We're All in This Together

We got snow! Heaps of it!


It snowed for about 12 hours, then suddenly stopped, the sun came out and everything was all aglitter.


We now have paths dug everywhere, to the barn, to the garage, to the studio, to the garden shed where the birdseed is stored, all originating from the house where we were hunkered down during the storm.


Still have to get to the cars. I like these storms (as long as we have power... I LOVE electricity!) because we all have something in common.....a house full of toilet paper, bread and milk!

Snow Day

While feeding the sheep yesterday, I had to laugh at Cappucino (yep, Mocha's daughter) because she had snow on what looked like dreadlocks all around her face. She kept moving and I got photos like this one.


Then she behaved, I stepped back and got this one.



When I see the sheep in the fields, their heads are buried in the snow, rooting around for grass.


Brambles even had snow on her horns! Come on in guys and have some snow-free hay.

Captiol Evening

I met Houston, Garrett and Sara downtown DC the other night for an Oberlin event at the State Department. We gathered at the new bike station across from Union Station, where commuters can store their bikes for an annual fee. It's a beautifully shaped building, like a long, glass, football. About 100 bikes can be kept here, with the bikes safely stored under glass.


Who knew DC could be hip?


Houston comin' in from the cold.


The bikes are brought in and if the lower racks are filled, an upper rack is brought down, the bike locked in....


...and up it goes for the night. Awesome for DC for spending the million to put the 'Bike & Roll' in. Forward thinking.


Then it was off to the capitol for a meet & greet with other Oberlin grads and the president of Oberlin.


I'd never been to the Senate building and enjoyed looking up


and up


and down


and over


whoa! messocables


and through


and down.

Goodbye Mocha

Another sad day at Dancing Leaf Farm. My Mocha, Queen of the Field, has passed away. She lived a very rich life of 17 years here on the farm. She was my best buddy in the field, always by my side, so friendly and a bit needy. The last few years she was really skinny but ate all the time (I asked her what her secret was....exercise, exercise, exercise!!!) Sheep do have a hard time keeping weight on when they get older.
Sheep have a heirarchy and Mocha was at the top of the pecking (or butting) order. She demanded respect and she got it. After shearing, they have to set it up all over again because they don't recognize who was the leader after losing their coats, so they butt heads and the winner gets to be the queen. Mocha always won.


One spring I let all the sheep out into the fresh green grass. They behaved themselves for a couple hours, then started down the road, so back into the fenced field they went. But I got some great photos of Mocha in the tulips.


Here she is with Brambles, her BFF. Brambles is even older but still can kick butt. I dare say I may catch Brambles with a tear or two.


Mocha always had the most beautiful wool, until recently when all her energy went into trying to keep weight on.


After shearing I think she was grateful for getting her long wool coat off so she could frolic in the grass.


She was always in the front of the pack, making sure she got the grain or the pets and attention. Lately she'd become a bit annoying as she was basically attached to my leg while I was out doing my barn chores. I rather liked it though, but she did get in the way. I'd be carrying a bale of hay and there she'd be, underfoot making me trip. I don't have another sheep like her but maybe one of them will step up, relax and become my best farm friend. (bff)


During the last snow, making her way over to me, hoping for a snack.


Goodbye my sweet girl. I'll miss you.

Pastel

Last week 4 girlfriends and I took a 3-day pastel workshop in Chestertown. I took this same workshop last year and enjoyed it so much I wanted a repeat. Penny hosted all of us at her beautiful river home. Our first morning there we awoke to a light dusting of snow. It seemed the perfect 'painting' of white over the landscape, making for a pastel of its own.


The river is frozen, with just a channel in the middle that is still free flowing. One morning we were lucky enough to see 4 foxes skittering along the ice, scaring geese.




When we arrived it was in the high twenties, but warmed up to a balmy 35 by the time we left.




Three days of picking up beautiful pastels and applying to colored paper. Fun!


Pat is an experienced pastel artist and all her paintings showed it. She has such a great style.


She painted a view from her new home.


...and I painted a scene from a photo I took last summer in Maine of Peter making hay with his work horses. I still need to do some definition on the horses. I wanted a loose, free style.


On the way back to Penny's one night, we had to take a detour to see this amazing sunset. We have inspiration for future paintings.




This was a great way to start the new year, creating, spending time with girlfriends, drinking wine and telling fun stories. We are all so lucky.

Holiday Wrap-Up

As 2009 winds down, I'm reflecting back on the past year, and looking forward to the next one. I guess I'm pretty lucky because nothing stands out as being sad, bad or even disappointing. I have great friends, a loving family, we're all happy and healthy, so no complaints.














We even had a white Christmas, which hardly ever happens here in Maryland. The boys went out and made this way cute snowman. I could tell it was a snow MAN because he had a mustache.


My redneck boys with their new friend.


and Forrest hugging his very best friend, Casey. He hadn't seen his dog for 6 months, and their reunion was happy indeed.


Who knew that we'd have a new family tradition? Traditions have to start sometime, so Christmas 2009 was the begnning of .... car bombs!


For those of you don't know what a car bomb is, it's a shot glass full of Bailey's Irish Cream with Jameson Irish whiskey floating on top, that is then dropped into the bottom of a filled glass of Guiness Irish stout. (the entire shot glass, not just the liquid) One has to drink it down before the Guiness starts to curdle, which is pretty damn fast! It's said to be named after the car bombings of the IRA. Not so great to celebrate that, but the concept of all that Irish goodness makes it yummy.


all my boys plus the girl that could handle it, Deidre.


Happy New Year from all of us at Dancing Leaf Farm!!!!