Ok, y’all know how much I love Susan over at Juniper Moon Farm. Not only is she my hero for doing what I want to be doing (um, raising sheep and goats and making yarn?  Hello!!!) , but she is also one of the best people you’ll ever meet.

Today, she and her assistant Maggie, along with numerous other friends and helpers, staged a fun – filled day of Sheep Shearing, eating, spinning and knitting.  Who the heck needs MD Sheep & Wool???Well, lots of us do, but that’s besides the point.

I brought blueberry cobbler.  Good thing I made two batches, because I was so overwhelmed with the incredible food everyone else brought that I never even made it to dessert.  (I know, I am as shocked as you!!!!)

They started out shearing the angora goats.

Then came Ernie the sheep.  He is massive.  Huge.  Unbelievably ginormous.  You can certainly see him from space.

And petite little Emily the Shearer is totally badass hauling that 300 lb sheep around like a ragdoll.

Despite his size, he was rather compliant.

Post – haircut.  Still huge……but decidedly less – so.

With all the action going on around him this little lamb (Rushworth, or “Mr. Tiny”) enjoyed a quiet snack with his mama.  If you follow Susie’s blog at all you’ll recognize him as the touch- and – go preemie from this past week, and you’ll be happy to see he is nursing on his own.

Can I please, please puh-leeeeeeeze have this as my backyard?????  Talk about the most serene, happiness – inducing scene imaginable. Happy, healthy sheep grazing a fresh pasture.

This is what happens when Neve gets the camera. I have to say…..I think I may hire her to take all future food pictures for this blog.

And though Hattie just might kill me for posting it, this also happens:

Hattie drove up from Charlottesville and rode along with us for the fun.  Despite how close with live to each other we don’t see each other very often, so it was a good day for it.

We stayed for quite awhile but the kids were getting restless and my head was threatening a migraine, so as much as I did not want to ever leave, we left late afternoon, while most of the visitors had migrated indoors into the living room and were very cozily spinning and knitting and joking around having a great time.  I was very sad to leave that scene!

Fortunately Paul has Oona out for a short car trip this evening and for the first time in far too long I have a chance to sit and relax and I think I will work on a striped scarf (with some scrumptious Noro Silk Garden yarn) (and maybe catch up on some brain – rotting South Park or Deadliest Catch on Hulu)  instead of the many other things I should work on.

But first!!!

I have opened my etsy shop at last.  I have several flannel tote bags listed that I made this past week.

Some with sheep,

Some with chicks.

I really need to make some llama ones.  But not ones with bad haircuts, I promise.

I’ll be adding to the shop on and off as I am able, so check it out!!!!!