A visit to the Apple Orchard

Kate sent me these pictures from their recent trip to the apple orchard with friends.
Anna seems to know what to DO with an apple, but I'm not sure she is ready to eat it THAT way just yet ... :-)
And here she is with her friend Eddie.

Boys ... in weeds ... *sigh*

Here are a few of my boys. I have culled down to about 12 and need to get down to 9 before my 6 new ones arrive from the US at the end of the month!

Above, with friends, and below, with a fleece full of weeds ... WillowGarden Crush. He is out of WillowGarden Cameroon (ShelteringPines Justinian X Firth of Fith Masala Chai) and Underhill Thelonius Monk. I like this boy. A lot.
The next two shots are of a ram that would have been culled until my dear friend Juliann Budde educated me about polled genetics. His horns aren't life threatening. And they are obviously 'abherent' (sp). Any way ... the fleece on this guy is AWESOME ... and his conformation is great as well. He is WillowGarden Garnish ... out of WillowGarden Equatoria (F1 Todhill Glayva) and WillowGarden Nelson (F1 Todhill Hornblower, F3 Timothy, F3 Greyling).
Other than the 'wonky' horns ... i LOVE this guy. I'll use him on some polled carrier ewes this Fall.
Here is my one extension dominant ram lamb. You can't see the crimp in his fleece, or feel how soft the handle is ... but ... even though he is Ed, I WILL use him for breeding this Fall. He is either katmoget or gulmoget under that Ed thing. He will be bred to as many double patterned ewes as I can round up. He is WillowGarden Slice.
And still there is WillowGarden Twist ... my mystery boy. Test breeding will be the only way to figure out what he is ... besides amazing ... except for that HUGE britch (for a lamb). He is out of a white Whistlestop ewe that is 75% UK genetics, and Willowgarden Nelson, who is also 75% UK.

I'll try to get more pictures of the others. But ... these four are staying ... for now.

2008 Willow Garden Shetland Clip

Carol Secord came on the weekend and picked up the last of my 2008 clip ... 48 fleeces in total! This is the third year's clip that she has taken for her shop, Wabi-Sabi. I am thrilled that she is so happy with the quality of my fleeces!

Thank you Carol!

F1 Greyling Ewes ... and finally sheep pics!

I LOVE these two old girls! They are both F1 Greyling ewes born in 1999 ... and both still going strong!

Above is Great Plains Sylvia. She is Ag ... but she is also fawn and has given me several fawn babies. At this time of year she is always thin as she puts her 'all' into her babies. She had triplets last year and twins this year. Her fleece, at 7 years old was under 29 AFD. She is truly a treasure!
This is Great Plains Isabel. She is Ab/Ag and also has awesome lambs. Her micron results were also under 29 at 7 years old. Another treasure! She is also the voice that I hear first when I open the back door ... and my strongest critic when I don't open the gate to the 'right' pasture for her ... :-)

Camping

Well ... last week I managed to book the best, biggest, and most sought after campsite at Presqille Provincial Park. It is totally secluded and has a large section of smooth pebble beach on Lake Ontario. To fall asleep to the sound of the waves and the light of the moon rising over the lake ... amazing!

I did have to work two days last week, so I went with Kate, Tim and Anna and got their tent trailer and dining tent all set up. They stayed until Wednesday when I took over with a friend of mine for the next few days.

We spent the better part of an afternoon hiking ... Kate, Anna, Pete, and I. Anna had a great view perched on Grandpa's back in her special seat.

The colours were awesome!
We got to chase frogs ...
... and take pictures of all sorts of strange creatures.
Owen's Point, which juts way out into the lake is closed for much of the camping season ... but ... it opened the day before we went on the trail ... :-)
Here's Pete way at the end of the point.
And here is a happy looking pair of hikers!
PS ... Once I had the chance to view these pictures, I ran down the hall to the bathroom ... and SHAVED! The 5 o'clock shadow look is NOT a good one for me ... hehehe

More Grand-baby Pictures!

This shot came from my son, Chris. Yes, that really is Will and NOT a zombie baby! Does he not look to be having fun?! Below is the picture of his 'Welcome' to daycare. VERY lucky folks work at THAT daycare. I mean, they get to spend their days with Will ... :-)
Kate, Tim and Anna went to a cottage with friend's for Labour Day weekend. here we see Anna wondering why she can't get her parents to take her outside!
Kate and Anna had a swim in Georgian Bay! brrrrr ... that is COLD water!
And a couple of pictures of her just hanging around the house ... being her usual happy self ... :-)

For those who come here for sheep pictures ... I'll try to get pictures of the new lambs that arrived yesterday from Harmony Marsh Farm ... :-) It was a noisy night with them calling for their moms ... but they sure are liking the grass this morning!