Fate got more involved with the shearing that she ever has. She and Red worked together to keep the sheep penned in. Bud was in the dog run, where the little monster belonged.
They did a good job keeping the sheep under control.
All of our shearers have been good – they have always been good – but there is something special about Liz and Ian. Liz has become one of the area’s most respected and competent shearers – you really have to know what you’re doing – and Ian is the grandson of our former shearer, Jim McRae.
They live near one another. Ian wants to shear full time, along with his blacksmith work. Such things are still possible in Vermont, where some things are still more important than money.
We had a great time with them, the sheep didn’t cause too much trouble. Fate actually worked a bit to keep the sheep lined up in the back, Maria scooped up the wool to take to Vermont this week where it will be made into yarn and roving.
We had a great time with both of them, we were sad to see them go, but we plan to visit Liz on her sheep farm in Vermont.
I know better than to generalize or romanticize, but people from Vermont seem to me to often be different than people from other place. I think one reason is that in Vermont, people still pursue callings rather than just work in jobs they hate for security and benefits.
Two such people are Liz Willis and her helper Ian, the grandson of our former shearer Jim McRae, who retired last year. Shearing is very difficult work, you need a strong will and fit body, Liz and Ian arrived at 8 a.m. and left just before noon, the last hour was spent talking with us about the great American choice: doing what you want or working for your IRA and health plan.
We told them we have little money and no security, we could not be happier than we are in our lives. Working only for money, I argued, is just another form of slavery. Corporate America has persuaded us that we just give them our money all of our lives in order to be secure.
Both of them love shearing and raising sheep (Ian is also a blacksmith and a gamer). We had a great talk, invited them both back, Maria and Liz became good friends before my eyes, I gave Ian some books and we talked about culture and choices.
Oh yeah, they did a great job shearing. It takes strong arms and a very strong back.
Liz charged $130 we paid $200. She drove for hours, wrestled some big sheep, did a great job. I’m going to do a shearing photo album.
It’s 7.23 now, Liz, our shearer, is due to arrive at 8 a.m. We got up around 6 a.m, fed the dogs and cats. We fed the sheep on the ground today to keep them from getting hay in their coats. We raked out the barn. We’ll separate the donkeys by putting them in one of the pastures – they try to protect the sheep if they can.
We’ll have a light breakfast and then go and get the sheep into the Pole Barn so everything is ready for Liz. Maria gave Suzie her morning scratch.
Red goes for acupuncture treatment every two or three weeks in the hopes of keeping his fractured spine from further decaying or splintering. He tolerates the treatment well and I think it is helping to keep him steady.
Red is nearly blind now, and the damaged part of his spine can fracture at any time, but he is holding steady, although he is quieter and less mobile all the time. Red also has a weakening heart.
I’ll just take it one day at a time, and be grateful for every day. Dr. Fariello (Cassandra Comety is helping) thinks Red is holding steady, I think I see a slow but steady decline. I suspect both things are true.
Stay tuned.
