Pixie!

April 2020

Pixie has made some new friends this winter! Her twin Pixel passed away during the winter. Pneumonia took him from us. Old sheep are very susceptible to it and we had a very wet, warm winter full of ice and mud. We miss him. Sigh. Waffles has stepped in and is keeping good care of Pixie now. He and Pixie love to sleep in the old holey water tank- full of mineral powder? Silly sheep. We even put rocks in to keep them from laying down in it. They’ve strategically moved them all to the outside edges. Smarty pants. Still can’t be too comfy right? Silliness in the barn!

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August 2019

Pixie’s fleece!

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July 2019
Well of course this is what sheep do when they are too warm! Sleep in the mineral tank??? Oh my goodness Waffles!

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June 2019

Another shearing day has come and gone! Pixie has developed some arthritis in her shoulder but is getting along fine. Her fleece has changed a little again this year. Lighter gray but still the areas of dark brown. Light colors on the end of the locks. Just means she’s been out in the sunshine enjoying life without a coat! I always keep a bit of her wool for myself (oink) and there will be roving available from her soon. In the meantime you can find her unwashed wool here…. Soon!

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Pixie and Pixel were surprise twins given to us by our Snowy sheep after she retired here from the McNair flock a few years ago! Two little black lambs were running around in the barn waiting for us that year- on shearing day?! What a day to make an entrance! 

Snowy was a wonderful mama and the babies grew into beautiful almost black Romney sheep. They are still the sweetest little family and all three love treats, walks and romping in the pasture with the Shetland sheep! 

On his own Pixel loves company. If Pixie comes around, she convinces him to run out of reach with her? Guess he is pretty easy going! He loves his treats, Pixie and mom Snowy. 

Pixel's fleece is more silvery now, a dark dark brown with striking silvery threads through out his curly crimp. His locks average around 6 inches long- silky, next to the skin soft soft soft! 

Pixie is a little wild girl (although not so little any more) who likes to get up close to see what we are up to when we are fixing fence, etc. She also thinks we can't see her? If we don't look at her she will stay around the entire time. Look over your shoulder at her and if she catches you looking, she's off to the races. As far away as she can get. Just in CASE we want to grab her up? She's so funny! She usually ends up with about 10 more sheep running behind her. They don't really know what the 'danger' is but they love a good chase!


2017 update: Pixel is busy growing a crazy, marshmallow fleece! He and Pixie look like big puffballs out in the pasture. His Romney locks have such a pretty curl to them. More wavy, defined than an actual curl but perfect anyway for tailspinning, weaving, felting or anything else you can think of...

This is an example of how Pixel's silver fleece looks all dyed up!

This is an example of how Pixel's silver fleece looks all dyed up!


2018

Pixel is trucking right along! He is SUCH a silly sheep. He always looks so surprised? Maybe he needs glasses? ha! His fleece is much more gray now and seems the locks are longer each shearing? This year they were 6 inches long. We did shear a month later though, guess that explains it! 

He still hangs around most with his sister Pixie but he also loves to be around Jerome and Gilbert. They are a little quieter and content to just 'be.' 

Read more about Romney sheep...

Say Whaat?

Say Whaat?


August 2018

Pixie is such a silly sheep. She's one of only a few of our Romney sheep left. I sure miss retiring sheep from the McNair flock! They sold the sheep when their kidlits went off to college so they could travel the world. 

Pixel (her twin brother) is always playing tricks on her. Boys! Pixie usually gets the best of him though. She's much more sly than he is! 

Here is a picture of Pixel’s fleece all washed, floofed and ready to be spun into our trademark Lash Yarn! Ooh la la!

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November 2018

Pixie is her happy, curvy self! She is excited about Thanksgiving parties. I’m not sure what the sheep have up their sleeves? Usually they spend the day eating carrot cake and decorating for Christmas. They are quite, shall we say, creative?

They don’t like my rules about pretty lights. I have a thing about fire so lights stay on the trees outside. Nothing allowed in the barn! I’m such a party pooper.

Sledding is anxiously awaited too. So far only a dusting of snow here in southern WI. I hope we have a traditional snowy winter. No ICE! Otherwise we are just working on getting everyone where they stay in winter. Nice cozy barns make for happy sheep!

This is a picture from summer of Pixie (top); Devlyn (middle) and Pippy (bottom).

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Charlie!

May 2022

It’s been a long winter on the farm. The swing back and forth in temperatures is difficult for sheep, just like it can be for people. Sunshine had lost most of her teeth and was getting tottery so we had to put her to sleep. She was at least 15 years old. Her claim to fame was sneaking through a barn window to avoid shearing day! Several years she decided to skip out. She was a typical shy, silly Shetland sheep- maybe sly even! We will all miss her, Charlie and Rose are busy taking good care of Penny too. They will all be good comfort for each other.


March 24, 2021

Sunshine decided to move in with the little special needs group of sheep today. She’s getting older now so we will leave her there so she can get grain every day. She is such a tiny little sheep!

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Nov. 2020: Snapped this photo about one second before Rose was off to the races! She is one of our pretty Shetland sheep and she is quite shy. Always involved in some sort of shenanigans! That’s Dalai Llama waaay up on the hill.

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Our little Charlie sheep has become Sunshine’s pal since the loss of her twin Mario. He is an adorable little Shetland sheep who joined our flock a few years ago. He and his family; Ilse, Rose, Angus and Gilbert needed a new home. My friend's life circumstances changed so of course we said yes! Shetland sheep are amazing. AND I've never had a California Red sheep?! (Gilbert). 
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He is definitely a little scamp! He avoided shearing this year by exiting through an open barn window? The Shetland sheep are crafty, adventurous little buggars always into some sort of mischief. Love them for that! His fleece does not have an outer, traditional Shetland coat. Just the soft undercoat. It is awesome in next to the skin projects! Just wish he would take better care of it? ha!



April 2020

Sunshine has some sad news today. Sigh. Her twin brother Mario passed away and she’s very lonely. She’s finally stopped calling and looking for him. Sheep grieve and it is heart wrenching to watch. There is absolutely nothing one can do but give them hugs and treats if they want them. Then they will turn to a friend in the flock to step forward with. I don’t think they ever forget the one they’ve lost. Sunshine is 15 now so she and Mario had a long life together. I think besides putting a sheep to sleep, watching the ones left behind is worse. ANYhoo. She’s doing fine now and her friend Ethel and her sister are taking very good care of her!


June 2019

Sunshine and Mario are doing well this summer. The only thing I wish is Sunshine would stop hopping through the barn window? Into the side of the barn we are not using right now? Stinker! I have to listen really hard for her so I know when she is over there. She can’t get back out of the window so needs a door person. They are definitely older sheep now but the Shetlands never lose their spunk!

Twins!!! Two teeny black Shetland lambs I purchased from a friend. They were both bottle lambs so are very tame and very happy to see treats! They are about the size of a small springer spaniel so makes them look like miniatures--but they did eventually grow. And as usual, once they got to go out with the 'big' sheep, they promptly forgot about me. They are naughty, silly little scamps who won't even come close to me now? Sigh. Friends tell me that means I raised good sheep and did my job well. I would rather hug and smooch them up though. 

The Shetlands take almost 2 years to finish growing. Sunshine & Mario both have beautiful bay black fleeces, locks of 3+ inches and a bit of cinnamon color on the tips of the locks from the sun. Sunshine and Mario are always up for a good game of chase and tag- or king of the dirt pile! 

They are aging well, teenagers by our standards. :0) 

Read more about Shetland sheep here...


2017 update: This little Sunshine girl is non-stop silly! She has a 'secret' door to the barn now. It's called hopping through a window to get in, then unable to jump back out? We have to go let her back outside because the side of the barn she hops into is not in use by the sheep in the summer. Oops! 



Sunshine and Mario designed a crazy quilt yarn for me to spin! As much fun to spin as they are to watch!

Sunshine and Mario designed a crazy quilt yarn for me to spin! As much fun to spin as they are to watch!



2018 updates:

Mario is still family with his twin sister Sunshine. Both are sassy as they should be. And into any shenanigans they can find to get into! (As every Shetland sheep should be- spunky!)

Their favorite is to jump into the barn through open windows. It's no problem. UNLESS they end up in the part of the barn sectioned off for summer. They do this every single day. Little mountain goats! ha!

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Penny!

May 2022

We have some sad news this month, we had to put our Pipi sheep to sleep. Winter was hard on the older sheep with the crazy swings in temperature. She had arthritis in her spine and it was causing too much pain. She was over 15 years old and had lost many teeth too. We will all miss her- specially Penny. It’s a good thing Penny is also friends with Charlie sheep. He’s taking good care of her. (This is Pipi’s baby picture)


June 2020

Pipi likes my new shoes! I tried to explain they didn’t make them in her tiny size. She was sad so I may have to do some shopping to see what is available in the way of sheep slip-on shoes!

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Nov. 2020: Caught some pretty pictures of Penny yesterday. She is so busy causing good trouble with her friends!

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Pipi is a wonderful, sassy Jacob sheep we adopted from friends as a lamb years ago. She was the smallest baby on the place! Her fleece is a lilac color that is gorgeous and she loves to play with the other Jacob and Shetland sheep. She is very adventurous and loves to jump and hop about--oh, and apple treats for sure! Pipi's wool is soft with a lean to medium. Her fleece is lilac colored with locks 3 inches long with variations in color and spots. Too cool! 


Miss Penny is evading the camera it seems? She won’t be able to avoid me on shearing day though! If she’s not careful I will unpack her baby tutu! Pictures to follow- before AND after!


February 2020

Penny’s been busy! She sent some of her Jacob wool out to Shari for carding. She added some pretty Huacaya Alpaca to blend into the roving. She had me spin a 2 ply yarn from part of the batch. Ooh la la! The fawn alpaca lets her multi-colored wool show itself. It’s a subtle heathered/tweedy look. I love it of course! Got the Penny seal of approval so you can find it for sale here…. (Penny said she needs to restock her vanilla wafer stash or she would let me keep this yarn!)

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October 2019

Penny is always up for a photo op!

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June 2019

Summer is here and humidity abounds! Penny is prancing about with her new haircut and into shenanigans like always. I love her spirit. She’s still holding a grudge for my making her wear a tutu though. Even though she was a bottle baby she’s quite aloof- unless there are treats involved of course. She is a hoot!

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You may all know Penny the Jacob sheep already? She is our bottle lamb this year (2012) and she spent the first 6 weeks in the house while we found another lamb to keep her company. She tore around here in diapers, up and down the stairs, and slept on the couch! She is outside being a big sheep now- and I cried when I moved her outside. I miss her! She has a new friend now- Mayhem- a beautiful Blue Face Leicester lamb. Penny now thinks she doesn't need me, unless there is something amiss. She was not too pleased on shearing day once she figured out what was going on! She STILL would not let me too close- what a silly little snot! 

I think she's going to hold a life long grudge against me for making her wear a tutu when she was a baby. Oopsie! I think her 'brother' Mayhem teases her about it?

Read more about Jacob sheep here...


2018-July

Little Penny is still her sweet, sorta naughty self! She hangs around with Gentleman Gilbert the most. Mayhem has gotten so much bigger and he is a dufus. Who plays too rough head butting with the other sheep boys. SO, Gilbert is a bit calmer, more easy going. Penny can still be silly but not get bowled over!  Read about Gilbert...

Our Gilbert- a California Red Sheep!

Our Gilbert- a California Red Sheep!