They Say It's Your Birthday Well Sorta

The long and winding road hit an abrupt halt with all the rain we have gotten yesterday and today. This is a bit down the mountain with the top of the road over the mountain and on the other side live a large herd of Boer goats with their Pyrenees probably Akbash crossed  livestock guardian dogs. When it rains so hard the Ash Creek tops its banks the goats and dogs stay home.

 



This is from this morning. In about two hours to be precise. We had our high this morning at 6:30 AM and by 10:30 AM we were headed down by six degrees and it will continue to drop as another very wet, snow bearing cold storm moves through in the next four days.









Hey but it is all about fun, friendship and last nights celebration at the Shedd. We have a tradition as many fiber groups do of celebrating members birthdays. Since we are fairly  small as fiber groups or guilds go we each bring a gift and a dish of some kind for the birthday person(s). March is all about Lori our rising star weaver(below on the left) and me. We have birthdays to the right and left of March 21 by a week or so. What is better then one Aries? Why two of course!

I don't usually honk my own horn but I always said "a person can be judged by the company they keep." These ladies just rock it and after a supper of pasta with sausage, fresh plum tomatoes,spinach and white sauce with croissants , an amazing kale,cabbage, carrot , baby greens salad and an amazing home made cheesecake with fresh raspberries from Susan's bushes on the homestead they recently left in Oregon. We (an yes that last sentence is probably a contender for the longest run on sentence) got presents! We have unique friends so the gifts just screamed fiber,home,country and love!

 

From sweet Sarah, youngest member of our group, a hand made olive branch wreath from her olive orchards. Sarah has two children, one husband and they landed on ten acres of ancient olive trees that give delish olives for home canning. Sarah is an amazing spinning , 4H Mom and raises cute Dutch rabbits. Love it Sarah just what my porch needed to dress it up!

Judy , group founder experienced spinner, weaver, gardener, milkmaid to mini Jerseys, just retired from many years as a paraprofessional for the art department at Shasta Jr. College . Oh almost forgot Judy and her hubby Stan raise angora goats. They had a very sought after herd for many years and I first met them at Black Sheep gathering in Oregon one year long before I moved out of Fresno.  Pretty much retired from breeding stock Stan is a very sought after judge for show rings and fiber competitions. The large "hairball" pictured is the first fleece of a wether and I can't wait to get it is processed and on the wheel! <3 you Judy!

Carol, other group founder and the Shedd is on her land. She had her own show production herd of Angoras and is now leading a more gentle , slower life. She also is our "room mother" making sure we have current weather alerts on Wednesdays before we head over the mountains and who is in need of anything from a hug to a how you doing in the group. She is one heck of a knitter and her potholders are the bomb! Carol you are quiet but always thinking lol!

Lori I love them! I have just gotten my official "you aren't a country girl without a rack" badge. Now to find a home for these. Lori as Janet is a cowgirl. They live and breath rising Angus cattle on respective ranches. Lori is a fairly new weaver and has rocked the art of weaving "I didn't know you do that!" on her two shaft loom. She is sweet, she is kind and she is always late to the party but always has a reason that makes a great story.


 






Janet my neighbor, heart bigger then anyone, lover and Mama to many an orphan calve. Trainer of amazing cow dogs, fiber artist that rocks my world with what she weaves.Friend always and forever. Great drawstring bag and I can drop in my knitting and / or drop spindle with fiber in and hit the road. I included both sides so you could enjoy the names of all the chicks on them.



   
                                                                        

Susan. I saved Susan for last because she is an amazing individual. Susan is Carol's sister-in-love. (I use that term almost always for if it weren't for love they wouldn't be in our lives would they?) She and her hubby Joe just returned to the home area from a long time homesteading in Oregon. Susan canned and grew all they needed. When they moved down here from Oregon again she brought with her freezers , literally, of frozen home grown chickens, beef and boxes of fruit and other produce from their efforts in the last year prior to moving. Does this make Susan my hero ? Yup but the big deal is this. Susan came home a breast cancer survivor and now to our heartbreak she has found that it has metastasized.  We came close to losing Susan about 4 plus weeks ago but she preserved and now is home. Last week she returned to the Shedd for the first time in about 8 weeks. She is determined and amazing. She is meeting her situation with dignity and on her terms. She is positive, giving and we all benefit just from knowing and loving her. This sharing of pears and cherries from her orchard that she cared for and was such a huge part of her life for so long is just for lack of better words just Susan. I am so blessed to have Susan in my life.