A Babydoll Bunny ?

Ooooooooo ...I can't stop touching it! It is soft, squishy, lightweight and cozy. I want to wrap myself up in it and take a long nap on the deck. What is it you ask?? It is the new Babydoll/Bunny yarn created by myself and my by good friend Betty of Spinnakees' Farm. Our combined Babydoll Southdown fleeces and Angora Bunny fiber have been spun together into this yummy goodness. Have you ever touched Babydoll Southdown fiber? It is unusual, springy and super soft ...especially on the animal. Once washed and ready to be spun, it's staple makes it best blended with other fibers. We focused on keeping this yarn blended with similar down type fleece, and added just enough of our Corriedale and Cormo to create a smooth flow. Then came the added silky, dreamy fluff of our German Angora rabbits. Though it is spun as a worsted weight, when washed and fulled, it blooms into the appearance of a light bulky weight yarn.

And did I mention the color???? Light, soft grey with flecks of white ...so soft and cozy. What to make first???? Hats, mittens, a nice throw for fall? A cozy Poncho? The possibilities are endless! Can you tell I am excited? This is a limited run so if you'd like a few skeins click here.

MAINE OPEN FARM DAY July 25th!

The Crazies

It is crazy here. I am going to blame it on the heat. Looking back to last summer with the endless rain and wet days, I feel a little guilty complaining. Warm sun and clear sky's have out numbered the soggies. My garden is way ahead of the season, unlike last year as I watched with sadness as my tomatoes "drowned" in the puddles. The new raised beds are saving my back and my time, weeding is a breeze and actually the weeds are much less evasive. Life is good and getting sweeter.

For those of you who make the trek to our farm each year be aware ...this summer you will notice that my yard is a bit more cluttered with woolly beasts, furry friends and feathered foul all running amuck, pooing and eating, sleeping on the front steps, and invading your cars. The chickens have doubled in numbers, Romeo has a new apprentice -Tomday, and then there is Junior, Mister Longlegs himself who truly believes he is still 14 pounds and able to climb on someone's lap.

Have you been here yet? Have you witnessed the chaos of the day when my yarn shop is full of visitors and two goats and one long-legged sheep invite themselves in?Have you been entertained by the countless fluffy Silky hens and their fuzzy chicks, the spotted, the speckled, the cock-a-doodle-doodles???? Have you seen Comet the old grouchy bunny appear from out of nowhere and then disappear just as quickly???? It is crazy here! ...and I love it.

I have been dyeing mostly in the later part of the day sometimes even after supper. The heat from the stove is just too much to bear first thing in the morning. This week I have been focusing on a few upcoming shows. The Harbor Arts Show in Camden is this weekend and the forecast is calling for sunny and hot. The harbor will be a great place to be, overlooking the majestic yachts and smelling the wonderful smells.

It may be crazy ....I may be crazy, but I cannot think of any place I would rather live. Come visit us this summer. And remember Romeo prefers Guinness and Lays Potato Chips!

Freedom

My little mama hen leads her little brood around the yard seeking out tasty bugs and seeds. She is brave and keeps a sharp eye on every move the chicks make, even scolding the one straggler who is to brave for his own good. When the rain falls, she creates and safe haven for them under her wings. At night she brings them in to a safe corner of the barn and shelters them from the night air. Watching her is therapeutic.

As the lambs grow their mother's too, keep watch over them. They wander far and investigate all. But at the end of the day, they seek out the comfort only their mothers can give. Even Blizzard, the first lamb ever to be born on our farm many years ago, lays quietly with her mother every night just as she has done since she was a baby. Watching them is therapeutic.

To be able to stop everyday and sit on my front steps for a few moments and marvel over nature grounds me. I would not be me if I did not have this life. I would not be happy.

Every hour of every day I know that I am free. I am free to wake up, eat cookies for breakfast, get in my car and drive to the light house, do kart wheels on the edge of the lawn, sing, shout, read any book I wish, listen to any kind of music I like, wear any clothes I desire ...I am free. Free because I was fortunate enough to be born in the greatest country in the world. I will never forget that I owe that freedom to the brave souls who felt so strongly about keeping me free, and to the brave souls who continue to dedicate their lives to freedom, mine and my children's freedom ...I am free. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Happy Birthday America!