Winter isn't finished with us yet?

 This week brought more snow, ice, then  biting winds causing some drifting of snow followed by a rapid melting.  We solved our hay shortage thanks to a delivery of 50 more bales which should see us through past lambing.  The in-lamb ewes are 'bigging -up' (but not bagging up) and have found a new place to shelter from the weather. They always appear at feeding time though!
Sad news that Gail, one of my founding flock, died this week- I had sold her with a handful of other sheep to an old friend in the Yorkshire Pennines who wanted sheep to graze a small paddock. Julia has thrown herself into keeping sheep 100% and I know that Gail will have been much loved and petted in her final couple of years. Shetland sheep live a good long time though. Of my original 6, four are still alive (two with me) with my two just having 'retired from the duties of lamb-rearing).
As part of my birthday present, P bought me a p;ace on a ''next steps' weaving course in West Kilbride at Weft Blown  http://www.weftblown.com/  I can't recommend this place highly enough.  Ange, the owner, is a knowledgeable and patient teacher who has to put up with my fuzzy brain and inability to get even the most simple things right..  Ange also makes the most stunning hand-woven items for sale, and will be at Edinburgh YarnFest in March. The end-result of my day is shown in the picture above.  Glad to get back to the relative simplicity of the 90th-birthday-shawl I am currently working on to a rapidly-approaching deadline.
The new website is still generating orders for wool, and there are not many of the variegated cones left.  And I still need to work out how to put fancy words linked to the site that will mean people can find it on the internet.  A big thanks to everyone who has ordered wool so far.  
Lots of consultancy work next week, along with the funeral of an old friend, but time to give some serious thoughts about which sheep I can sell as there's a potential buyer coming to visit soon.  
​Have a good week everyone.