The Life of Riley

If you follow me on Instagram, you've already met Riley, the newest addition to our family:

We adopted Riley from a lady who is battling cancer, and couldn't care for him any longer. He's a 6 year old Tibetan Terrier and is full of personality.

We were looking for someone who was completely different from Shepherd (so we wouldn't constantly compare him) and Riley fits the bill perfectly. He's done some smelling of the yarn, but overall hasn't seemed too interested in it...which is great. He's not technically a senior dog yet, but he's not a puppy either. And he is definitely an adorable fur ball:)

Pure Love

I haven't been able to write anything about it until now, but we had to say goodbye to Shepherd a couple of weeks before Christmas.  It's hard even now to write these words.

While it was a tough couple of months before he left us, I am so grateful and thankful that that's all it was. He was in remarkably healthy condition right up until the end. He had just turned 15 and had been in great shape for almost all of that time. 

Other than walking a little slower and sleeping a lot better (thanks to being hard of hearing!), he was the same dog he'd always been. No, that's wrong.  He was sweeter and more precious with each passing year. We three fit together just perfectly:) The whiter his face got, the sweeter he got.

If you've been privileged to have a senior dog, then you know what I'm talking about. I think I'm spoiled for anything but senior dogs from here on out.

A Leaf-y Pillow

In the last year or so, we noticed that Shepherd enjoyed laying in the leaves on the back patio.  So, we started raking the leaves into a pile in the middle of the patio and leaving them for him to lay in.

And he does :

I mean, I'm sorry, but how cute is that?  I'll tell you...darn cute.

Not that we spoil or pamper him or anything like that.  Right.

Saturday Snapshot 11.17.2012

Photo credit : TurkZilla

Gobble, gobble!

Saturday Snapshot 10.27.2012

Shepherd - very busy on the trail

Dog in motion.  Out of the 50 pictures I took on this hike - this is one of a handful that came out clearly.  Usually, it's a blur - like these :

Pumpkin Pooch

A note from Shepherd :  (This post was written by Shepherd, our sweet senior dog.)

Flickr mosaic : Pumpkins

1. Pumpkins for Sale, 2. Potsdamer plats pumpkins, 3. Pumpkins are Tasty, 4. Autumn Leaves, 5. Autumn Leaf, 6. Pumpkin Patch, 7. Pumpkins, 8. Pumpkin Patch, 9. Waxen Wan, 10. Pumpkins, 11. Pumpkin barrow, 12. Pumpkin, 13. ~Happy First Day of Fall~

Did you know pumpkin is good for dogs?  Especially for their digestion?  Especially if you're an older dog like me and don't have the 'cast iron' stomach you used to have?

My mom and dad discovered pumpkin is good for my stomach, ...and it's delicious!  And easy on the canine stomach.  I love a couple of spoonfuls instead of milk, which sadly, I don't seem to tolerate well anymore.  So they've stocked up on cans of pureed pumpkin, just for me.  Isn't that sweet?

I say, bring on the pumpkin.

Snapshot Saturday 10.13.2012

Shepherd, the sweet senior dog

Cooler days equal days spent laying on the back patio.  It's a hard life.

Inspiration Collage : Sheep

1. 3, 2. COTSWOLD, 3. Ovelhas, 4. Wensleydale sheep, 5. Finn sheep - Mum plus 4, 6. Teeswater Lamb?, 7. Bah bah, 8. Larry and Lars, 9. Corriedale sheep in show ring, 10. Corriedale, 11. Dahlia - Brown-White FinnSheep Lamb Sleeping, 12. DSC_0204, 13. P1040250

In case you haven't guessed by now, I sort of love sheep.  Not that unusual for a knitter & handspinner.  But my husband is a true animal lover, so he encourages pictures of sheep all around.  Well, okay.

On the Wheel : Lucy, meet Ruth

Hand-pulled Shetland top on my Schacht Ladybug "Lucy"

This is Shetland from a sheep named "Ruth".  Here's her picture:

She's a sheep...so, of course, she's very cute.  The vendor included her picture when I bought this a couple of years ago.  My plan is to spin this (I've got 2.5 ounces) and ply it with this:

This is the llama fleece I was gifted a while back.  Of course, I've got about half an ounce of that pulled into top, so I've got to get busy and handcomb and diz 2 more ounces.

I think they'll marry well, they both have a long staple and are pretty smooth fibers.  The llama is incredibly soft and silky, and the shetland has a nice springy-ness to it.  Now, we'll see if I want to leave it the natural color or dye it once it's finished!

On the wheel

I'm spinning this BFL in the "Gloaming" colorway from Corgi Hill Farm.  I've filled one bobbin so far.  I'm doing a 3-ply, hopefully fingering weight for a pair of handspun socks.   This is probably the most even singles I've spun so far!  Woot.

Gratuitous senior dog shot....looking like Mr. Serious (I think there was food involved.)

Sweater Weather

We got a great chance to try out my newest FOs on a recent trip to Colonial Williamsburg.  I finished my cardigan and Jimmy's vest just in time.  And we fell in love....with sheep!  Oh my gosh, the sheep were so sweet and cute and woolly and... sheepy! 

We enjoyed all the animals they have there...all rare breeds I'm pretty sure.  They had horses, cows, sheep, chickens, and pigs.  I'm sure there were others we missed.

We walked a lot...a LOT.  But then we ate a lot, too. 

Hey, but right now...I just want to be a sheep farmer!