Helpxers

I am so thankful that I got introduced to the help exchange network!  Thank-you Heidi!  We have four young people from Australia here now.  They are such nice people and very good workers.  I no longer have to walk through the muck and mud in the alleyway between pens, they made a nice rock and sand path for me, wide enough for the wheelbarrow, and smooth enough the hay doesn't bounce out.  They are also getting all the little piles of poles up on the hill down into a couple of big piles in a more level place so we can the get ATV up there to haul them all down to the flat and cut it all up into firewood.   It is so nice to have young, energetic, cheerful people with a good work ethic helping get things done around here!  I highly recommend anyone who needs help around their place, whether you live in town, or out on a farm, sign up for that.  There are hosts, and helpers.  Most of the helpers are younger, although I have seen all ages on there.  I've had two people older than me come for a few days and help.  Some of them even come with their own lodging!  These four are in a camper van, so all we are providing is a shower and dinner, and they are quite happy with that.

I am working on a commission of a camel for a woman on the other side of the state.  Camels are interestingly built creatures!  It's a bit of a challenge to get everything just right, but I'm getting it done, slowly but surely.  Now I'm waiting till I can connect with a friend who raises alpacas and get some camel colored alpaca from her to finish it.

It keeps raining off and on.  Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day, today it's back to clouds and showers, with an occasional bit of sun.  At least we aren't getting torrential rains, just showers.  It's all good.

I am ready to do another round of decluttering in here.  Actually all over the whole place!  We have accumulated a lot of stuff over the years, a lot of which we don't even use anymore, it's just taking up valuable space.  It's spring, time to do some serious cleaning around here. :-)

I hope you are having/had, or will have, a great day!

Birthdays

Now that I am another year older, and this is supposed to be a big energy shift day with the full moon in Libra and a pink one at that, I am ready for all things positive!  I'm also at a significant age according to astrology where big shifts occur.  So, I'm ready! :-)

I am at a turning point in my business, one where I think everything is going to fall into place finally.  I'm learning a whole lot about marketing, which I will be implementing over the next month or so.  There is so much to learn!  It's an adventure, that's for sure.

Yesterday I got a new keyboard and mouse for this computer, and wow, what a difference!  I should've got this weeks ago.  It's interesting how as things slowly wear out, we don't change anything till the last possible moment, when if it would have happened a bit earlier, life would be much easier.  Change is a good thing, even though sometimes it doesn't seem like it at the moment.  As I look back over the years, I've come to realize everything does happen for a reason, and nothing changes for the worse, only better, even though sometimes it doesn't seem like the change could have any good to it at all.  But, there is a silver lining in everything, sometimes we just have to look deeply to find it.  Life is journey, with every twist and turn a new opportunity for learning and growing.

I am hoping today Lily, my Alpine dairy goat, will have her babies.  I have been waiting for 15 years for a kid to be born on my birthday.  So far it hasn't happened.  Close, but not on the day.  Once was at 10:30 pm on the 10th, but that's as close as it's been.  It's not looking too promising for today, either. One of these years.....

We woke up to a dusting of snow this morning, but it's all gone, the sun is shining, and I just might get out into the flower beds and get them cleaned up today!  Also have 3 goats left to comb, then the harvest will be over for this year.  I'm down to the best of the best now, and this year I'm downsizing even more, so there are some great goats going up for sale here in the next month or so.  I'm getting way down in numbers for a few years so I can get another facet of this business going, then I might build back up, depending on what's happening in the cashmere world.  I'm keeping a couple of the bucks and a handful of the does, and a couple of the wethers and sticking with that for a while.  As some of my friends have said to me, "there is more to life than goats".  I'm not entirely sure about that, but we will see. :-)   I love my goats and can't imagine not having any, so I will always keep them around.

Needle Felting Photos

 This is "Bear #399" in the Grand Tetons.  She was all over the internet last year when she had a cub at her advanced age of 20.  Then the cub got hit and killed by a car, which was quite sad.  I decided to to a sculpture of her.  My photo taking isn't all that good, but I'm improving.  Funny how I can take really good action shots of my goats, and scenery, but can't get a really good "product" photo of any of my creations!  I must practice, practice, practice!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

This bear and cub sculpture was really fun to make!  I sold this yesterday, too.  I think I'll make another one somewhat like this one.  No two are the same, though.  My creations are really one of a kind.  I was commissioned to make two copies of a pair of dogs, and even though I had the pictures, and the one set, I couldn't get them exactly alike.  So each animal I make is a truly one-of-a-kind creation!  

These two little bear cubs are cute.