Time flies when we're having fun!

Well, I don't have any excuses that are worthy to explain my lengthy absence. Work, work, work, planting plants, various greenhouse dutes, regular mom stuff.

I'll have to take some picctures of the prospective garden patch and show you the asparagus patch/rhubarb patch.

Be back soon.

Getting Ready.........

Well, gosh yarn it, I'm back!!!!!! You know how life keeps you crazy busy sometimes? That's been life here at Sun Valley Farm for quite a bit. We did get away over the holidays to the beaches of Florida for 2 weeks -- fun was had by all, and everyone back at the farm survived with the help of DH's brother Chuck -- thanks Chuck!!!

But on the very near horizon we've been getting ready for Fiber Festivals this spring, and it's been taking up all of the spare time we can find around here..........

This weekend, February 26, 27 and 28 we're off to Oak Creek, WI (near Milwaukee) for the Sheep In the City Getaway -- a wonderful fiber event put on by Jan of Just 4 Ewe fiber shop. We're loading the truck and trailer up with Icelandic roving, Icelandic yarn and Merino blends we've hand-dyed into the most gorgeous colors!!! I say we've been dyeing because DH is very much the dyer -- he comes up with the most beautiful colors!!! There's no way I could get all of this done by myself, working off the farm all day and everything, that we have decided to divide and conquer to accomplish everything. It's all quite simple, really.... We take turns! Really! And it works beautifully and harmoniously. Too bad we can't get the girls to do that -- but DD1 and DD2 are 14 and 16 now, so what can I say?

This is DD2 in all of her glory!!! Quite the character, don't you think? This was taken by DD1 at a local antique car show, and was one of the rare times out and about they didn't argue -- at least not in our presence!!!

Anyway, I digress. Getting ready for Fiber shows has started extremely early at SVF -- we're also vendors at the Madison Knitter's Guild meeting on March 6, then we're vending at the Madison Knitter's Guild Knit In on March 13 -- so 3 shows in about 2 week's time is a lot to prepare for. Not much time in between for restocking, so we'll see what happens!

Thankfully we'll have the sheep sheared later in March this year -- no lambs this spring at Sun Valley, we've felt the need to take a year off. We're expecting some beautiful fleeces from everyone this spring since the girls don't have to worry about growing babies, and they do look spectacular, that's for sure! When I find the camera, I can upload some recent pics of yarn and sheep, but right now I'm stuck with what's on here, and it ain't much!

I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with Bea, my Lendrum DT spinning wheel this weekend. Seems going to a Fiber show is the only time I get to sit down with her, at least for a little bit during the day, but extensively at night after the show back in the hotel room. We're always joined by a nice glass of wine, nice food -- life is good!

Rainy Days

Well, finally some needed rain! There's always so much to be done, especially living on a working farm, that it's difficult to take a "day off". Factor in 100+ sheep and attempting to get ready for another fiber show and that's even more the case.

After being married for 21+ years, I've come to the realization that my husband is a workaholic, but I can always get him to slow the pace down when we get a rainy day. It's a day to dawdle over a cup of coffee, hang out on the front porch, usually on the swing, and just marvel at all of it. Marvel at the fact that in spite of the state of the world today, we are carving out bit by bit our own piece of heaven. It's going to take time -- lots of time -- and tons of hard work, but we have finally realized that it's okay to not get everything on the list done today, to leave some for tomorrow and just savor the wonderful things we've already accomplished.

There's always going to be weeds to pull, but the humming birds are beautiful to watch as they hover over and dart from flower to flower. The sheep love walking out in the rain and call to us as they walk past the house out to their favorite spots in the pasture. Just listening to the sound of the rain is calming.

Yes, this is our bit of heaven. We are very thankful for it -- every day, every single day.