fleeced

Only four days late! Shearing day always knocks me out for at least a week, exhaustion-wise, and the time change that night didn't help matters. I am just now coming up for air.

As these things go, it was a relatively smooth shearing. We had a bit of trouble getting the ewes penned up into the barn that morning. After months of an uninterrupted run of the back fields, they sensed something was up. Sheep are not stupid... The first crew got them all the way from the back fields right to the barn door. Accounts differ as to whether it was unseasoned sheep wranglers (one of Secondo's friends kindly lending a hand) or Dusty, but for whatever reason, the entire flock turned tail and ran all the way back into the field where they started. Two more people on the job and we finally got them turned around and headed in, except for this stubborn cuss, who had to be dragged all the way:

That's Jenny. She has been wild since the day she arrived almost two years ago, but then again, she doesn't really give us much trouble health-wise, so we feel we can't complain. She refuses to be broken to halter or even to go where all the other sheep are going, so moving her around can be a chore.

Shearing day always goes by in a giant blur. I am so busy trying to remember all that has to be done, that I barely have a memory of who is here and what they are doing or even what I am supposed to be doing. Luckily the shearer knows exactly what he is doing.

Same with our chapter of the ISPSPP*, who are well-versed in their art, even though they were forced to operate without one of their charter members. My dad was feeling very poorly at that point and stayed mostly in the house, though he still insisted on cooking the entire brunch; yes, I felt properly guilty when he was admitted to the hospital that night with pneumonia. (He is out and on the mend now, thank goodness.)

I don't know what we would do without them. They are right there to catch the fleece up as the shearer is done and get it properly laid out on the skirting table, while offering helpful comments to me about the state of the fleece and its former owner. Rumors abound that farms in other states are trying to convince them to lend their mad skirting skillz to other shearing operations; that's how good they are.

They certainly did a masterful job, and I have plenty of fleeces ready for their second, more thorough skirting, though I can't even think about that just yet.

Meanwhile the sheep have spent the past few days getting reacquainted. Every year, they suffer same confusion as a virtual stranger is popped back into their pen. Sans fleece, they have no idea who the intruder is and beat up on her until a critical majority is similarly de-fleeced. Then they wander around sniffing each other and working out the pecking order all over again.

The rams even went so far as to lick one another during this process.

OK, so maybe sheep are just a little bit stupid.


* International Society of Professional Sheep Poop Pickers

behind the scenes

I thought I would get the shearing day photos posted yesterday, but it turned out to be an even crazier night. Plus I can't put my hands on that camera on the moment, so the photos will have to wait a day or two until I locate it.

I can offer photos of the Philadelphia Flower Show instead though, because I do know where that camera is! Unfortunately the only day we could make it down there was yesterday, after shearing, and now I can give you the best advice ever on attending the PFS:

Never, ever, go on a Saturday afternoon, especially after you spent the morning at a sheep shearing.


The show was spectacular, as always, and chock-full of orchids to befit the Hawaiian theme. This waterfall, dotted with orchids on both sides, all the way to the top, was amazing (and my inability to get a clear shot gives an inkling of the crowds):

The displays by this florist are always one of my favorites, and the color wheel arrangement of orchids on the table did not disappoint.

The crowds, our exhaustion, and a drastically-changed layout from prior years really interfered with our ability to see the entire thing. Although we thought we viewed everything, I was most distressed to learn that I had missed an entire wall made of lettuce heads, arranged in a pattern.

Unfortunately for my dad but fortunately for me, however, Secondo and I got to return to the show this evening after it closed to help my mom retrieve their show entry plants. This meant a rare chance to see it with no crowds, though we had to look sharp for forklifts. (Unfortunately for my dad, because he is in the hospital with pneumonia; get well soon, dad!)

Some of the exhibits were already well-dismantled by the time we walked around; only holes and a few scattered petals attested to the fact that beautiful displays were there just an hour before.

Enough were still remaining that we felt like we got a second bite at the apple, though, including a much better picture of the waterfall, from a different angle, with helpful kid included for scale:

I found this beautiful gate, which I hadn't spotted yesterday though I know I walked past it:

And best of all, we found the wall of lettuce!

This garden display, mounted by the Philadelphia Horticultural Society to publicize their Community Gardens program, was one of my favorite in the show (though it obviously had nothing to do with Hawaii). The cold frame boxes—which I have been meaning to build for myself since we moved here 10 years ago—were drool-worthy.

Same for the overhead trellis, which on closer inspection proved to be loaded with ripening cherry tomatoes!

This display alone was well worth the return visit; the price of several trips on a freight elevator was a small one to pay.

apple pie cake

Shearing day is tomorrow and I have been busy getting food ready for the people who are coming, both to help and to watch. We are going with brunch-type foods this year, as we only have 10 sheep to shear and I think we will be done relatively quickly. At least, that's the plan, although these things don't always go according to plan.

I have a strata chilling in the fridge to bake tomorrow, and my dad will be bringing his egg specialty; both recipes are available on a post from way back in 2008. (Geez, guess we'd better vary the menu a little!) Fresh strawberries and pineapple are cleaned and cut. Sausage links and cinnamon buns in a can will be cooked/baked tomorrow morning, and guests will be bringing donuts and bagels. It will be quite a spread!

We have one dish that I have to make no matter what the menu (brunch or lunch), because our excellent shearer Hoyt has issued a standing request for it. I don't want to chance Hoyt not coming back, so I always include it. Luckily it is a dead-easy recipe and a family favorite as well. If I am ever stuck for a dessert, chances are that I have all the ingredients for this and can whip it up quickly.

(Please excuse the lack of photos of all the ingredients but it is the day before shearing! I figure if you are able to read this blog, you know what baking soda and sugar look like. No need to show the steps either, as you just bung everything into the mixing bowl, almost all at the same time. The hardest part is peeling the apples.)

Apple Pie Cake (aka Shearer's Delight)
½ C softened butter  
2 C sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
1 C white flour
1 C whole wheat flour
2 t baking soda
1 t nutmeg
1 t salt
2 t cinnamon
¼ C hot water
5 C peeled and diced apples

Cream together butter and sugar. Mix in remainder of ingredients except the apples. Once ingredients are well blended, stir in apples. Bake in greased and floured pan (I use vegetable oil spray) at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

You can sprinkle powdered sugar on the top

if you want to jazz it up a little.

The visual results are rather unprepossessing but the smell and taste are not... It will be a challenge to keep the boys away from it until it is cut and served tomorrow!

barn clean: check

Despite the fact that I feel well behind the eight ball, the fact remains: sheep wait for no man (or woman, for that matter, they don't discriminate). Our shearing date is this coming Saturday. It seems a bit early in the calendar, but I am thrilled that we are getting the coats and fleeces off prior to lambing at the end of the month. It is so much easier, for us and the lambs, not to have to deal with all that wool!

The first order of business was getting the barn clean. The weekend was a complete write-off as far as time for this task, but the boys rose to the occasion after school and track practice and various other activities.

Light spilling out of barn doors: one of the coziest sights I know.

The older two worked on the pitching out the old hay.

They put Terzo in charge of loading feed bags into a trashcan, which he did his way, which involved using a hoe to violently tamp down the bags into the can.

I am not sure the trash guys will be able to dump them out now, but at least they are mostly gone from the barn. How do they manage to build up in such great quantities?

Dusty wanted to stay out with the boys and kept trying to sneak back into the barn, but he is on a short leash (figuratively speaking) after running down the county road after Primo's bus the other morning. He is obviously OK, but he nearly gave Primo—he called me frantically from the bus—and me heart attacks. He has become much worse about roaming freely since Charlie left us, as if Charlie was a tether that kept him closer to home. We are keeping a close eye on him until he gets it out of his system.

they like it!

So yesterday I am at a bit of a loose end with an idea for a post... thinking about a post about dressing my chickens*, but didn't have time to dig up all the explanatory pictures, plus I had just finished a basic black hat that day. It drives me crazy when I take the time to figure out a pattern just the way I want it, then I gift the item away without writing the particulars down so I cannot remember what I did. (Patch Pocket Scarves, I am talking to you.)

I resolved to take the time to write out the little pattern in the post, and add it to the Ravelry database as being available to the general public. This means that my pattern will show up when one of the 2,000,000 (TWO MILLION!**) members of Ravelry do a search for a fitted hat pattern that would work for the DK weight yarn they have sitting in their stash.

(Let me add in here a little plug for Ravelry, not that it really needs my help or anything, but still... If you knit or crochet, and you do not belong to that site, why the heck not? If for no other reason that it makes it dead easy for you to look up a fitted knit hat pattern that would work for the DK weight yarn you have in your stash.)

Today I did my usual early morning check on Ravelry to find....

Two people had posted very nice comments on my pattern.

And four people had indicated that they wanted to knit my pattern at some point, by putting it in their queue (a working list for things you want to make, which you can organize and prioritize; join Ravelry so you can see what a great feature it is).

By this evening, 9 people had put it in their queues, and 30 people had listed it as a favorite pattern.

Say it with me: Holy crap! They like my pattern, right now, they like my pattern!

Small potatoes when you are talking about an audience of 2,000,000 people, but I'll take it!


* Sorry to leave a teaser like that; I will try to find the pictures soon!


** This milestone in membership was reached on Leap Day—how fitting.

earwarmer hat

The son of the office manager of my LSH's practice (got that?) is a member of the NYPD, and an all-around good guy. As a thank you for a particular favor, he asked for a plain black knit cap. I showed his mother all kinds of hats with ribbing or clever square decreases but he didn't want any of those. He wanted as plain a watchcap as possible, and no other color but black in it.

I would have double-knit him a cap for maximum warmth, but I was unsure of my ability to tell the two yarn sources apart without color to guide me (as well as my sanity to knit both sides in black). I had a nice merino superwash in my stash, but I worried it was a bit thin at DK weight. After fiddling around for a bit, I came up with this pattern. The double thickness on the ribbing band should provide a really warm layer for his ears, and the tightly knit top will keep the top of the head warm as well.

Earwarmer Hat

Size: Adult

Materials: 250 yards of DK weight yarn (make the ribbing slightly shorter to use less yarn); I used Jaggerspun Super Lamb 4/8 (100% merino; 1120 yds/1024m per cone); color: black.

Recommended Needle Size:
16 in. US #7/4.5mm circular needle
16 in. US #4/3.5 mm circular needle
Set of US #4/3.5 mm double pointed needles

Tools:
Stitch marker
Yarn needle

Gauge:
With larger needles in rib pattern, 9 st/12 rows = approx. 2 in./5 cm.
With smaller needles in stockinette, 24 st/30 rows = approx. 4 in./10 cm.

With yarn held double, CO 96 stitches using larger needles. PM and join to knit in the round, being careful not to twist.

Start rib of K2, P2. Knit 18 rows in rib with yarn held double. Ribbing measures approx. 3 in.

Switch to smaller circular needles, and drop one strand of yarn. Remainder of hat will be worked with single remaining strand.

Treating each stitch from the larger needle as being composed of two stitches (one from each strand of yarn),
*(k2tog 3 times) k2* repeat from * to * until end of round (120 st.).

Knit in the round in stockinette st until hat measures approx. 4 in./10 cm. from end of ribbing.

Start decreases: *K10 K2tog* repeat from * to * until end of round (110 st).

Knit two rounds in stockinette st.

*K9 K2tog* repeat from * to * until end of round (100 st), knit 2 rounds in stockinette st.

*K8 K2tog* repeat from * to * until end of round (90 st), knit 2 rounds in stockinette st.

*K7 K2tog* repeat from * to * until end of round (80 st), knit 2 rounds in stockinette st.

*K6 K2tog* repeat from * to * until end of round (70 st), knit 1 round in stockinette st.

*K5 K2tog* repeat from * to * until end of round (60 st), knit 1 round in stockinette st. Switch to dpns.

*K4 K2tog* repeat from * to * until end of round (50 st), knit 1 round in stockinette st.

*K3 K2tog* repeat from * to * until end of round (40 st), knit 1 round in stockinette st.

*K2 K2tog* repeat from * to * until end of round (30 st), knit 1 round in stockinette st.

*K1 K2tog* repeat from * to * until end of round (20 st), knit 1 round in stockinette st.

*K2tog* repeat from * to * until end of round (10 st).

*K2tog* repeat from * to * until end of round (5 st).

Thread yarn through remaining stitches and pull tight.

Weave in all ends.

Fold brim up to wear; adjust depth of brim as preferred.

In other news—Primo's back.

four for a day

For the second weekend this year, Primo is away for a teen event (this time for 4-H). He will be spending almost a month in total away from us this year at various camps and conventions. I guess it is the best way to ease us into his eventual absence when he goes to college, but the house sure does feel a little empty without him.

The rest of us decided to run down to Philadelphia today to take our minds off of being left behind. After a quick errand (the real reason for the trip) and a dim sum lunch in Chinatown (cannot eat anything else if we find ourselves in Philly at lunchtime), we decided to visit the National Constitution Center. Although we had heard great things about it, we just hadn't taken time to go—and as an added bonus, it had a Springsteen exhibit.

The reviews were all true! It is a great museum. A ton of information is presented in a very accessible way. My only quibble would be that the information is packed so densely together, it can sometimes be difficult to hear the different media. Some of it was above Terzo's comprehension level, but he did seem to get the basic idea of why the Constitution was necessary in the first place. Secondo, my history buff, really enjoyed it and was the perfect target age.

Independence Hall in the background

Afterwards I begged them to squeeze in a quick trip to Loop, a yarn store on South Street.  I had come to a standstill on a particular project, and after much reflection, realized that the colors of the yarn I had chosen, unfortunately online, were all wrong for what I wanted to do.

The store is a visually-stunning place to visit: a riot of color set against a bright neutral background. Best of all, they had what I was looking for. Although the store is very spare in appearance, it is deceptive, as the selection was quite good. I am thrilled with what I found, so much so that I don't mind starting the project all over again.