Joy to the wooled!!!!This year we had the nicest weather on shearing day we've had for years. It was nice and WARM! Generally it is a cold, windy day. Hooray! This is our new guy- Ryan the Wonder Shearer! Our shearer of 15 years is retiring. Ryan worked with David at times over the years. We are so lucky to be on Ryan's shearing route now! He was very kind to our sheep, patient and did a great job. Thank you Ryan! (This is Patch having his haircut.) Miss Lily the Shetland sheep was not enthused. We locked the sheep in the barn the night before shearing. Tricked all of them in with grain except the Dirty Dozen. We spent over an hour just chasing those 12 sheep into the barn. They finally got tired thank goodness- we did too! Lily was not one of the Dirty Dozen but she is representing for the disgust of the other sheep. FOOLED! Curses! Foiled again!

Our day started out early. Thanks to all the help from our friends Mary, Heidi and Jon the day went quickly and a good day's work was done. The sheep were busy trying to find their friends again.

Everyone looks different with their haircuts so it takes a few hours for everyone to settle down. Then it was time to have a snack before bed time. This is Mario, showing us his 'good side' to be sure we knew he was not getting tricked again. Not sure if he was trying to crawl into the bale to hide til his fleece started growing again? The old I can't see you so you can't see me?

We always have the most beautiful shearing day sunsets. We were so tired the fleeces didn't make it inside until the next day. Mission accomplished though- thanks to my wonderful hubby Jim. Since last week I have some headway in my poor fiber palace. The fleeces have the sheep's name inside the bag; then the fleece/bag is rolled up and taped up with the sheep's name on the outside of the bag too. I have a special room full of shelves just for the fleeces.

I like to keep them arranged by breed so I can just go get them when I am ready. Takes too much time to search through them otherwise! Now I will keep working away, sponsor fleeces will be set aside to work through and there will be a LOT of wool hitting the website.

There are so many things I love about shearing day. Each sheep's fleece is like opening a present. Colors change over the course of the year on almost every sheep. The smell of a sheep and their wool is amazing to me. Almost like the smell of a horse's soft nose. Having such a nice fiber palace (aka basement) is a gift. When I am sorting through fleeces it feels like I have my sheep friends inside with me. We all know what a disaster that can be so fleeces for me right now! ha! One more sunset including happy, comfy sheep. I am so blessed to have all that I have here. Thank you hubby Jim for putting up with me!

Keep an eye out for all the new wool on the sheep's website. For now be sure to visit the 'batt page.' It is loaded up with Mary's Crazy Quilt batts that would be fabulous in your next project! Smooches from the sheep and hope all is well sheep peeps!

Jim & Sandy Ryan www.homesteadwoolandgiftfarm.com ...where sheep may safely graze.