

Roxie in all her infamous glory went out the door Thursday, along with goodies, as the last official 2007 FlockSock Sock Club.

I followed shortly after, for a brief visit to 'the city', staying on Lisa's proverbial couch as it were. I am here officially, to deliver awesome grassfed meats to equally awesome customers in the city. I brought the snow with me from upstate, and with about 3 inches of snow on everything here, at 8am Friday morning I was brought back to consciousness by the sound of a snowmobile. They are a bit desperate for snow here I guess, cause his tracks cleared what little of it there was off the road in his wake. By noon, the plow truck came by actually plowing water. Interesting. Oh well.

Friday marks the first day since the Yarn Harlot did this where I did not dye any yarn at all. Not for lack of trying mind you. As I added bin after container after bucket of stuff for the husband to load in the car, he began to have suspicions that I was not, as stated, 'done' putting stuff by the door when he was not looking. When he noticed the bags of undyed yarn and the bin with dye and spoon (rabbitch, please not the singular of this word).... well, he drew the line. After much discussion and debate about the remaining and pending orders, customers waiting, lives hanging in the balance (ok, maybe that was a bit extreme), he finally won the argument with this one:

"You know what will happen. You'll start dyeing yarn, the 2 of you will start yakking and giggling, you'll FORGET about the yarn and completely RUIN the color you were aiming for and you don't have time for mistakes... blah blah blah."

For the record? Lisa and I do NOT giggle. Cackle maybe, but NOT giggle.

Sniff.

I consoled myself with instead bringing all of the yarn that IS dyed and ready to mail out, which is going out today. So while I'm not actually dyeing any yarn for more consecutive hours than I can even think about (I get a little anxious when I think about it - kind of a precursor to withdrawal I think)... please note that I am being productive on ya'll's behalf. (Yes it's a word. Go visit Texas if you have any doubts.)

My daughter helped me pack, and she reminded me to bring my camera (what a good little blogger), and gave me this so that I would not be lonely and so I would have something to protect my suitcase and clothes from bad guys. (Don't let the pansy colors or the strawberry tattoo fool you. This is really one wicked guard-pony.)

She also gave me a picture of her from the fridge collection, so I would "not forget what she looks like" she says.

The forced moratorium on dyeing any yarn is giving me the time to update the info on club members for the 2008 FlockSock Sock Club, and some other paperwork-ish duties I've been neglecting.

I DID bring knitting, but for some reason, can't bring myself to do more than look at it. I like the project (scarf in a simple wave stitch), I like the yarn (undyed bulky aran-style wool), I am PLANNING the color (it's undyed as I plan to dye it after it's knit), but I think that I feel like it's for 'when everything else is caught up' and so I keep leaving it upstairs. Of course, with this bizarre thought process it will never be finished... oh well. Off to pack up kits to take over to Lisa's post office, which also seems rather bizarre to me. (She mailed me the patterns from this post office, I drove them back here and assembled kits, and mailed them AGAIN from the same post office... weird.)

We interrupt this broadcast....

"...for a critical 'where's waldo' type scenario - especially if you live in Augusta Georga:"

Florie R. in Augusta GA - - Please call me back!!

Florie is a wonderful knitter in Augusta GA who meets with other wondeful knitters at the local library. They told her all about us over here at chez Vintage and we had a wonderful phone chat when she called me. Now, she says she's not online and so I'm looking for other knitters in Augusta to help me find her. If you'd please have her give me a call ASAP, that would be WONDERFUL. Otherwise, you'll find me calling every library in Augusta, and I don't even know when they meet.

---

"And now, back to your regularly scheduled broadcast"

It's almost to late!

... to get in on the club, that is.

Here's a hint:

If you haven't heard from me yet regarding your club membership and you've paid for a spot - your in like Flynn. (Bet you didn't know Flynn was a knitter, eh?) I'll have a welcome note out to you in a couple of days.

If you mailed in payment via check/money order, please email me to make sure I have a way to contact you other than just dropping kits out of the blue on you, via the USPS. There are contests & stuff and I'd hate to see you miss them! If your PLANNING to mail me payment via check/money order, let me know asap so I can pin a name to the board for you here.

Yes, I'm still mailing out kits that you wonderful knitters have ordered. Yes (Colleen) I'm still spinning 'the yarn' as it's known by around here.

Talk about your black hole...

Stephanie mentioned a time loop phenomenon happening with her totally AWESOME Vintage socks. Most knitters have experienced the Black Hole of Knitting during a project where you knit forever and accomplish NOTHING. And then there's that hidey spot in the universe, where the dpns and tape measures go, and sometimes they show up in interesting places giving rise to many theories like elves, gnomes, fairies, and (my favorite) matter-transport as seen in Star Trek (oh I'm waitin' for the day).

A similar thing is going on here, having to do with packages. I dye the yarn, I skein the yarn, I address envelopes and pack the kits, I stuff the envelopes, I take BAGS of packages to the post office (hi Dave the postmaster!), and I deliver them into the waiting hands of the Post Office, U.S. style. I mail between 15 and 25 packages a day on most days. The phenomenon? You still don't have your kit/yarn/package!

If your still waiting, I'm still packing/shipping packages. I appreciate your patience. Yarn for the 101Kits and the Fiber Festival came in, and I've been catching up those.

Some Updates:

• Roxie, the last kit of the 2007 FlockSock Sock Club (please refrain from looking at your datebook) is getting ready to ship, along with goodies.
• The first kit of the 2008 club is in the works.
• Cleopatra is on the horizon as the first kit released this year from last year's club kits.
• I think the new-for-Valentine's Day colorway is going to have to wait until March :-)
• As soon as they get that matter-transport thing working, your packages will arrive WAY faster. Tell your congressman to get crackin on funding that one, eh?
• On March 10th, after all the kits are gone, and I've dyed a whack of that new Valentine-in-March colorway... I'm planning on taking a nap. I'm a little tired so mark your calendars cause I'm taking the phone off the hook for an hour or so.