A new blog!
Mood:  celebratory
Due to some technical problems, I've started another blog called Another Day at Bay Colony Farm. You can find this one at https://baycolonyfarm.tripod.com/BCF2/

More signs of Spring
Mood:  energetic
Now Playing: Four Tops "When She Was My Girl"
Topic: Various things

What can I say? Bob and Phyllis from the Wool Connection provided a lovely weekend (again) for knitters in New England. Although this year, I met one woman from Cincinnati, and I heard there was another knitter there from Virginia.

I was unable to make it to yesterday's class lineup, due to both of my boy's having their birthday parties, but I was there today, taking "Muchos Ponchos" by Melissa Leapman. I must say that Melissa is one of my favorite teachers of all time. She works us hard, and expects us to learn, but she also makes class a lot of fun, and I've always come away with a new way of looking at things, and new techniques. Plus, she has the BEST handouts, which is always a plus for me.

After the class, I went up to the WC, which was open today for those of us in the classes, and purchased "Cozy Crochet" by Melissa, some Kiogu so that I can make a quick shawlette for a shawl exchange I'm in, and some notions that I've needed.

All in all, I had a wonderful day. To me, the EW is one of those "signs of Spring" for me. This was the 8th year that I've gone, and I wouldn't miss it for the world. I'm completely jazzed by spending the day with like minded people, and teachers that inspire us to stretch our minds and boundaries in our fiber arts.

Here is my small haul from the WC:

And for those that need a bunny fix, here they are at 9 days old:

They just came in from their daily feeding with Mia, and are plump, happy and content. It's snooze time for them. :)

I've also set up the classes with Melissa Leapman to be held in Amherst in September. We'll do one day of knitting classes, and one day of crochet classes. Melissa has released "Cozy Crochet" which is for those of us that are crochet impaired. It has projects for beginning and intermediate crocheters. Her next book, called "Cool Crochet" will be out next month, and is fantastic! None of those crocheted things that we remember from the 70's, but designs that inspire and are fresh. She'll be bringing copies of "Hot Knits", "Cozy Crochet" and "Cool Crochet" in September to sell, which she will also autograph. So be prepared to be dazzled! Bay Colony Farm will also be selling Grafton Fibers crochet hooks and knitting needles (straights and circulars) at the classes too. A list of the classes will be put on the Bay Colony Farm list on Yahoogroups (to subscribe, send me an e-mail, or go to www.baycolonyfarm.com and you can subscribe at the bottom of the home page) and also on the website (but the website might take a few days, as my webmistress is up to her eyeballs in work). Stay tuned!

More pictures!
Mood:  chatty
Now Playing: Stevie Nicks "Stand Back"

A week later;



The babies now have some fur, and are much bigger. We did loose one, which was also the smallest one. I felt bad when it died, but I've come to recognize that you can't save them all. They die for a reason. This little one kept crawling off to be by itself. After I put it back with it's siblings the third time, I realized that it was crawling off to be alone to die. I find this to be extremely sad as a human, as I'd like to think that I'll be surrounded by loved ones when I go (I can hope!). But in the animal world, some prefer to go alone, and rabbits are one of those creatures.

The remaining four are doing very well though, and are nursing well from Mia. Mia is also doing great, and I'm upping her feed intake, which must be cut down when rabbits kindle to prevent the possibility of a clogged milk duct. She's happier getting more food, and I'm giving her some treats too.

A couple of the questions made me realize that I haven't discussed the bunnies growth. In another 5-7 days, their eyes will open. They will be more mobile, and wanting to explore the nestbox. They will also be fully furred by then, and that is about the time that they move out to live with Mom (I keep the nestbox in my office until then). Because they are mobile, they sometimes attempt to get out of the nestbox, which is what happened in September to one of Annie's kids. I found the baby under my desk, but it isn't something I want to repeat. :) Of course, when they are so mobile, they then realize that Mom is right around the corner, and try to nurse all the time. That is about the time that Mia will start giving me the look of "What did you do to ME? They don't leave me alone!". And she'll be jumping around try to escape them. Eventually, they do realize that they can't nurse 24/7, and calm down. But watching that happen is amusing. And I know I'll go out there in another few weeks to find every one of those kids laying somewhere on Mia. Mother rabbits just put up with that, and it is very cute to observe. I guess she's probably just happy that they aren't trying to nurse. :)

The rest of my day today will be spent preparing for my boy's birthday party, which is tomorrow. We have approximately 20 kids coming (as of last night's count, and I'm sure I'll get a few more calls today), and I still have to buy party favors, and order the cakes. Please send me some calming energy so that I can get all this done without making myself crazy. :)

One my of favorite sounds of the Spring
Mood:  special
Peeper Chorus

We heard these tonight on the way home from Lowe's. I love listening to the Peepers singing their song. Because I was the one driving, we stopped by the side of the road, and listened for a few minutes. Their call is music to my ears. It reminds me of my summer vacations down in NJ and how we could hear the Peepers singing at night, which was something I couldn't hear at my own house in MA, as we didn't live close to any swamps or wetlands.

After listening to the Peepers, I saw a shooting star a few minutes later.

What a night! :)

Not the night I had planned...
Mood:  rushed
Now Playing: Jackson Browne "Running on Empty"

My plan was to sit down last night, and knit on the Ribby Cardi. Instead, I realised that I had to book the boy's birthday party, which we've now scheduled for next Saturday morning. So I had to sit down and write out 36 birthday invitations, as we invite all the children from their classes and the teachers need to distribute the invitations this morning.

And today I have to write two reports, and mail out some important letters. I can't wait to have all this stuff done!

Yes, that is really what is playing on AOL Radio right now. How appropriate.

Look who's living in my office!
Mood:  celebratory
Now Playing: En Vogue "Don't Let Go"

Aren't they cute?

Five beautiful babies from Mia and Gewurztraminer. Mia gave birth sometime yesterday afternoon. The fine mother she is, she pulled enough soft warm wool for the babies to snuggle into. I bring them into my office to ensure that they stay warm, and take them to Mia once a day for nursing.

Rabbits aren't like other animals; the does only nurse once or twice a day, and stay away from the nest the rest of the time. This is an instinct for them for thousands of years so that they don't draw predators to the nest.

Mia was appropriately upset when I took the nestbox from her cage late yesterday, and she'll give me the twice over today when I take them back out. But it will be a better arrangement, as it prevents any babies from getting out of the nest after nursing, and chilling to death.

On the knitting front, I swatched for the Ribby Cardi as all my yarn arrived from Elann the other day. I'm using the Lime Ice color, which I love. I'll cast on for the sweater today, after having read the instructions yesterday. It appears to be a well written pattern, which I like. I hate having to figure out things. I have enough things in my life that I have to figure out, besides one of them being something I do to relax. ;-)

Isn't this pretty?
Mood:  energetic
Now Playing: Paul Davis "I Go Crazy"

Isn't this pretty?

It is the covered bridge in Dummerston, VT. We were up that way yesterday on a shopping trip to Basketville. I managed to find a few baskets that I needed. One is lined with fabric and will make the perfect knitting basket next to the chair in the family room. The other is a stair basket and a small half-egg basket to hand on the wall for mail.

I missed going to the Green Mountain Spinnery, as we had to find this covered bridge, and it wound up being so far south of the store that we were almost into Brattleboro by the time we found it. Oh well, I'll save that trip for another day.

Tea and Friendship
Mood:  lyrical
Now Playing: Belinda Carlisle "Circle in the Sand"
I had a lovely visit yesterday with fellow blogger, LauraJ. Me, being blond for a part of today (and could that have anything to do with the fact that I finally finished our taxes yesterday and feel exhausted?), forgot to be home by 3:30, and Laura had to track me down via cell phone. But once I arrived home, we enjoyed some Jasmine Blossom tea from Adagio teas, talked fiber and shared some good stories. I will be staying with Laura when I go up to NH and vend at the NHS&W show, which I'm looking forward to. It's always nice to have a place to stay (rather than sleeping in the back of one's car), but to be staying with a friend, is especially nice.

Laura was extra kind in preforming some Reiki on me. If you haven't had Reiki done before, it allows energy to flow freely within your body. It is incredibly calming and energizing at the same time. I believe in alternative methods of medicine (I didn't used to, but after a car accident, which left me with serious back problems I had to seek some sort of help, as the doctors as the hospital were unable to help me). I didn't know what to expect with Reiki, but it was very helpful today.

Laura is taking a course in tablet weaving at Webs this weekend, and I'm looking forward to seeing what she learns. Weaving is on my list of "want to do's" but I'd better get a studio built first before I move a loom into our house. :)

The Official Start Date
Mood:  celebratory

We will aim for Monday, April 11th as the official start up date for the KAL to start. That way, it allows everyone to get their pattern and yarn.

If you are joining us, please e-mail me with your name and blog address (if you have one) and I'll add your name to the group. :)

Please bear with me
Mood:  don't ask

Somehow, I lost all my webring links, my visitor counter, my referral pages and my Weatherpixie today. I have no idea where they went, and I can't put them back in until we figure out why my main layout page looks like gibberish.

So, please bear with me until we can get this fixed. It will take a few well placed phone calls or e-mail to the people at Tripod for some help.