Danger , Ram !

~~~Rams are dangerous! Yes, football team included. Why do you think they are named the Rams ? I try to make sure we are near Goth's pen at all times because rams are dangerous and unpredictable. It is hard for people who don't know much about sheep to fully appreciate the hazard the AVERAGE ram poses. ~~~~~~This gentleman was here at the fair with his family. As they were commenting on Goth's horns and I had to ask someone near Goth's pen to please don't lean over Goth and pet him, this gentleman's family asked him to tell me about his grandfather. Thus, Mr. Philip Griego told me his great-grandfather from Weston, Colorado, had sheep and goats. His g-grandfather was separating the sheep and goats and turning his back to usher a sheep out a gate or door, the ram rammed the g-grandfather in the back. Just like that, a split second of turning his back on the ram, and he was rammed so hard it broke his back and killed him ! ~~~This is why I spend a lot of time very near Goth's pen. I spin Goth's wool . You can see the wool I dyed turquoise. I think it is spinning into a pretty yarn. Any way, I sit here, spinning, and answer questions about Jacob sheep, or as many people say "spotted goats", and tell people NOT to pet Goth, or put their babies over the rail for a good look, or let their kids dangle over the rail, or...you get the message. ~~~You'd better pay attention, because Goth is ready to go home and he is cranky...so come on and MAKE HIS DAY ! ~~~Having fun at the fair, and we haul home tomorrow. We will probably unload sheep and gear close to midnight and then...praise God, our son is on his way home and he is bringing his 4 daughters, our 4 granddaughters to live in Washington ! Thank-you Lord for a blessing that is priceless and long awaited ! See y'all at the fair .

Interesting People I Like to Spend Time With !

~~~I started my 3rd morning at the fair early as usual. We try to get to the fair at least 2 hours before the gates are open to the public. Today I brought #1 grandson to help. He loves the fair and has been coming to the fair with me since he was born. Here we are cleaning out one of our 3 sheep pens. The Doo Doo bin is behind him, for tossing the yucky hay and straw and manure into. ~~~~~~The most interesting people stop by to gawk at Goth and my 4 and 5 horned sheep. They talk to me, ask a lot of questions, and I also talk to them and ask a lot of questions. Lately I have grown bold enough to ask them to pose for pictures. I always ask if I can post their pictures too, so all pictures were approved by the people shown below. ~~~The gentleman below is Mr. Vaughn Hickman. He MADE this most beautiful leather coat. It is made of elk hide....very , very soft elk hide that was softer than the most luxurious velvets. He also beaded the design. The beads are glass...~~~ ~~~LOOK at this art and craftmanship. The design is hand beaded all over with glass beads. The fringe has beads with horsehair and bison hair distributed throughout. ~~~

~~~Here is a close-up of the buttons, bison horn buttons ! ~~~

~~~This is the beaded pocket. Mr. Hickman also fully lined the coat and said it took more than 6 years for him to make...it is far more beautiful than my pictures can capture and really should be hanging behind glass. ~~~ ~~~This gentleman is also very interesting. He is an artist. A REAL artist. His name is Kenneth J. Hurley and he does Western and Wildlife art...beautiful. Real art ! And wouldn't you know, he is with ... ~~~The sister of a neighbor and friend of ours from our old neighborhood. So I get to talk to him and visit with our old ( not old as in age ) neighbor ! I have so much fun at the fair and get to see people I haven't seen for years and people I would never meet if I did not come to the fair ! ~~~ ~~~And there are our fair friends we see every year. We form a sort of bond. Here Is Deanne . She and John and Stormy her father have Zebras, a Zedonk, yaks, Watusi cattle and reindeer. I get to sit directly across from them for 5 days and watch the animals, and watch them feed the animals. I get to pet and touch and sometimes feed the animals myself. This is a true privilege people ! I am so grateful . And the people are nice besides. Always a bonus you know. ( and you know, Goth does have a crush on the reindeer)

~~~Here Deanne is letting a little friend of ours feed...~~~

~~~~This little guy, Chili, an African Watusi steer. ~~~

~~~And another little friend gets to bottle feed Chili too. ~~~

~~~I love the fair. It really is fun and maybe in my life, 'EPIC" fits the descriptive bill.~~~

Sillyville ?

~~~Goth's view of the fair~~~~~~Roxanne of Woods Creek Llama Co. a little suspicious of me~~~

~~~Mocha of Woods Creek Llama Co. just checkin' me out~~~

~~~Just three well dressed Western gentlemen, strolling through~~~

~~~And one little boy trying on some spare ram's horns and wool at my exhibit.~~~

~~~Just some views of the fair that somehow do not fit the theme of the fair...EPIC FUN , but do seem to be aptly described below ! (maybe you can see the 3 western gentlemen in the distance, under the sign in Sillyville ).~~~

~~~So, I'm having fun , silly and epic fun at the Puyallup Fair. I am off to bed to get a bit of sleep before my long day of fun tomorrow !~~~

Maybe Not Epic, But FUN !

~~~This is Sugar, the cute little reindeer my ram Goth likes to do the ram version of flirting with. Goth can see Sugar from his pen....she pays no attention at all to him. Poor Goth. He gets no respect from some of us. However he does impress much of the public and encourage a lot of remarks about all things 'rammy'. Isn't Sugar cute ? If we had enough property I would keep a reindeer or two around !~~~Here is a long view of part of my exhibit. You can see the ewes here and the back of our area. We do enjoy our time here and every year we visit with people who keep coming back to see us. What fun. And do you know, there are an awful lot of very interesting people out there in the world and some of them come through our barn and stop in to entertain us with their wit, knowledge, wonder, and smiles ! ~~~Here is Goth's pen at the fair. Poor Goth . We loaded him into a trailer this morning while it was still dark, tied him to the interior, and then put him in a small pen. Believe me, it is for his and our good he is in a small pen. I will talk about that in another post...but don't feel too sorry for Goth. And hey, he still flirts with Sugar the reindeer. ~~~Next to Goth's pen are the very tiny and very cute miniature donkeys. I want one...and I almost made a deal for one a few years ago, but Hubby said "NO" the way he does when he absolutely, positively, 100 % means NO ! So I get my fill of tiny donkeys while at the fair. ~~~This is Deanne and her Watusi, Alero. Alero has a calf that is sooo cute. Deanne also owns Sugar and a few other very popular animals here in the 'Animals of the World' barn. You would love Deanne and her crew.The human and the animal crew ! ~~~Stanley ! What can I say about Stanley ? Well, he is a camel with real personality, who loves people and pays attention to the crowds and is entertaining. I love to just stand and watch Stanley. He also draws big crowds. Stanley is a wonderful addition to our barn. Stanley is a pretty blue gray and the owner said he would give me some of Stanley's wool to spin. I am going to take him up on his offer. I wonder if I am allergic to camel . 2 years ago Deanne gave me some Yak to spin and my throat swelled up and I couldn't breathe .I am allergic to Yak. How would the average person know they are allergic to Yak ? Try putting THAT down on a medical form! ~~~This is one of our dear friends Pam's miniature horses. Pam and her husband Gregg usually have a huge crowd around their cute horses. Pam has a lot of tiny horses, and Pam has a lot of fun ! ~~~I get to feed Jewell, a Grant's Zebra. Jewell was pretty excited about the apple. I am allowed to go inside and pet these animals, and tomorrow they just might let me walk the Yak ! I got to walk the Yak around the barns a few times in previous years. What a thrill.I think the Yak is an animal I would like to have around our place even though I am allergic to Yak. They are pretty, calm, and somehow it makes me just feel good to be around them.

~~~Isn't Jewell pretty ? ~~~

~~~Well, I am off to bed. I have to get up early to be in the barn before 7:30 a.m. to clean my pens out and be ready for the public. Maybe I will see you at the fair tomorrow ! ~~~

Hauling Out to the Fair

~~~"Hey, do you see that? Kathy is loading up her car to go to the Puyallup Fair ! Kathy, don't forget me...." Sorry Thorin, you're staying home with Bombadil, he'd be too lonely without you and there's no more room in the cars.~~~~~~Look at my car, and I am not done loading up .~~~

~~~Jester the young ram lamb ( note the 5 horns on his head ) says, " ahhh, the big guy is gone. Now WE can play with the girls."

~~~Miss Marple says, " Good, they're gone. I can nap on my favorite spot, the dining room table and maybe take a swat or two at that stupid bird, Belle .Who knows, I might just catch her and won't she be tasty ? Meow ." ~~~Sheep are loaded in the trailer, cars are full of all the things I need for 5 days of EPIC FUN !

Are We Ready For EPIC Fun ?

~~~"Are we ready for EPIC FUN ? What, I am not going to the Puyallup Fair ? But...I wanted to visit some of my relatives....I spent my first few days of life at the Puyallup Fair. Can I go ? Please, please, please....? Just let me go to the petting farm and see my Momma and cousins..PLEASE !!!! "~~~ Thorin ( below ) my Nigerian / Pygmy goat~~~ Well, the milk jugs are cleaned and repainted for the fair.~~~

~~~ The sheep stand is cleaned and re-painted.~~~

~~~ Valkyrie says " I don't know, people might make fun of my 5 horns...~~~

~~~" NO, no, no.....I do NOT want to go to the fair. I do not care if there is Epic Fun to be had !" says Thora. She's kind of cranky after her bath and I don't think she wants to talk about the fair. ~~~ Sassafras says, " I do not want to go to the fair because you are not bringing Saffron my daughter with me. I have a problem with leaving my little lamb in day care and I do not care how good the facility is..BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !"

~~~ Vandal says "Please take me ! I wanna go to the fair. I'll be good. I promise ! " ~~~

~~~ Goth ( the horny one below , in every sense of the word..and no comments please, this IS a family blog after all and we get enough comments regarding being horny from the thousands of people passing through the exhibit) says " I want to go to the fair ! Do you think that cute little reindeer will be there again this year ? I REALLY love that cute little reindeer. Do you think they will let me in with her this year ?"

~~~ " Epic : Grand, noble. " " Fun : that which excites merriment. " Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary

~~~The theme of this year's Puyallup Fair is EPIC FUN ! I think if you put the definitions of the two words together you will get " grand, noble fun, that which excites merriment." Yup, do the Puyallup ! That sums it up. Come have fun with us, EPIC FUN at the Puyallup !

~~~By the way, Puyallup is pronounced like this ...pew-al-up. ! Do the Puyallup ! ~~~

Spot of Abundance

~~~"Abundance; A plentiful or overflowing supply; a large or sufficient quantity or number; copiousness; great plenty." Funk and Wagnalls New Standard Dictionary

~~~I am awash in abundance, I am overwhelmed with abundance. Look at all the apples and pears on my table. This is a drop in the bucket compared to the fruit still awaiting harvesting in our orchard. The harvester and preserver in our household is just me! There are still beans and peas in the garden needing to be picked and preserved. There are still lettuces and carrots for the picking. I am also preparing for the Puyallup Fair. Bathing sheep, cleaning up items needed for my 5 day exhibit. Getting paperwork and posters and information necessary for the exhibit. The exhibit where I will spend 5 days, from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. every day......who will preserve our harvest ? ~~~Well, sigh....I wash and sterilize quart jars for at least one canner load of applesauce.~~~

~~~Here I wash and slice up apples, cutting out any bad spots or buggy areas. Note, I am NOT peeling and coring the apples for applesauce..a very labor intensive chore I did for years to can my many, many quarts of applesauce. I just place the slices of apples, peels, cores and all into 2 Dutch ovens on my stove, add a little water and steam and stir, until tender.

~~~2 dutch ovens of unpeeled, uncored apples steaming on the stove. Why do I not have to peel and core my apples the way I did it for years? The very labor intensive way I did it to can the many, many quarts of apples into applesauce for a year's supply for our family ?

~~~This is the pot of apples , steamed with their peelings and cores. They are tender and ready to pour into my handy, dandy....... ~~~SQUEEZ-O! This amazing machine has a big funnel which will accept a whole dutch oven of steamed apples. I turn the crank and out of the sieve cone comes APPLESAUCE ! The little bowl to the left of the Squeez-o is collecting the stems, seeds, peelings, core pieces which are coming out of the end of the sieve cone. I am still amazed by this machine , cranked by hand, that helps take a LOT of the work out of making applesauce . I add as much sugar as I desire to the very hot bowl of applesauce. ( I added 1 1/2 cups to the whole bowl)

~~~I pull the hot sterilized jars out of my water canner. ~~~

~~~I fill my jars with the hot, sweetened applesauce to within 1" of the top of the jar. I clean the rims of the jars, add the lids and screw the bands on to secure the lids. Put the jars back in my water bath canner. Bring the water back to a boil and boil the quarts of applesauce for 20 minutes. Turn the stove off and remove the jars of hot applesauce to the counter..OUT OF DRAFT, and leave them until the next day when I will remove the rings / bands, clean the jar tops and store in my pantry.~~~ ~~~Ahhh, there is something so satisfying about seeing my very hard work stacked on the counter. I was able to can 7 quarts of applesauce and put a few containers away for the freezer. The small containers are the perfect size for Hubby's lunches. ~~~You can freeze your applesauce. It is much easier, but we lose our electric power every winter and often lose our power during storms for a long enough period to require disposing of freezer items. Canning is still the best option for us.~~~ ~~~I still have an abundance of pears and apples to can. I am hoping they will not ripen too quickly.I am hoping the week AFTER the fair will be soon enough to finish the long day or two of canning ( JUST CANNING) I have waiting for me. ~~~ I so hate waste. I especially hate to waste a blessing of abundance. Why oh why can't our fruit, or the fair work out their schedule to accommodate ME ?

~~~" Life is not orderly, no matter how we try to make life so, right in the middle of it we die,lose a leg, or fall in love... drop a jar of applesauce." Natalie Goldberg