Toooo Long up on the High Ridge Alone?

This is what I do in my spare time. I buy sheets or duvets at The Company Store outlet in LaCrosse and cut them apart and put them on my long arm quilting machine. Then, I quilt them, bind them, and sell them. If there is enough material, I make pillow cases with the binding trim to match. Now, this all sounds nice and easy, BUT the pillow cases in the picture made me think of those IQ tests that we used to take in grade school many long years ago. You know the ones where they gave you one figure, and you had to match it with three others that were in different positions. I used to think that was fun. Well, I must of failed that part. I can't believe that I can even make a children's puzzle. I had the most difficult time making the two pillowcases. I had Jake help me figure how much material to keep aside for the cases. Then, when I went to work on making them, the cats were heading in the wrong direction and the pillow was about half of the right size. Tear apart. Now, back had to be pieced to make them the right size. Then, sew again, and the cats on the border were heading in the wrong direction, and the trim was on the wrong layer. Tear apart. Jake came in the house in a foul mood because he couldn't get the Bobcat started even though he had many new parts on it, and it had run the last few nights. He came upstairs after he had a pop, and we talked our way through what I was trying to do. Obviously, being a mechanic, he is not spatially challenged like I am.

Well, they are made, but they are not the same size, and the backs are pieced. Guess they will get a "reduced" price due to challenges faced by the machine operator.

Dont get me wrong, the pattern for the cases is really magic. It works like a dream in the right hands. These are not the first ones that I have done. I don't have any idea why I couldn't do it on the kitties. I really thought the blanket was cute with the cats on it and thought because of the cats that it might sell, but who knows, now.

It is a wonderful blanket however, which I know since my friendly neighborhood blanket tester was up there laying on it when I turned around from taking the close-up. In the close-up you can see that I write words that pertain to the theme of the blanket. Now, if the pillowcases hadn't been such a fiasco, I would be very proud of my product.

Wonderland?

I guess I mean "wonder" in the sense of the word that means that I don't really comprehend something. While I was doing chores in the below zero temperature this morning, I WONDERED. Do we forget how bad these temperatures are like we forget the pain of childbirth and just say "I don't mind winter so much?" Maybe so, because it is big time bad out there this morning. I WONDERED if someone could invent something that would just swipe by my nose about every minute or so to get that drip that always seems to form there in this firgid weather. I have seen those glasses with little wiper blades to keep glasses clean in the rain. Why not something to keep my nose from dripping when my hands are frozen inside of bulky mittens or gloves, and I don't want to get out my Kleenex which is buried under the bulky layers of clothing that I am forced to wear to keep from freezing to death? It is just a thought that would make doing chores easier.

I know for certain the the sheep have the right idea. That wool coat is tooooooo great in this weather. I love sticking my fingers, without gloves, down deep to feel the warmth they have down by their skin. Someone was planning that for them.

BUT, all is well inside. Outside, I did not get out to see if all the cows are up, but I will do that the next time I go out. I will have to go out again to check the wood stove since we are using some little junk for heat right now. I am waiting for the semi load of logs to show up sometime around noon. Most of the outside cats are in the little schoolhouse. Only the kittens and their mother even thought about going outside today. I told the kittens to stay where they were and only their mother went out. I know she can find a place to hunker down until I come out again and let her in. What a pushover I am. Guess I can be if I want to.....

Sugarplum Snowflake

The young lady in the pictures is Sheltering Pines Sugarplum Snowflake. I gave her the silly name, but it is timely right now. She has been untouchable since I brought her home from Stephen in Michigan. Lately, she would take a cookie from my hand, but that was her limit and that has only been lately. Yesterday we had a breakthrough. I went out to sit with my three ewe lambs, who are in the barn, late in the afternoon. I took along the usual cookies. I sat down and started holding out the cookies. Snow would come and get a cookie, but she would back up if I put both my hands out towards her. This went on for a little while and then all of a sudden she did not back away from two hands when I scratched her under her chin. THEN......we were friends. No being tentative. Friends!!! She would let me touch her anywhere. Now, why???? Don't get me wrong, I love it, but why does it happen all of a sudden and completely like that? It really puzzles me.

Today, she was on my knee like she is in the one picture. She just stood there, no pawing, just standing calmly and eating cookies. The other two girls will eat cookies, but they will not let me touch them. There time will come. They are progressing, and I am sure they will become my friends, also. It is just so darn interesting to see them go from totally afraid of me to being my good friends in a matter of seconds. Ah, to understand the mind of a sheep.