Right on time

Memorial Day weekend congers up many different images across the country from American's paying tribute to war veterans and fallen soldiers, parades, family gatherings, barbeques, the list goes on. This weekend also marks the time of getting first cut of hay for winter in by the 30th of May. This year the first cut was ready right on time. We picked up 100 bales yesterday afternoon. And so begins the cycle of summer gathering to winter feeding once again.

We have a short drive from the field back to our farm and it's a gorgeous drive with views of farms and farmland, the CT River and the Canoe Meadow Cemetary with it's border on the river's edge. It is the second oldest cemetary in town, dating back to 1764 with 12 Revolutionary soldiers buried there. We never tire of this drive no matter what the season.


Last bales in for the day....

My mom was a veteran of WWII having served in the Navy as a Wave. She was so proud of her service to her country. Today we honor Mom and all those who have served in our armed forces, so to preserve our country's freedom and liberty.

Spring scent

Ahhhh, smell those apple blossoms this morning!

32nd New Hampshire Sheep and Wool

I spent the weekend vending at the NH show...the weather was just perfect, cool temperatures with lots of sun. There seemed to be an influx of our state bug: the dreaded black fly. I don't remember other years being so buggy but it kept the people moving! I was located in a new building this year and it was a great change for me after 5 years at this festival. I didn't get out and about too much, except to grab lunch, but managed to get a few pictures. Below is one area outside our building (Stewart) early on Saturday morning.
This is one of my fleece customers who came to pick up her fleece (Daisy) on Saturday. Happy she is! Thank you, Manise!

This is a friend, Nancy, from NH who stopped to buy some natural dyes. She is displaying two blankets she wove using natural dyes. She dyed the fiber last summer and wove the blankets over the winter months. The yellow was achieved with the weld extract, the red is madder and the blue, of course, indigo. Stunning pieces, Nancy!
Here is Margaret Wilson from Mostly Merino of Vermont nearing the end of Saturday. Reeelaxing!

A great big thank you to all who stopped to visit, shop and get immersed in the world of natural dyeing!

DTKS cured

I have taken little time this spring for personal knitting and last week I suffered from DTKS (Desperate To Knit Syndrome)!

I found this cute little kit I had stashed away...don't all knitters have this place they go in their house to visit their stash?
It's a Rowen Scarf knit with two strands of Kidsilk Haze, lovely yarn to work with using 8 needles it just goes along and then I'll knit a funky 4 row border all around it...looks to be a good project to take to the NH Sheep and Wool Festival, for those quiet moments at my booth.
But if you'll come visit me I won't have time to knit! Okay, deal?

All in a day's work

Jack and I took some time today to work on a few projects outside before the rain moves in on Sunday. It wasn't a beautiful day but at least it was somewhat dry and temperate...perfect for the tasks at hand.

We have umpteen (how many is that?) sugar maples around the house and they are a blessing on those hot summer days but otherwise continually shed branches and need trimming to let in the light.

Jack cut the branches and I did the lugging...took a couple hours to get the two areas cleared. Trailer loads with an ATV to the brush pile...next winter's bonfires in the making.

Regrettably, but perhaps thankfully, if it were to happen, our trusty manure spreader broke her drive chain on the last load this spring. Yes, at least it was the last load, and at that it was the last 1/4 load! So we got it back to the barn, got it cleaned out and tucked it away in the machinery barn til Jack can get a look at it to repair. We bought the spreader about 6 years ago, a Yankee deal....another words it didn't work! But Jack toiled and repaired the floorboards, reset the tracks and it has been marvelous for the past 4 years. And it will be again...just going to take a bit of Yankee ingenuity to get her up and running again....

We spent a good 7 hours just picking away at the list of things needing doing....Sidney is sacked out in front of the fire having exhausted himself walking back and forth from the back fields to the barns at least 40 times....we too made those treks and feel the fire calling.

First show of the season

I was in Connecticut for the CT Sheep, Wool And Fiber Festival last weekend. I arrived Friday afternoon to beautiful spring colors, glorious sunshine and 80 degree temps. The show was wonderful, as usual, lots of familiar faces and happy shoppers! I had planned to take pictures to post but once the show started it was too busy to remember.
Below is the Long Ridge Farm booth which I did manage to catch as well as Golding Precision Fiber Tools, adjacent to me, while we were setting up Friday. Diane Golding and I are a few of the vendors who set up the night before, take in a meal together and relax a bit, refreshed for the next day. I understand the parking lot was once again full by 11. It was a bit chilly on Saturday but that always makes wool sound more inviting! Many thanks to all who visited our booth!

Wowie zowie

Everytime I dye with weld those words come to mind! And we are having wowie zowie spring/summer weather to go with it. Weld!