Thursday 28 May 2015

Need a haircut.

My header picture (courtesy of the farmer) says it all without a word being written.

The Swaledale ewes and their lambs have arrived for the Summer and have settled into the pasture.   But already they are shedding their coats.   They must find it an irritant because they seem to spend a lot of their time in the hedge bottom rubbing among the branches.

I don't expect the shearing to take place before July and by that time many of the ewes will have lost almost all of their wool in the hedges and will look very moth-eaten, poor things.

A couple of years ago I went round the hedgerows and collected all the wool for Fiona (www.MarmaladeRose.co.uk) who lives in Hawes, about fifteen miles from me.   She made me this cute little Swaledale sheep on a green ball.  Pop over to her site and see what other goodies she makes.

14 comments:

Heather said...

I love your little felted sheep on its tiny green hillock. Some late nesting birds might be glad of some of the wool left on the hedgerows.

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

Beautiful banner photo!
Its amazing there are so many interesting trees in such a pretty field, and with sheep! It must be fun collecting the wool from the branches.

Linda Metcalf said...

Fiona is very talented with wool. I love her works. I'm waiting for a hedgehog!

Simon Douglas Thompson said...

I thought it was a live hamster!

elaine said...

Your header picture is lovely - all those trees for scratching against, somewhere to rest out of the sun and shelter from the rain. If I was a sheep I would definitely be grateful for such a lovely spot. I believe Dorothy Wordsworth used to do the same thing - collect the scraps of wool from brambles etc. and use it for spinning.

Mary said...

Oh I love that fuzzy sheep! How clever people are who felt - it's such an art!
The sheep look 'sheepish' but I'm sure are being well cared on your pasture!
I'll be home in Devon soon and hope to enjoy such scenery - sheep with lambs, cows, buttercups etc., all the childhood memories of the beautiful countryside.
Hugs - Mary

Frances said...

The farmer has taken a very good photograph...it really is the beginning of a good story.

The felted creation is so well done, and particularly great that it was made from wool that you sourced. Bravo to you and to Fiona.

Maureen @ Josephina Ballerina said...

Hiya Pat!
I always did like the expression woolgathering: To engage in fanciful daydreaming. [From the practice of wandering areas where sheep graze to gather tufts of wool caught on vegetation.] Did you engage in fanciful thought as you gathered wool for your friend?
Come see yesterday's Wordless Wednesday post? Four pix tell a little story. I think you might enjoy it.
:) m & josephine

Gerry Snape said...

it's such a popular craft now....have a look at The Middle of Nowhere...Gretel makes really cute felted ornaments too....lovely header...I always love your headers Pat.

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

We were in Hawes in 1998. I didn't realize it was so close to you!

angryparsnip said...

What a wonderful header photo.
I studied it and could see the wool on the branches and grass.
I love the fuzzy yellow markings of some of the sheep. I usually see blue ones.
Congratulations to the Farmer, that is a lovely pasture for a sheep vacation !

cheers, parsnip

Joanne Noragon said...

In the old days, when I demonstrated and talked about spinning, I would tell little boys their shepherd ancestors, their own age, would collect the wool and spin it into yarn to while away the day of sheep herding. Such horror. Not them!

The Weaver of Grass said...

The yellow marks on the backs of some of the ewes is the mark left over from when they were 'tupped' in the Autumn.

Gwil W said...

A photo for the album. Lovely.