The Perfect Day

During the night there was a loud storm with strong gusts of wild wind and sheets of rain that poured off the roof. At sunrise,though, a bright, warm, beautiful world opened up. Evidently It's Indian Summer and I am enjoying the perfect day.
Harry started our day right by making us a breakfast of omelets, then the Baa Brothers and I did a whole 15 minutes of fall clean up:

















Then, we went for a long walk:





(We are so grateful for our miles of conservation land just a short walk from Saturday Farm and this is such a gorgeous time of year. Sometimes we pack some wine and bread and cheese amd spend hours walking the trails. Harry never seems to mind all of the little stops I make to check things out or to take pictures.











(That's my buddy there, Handyman Harry.)





We didn't run across anyone on our walk except this artist working on the little wooden bridge.











(Our pc is broken, so I took all of these photos with my phone so I could upload them to this blog.)
Now, I'm on the couch writing to you and watching the game with Harry. Like I said -the perfect day. Tell me, what is your perfect day?
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Why Sheep?

This post is for my urban friends and some of my artist friends who ask me 1) How did I even think of getting sheep and why? 2) Is it taking away from my art?
Farm animals appeal to me because they are generally working animals that give more than they take, which is why farmers have them - you have to be very practical to make a living as a farmer; you can't afford to keep animals that take resources and don't give back. Working with animals and giving animals the opportunity to work with us is a way of bringing mystery and magic into our life. A farm animal can give us that and affection, delight, joy and practical, tangible gifts like wool, fertilizer,mowing, weeding, eggs, milk, cheese... the list goes on and on. I'd mention meat and leather, but that is obvious and I'm a vegetarian so I'll leave that for someone else. :-) We need to be aware that animals can live without us, but we cannot live without them. I believe they are happy to work with us, but they do not need to be slaves to us and we do not need to be slaves to them either. They have a lot to teach us and give to us.
The other day my friend, Jenny, brought her daughter Emma over because Emma wanted to ride in the wagon. It was a big success. Jenny asked me how this fit into my life. And, actually, you know what? I realize that I believe this is art. It gives to people most if not all of the pleasure that I want people to get from my other creative work and I approached it like I do an art project. I had a vision of the Baa Brothers pulling a wagon and then I pulled together the media (the wagon, harness, etc) and worked to achieve it for the visual and tactile delight. I believe that if people have time with the Baa Boys (and other animals) they will be changed, delighted, touched, brought into the present moment....

The Baa Brothers on Youtube pulling a wagon

Here they are and I'm very excited that they've been able to pull the wagon so well and at such a nice pace to pull children. If anyone knows of anyone else who has taught their sheep to pull a wagon or a cart, I am very interested in communicating with someone who has done this before.
Here is the Youtube link to see the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTkP3xVYr1I
Two Sheep Pulling a Wagon

Deborah Ann's Rainbow

Yesterday was another beautiful day and the Baa Brothers and I went out at lunch to visit Deborah Ann at her Rainbow- a wonderful shop in Dennisport attached to The Dennisport Natural Market. You can check out her website at http://www.deborahannsrainbow.com. She says she stocks her store with items for the inner spirit and that's definitely true for me. She has books, crystals, CDs, DVDs, calendars, cards, toys, Cape Cod gifts, oracle and tarot cards, chimes.... she fits a lot into s small shop and I visit her whenever I need a gift or an uplift. I also took an art/spirit class at Deborah Ann's Rainbow this week called Soul Collage taught by Brenda Fernandez. I loved it. In the above photo we're trying to get the boys to face the camera. It's not easy because they want to go into the shop. 'After all,' they say,'why are we here?' And, yes; as you noticed in the picture, my hair completely changed color this summer. I think it must be angel hair. :-)

'Do you think after this photo, Bromley, they are finally going to let us shop for our inner spirit?'

The boys are back! Sheep pulling a wagon!

I'm so proud of them! It took them about 15 minutes to get the hang of it. I need to get them both hooked up to the wagon at the same time, though, because the one not pulling is causing some mischief. I think they love it. Doesn't Bromley (first photo) look proud?

The Baa Brothers and the bed posts

Here is what we did with the other bed. Or Harry did it; I just had the idea. The boys love it.

The bad haircut

So here are the happy boys on their way to get their haircut. They are optimistic. It's summer and a lot of wool is just too hot. They believe and I believe that after they see the 'barber' they will be cooler and stylish. How can they not be cute?
Now here is Jobey looking a little wary, probably because he is looking at my face and I'm starting to have doubt. The Shepherd is Andrew Rice from Hogget Hill Farm in Brattleboro, Vermont and he is amazing - very experienced and knowledgeable. I think he said he's sheared something like 300,000 sheep. However, a few minutes before this picture was taken I suggested that he leave their cute wooley faces and he said, 'Lady, I'm not a groomer. They'll get military haircuts.' Now I'm worried. And you know how somewhere in all of our psychies there is this knowledge that looks change everything - who we are, how others feel about us... our whole image.....?

Oh dear. Our fears were realized. I keep going out to see them hoping that by some miracle their wool has magically grown back in the last few minutes but.. they still look the same. They keep looking at each other like,' What the heck happened to you? I hope I don't look like that!' I want those sweet smiles back.... darn. Sigh. Well, I'm told the difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut is two weeks. I'll post new pics in 2 weeks.

The Baa Brothers first Gig

This week I was all busy and anticipatory getting ready for the boys first gig at the
Harwich Junior Theater. (www.hjtcapecod.org) The Harwich Junior Theater is a wonderful theater and they continue to impress me with their outstanding performances. It's not just for children; people of all ages love this theater.
You are probably imagining that I was putting in a lot of effort training and costuming the boys because they were going to be in a big production. No, this was a children's class and the Baa Brothers were only asked to show up. I'm the one who got a bee in my bonnet about dressing them up. I also decided they had to have a magical impact. I started making costumes and knitting little socks with bells. Of course, the night before it started raining and then pouring and pouring. When I went to put them to bed in their little house, they were soaked. (They live outside, but they sleep in this little house that Handyman Harry built for them.) Their gig was in the morning, so I decided to thoroughly dry them before putting them to bed. This took about an hour and about 5 bath towels. The next morning it was still pouring so they were all wet again. I dried them again, but it was useless because it continued to rain. I put their costumes on and their little socks became so soaked that they started stretching and stretching and falling off their feet. The boys also looked soggy and smelled of wet wool. When we arrived at our designated area it turned out that the children AND their parents were there - a bigger group than I expected. The boys had only seen this many people at the nursing home and all of those people were in wheel chairs. The children had puppets and as part of the story the children were acting out, they were to touch the sheep with their puppets. As this mass of children, adults and puppets started descending on them, Bromley and Jobey panicked and ran circles around my legs. Quickly I crouched down and put an arm around each of them. They calmed down and eventually let the children touch them. After the children touched the sheep they all got into their cars to go home and the little Baa Brothers took a couple of steps forward and said, 'Baa... Baa...? ' . It was as if they were now disappointed that the children were leaving.
At the time I thought the event was a little bit of a fiasco, but, as you can see in the pictures, it really wasn't - the children loved them, they loved the children and I actually think the magic really did happen.

Speaking of the Land of Oz..

It looks like the house landed on Bromley instead of the witch!

"Bromley, what are you doing under the house and why haven't you been reporting the weather?"
"Because I think I've figured out a way to graze and avoid the weather all together."
"Hmm... there doesn't happen to be a beach under there is there?"

Follow the yellow brick road

(www.oz-farm.com ) I just drove Jason, his guitar, and duffle bag to the P & B bus that will take him to Logan Airport. He's flying to San Francisco where he will meet up again with his girlfriend, Rebecca, and travel to Oz Farm for an internship. Here's the description of Oz Farm on their website: 'Oz Farm is hidden in a quiet, private valley on one of the most pristine stretches of the scenic Mendocino County coast, 130 miles north of San Francisco. (Map & Directions) Bordered with redwood forest, and with the Garcia River running through its 240 acres, Oz Farm is blessed with tranquility, fresh air and clear water. Oz Farm is 'off-the-grid', using solar and wind power for all its operations.' It's an organic farm. They also rent out cabins, accommodate weddings, and yoga retreats, etc. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? Jason is especially interested in their goats, chickens and organic farming. So, you are not in Kansas anymore, dear Jason and Rebecca! Happy Trails! And don't forget to call your mom.

Baa Brother Weather, June 14

"Bromley, what is the weather going to be like on the ranch tomorrow?"

"Relax, Jobey. Live for today. There's no way the weather is going to be this good tomorrow."

"Bromley?"
"Yes, Lambo.."
"What did you put in my drink?!"

Uncle Eddie's World of gardens, castles and fairies

Today Jason, the little Munchkins (Baa Brothers), my friend, Barbara, and I went to see our friend Eddie Foisy (Uncle Eddie) right here on Cape Cod in Harwich. Uncle Eddie really may have the most magical garden in the world. He works all by himself with no help at all. Or possibly, the fairies help him. It's impossible that he has done this by himself, so the only reasonable explanation is that fairies helped him.

{You can see Uncle Eddie's World in Cape Cod by appointment only. 508 432 2080 Donations very much appreciated - Eddie works for the fairies full time and overtime. The only drawback to working for fairies is that although they pay well in blessings, they don't give you any cash.}
"Okay, you people just go ahead...have fun.... we'll be good."

World's only poetry speaking rabbit.

Eddie has animals too and you can see a relative of the Baa Brothers in the circle of the goddess' arms.

We take a little break and try a couple of Eddie's 1999 brews. One was made of nettles and the other lemon balm. They are surprisingly wonderful!

Happy kids - Uncle Eddie and Barbara

Welcome to Eddie's shop

"Time to go little munchkins!"
"Oh, can't we stay a little longer?"
Bromley ate so much that when we arrived home he got stuck between the Baa house and the fence. A few of us had to lift and move the house to get him out. Just like Winnie the Pooh and the honey!