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Our Visit to Texas

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I showed photos of my daughter’s graduation in my last post. We had quite a full 2 1/2 days visiting in Texas. I must say that when we left the airport building to find the truck I understood what is meant by the phrase “suffocating heat”. Our 100+ days don’t come with the humidity. That sure makes a difference.

We had a little time to kill between leaving the airport and going to Texas State where Katie had to take her last final (5 p.m. the day before graduation). Cabella’s was on the way and air conditioned. We wandered around Cabella’s looking at all the mounted animals and saw everything from elephants to muskox to prairie dogs…or should I say from Armadillos to Zebras?

Katie gave us a tour of Texas State. It is a beautiful campus.

On Friday Katie showed us the Blanco River where she and Kurtis go to cool off. The river is low now and full of algae. A few weeks ago there was water covering these tree roots and rocks.

I love how the cypress trees spread out at the base.

We climbed about a million stairs to the top of Mt. Baldy, the highest point in Wimberly, where you can some perspective of the country.

Here is another graduation photo in case you missed the last post (!) This is Katie with Kurtis, her boyfriend.

Saturday morning we went riding around the property where Katie has been living. The last time Dan was on a horse was when he was in seventh grade. Katie is riding Libby, her 12-year old mare that moved with her when she left California. Dan is on Slim, a 12-year old quarter horse who was a recent acquisition and a very good deal. He was given up by his previous owner because he was too arthritic for barrel racing. He seems fine for the light work he is getting now. He is also a lot happier than when he was kept in a stall almost 24 hours/day.

My turn. I’m on Libby. She is much calmer than when she was in CA. Is it her age or the fact that she and Slim roam around on 20 to 80 acres when they aren’t being ridden?

Isn’t Libby a pretty horse?

Slim looks forward to his bath after being ridden.

Libby, not so much.

Slim loves the water. Katie and Kurtis and the horses are moving to Vermont next month. These horses are going to have to start growing some hair.

We few home in the evening, chasing the setting sun. With the sun on the west I had views of reflected water and was fascinated by these patterns. But it couldn’t keep my mind off the quick trip to see my daughter. She’ll be moving even farther across the country now. I hope to get to Vermont in the fall.

Graduation

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We spent the weekend in Texas so that we could attend my daughter’s graduation from Texas State at San Marcos.

She graduated Magna Cum Laude with two degrees.

We couldn’t be more proud.

Exploring our County

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I’ve lived in Solano County for 25 years but I had never been to Lynch Canyon until today. Lynch  Canyon is only about 1/2 hour from our place and offers an “open space” experience just minutes from urban centers. It is about 1000 acres managed by the Solano Land Trust and open to the public for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking.

The Lynch Canyon property is just off the freeway between Vallejo and Fairfield, both good size cities. As we approached Vallejo we saw the fog lingering over the hills. Coming from our end of the county we were dressed in shorts and t-shirts and couldn’t imagine being cold. It’s easy to forget how different the weather can be when you get closer to the S.F. Bay. However, the fog was burning off, and even with the wind we didn’t stay cold long.

I can imagine how pretty this area must be in the spring when everything is green and the wild flowers are blooming. It is very dry now, but the sky was a gorgeous blue and the views were amazing.

The green valley below is where Hwy. 12 enters the Napa Valley.

Not too many wildflowers right now–or at least not much variety. There was plenty of yellow star thistle…

…and purple star thistle…

…and tarweed. None of these are desirable plants, but the sweet smell of the tarweed brings back thoughts of riding my horse in the dry hills during high school. Isn’t it amazing how smells can trigger memories?

Surprise! There were two dry ponds where these purple flowers (mint family) gave a valiant show of color.

This view is looking north.

Can you get the feel of the prevailing wind from this photo? Those are bay trees which are sculpted by the constant wind.

Even though the dry hills are not as appealing as hills covered with green grass and flowers  there is beauty here.

State Fair Wrap-Up

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The CA State Fair is still open but the sheep show was just through yesterday. Between having sheep with horns, putting up a lot of signs and visuals, and demonstrating, our area is the busiest in the sheep barn. I think I talked to more people here than I talk to all the rest of the year.

Here are my  sheep pens. I was shorted one sheep pen so I couldn’t use all the large signs I had made. Small signs on the gates answer the most frequently asked questions: “Why are some of the sheep covered?”  “Is he normal?” (on the adult ram pen), “Are these sheep or goats?”, and “Where are the pigs?”

This is the other part of the display.

I truly appreciate help from friends. This year Joan came on Sunday and Monday and shared the task of Educating the Public.

On Sunday Shelby helped let people pet the sheep and helped me show. Jackie was there also, but I don’t have photos. She took all the show rings photos.

Shelby went out looking for deep fried Snickers or something like that but came back with chocolate-covered bacon. As weird as it sounds it actually wasn’t bad but just one bite made me incredibly thirsty.

Dan likes to avoid the show ring, but he was pressed into service this year, starting with the yearling ram show.

This is Shelby helping show the yearling ewes.

This is our flock entry–4 ewes and one ram.

I chose the young ram, Meridian Granite, for this entry because I think the judge liked him the best of my sheep. Granite placed third in his class, just behind the Tunis sheep. Those of us in this show have decided that 3rd is the new 1st. This year the “Primitive & American Breeds Show” entries were Tunis (meat breed) , Shetlands, Jacobs, Icelandics, and St. Croix (a hair sheep). That’s a tough class to judge and I don’t know if any of us will ever get to first or second as long as the Tunis breeder comes. Not only is the breed hard to compete against in a traditional show, but this breeder shows all over and has a very competitive flock.

Here is the champion Tunis ram. Hard to compete with that. The judge, however, said that he thought my fleeces were the nicest Jacob fleeces that he has seen. He commented several times about the fleeces, so I was pleased with that.

I know it’s going to be hard to win with my sheep so I’m trying very hard to win with my display.

I ended up with some fancy ribbons after all…and some good prize money. That’s Best Program and overall second in the Open Sheep Show Best Marketing Program,  second in Sheep Herdsman, and Best Educational Presentation over all the livestock exhibits at the fair this week. I put a lot of work into this and spent 10 -12 hours at my sheep exhibit each day but it paid off in these awards.

Visiting a friend

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Four of us went to see a friend’s new property in Sonoma County last week. Her key didn’t open the door but we found a window that was partially open. I was chosen to get through the window.

I was given a leg up…

…but they didn’t stop pushing.

Success!

Weaving projects unearthed

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I think I have figured out how to link WP and FB but to try it out I should have a real post.

When I reorganized my shop I unearthed boxes and boxes of yarn, etc. Here are some scarves from a warp that I wound and space-dyed quite awhile ago. I like to plan warps and design projects but sometimes there are those days when you don’t want to have to think. What fun to pull out a warp that is ready to put on the loom.

The towels below are from a warp that I remember winding about 19 years ago. How do I know it was that long ago? When my now-19 year old son was a baby and would be awake in the middle of the night sometimes I put him in the backpack and kneading bread or winding warps would put him back to sleep!

Kitty is still here.

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It’s been two weeks and this kitty is still here. Does this mean we’re keeping him?

He’s sure cute.

The main issue is dealing with the dogs. Rusty hasn’t shown any aggression. In fact he wants to play. But he’s awfully big compared to this little kitten and I feel like I have to watch constantly. At night I put the kitty in a crate so that I know that everyone is safe.

Wool samples, wet dogs, and a turkey!

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I posted a photo of my rams yesterday. Here are the wool photos:

This is the fleece of Meridian Tioga.

Here is Kenleigh’s Savor’s wool. Tioga’s wool is crimpy and soft. Savor’s wool is lofty without visible crimp. Both are good fleeces for spinning, but have different character.

Portrait of Savor.

Jackie came back to the fair today to help out with the SplashDog performance and give her dog,  Ringo a lesson. These are photos of Ringo learning the game.

And here are some of the pros:

Obviously NOT a dog.

Another sheep show and new friend?

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Only 3 days after Black Sheep Gathering the crew is together again.  This time it is at the Solano County Fair in Vallejo. Julie (Black Oak Jacobs) and I both have our sheep there right now and today was show day.

Julie and I showed both of my yearling rams. Savor is on the left and Tioga is on the right. They look a lot alike in this view, but they have very different fleece types, both within the Jacob breed standard, but quite different. I should take photos of fleece tomorrow.

After a quick sheep handling lesson, Chris helped me show in all the other classes and Shelby helped with Julie’s sheep.  Thanks to both of them for helping out. Thanks also to Jackie for taking photos.

One of Julie’s sheep had a surprise baby this morning and Shelby took over baby-sitting.

Back home this evening. What are those dogs looking at?

This kitten has been hiding out under my shop for a few days. I started feeding it to entice it out. I don’t want or need a cat, but I couldn’t let it starve under there. He has been very hungry and I caught him tonight while he was eating. I don’t know if he is truly wild because he has sure settled down quickly–not what I’d expect out of wild kitten. But if he isn’t out of a feral cat then I don’t know where he came from.  I’m going to have to keep him in the crate for now because I won’t be home to deal with the dogs. I could barely get Rusty to eat  because he is so obsessed with the kitten.He has done nothing but stare all night. At least Rusty is entertained.

Anyone want a kitten?