The name of the game..

is waiting. That's what we are doing around here. Waiting for spring, waiting for lambs, waiting for the garden to dry out enough to start sowing some seeds. Things are beginning to turn green and when I paused to look at the lilac bush on my way to the barn, I was amazed to see these nearly bursting buds! The daffodils are blooming and poppy and daylily shoots are emerging from the ground. All in all, it's an encouraging scene.

We are still waiting for the first lambs to arrive. The shearer was here last weekend to shear the pregnant ewes and, finally, I could get a good look at them. I think at least one of them will lamb this week and the monitor in the kitchen is turned on all the time now. No matter how many years I have experienced lambing season, somehow it doesn't seem quite real until the first lamb is born.

I was pleased with the condition of this year's ewe fleeces. This fleece is on the skirting table waiting for my attention. My skirting philosophy (if there is such a thing) is to skirt heavily and take out anything that I personally would not want to pay for or spin. There were no breaks in the fiber from illness or stress and very little vegetable matter. I'm thinking the lamb/yearling fleeces are not going to be as nice. Most of them are black and have sun bleached tips and they have been in the barn nearly every night through the winter. (I have spoiled them, I know.) I'm planning on cutting just the tips off the black fleeces before the shearer comes again, in hopes I can salvage at least part of them.

I hope spring is showing signs of being on the way, wherever you are, and that you won't have to wait too long.