Come See What I Made This Weekend

I was a buzy little bee! I even figured out how to get my work done with two little ankle bitters. Please come and visit my newest yarns on my site www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com. I would also love to know what you think of the yarns, silk cocoons and if you have any suggestions for the site layout. I will be posting much more in the coming days and weeks - I just have to work around the two ankle biters and are never ending snow storms.

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!!!

THAT'S RIGHT FOLKS - WE HAVE NAMES! We want to thank everyone who sent in suggestions. There was alot of interesting names and drum roll please Sherlock Homes for the white guy and Dr Watson for the red guy!!! These names where given by "hollyl82" and she has given her information so those cards are winging their way to her as I write. These are such perfect names because the white one has figured out how to open the cupboards, get past the gates and is the center stage of everything. Where as Dr Watson is always one step behind him but I know that he is in the thick of things. He is always giving me a look like he is thinking but waiting to be asked. I want to thank everyone again for their great suggestions and we have determined that if there are any more goat kids born this season we will use the runner up names and that person will also receive a set of the cards. I have been taking pictures of these guys but they move so fast that my camera can not keep up with it. I will keep trying and I will try to get one of Thor (the Dad) too! Thanks again for all your kind words and great names!!!

Have you not hear of "Let Sleeping Goats Lie?"

It sure is hard being so little - there just isn't any privacy in this kitchen for a nap!
Mom has been working in the kitchen all day long making a horrible smell. She has been banging pots, running water and stepping all over the place. She said something about "Dyeing" it sounds serious. There is all this color hanging about but the smell, what did she eat? We decided to go sit in the corner and just get out of her way since bitting her ankles and wetting on her shoe did not get her to go away. You would think if she was in here it would be just ALL ABOUT US! We are the sweetest things on four leggs.

How is the naming thing coming? Now Mom has taken to calling us PUDDLES! What does that mean? Then she put down these weird papers - they sound funny when we walk on them and they sure don't taste good.
We did get a warm washing on our behinds this morning - we wonder what that was all about? Felt great but weird.

Well, nap time again it has been about an hour since our last. Admit it, don't you wished you where a goat?

All Cleaned Up and Ready To Go

Do People watch you will you shower? A little privacy PLEASE ! We had a great nights slept for 4 hours at a time, so Mom was really happy. We now drink almost 3/4 of a bottle of milk with each feeding and we are almost getting the hang of walking on this plastic floor. Mom read us some of the names that have been posted and we have six more days to go before we will be picking our new names. We looked over the cards that are going to be given to the lucky winners and we think the pictures of the goats are best, but I do like the fuzzy bunnies and that long necked llama well, that's just weird. I also had a big question - why is it my butt keeps jumping around? Is this what we are meant to do? I don't see Mom doing it - but Mom sure seems better then us!

Mom let in this really big white thing into the kitchen this morning - it was covered with snow. Mom called her Kasha (one of the pry's) and kept saying "Who Mom's great girl?" I thought we were the best thing in the house - what's up with that white thing? Can you believe it she licked my butt!!! Some people just have no class!!! Mom made her got back outside and we are glad for that - it will take hours for my butt to dry off.

Well, nap time again. Good luck with the names and watch out for the big white things - they are just not cool!

What's My Name Baby?

HELP - We need a name Please!

We are getting tired of being called "BABY" or "SWEETY" or the worst is

"PRECIOUS" Wasn't that the name for that poodle in Silence of the Lambs? We do not want to find fault with our two legged mom but she has named hundreds of four legged friends and she admits it - there just is no more good names out there!

PLEASE HELP - Contest rules: If you would send us one name per boy along with any definition or reason as to why you like the name along with a way to identify who sent it and on JANUARY 26th my two legged mom will pick two names. She will then post those names on this site and will then ask the winners to let her know how to contact you to send your PRIZE - That's right Bob Barker a Prize! What will they WIN?

Winners will receive a packet of six ink drawn cards with a variety of animal themes (worth over $15.00) They are from famous artists not my mom drawing them but real talent. So don't delay - we really do not want to go thru life being called "PRECIOUS"

Guess Who's in the Kitchen with Grace ?

That's right - two newborn goat kids! It was Wednesday night when the temp was again -16 degree below zero and the wind was blowing up the snow that we have had since December 23rd. My son Nick went out to check on our goat girls and make sure all was right , while I just got out of a hot bath and jumped into my pj's ready to easy into a quite night. Just then the shop door slammed shut with the sound of screaming little goat's crying in panic. We went into our emergency mode that we have done so many times after the eleven years of raising animals here at the Funny Farm. First the sink is filled with warm water and a tiny bit of soap, the birthing towels are brought in along with the box of baby bottles, hair dryers and supplies. The cold little one's are softly rubbed while keeping them in the water to warm up and clean off. Then on to the towels for a gentle rub to start the bodies gearing up to nurse, then the hair dryer is turned on low to dry the soft curls and warm their toes. Next comes the goat's milk that has been warmed to just the right temp. After all this is done then we wrap them in a warm clean blanket and hold them for as long as it takes to get them into a sound sleep and sweet dreams. Back from the brink of death most of them come and these two are doing very well. The white boy is an angora and the red fawn boy is a cashmere.

When my boys and I started this farm back in 1996 it was after their father, two grandfathers and great grandmother had all passed away within 6 months of each other. We vowed that if we were to do this it was with one mission in mind "We would move heaven and earth to save those that we could and if we could not -- not a single animal would die without someone being there with them in their final moments" It has never been easy but I have never regretted a single moment. Many tears have been shed but there has been far more success stories then losses. We would like you to wish these two sweethearts a speedy recovery and a long life!

Baby It's COLD Outside

How Low Can It Go? This morning our farm looked like it was rock candy. The weatherman said it was 1degree but with windchill the farm rang in at -20 below. Not too cold just enough to let you know you are alive - but not for long. I had a little bird waiting for me to put the bird feeder back outside on it's hook. The wind was so bad that I had to take it in last night before going to bed. I also took a picture of one of my Great Pryenees (Sophia) she is such a big girl, round 170 lbs but we just say she is big boned. I also have her brother (Chief) who is about the same weight and then their is Kasha who right now is on the thin side but is our best working/guard dog and also a mother. We have her last five pups (1 girl and 4 boys) which are going to be a year old on the 8th of February. The dogs love the snow and cold and play tag thru the snow drifts. Everyone else are snug in their barns hoping to get their feed soon. We have another day of trying to dig out from the three blizzards in three weeks - Still not a single snow blow company can come because they are still just trying to play catch up too.

I have posted some dyed silk cocoons on my etsy site today - if you have a chance take a peek and let me know what you think of them www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com. I just love these tiny little homes.

Dressing Up a Silkworms Home

Don't you just love it! This necklace is made from a silk cocoon that I have dyed and then beaded. I have always been interested in this tiny homes and wanted to find new ways to use them. I added dyed cocoons to my Estes Park Wool Market booth in 2006 and sold out of them quickly, but I kept hearing from the customers" What can I do with them"? After feeling like a broken record I decided that I would put a book together of projects for these marvelous tiny hovels. They are so strong, yet so delicate. Nature is brillant! Since the snow is coming down again (six more inches so far) already on our tons we have received in the past two blizzrds I guess I will have lots of time to play with these these wonderfull ex-homes. If you are interested in any of these dyed or undyed contact me at ggerberlff@aol.com and I will be sure to get them to you to play with. I have a large selection of colors so just ask and if by some weird chance I had not made your color that is easily fixed - dye pots are on the stove. Stay warm and well.

HAPPY SNOW YEAR!

Who wished for a White Christmas? We have had snow, snow and more snow! We have drifts that are 9 feet high and looking for more snow to come this Friday. I love snow but enough for a few weeks, please. It has been interesting since half way thru the snow storms we ran out of propane (so no heat or hot water). No worries here, we just went into camping mode and heated water on the electric stove for the animals and to take a sponge bath. I baked and cooked alot so I had a reason to have the stove on - no empty stomach around here. I finally got propane Monday and was hit with another storm to cover the drive again. I had great fun trying to take pictures of the birds eating quickly between the blizzards. I have posted some more yarns on www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com and I hope you like them, they where a lot of fun to make.