Beanie For Jess

I hope you like your new hand spun, dyed and knitted beanie. JESS.
made especially for you with the spun wool we dyed on Wednesday.

Alpaca Drying/Carded

I had this huge bag of Alpaca fleece, so with Marlenes help we took it out to my back yard and had the tediuos task of sorting the spinable from the definately unspinable. The "spinable" was then put into hot soapy water to soak for a few hours, then rinsed. Next day it was sunny so made a platform off the grass with a broken clothers dryer and
a couple of storage boxes. Laid a large remnant of curtain material under and over it to keep it together in case a gust of wind blew it all over the place and birds thinking what a "lovely fluffy nest this will make".

Using a Wild Carder I started to card this beautiful fleece. I have already carded about 200 grams and I still have this huge bag ready to process.

refer earlier Post: Just Shawn Alpaca

Mileage- 100000km

I finally reached the 100,000 km so had to take a photo. 24 Sep 2010
My car is a Toyoto Seca (1993) which my Dad bought brand new and passed on to me in his later years when he was not confident in driving. I hope it will carry me for the next 100,000.

Just Shawn Alpaca

Friday morning Marlene and I took a trip in search of this farm at West Corindi.
Ann rang to tell us she had some Alpaca fleece we may like. We couldnt pass an opportunity like this. After a warm welcome and cup of coffee Ann bought the Alpaca up for us to have a closer look at them. Having been just shawn they looked a little funny but those big eyes and eye lashers they are just beautiful, but known to spit which a couple did.
We came home with bags of fleece but it all needs to be sorted to get the best lengths for spinning.
The farm is surrounded by blue berry bushes, macadamia nut tree
and avocado trees.

Miss Toupea - chook

In my backyard I have this old metal garbage bin which Miss Toupea thought it was the best place, warm and soft to lay her egg. She is friendly and very vocal chook and so far a good layer of medium size brown egg.

If you double click and get a very detail picture You will see why she is named Toupea.

My neice said she is wearing a toupea, so the name stuck.

Rhode Island Reds X New Hamshire Poultry

I went to my local Ag Store and came out with a bag of mixed grain and 7 little day old Rhode Island Reds X New Hamshire Chicks.
I did have two clucky chooks so 3 went under Scruffy and 4 went under Twin No 1. I had to do it when it was dark and they are a little dazed.
I had prepared the nursery into 3 sections. I have already four little Silky X chicks with their mother Twin No 2. they are about 10 days old and still smaller than the day olds. Very active and eating and picking and scratching as their Mum has taught them.

The nursery is only put together with wire, tomato stakes and covered with tarp but I have managed to make it as warm and waterproof as possible. Jilly my little Foxi is very interested. I do have to keep her in my sights as not quite sure what she would do with the chicks.

This hobby of mine is a little break from my hand spinning and hand dyeing but I will get back to it later.