Colourful Cloud

Lots of fleece has been in the dye pot again this week.  I am packing some for the Arts Centre Market in Melbourne on Sunday.

This is the soft cloud effect when the the fleece is hand carded.  Even though hand carding can be tedious you can separate your colours and plan your spinning.

Three 200gm balls of 8 ply ready to be knitted into scarves.

This morning I met a friend and we enjoyed a walk through the Ballarat gardens.  Well worth a wander if you are coming to Ballarat.

Estella....a sheep on a mission

I would like you to meet Estella  aka Noisy Stella. 

We just need to put a foot outside the door and Stella lets outs a noisy baa.  The " baa" is not just a normal bleat from a sheep.  This is an English language "baa' and it means many things

• 
  
  Get me out of this paddock
• 
  
  Pick me some green grass
• 
  
  Let me into the goose yard
• 
  
   That hay was not too my liking
• 
  
  I want to play with all the sheep today
• 
  
  Give me peace and quiet

This girl is so pushy.  I've never seen a sheep move so fast to push between me and the gate.

Stella is the oldest sheep we have and a few times the shearer has told me "this one won't be here next year".  So far Stella has proven him wrong.

Stella can open all gates unless fitted with a latch.  I have been keeping the sheep out of the quince tree yard as the sheep were eating the leaves and pulling the quinces off the trees.  Stella had other ideas and on Friday opened the gate.  David had forgotten to put the second latch on the gate so one clip was easily removed.  I went out to feed the dogs and was met by a mob of munchers.

You can see the sheep in the front looking lovingly at the quince trees.  I lost many leaves and 5 quinces by the time I had banished Stella and mates from the yard.

The goose and the guinea fowl saying good morning! 

The guinea fowl wants to get into the goose yard in case anything might be left over from dinner last night.  Goosie is off for a bath in one of his many tubs.

By the time all this happens Stella is in the goose yard in case some special grass grew over night.

David found Stella with what he thought was a serious mouth issue on Saturday.  Stella had this huge lump in the side of her mouth.  All was fine, Stella was just eating an apple!!!

And I have been reminded by Darwinstorm (the real owner of Stella) that Stella thoroughly dislikes cats.  Maybe Daisy did something dreadful to Stella when she was a lamb.  Anyway if you are a cat and reading this blog stay out of Stella's way for  your own good.

Look whats growing in our garden

Over twenty years ago I planted these quince trees.  This year I have the best crop of quinces ever.  The trees don't produce fruit each year.  If we get strong winds at blossom time it will not be a good year for fruit.  Over summer the sheep are allowed to graze this section around the house to keep the grass down.  I let the sheep in this year and they immediately started eating the leaves on the quince trees.  Some sheep were even standing on their back legs to reach that little bit higher.  The sheep have been banished until after quince harvest.

This is one of the happy healthy quinces. 

And the crab apple is laden with fruit as well.  I will make crab apple jelly.

Tea Cosies for the Market

The week has been busy and enjoyable.  Brie was home sewing (can't say anymore as it is a gift) and I have been making tea cosies for the Arts Centre Market in Melbourne tomorrow.  The flower topped tea cosies are always a favourite.  This week I also made a Moroccan style tea cosy, a new version of the farm yard,  a beaded fringe cosy and green tea cosies (green is a popular kitchen colour).

Also managed to spin some new yarn which is a mixture of natural brown, dyed merino and silk.

And now back to washing fleece ready for next weeks dyeing.  I have been dyeing fleece which I hope will dry before I finish packing for tomorrow's market.  I have two stalls at the market tomorrow and I'll take some extra stock.

Vegies for Dinner

Madly doing all the unfinshed chores after the humid weather which rendered me useless and beyond.  Was taking wool to studio this morning and as I walked past the vegie garden some vegies called to me to say they are ready to be picked.  So for dinner if you are coming over will be beetroot, zucchini and silverbeet with colourful stalks and something else not thought of yet.

The Week that was!

Last Saturday I was at the Makers Market at Daylesford.  Lots of great stalls and a good variety of products.  The venue at the Town Hall is ideal.  I thoroughly enjoyed the day chatting to other stall holders I hadn't seen for a while.  The market finished at 3pm which is good for stall holders but not sure if it is a bit early for shoppers.

On the Sunday I went to Melbourne to the Arts Centre Market.  Don't need to say how exhausted I was by Sunday night.

This week has been lots of fun.  Brie has been here making a gift for a friend.  The gift involved using my very old Singer sewing machine which did not let us down.  Had better not say too much yet  in case Brie's friend reads my blog.  We worked late last night and I am pleasantly surprised how much of the "gift" was finished by the time Brie got on the train (which turned out to be a bus) this afternoon.  Apparently part of the train track was washed away with all the rain.  We didn't get much rain here today and it is still humid.

I'm off to the studio to finish 3 tea cosies tonight.  They are almost finished so should reach my goal.  Gourmet Farmer is also on tonight and I enjoy that show - must keep an eye on the time.

After the Daylesford market Marilyn from missymaomao.blogspot.com , David and the dogs and I went to Jubilee Lake.  A nice place to relax after a busy day. We sat under shady trees by the lake.  The dogs were reasonably well behaved.  Mopsy is expecting puppies next month.

February Daylesford Market

I'm packing for tomorrows Makers Market in the Daylesford Town Hall.  I have been spinning more yarns using a combo of hand dyed fibre and then plying with a natural fibre.

These are some of the new yarns for the market.

This is the great effect you get when knitting the multi coloured yarns.

So back to labels etc. 

Market is from 10am till 4 pm.

Summer Vegie Patch

Every time I walk across to the studio I walk past the vegie patch.  We are enjoying kale, silverbeet, spring onions, beetroot, pak choy, lettuce and at last zucchini.  There is an abundance of small green tomatoes. The paddocks are now very dry.  All of a sudden they took on a parched look.  Sheep are still looking very fat although they do request extra food if they see me.

I sold all my hand spun last Sunday att he market..  This afternoon I am spinning some lovely colours.  One skein has been plied and is now drying.  Still a lot more spinning before the Daylesford Market on Satuday.  Will be taking tea cosies and other goodies as well as yarn.