Thors day

I made it to town yesterday and did some crazy shopping.
I wanted to get the steel for the feeder, but I realised that I had one more bedframe all this time that I can use. D'oh. Yes, I found it last night and dragged it out and today I'll get that project on the road.
I did find a rowing machine for 10.00 and the selling point was that it was just sitting there for me to try. It was more satisfying than I thought it would be. I do love the flywheel type, but this will do for now. It's surprising how just a minute or 2 gets my heart pounding.
I also found a great pair of frames that fit and seem indestructable, and I have an eye dovtor appointment in a few weeks. I definitely need a new prescription.

When I moved the sheep the other day it looked to me ( what do I know) that a few of those ewes were heavy with lamb. This would be an excellent time for a few more lambs.
Sure enough last night just as I got to the ranch and it was getting dark I saw a new black lamb. Cha ching.

I got all the buck kids banded yesterday. I have a pen with my alpine buck and a few does all set. I moved another buck next to the milkers so I can get heat detection. I might have sold a few more kids. The inside kid pen is all cleaned expanded and full of fresh shavings.
I need to start covering up the Grade B barn. I have to have it for the winter.
Also, clean out the tank room.

Ths sun it ous and it looks like it'll be a great day.
Ted is on vacation.

Those goats look like ants

YOu can see my farm from space!
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/QuickView.pl?directory=ESC&ID=ISS009-E-27238

what next?

I feel pretty safe most days because I am secure in the assumption that people don't want to do shit like this.

2 fer tues

Alright I pretty much didn't do anything worth commenting on yesterday. I was totally slothy, playing video games, watching Dr Phil and napping.
I still managed all of my animal chores, and I even got 1/2 of the kid pen cleaned out and new shavings put down.

Whoopie.

And the first fleece is almost done washing, as I commandeered the bathtub.
With all of this fleece to wash, I am considering setting up some washing system at the ranch so my family can still take baths in the next 2 weeks.

I am reading "And So It Goes" Linda Ellerby's memoirs; light pleasant reading.

I think today I'll manage to take a load to the dump and do a quick run into the Ironworkds for the steel for the feeder ( what? I am not done with that yet?"
And I desperately need to fix up a pen for some does to get bred. Yeah, I must do that today. Do you hear?

I was up during the night, no doubt due to my inactive day, and I finally got back to bed around 5:30.

I am organizing my A I (artificial insemination) kit which means getting a new light. My light is not dependable and the semen is too valuable to worry about that. I have been known to use a flashlight when the light was being stubborn..
I plan on doing a lot of AI as soon as these does get with the program. Does bred now will kid in early February, which is really desirable.

sheepy

Maybe it's the time of the year, with the goats winding down, maybe it's juat that I'm not that into this whole goat project, but milk test day just isn't as exciting as it used to be. I'll chalk it up to diminishing milk weights.

However the 2X visit with A F is always ALWAYS a pleasure. I'll have to stay on test just to continue that relationship. I force her to visit me every month.

The couple that I met at the spinning contest came yesterday to pick up my big merino ram. The original plan was for me to deliver him to their place in Rio Dell, which was fine, but they came to get him, which was much better.
Abby did a spectacular job gathering up the sheep, including a cut to the side when they headed out a gate I hae left open. She stopped them, turned them, and came running back to me with a huge leap over the fence, ala Lassie.
The people were very happy with the ram. He's a huge sheep (over 200 lbs) but as sweet and gentle as a huge sheep can be. I threw in his '06 fleece just because. I haven't spun his last years fleece yet, so ...

I have been on the wool project. I have made arrangements to send some of the Dorset fleeces to a processor in Whitethorn.
I'm also looking into getting some spun into yarn. It's not as expensive as I would have thought.
They can also weave your fleece into a blanket, however that cost is more than I could sell them for, so forget about any profit.
I need to finish carding and spinning the white fleece I have been working on for months...

Milk test Sunday

I woke with a start because I remembered I am milk testing this morning and I have to be there early(er than usual).
No matter how early I get there, Amy is always there before I am. The only person I know that is always early for an appointment. You put the rest of us to shame.

I put an earring into a piercing that hasn't had an earring in it for a long time and it is protesting. At least now I can finally almost sleep on that side. It's good that I have rubbing alcohol in my tattoo kit.

I washed the second batch of Lazy's fleece. I spun a bit of the first batch I did; it is long and lustrous and softer than I was imagining. At first I thought I'd make a sweater, then I thought it woulsdbe too scratchy. Now I think a sweater would be fine.
I have contacted a local (Whitethorn) person who does wool processing into roving. I might send a few fleeces to her to see how they turn out. I used some of her roving at the spinning contest and it was lovely.

Today I am supposed to haul my old Merino ram to a new home. I haven't heard from the people, and I don't have their ph#.

I spend a few minutes a few times a day forking shavings. I am making progress, and with no rain in the forecast I have time to get it done. However the pile is still in the way, I realized when I tried to get my wheelbarrow out of the barn last night.

It's time to get these pens in order and sort out a few does with the bucks they are to be bred to.

Watched "Shenendoah" the other day, a movie I have seen many times, as I think it's one of my mom's favorites, but it's been a while. It makes war look pretty bad, even for Hollywood. It's a sad story. But man do they have a beautiful farm...

O K off to milk test. I need to get these does that SF said she would buy out of there. It's time again to cut back on the milk river.

Chicken Noodle Soup with soda on the side

Schneier on Security

A weblog covering security and security technology.

The point of terrorism is to cause terror, sometimes to further a political goal and sometimes out of sheer hatred. The people terrorists kill are not the targets; they are collateral damage. And blowing up planes, trains, markets or buses is not the goal; those are just tactics. The real targets of terrorism are the rest of us: the billions of us who are not killed but are terrorized because of the killing. The real point of terrorism is not the act itself, but our reaction to the act.

And we're doing exactly what the terrorists want.

It's time we calm down and fight terror with antiterror. This does not mean that we simply roll over and accept terrorism. There are things our government can and should do to fight terrorism, most of them involving intelligence and investigation -- and not focusing on specific plots.

But our job is to remain steadfast in the face of terror, to refuse to be terrorized. Our job is to not panic every time two Muslims stand together checking their watches. There are approximately 1 billion Muslims in the world, a large percentage of them not Arab, and about 320 million Arabs in the Middle East, the overwhelming majority of them not terrorists. Our job is to think critically and rationally, and to ignore the cacophony of other interests trying to use terrorism to advance political careers or increase a television show's viewership.

I Love these guys!

Improv Everywhere strikes again!

Thursday as the summer winds down

New sheets for the farmyard. on Vimeo

I finally got all of my shavings last evening. Of course I waited until right before he showed up to finish cleaning, and my shoulder paid for that all night. I also used my truck to push some of the pile under the roof ( the tractor would normally be employed...must charge battery) so the front grill is now packed with shavings. And I have shavings in my socks and shavings in my shoes and and and..

So I have goat gossip about last night's episode of Project Runway. Michael Kors' mom JOan was on last night. I found out at the REDGA show in 2004 ( where I met her, for the 2nd time...) that she was Jennifer Bice's college roommate. And now she's on TV. It's really really strange to see someone you know on a TV show.
Later, a commercial ran for a new movie with Adrien Brody. Yeah, I knew him too.

It's really warm this morning, which usually means rain is coming, but I sincerely doubt it. I would love to get some dust washed off, but I don't see rain, real rain, anytime soon. At least it doesn't seem California is on fire yet this year.

Projects
Fix Pat's pen
I have a vision of that pen all straightened out. The fence put right, the scrap roofing and wrecked fence pulled out of there. I put a load of shavings in there, and I imagine I could probably get that all done in a few hours..

Put bands on buck kids
Where the hell is my elastrator? The most oft lost farm tool. At least a new one is cheap. Oh yea, I have one out on loan...(switches to email)

Shovel shavings under roof.
Clean out barn and put new shavings in.
Clean A I kit
Finish feeder
Put stuff on eBay
Wash Lazy's fleece

O K that's enough

Impending

Must be the lurking winter on the horizon, but I seem to be on an organizing and cleaning jag.

Cleaned out my car for the first time in months. I Actually wiped and washed the dashboard. Scary.

Moved parts of barn roof that blew off in January 1st windstorm out of Pat's pen.

Made appointment for eye checkup.

Called and straightened out milk test errors.

Ordered grain.

Sorted Lazy's fleece into different hues.

Made cole slaw. YUM!

Might even clean out the refrigerator.

What happens when I forego a nap

I did lots of running around yesterday. I went to Fortuna to do regular chores and found not only the Farmers Market, but also the cheap-o tools sale.
With money in my pocket I am a shoppers shopper. I managed to get out of the tool sale pretty cheaply, and I got the cheap angle grinder and a wire brush I have been wanting/ needing.
At the farmers market I got some of the sweetest yellow plum cherry tomatoes evah. They tasted just like plums and very few of them made it home. Also basics like lettuce, tomatoes and some local olives.
At the thrift store I scored a paint sprayer; now I definitely need the air compressor. I might have an order for another stanchion which would pay for the compressor.
I ran into Caroline at the Safeway parking lot and we chatted. And ate some more of those killer tomatoes.

I was supposed to get more shavings so I went to the ranch early to meet the man. My plan was to clean up my shop area as I have projects lined up, and it's a disaster in there.
3 hours later no shavings, but my shop is really organized and clean. Swept, dusted and de spider webbed. I even used my new grinder to clean the feeder bottom and I welded the base on. That project should be done and out.

Of course having such organization means some disaster. No flooding this time, but goat escaping or an earthquake might be in order.

Me me me

Pick 5 quotes
http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3



Incompetents invariably make trouble for people other than themselves.
Larry McMurtry, 'Lonesome Dove'
US author (1936 - )

We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action.
Frank Tibolt

Every great mistake has a halfway moment, a split second when it can be recalled and perhaps remedied.
Pearl Buck
US novelist in China (1892 - 1973)

Those who seek consolation in existing churches often pay for their peace of mind with a tacit agreement to ignore a great deal of what is known about the way the world works.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, 1990

The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can't be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it.
Harry Emerson Fosdick
US clergyman (1878 - 1969)

A human being must have occupation if he or she is not to become a nuisance to the world.
Dorothy L. Sayers
English mystery author (1893 - 1957)

How did that happen?

I was kinda low key most of the day, and after it was all saif and done I really got a lot done.

I was really late going to do my chores. After all, tha ball game was on, and it's gray and depressing out side. I was ready to go back to bed (the 4 best words in the English language).

I did my chores and wanted some lunch, but I wasn't up for any social/ town/ neighbor interaction. I chose a the "little cafe that" still continues to suck. It used to be the best place to eat in town, run by friends, and then they sold out. I give it a chance every 6 months or so, and it's so reliable in it's ineptness.
At least my sandwich was good. After waiting 1/2 hour, with them not busy at all. And having to run to the store for MILK FOR MY COFFEE????
The best part was when Josh found me and sat while I ate, as he had already eaten lunch but still had some time.

I got a call from the people who are going to take my big merino ram. We made arrangements that I'll bring him to Rio Dell on Sunday. I need to get him in and deal with his feet. I know he has already bred some ewes, so it's fine for him to leave.

I went to the fairgrounds one last time to pick up my fleeces, yarn, and cheese plate. I was pleasantly surprised to find one of my market fleeces had won Best In Show! and I got a big shiny ribbon.
Also, 3 out of 4 of my yarns got 1st prize, so that came with a check! And my cheese also won 1st, but I think it was the only entry.
I ran into Al who said he'd bring me some shavings that night.

Back at home, I got a call from my shearer who said he was nearby so he could come and shear Lazy, my new Romney ram lamb. So off I went in the gloaming to gather up the sheep , which was perfect as I got to work on the big ram's feet as it got dark.
Lazy's fleece is absolutely GORGEOUS! He's only 5 months old, but his wool is 4' long, lustrous and just mouth wateringly drop dead beautiful. I brought it home, and I think I will separate the different hues and spin them seperately. It is only a few lbs, but should be enough for a sweater. I'm excited to see what he does to the lambs wool for me.
My shearer was dubious about the lamb, not quite knowing what exactly he was good for. Complaining that this kind of sheep has wool on every part of his body! Poor little guy ( Lazy, that is)
On to lambs and kids.

SWEEP!!!

From Gothamist:

Last Night's Action: Yanks Get Out The Brooms In Boston

2006_04_syankeeslogo.jpg-Yankees 2 Boston 1: There have been other sweeps, but this has to be the most satisfying since 1978. Heading into Boston with five games on the docket, the Yankees won them all and beat Boston in just about every way possible.

Did you want to see the Yankees put on massive offensive displays? How about 12-4, 14-11 or 13-5?

Beat the Red Sox closer in the late innings? How about last night's 8-5 victory after trailing 5-3 heading into the 8th?

Squeak out a close one? Today's 2-1 victory fits the bill.

It was pure domination and New York leaves town with a 6 1/2 game lead while the Red Sox have to try and get the license of the truck that ran them over. Boston still has 38 games to mount a comeback, something they did do in 1978 by winning their last eight games, but this race feels pretty over. Maybe it isn't, but the view is good from New York tonight.

And now the ball game is on again. Those poor guys didn't get much rest last night.
There's a new ( to me) view of the batters; a super slow motion of the swing. You can see the bat flexing and wobbling when it connects, that's super cool.

It's dark and grey for the second day in a row. It gets real old real fast.

I got most of the old shavings cleaned out yesterday and the spot is almost ready for this year's shavings delivery. It always brightens things up to have fresh shavings.

I'd like to see more heat action from the does. I'd love to have everyone bred by the end of October.

Back to the fairgrounds to pick up my fleeces today and the party's over. Last night the lights of the carnival were still visible on my drive to the ranch. It's so surreal to see that instead of dark fields at night. Once the fair is done, it seems that summer is over too.

Marathon

5 1/2 hours is really too long for a baseball game.
At least the Yankees won. And a 5.5 game lead in the AL East will be hard to over come this late in the season..
Playoffs here we come!

The Party is Ovah

I am totally done at the fair ( fair ends tonight, tomorrow I can pick up my fleeces..)

Yesterday was the culmination of our project, the doe auction. As usual, there were no buyers, and a local livestock dealer was a great sport, buying most of the does, which he will turn out on his property and will become bear bait.
No dairys were there except one local dairy who is involved (Chairman) in the project.
Only one out of town breeder.
The prices were higher than in previous years, but I was pretty disappointed in the results. My nice doeling out of my heaviest milker will become a bears toothpick. I just couldn't justify my buying her back as I am no longer breeding Lamanchas. But I am still tempted.

The sale went pretty smoothly; I was at the table with the paperwork and even though I had no idea what to do, it all went fine and everyone was satisfied and within a few minutes after the sale was over, no paperwork, no goats, it was all done.



The show the night before (Friday) was nice with the Dairy goat products reception. J and D did a great job and the food was fantastic, the setting was really nice. We had a nice turnout, and I was thrilled that a Fraga doe won Champion. I am sure she's thrilled too. Good job!


And with that I am no longer involved with the project. I might even send a letter of resignation. With me it seems 2 more members are jumping ship. We've all had it with the direction this project is going; shows and showmanship leading to what? No buyers, no promotion, no connection hardly at all to the industry.
Yeah, I could have taken over promotion and courted dairys, cheese plants, out of town breeders and producers, but there are 12 members on the committee and I really feel like very few are actually involved, so why should I do more?


So on to breeding season and my Alpines and grades. I really hope to get a lot of A I breeding done this year. I have too many nice bucks in the tank to not give it a try. They don't do much good in there.

And pretty soon the rain will return.

Do it

Audience participation script for
Snakes On A Plane.

Cheese notes

O K I just curdled some milk and it made really nice curds so I need to make a note of the conditions.
Fress morning milk, barely cooled. 1 gallon.
Heated to 180 deg.
Stirred before adding vinegar.
1/2 cup vinegar, poured all at once.

Last weekend of the Fair

I am still wanting to sleep sleep sleep, but I managed to fight it off yesterday and skip a nap.
Tonight is our project Doe show, and tomorrow the year culminates with the Doe auction. And then I am done. I am no longer on the committee.
I was one of the original members of this committee ( and the only original mamber still involved) and it is just not happening, in my opinion.
It has been a good experiment, but the focus has been lost. I think the industrial strength nature of a commercial dairy does not translate well to what the kids are involved with. But should that matter? Well, I guess to me it does.
I think the leaders, most being 4H, are not translating their kids experience to the commercial aspect of the dairy industry. 4H has never been something I was ever interested in. And the responsibility lies so heavily on the individual leaders, who are not supervised.

I made a cheesecake and some garlic butter and I'll make the chocolate cheese this afternoon. I'll drop it all off and hopefully I can skip out as I have no interest in this evenings activities. Showmanship kinda gives me an uneasy feeling. I really don't like it. I have no idea why.

Tomorrow is the sale and this year I am not buying any does. There are no Alpines in the sale ( bad) and I am getting out of Lamanchas. The doe of mine that is in the sale looks really good, and did very well at last week's show, so I will be interested to see who buys her, as she is out of my very best milker.

Saturday is usually our day to run around the fair, bet on the horses and drink beer. I am not really in the mood for that. I just don't enjoy drinking, I wish there was another option that wasn't so toxic.

And then the fair is over for another year.

Summer is over. It already feels like fall. I need to start getting things ready for the rain to return.

Home made butter

Remember, butter will form much faster if the cream is at room temperature.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/DIY/1975_May_June/How_To_Make_Butter_From_Goatmilk

After over an hour of whipping, now I know.
Still, I made about a pound butter out of goat cream that I had skimmed, then froze. It worked fine, so that was good to find out.
I will make some garlic toast from goat garlic butter for the reception tomorrow night. Also, my chocolate cheese, and a cheesecake. Now I have to make the cheesecake crust...

And they keep pulling me back in.

I was bathing in the plesure of knowing that I didn't HAVE to go to the fair now that the Youth portion of the fair is in full swing ( Ted says it's a sad world when you "HAVE" to go to the fair...gee, what torture) and then the phone call.
Yep, there was something that I had promised to do, something I have done for the past 4 years, and I had totally forgotten.
So off I went again to the fair for a pleasantly brief appearance. I got my task done, and managed to pretty much avoid any social stress. I even managed to sit down and have a piece of the berry pie that Kathy won at the pie auction. And I was outta there.

I still have more responsibilities, tomorrow night I have the reception table for the sale; I'll try to get a cheesecake made, and I'd like to have toast with goat garlic butter. Also on Saturday morning I agreed to help run the paperwork table for the Doe auction. Aargh, why did I agree to that? Because no one else raised their hand.
Have I mentioned I am so done with this committee?

A 4H parent questioned the viability of the sale and the project. I said if it's not viable, then it shouldn't exist. Right?

I have been sleeping a lot and it's starting to hurt my back.
Yesterday I managed to get some cleaning done; the house was a wreck from the pre fair sewing and cooking and spinning.

I need to go swimming at least once more before the summer is over.

I totally need to straighten out my shop area. Also, after the fair my new shavings will come and I have to make a place for them.

And my check came for my goat entries already. This has been a good week for me; if only I could get paid like this every week.

1500 Favorite videos from the 80"s

Fair 2006

Well, it's over. Done.
Last night I was dead. I could still sleep another 20 hours.

Yesterday, well it was woolgrowers day, so that was a pleasant and welcome change.

I started off at the spinning contest, which, in the 15 years since I was last involved, has become a real event and amazingly competitive. The rules had changed slightly ( they provided the wool..) and even though I came in 3rd, I was only behind the 1st place spinner by less than 10 yards (I had 94 yards), and I definitely could have picked up the pace. So watch out for me next year.
I was also the dark horse as no one who was there remembered me from the past. I think it was a bit of a surprise that I did so well.
The whole kibbutzing and social aspect of the circle was unnerving for me, but, well, what did I expect. Small talk actually pains me, and the fair has a lot of that going on. Some one tell me what is the appeal of the small talk? Talking just for the what? What pleasure do you all get from the empty interaction? What string does the chat pluck that makes you want to do it? It irritates me as to hurt.

Now chat for exchange of information I enjoy ( well, a little more anyway) . While listening to a conversation behind me about Merino rams, I realised that it involved me! The husband of the woman who had owned my big black buck was talking about him!
(he didn't know who I was either) . Talking about Merino qualities, buying rams, genetics, he starts talking about a ram I recognise as the one I have had for the past 3 years. Then he says "I don't know where he is now". Well, I have to jump in " I think I have him".
So I got into a good conversation about him, what kind of wool he is throwing in his lambs, and it turns out that he knew that the ram had the moorit ( brown) gene. They never did get a moorit lamb, but after 2 years of lambs, I did get one about 2 months ago. I didn't know that it might happen, however.
Anyway, since I have a new Romney ram, I offered the ram to the guy he was talking to , and it looks like he'll probably take him. That was good, as I was wanting to sell him as I have his daughters and granddaughters so he needs to leave, but I didn't just want to ship him. He's such a nice ram.

Then I finally milked out the does at the fair, and I headed back to watch the fleece judging. That same ram has so improved the quality of my fleeces, that I did better than I have ever done, more dark horse action here. There were more fleeces in the show than I have seen in 15 years as well. It's a cycle thing, just like the dairy goats, it's a fashion trend. I guess I should try to ride this train for a while.

Then the sheepdog trials., I just managed to catch the last 4 dogs. They held it in the indoor arena again for the first time in 3 years. The stands were full and the dogs were awesome. The fellow that has Maggie ( my favorite pretty red and white) just came up and started talking to me. That was odd.

I am selling all of my Lamanchas to J. She took Ms Man, my permanent Grand Champion, and verdigris straight from the fair, as well as Ms Man's dry yearling daughter.
A few will go to the new dairy here in town. Maybe I'll go by there and see how close they are to milking.

And now it's time for breeding season.

Hmmm...

Where do I begin? Not that there's much to tell.
I'm on the downside of the first part of the fair. Today is an easy day and this afternoon I bring all the goats back from the fairgrounds. Except for the ones that J is taking. That would be practically all of the Lamanchas. Yep, I'm going to do it, sell all of the Lamanchas.
Not that I needed convincing, but the one Champion I did receive was on an Alpine. Finally, after 2 long long days of showing, little What's For Dinner beat the competition ( and I don't think it was a small group) and brought home the big ribbon.
And thanks to my friends for the cheer that rose from the arena!
I love you guys.

Cohyn was a phenomenal help. He would ask to do things I hadn't even thought needed to be done yet. He was cheerful and pleasant and never argued ( what's with a kid that doesn't argue?) And he sure does love cotton candy! I can say enough about how much of a help he was to me, and how thankful I am for that. He would be one reason that I might not be completely done with goat shows. If he were interested in showing and breeding, I would certainly be thrilled to help him do that.

I managed to avoid any social confrontations, unease, stress, and that is good. I often have mental struggles at shows, mostly about social interactions . but this time I was very calm and unconcerned. It was a good place to be. I seem to have had a clear vision of the dynamics and how to avoid getting caught up in that crap. That was a real revelation, and a good one. I am not nor will I ever be a people person, and it's nothing to be ashamed of. I think this past week's little drama has shed a lot of light on what I thought I was missing. I ain't missing anything worth worrying about.
I've had a few opportunities in the past week ot 2 to observe some interesting social dynamic. For some reason lately I am clearer in identifying when something odd is going on, and I step back and just watch. I think I have grown from where that kid on the playground wanting to be involved, and I can stand outside and see it. It's been really really odd and fascinating. Body language and stuff, too.

Some past due bills also were paid so I have some money finally. Plus, with the sale of these goats, I should be in good shape for a while. My stanchion was up and being used and everyone was happy with it. And it's so red ( the buyers choice) that it's quite visible! I also sold a straw of semen that I had purchased years ago, and I got 3X what I paid for it...

So today, after I do all my chores, at 11:00 I am in the speed spinning contest! Completely a change from the part of the fair I have been in for the past 4 days. I did see that one of my skeins of yarn got a blue ribbon! I need to card some wool and give Ol Louet a quick tune up. Back before the goats, I won the speed spinning 6 years in a row, and then I retired. We'll see if I've still got it.

Oh, and Cohyn loves to talk to the people. The people who come to the fair and walk by the goats and ask questions and point. He loves being on display! (do you think I enjoy that part ? *shudders*) Our favorites yesterday were an itinerant rock group, a girl and 2 guys. One guy had the video recorder, another sported a pink bandana and pink shorts. I wshould have gotten their picture. They were fascinated by Cohyn milking, and they went so far ( I've only had this happen a very few times in the years I have been showing) as to ask to drink some of the fresh-right-out-of-the-goat milk. They did leave all of us CD's.

edit*
Hey, I just checked out their website..they're not bad!
Sacred Dice

I'm so tired and the cheesecake needs 5 to 10 more minutes.
I am fading fast. I almost just laid down on the sofa "just for a few minutes'>
I know that would be a mistake, so I must type to keep myself awake.

I used a bit more egg white than whole egg in this recipe, and it's lemon instead of vanilla.

I haven't had a chance to see how my other entries have done, or what has been judged. so far. I think the yarn should have been judged.

I haven't been anywhere but the livestock barn and 2 trips to the Lion's Club burger wagon.
I did get some kettle corn and a taste of cotton candy.

I am checking the cake now


still not solid enough, but starting to brown.
now Conan is on. I am craving the bed but I have to wait just a few more minutes.
When I get up I can hardly walk, I am so sore.
I brushed my teeth.

checking cake

ok it's out and it's beautiful and I'm done too.

Assistant Aquarist Wanted

Open Goat Show day 1

Amazingly enough after as long a day as today was, I still managed to make a cheese cake and get it in the oven where it bakes.

A very very long day. I could have done better, but I am spoiled. I definitely could have done worse.
And tomorrow's another judge and another show.

My helper is a g*dsend.

The tiny milk tank on a tiny trailer?
I'm in love.

Sashimi!!

Check out the Grizzly Bear web cam.
This morning it seems to have gotten wet, but it has been clear and they maintain it pretty regularly.
Root for your favorite bear to catch a salmon. Or, root for the salmon.

Friday 6:56 A M

Well one day of the fair under my belt, 3 more for me still to come, culminating with the speed spinning contest on Sunday.
Today is day 1 of the Open Goat show, and I did not sleep well.

Yesterday was spent trimming and clipping the remaining goats. I only have one to go.
Cohyn was a big help, helping me load and haul the milkers to the fair, and working with some of the little does who are not to used to being led.

My pens are tucked away in the back of the barn, which means I am about as far away from the show ring as I could be. Fortunately it also means the no one is bothering me, and I have only had one "what is up with their ears" question.

I know I still have a few goats to tattoo, which might have been the cause of some of my sleeping problems. Worry, stress, well it is just a goat show.
There are a lot of nice goats at this show, and it might be the biggest attendance yet, so I am not expecting to do all that well. I have a few bright spots; my Lamancha yearling, my Alpine yearling milker, my grade yearling.

It was a very very long day yesterday. My thighs ache from standing and sitting over and over while working on the goats. My shoulder from clipping. My back from all that and more.

I do love the fair. I stood in the doorway of the barn in the late afternoon and watched and chatted and just got some good fair vibes. I haven't been to the midway yet, or seen any races. But I'm pretty sure I heard someone calling a race and he was swearing like a guy from the Bronx...WTF?

I have all my chores at the ranch to do, load some hay and bring it to the fairgrounds for those does, and at 8 we get started. 2 of my breeds are right after each other, and I am working with a showman who doesn't know anything about showing.
It might get interesting.

I'm off to get dressed into my show clothes.

booth sign ball of twine

First cheese cake was passable, That's O k as I was really expecting a total failure, and it's quite edible. It was an easy recipe and I'll make another soon, I know how to make it better.

Cohyn came by this morning to get some showmanship training as he will be helping me show some of these goats, and he has never done it before. He was a good student, and I think he will do fine.

Mike came by this morning and took a few of the largest kids along with 2 of mine. The lock is on.

Fleeces and cheese are due today, as well as the barn open to bringing in animals. I'll haul my dry doelings and kids tonight and the milkers tomorrow after milking.

I have one or 2 more shots at a good cheese so I am taking it. What I have now is O K but I'd like better. It's not really going to make a difference as I think I might have the only entries..

I sorted my fleeces and I'll take them over in a little while. I need stuff from town. Tomorrow the fair opens, and one of my routes to the ranch becomes one way, so I can't use it. That's a downside to the fair; it's kind of a pain..

This is inspiring...

Handmande wooden bike

Whap whap

Yes, the shit is about hit the big fan. Fortunately I am not involved, although I am affected.

Looks like this might turn into a pretty interesting fair...

4:54

2 more goats clipped.

First cheesecake attempt in the oven.

Sewing more blankets.

Printing business cards.

And the ballgame is on; Yankees VS White Sox.
Yankees are in 1st place AL East!

Better

My headache seems to have departed.

I have made 2 blankets so far. I am almost out of seam binding...

Cheese entry #1 is done and in the refrig.

My first attempt at a cheese cake is started; the graham cracker crust is in the oven.

As soon as that is out I am off to clip more goats as the sun has come out.

T minus uh about a day or so...

110th Humboldt County Fair

The headache is still with me, but it is finally fading into the background of my head.
I didn't wake during the night and need to dose myself some more. I wish I knew what the problem was, but I suspect sinus. We've had a slight change in the weather, and even had a 20% chance of rain in the past few days ( it actually did rain north of here)

I did wake once in the night hearing the T V which was still on. The announcement of the closing of the Oil pipeline at Prudhoe Bay. I would love to see a light rail line running on our abandoned tracks from here to McKinleyville. I mean, why not?
The past few days we have gone into stores that seem like Russia, in that the shelves were almost empty and there was hardly any product. That, and the tightening laws rules and population in prison are also reminiscent of Russia. Maybe it's because I am reading Sholem Aleichem, but I can see myself making the trip I took yesterday on the, hauling goats back from Arcata on the train!
It's a good time to be building my little car. Oh, and I saw that J has a rototiller, so I can borrow hers, and thus no guilt about tearing mine apart..

I felt well enough last night to start working on my show blankets, and even a gift or 2. I also got another batch of cheese done, but I left milk at the ranch..I have plenty however. My cream skimming is going well, and I have lots in the freezer to play with.
Tomorrow the cheese and my fleeces are due at the fairgrounds.
And I can start moving goat stuff too.
Fair opens Thursday at 11 AM.

I might get a few more goats clipped today. I definitely have goats that need tattoos. I cleaned and organized my tattoo kit last night. This will be the first fair that I have permanent registrations for every goat I entered..!

Do they show hamsters?

Still Ow ow ow

Alternating Ibuprofen with Pseudafed every other hour seems to be helping.

I went up to J's dairy today and brought home Nibbles to get her ready for the show. I also brought 2 Alpine does to breed. I stopped on the way home to get some denim material to sew some more goat blankets as it looks like the weekend might be a bit chilly. Let's see if I get them done.

I managed to get 2 more does washed and bathed in a break in the overcast and the headache. And that's pretty much all I got done.

I watched Hidalgo; fine if you don't start thinking that it's a "true story" because it isn't.
It was good to drift in and out of sleep to.

Now I have cheese on the stove and the denim is in the washing machine. IOn Wednesday I have to enter my cheese at that fair so I have to produce some good stuff before then.

I am pretty sure that after the fair I will be selling the Lamanchas, and trying to hang on to the Alpines and Grades. After sitting here making a list of my Lamanchas I don't feel bad about that at all. There's nothing there that I can't live without, and less goats would be nice heading in to winter.

ow ow ow

I woke up with this headache yesterday and I still have it. I went to Fortuna to get pseudafed ( and fingerprinted in order to get it, well no not really, but..)
well and some more engine cleaner..
I can't possibly have any more ibuprofen and pseudafed in my system and the pain is still here.

This is not a good time to be incapacitated

Brrrr!!

Check out Snow Girl's photos of the Antarctic. She spends all winter there at Halley Base (Laws?)and the sun is just returning.
The most recent photos are in the returning sun, a trip to the nesting penguins.

My beautiful engine

I wish I had taken a photo of my new engine before I spent the past 2 days cleaning it.
I should point out, however, that when I got it I didn't know it was this lovely color of blue.
Now to get it some new parts..first a muffler.

Beatles worship

I think it all happened because Lennon and McCartney were just so damn awesome.

And a great course in Beatles Greatness..check it out.

I was never into Sesame Street, and this is one of the reasons..I'M A GIRL

Even bastions of liberal creativity like “Sesame Street” are apparently vulnerable to the realities of show business, including a disproportionately high ratio of male to female puppeteers, said Rosemary Truglio, executive vice president for education and research at Sesame Workshop. (Miss Piggy has always been played by male puppeteers, starting with Frank Oz.) And a show as politically sensitive as this one has an added challenge: finding female characters that make kids laugh, but not laugh at them as female stereotypes.

“If Cookie Monster was a female character,” said Carol-Lynn Parente, executive producer of the show, “she’d be accused of being anorexic or bulimic. There are a lot of things that come attached to female characters.” For example, said Deborah Aubert, associate director of national programs and training services at Girls, Inc., a nonprofit advocacy group. “It would be hard to have a female character with Elmo’s whimsy who didn’t also seem ditzy.”

Grease macaca

I was up until almost 2 this morning finishing up my yarn for the fair entry. They are due before 4 today.
Ted and I went back to the yard sale and boy it looked like a swarm of locusts came through. It was pretty picked clean. Even still I got a little saber saw, 2 valves for my milking machine, and a couple of snaps.
We decided to have lunch in town and I figured we had plenty of time . It was 2:45.
There was a big table ahead of us, so we didn't get our food until 3:15. We left the restaurant at 3:41.
It was close.
I made it a minute or 2 after 4 (aargh that was a bit stressful), and yet someone came in after me with her crocheting. They didn't care. There's a lot of entries at Belotti Hall! I was happy to see that; it seems the entries have been a little sparse for the past few years.
I entered 4 skeins of yarn; fine singles, medium singles, and multiple ply, wool; and cellulose fiber in the cotton.

After a nap I was inspired to start cleaning the layer of oily gunk that the new engine has all over it. It's really gross. Ted found a can of carburetor cleaner and that was the ticket, along with a toothbrush.
It is really dirty, but I managed to clean off the carburetor, the air filter housing and the plate that holds the throttle and choke linkage.
It's really pretty where I cleaned it off!
But man is that crap dirty. I'm going to wear my latex gloves to try to keep that mess to a minimum.

BTW we got the engine started. It runs a little rough, and it definitely needs a muffler, but it starts!
Ted likes the little engines I got. Now to figure out a project for them...

Best yard sale score evah

That was exactly the garage sale I am always hoping for.
An estate sale,which usually means whatever is left after the family has picked over everything. They are usually pretty poor. And lots of geriatric aids..
But then there are the estate sales where there was an old man, best if it was an old farmer with a garage full of all sorts of stuff, so much that even after the family has picked over, there's still lots and lots of goodies.
And even better when they just want to get rid of the stuff so it's all really really cheap, just get it out of here.

So I'm digging around in the garage with all the other middle aged guys, and it's a real feeding frenzy as the sale started at 10, and it was 10:01.
I'm looking for a little engine to start my little car project ( I sent away for plans yesterday).
Right in the front of the garage are a rototiller ( with a 8 HP Briggs & Stratton engine..exactly what I want) a lawnmower ( with a 5 HP engine and a side bag, BTW, something else I have been wanting...mmm mowing) but I assumed they were more money than I had or was willing to spend for salvaging.
More digging and I find 2 little engines in the back, 5.00 each! I grab em. I can at least take them apart so I can figure out just how the dang things work in my engine education class.
More digging, so many tools, but what do I need? I grab a flat head screwdriver which I know I am short, and I see 2 balling guns, large and small, which I am also needing ( where are mine??)

There's a home made stainless steel sink...must...re..sist...
And what the heck is that? A home made air compressor, didn't I just say I wanted one of those for painting and...?

So I have the guns and the screwdriver, and after the long wait on line to check out( everyone got there at 10, so we all headed to the check out at the same time) I ask, just curious, how much for the rototiller?
10.00
???
And 10.00 for the lawnmower. They both work.
ACK !!
Oh yeah, they're mine.
I have to get the little trailer from the ranch for the rototiller.

Now, the dilemma, how can I justify dissecting a perfectly good rototiller? Wouldn't it be more use to me? I certainly will use it before I take it apart, if I even do.

And I'm still thinking about that air compressor..(20.00)

1:25 A M

Okay I am done with my yarn entries for the fair. Good thing, they are due at the fairgrounds tomorrow by 4.

I had entered 5 skeins, I managed 4. I had entered yarn made from the schipperke fur, but I see that I don't have anywhere enough fluff saved up to make the 50 yard minimum required.

The cotton came out the best, I think. It sure was the biggest pain ( ow my back).
I made samples for the fine and medium wool singles. I really wanted to make a tiny woven piece from the cotton...yeah yeah..

Now onwards to working the cheese which is due on Wednesday.
I got a new thermometer today which I think will really help.

Every year I do this to myself...

Dang, just when I thought I had all of my yarn entries spun, I checked my fair book. It's a good think that I marked all of my entries in the premium book, because I had forgotten that I entered cotton.

COTTON? What was I thinking. Like the hardest thing of all to spin.
Well, I found the cotton and I have started spinning it, but can I get 100 yards spun (50 yards for the entry, 50 for a sample) by Saturday 4 PM?

AAACK!!

Local crap and fair progress.

I could really do without drama, especially that I have no business in, yet I am somewhat involved and control.
What will become? It's not that I didn't see it coming..I have mostly protected myself months ago because I saw the developing trend, as many others did.
Now I have to figure out how to put a lock on..maybe some welding involved!

I got 2 more does clipped, only 12 more to go, with 6 days until the fair, 7 days until the show. If I can get 3 done for 2 days I'll be in really good shape. Some of them are small..

I made butter today! It's good!, however unappetizingly pure white, as goat butterfat is. I'll look into some coloring, I guess.

Also, some cheese made and I'll make an attempt at a cheese cake.

Another skein of yarn is halfway done. I need to make more of the first, it is not required to have a sample knitted/ woven up, but I'd like to have that with my entry.

So almost all yarn is done, but no samples.
I'm in good shape.

Global warming is over

This morning it wasn't 4:30, it was 3:15 when I woke up. At least I managed to get back to sleep without getting up.

It's cold and grey and I feel bad about the 2 does I clipped yesterday. Maybe I should blanket them..

Barnyard? Even the cows with udders are male.
This thing about no females in G rated movies is really just beyond ridiculous.
http://www.seejane.org

I need to finish my yarn, Friday or Saturday I have to deliver them to the fair.
It's getting to be crunch time. I have arranged to have my friend's son help me show my goats next Friday and Saturday. Between now and then I will have to teach him how to show. This will be interesting; I hope he enjoys doing this, I will be paying him...

ELEVEN female welders will soon be getting the job done in a traditionally male bastion on the North Vancouver waterfront.

Painter said she gets a different reaction from men and women when she tells them what she does for a living. Women say, "Wow, that's really cool. Men generally say, 'Oh really'."

"Then they want to test you to see if you're lying. I find their responses pretty funny," she said.

Painter agreed that men at new work sites initially wonder if she can do the job. "When they see you're not useless they warm up to you a bit more," Painter added.

There's nothing traditional about the welding being done on the fast ferries. The boats require skills in aluminum welding, a new skill for most in B.C. shipyards. So when it comes to welding work for the project, men and women are starting from the same blocks.

Fair in 1 week. Entries due Saturday

I was once again awake at 4:30 this morning. That makes 3 days this week. WTF?
After an hour up I manage to get back to sleep at dawn, but still, I could do without that.
I might try to remember to open the window tonight as I did notice the bedroom was a bit stuffy when I went back in.

In other news.
I can't seem to get good vacuum on my new little pump. Jeanette brought me some pump oil last night, but that doesn't seem to be the problem. I am a little worried that there might be a broken vane in there, the pump was cheap enough, but still..







Also, I had clipper problems wieh I started clipping yesterday. These are almost new clippers, but I think I might have fixed the problem and I'll get back on it today. I managed to bathe 2 yearlings, and get them both body clipped, and one almost all trimmed. Yep, it's the small trim clippers giving me trouble.
One of the does (Shevetts Schw Vortex Anna) I clipped looks really good, I think she'll show well. And on review I have her littermate (Shevetts Schw Volcano)as a yearling buck ( I showed him this year) and I also have her month old daughter (Shevetts LV Weather Girl) I'll be showing, and part of my get of sire. That's a nice line to see developing..

I also started getting organized for the fair (8 days and counting). I have to finish my yarn by Saturday.
I have 20 or so does to clip
I have cheese entries to work on ( did someone say I have the only entries?)
I have all of my booth display to get organized/ done.


It's so late, I should be outahere
I'm going to Fortuna to do what I forgot to do yesterday when I hauled some lambs to Redwood Meats.
Banking, gas, pick up the right clipper blades, what am I forgetting?

Ha ha!

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.

ABBOTT: Your computer?

COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.

ABBOTT: What about Windows?

COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?

COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?

ABBOTT: Wallpaper.

COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

ABBOTT: Software for Windows?

COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

ABBOTT: I just did.

COSTELLO: You just did what?

ABBOTT: Recommend something.

COSTELLO: You recommended something?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: For my office?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!

ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.

COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?

ABBOTT: Word.

COSTELLO: What word?

ABBOTT: Word in Office.

COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.

ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO: Which word in which office for which windows?

ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue "W".
COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue "w" if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?

ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.

COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?

ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.

COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?

ABBOTT: One copy.

COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?

ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.

COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?

ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?

ABBOTT: Click on "START".............

Progress

In working on my portable milking machine I was stuck at the vacuum reserve tank, really the only part that I neede to build/ fabricate/ morph.
Ted had sweet talked a guy at his plant into donating this great piece of Schedule 80 8" PVC pipe, but capping the ends was becoming a challenge.
I was so sure I had a scrap of 1/4" PVC sheet around that had floated onto my place in some flood, but when I found a piece, it was way too small. I really thought it was a bigger piece.
Checking on line, shipping was more than a few pieces of plastic.
Caps that were actually made for the pipe seemed to run over 30.00 each.
I found a plastics place in Eureka, so since I was hauling lambs today, I thought I'd stop in.

Then last night while I was working on a fencing project, I found the bigger piece ( that I had carefully stashed away) and I was THRILLED!!
The project took a huge step forward.
I stopped what I was doing and went to work on the tank.

An unknown material..can I cut it with my skil saw? Yes!
Can I shape it with my angle grinder? Yes!!

So in less than 1/2 hour I had cut, shaped fitted drilled and screwed one end on.
I now need to find some gasket material to seal the ends.

Now I'm in design mode; how wide to make the tank. Maybe I should set it on its end?
How to fit it onto the little cart.
Do the fittings come out the side or the end?

Yes, fittings are next and the dang thing is well on it's way.

I felt I wasn't getting much done yesterday, but in retrospect I

1. Spun enough yarn for another entry ( but I did discover I had entered 4 skeins, not 3)
2. Made cheese with a new recipe ( not thrilled).
3. Weed eated and set up a new fenceline behind Pat's house for another kid pen.
4. Vacuum tank well on it's way.