Keeping Up With The Jones , er , Susan, and a GIVEAWAY!

This cute autumnal (that is my new word) decoration arrived on Tuesday from Mama Pea along with a recipe I requested. Loving the cute little burlap sack decorated with a sweet pumpkin square. Recipe for Mexican Beer Chowder yet to be tested but will give review when I do.

What does this have to do with the post title? Not much but the days before and after it are  so very Susan. Such as full, catalytic,  more in a day than hours are you getting it? Well Susan I love you and you wear it well but you can keep it. lol

It all began when I offered to organize a "Alpaca to Shawl" for the demo at Arapaho Rose http://www.arapahorosealpacas.com/     and then came the first of the month plus new chickens , barn cleaning and new "flannel sheets" for all. SOP in addition during all this and I am making a slow recovery of a case too much in one little package.

Here is the result of the alpaca to shawl. Hanging nicely on a display in the shop at Arapaho Rose. It is all alpaca , can you say "oh so soft" and was woven on a Baby Wolf loom for those interested.

This is the Fiber Studio. It is where we meet once monthly for spinning and workshops. I love the signage that Karen added just in time for Alpaca Farm Days. It is by the way a national event the last Saturday/Sunday of the month of September. Check your area for a local farm near you.

A better look of the new sign. The profile is of one of Karen's girl alpacas but don't ask me who. She has several gates bearing her likeness also. 

Kathleen on the left and Paula on the right spinning , what else, alpaca!

From front to rear Kathleen, Barbara, Judy, Patty, Colleen and at the shelf  winding a bobbin for our out of sight literally and figuratively weaver Jackie, is Ash. 

Spinner Barbara sharing her hand spun hand knit alpaca (of course) sweater for youngest Grandson Jack. 

We had a wonderful time and the attendance for this event went from 600 hundred last year to 2000 this year! We must being doing something right. But this is Karen's brain child and check out her website link to learn more about the herd and Karen. Plus enjoy a lot of photo's of the days activities.

On Sunday I loaded up the extra large kitty crate and drove to a friends (Ash above the bobbin winder) to pick up two 8 month old Red Sex Link pullets who are laying. Yippie!! I have no photos yet (baddddd chicken mama) but they are lovely and healthy and already four days later , comfortable and giving me eggs. Then after getting back home from a lengthy visit I went to therapy.

Cheap therapy. I pulled out my Schacht Matchless wheel and spun myself just about comatose before it was feeding time and end of the day chores. Boy did I benefit from that ! If I had been born before my time I would have been a production spinner. So stealing away some time is cheaper than a therapist and releases endorphins so I go to my happiest of places. Well except for being with the goats, the Pyrs, the cats, the house dogs . Perhaps I am happier than I thought ;-)

Monday , Monday how loaded that day. Yikes a first of the month trip to Redding always means a really long day. And it rained a bit too. But I got 'er done and was back home by four in the P.M. Got things organized and out the door by four forty five diving into evening chores. I slept really well that night.

Tuesday dawned with some unexpected rain showers. By the time it was over I was a bit damp but loving it. Enjoying coffee and a phone call visit with my bestie cowlady aka Janet who lives lived :-(
at the Armstrong Holiday ranch across the street. She and her cowboy retired and moved to Winnemucca ,NV. By the time the visit was done the skies had cleared to lots of big , billowy clouds and blue sky.

So I made a trip to the feed stores. Picked up chicken feed, grain for my milker and the bucks. I supplement the buck boys with about a 4 ounce ration of 14% Organic all purpose when they are in rut.Reason? They park their brains (between their ears) on a fence post and their appetite takes a nose dive. Even that small amount helps Longfellow who is 9 years now keep a decent weight through the rut season.

The next stop was  for straw, shavings and the lovely first cutting alfalfa mountain hay you see above. It makes my entire barn smell like, well, new mowed alfalfa. Fine, leafy and they eat it all down to the bottom of the bunk. Except for the bucks who look at and go back to pacing the fence line because a doe was on the other side about four feet away. Like I said their "brains" not the ones referred to above the pair a bit lower than that rule the brain between their ears. So they stare at it once in awhile but by the next morning it too has disappeared.

Wednesday was a mix of showers and sun. When the showers stopped I dashed out turned out the does in the west barn and commenced to clean and put down the "flannel sheets". First after cleaning a fine layer of zeolite, then another fine layer of DE , a thicker layer of shavings and lastly a bale and one of half of straw. This combination makes a good base for wintering over and adding straw when needed. We have porous soil so the zeolite and DE (diatomaceous earth) adds a hand in keeping it dry and also keeping odor at bay. I do what is called deep bedding which translates to I don't clean until Spring or when weather becomes warm and dry . I just continue to add straw and as time goes on it begins to compost itself and adds a bit of heat to the barn which adds a measure of comfort on the December through March days that are quite cold , wet and on occasion snowy.

zeolite and DE

   Pine shavings being applied in about a 1/2 inch layer over the zeolite and DE

The top layer is very nice bedding straw.  Which will be reapplied as needed this winter. 

I was super happy to have gotten the whole process including moving the feeder bunk in the above photo into the barn after a summer of feeding outdoors in about 4 hours total including a few "honey do's" for me along the way. I haven't gotten any photos today with the crew inside but they all looked happy this morning. Now only the big barn, buck barn and chicken coop to go.

So there you have it my week that was. I will admit that despite the title I will never be able to keep up Susan as I require at least seven hours of sleep to appear remotely human the next day.  And I couldn't think of anyone I would rather see remain the reigning Queen of the pack and dash weekend like she is :-) 

If you are still with me and haven't been bored into a nap as a reward I present a giveaway.  If you have always wanted to release your inner Cowgirl but can't run barrels here is your chance to sport some Cowgirl bling. 

A bling, bling a clutch trifold wallet from Blazin Roxx . If not for you Christmas is coming and it would make a great gift for that cowgirl or wannabe disco cowgirl in your life. How do I win? Well just leave a comment on this post and your name will go into a feed bucket on Columbus Day Monday October 8th. Winner will be announced on the 9th of October. Winner will have until October 11th to contact me with their contact info or another winner will be drawn. I will pay postage within the US. If you are out of the US and win I will ask you to pay the difference in US and international postage.  Good luck!