2003-10-23 - 6:51 a.m.

I guess winter means it. We had about 1-2 inches of snow last night. Although last night was kind of gloomy, I did get some pictures of the LAST snowstorm coming across the mountains at sunset.

Yesterday, I spun up some dark gray Romney, just to have some mindless spinning to do in the afternoon for a little break. I'm also now about halfway through the second of my fall leaf socks in alpaca.

My Icelandic sheep farm visit was SUPER FUN!!! First of all, I ate like a pig. Maureen and Neil made stew the first night, plus a chocolate zucchini cake, then Neil made homemade waffles with blackberry syrup for breakfast. Honestly, right then and there, the trip would have been great. BUT, the shearer also came Monday night and did the ewes, which was really interesting to watch. Nice young guy who is going to take a hiatus for 5 weeks to go to Italy to learn how to make sheep's milk cheese - he has his own flock of East Frisians and Border Leicesters and has revamped and old cow dairy for a sheep dairy milking parlor.

The next morning, we skirted all the fleeces that had been shorn, which was a blast. Almost no waste at all - between the great job Jody (the shearer) did and just the gorgeously clean pastures the sheep have been on all summer. I was very very good and did not bring home a single thing (although I could have!!!). They have a very colorful flock, some gorgeous moorits, jet black and (my favorites) the badgerfaces. They just added 4 new flock additions, 3 ewes - all white, and another moorit - a ram. If you have interest in some gorgeous Icelandic fleeces (including a knock-out jet-black lamb fleece), e-mail me privately and I can send you Maureen's e-mail info.

All in all, a busy but satisfying fibery start to the week.

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