Production Notes

Three-day weekends are such a boon to us, for Mike and I completely enjoy working together on a myriad of things. This past President's Day weekend we:

• Caught up on herd health, sharing the time with a few 'students' from our recent ABC's of Alpacas class. Updated a few dams with vaccinations and trimmed some toenails and top knots. Hopi, the llama, stood so patiently for her 'spa day.'
  
• Concreted in the H-brace posts for the vineyard fencing. The rain and a bit of sleet teased us, on again, off again, but we (mostly Mike!) persevered. The posts are even leveled, so mostly straight. Now to attach the cross pieces of the H, and to put in the metal T-bars and string the fencing.
  
• Watched "Ingredients" a documentary-style movie about farming in general, CSA's (community supported agriculture), the sensibilities of shopping local, and some of the chefs whose culinary creations are farm-direct. Partially filmed in Oregon.
  
• I attended a bi-annual Black Sheep Gathering board meeting in Salem, OR. Rode up with a friend, caught up on lots of stories of interest. What a great team of volunteers who put on this lively event each June!
  
• Took Mike's motorcycle in to get a new tire, went out to breakfast at Buddy's Diner (one of our favs), then toured the Little Red Farm plant nursery (new to us) -- we'll return in the van instead of the VW, to purchase some trees.
  
• Bottled the latest batch of beer, an IPA (India pale ale). Washed and scrubbed 4 dozen bottles first. While Mike filled and I capped them, we selected a name for it, based on the day we bottle: February 20 was the 5oth anniversary of John Glenn's 3-orbit flight, and the 220th anniversary of President George Washington establishing the U.S. Post Office, I found a stamp commemorating the Friendship 7 space capsule. I created the labels, yet to be affixed.
  
• Oven-roasted a chicken on a rainy day, helping to warm and scent the house. An easy dinner (and leftovers!) on such busy days.
  
• Observed plein air artists braving the fickle weather to capture the landscape on canvas. They are so perseverant and self-contained, their supplies all bundled in waterproof rolling totes, umbrellas clamped on expandable easels, donning rain gear as needed.
  
• Performed the usual morning and evening farm chores of raking, feeding, shepherding and enjoying the alpacas.
  
  
• Enjoyed a glass of wine with my love.

Nice that it's a short work week!

Arts & Crafts

Combing the arts of design, supplies acquisition, construction and painting, we have completed our sign! Along the bottom we will hang notices like Open Farm Today 10-4, Yarn & Roving, etc. -- as soon as I make them. When granddaughters are here next week, we will plant a flowerbed beneath it.

People enjoy this road as a lovely "back-door" drive into Eugene, and the sign will capture the curiosity of passers-by for Open Ranch Days. We love visitors!

Very Local Painters
As Mike and I unloaded the van recently, we noticed a car driving slowly past, and a few minutes later, it returned up the hill. The car stopped across the end of the driveway and the passenger jumped out, rushing to introduce herself as a neighbor from a nearby street. She and her friend were in search of a place to set up their easels and paint boxes, to watercolor landscapes before daylight eluded them. We made our introductions and invited them to look around for a vista that would work.

Cathy and Victoria are members of Plein Air Painters of Eugene, and they go out each week, rain or shine, to paint outdoor scenes. Enjoying their enthusiasm and expertise, I invited them to come again, and they connected me with their fearless leader, Brooks. Now Aragon Alpacas is on the painters' April calendar, and we look forward to hosting the group, rain or shine.

Spinners' Camp
Mike gifted me with my first trip away from the farm since the alpacas began to arrive last March by taking over my chores while I attended a 4-day spinners' retreat at the Silver Falls Conference Center. The EWES (Eugene Wednesday Evening Spinners) get away for a long weekend every spring and fall. This time, 16 clever, bright, creative, energetic women shared their expertise and joy as we spun, knitted, crocheted, and laughed our way through the days, pausing only to eat and sleep.

Besides me, the EWES welcomed two other newcomers to the retreat, one a knitter, the other a crocheter. We stayed in threesome cabins, and geek-knitter Andrea bunked with Elissa and me.

No longer can I shyly claim to be a beginning spinner, although as with everything else, there is always more to learn. I came home with a greater appreciation for fiber arts and a heightened self-confidence in my spinning abilities.

I learned to ply my early spinning attempts into chunky yarn. With practice, and from watching others, I can spin more delicately. Now to complete some other projects on the needles so I can knit something from my beginner yarn. Much like the first pot that comes out of the kiln in pottery, this first yarn attempt will be memorable for its own lessons and reasons.

I have signed up for the 'wheel mechanics' class at Black Sheep to learn which knob to turn when, and how to alter the functions of my double-drive Ashford Traveller wheel. Hopefully the four births due mid-June will be accommodating so I can attend this session!

The Art of Weaning
While dancing with the rain these spring days, I am weaning cria: day weaning for a week, and then 24/7. Troubadour and Jedlicka are looking especially damp, although beneath all of that alpaca fleece is a very dry animal.

Mike is drafting plans for another shelter, to increase the use of our pens. Then we can house the kindergarten class of weanling boys in the male area.

Brew-crafting
Oh, and we've purchased four hop rhizomes as starter vines. In home-brewing, hops are one of the most expensive ingredients. By growing our own, we'll not only have enough for the recipes, but also for making into fragrant wreaths and arrangements.

Our beekeeper brought by a bucket of honey and recipes for mead, so that's on our agenda, too!

(our little cabin in the woods at Silver Falls' Retreat)