Frankly speaking.....thank you for being a friend

Being a friend is a very important part of life.  There are good friends, best friends, not so good friends, friends with whom you have to watch your back or your language, and those friends that you can be yourself with totally.  Goats have friends, but mostly goats have family.  You always have to watch your back with a goat friend, if you are a person or a goat..... it doesn't matter, goats are goats and grain is king, so, stay out of our way if there is food involved, no matter how good a friend you are. (Ask wench sometime, she's ended up on the ground a few times - pretty funny if you ask me)

Anyway, what is all this friend talk leading up to?  Well, a few things....... first and foremost, it's about ME.  Frankie.  I'm saying so long to a couple of friends this week.  Geronimo and Warbux are traveling up to Ohio to start a new herd for some nice folks.  They will be having an adventure, and we will be having just one buck in our herd.  That's PLENTY.  The two little boys, Lazarus and Silas (although they should be called Spin and Marty because Laz spins around when he is getting his grain.. funny) will get neutered in August and then go to Pennsylvania to live with our friend Charlotte.  Willis will have some big hoofs to fill, but I'm sure he's up for the task.  It's sad to see him hang around waiting for the seconds all the time.  Now he'll be the main man - er - goat, as the case may be.

Wench has been busy as this is the fiber show season.  First it was Powhatan, then a couple weeks later Toano, and this week Dickson, Tn.  Look for her in the Pavilion at the Middle Tennessee Fiber Festival - Memorial Day weekend on Friday and Saturday.  I am happy to report that our work has been warmly received.  Although she sells the shirt off my back, she is also getting the word out about local fiber and how GOATS are the most important fiber animal.  She brags about me and how awesome I am, and shows my picture to everyone she meets.    At least that's what she tells me.....   see how happy these ladies are after hearing all about Frankie and his flerd? 

These ladies, a mother and daughter (hard to believe, they look more like sisters!) just purchased some of our African Market Baskets.  This photo is SUPPOSED to show the baskets, but, AS USUAL, my marketing department did not do it right, so, I am pretending that they are just happy to have heard all about me.  Better luck next time wench.  holy mackeral, she can't take a picture.  Anyway, enjoy your baskets girls!

So, speaking of friends, wench was really lucky to have her life long friend, Aunt Patty, join her and Aunt June at Toano, and not only that, Aunt Patty and Uncle Gary opened their home and heart (and kitchen, YUM, uncle Gary is a gourmet) to wench and Aunt June for the weekend.  Girls just wanna have fun, as they say, and a good time was had by all, and may or may not have included some adult beverages... in any event here's Aunt June at our booth at Toano:

Aunt June is a really good friend.  She wrote up a sock pattern that we are supplying with the purchase of any of our sock yarn!  We love Aunt June.  Here's her sock: (Frankie's Favorite Foot Covering)

Get your free sock pattern!  Take a look at our store and then wait for wench to update it (sheesh!)  after the Dickson Fiber Festival this weekend.  After Dickson, the next event will be the High Point Quilt Show in August, so, let's hope that slacker wench gets a chance to dye more yarn, wash more fiber, update the website, and all the stuff she is supposed to do between now and then.  If she gets the alpaca washed, and the merino dyed, then be looking for new yarns this fall... she'll drop it all off at Blue Mountain on the way to pick up my girlfriend Hailey!   It's hard to get good help ya know.

Anyway, we have big big big news coming your way - a new fiber festival is being put together by friends, so more on that as plans firm up.... a new yarn is being previewed at festivals this season and will be debuted (softly) at the quilt show and hit hard at SAFF, a 'menage a quat' four local fibers (featuring me, of course) and a pattern designed JUST for us!  how exciting!  keep watching for more news on that front... and, in the meantime, remember - to have a friend you must be a friend.  

I consider you all my friends, because, who doesn't want a goat for a friend?  Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking! 

Frankly speaking... just call me a one armed paper hanger

Seems to me that the word "busy" is a relative term.  Some folks are busy when they have to go to the dentist and the grocery store all in the same day.  Some just take on too much.  A lot of this can be blamed on always trying to please everyone.  I'm glad that I have the job I do and just get to tell people what to do to best serve me. Don't get me wrong, I'm busy, for sure, but nothing compared to my human caretakers.  holy mackeral.

As previously reported, builder has taken a part time job at Lowes.  This cuts into his building time.  A LOT.  So the progress on my suite of stalls has been slow. Good thing we live in the south, because it's not an urgent issue to get in before the big snows, because, well... we don't have many of those.  In any event, it's coming along and will be lovely I'm sure and  I'll post a picture when it is done.

Wench on the other hand, has been working toward building the business, selling breeding stock, contacting the yarn shops, doing farmers markets and craft fairs, and getting ready to go to Texas for the ARBA convention at the end of October.  I see her breeze through the barn a couple of times a day, bringing hay, feed and water, (thus the name Wench) but she doesn't spend the time sitting and stroking my cheek and giving me the admiration I so deserve because she is just too busy.  She is not complaining, I am.

I'm hoping we can get a little more on line presence so maybe she can stay home and take care of me better.  Oh, the basics are met - and exceeded - food, clothing, shelter, but the admiration is lacking a little.    ok, enough complaining

In other news, Smidge continues to grow, always getting in the way - she got stepped on yesterday and has a swollen foot.  We're keeping an eye on it, though to make sure it isn't broken.  She should stay up on her perch and not get in the way, ya know?

The babies continue to grow, now weaned fully from their mommas, our does are enjoying the peace and quiet, and the babes are bonding.  Here is a butt shot for your entertainment:

in case you aren't sure, that's Carm on the left, then Willis, Brooks and Valentine.  That Brooks is getting to be a big boy.  He may be going to live in Grassy Creek, but if not, then he will be up for sale.

Speaking of sales, look for our products for the last time at Fiber Day in October (17th) at the Independence Farmers Market.  After that we will be participating in the on line market.  Our yarns are available locally at Unwound in Blowing Rock, NC, Purl's Emporium in Asheville, NC, the Wooly Jumper in Floyd, VA as well as here at the farm.  You can always shoot an email to wench (deb@mountaintopfibers.com) to see what's available.  Our lovely fingering weight yarn made from mohair and angora with added merino, is a big hit with weavers and knitters alike.

This weekend coming up, wench will be at the Floyd Art show with some of our stuff.  Stop on by and say hey.

So friends, the people in my life can continue to be so busy busy busy... me too.  I'll be busy doing what I do best:

laying in the sunshine on our little mountain, growing my fleece for your enjoyment.  Till next time!  kiss kiss.