I will guess Miss Lolly..
Sheepses, More Divine Sox, Yarnage, and Being Tutorialized
Well as she said "Him" I would guess that it would not me Miss Lolly. LOL
I decided to make a knitted lace baby blanket before the socks seeing as I have a couple friends with babies due around the first of the year. sock yarn is on sale this week at Hobby Lobby tho. :) it was very pretty but due to lack of money.. it is still sitting on the shelf at the store.
Oh sorry! It's Smokey Spots!!
oops ;-(
I will not skim, I will read before commenting.
I will not skim, I will read before commenting.
I will not skim, I will read before commenting.
I will not skim, I will read before commenting.
I will not skim, I will read before commenting.
I will not skim, I will read before commenting.
I will not skim, I will read before commenting.
500 times...
You are forgiven. LOL
Very nice looking boy.
he is supper cute....I want a lama! Are you getting him as a companion animal for your sheep? I want to get a small heard of goats going and I was thinking of getting a lama or a donkey as a companion. Someone told me they were using a Yak as a guardian animal for their sheep. Does anyone know if they are affective?.....I'm completely unsure what kind of animal to go with because really, I want them all!
Smokey Spots looks like the class clown, perhaps that's why he "needed a new environment".
He needs a new environment because he belonged to an animal hoarder. They finally worked with her to have her give up some of her hoard so that she could better handle what she has. He will be a companion to our sheep. We have 5 llamas now, so he will be 6, but one of ours is destined for another sheep farm in the fall, so we will be back to 5. We use them for guardian animals (one of ours killed coyotes in her former home) and as "alarm bells" (they will scream if there is a major problem) and as fiber producers. We also have mini donkeys for the guardian/companion purpose.
I'm not sure about the yak. I would propose that one might need heavier duty fencing for a yak compared to donkeys or llamas. I have no idea about their effectiveness.
cmoxon, as someone who keeps both in a similar climate to mine, what are your pros and cons of donkey versus lama as guardian/companions?
I can answer part of that----Donkeys do not spit on you if you make them mad!!!!! LOL
For me the biggest difference is that llamas produce fiber, which I could sell even if I was not interested in spinning it myself. Every animal on my farm needs a "purpose" otherwise it is a "pet" and although I have some "pet" animals, I like to limit that. So, chickens give me eggs, ducks give me eggs, both give me meat if I choose to use it. Our sheep give fleeces and milk, our goats give milk (and fleece in the case of angoras). Both donkeys and llamas provide guardian capacity, but llamas additionally provide fleece that is valuable. Personally I also believe that they have an overall lower vet care requirement - they also need less foot trimming.
The mini donkeys I have were from our local animal shelter. The female was pregnant but nobody knew that (us or the shelter) when we got them, so now we have 3. We have a home for the young male for this fall with another sheep flock. I like them and they are sweet natured but I would probably not get donkeys again unless they were in the shelter and needed a home.
I know for sure that llamas are capable of killing coyotes. I am not sure if our mini donkeys could do that. But, they would make a tremendous noise if there was any attack, which would alert us if we were home. Not all llamas have the guardian animal tendency - best to get one that is proven from another home - that's why we got the coyote tested one that we have!
But yes, llamas can (and do) spit if you make them mad, but that's pretty rare. They tend to spit on each other when they are in someone else's "space" during feeding. I have been spat upon once during shearing. That's the only time.
Well I come back from a short travelabout and already there has been a state fair, a sockie summit, a new pair of divine sockies, and a manual to make divine sockies. Good thing I didn't go on a long travelabout! Question: Is it mandatory to match your divine sockies to your toes? I usually have bees on my toes and I don't think I can't crochet a bee sigh.
Oh dearest Dahlianut, I was beginning to have worries about where you were. I am glad you are back! The state fair is over, but I have not finished blogging about it, so there will be more to come on the blog. The manual is most useful. I am still working on said sock.
I don't believe that it is mandatory to match your sockies to your toes. However, I am very intrigued about what the bee business is about? Why do you have a bee (or multiple bees) on your toes? I have a toe ring. Do the bees live on your toes? Why do they not sting? I am so confused.
How is your flock?
Dear Dr. Doolotz a lady paints bees on my toes with car paint so they stay on all summer ^_^ I have to make the buzzing and bumbling noises though as they do not come with audio.
DH is in a tither about Peppy and Peppermint cuz Wildlife Rescue wants big bling to take them away. Poor DH. He is now going to set up some kind of musical flashing things in front of their house. I will take pics when he gets pffted cuz for sure that will happen. I have discovered that Peppy and Peppermint do not like red grapes but luv blackberries and blueberries. Alas bummer that I realize I cannot have a herd of meese cuz I do not have a pond or lake. You on the other hand do have a luvly pond so I will wait for you to get a herd of meese.
I wanna seee apic of your bees.. yes we know it is the end of summer so they may be weary.. but we all HAVETA see..
yes pictures please.. i want to see what the bees look like too.
DRAT I took them off for my bro's wedding cuz they were a tad banged up. Here they are from her website (5th row down). Pics aren't very good. I wonder if she could do skunks? http://www.thetwinkletoeslady.ca/design.htm
OMG did you see that!? She does TOE PARTIES! I want a toe party! Toooo cool!
That's how I found her. I went to a toe party.
Why can't we have that here...
Grey - it's a business opportunity....staring you in the face (or toes).....
You need to check the local regulations, greykyttyn...toe parties have the reputation of attracting an unsavory element. You know, the kind of people who raise llama, sheep and chickens, spin fiber, knit slowly, drink fermented beverages and celebrate pagan holidays.
People like...
Oh. Hi, Moxon.....whatcha doin here?
i think CMoxon needs to have one.. & I'll drive up for it!
Hey Cats, you weren't...like....talking about me or anything....were you?
You? Moxon? You?
No. Of course not.....No...Why would you think so?
{{{Really, greykyttyn, I think there are ordinances about such things in most jurisdictions--you know, consideration for the public welfare, not creating "attractive nuisances" etc.}}}
Oh, you know, just thinking, because I do raise llamas, sheepses and chickens, and of course I do spin fiber, knit (and crochet) very slowly, drink fermented beverages (like right now) and celebrate pagan holidays (but there isn't one right now). So it just sorta made me think, gee, that sounds like me....
Speaking of llamas....today we welcomed César...
http://chooksiniowa.blogspot.com/2009/08/welcome-cesar-and-katarina.html
Moxon, I swear you're getting paranoid. I did NOT hear Catsy say anything about a first name of Claire, and of course all those other traits could apply to almost everyone on this forum...
{{Do you think that threw her off the scent??? By the way, where ARE we going with this one? Not a chapeau in sight...}}
You're quite right Greenhouse_Gal. I don't know what came over me....just something in the air I guess.
There there, Moxon, I understand. It's all those llamas AND the knitting and the bees on the toes. This thread is getting rather tangled; of COURSE you're confused.
{{Catsy, help! Change the subject, quick! I can only go on blathering for so long and besides, it's bedtime in my zone!}}
Dear Moxon. Sweet Moxon. Paranoid and Suspicious Moxon. I had NO idea you had sheep, donkeys and llamas...And a Pagan. In Iowa? Really?
Well, you learn something new everyday!
{{{g_g--You have no idea how hard this hat has been to reconstruct....the original pattern was never written down, so I am attempting to modify several different patterns with similar traits. The yarn--called "Tweedle Dee" has been discontinued. So I went to Walmart and bought this really, um, "exciting" acrylic yarn by Claire's absolute fave celebrity--Vanna White. The colours were perfect(ly awful). I even taunted Moxon with them--but then learned that the hat, in order to achieve its fully ludicrous effect, must be made with bulky weight yarn...not worsted. So back the yarn went and I have acquired some more that I hope will work--although the hat will have to lean more on its extraordinary silhouette than colour impact, since Moxon bribed me with handspun yarn to soften the colours. She has been somewhat mollified by my joining her on Ravelry, where she thinks she can keep an eye on me. But no fear! The horror of the hat continues....}}}.
Really Catscan? Gosh, I could have sworn I told you that I had sheep and llamas. It's quite odd that you should bring up donkeys, because you didn't mention those in the earlier list, but now that you DO mention them, I have those too. I really thought....
And I'm quite convinced that I invited you to my Beltane celebration....did I not? Surely you knew....
But here, I have gone off topic....this is my latest crochet project. An acorn, for the letter "A" swap on Ravelry. What do you think? It is my first proper project beyond a very simple pair of baby booties and a scarf. It's also my first project for another person. I'm perfectly frightened that they will think it horrid.
The acorn is perfect; I love the frizzy yarn of the cap.
It is a lovely acorn--and by the way, that begins with the letter "A"!
What a coincidence!
When you crochet the squirrel, will you do it to scale?
I was certainly not invited to your Beltane celebration--although ZZ and I could see the glow from the fire on the eastern horizon. We sat down and wept in disappointment.....
Not to worry. We got over it.
{{{Yet another reason for The Hat}}}
Beautiful acorn, Moxie, and no, you actually have llamas and sheep? And a donkey? Next you'll be telling us you're from Canada!!
{{Any pictures of The Hat handy? Although prob'ly no amount of brackets would hide that from suspicious, paranoid eyes!}}
Awww, thanks you guys. I feel better about my acorn now. I did the fuzzy yarn for the cap because I was worried about making it look right. Fuzz hides a multitude of sins.
I do not think that I have achieved the level of competence to attempt the squirrel, Catscan. I am only an acolyte, and of very small brain.
I'm sorry that you and ZZ didn't get the Beltane invitation. It was probably confiscated by the California postal police as being inappropriate.
Greenhouse_Gal - it's like your psychic! Not only am I from Canada, but...get this....I have CHICKENS!!!
Sometimes, it's like I can see these sort of faint letters on the screen, like I'm missing parts of posts, but then when I really look, they disappear. Hmmm....does anyone else have that?
Moxon, have you had your eyes checked lately? Sometimes people develop floaters as they get a bit older, especially if they're from Canada and keep chickens.
{{{I think she's beginning to suspect! Maybe three brackets each side? That's a lot more expensive, though....}}}
Cute little acorn... wonder what kind of oak it will grow? =0)
Back to the donkeys... a miniature is not really big enough to be a guard animal... two average sized rottweilers can kill a mini (this was reported in the local paper... the dogs jumped into the enclosure and killed two minis on two separate occasions). They may be able to chase off a coyote, but when I went to school at ISU, the ag dept had done research to show that the greater danger to Iowa livestock was from dogs... something like 85% of the sheep kills were local dogs. Who pack up, so certainly enough to take out a mini. =0(
Also, I've watched my donkeys go after dogs... they don't make a sound. I don't think you can expect the donkeys to alert you to dogs... they'll bray for visitors, but I've never had mine make a peep about a strange dog... they just take out after them. They can indeed kill dogs if the donk is large enough... they strike with teeth and front feet. There used to be a video of a mule killing a mountain lion on the web; that's how a donk would take out a dog. My jack has gone after strange dogs that very way. And he's a skunk killer (peeee-yeeeeeew!)
A jenny is a better choice for a guardian... the geldings and jacks can and will also kill goats and sheep if they haven't been reared with them. The males are not as reliable for actually protecting other species; some will and some won't.
The sock continues to grow....the ribbing is done on the first sock! yay!
It looks really good! Your stitches are nice and uniform. I have a pair of socks I started last year that I need to get finished. My sister, and now my aunt, both have Chihuahuas and have been hinting how it's getting closer to winter and the dogs would appreciate warm sweaters. At least my aunt has a girl dog so I can use up my leftover 'foo-foo' yarns.