I have a GREAT Blog site for you to visit

I am so honored that Melroska.blogspot.com has picked my airbrushed llamas to talk about on her wonderful blog site. You will find some of the most creative books, journals, cards and topics on her site and if you want to see more she has an etsy store that will get you to break open those wallets. One of my favorites is the Spirograph Notebook. Brings me back to the hours I loved playing with my Spirograph - great notebook. Etsy brings me to some of the most talented folks around and I hope you will take the time to visit with her. Give her a warm country welcome.......

Do you have a Llama?

I know not everyone can have a llama put I found a way for even those in the city to have their very own. This airbrushed head shot is perfect - no feed, no poop pick up, and training but I do admit no kisses. You can't have everything but no one has one like this.

COOL BREEZES

Many years ago when my husband and I went to the Caribbean Islands I took back the colors deep inside of me. This silk chenille yarn is flat and holds such sheen that when I place this yarn in my dyeworks studio I am always amazed when I am done. The colors remind me of the soft breeze, cool waves crashing into the rock and the peace one feels in that tropical paradise. Now that the heat is here we all have to find ways of cooling us down without spending a dime on gas.

Not your ordinary nest

I finally received from the mill a special roving that was the cooperation of a couple of us farmgals. I took my English Angora Bunny Fur that I have been stockpiling and a couple of my sheep friends donated their whites, softest Merino Lamb fleece they had last year. We sent it to a mill that is trying to get a start and I worked with them to get it just right -WOW we did it. This is FANTASTIC - and I admit it the moment I received the huge box I had to sit down and spin some - we did it - DREAMY......

Mint Icecream

I found the perfect way to beat the heat - my special blended fibers called Mint Icecream - 50% silk, 25% alpaca, and 25% mohair. The best part of this creation is you do not have to worry that it will add extra pounds to your waist or will melt in the car while trying to get home from the store. This cold creation will melt thru your fingers with unbelievable ease. Beat the HEAT - get your hands on my newest blend.

BABY CAMEL DOWN

Folks always ask me what do you do with your nights? Well, I have been working on getting this Baby Camel Down ready for the world. A friend of mine by a strange turn of stories ended up 8 years ago with a breeding pair of Camels. I have worked with him over the years teaching him all that I knew about the care and training of them. For that he has given me each year the offsprings fiber. The problem is they shed it and made a big mess of what little they grow - so that means weeks of hand picking to get the coarse guard hairs out and then the vegetable matter. Once I have it spotless then I wash it in earth friend hand made soap, dry in the sunshine and the finished fiber is breath taking - MARVELOUS!!!

You can get you hands on the lovely fiber at my etsy shop www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com or contact me thru ggerberlff@aol.com.
You will drull all over it but please don't I worked to hard to make it perfect.

How's your garden?

Mishka just loves sitting under the Pinon when the heat climbs high in the sky. A nibble here and there is just what she loves. Some might ask her to leave but look at that face - I ask you - what is a couple of nibbles between good friends?

New Goodies on my Etsy Shop

Grab a cool glass of your favorite summer drink and meet me at my Etsy shop for some of my new yarns, one of a kind buttons and great fiber. I have also added some more of my popular silk rods and cocoons for your enjoyment and creative projects. I am not done my no means but I thought I would take a breather, kiss the goat babies and let you know that I found a way to save you on the high price of gas - let your fingers do the work - keep those hands busy and your feet at home.

What is going on with Mother Nature?

For the past two nights I have had Hail that made me spend that time in my basement away from every window, listening to the weather alert channel and praying for a safe evening. Tornados, hail, wind and just horrible weather is what I have been experiencing for the past month. The farm animals and I have been lucky but so for hundreds of thousands around the world. My heart breaks each time I turn on the TV to see the folks lossing everything to Mother Nature. I hope we all reach out and give a hand because in a blink of an eye or the turn of the clouds we could be right there with them. Be safe and take stock in the small things in life.

WHAT A WEEK

Clem and I have had the week that makes you want to curl into bed and cover up your head. There is nothing worse to me then when I am in a restfull sleep and in the deepest corner of my brain I hear those horrible sounds of my cat ready to throw up right next to me in bed. I jerk straight up and he runs for the hills or my center of the livingroom floor. This issue has been going on now for months but now he is doing this every night. I have changed foods, limited foods, given medications and still there is no stopping of this nightly rountine. My heart breaks for him but since my carpet cleaning machine is not working (thanks to my sons) I have been reduced to hands and knees with spots that at times do not dissapear. I must also add that this routine is also hitting my stomach. I have been letting Clem spend time on the deck in order to lessen my scrubing and swearing - doesn't he look peacefull. Since he has no claws I really must keep a close eye on him because he would be a tasty meal for the fox who feels he is part of the family. Maybe we have weathered the worst - today the sun is out and no spots on the carpet.

My Guardian

Like a good friend "Llama Boy" is always there watching over us all at the farm. While working on the carding machine I felt this soft wave wash over me and I looked up and there he sat down next to the french door in the tall grass. He watched so closely as I went back to work. A quite, calm and safe feeling washed over me - I am loved and cared for with this gentle boy.

This morning I found him as I do every morning sitting outside the shop door - on duty - making sure that all is safe. As I open the door to greet him as I do "Good Morning my sweet boy - thank you so much for watching over me now enjoy your breakfast". He then slowly arises and heads off to check the other animals and nibble his breakfast. Then back to the shop door to wait for me to start the morning chores. This calm routine that he and I share makes each day worth getting up. I am so blessed to have such wonderful beings in my world.

"The sky is falling" said chicken little

When I go into the chicken coop to collect the eggs it is a tradition that I thank the girls for their graceous contribution, count the eggs and then the girls. Then when I give them their dinner I count the girls and say goodnight. One, two, three,.....nine and wait a second - one, two, three,....eight,nine - where is TEN???? Oh My God ! I ran out of the coop and started calling. I know she must just be slow to come to dinner.. What do you mean - they are never slow in coming........

After calling for what seemed like forever - I started walking the pastures looking for feathers and God forbid a part of her body. With every step, in every pasture I walked with tears welling up in my eyes. I played over and over what could have happened to her and my heart sank lower. I understand to most she is just a chicken but not to me. I even combed my forest and not a single feather. All I could think of is one of the large predatory birds must have snatched her. When I arrived back at the coop I explained to the girls that I could not find her. I sat silent for a time craddling a few of the girls till they went to roost. I closed up the chicken coop and said a silent prayer. I know it is the circle of life but I still get upset.

Monday morning when I went out to open the chicken coop here came running from the tall grass my sweet little hen. She ran into my leg because she was so happy and excited she was to see me. I picked her up and could not stop hugging her. When I opened the doors and placed her inside all the girls ran up to greet her. This morning was a GREAT and I mean GREAT day...

Look at how the babies have grown !

It is very hard to ever get a picture of the kids because the moment they see me they run full force towards me for hugs, kisses and sometimes a homemade treat. I had to take this from my kitchen window with the zoom on. The kids are almost the same size as their mommies now and what FLEECE... Sheen, Length, Soft Handle - I am so exicted that I just can not keep my handles off them. They love hearing me fawn all over them and smile when I run my fingers up and down the bodies. It is like a drug to me but also this is my passion - healthy, happy and well loved animals. It is great to be me - I have such a blessed life.

Mishka is guarding the hay bales - Such a Gal

Everyone at the Funny Farm finds new skills and challenges but Mishka has picked the role of "Queen" to be her major title. The moment she saw the one of the llama girls had stopped mowing the lawn and was moving in on the tarped goodies she ran with lightening speed and placed herself on the tarp. With a grin from ear to ear she would not move. Even when the nibbling lips reached right under her to grab a few strands of leafy goodness. Although Mishka is the smallest four legged on the farm she wheels a great amount of power because everyone knows she is My Baby and nobody cross Two Legged Mommy. Mishka does abuse her power as so often happens when it all goes to your head - but she also uses her power for good.... saving the goodies under the tarp.

This is how we mow the lawn

There is nothing better then enjoying my breakfast on the back deck while someone else is doing the work!

This morning the Llama girls are hard at work mowing the lawn for me. I have never thought it was a good idea to have those noisey machines destorying the peace and quite I so love on my farm. It also blows my mind that folks wish to spend their limited time cutting what nature so proudly give us - growning grass. I love seeing the wind blow in the tall native grass. To some it is a thing to control, poison and over feed but I wish to enjoy what is given. Each day someone here at the farm is let out to nibble away. Now I admit, I am not happy when their attentions turn to my Pine trees or Lilac bushes (which have only had a chance to bloom 3 years out of our 12)but even then I so enjoy the process. I am also concerned why folks still are planting Kentucky Blue Grass on their McManson lots when we have been in a drought for six years now? Has everyone ingested too much of the fertilizers they lay down every year or inhaled too many gas fumes from the machines they use to run over their land. For me I live in the tall grass with the munching mowers I call my "Furry Family Members" and enjoy the peace and quite. On a side note - my lawmowers give great kisses and put themselves up when they are done - does yours?