NEWS!!! (PAGE ONE)

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11-19-05 The BFL rams are FINALLY in!    Earl is with the domestic ewes and Laird lines.   Hal is with all the Jamie line,  and Chet is with the Loyalty girls and a couple ewe lambs. We'll be expecting lambs at tax time.

12-10-05  The Ohio Shepherd Symposium is now a fond memory.  Lisa was in charge of the wool niche marketing sessions, and did a talk on raising a qulaity fleece for the handspinner, as well as a brief showcase of the BFL and its wool.

12-12-05  The Katahdin ram is now turned in - meaning lambs will be due starting 5-7-05.  This was timed so that Lisa can go to the Maryland Sheep & Wool festival.  :^)  This year, there should be some Kat ewe lambs available for sale.

12-21-05  The first day of winter here on the farm.  Its been colder than normal for 6 weeks now, with a light snow nearly every day this month.  The barnyard is icey, the pipes are frozen in the front of the barn, and there is a steady stream running through the rabbitry from a leaky valve.  Oh, the joys of winter.  I think it will be a long one......

12-24-05  Forget what I wrote before. :^)  We've had 2 days of lovely, sunny weather and my winter woes are forgotten. (well, except for the leaking valve in the barn)   Merry Christmas to all!

1-3-06 The Huntington, IN angora specialty show and regular show was a success, and loads of fun!   I took 20 rabbits, and came back with only 12.  The Satins did well, and although I did not win any classes with my French, I am pleased that rabbits of my breeding owned by friends did.  Got back to the motel at 3AM.  Zzzzzzzzzzzz....

1-19-06  Shhhh - don't let Chuck know I'm telling this. The outhouse is history.....now this may not seem like such a big deal, but the outhouse WAS the nicest building on our farm!   Chuck left the truck in the driveway for a moment to go back to get something, and it was not quite in gear - yes, you guessed it, the truck rolled down the driveway, crashing into the outhouse, knocking it from its foundation.  He was able to bolt the bumper back on, and the truck is none the worse for the incident.  :^)   At least it did not keep going and smash into the nice new fence - which has already had 2 large trees fall on it!

1-28-06  Well, we seem to have a new cat.  This little guy was sitting on our front porch this AM, calling "help, help" or so it sounded.   He is just so sweet and friendly and affectionate, you can't say no to him.  He is quickly learning to stay at the barn.  I think someone dumped him, since he is neutered, and we found a larger, flatter version of him dead on the road a few days previously.   We are calling him "Blue".

2-2-06  The flags are at half-staff today.  My beloved Belle died last night.  She was standing off to the side last night at feeding time, ears down and breathing was raspy.   Since pushing and pulling her all the way to the barn was too hard on her (and us!) Chuck went and got the tractor with a wooden box on the back.  We easily coaxed her aboard, and she rode like a queen to the barn, calmly looking around as she went. After taking her temperature, which was 2.7 degrees high, we gave her an antibiotic and got her settled into a warm dry stall in the barn.  I fully expected to find her feeling better and munching hay this AM when I checked her.  No, she was lying on her side, cold and still.  Rest in peace, Belle, you will live on here in your many daughters and their lambs.

Somerhill Belle

2-5-06 Winter is back - just in time to spoil my plans to attend the Lima rabbit show.  It was cancelled due to blowing and drifting snow.   We just got a dusting of snow, but the temperature has dropped back down to normal February levels.  I  have 3 litters of bunnies due Tuesday and Wednesday, so I hope mothers pull lots of wool to line their nests.

2-8-06   All 3 does kindled, and the kits are doing well.

2-26-06  A successful show at Bowling Green.  My chestnut agouti French Angora JR Doe, Selma, won Best of Breed, shown as a SR.

3-5-06  My copper Satin Angora buck, DS Zanzibar,won BOB at the MAC specialty show in Lansing, MI.  Even nicer, the BOB in both Satin and French in the youth show were Somerhill bred bunnies.

Dark Star Zanzibar