This little lamb kept jumping up on his mom's back and then he was cleaning off the hay of her neck. He was very cute. I was shivering so bad from the cold I could not hold the camera straight.

Getting his medal and poster

Have you ever noticed when you are dealing with something like... me I am transplanting strawberries many, many, many strawberries. I am running into strawberry things everywhere in magazines, in recipes, on clothing everyday more and more strawberries. All day for the last three days I have been hauling wheel barrel after wheel barrel of dirt now planting strawberries. It would have been a lot simpler to load the tractor and go but this stubborn streak in me makes me work hard and hard work keeps you from get a big behind. That same stubborn streak makes me walk back and forth all day long instead of riding this very cool pink scooter my husband bought me sometimes I wonder about myself.
Tonight was my youngest son's hockey party what a wonderful time the children had the coach's wives did an amazing job putting together a DVD with great hockey music, put the kids pictures on a hockey puck plus Tim Hortens brought them medals and gigantic posters of Sydney Crosby all very cool.

Our all star player

It's funny how I haven't posted since Sunday I wonder where I've been? The days just fly by I have been working outside like I am getting paid. The kids are all back in school they seem okay with it a couple didn't look to well this morning so we will see if I get any phone calls.
The weather has been horrible cold and windy it is still well below freezing this morning and there is only one way to describe that "it sucks" I quote form my children.
In my oldest son's tournament this weekend he won MVP first game and then all star player for the tournament he won a medal, a lovely trophy and a hockey jersey. He was pretty excited and then he came on quite late Sunday night to a phone from a Junior B hockey team who has invited him to try out in August. I am not sure how I feel about that but I will just take it as it comes. I am excited about it for him but I want him to stay in town and graduate. Since he was late getting home from the hockey tournament we missed the french meeting but I find it absolutely impossible to be everywhere at once and I can't leave the little kids all the time my husband was leaving for work and my oldest daughter was not home to watch them either. We however were not the only people who missed the meeting we heard there was only 7 kids there and it was still Spring break.
What is on my agenda today I am not sure I would like to order Sun and warmer weather but we will have to see. Anyway I must get out and start the day I am slacking.

Very Pretty Orange Gloves

PLAYING

Today again miserable weather but the day was good my oldest daughter had her driving lesson she takes her road test on April 26. We had two black kids born one doe and one buck and my Shetland Ewe followed within 15 minutes of the goat with a very , very, tiny ram. My oldest son is in a tournament and he has so far two goals and MVP on the first game. My husband test drove a vehicle for my daughter she is very excited but I know better my husband is no fun to shop for vehicles. I think it is we really just can't afford one but we will keep looking. She tells us she will get a job when she gets her license. ..HMM we will see :)
All the children are fine they have played hard all Spring Break and I think school will be a rude awakening. Well I am off to have tea and wait for my son and husband to get home from hockey which should be around 10:45pm

This is my Dad's puppy, don't let his cute looks fool you he is full of it. Very loud, very playful and quite the character.

Just a quick note to touch base, I have to run to the arena my son is finished reffing at 10pm. Then off again at 6am for him to play. My husband has already left for work he usually does not work weekends but they maybe finished next week.We went into town for our annual Dairy Queen run during Spring Break so that made the kids happy. We are into the last part of our holiday after the weekend back to school sigh..... Life is so much easier without school.
I am still trying to find a easy pattern to try I think I have found one the only thing is my wool is different maybe I am analyzing too much.

We had another busy day but it is so wonderful getting all the dirty jobs done. Today was cleaning the ponds HUGE JOB my oldest daughter is great a helping clean them. MY oldest son reffed all day and he refs 5 more games tomorrow. We move horses we have two lovely miniature ponies we brought them down from up back and I need to get their feet done. We moved a very wild little red calf to the hay field we dragged him over. I cleaned out my "POP'S" green house so it is ready for planting. I love a productive day. I have been looking in my knitting magazine for something different that I could do but I find them all quite challenging. Well I must run and maybe do a little weaving before bed.

Spring Time Fun

The baby goats love this stump.

Our Ice sculpture is slowly melting it gives off this white powdery stuff that looks like paint on our black work boots.

Welcome to the first day of Spring

Today was cool, windy, and few sunny parts. As I walked out to the barn this morning I heard the birds talking away and all the spring sounds were wonderful. I went to spinning for a few hours that was quite nice then came home moved the steel fences, move the horse after he went for his first walk in our hay field. We tore down some old dog cages which I will move out tomorrow. I sent my oldest daughter and her boy friend outside to take Spring photo's which I will share a couple with you.
The kids have been enjoying there Spring break not a lot of ratting but a lot of playing, a little cleaning a lot of baking. Enjoy your day and if my family is reading this I am thinking of you all,missing you and lots of love form us!

Today was an extremely blustery day unreal windy, crazy, wild and I worked out in it all day. I never came in until supper time then went out to milk a goat and lock up the sheep and goats who are still to have. It took us all day to move the green house we had to use the power saw to cut the wood and plastic and lift each piece onto the tractor and take it up top to the bomb fire pile. In between loads I worked out it the front yard if ever see another pine needle I will scream the only good pine tree is on a logging truck. I keep changing things and in the mean time making horrendous work for myself we have dug out roses, moved wooden garden boxes, moved rocks no I mean boulders, raked and raked and raked. I have started working a scrap book for Sunflower Farm pictures of how the property has changed over the years it is quite amazing how much we have done. I must run and wake up my husband for work talk to you all soon. I am having trouble with the spelling check so if anything is not right just ignore it.

My husband and oldest son played in a hockey tournament together. It stills blows my mind to think our kids are so grown up it, seems like yesterday they were babies.

I have this wonderful, incredible digital camera that my husband bought me for Christmas but I could never find a bag to fit the camera, extra zoom and extra flash. I did not want to pay 100.00 or more and the few I bought I had to take back they were to small. I don't want anything too big I am not a light traveler even to town or the arena I need knitting supplies, wallet, to go cup etc. so yesterday I had a great thought I have quite a few different bags (maybe a slight weakness) anyways I have one of two orange knitting bags from Mary Maxum (not sure if that what she is called) so I took scissors and cut out the insert and Ta Da perfect fit and on top of it really cool bag. So everything fits in and a pouch for the info books on it and plus my husbands new min digital movie camera fits in too.
I e-mailed the lady I am getting the Angora goats from and when ever I am ready I can get them so I hope by the end of April mine will be sold and the goats can be delivered. Two Llamas come with the deal but I already have one so my friend is taking one and if two is a huge commotion for me I will give her both. I am waiting to give the lambs a little while to get stronger and I have decided the ram is going right after shearing. It is just silly to keep an animal that is that mean, my dad told me to check his horns to see if they are digging into him making pressure but they are not. The ram is just miserable has been since he was 6 months old.
We are making plans for Spring break we can't do much my husband is still on these horrible hours and he looks like hell. Yesterday he worked all night and then wanted to play in a father son tournament with my oldest son and He tells me he felt like having a heart attack in the first two shifts... Gee"s that is reassuring. He came home at 5 pm and fell straight asleep on the couch and then when I was going to bed the kids said are you not taking dad to bed I laughed like he was dog or something.
My youngest daughter would like to go to Kamloops she has a gift certificate for toys r us and she would really like to go to the wild life park so maybe if the weather is nice. I may take them to the pool in town we never do that and we are going to have a tea party with some cakes and cookies and we always have a wiener roast.
I must run we may go watch the last game of their tournament so we have to be ready my husband will come pick us up at ten and my oldest daughter and I may take my mom's car and go into to town and do some driving.

The last of the green house, it looks quite sad doesn't it. Now I have to clean it all up.

We just got home from hockey and a pre-teen dance. Today we had another lamb a little black one we will tag and tail it tomorrow. Today I tore down my green house now i have to clean it up, I also took down a climbing plant that really was a fire trap, it was hard because it is really beautiful.
I have been trying to set up my web page man that is so over my head and I know pay pal is to be easy but again over my head. In the knitting area I am making a took on a round loom with some very pretty wool pink with a silver sparkle.
Well must run take care.

Friends

Good Morning
Early this morning my Shetland ewe had a baby boy, he is cute. When I was outside this morning doing chores my Shetland Ram was chasing and ramming my Angora Buck. I am not sure what to do my ram is so mean and miserable either leave him by himself and make a new pen for the bucks or sell the ram. He does have beautiful fleece and he looks amazing but heaven help if any one gets in his way. I am not sure what triggers off his attitude.
We either ran out of propane or our furnace quit working you have no idea how cold our house was this morning as soon as I got up I lit the fire but it will take awhile to warm it up. The poor kids however they all got dressed real quick. Now we need to get more fire wood.
I guess I don't get to go on a road trip my husband and older son are playing in a hockey tournament so I will stay home and have a wiener roast and marshmallows.
I would like to make some time to do a little wool dyeing but I will have to see if the time is there. Anyways off to be productive have a wonderful day.

After a full night of rain the river came up lots.

I am a new Aunt again my little nephew was born today. "WELCOME TO THE FAMILY BABY" what a special day you can't beat the birth of a new baby. I have been doing a little looming if that is a word I have a wonderful floor loom and of course I just wing it but I so enjoy it when I get a moment. Tonight I waited in the van form 4:30 until 9:30 I know it sounds silly but I was so cold and the arena I just could not face it the cold. Now tomorrow night is a school dance I get to wait again 7 till 10 pm and then again Friday for hockey. Not a lot is new here cold very cold wind, Spring breaks starts next week for one week. Well off to bed talk to you all soon.

Have you heard of the "The Secret" go find it watch it, read it, learn it and achieve it. A lot of it we know, a lot of it we hear all the time, but we must live it. I watched it today on a DVD I bought from Chapters with a gift certificate I got for Christmas. Now I must figure how to make it work for me.
The last few posts I have been to tired to write so I thought I would take the time now before I go out and feed "baby" the little calf we are bottle feeding. He is such a love! It is a little cool out today it froze to -5 but the bonus to that is my husband is still working and the longer he can haul the better for us.
I am in the mood to do a little scrap booking I think I will first put our Christmas photo's in for 2006 and then start a scrap book on Sunflower Farm. Everyone should put together photo albums, scrap books it is a wonderful thing to look back on. However you choose to do, DO IT. I promise you you will not regret it for one minute we have several it is not hard work don't let it over whelm you start simple... but start. If you celebrate a holiday or an occasion start there or get newspapers, magazines and start a scrap book of what appeals to you.
I will write again soon I am off to do a head count, think positive, or actually just head out and wake up I can not be in the house in the afternoon it makes me sleepy.

Today was a quick trip to Kamloops while my husband picked up parts now work today it rained all night and terrible horrible wind. No new babies today which was good because of the weather. Last night we were out trying to find shelter for them and this morning all seemed to fair well.
I am going to enjoy Spring break next week it is a shame we only have one week, imagine no lunches, sleeping in... yeah right as soon as I say sleeping in we will all be up early.
This years count for babies has definitely been more girls and do you know why because we are selling them all this Spring as soon as they are all sold the new goats can arrive. It is very hard to sell some of them.
I would like to go on a little trip this weekend but I don't think it will happen but maybe. Well again I am to tired to write so hopefully tomorrow I will write more.

Our Ice sculpture is melting it now looks like Big Bird sleeping. It is quite sad to see it go but I am happy for the warm weather. It is pouring outside right now which is not good for my babies I went to put them under shelter but their hysterical mom's call them back out. We have 15 babies seven were born this weekend. I was up last night with twins, I notice the animals labour is very long this year I am not sure what that means. The time change is weird so early but it was great I could go outside after supper it was still light enough to see.

Very cute babies

It seems to be a trend I miss a day in between blogs that is because it is so darn busy this time of year. We have added 5 new babies to our count, very cute, girls are winning we usually have more boys. I am slowly winning in the barn area with the cleaning fixing fences moving Lilac trees busy, busy, busy...
The ground is thawing but if you move hay there is still ice underneath. The knitting is definitely on the back burner but I hope to get on it again. My yarn is in from Marie it is quite lovely that is Alpaca yarn, I am wondering what to make? At the arena the other night I took my Small Ashford knitters loom and was working on my project I would like to get it done and start something else. I am having a very hard time writing tonight as I am extremely tired, so have a wonderful night.

Home

It is amazing how fast time goes the days are being filled with raking, cleaning, burning, sorting all those Spring time activities. Today it took me forever to roll up an electric fence but it is done now. It was a very cold wind here today and I just did not feel like working in it but I did some. The days go by so quickly one never gets it all done.
I did put out my Easter ornaments out so that was fun and I think I will make a wreath for the door and gate. I may also make a basket or something for the back porch. We love the seasons/holiday around here it is fun to decorate and I think it is nice for the kids so they can look forward to each occasion and maybe it will pass onto them and they will do it for their children. It all adds up to making a wonderful Childhood and we are very fortunate to be able to do that.
Last night my oldest son and his friend worked on their french project as soon as they got off the bus at 4pm until 11:30pm the only break they took was to go lock up the sheep and goats in the barn. I am very proud of him when he works like that they baked a cake and put sea food creatures and made up crackers with cheese shaped sea food crackers on them to serve to the class. We do not eat seafood in our house so there is nothing to cook that actually comes from the water! unless they cook my fish from the aquarium.
Today we had twins born our milk goat had two little babies, one white and one chocolate brown one. Very Cute! So our count is at 8 babies. I have to run and lock up the animals and go to hockey so much for it being over on the weekend.

Very bad goats standing on the Hay!

This is what happens when my husband goes off to work all night long. A newborn Angora doe moves into his bed room . He would so not be pleased:) However every year for a day or so a goat or sheep moves in the house. She was born at 1:30 am strong but dumb did not want to suck and mom is good but not good enough the baby would be dead by morning, so I stayed out until 3am and then thought this sucks and brought her in, made tea and she is wrapped up in my fleece sweatshirt in front of my fireplace heater in my room. Why my room? Pellet stove would not light and sick kids (two legged kids) in the living room so next best thing my room. It is now nearly 4am if I go back to bed I may not wake up in time for the kids to get ready for school so I will do something nothing exciting probably only laundry.

The funny thing to this goat having tonight was I heard the noise from my bedroom from the TV and it woke me up. I came into the family room where my youngest daughter was asleep on the couch (still not feeling well) and she was awake and I asked her why she was up she said "you know why I am awake a goat baa ed in my year so I turned her down" pretty funny coming from a girl who wears a hearing aid.

I phoned my husband at 3am and he was just arriving at the mill with his first load he left at 10 last night crazy life we lead. Have a good day.

Mom if your reading this have a safe trip. Love you

Only a face a mother could love. Isn't he lovely! He is very old.

Our count is Five, four lambs and one buck and all our doing fine. I just hope they would like to wait until morning I am very tired tonight. I am totally sick of sick children they are taking their time at getting better and I hate cleaning up throw up. Poor kids this is one terrible bug. I really don't have too much that is new other than doing a lot of cleaning, raking and tearing down old pens. The yard is slowly drying and you can feel spring in the air. This morning while I was having coffee with my mom and dad we saw two Robins. I am having a terrible time staying awake last night I was up until 3am with a goat kidding then up at 6am for school and bus time. I will write more soon have a good night.

Good Morning
No new babies this morning. I always say I love technology and again it never fails to amaze me and can make a life easier and I guess more difficult. For Christmas I received a wireless camera and tv set so I can watch the going ons in the barn usually for over a month 2-3 times a night I would have to get up dress in warm outside clothes tread over across the yard to the barn to check goats and sheep. While doing so I hope I don't scare the dogs and set them all off or disrupt the sheep or goats so I can monitor them, I find I need to watch them for at least 5 minutes to see in anyone is having contractions. I usually get so tired I walk with my eyes shut and groan when the alarm goes off. However now I get up put on my slippers walk out to the living room and look into the little, very cute, very handy, very exciting, little tv. Oh it is wonderful !
Yesterday it was so cold bleak and miserable outside I ended up doing a lot of cleaning in the house. Our bathroom sparkles we have a huge jet bath tub that now gleams curtains washed sinks sparkle (remember my husband is a truck driver greasy hand) toilets clean (remember 3 boys in the house... aiming is not a priority) I love it when my house is clean it is such a good feeling. Now sometime to day to put all my wool dying stuff away. How can I complain when it is all my mess I make them put there toys away so I must always put mine away too. I must wake up the household we have to be at the arena in an hour and ten. Talk to you all soon.

Look at this little darling, he is such a love. he was trying to give me kisses.

My new goat feeder that the high school carpentry class built for me, they did a wonderful job.

Good Morning
Our first two lambs have arrived on Wednesday to the white sheep in the previous photo. She had a ram and a little ewe who is definitely taking after her dad and is Shetland. The little ewe is trying to have curly wool and long wool at the same time very, very cute. I have been very busy with spring time chores this is where one triples the time outside and you look forward to bed time unfortunately hockey is still going, soccer has started and I have a house full of sick kids.
I have been working on my web sight for the farm but I am am waiting for my letter from pay pal to come in I might try to get time to go to their web sight today and see if I can go there instead of waiting for my letter.
I have quite a bit of wool dyed it is drying and I just pray George our very bad cat can ignore it for a few more days he lays under the drying rack with his claws out just watching, catching a few drips. I hope to be able to look at the wool today and admire it. My Alpaca yarn is on the way I am very excited, Marie from Crofton Mills is absolutely wonderful to deal with I will miss her as she has sold her mill to a lady up more on the island. Well I must run and see who is well enough for school. Have a great day.