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Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed Apr 26, 17 6:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We only had one short hail storm yesterday, not even enough to dampen the ground, but they are threatening us with short showers of anything at the moment.

Tried to get the frame for the basket sorted, but it was a total failure I am afraid. I managed to make another frame yesterday, and it is now in the jig for a couple of days. I may be able to do something with one half of the frame I made, but the other half doesn't fit it, so no good for the handle.

I tend to knit my socks with any colour for the feet and the tops, which are long, in plain dark colour Gregotyn, as I sometimes wear them with a skirt. I use elastic garters, although I think the ones I have need replacing as the elastic isn't very.

Cassandra, I forgot to comment on your medlar. You can pick the fruit and blet them off the tree if you like, but you have to keep an eye on them in case they go too soft.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Thu Apr 27, 17 9:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I got out and about again today JL! Went to Hobart to the Spinners and Dyers Guild to join and to see what they had to offer. That was a mistake! I now have a moorit fleece to play with. This is the 'sample' bag attached to the fleece.



'Moorit' is not a breed of sheep, but the gene that creates the brown coloration in skin and fleece in some sheep. It is a recessive gene so is only expressed when it is BB (rather than Bb, or bb). A woman in Tassie had started to develop a consistent BB expression but died before she got it 'set'. Her flock went to pack for a while but was eventually auctioned off and split between two properties. The fleece I bought at Bothwell was from one property that was badly affected by drought which is why it was 'tender' and so was returned. This is from the more fortunate and wealthy property that was able to keep handfeeding.

By the look of the fleece the base stock are Corriedale, but probably includes other breeds as well - where-ever the colour expression occurs.

The neighbour's horse got out the other night, and of course they too were out. I figured there was a problem as the stallion was screaming at intervals, and eventually went out to see what was going on as he had started sounding very distressed. As I turned the corner of the house, the sound of galloping hooves on the road explained the situation, and by the time I had got to the road, the filly had disappeared again. A car pulled up so I asked him if he had seen her (he hadn't but someone else had and had called a third person who asked him to come tell the neighbours). After establishing they were out I went and got my boots on, grabbed a dog lead and added my head torch to see what was going on. The filly had put herself in the pig pen, so we secured the gate, congratulated ourselves on a job well done, did a cursory check of the fence to avoid the stallion getting out too, and headed to our respective homes. I took Seb out for a brief walk as he was a bit worked up by all the excitement and spotted that the fence at the other end of the pig pen had been dismantled. So Seb went indoors, I headed back over to secure the loose ends of the fence and found that the yard she was in had a pile of loose wire in it, which she had, of course decided to step into. Now none of these horses has been handled properly, so I took my life in my hands by running my hand down her back leg to see if I could lift it. She, meantime was sampling my back to see what it tasted like. After we agreed this was not on, I had another go, lifted her foot, let it go when she started waving it around in objection and she landed back in the wire. So in the end I had to bend the wire back and forth till it broke and her foot was free. She also does not lead, so telling her to 'walk on' did not achieve terribly much, but she got the idea eventually and I removed the coil of wire, fastened the fence back in position and went home again.

Yesterday morning she was back in with the stallion but they neighbours decided it was not necessary to do anything to secure the fencing at all, instead heading into Oatlands for a nice lunch and general messing around, so it was no surprise when I found this in the back yard this morning.



She was helping herself to my mulch hay which is not fit for horses, so I tried to catch her and after being offered teeth and hooves decided it was their responsibility so went over and hammered on the door till I got a response. At least they thanked me this time.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Thu Apr 27, 17 1:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I am so surprised that your neighbours are still allowed to have livestock on their premises for which they are responsible, Cassandra. They must have friends in high places. Serves the animal right if she/he gets a tummy ache eating the wrong 'hay'.

Very cold last night for April; we have had such a mild winter all round. I had to have a hot water bottle. The roads were ok but the field was white at 5.15am and it has rained today to the pleasure of the librarian who has a lot of lambs to feed and needs the grass to grow for the ewes to milk more to the demands of the growing lambs.

Work is beginning to pick up now as those with early ground will be expecting to start silage making in a few weeks time. The librarian has hill and mountain. Where I work is much lower and much further ahead. Those folks who are ahead are ordering and buying sets of cultivating tines and one man has bought his mower blades. Customers don't tarry talking in the shop as much now we are near to May.

My move is still work in progress; I will do a couple of loads today when I get back I hope. But just getting them together is useful so that the stuff at the front is what I am likely to want first. (The Law of Sod rules, however).

You don't need to replace the garters MR, do what my mum would have done-put a tuck in them! As I grew and needed bigger girth garters she used to add a bit in. Garters are measured in how red the line of the garter is on your skin, My brother's were handed down to me so they started with a tuck in and progressed to a bit added-I was bigger, (read fatter), than he was, before we progressed to long trousers, but I still wear long socks!

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Fri Apr 28, 17 7:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Those neighbours of yours didn't ought to be allowed to keep any animals Cassandra. Pity they are so good at talking their way out of trouble with the RSPCA, because they are the sort of people who need dealing with. Bad for the animals, and from what you say they aren't trained in any way so you had trouble helping them, which also puts other people at risk.

Your moorit wool looks good, so hopefully this lot will spin up well. I went to the Ancient Farm near us yesterday to find the lie of the land for the show Saturday and on the way back to the car had to pass a field of sheep. Think they were soay, ram, ewes and lambs. They are evidently used to being fed because as soon as they saw me they started bleating and all walked along the wire following me. There was one disgusted bleat as I went beyond the end of the field without feeding them.

Gregotyn, a place near the coast has already made their first cut of silage, but I don't think our main season will be for a couple of weeks yet. Hope your move continues well. These days elastic isn't too expensive, so I might go mad and if I can't find some elastic in my work box, lay out the few pence a metre or so would cost.

I started another basket yesterday. We took the frame off the jig, and husband and son pinned it together. (involves a hammer so mans work). I produced some weavers with the bark on and managed to get enough for the beginning of the St. Brigids cross or Gods Eye on each side and a couple of ribs. The ribs have gone into the jig until I have time to do some more and I wove up the crosses when I got home. They still need some more, but at least they are started.

Also took some members of the Trefoil Guild for a bluebell walk. The flowers are still a good colour in spite of having been out for a couple of weeks as it has been cool, and we saw plenty of other things too, although the moschatel that I found last week has gone awol again.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Fri Apr 28, 17 7:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The RSPCA only has three inspectors for the whole of the State MR. So people like my neighbours who operate very close to the line, but only occasionally cross it, get away with it as the officers are busy pursuing more cruel behaviour. Since the horses are presently in a paddock they have forgotten to add electric fencing to, and the back fence of the paddock is knee high it will only be a matter of time before they are out again, but I will cross that bridge when i come to it.

Today was unexpectedly sunny (they forecast overcast), so all the washing was done and dealt with and most of it is now put away. I am skiving off cleaning the bank - will do it on Sunday when I am in town for the History Room and I am having a lazy night in.

Meawhile I have a young woman coming tomorrow who comes highly recommended and she will be helping me with the last of the shed lining, moving stuff out to the shed etc.

And I now have another load of wood to stack (and pay for).

I forgot to mention I finally sent away for those tree spirals and they arrived a couple of weeks ago - I showed them to my woodman and sent him off with two to protect his wife's ornamental tree that is being ravaged by possums - perhaps we have found a new use for them!

And the UK also came calling yesterday with a rather belated bill for Council Taxes from Medway council - asking for payment by the 24th of April in cash or by cheque!!! I rang them and spoke to a lovely young woman who sorted it all out for me and paid by credit card from my Australian account as the exchange rate is very favourable for money heading your way at present.

Having a lazy night in, might even get some spinning done, but more likely I will finish the latest beanie off instead. The Moorit is a joy to spin and I have now washed one staple as I was concerned about potential reduction in colour when clean, but if anything it is a deeper richer caramel instead, so I am very pleased with it. Thinking in terms of some fine fair isle with that as the ground colour and either pale grey or creamy white for the pattern.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Fri Apr 28, 17 1:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I am concerned that the horses may do irreparable damage to your property and to themselves if they escape again. To have horses in an inadequately secure fenced paddock, in such a local situation, I find unacceptable. Those folks are lucky not to have me as a neighbour. My graziers are conscious that their horse is safe at my place because the fencing is good. He is a lovely horse and we have chats every day. He has a good boundary fence as well as electric-oh and plenty of grass to go at too. No need to escape.
I hope the young woman comes up to the mark Cassandra, with shed filling and so on. I could do with her here for a week or two. I would like a picture of the tree spirals please, or have I missed that? A guide to size would be helpful too-please.

We have had a good weather day here too, but it appears to want to rain now because I have so much to do at home! 3 whole days of moving stuff ahead of me, so I should break the back of it.
I am surprised to hear that some silage has been cut in the country already, a lifetime of being north of the Watford Gap! We are just getting adequate grazing now, and I don't think anyone has shut pasture up for silage; it isn't warm enough to justify expecting serious growth yet. I think a couple of weeks before I see any longish growth with no stock on it. The winter oilseed rape is in full flower and potatoes have been planted on one farm I pass daily but no emergence yet.

We still have primroses out , and some bluebells are in blossom, but I haven't had a walk to look for anything else. I must say that involvement with a hammer is the work of anyone, MR, but they should also be the holder of the nail, concentrates the mind on hitting the right place!

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 17 6:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Also hope your helper comes up to scratch Cassandra. That moorit sounds lovely. I have been knitting lately and now I have that Shetland pattern sorted out it is going well. I still have a little more of the tops to spin, but haven't felt like it lately.

Gregotyn, the silage cut was down near the coast, but the grass has been coming on well here. I think that field was set aside for silage and hasn't been grazed at all. May be something to do with CS, but not too sure.

I took some friends round for a bluebell walk yesterday. Because it has been a bit chilly, the flowers have stayed a good dark blue, and are still lovely, although some later spring flowers are starting to come out such as stitchwort and red campion. The wild garlic is in flower adding it's white flowers to the show, and its scent in some places. We also have winter sown oil seed rape adding colour as the field above the woos is planted with it this year.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 17 9:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I will have to have a look in a book about moorit or ask around as I am sure I have heard of a flock or breed called Castle Moorit sheep, which suggests that they have this suffix because they are all BB or Ba genes, as I assume the dominant gene will show even if the recessive is present, as in Mendel's law. However, this is a new fact to me, I always thought it was a breed in its own right-never too old to learn.
I am doing the bulk of the moving this w/e as we have a holiday on Monday too. It seems a bit silly to have one so close to the last, but there we are. I don't want to know why Easter moves, I just find it strange that it does-May Day is always the first Monday in May, as much as my birthday falls on the same date every year.
I will have to do a bit more bricklaying before I complete the base of the shed to stop leaks going in. I also have to find a couple of strips of heavy rubber to form a seal at the base of the doors as a rodent deterrent and a few traps will be set-I'm a bit loathe to use poison in case other things get tummy upsets and die, but I don't want too much going on inside my shed of stored possessions, including clothes.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sun Apr 30, 17 7:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I forgot to say about the hammer work yesterday Gregotyn. I find that my men like to do things like that to prove that they are the men about the house. I am perfectly capable of using a hammer, although must say husband does tend to get the nails in straighter.

There is a breed called Castle Moorit, and I suspect it is as you say, the dominant gene. Interestingly, in flocks of wild Soay, the predominant colour is brown of some kind, but in domesticated flocks more whiter or paler ones appear. Think it may be to do with the lighter colours showing up more so more likely to be predated and the line dying out.

We did the Beltain festival at the Ancient Farm yesterday afternoon and evening and are now tired out. Quite a lot of people, but don't think as many as last year, and more 'ordinary' visitors rather than those there for the more spiritual side of it judging by the clothes, although most ended up with face paint. Not a bad evening, and the wicker man burning was spectacular as usual, although I think it was built rather too robustly by some real coppice workers and may well still have the frame standing. I sold some of my spoons, and son sold some of his leather work.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Sun Apr 30, 17 7:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I think that the white breeds were preferenced once industrial spinning and weaving came to the fore and so the coloured genes were bred out. I will look up the Castle Moorit sheep though - sounds fascinating. Could be our local lore is misleading!

Trixie was all she was cracked up to be - a good worker with lots of sense - willing to let me take the lead but coming up with some excellent solutions from time to time, so I am well happy with her and will employ her again (she seems happy to do it too which is always good).

The inside of the shed is beginning to look like a shed - lining pretty well all in place and a clever solution to future fixings thanks to Trixie. One sheet of metal is crooked so has to come off and be rehung, but that was my fault.

This is the corner where the wood heater will be installed. As you can see it has been lined with leftover metal sheeting - what you can't see is the glass fibre insultation behind the sheeting. Alongside that is a sheet of ply with two stacks of bins for small fixings and then some peg board for small hand tools (more pegboard is going elsewhere).


And here we have the back wall of the shed with shelves and more shelves. The library shelves came from the school when they had a clean out and were originally in the future craft room blocking up the chimney breast. I need to gain access to the heath as the lads are coming this week to re-mortar that, and so getting them into the shed where they can be useful served a double purpose. I will use large plastic crates to store small power tools and their associated bits and pieces in each crate.

The end you can't see is the dyeing area and I will show pics of that once it is all better organised. Meanwhile I have stripped the head of my phillips head driver so things will slow down till that is fixed!



The table saw also relocated to the shed so that is another major encumbrance to progress removed. It is on wheels (lockable) so can be moved around, and the workbench will also be given lockable wheels in due course for mobility.

Today I went to the Lucky Ewe as she had dyed up some flame red tops that I *had* to have. While there I also picked up some tussah silk and some interesting textured thread as I am thinking of entering some Art Yarn in the Campbell Town show. The silk is a natural colour, so a sort of dull gold.

I also finished off another beanie/beret which is rather more vividly autumn toned than the photo suggests. I think I will keep this one!


Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Mon May 01, 17 7:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

You have been busy. I assume that the computer leads finally surfaced as you have been able to post again. All looking really good.

I have had a slight rearrange of my seedlings. The cabbages are being hardened off, so outside during the day only at the moment. We had rain for the first time for ages yesterday, and they were out in that, but I took them into the greenhouse again as I was worried that they would get eaten by slugs and snails. As it happened I found a snail climbing up the side of the seed tray, so dispatched it. The beans and mange tout peas are now in the greenhouse rather than the house too.

Had a phone call from one of our regular dog walkers to say he had sent some horse riders that had set up jumps along one of the paths in the woods about their business. I do wish horse riders would learn to read, as it clearly says at all entrances that they should stay on the bridle path. Need to have a look at the area and clear away the jumps.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Mon May 01, 17 8:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Here is a link to the breed that both Gregotyn and I were thinking of. We got the name slightly wrong, but pretty sure this is it; https://castlemilkmooritsociety.co.uk/our-sheep/

Moorit is the name of the colour, so any sheep bred specifically for that, regardless of the mix, could be called a moorit, so both your and our lines are valid as far as I can see.

gz



Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8576
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
PostPosted: Tue May 02, 17 3:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Love the beanie/beret, cassandra !
We've got another beautiful day after the shocking wet and windy weekend in Auckland!!
We stayed in a friend's house built at 90 metres above sea level, on a 45 degree slope on poles, on the edge of Titirangi. It is in the middle of the bush..regrowth since the clear felling of Kauri trees in the late 1800s. They have 50 more "rain days"than central Auckland !!

I've driven over 2,500 km in the past fortnight, we've won five medals on the Avantiidrome between us, caught up with friends and made new ones.
It hasn't felt like a holiday, but just like living here. Back to Scotland by Friday but planning to be out here again, Summer after next.......

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Tue May 02, 17 6:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Sounds as if you have had a good time. If we don't hear from you before, have a good journey back and look forward to hearing from you on your return Gz.

In spite of showers, had a productive day in the garden yesterday. Think I now only have parsnip to make an appearance from the seeds I sowed, and the onion sets are coming on really well. Some of the quince seems to have set, and most of the apple trees are in flower. I dug out the compost heap yesterday and spread it on a couple of beds, then dug them over. Only one bed left to do a lot of work on, and the bed the compost heap has been on needs a going over, but that shouldn't be too bad.

cassandra



Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia
PostPosted: Tue May 02, 17 8:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It all sounds rather exhausting Gz - I hope you have a safe journey home - it will be nice to be heading into summer.

It was freezing cold today and I was in the History Room. Fortunately it was sunny so my spot in the window was tolerably warm, but the rest of the cavernous space was bitterly cold despite the fire. We were threatened with snow and I swear I spotted a flake or two, but nothing worth writing about.

Yesterday I got stuck into the kitchen again and did some rearranging. Having reorganised the Loungeroom the other day (and thus losing the computer cables - now found), I moved the chest of drawers containing spinning stuff into the spare bedroom. Then the unfitted cabinet from the kitchen replaced it in the loungeroom and was filled with the contents of the pantry cupboard and the doors from those were removed and put in the spare bedroom. I have been busy removing connectors and screws from those cabinets but one screw is proving uncooperative (and of course is in an awkward position that limits access) and so I am giving it a couple of turns whenever I wander past and feel like climbing on a chair. Hopefully both cabinets will be loose and moveable by tomorrow evening as I want to remove that entire section of the kitchen as stage one of the removal process. Or is that stage 2 since one cupboard is already out?

Lots of wood on the fire tonight as we are heading down to very chilly and of course there has been no fire all day in my absence. Thermal underwear weather, but only for the next day or so.

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