Frankly speaking.................who's a hot steamy mess?

NORMAN, I tell you... is a mess.

you see, with the cooler weather comes breeding season.  Being the spokesgoat, I am not bothered by this type of thing.  But Norman, poor guy, is having a hard time.

He has a job to do and he is focused.  He is a gentlemen (pretty much) and even stays out of the way of the wench who has a healthy respect for the buck and his job.

Geronimo is watching all this and trying to emulate his dad. without much success.  the girls treat him like he's a fly or something... get away gnat!

notice the new salt block in the barn... yum-o a sulfa salt block.  gives me a focus when Norman is so busy these days.

In bunny news, we have a new buck in the barn.  His name is Point Dexter.  He comes from east of Raleigh, NC and will be debuting at the Pennsylvania state convention for his show career, or maybe sooner if his coat grows back in quickly

meanwhile, Queen Julianna is relaxing in her new, bigger cage

she is waiting to get registered and then granded, then her coat will come off and she'll have a date with Point Dexter.  The naming venue for his babies may be crime show characters (Dexter, get it?) so we could have Lennie Briscoe, Jessica Rabbit, those types of names.   He had a date with Julianna's sister Lillianna earlier this week, so we'll see if anything comes of that.

We are still waiting for the shearing team (builder & wench) but they seem to be pre-occupied with things important to people - can't imagine anything more important than your goats, but WHATEVER... hopefully it'll be soon, I'd like the opportunity to grow a little fleece before the cold weather sets in. gawd, it's hard to get good help around here.

ok, enough complaining.  I'll talk to you soon --- and thanks for reading Frankly Speaking.

Frankly speaking...........................Queen for a Day?

Remember that old show?  The wench does... she was little and her momma used to watch it every afternoon.  Well, there was some excitement around here yesterday, letmetellya  -- we had our own queen for a day - can you guess who it was? Think it was beautiful Annie?

Nope.

How about little Gracie, the cutie-patootie?

No, not Gracie.....

Daisy?

No, not Daisy, either (nor Nigel - he'd get mad if he knew I called him a queen, but comeon, look at those horns... what better crown?) but I digress...

How about Eva the diva?

No, not her, either, but you are getting warmer....................

it is, may I present, Mountain Top Fibers FIRST EVER Best in Show bunny:

JULIANNA!

she was so excited.  A newly crowned grand champion!  She's pretty special.

Of course, not as special as me, because let's face it.  I'm awesome.  How many goats do you know who can blog?

Hay, (I mean hey) stay tuned.... shearing should be this week and we'll have some before/after glamour shots... so, until next time, thanks for reading Frankly speaking!

Frankly speaking..................Happy Cheyanne's Birthday! (and other news)

Do I have you totally confused?  Who is Cheyanne and why do we celebrate his birthday?  Why do goats bang their heads together? Why do fools fall in love? there are a lot of unanswered questions in the universe, but, frankly speaking, you are lucky to have ME, Frankie, to splain it to you once in a while, ya know? So, Cheyanne was this horse.  Not just any horse.  He was the wench's very first horse.  His birthday is on labor day because that is the day he came to live with the wench and the first original builder (her dad, also called Clem) and gave up his career as a riding academy hack.  The wench was only 9 years old, and every year they'd bake a mashed potato cake, decorate it with corn and carrots and invite all the other horses who lived in Bayport over for cake and a ride.  I am grateful to Cheyanne because he started the whole animal loving thing with my wench and as a result, she's pretty responsible when it comes to making sure we come FIRST like we should.

Every year, the wench would call her dad on labor day and say Happy Cheyanne's Birthday!  Since her dad passed away in 1995, she says it out loud to no one in particular, hoping that he'll hear her.  I'm listening.

So, in other news, the babies continue to grow up and pretty soon it'll be time for their first shearing.  We are all lookin pretty fluffy these days, except Geronimo, who still hasn't decided if he wants to go to Asheville this fall and be a show goat.

Gracie just continues to get cuter:

and the rest of the gang just is hangin out growing our fleeces

Annie is looking particularly beautiful this summer and is growing up into quite a nice young lady

Norman is looking a little horny these days:

He does not find my humor amusing

Not to change the subject, but the chickens have been enjoying some freedom these days, now that the 2x4 fence is up and they (hopefully) can't get into the neighbors' yards, but they have an annoying habit.  They go to Norman's stall and make a nest every day and lay their eggs!

Daisy and Nigel were hanging out in the barn today.  They make a cute couple, don't you think? (for sheep, that is)

Eve the cat even came to visit... although she didn't come all the way to the barn.  I guess when you are 22 years old (that's like 300 in cat years I think) you can do what you want.

Well, that's about it for the news now..... as usual, thanks for reading Frankly speaking.  I'm working on a post of all our yarns, rovings and T SHIRTS with ME on them which I hope to get published next week!

Frankly speaking............................food is pretty important to a goat

I would like to dispel a common misconception right off the get go.  Goats don't eat tin cans.  Never, ever ever! Goats have rather delicate digestive systems as a matter of fact, and a sudden change in food can give us in-di-gestion which calls for pepto bismol, which gives us pink goat lips, which.... it's better not to even go there in the first place.

In any event, around here, we eat pretty good, which is evidenced by the girth most of us carry around.  The builder is trying to seed the pasture for us, so, he takes three or four bales of hay and puts them out on the terraces and then it is our job to pick through, eat the hay that is not seed worthy, fertilize the rest, and generally just have a good time.

See?:

Did you happen to notice that Geronimo has less hair than the last time we posted his picture?  He done got shorn just in case he goes to SAAF for the angora goat show (the shearing date was 8/1).  He is also learning to act like a gentleman and not a crazy goat, by having his supper in the shearing stand almost every night where the wench and the builder handle him a lot and poke at him to desensitize him to people a little bit; he doesn't mind...

Gracie and Greta have a little creep feeder outside their pen with their momma because Faith is a pig.. er, excuse me I guess that isn't very polite, but it is TRUE

In other news, you know that Smokey Lonesome went to live at Avillion Farm down in Western North Carolina, and so now we are interviewing for his replacement.  We have already on the buck staff: GW's Duckie, a pointed white buck, Clem's Brice, a pearl buck and HH Hugh Humphries, a tort buck, but a solid colored buck is our next acquisition.  Here is one candidate which we are thinking might be IT:

Isn't he cute?  He's only 5 weeks old, so we're pretty sure he's a buck.  Son of Duckie and Creme Brulee.  He's cute all right, but not as cute as me!

Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking...............until next time!

Frankly speaking....................................pass the 'bone suckin sauce' please

Hey, remember that tree that the builder cut down for us on July 19th? Well, there's nothin but BONES left I tell ya!

So, it's time for the builder to cut down another tree..... meanwhile, the hillside pasture over on the other side of the barn, is pretty lush, so Faith, Greta and Gracie got a chance to go over there today.

Today the temperature in the mountains is only 79 degrees.  That is a relief!  We've had some pretty high temps around here, which makes it difficult for angoras, both goats and rabbits.  Most of the rabbits are cut down for the summer, but there are a few who need to maintain their hollywood facade for the upcoming show season. Like this girl:

Julianna had a chance to have a litter this spring, but passed it by, so she's going back to the show ring.  When she was a little bunny she was given an honorable mention for Best in Show, and now that she is a full grown beauty, we are working hard to keep her weight in check.  Her sister, Lillianna, is already a retired grand champion, and her sister from another litter, Eva, is over weight and struggling at fat camp for rabbits to get back into fighting shape.  She passed on the whole baby thing, too... but has to lose some weight before she can compete again.  Julianna is about 4 or 5 ozs. under the maximum weight limit for a french angora. 

Ok, enough about fat rabbits!  I was enjoying some cheek scritches this afternoon when the wench was outside looking over our tree skeleton...

Well, I heard there will be t-shirts coming soon with my picture on it, so I'll keep you updated when they become available!  Until next time, thanks for reading Frankly Speaking!

Frankly speaking...........................sometimes the mountain comes to you!

You know the old saying...... you have to go to the mountain because the mountain won't come to you? (or something like that)..... well, I'm here to tell you, that is not always true.

As my fans know, goats love to eat trees.  I started eating trees as a little bugger... I've always loved to climb... but some trees are just too tall to reach:

Well, after much schmoozing, I convinced the builder to cut down one of the really really tall black birch trees in our pasture

Don't worry - the baby goat wasn't IN the tree when he cut it down, we were all safely locked up in our barn when Norman and I heard this giant CRAACCKKK!

So now we have this humungo tree to eat.  We are SO happy!

So, as you can see, we're pretty busy around here.  When we are done cleaning up this tree, the builder plans to drag it up to the landing above our pasture, and when he gets his band saw mill he'll cut it into lumber so he can build more stuff... that's what he's about, that builder.  It's a good thing he is a good builder.  He was in a fleece contest over the weekend, and he only came in second,

So, that's it for this edition of Frankly speaking.  Thanks for reading...... if you'll excuse me, I have work to do

Frankly speaking.................................beat the heat!

Wow, it's hard to believe it has been so long since my last post!  It has been pretty warm here, with temperatures hovering around the 90 degree mark.  We are lucky to be living in the mountains, where the trees provide lots of shade and the wench makes sure that we have fans blowing all over the place to move the stagnant air.  We get plenty of fresh water and the builder knocks down trees (black birch is our favorite) so we have good greens to eat. When it's really hot, like today (it says 100 on the porch of the house), there is a special treat to cool us off - WATERMELON!!!!!

Of course, not all goats know how to share.  Like for instance:

He wouldn't let anyone else have any.  He just stuck his big old head right inside that ice cold melon and went to town.

Even the babies couldn't get any and had to resort to scraps and seeds on the ground.

Well, I am sure we'll get treats tonight, too because that's just the kind of place we live in.  In the meantime, Norman is looking pretty smug:

He has watermelon juice all over his beard.  I hope it gets sticky. HA!

The wench tells me that the spring clip is back from Echoview Fiber Mill and it is pretty nice.  Once I have a chance to asses it myself, I'll be posting a shameless self-promotion.  So stay tuned.  And thanks for reading Frankly Speaking!

Frankly speaking........................who is taking the summer off?

To "the builder" taking the summer off means only doing little jobs around the farm like putting up all new fencing, building stalls, remodeling other parts of the barn, putting up shade tarps, etc. etc.... the guy never quits.  Good thing.  We appreciate good room service here at this hotel. hahahah.  Broccoli stems are on today's menu, from our own organic garden.   Here is the view from the studio stairs, of our newly fenced area.  We are hoping that grass will grow on these terraces eventually, now that the builder has cut down enough of the yummy trees to let some sun on the mountain.

We are bracing ourselves around here for another population explosion.  Seems ole Smokey Lonesome has been pretty busy breeding most of the angora does and everyone is due around June 23rd or so.  You see, Smokey is going to work on the Avillion Farm and so we will be saying so long to him next week.  He has left his mark here and been a grand herd sire, and now it's time to sow the seeds of smokey in other places.  I suppose that will happen eventually with Norman and Geronimo too, but NOT ME.  I am the spokesgoat and we all know how important that job is, after all, if it wasn't for me, how would you keep up with everything going on around here?  Gary, the new baby buckling, will be wethered too, and him and me will be buds, keeping everyone in line and he will be my understudy in the spokesgoat department.

Now, here's another little project the builder has been working on -- new stalls.  One for me, one for Norman and one for whoever is trying to be the queen at the moment.  Right now it's Faith.  She thinks she is all that, so she gets her own room with Grace and Greta, and so no one gets hurt.  This also makes Annie a regular part of the flock, which is something she needs to learn.

In other rabbit news, Ganache and Chang's litter is coming along nicely - four torts and three pearls

and the litter between Nimbus and Chang has two nice survivors, both REWs

Well, that's about all the news.... thanks for reading Frankly Speaking - I'll update you again soon!

Frankly speaking............................YOU'RE FIRED!

Excuse me while I channel my inner Donald:

This week, I had a tough job.  I had to tell the sheep THEY WERE FIRED.  Nigel and Daisy are still here and will become honorary goats, but Katherine, Sasha, Tasha, Terry, Del, Ashley and Marty have all gone to work at a petting zoo over in Mt. Airy.  Which is much better than going to that OTHER place in Mt. Airy known as the stockyard.  A very nice family came with their trailer and took them home on Sunday.  I know the wench is missing them, but let me tell ya, it's a lot quieter around here without all that BAAing going on. 

And now we can concentrate on the real deal around here: GOATS. oh, and honorary goats, too, like Daisy and Nigel.  This all happened because as I previously reported, there have been some executive decisions being made behind the scenes here at Mountain Top Fibers.  With the arrival of five adorable baby goats, came the harsh reality that this farm is only so big and able to support so many of us.   When I sat down with the wench and the builder to discuss all of this, the solution was clear:  we needed to shift the focus of the farm to the luxury market.  Of course that means MOHAIR, not necessarily wool, and ANGORA as well.  Wool, make no mistake, is a necessary commodity, because mohair and angora on their own don't have a lot of memory so some wool is good.   The remainder of last fall's sheep wool and this spring's clip are at the Echoview Fiber Mill being processed, so we'll be reminded of those sheepies again in the form of roving, but once that's gone, it'll be luxury all the way.......angora,mohair  blends, yummy.......

ok, back to growing my fleece for your enjoyment.  That's the update - thanks for reading Frankly Speaking!

Frankly speaking.................thanks to the Vets!

Even though every time I see one, they usually stick me with a needle or poke or prod, I still say thank you to the vet. OH, WAIT a minute... not THAT kind of vet!  - I know, had you going there a minute, didn't I?

Seriously - I am so thankful for the men and women in uniform who write that blank check to all of us.  The wench's dad was a vet, and her nephew Jim is a vet, and many of her friends are vets and so she makes it clear to us all how important they are.  So thank you.  I am glad I live in a free country where my admirers are free to spoil me right rotten, instead of some other country where they eat goats (even beautiful ones).  thankyou thankyou thankyou

In my last report, I told you about the mission we had undertaken.  Clean up the back yard to get ready for the backhoe.  Well, here it is:

the builder rented this baby for a couple of days and it rained a lot, so much that this monster machine couldn't come up the mountain; so now we have it for a few more days.  That builder is also a sculptor, and his medium is clay.  Although not polymer clay or clay for pots or any of that, good old North Carolina red dirt clay.  YOWZA.  He worked really hard to make us our pasture.  There will be new fence going up probably by fall, which will allow us free access to the entire farm almost.  On this flat spot where the machine is right now, he plans to put a wood boiler and a band saw, so he can make lumber to build us playgrounds and stuff.  I KNOW that is his priority, isn't it? 

After he was done, he took a well-deserved snooze on his hammock that the kids got him for his birthday

In other news, the wench went to the rabbit show in Taylorsville and took Obsidian and Andrea and Hugh.  They did ok, but you can tell the end of the season is coming, so Obsidian will most likely lose her coat today and the other two will go to one more show, just to see  what's up.  We have a new red-eyed white french angora doe baby named Sirrus, so she will be growing up here and having babies, too.  She won't go to the show because she wasn't born here, and usually our own breedings are shown, not those bunnies brought in from the outside.  Hugh was an exception this time, because we needed a buck to round out the class, and he was the only one with any coat.  After June 9th, his coat will come off too and then only the juniors will be shown in the fall.  complicated, isn't it?

The goat babies are growing up and playing, very grateful to have that YUCK medicine for coccidia overload done with.  yikes.  Coccidia is necessary to develop their rumen, but it is a delicate balance and when the balance tips the wrong way, it's 4 days of ca-ca medicine.  They run away from the wench when they see her coming.  In a few weeks they'll forget all about it and then they'll appreciate that wench for her cheeck scratches and treats.  She really loves us and it's only right that she does. 

Well, that's it for this edition of Frankly Speaking.  As always, thanks for reading - enjoy your holiday!  I will enjoy mine because I heard a rumor there are some strawberries for breakfast! YUM

Frankly speaking.................special goats, special mission

This morning the builder gave us a special mission:  clean up the back yard!  As followers of this blog probably know, the builder has been working on my house (barn) for a year, and now, that the second phase is done he plans to rent a backhoe and re-sculpt the back yard.  This will create PASTURE for us -- yippee!  

Today we had a little talk, and it boiled down to this:  I got to go to the back yard and be tied up (how humiliating - but it is for my own safety.... there are azaleas around the front of the house and we can't eat them) so we can clean up the yard to get ready for the backhoe.  I got to select my crew:  Faith, with Grace and Greta, Myself, and Annie.

We are having fun!

Well, I'll get some good pics of the babies when I'm done with this mission, and give a full report on the weekend at the Carolina Fiber Fest.  Right now, it's back to work!  as always, Thanks for reading Frankly speaking

Frankly Speaking..................have you missed me?

Hey there fans ———– sorry it has been so long since my last post.  Spring has sprung and we are busier than one armed paper hangers around here (or three peckered billy goats, but we don’t have any of those here…hheehhehe).  The babies are busy growing up and sneaking out of the stall for extra rations ( something I am unusually good at); there are new litters of bunnies being born, seven chins for Rockstar and Anne Hibbins, and seven angoras for Ganache and Chang;

In some upsetting news, Obsidian is in isolation because she apparently picked up some sort of pathogen at Nationals – Dr. Wilson over at Twin Oaks says it isn’t fatal, and that some antibiotics can clear it up.  The wench told me that she is on the mend, and will be back in the barn on Monday if all goes well. 

I am sending the wench over to Raleigh this weekend to attend the Carolina Fiber Fest and then report back as to the possibilities of me going next year.  Sometimes that wench can be a slacker, so I have to keep on her all the time.  Mountain Top Fibers is a fun business and keeps me in grain, so I have to make sure she is taking care of business, after all I don’t have thumbs, otherwise I’d do it myself.

We’ve been having some secret meetings, away from the sheep, to discuss their future, and it doesn’t look good for them.  ah well.  I’ll let you know as soon as the final decision is made and we have a plan.  In the meantime, we are looking forward to seeing the new litters grow, eating the trees and hanging out on the mountain.  Nigel is settling in and him and Daisy have formed quite the friendship.  He’s a nice sheep. 

kiss kiss — till next time, that’s it for Frankly Speaking — thanks for reading!

Will post some pictures of the babies next week…..

Frankly Speaking ..................... an update

Good morning fans, how's the weather where you are?  It's been pretty warm here... glad I have my fleece off! In the new barn, part of our house is under ground, built into the mountain, so it stays pretty cool.  That is where I sleep.  Norman and I are back to having our own stalls, while the babies pretty much all hang together with their moms.  Except Geronimo.  He lives with his mom in her stall over by us, because we are special.

There has been lots going on around here... let's see..... first, the wench went up to New York for the Angora Nationals.  From the reports I am getting, the competition was pretty steep.  Obsidian came in 2nd out of a class of 28, in one of the three shows they did,  so that was pretty good.  She's pretty proud of herself... also got herself registered with ARBA, so when her 3rd grand champion leg is won, she can get her GC certificate.

Eva, on the other hand, was quite embarassed over the whole ordeal and got stressed out big time.  The Judge said she was FAT.  I suppose I should have been truthful when she asked me if she looked fat, but, I like a voluptuous rabbit.  But, standards are standards, and so now Eva is on a diet.  Rumor has it that she will get some babies soon, and has a date with GW Duckie later this week.  Yesterday her fleece was cut off (bet that felt good and was good for a few lbs right there!).  Obsidian (on the left) will be going to shows until she gets her last leg, and then, if Eva has a litter, gets back down to fighting weight, she'll go on the show circuit this fall.

There are three new American Chins in the barn as a result of the last weekend, and four of our bucks are now in other homes.  The American Chin nationals was in the same place as the Angora nationals, which I guess caused quite a bit of running back and forth for the wench.  ha.  she can use the exercise.  Actually, if it wasn't for my friend Pat Parsons, the wench woulda been sunk.  Pat was here in January and I'm looking forward to having her adore me again in July on her annual 4th of July visit.

I know how much you all love the baby pictures, so here is a treat..... two of Layla's last litter - aren't they cute?

The great sheep exchange finally took place.  We are glad to welcome NIGEL to the flock.  Well, we are... the sheep aren't too sure.  There is some sort of lesson here for all you sheeples.  The wench, who, in consult with me, makes most of the decisions around here, can not tolerate a mean spirited animal.  So, while normal goat behavior is ok, pecking order and all that, if you are downright mean and nasty,  you will "lose your happy home" as she likes to say.  I hear there may be some changes coming, but I'll report on that later.  Nigel, in the meantime, is welcome to be here with us and he's pretty cool looking with those four horns.

Nigel has the most beautiful fleece.  He comes to us courtesy of Laura Frazier of Farm Girl Arts.  Her work is just amazing..... take a look:  www.FarmGirlArts.com

So, that's it for today's edition of Frankly Speaking.  Thanks for reading - I'll keep you up to date on any changes.

Frankly speaking....... it's a little fuzzy at the goat nudist colony

When you first see this:

it can only mean one thing.  That I am next to be shorn. 

So, the shearing went without a hitch OR a stitch (haha, I'm so funny) and I got some nice extra grain because I behaved so well.  I must say it feel GOOD to be nekkid

Norman got his haircut too.  My locks were much softer because I have the job of being the spokesgoat, not the billy goat, so there is no extra-t floating around making my fleece coarse.

Afterwards, everyone got together for a meet and greet at the goat nudy colony

it's always fun to see everyone without their fleece on.  It settles down after a little while and then we went outside to play.  The sheep know it will be their turn soon, and I'll let you know how they do.

In other news, Layla's litter is looking good:  five squirmy bunnies, four lilac-looking buns and one REW.  The lilacs could turn out to be pearls because there is some whiteness about them.  We'll have to see in a little while what color they actually are.  They aren't out of the nest yet, just getting ready to come out and open their eyes.

Well that's it for this edition of Frankly speaking.  Thanks for reading. 

Frankly speaking..............the milk bar is closed for remodeling

Well, the twice annual ritual shearing has begun.  This morning the three mommas were shorn, and oh my goodness, those babies were sort of confused!

Geronimo kept running in and out of the regular pasture while Mae was on the stand.  She didn't hold still very good and got a couple of nicks.

Faith and Hope were troopers.  Their babies, however, didn't understand the concept that mom is not available for nursing RIGHT. THIS. MINUTE. 

Tomorrow Norman and me get our locks shorn. Locks of Love.  Yarn for you.  We'll get some pictures.  Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking - there might be another post tomorrow. 

Frankly speaking.........................just some Sunday sundries....

I know how much my fans like to see my pretty face, so I thought I'd start this post with my latest picture.  If I look a tad perturbed in this picture, you are pretty intuitive.  You see, Norman and I are locked up WITH THE SHEEP of all things, because those darn sheep keep slipping under the fence and getting out.  They think it's great fun until they get out there and then they are scared as... sheep.  Criminey.  Norman and I don't get out, (we actually have it pretty good here, but don't tell the wench - it might go to her head) so why are we locked up on this beautiful and sunny 77 degree day?  The girls and the babies are out enjoying the sunshine, and here we are with these freakin sheep. yikes.

Well, it shouldn't be too long, there is a rumor going around that the builder is running an electric wire.  I'll laugh when those sheep get zapped.  I'm smart enough to know not to go anywhere near that electric fence.  I did it once and that's all I needed to know!

So, I promised some updated baby pictures, and here they are.....

Ok, enough cute.  Now on to beautiful.  Yesterday, some of the angoras (and a few chins) went to the Rabbit Show in Taylorsville, NC. 

In the first show, Eva won best of breed.

In the second show, Obsidian got best of breed

Now the trick is going to be to hold on to those show coats for a couple more weeks, so they can go to Nationals in New York. 

I am hoping to lose my coat during that time frame.  It's starting to get hot here in the south and we have some pretty good looking mohair to give up.  Norman is looking particularly furry these days:

Well, looks like we might get outside yet today, so better get off this computer and make sure those sheep behave!  Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking!

Frankly speaking........................girls just wanna have fun

Well, the last time I posted, we were poised for the great sheep exchange.  One of the people involved got ill, so we've postponed the exchange for another day.  I'll be sure to introduce you to Nigel when he gets here.

In other news, some of the 'girls' have been getting in a little bit of trouble.  Annie, my half sister, has this annoying habit of shimminging under the fence and helping herself to the other side of the fence.  She's giving us a bad name.  So, Annie gets to go outside in the morning, but when she gets bored and lets herself out, she goes to GOAT JAIL.

Annie, looking contrite (yeah, right)

and there she stays, for the rest of the day.  This routine won't continue for long, I understand, because the builder plans to move the fence and give us a bigger place to play.  First he has to rent a backhoe and move some dirt around and all that, and as usual, I'm sure it will be great when it's done, but for now, there are some places in the fence that are not too secure for the littler of us.  Just this morning, Marty Thunderbolt, one of our ewe lambs, got out, and she was so scared, that when the wench came to rescue her, she ran right over and forgot to play hard to get or catch me if you can!  We try to keep her on her toes, that wench, and not be too compliant.

The babies, Gracie, Glory, Greta, Gary and Geronimo are doing well, growing fast and getting strong; they go out to play almost every day.  Mae and Annie had a talk the other day, and afterwards Mae slipped under the fence and was in the feed bin having a blast.  It was almost like Annie gave her some tips and pointers on how to escape.  You see, Mae, Annie and I all have one thing in common.  Our sainted mother, rest her soul, APRIL.  She taught us all well, as she was the ultimate queen of the escape.  WE miss you momma!

 speaking of cute babies, thought you'd like to see my baby picture:

Well, that's it for this edition of Frankly speaking.  I'll get some updated pictures of the new babies and get them posted for you, although I'm sure you'd rather have pictures of me, because let's face it:  I am awesome.  Thanks for reading Frankly speaking - see you next time!

Frankly Speaking ...... the sheep exchange program.

Today we have visitors coming to the farm.  Some pretty talented fiber folk are coming to see me, Frank the Goat, because they know how awesome I am. 

Normally we don't make too many changes around here because the wench gets attached to the critters, but an opportunity has arisen for the farm. 

Maya, one of our beautiful black ewes, is going on an exchange program.  She will be moving out to Kernersville, NC to enhance the herd of artist Laura Frazier, and in exchange, Nigel, a wether (like me!) will be coming here.  He has creamy colored wool, and that is the reason for the exchange.  Here, saying so long is :

Maya

It almost looks like she is not excited about this prospect and is saying "kiss my ..." in this photo, doesn't it?  I know it can be scary, because she was born into this flerd and has never been anywhere but with us, but, she will make a good ambassador because she has a great personality and is a nice sheep.  She might even get the chance to have babies, which so far isn't happening here, because we have no ram.   We are sort of short on space around here, so we take the opportunity to have more GOATS instead of more sheep, because, well, let's face it, goats are much cooler than sheep. just sayin.

Anyway, I'm looking forwarding to meeting Nigel later today and will post his photo in my next post.

In other news, Clems Smokin Opie, french angora buck, went to live in Virginia last month.  As his parting shot, he made some babies with CT Layla, our pointed french doe, and they were born yesterday - lookin like five new angoras on the planet.  Opie is the dad of some of our nicest angoras, and so he went to work somewhere else, leaving his legacy to his two sons who are now here, Clems Chang (pointed white) and Clems Brice (smoked pearl).  As previously reported, Smokey Lonesome & Clems Mutiara's litter is also here, and they seem to be doing well. 

Well, gotta get preened up for my fans later today, so.... thanks for reading Frankly speaking.  I'll blog at you again in a few days!

Frankly speaking.................. it must be spring!

I realize I have been lax in my posting here; but it's been busy.  On my last post, Faith was in labor, and viola! twins... Greta and Grace

Then, on Friday, the 23rd, Hope brought forth Glory and Gary

Then, the last of the mohicans was born to Miss Mae, so his name is Geronimo

Everyone is healthy and happy, and so the herd size is doubled now.  I suppose I will have to take care of the boys in about six months, because they'll all go to the boys pasture from about July til November or December when it's breeding time again...

This morning, Clems Mutiara had a litter of five french angoras with Smokey Lonesome. 

This is Smokey Lonesome. 

This is Mutiara (that means Pearl in Maylaysian...) Both parents are granded, so we are hoping this will be a nice litter.  One is dark like dad and the rest are lighter colored.

In other news, I thought you'd enjoy seeing the other critters of the farm.  We are home to some Melatonic Mutant Pheasants.  We are waiting for eggs, but so far no luck:

We have some more bunnies due to be born in the next couple of weeks.  I'll keep you posted on everyone's progress.  Thanks for reading Frankly speaking...

Frankly speaking....... baby fever

So, now that I'm all healed up and back to my beautiful self, we've had some stuff going on here at the farm.  First of all, the wench and the builder got a new person in their life, a baby girl born to Sarah Jean (I like her) and Ken (he's ok too) named Amelia Elizabeth Caron.  She was born on Thursday, March 15th, and all the people got pretty excited.  Yeah, well, another person around to adore me is always ok.  BUT, as I write this, Faith is in labor.  So, there will be MORE new kids on the block.

While the wench was waiting for Faith to decide to come into the barn to labor, she was cutting off Annie's coat with a sissors.  You'd a thought she was cutting her to pieces, not just taking off her hair!  I guess it is pretty scary the first time you get sheared, but I'm an old hand at it now, so when it's my turn, I'll give it up without a problem.

We enjoyed some carrots this afternoon, so thought I'd share some pictures of me, Miss Mae and Norman - we ARE the original three amigos. 

That's Norman on the left, Mae in the middle and me on the right.  Aren't we shiny!?

I had just told the others a joke, and Norman was laughing in this picture.

OK, enough for now - I'll keep you posted on the baby arrivals around here... and as always, thanks for reading Frankly speaking!