Month: March 2012

Shearing Today

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We’re heading to the barn to finish shearing preparations… always a very exciting day!  It’s a good thing we got everyone into the barn early yesterday because we were hit with several severe thunderstorms and heavy rain late afternoon and through the night.  You just can’t shear wet sheep so we were lucky.  Family and friends are coming to help and Rebecca is coming to look at some yearlings.  Our shearers, Joe and Melvin, will be here at 9:00, so off to eat some breakfast and then to the barn!

Getting Ready for Shearing

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We are busy getting ready for shearing on Saturday.  The cooler weather has been a great relief to everyone, but the sheep will be quite happy to shed their heavy coats.  In the meantime, we thought you might find this story interesting.  Our Mom ran across this while doing some research for the church; reading old newspapers on microfiche at the Terra Alta Library.
Warning! It is not for the faint of heart…
Queer Accident
Dr. Potter Nearly Loses His Life Shearing Sheep.
On Monday while Dr. W. R. Potter, who resides on the old homestead, a mile from Kingwood, was shearing a sheep, the animal suddenly kicked, struck the shears, and knocked them out of the Doctor’s hands.  They went over his head, struck a beam above, and the Doctor dodged them with his head, they came down and the blade entered the calf of his leg, and made a deep and horrible gash, severing an artery and a vein.  The Doctor held on the the struggling sheep, unaware of the seriousness of his hurt; but presently, feeling his boot full of blood, he had it pulled off, and tried to stop the flow.  Feeling himself weak, he sent the little boy who was with him to the house for help.  His sisters came, but before they could get the blood stopped, Dr. Potter bled at least a gallon.  He was removed to the house, and before surgical aid could be gotten, he had a spasm and became flighty.  The Doctor came near bleeding to death, and it was some time before reaction set in.   He is now getting along as well as could be expected.
~ from an 1888 Preston County newspaper (perhaps the Kingwood Chronicle?)
In other news, on that same page…
Wanted at I. Armstrong & Co.’s, Bruceton, W. Va. – 100,000 Lbs. Wool.
(presumably for the woolen mill that was located there)
Alright… after all that excitement… we will now return to our regularly scheduled programming…
pretty sheep pictures.

Good Company

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Had some wonderful and very excited company on the quest to capture photographic proof that the pasture pear trees are already blooming. 

Belladonna, our not quite two year old Maremma guardian, was quite the enthusiastic and entertaining partner.

You can see who took center stage… two pictures of the pear blossoms… probably thirty of Bella.
She sure is a beauty!

Out and About

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After a quick decision to come home by the river road, and a climb over the guard rail, we found a pretty spot not already taken by fishermen.  The river was not really high but was running fast and loud, providing some beautiful scenery and moments of peace.  Just as I was taking some final shots of the river canyon, that peace was suddenly broken by the appearance of a helicopter from Camp Dawson.  The decision to leave was hurried along a little, as I told myself that it was hovering nearby just to make sure that I didn’t fall down and break my crown as I climbed back up the steep bank. 😉

We thought we might as well continue our adventure and come up the back way… up Rowlesburg hill.  Spring time is a great time to see the wildflowers emerging along the roadside, and as you can see from the picture below, without summer’s dense forest undergrowth, it is a great time to capture the true character of the road .  It is no longer maintained by the state road so it is full of ruts and bumps, but you are definitely not bothered by a lot of traffic.

So it was not a problem to stop along the way and enjoy the wildflowers… the yellow coltsfoot is still blooming but fading.  Bloodroot is now putting on the show with its delicate white flowers.  Spring has definitely sprung… everything is blooming about three weeks earlier than usual.

Sunday Muse

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I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee:
A Poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

The Daffodils ~ William Wordsworth

A Little Spring Color

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Color is returning to the mountains, and it is surely a welcome sight.  The pastures are beginning to green up a little, flowers and shrubs are beginning to bloom.  Even the trees are providing a beautiful showing as the mountains surrounding us change from grey and black and brown to palette of delicate yellows, reds and even a little green.  Oh my, how we love our mountains… but you already know that.