spaazlicious

So maybe three weeks ago this Wednesday, Lorraine Powell (760/789-1758) invited Margaret Tyler's spinning class out to her place in Ramona fer some spinning and sheep oglin' and shoppin'.


And some modern art--everybody knows Barn Cats create the best modern art. (I thought at first it was a tree branch, then realised, "hey it's furry" and "there's no tree it could have come from." It must have been a huge rat and quite a scuffle to see.)



Sorry, I just thought it was interesting, so like any good Amerkin I took a pitcher.


There were some good looking (whole) animals hanging around, and I fell in love with this handsome dude.



I think it was the alfalfa chum around his nostrils that really got me hot.

But Mary-Kay had a better eye for the cuties. Check her out for gorgeous Lincoln on the hoof. I love that little lamb's locks.

Here's what her locks might look like when she's sheared and older:



Such strength and curl and sheen:



But here's the shot that really makes me wish I'd snagged some, the light catches the skin side just right:


I passed on it because I still have Eloise to tend to. And some other combing to do, but geez, pretty stuff.

Here's Mary-kay posing by her kill:



The skirting table is a construction of 2x4"s and some extra-special chicken wire (thicker and rustproof) where they shake the second cuts out of the fleeces and skirt the poopy bits out.



Lorraine brought up an interesting point: shearers shear, and the product (the FS, or the Finished Sheep) that they leave is an advertisement of sorts, so sometimes the shearing that they do is not so great for handspinners, leaving lots of second cuts.

This is of course, A Major Bummer™ as it reduces the staple length of the fiber and in the end, the consistency of the spinning. But only if you're super-anal about it. ;)

Also, Mary-Kay proudly displayed while Byron married her:


And then she laughed merrily as she watched me lock my keys in the car...but she drove me home to get my spare key.


I promised knitting and spinning, but all there is in this post is love for the Lincoln. She also has Columbians, but really, I could care less about Columbian fleece. Although I should care more, since they're a Lincoln-Rambouillet cross and could quite possibly be the Next Trendy Sheep Fiber (Finn was quite briefly this) but they feel like Corriedale to me...and Corriedale's cheaper. Spinning and knitting next post. really.

*(this entry subtitled: "Fuí el primero que dijo que el orgasmo clitoral no solo debe ser para mujeres", name the movie that subtitle came from and win 400 yards of sock yarn! Of course, if you prefer to buy it, Juno's destashing a nice lot)