Before and After

We've been shearing goats all week-end!  Some people have asked me if October is too late in the year to shear but actually, it is not.  In two weeks, the goats should have about 1/2 inch of fleece grown out and that's usually enough to start keeping them warm in the fall.  Here's Ruby before shearing:

 Isn't she adorable?  She has fit in well with the rest of our herd.  We kept her separated for about 2 weeks but the bigger goats were starting to butt at the fencing and it was getting rather bent up!  So we moved Ruby in with all the other goats and they have been getting along just fine ever since.  She is quite savvy and stays out of the way when she needs to.

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Now here is Ruby, after shearing:

 Quite a dramatic difference, wouldn't you say???    I have to admit that I think she is much cuter with all that fleece!  So you know the old saying:  it's just hair and it will grow back!!!  How many times have we said that ourselves...LOL!

I do have plans for that gorgeous curly mohair fleece...back in August when I was at the Michigan Fiber Festival, I bought an Alpaca fleece that was a lovely fawn brown color and I think it will be the perfect thing to blend with Ruby's mohair!  Once processed, it will be a dream to spin!

Cape May Rugs!

I hope you enjoy these exceptional rugs created by the students in my class at Cape May.....

This wonderful primitive design is being created by Saundra Porter.  She used antique paisley for the antlers.

 

 Patty Mahaffey is working on Conquest of Queen Anne (designed by Cindi Cay).  Her colors are delightful and perfect for this design

This gorgeous rug is being hooked by Therese Schick.  Her hooking is so even and beautiful!

 Debbie Walsh is working on this large rug...her pineapple and her flowers are perfection!

 Deb Nees is working on Peace & Plenty (a Notforgotten Farm design)...I love her beautiful soft fall colors.

Char Lough designed this rug...inspired by the beavers she saw in the waters behind her house.  She added a big full moon.  Much time was spent hooking detail in the beaver's face.  I can't wait to see the finished product!

Jeri Livingston was working on a Polly Minick design.  It's not easy to work with monochromatic hues but Jeri has done a good job.  She will be hooking over Santa's beard with mohair curls.

 This is an original design that Joan Skicism's husband had drawn up for her.  Another wonderful piece!

 This is the Never Never rug, being hooked by Joan Whiteford.  Joan is a prolific rug hooker....this is a REALLY big rug and Joan got a lot accomplished at camp.

 Katie Simonson was hooking soft light colors in her Antique Runner.

Susan Walsdorf was working on this wonderful bird design.  She wanted to use different shades of primitive blues and the trick was to mix it all up so that there was enough contrast for each bird.

An original design by Nancy Weaver...she was hooking this for her granddaughter.  A lovely selection of colors!

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I am extremely proud of my Cape May students for their rug hooking abilities!  Thank you all for such a wonderful class!

 

My Excellent Adventure-Cape May

I love Cape May!  Last week I taught there at the Rugs By The Sea Rug Camp.  We stayed at the charming Chalfonte Hotel:

 

Everything was going on here...the classes, our rooms, and all the meals...the food was delicious and the weather was perfect!  Students could hook outside while sitting on the porch. We were just 2 short blocks from the beach and the ocean.

 

 

 I have a new passion now...collecting sea glass!  I spent several mornings on the beach, watching the sun rise and trying to find little shards of sand-polished glass in the low tide (I found 5 pieces!).

One of the charming attractions of Cape May is the abundance of beautiful Victorian buildings and their gingerbread decoration:

 

 

I think the next time I go back, I'll concentrate on taking more pictures of the decorative houses and buildings.  They are so inspiring!

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Next post will show some of the incredible student rugs!

My Excellent Adventure

I have been AWOL from my blog but for good reason...I've been traveling and teaching and having great fun in the process.  Last week, I was in Cape May, New Jersey, teaching at Rugs By The Sea Rug Camp.  My - oh - my!  It was certainly an excellent adventure!!!  I drove to Cape May along with my sister.  We left on 9/11, and realized that we would be driving right past Shanksville, PA, which is near the crash site of United Flight 93.  We decided to stop and pay our respects on the 9th anniversary of that tragic September day. So my blog post is dedicated to honor the heroes and patriots of that flight.

Here is part of a memorial left on the chain link fence.  There were many more memorials and items left by family and friends.  There were hundreds of blue and white ribbons tied to the fence too, and you could hear them fluttering in the wind...it was so quiet and hushed....

 In the morning, these bells were rung 40 times, once for each passenger and crew member that was aboard the plane.

 

 If you click on the picture, you can see a fenced in area, which is the actual crash site.  There is a lone American flag to pinpoint the spot.  Since the crash site is considered a cemetery, no one is allowed to go down to the fenced in area.  However, on this day, family members were allowed to go there and place wreaths by the flag.  A wall memorial is under construction and is scheduled to be open by September 11, 2011, the 10th anniversary of the crash.

  

 Since we arrived in the early evening, we got to participate in a flag ceremony before the memorial park closed.  The Flight 93 flag is only unfurled once a year on September 11th, so I was quite honored and moved to be a part of it.  As you can see, it was quite emotional and spiritual.

 

  The fourth gentleman on the left was the chaplain that led the flag ceremony.  The fifth and sixth gentlemen on the left worked for the Shanksville Fire Dept. and were first-responders to the scene after the plane crash.

 

This was the evening sky above us as the ceremony ended.  My photo could not capture the total beauty but there was a peacefulness that embraced us.  It was truly an unforgettable experience.

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I'll post more pictures of my trip tomorrow!  Go hug someone and tell them that you love them.....

 

This Ruby Is A Gem!

Here is my sweet little surprise...there's a beautiful new girl here on our little farm!

 Look at those curls!  I am a real sucker for that sort of thing.

Her name is Ruby and she is a two year old "red" angora goat!  Her fleece is a gorgeous fawn color and her face is reddish brown (the face color is what determines the color of the angora goat, so that is why she is considered "red").  Ruby is somewhat small for her age...but with a little pampering and some nice grass/alfalfa hay, I think we can get her to grow into a lovely young lady. She has been quite talkative to the other goats, and has been holding intelligent conversations with Emma.  We are keeping her in her own little pen for now so the big goats don't pick on her.

Here she is, striking a pose for the camera!  

I have affectionately nick-named her "Ruby Red Squirt!"

Student Rugs from Holland, MI

I just looked at the calendar and saw that it's the end of August...where has summer gone?  Although I must say that I won't be sorry to see the heat go away...it's been so terribly hot here, like most places...but the other day, I definitely could feel the hint of fall.  I can't put my finger on it but it must be the angle of the sun, the way the crickets and frogs have been chirping lately, the color of the vegetation across the marsh, and the apples dropping off the tree behind the goat pens.  I am anxiously waiting for my favorite time of year...it can't be too far away....

Enjoy these rugs from my students at the Holland, Michigan Rug School!

 

This is Sandie's rug, a great Deanne Fitzpatrick design.  Her sky is superb!

 Vicki is hooking Kissin' Wears Out, a Spruce Ridge adaptation of a Lori Brechlin design.  Vicki was doing a terrific job on this rug...note the little bow in the girl's hair!

  Sherry is hooking Ah, Tis Spring, another terrific Lori Brechlin design, adapted by Spruce Ridge Studios.  Sherry got a  LOT of hooking done at camp!

Sue was hooking Parcheesi Geometric, a Keith Kemmer design.  This was a fun rug to play with colors.  Sue preferred rust, turquoise, and golden tans.

 This is Ally's Cat, a Cindi Gay design, and being hooked by Sally.  I love her "scribbly" colors!  She was also experimenting with colored roving/yarn and quilling in the circles.

  This is Marg's rug, and one of my designs called Juanita's Roses.  Marg also got a lot of hooking done at camp...and she is also one of the luckiest people!  She won the grand prize at camp...20 half-yard pieces of wool from Tomorrow's Heirlooms!

  This is Kathy's rug.  She was using fancy yarn to enhance the rooster's tail, and her sunflowers were wonderful too.

 Janice was hooking a Cactus Needle design.  Lots of progress done at camp, and I love her bees.

This is Brave Hunter, a pattern by Barb Carroll, and it's being hooked by Jane.  She is using my favorite hues of turquoise.

My House Sampler, a Lori Brechlin design adapted by Spruce Ridge Studios, and hooked by Donna.  A lovely turquoise bird!

Dawn was hooking Glad Tidings, a Lori Brechlin design adapted by Spruce Ridge Studios.  She used sheep's locks for the Santa beard.

 Brenda was hooking a flower, designed by her...this is going to be a beauty!

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I'll have a special surprise announcement and pictures tomorrow....can't wait to show you!...but please check back and see what it is!!!

Sheep Costume Parade!

I'm just back from the Michigan Fiber Festival and it was a fun, fun, fun week-end!  I just had to share a few amusing pictures of the Sheep Costume Parade!

My personal favorite...Darth Vader and a Storm Trooper Sheep!

A witch and a Woodland Fairy sheep....

Not sure about this one but I'm thinking it's a Dragon Fly sheep....

I've never seen them do this parade before but it was a big hit with the festival-goers...what a fun idea!...but you can be sure that my pampered little sheep would never tolerate being dressed up -*sigh*

My friend Neil, with his award-winning Black Face Scottish Ram...he won Supreme Ram Champion at Fiber Fest...you rock, Neil and Whitey!!!

My friend Eli, wearing a hat that Neil made from Wensleydale curls!  Tres chic, Eli!!!

I'm already counting the days until next year's festival....