I love Jacob!

Natural Colored Jacob Hand Spun Yarn

Jacob wool, that is. Sorry, I don't have a new beau hanging around. But I just finished spinning up a beautiful Jacob fleece from Perfect Spot Farm, and I enjoyed every minute of the processing, spinning and plying. Instead of sending this fleece away to have it washed and made into roving, I washed it myself and just spun it on the Reeves wheel after fluffing the dried locks up a little. The varigation worked out well in the plying; there are some white patches, some dark lengths and lots of the brown and white "barber pole" effect. I have another fleece I was going to send away to have made into roving but this worked out so well I may just go ahead and spin it! My next fleece, though, will be some of a light brown Corriedale that I bought a couple of years ago from Rising Meadow Farm. I'm thinking to ply it with some fawn angora blended with camel fiber. Currently on the wheel is some bright purple commerical merino.

Busy week so far. On the farm on Tuesday I sheared two beautiful rabbits and cleaned a few cages and trays. In the spring a young doe's thoughts turn to motherhood, if not romance. So while I was cleaning I popped Greenberry's Lucy in with Wollybuns Hop Sing. They're both lovely pure Germans and they seemed to be interested in parenthood. So in about a month I should have a lovely litter of pure Germans. I also sheared beautiful Bell, and bred her to my cheerful little Greenberry's Cricket. With the attractive personalities of the parents, this litter should be delightful!

Yesterday was wet, cool and foggy. I got up early and took Lily down the mountain for our walk, but the rains came and we had to turn back. The wet weather didn't discourage favorite cousin and I from the trip we had planned. RJ wanted to go out to Burk's Garden in Tazewell County, so we headed out yesterday morning. On the way I stopped in at deBeez House of Yarn in Hillsville (have to get a yarn shop in there somewhere) and had a nice visit with the owner, Deb Worrell. She has some very nice commercial yarns and I'll be going back when the stash dwindles a little for purse yarns. Good prices and a nice lady. I invited her to our knitting group, which we hope to have gathering here at the shop on Thursdays at 5:30 PM. The first meeting is scheduled for May 3.

Our trip to Tazewell was lovely, if a bit damp. I didn't get any pictures because of the fog but if you're ever in the Tazewell area it's a beautiful place. I always enjoy the trip up and back. We wandered around Burk's Garden, which is a wonderful and secluded area of lovely farms on top of a mountain. RJ says the theory is that the place was once a large cavern on top of a mountain that collapsed.

This morning it is beautiful, sunny, breezy and a bit warmer. I've been watching light fluffy clouds float past; I would swear that a couple of them were dragons in disguise!