Deb ClemensSeptember 07, 2016Frankly speaking, Champagne D'Argent, angora goats, angora rabbits, luxury yarn

Frankly speaking ..... I'm getting there

Deb ClemensSeptember 07, 2016Frankly speaking, Champagne D'Argent, angora goats, angora rabbits, luxury yarn

So, over the past week, I encouraged wench to actually sit down and do some work with this blog. She has been chatting with the folks at the Squarespace help line and they have in fact been helpful in teaching the old dog some new tricks. Here's hoping she's got it now, and we can get down to work, now that the busy season is upon us.

We love fall around here. There are several reasons for this - first of all we get to lose our fleece. Shearing has occurred for the kids going to new homes, Lourdes and Taylor, and Neeman and Marcus - the fiber is like buttah and not all that dirty. Warbux, who we also consider this year's kid, has not found a home yet. That's ok. He's welcomed to stay here as long as necessary, but, really, he should be finding a new job with his dad, Geronimo.

Our sales policy is that no one goes it alone. It seems that my old buddy Norman never really bonded with his new flock, and he did meet a tragic ending, at the paws of some rouge dogs, so, now, we make it a policy to never sell one goat. If you want one, you'll take two. It's that simple.

But I digress (like usual). In farm news, we have a few new bunnies. The Champagne D'Argent is a beautiful breed of rabbit. You may recall Homestead's Batman came to live here a while back:

Well, now he has a couple of girlfriends: This is The's Zatana

and The's Selina. Selina is very very friendly

We'll see how they do showing this fall, and then they'll go to work in the rabbitry making babies. Champagne babies are born black and fade to white over black... very interesting - thus the mask on the face. We are excited to start off with this new breed.

As you may recall, Miss Daisy had her litter in April of this year. There are two boys, Andre and Goliath. Andre went to Murfreesboro Tennessee this past weekend and was recognized as best opposite in his class. There weren't enough giants to gain a leg for this, but that's ok. Maybe next time. Andre was the only one of Daisy's babies to manage to keep his coat nice during his adolescence. Goliath, Dione, Phoebe and Kari (see the theme here?) all had to have their coats sheared because they were laying around on top of each other, being silly. Even Gulliver, the french angora foster child of the great Miss D got into that act and had to be shorn. The giants should be ready to show by January, maybe even sooner, but Gulliver will most likely not have a great coat until Spring, when she will be a senior. That actually works out ok, too.

This leaves few bunnies going to shows this fall. It's ok. There is no need to bring a hundred rabbits to a show. Wench is getting old and should be slowing down a little, don't you think?

Well, you might think so, but she never quits. This is the new area of the barn now being constructed, because, let's face it: we never have enough space for critters:

Not sure yet what will go there, but it most likely won't be goats. We have a nice sized flerd right now and we're fine with that. Of course this year G didn't get the memo (AGAIN) and has already started breeding season, which means kids will be born around December AGAIN.

Another new member of the flerd has been added, too: Little Miss Harper the chocolate lab is working her way into all of our hearts. We don't get to see her too often down in the barn yet because she has not received all of her vaccinations, but when she does come down here, she loves to chase us. We are not quite sure how to take this and will school her if she gets out of hand.

On a sad note, we have not seen Smidge for a couple of weeks. When Harper came to live in the house, Goose (the housecat) took it upon herself to move into the barn. Smidge was not a happy camper as she was the queen there. She didn't leave a note, but we think she just got mad and went somewhere else to live. We are hoping she comes back, but aren't counting on it. She was missing Rock Star a lot and maybe she went to find him.

So, keep a lookout for us at the Floyd Art Festival October 1st. Mountain Top Fibers will be showing this fall under the banner of Blue Ridge Fiberworks. Whenever there are two of the partners in cahoots, the Blue Ridge Fiberworks banner will be on top, with the three partners underneath. This is so old ladies can combine their efforts, and no one has to strain themselves working too hard. A true cooperative. So, on October 1st, wench will be at a rabbit show up in Woodstock, VA and the other two partners will run the booth. On the 2nd, (which is the 2nd day of the festival) wench will come down to Floyd from Woodstock and work the booth for the other two, break it down and bring it home.

Then, she gets to go to her class reunion (45 years - told you she was old) the following weekend and then rest for two weeks while she gets ready for SAFF. That's another post.

So, if I haven't lost you with this epic post, which seems to be the length of a novel, I'll sign off and say - thanks for reading Frankly speaking - and remember - it's ok to speak frankly but nice matters.

Deb Clemens