Time to Take Off That Winter Coat!

Before
During

After

Last Sunday, we went to see the local Semi-Annual Shearing of the Sheep. It was cold and wet and windy. One of those early Spring days that reminds you that winter is not in the too distant past. In my opinion, it was a absolutely terrible day to have to part with a perfectly good wool coat:) But the sheep didn't mind. I was amazed at how docile they were. They laid perfectly still and let the shearer do his work. When he was finished, he would step back and this was the sheep's signal to get up and go hopping and jumping all the way to the pasture. It seemed they were very pleased with their new hair cuts.
The Shearer removed the pelts of some 40 odd sheep in two days, which convinced me that while I would love, love, love to raise sheep for there wool, there is NO power on earth that could convince me to be a Sheep Shearer!!! Talk about your back breaking labor....notice how the shearer is bent over the sheep in the second photo...he stayed like that the whole time we were there, now imagine doing that for two solid days!!! Not to mention that if I stand with my head down like that for more than a couple of minutes, I start to see spots before my eyes from all of the blood rushing to my head. Geesh! I don't know how he did it.
After the wool pelt was removed, it was placed on a platform where a nice lady picked out all of the bits of debris. The upside of this job is that it is like a conditioning treatment for your hands, all of the lanolin in the wool works to soften and smooth your fingers as you go. Now this job, I could do:) I almost volunteered, but then I caught sight of a lady spinning yarn out of Angora rabbits' hair and I had to go and get the lowdown on this process. Sorry I did not get a picture of her, I was too busy talking and dreaming of my own little bunny farm where I could raise cute little furry darlings and collect there fur to spin~don't worry Honey, it is just a dream....for now anyway;)
My son fell in love with the sheep hearding dog. It was a beauty with multi colored eyes and very gentle. He would just pet it and talk to it. Lately, he has been asking for a puppy....maybe soon?
So, I hope everyone is having a nice week. I'll be by for a cuppa later.
~Rhonda