The Thrifty Knitter

A certain handsome gent went willingly out on pasture with the flock this morning, so my Uncle Honeybunch-specific angst has dissipated (cost: $97 and 2 lost days of work; not too rough). Now just two more days of general heat-related-livestock-stress angst, and I’m in the clear. The latter anxiety is much more manageable: let them out early, lots of water, frequent checks that become more frequent at 100°, etc. And of course, after the better part of a week of Excessive Heat Warnings, I’ve made some nice accommodations that manage my stress as well as theirs.

I’ve finished my first 4-ounce challenge pattern & I’m working on my second. I’m knitting them in commercial yarn first, then I’ll be reknitting them in handspun. I don’t want to abuse my handspun. Also, it doesn’t actually exist yet.

This big pile of scrumpy goodness arrived yesterday. It’s pretty much true red, very pretty, though I was expecting something a little oranger. You really never can tell with monitors. It’s for my knitty Deep Fall pattern reknit. It’s super plush, and I think they sent more than I requested, so it looks like mama’s gonna get herself a little something on the side! I’d never seen Lorna’s Laces solids in person, so I didn’t realize they would be true solids–I was expecting more of a kettle dye situation, but this will actually be better for the pattern, though of course, less exciting to knit. The pattern has a nice texture that would probably compete poorly with color shifts, so as much as it killed me to eschew the glorious Lorna’s Laces hand-dyes, I had to request solids for the project.

I’m trying out this new thing where I have a Top 10 list each month that’s posted on a big white board in my office. I started in June & my average is about 60%, not bad, since a million urgent extra-list demands always pop up throughout the month. This month, so far? I’ve accomplished none. I’ve made progress on several, but progress ain’t crossing off. The extra-list items have been the Art Share block printing workshop, Jayne & Uncle Honeybunch health, animal heat issues, etsy maintenance, Craftzine projects, and the 4-ounce challenge (which should absolutely NOT be usurping my list; it’s unvarnished goofing off!).

Would you like to see my official August To-Do List? Ordered by priority:

1. Finish redesign/build of LSF site
2. Complete & submit PSIQs
3. Repair hay storage shelter (getting an all-new one instead!)
4. Put Color Source Book online
5. Install replacement hard drive and xfer old files (huge ass-pain on an iMac)
6. Add current stock to artclubshop.com site
7.Configure & test and go live!
8. Make complete inventory spreadsheet
9. Link rav ads to new site
10. Tentative Art Share calendar for the rest of 2010

And because I have a slave to my lists, I also make a weekly list and a daily list. Wow, this is incredibly boring. I’ll stop now. Back to work.

I’ve found I get very little done when I’m running outside every hour with ice packs or a new fan or a new coolaroo shade or a hose or what-have-you, fretting over the panting sheep and panting chickens. The Howes lost an alpaca to heatstroke yesterday, so I was even more anxious.

I made a few solid improvements in the sheep cooling department. Figured it to be worthwhile with my under-the-weather wether and another 2 days of crazy heat on the schedule.

I realized I had the 70% Coolaroo up, so I replaced it with the 90% Coolaroo, and added another sail over the barn itself, which I hope will make the barn cooler. The I added another one of those giant commercial fans.

And I had a couple extra frozen bottles, so I just tucked them next to whoever looked especially hot. Jayne does not look overheated here (this was taken after the temperature generously dropped about 10 degrees in 20 minutes); he was just modeling for me. Handsome boy.

Uncle Honeybunch is still off his feed. I found him laying on top of some flakes of hay I’d put in the barn so they wouldn’t have to brave the heat to eat. But aside from sprawling on everyone’s lunch, he hasn’t shown much interest in food today. He did nibble up a few handfuls of grass I brought him, and he does seem to be burping a little better today. But he still looks pretty pathetic.

The chickens amused me very much today. They’ve taken up residence by the back door, which means I can’t leave the back door open, because they WILL come inside, which would be adorable if chickens didn’t poop so enthusiastically and indiscriminately. But that’s not the amusing part. The amusing part is that I set out a corningware pie pan of water for them right by the bush where they like to congregate, so they wouldn’t have to walk all the way out to the coop to get a drink. But instead of (or in addition to) drinking out of it, they took turns sitting in the cool glass. And they totally filled the thing, a funny, panting chicken pie. They looked much like a fat cat stuffing itself into a shoebox. Only with chickens. And a pie pan. That’ll put marzipan in your pie plate, bingo!

When I wasn’t shuttling between barn and building, I was investigating toxicity info on Conyza canadensis (horseweed, which Uncle Honeybunch was gobbling the day he fell ill), which of course ranged form “not poison” to “poisonous to cattle and sheep.” It seems to be considered not a big deal because it’s unpopular with most livestock. Except, apparently, Uncle Honeybunch. He’s a renegade. And the pages that call it poisonous don’t tell you how poisonous. Tummy ache poisonous or Medici poisonous? Even the most detailed information just said that “the concentration varies by phase of growth”–but which phase is most concentrated? One source said it contained alkaloids similar to nightshade. But as concentrated as nightshade? Who knows.  It’s very frustrating. And I got a message call back from K State indicating it horseweed could be a big deal for sheep, but the message was garbled and I apparently accidentally erased it before I got the opportunity to go all CSI on it. And when I called back, I couldn’t get another response.

Anyway, for now, everyone’s hanging in there. It’s actually kind of lovely outside, thanks to the nearby thunderstorms. Just two more dog days and we’ll be in the clear for a week.

Here’s an ag site I’m really enjoying: Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs. Go Canada!

Poor fella. The vet just left and his prognosis is okay. At least it’s not bloat, and I’m waiting to hear back about all the horseweed he ate yesterday, which I think may be the culprit.

Yesterday, the normal piggy Uncle Honeybunch showed zero interest in their nightly grain treat, and just lurked back in the barn, away from everyone. This morning, he was still off feed and hanging back, and his belly felt really taught (they always feel that way at night, so I didn’t think anything of it last night; but everyone else was decompressed this morning).  He didn’t seem to be burping, was was generally listless and not himself. I made an appointment with the vet, but it wasn’t until 2.

He looked twice as wide as everyone else (to be honest, he’s ALWAYS the widest one), and his fleece is longest, too, so I got worried he had bloat and the heat would make it way worse (a real threat, according to the internet), so when he passed mushy poop and the temperature crossed 90 before 11am and the lady at the vet asked if I might bring him inside when I fretfully telephoned, I marched out and dragged him inside.

He did not come willingly, and I was sweating and grunting and fighting him the whole way. He’s currently too big around to pick up (assuming I could lift him–which I’m pretty sure I could if he weren’t so barrel-like and if my arms weren’t so tyrannasaurus-like), so it was a war of cajoling and pleading and dragging and wondering if I was making a terrible mistake in the burning sun. I finially go him inside, and up the six stairs, and down the slick hall to my office, were he promptly crammed himself into the corner and shunned me. One he cooled off, he was a little  nicer and relaxed a little and even begged some pets.

He still doesn’t look content, but he seems stoic and calm, throwing me the occasional winsome glance and the occasional dirty look. I have some probios to give him for the next couple days, and a little better understanding of what bloat would look/feel like, but no solid explanation of his appetite, poop, and taut belly. He was gorging on horseweed yesterday. Ed had told me it wasn’t dangerous, so I didn’t stop him, but with all the dryish grass and hay they’d been eating, maybe his tummy couldn’t take it, or maybe he just ate way more than a normal sheep should. I know I’d probably look like that if I ate a whole carton of ice cream.

The vet said he hadn’t heard horseweed was a problem, but that might just be because they don’t usually eat much of it. The Kansas wildflower and grass site says it may be toxic to sheep and cows, but that there’s no experimental evidence.

Anywho. I’ve got a waterproof tarp and some ratty tatty blankets down, but so far, he’s been dainty. My plan is to put him back with the others after the temperature’s on its way back down (usually around 7) give him the probios over the next couple days, and keep an eye on him.

Hot damn! A burp, and a few seconds of chewing! Not a rousing recovery, but I’ll take what I can get.

None of the sheep are loving this heat wave (which is planning to stick around until Saturday, apparently), but I let them out at 6.30 to get a little grass before Mother Nature fired up the broiler, and I hung a Coolaroo shade and an extra fan this morning, and I’m rotating frozen jugs of water into their bowls to keep it cool and encourage them to hydrate. The chickens are hanging out in the cool shade of the building, getting fresh water every couple hours. Everyone is moving as little as possible.

I feel really lucky that I’ve had occasion to try my hand at two new creative skills in as many months. Last month, I got back into embroidery, and now, I’m really excited about linoleum block printing.

Art Share sponsored and our current artist-in-residence Liz Runkle volunteered to teach a free linoleum block printing class. I think it was a big hit with everyone, and I was so excited about my Mr. Shivers print, I’ve decided to do all of the sheep. Liz said she thought the prints I made on this vintage old lady type deckle-edged parchment stationary looked like and old German fairy tale illustration, so I think I’m going to make a full set like this. I might even have to write up some stories to go with them. Or, maybe nursery rhymes. That seems more doable.

Here’s Mr. Shivers. Final print:

It’s a 2-color reduction block with silver and black print.

Final block, will silver part of print cut out:

Here’s how it looked for the silver print:

And here’s the illustration with my first tentative cuts:

I actually kind of like that it’s a little crude.

The really cool thing is that Ron has a wee little press (with a small set of letters, even!) his friend Noah gave him a couple years ago. Until the workshop, it just sat in a corner, but now it’s all cleaned up and it’s a great size for little prints like this one. I have a couple f 4×6 blocks, so I might try my hand at making some cards with Ron’s little press.

I decided to start my 4-ounce challenge with the bigger challenge. I didn’t want to burn through my handspun right off the batt, so I started with a 4oz skein of dk stuff I got at Rhinebeck (yay! Using Rhinebeck fiber! Go Uberlist!). My first try isn’t 100%, but it’s not too shabby, either. And as a byproduct, I have a little Rhinebeck souvenir!

The block printing class was today, and it was great fun! I’m afraid I have a new interest on my hands! I made a suicide block of Mr Shivers, and I think I just might have to do all the sheep!

Everyone donated a print from the workshop. I’m going to mount or matt or whatever the prints and make an Art Share section on etsy and we can use any sales to buy art supplies for the next class. If we do that for all the classes, I think it will help keep our little volunteer organization funded and keep our free classes free. Yay, Art Share!

Well, even though a couple acres are out of play, my cut was still about 50 bales. Even if there’s a lot of waste, that should get us through the winter if I’m grazing them as well. I’ve got a date with our extension agent on Wednesday, so this time next week, I might even have a pasture management plan.

A couple hours ago, I watched this baby wrap up that wriggling beetle like a living mummy. Maybe tomorrow I’ll toss her a grasshopper and get some action shots!

I’m excited about the Hello Yarn/Southern Cross/Spunky Eclectic 4 ounce Challenge. It’s a call for patterns/FO using just the normal 4oz hank of their hand-dyed fiber. I have two ideas I’m going to try to realize for the contest. One is highly doable, the other is going to be a hell of a challenge to pull off in 4 ounces, but you never know. Sometimes, I’m kind of awesome at being stingy with fiber. No matter what, it will be an excellent incentive to spin up some of that Hello Yarn that’s been languishing in my stash forever.

Like a lot of people, for a long time I had an inferiority complex about my spinning and didn’t want to “waste” any of my Hello Yarn. But I’m pretty sure my current level of competence is as good as I’ll get, since my current inputs are about as much as I’m willing to invest.

Wood block print by Liz Runkle.

In other news, we still have a couple spots left for the free linoleum block printing class Liz is teaching this Sunday. I might have to try to convince her to come back for an extended workshop in the future (Block Printing School?), as the reduction prints are amazing and well beyond the scope of a free 4-hour class. But we will be making small linoleum blocks for one-color prints. I’m hoping to print a nice batch of extras that we can sell to raise money for future Art Share classes! (Art Share is a free community arts program for the city of Harveyville and neighboring communities. Last year, we had a KAC grant, but it looks like we’ll be able to continue this year with community/volunteer support. Yay!)

Finally added some new hand dyes to Art Club. All Romney (easy to spin, strong, good for mittens/slippers/outerwear). The 4oz bags are $12.50 & the 8oz chains are $20. The dyed locks (from Ewephoria Farms, way, WAY softer than commercial Romney) are $4/oz.

VIXEN (4oz):

DAMSELFLY (4oz):

NYMPHEAS (4oz):

LIP SMACKERS (4oz):

AVON LADY (4oz):

FOXGLOVE (8oz):

SUICIDE CONE (8oz)

NOBODY LIKES A MOPE (4oz):

FLOP-EAR LOCKS: