Woodcutting 101

I've decided that although wood-cutting is a hard, dirty, long, and laborious job, it can be fun despite the sore hands, feet, and dirt caked into every orifice one has. When "The Man" and myself set out to cut wood, we set out in style.  This past Saturday we headed out into the woods(the burn area from one of Arizona's largest fires in history.

This particular wood-cutting run we had some mighty fine food (if I do say so myself!).  Always, always I pack a lot of fruit, when your mouth is parched and dry, oranges and melon seem to quench and perk up the ol' tastebuds. 

To start our morning off "The Man" made some incredible fresh ground "joe."  We always take a thermos of "joe" out for that initial cup on the tailgate of the ol' Ford.  Nothing nicer than a warm cup a joe and cool, mountain mornings.  I brought along a nice, warm coffee cake for the occasion, just out of the oven.  While we nibbled on coffee cake, sipped some joe, we eyeballed some dead oak, fortunately, the dead oak was in the middle of a young, new grove.........fires are good for one thing for sure....... Arizona's overgrown forest floor.  Fires are great for incubating fine, new growth, once it's raged through an area.

"The Man" said he really liked his coffee cake and "just how long has it been since you made this?" "When our kids were lil'?"  Overlooking the obvious sarcasm, I told him "I've never made you THIS coffee cake."  We then set to work............after about two hours of cutting we decided to take a break for some water and fruit.  Always, we sit and admire the wood we've cut.  I have to say, we did well in our scouting efforts this trip.

Now I personally think you can turn any arduous task into a much better time with a good attitude and a belly full.  It's good exercise, it will keep you warm in the winter (we heat strictly with wood), and I love to look at the striations and coloring of different wood types.......Juniper, Cedar and Oak, all hard woods.  When we're about half way loaded, we stop for lunch.  This particular wood-cutting trip I made sandwiches...........not just any sandwich either.  I took some very good, roasted turkey, smoked Fontina, fresh red onion, avocado and homemade fig jam.  Now put that all on some good homemade bread..............heaven opened up for us!  These were not "dainty" sandwiches mind you, these were "drizzle down your arm" sandwiches, the best kind to eat. 

Once finished with our task of wood-cutting (which takes us six hours), we head for home..........tired, satisfied, and one cord closer to our goal.  We cut throughout the Fall using two or more permits to "stock up" on the wood supply.  One day every week-end and the chore is done. 

When wood-cutters are selling wood in the "peak" season (Winter), they make $200 + a cord.  Personally, I can think of a million and one things I would rather spend $200 dollars on................like saving for a vacation next year. 

As we pull into the drive-way, weary but happy to be home, the three dogs greet us with wagging tails.  They LOVE to smell our pants and boots, like, "where have you two been?"  "Oh come on, let me guess!" 

Now is the time to unload and stack the wood.  Once that task is done, we crack open a cold one, sit on the tailgate of the ol' truck, and admire our efforts.  The day has come full circle, it's getting late, the sheep are bellowing for food, and the dogs want to come inside and visit with us.  The smell of the pork roast packed full of garlic, simmering in homemade sauerkraut, apples, onion, potatoes and spices(oh yes, and a good stout ale) infuses the house, we are soooo ready for a hot bath, P.J.'s and a glass of wine to unwind this evening.........until next week-end when we do it all over again.

Shepherdess Kat's Coffee Cake

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

8 oz. carton of sour cream

2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

Combine butter and sugar, cream until light and fluffy, add eggs and sour cream, mixing well.  Combine next five ingredients, add to batter and mix well.  Pour batter into a disposable, greased and floured 9x13x2-inch pan.  Combine brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon, sprinkle on top of batter.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Uncover and bake at 350-degree oven for 35-40 minutes. 

Catahoula Who?

A couple of weeks ago we took our beloved "Blue" into our vet to get routine shots.  Normally I do this annually but this particular time I had too much on my plate to purchase the shots, drive to Clay Springs for the Rabies, and so forth.  This visit we saw a NEW vet, a female, Dr. Sanders.  She fell in love with "Blue".............yeah right!  Anyway, she immediately said to us, "what a beautiful Catahoula"  and I said, "what the heck is a Catahoula?"

Apparently the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard dog or the Catahoula Hog dog, or the Catahoula Hur, or the Louisiana Catahoula Leopard dog..........is so named after a Parish in Louisiana.................hmmmm?  Louisiana has cited this dog as having it's origin in Louisiana, although some suspect it is actually a Nordic Wolfhound..............hmmm?

I got this pup thinking it was a Border Collie X..........hmmm?  Now for a nominal fee of $125 we can find out just what "Blue" is by having a DNA test done..................NOT!!!! For GOD's sake, I only paid $5 bucks for the pup.  And when he's bad, "the Man" let's me know he's MY dog.

He is beautiful I'll admit, we've had a lot of comments from people about how "good looking" he is.  Once we had a younger guy pull into the ranch to buy fresh eggs from us..............he had this gorgeous, full-blood Border Collie female in the cab of the truck with him.  While "the Man" was selling him eggs, he turned to "the Man" and asked him, "did you shave your Border collie?"  Now that's about the most humiliating thing you can hear, especially from someone who's got a perfectly trained, lil' female, full blood collie!  "The Man" came into the house after the transaction snorting and laughing.............I didn't think the story was so darn funny..............poor "Blue."

Now, if in fact "Blue" has any Catahoula in him, we're in trouble.  Apparently these Catahoula's take the "pack thing" real serious!  The bio on them say's that an "owner who takes pack leadership seriously with structure, leadership and plentiful exercise" should do well with a Catahoula..................O.K.!!!  The objective is in training this dog to achieve a pack leadership status................"Blue" flippin' runs this ranch, pack leadership my ass, he herds us, tells us what to do on any givin' day, tell's us when it's time for him to eat, sleep or play, we're at his beck and call.........24-7!  I've tried, seriously, I've TRIED!  I've even watched Cesar Milan until I'm blue in the face.............I'll bet ya, Cesar couldn't snap his fingers and hiss at "Blue," and achieve any leadership.  As my sister says, "ain't no one the boss of "Blue." "  And she's right, you can't be the boss of "Blue."

I've never, ever had a problem with leadership with any of our other dogs..........Labradors, Wolfhounds, Basset's, Retrievers................NEVER!!  I've always been the boss and I've always had them trained to be polite, social dogs.....................I've pulled my hair out with this "peach."

"Blue's" morning starts with attacking "the Man's" socks and shoes at 5 a.m. He's obsessed with shoes, but ONLY "the Man's" shoes.  From that point in his day(which is very long for the remainder of his pack family), he will herd the Shepherdess at 7a.m. when she heads out to feed the sheep.  Once in the barn, he focus's his attention on the sheep.  The lambs are his "gig," he chases them around the pasture, barking and gently nipping their twist, brisket and legs.  He herds them all right............in circles, stirring up huge amounts of dust while the Shepherdess lays out hay.  Once the Shepherdess is coated in a layer of dust, she head's over to feed the other two, gentle, sweet dogs that she own's.  At that point in time, "Blue" pounces on the "sweet dogs" nipping and barking, he then run's into the cellar house to "guard" the container of THEIR dog food.  He does let them eat in peace, but they are always watching him.  Once we've achieved that huge chore, he follows the Shepherdess into the house, looks at his food bowl, jumps up on the couch and crashes for several hours................napping on his back, legs spread eagle, farting like the wind.  This all resumes again when "the Man" is home for the day, but this time he want's to play. The game he loves most............"try and get your Reebok tenny from me."  He can have the damn tenny..............you couldn't get it if you wanted it anyway.  It's been his fav toy since he was a darling, blue-eyed pup(I have to remind myself daily just how cute he was at one point in time.)

The only animal on this ranch that has any clout with "Blue" is "Ya-Ya" the tiny, female cat and "Estes."  "Blue" will actually let "Ya-Ya" drink from his water bowl, he'll play with her and she grooms him. Now "Estes" is a different story altogether, "Blue" doesn't much care for "Estes,"  "Estes" doesn't much care for "Blue," probably because he torments "his" sheep flock.  "Estes" will charge "Blue" and on occasion, he'll toss him in the dirt, not hard, just to let him know who's boss..................I'm thinkin' I need to spend more time watching "Estes" being the "pack leader" instead of Cesar Milan!

Now, don't get me wrong, we love our "Blue" but it's like having a three year old on sugar, tired and desperately needing a nap!!!  However, every evening when "the Man" and myself settle down to our bedroom, "Blue" leaps up on the bed, lies down between us, licks us and then rolls over spread eagle for a belly rub..........with those SWEET eyes of his!

Now they say that these Catahoula's live to be fairly old...............................OMG!!

The Girl I was, the Woman I've Become

When I was seventeen I left home........it struck both my parents very hard.  It made Mama sick for several days.  I didn't exactly leave in a "normal" sense, like asking them if I could go, or even having a plan really, I just didn't come home one evening.  What did happen to me formed the foundation of who I am today, why I have the beliefs I do, and how I view life.  Many years later, my mama will tell me, "when you left us it hurt, but what you learned didn't hurt you."  I think that means she's forgiven me my insensitivity to their wishes at the time.........like finishing high school and staying home.  I wanted to hit the world hard and fast.....I did both, and I haven't stopped!

In September of 2007 I went to Alaska for the second time.  While in Skagway, "the man" and myself went to the Red Onion Saloon for a couple of good ol' Alaskan ales.  I struck up a conversation with two older gentlemen about my first visit to Alaska.  I would say we chatted with one another for about two hours.  When it was time for us to go, one gentleman turned to me and said, "you need to write a book about your memoirs, you need to tell these stories, write them down for your kids if nothing else."  I've thought about that comment a lot over these years.............

What I can tell my two kids is this...................I'm living a good life, I've enjoyed my journey thus far, the good has far exceeded the bad, and I wouldn't change a thing.  I've worked in many a "mans field" earning me more money but working much harder, I've rock climbed mountains (the Granite Dells, the "Monk," boulders in carefree, mountains in the Sierra's and Alaska, Mt. Baldy and the Grand Canyon), I've back-packed in areas many people will NEVER see, fished high mountain lakes ( many people will never see), I back-packed Alaska for three weeks carrying a 70 pound pack, travelling there via a ferry out of Seattle. I've hiked down into the Grand Canyon, camped for two weeks, I've hiked the Superstition's.........never finding the "gold mine" but feeling rich afterwards.  I've hiked numerous times into the Sierra's, travelling 10-14 miles a day with a heavy pack, forging cold, snow melt rivers that were deep and raging.  I've even walked into the woods with my own back-pack strapped on me and camped by myself for days............I highly recommend it to anyone!

In Northern California I lived in a community that was rife with "hippies."  Most of whom became my friends, most of whom worked but enjoyed the simple lifestyle. We'd gather once a week at someone's house, tent or tepee, share vegan meals, play music, sing, enjoy one anothers company. I learned a lot from those days........................

I've learned that it matters to me to take good care of our earth, have empathy towards others, be kind to animals, love people unconditionally.  I've learned NOT to discuss politics or religion with people because everyone has their own beliefs, mine may not be the same but it works for me.  I've learned that spontaneity gives richness to one's life. Spending time alone will heal much.................  I've learned that grand babies are definately

"GODS GIFTS," they are the extension to the lil' ones you once rocked, played with, nurtured. I've learned that you should NEVER, EVER look back and wish you'd done something differently, the past is the past, it's final.  I've learned that as you age, you become more sensitive to the important things, love, life, family and loss.  I've also learned how to love someone else and let myself be loved........unconditionally.  Sometimes the "second time around" is by far the best.

I've also learned that it's very important to take care of one's body, it has to last you a long time.  Spending time in guietude each day doesn't mean you're "lazy" it just shows that you know what you need physically and spiritually to be at peace. I've learned that loud, boisterous, people or people who complain a lot are NOT conducive to my well-being. I've learned to stay away from people who tend to be competitive, they lack self-esteem.

 I've learned that cooking good food has become my passion.  Using the most natural, untainted food is the BEST for me, the end product superior.  I've learned that to get that superb quality without paying huge sums of money requires me to raise our own food.......lamb, chickens, ducks, turkeys, rabbits, pork, fresh eggs(both chicken and duck), and vegetables........the work is hard but the dividends are worth it.

 I also look back and understand that I've had much serendipity in my life.  A "calling" which started when I was a very young girl, placed me right smack dab into the life I have..................... a GOOD LIFE!

Autumn Equinox

John Donne (1572-1631)

No Spring, or summer beauty hath such grace

As I have seen in one Autumnal face.

     Autumn is upon us here at Rockin' A Ranch.  Chilly mornings greet us at 4:30a.m., we linger one moment longer under our covers, snuggling and chatting, listening to the rooster greet the beginnings of dawn before jumping out of bed and grabbing our robes.  Rick plugs the percolator in, I let the cats and "Blue" out for their morning "winkle" and stretch. "Blue" runs the fence line of the ranch, barking and staving off the "yotes" (coyotes), this morning they are close.

     This is our favorite time of year...............Autumn.  Chores like gardening, watering, and weeding all slow down and are replaced with wood cutting, raking leaves and mulching. In one month I will begin to "flush" our breeding ewes.  When the first full moon of November arrives, "Blackcloud" our Churro ram and "Oreo" our wether, will join the girls for several months.  I won't remove them until late in the ewes gestational cycle. "Oreo" is thrilled to get to visit with his mama "Freckles" for a period of time.  Sheep can distinguish between all other sheep, they recognize fellow flock mates and lambs even after years of separation. 

     Our myriad birds here on the high prarie begin to disappear..........Macgillivray's warbler, Orange-Crowned, the Nashville and Wilson's, Song Sparrow, Lincolns, Brewer's, the Green-Tailed Towhee, Western Tanager, Pinyon Jays, Juniper Titmouse and Lazuli Buntings. Soon we will also witness the flocks of ducks and geese heading South in their long journey, but this Fall they won't be able to land on the lake near our home as it has dried up over the summer.  We will still enjoy their flight..... we will hear them long before they arrive overhead.

 At the Autumnal equinox, the Sun appears to cross the celestial equator, from North to South; this marks the beginning of autumn in the Northern hemisphere.  This is the time of year for our annual Fall picnic, a     gourmet  picnic which is always accompanied with our own special hot, spiced, wine for sippin'.  We build a fire, put out lawn chairs, chat, eat, hike with the lil' ones, take pictures, nap and towards the end of the day, we listen to the Bull Elk bugling and thrashing about in the woods.  And every single year, a child gets to sit on the lap of "the man" and "drive" us out of the woods. 

     This is the time for plentiful bread baking and soup making.  We love soup, a good loaf of homemade artisan bread, and a glass of wine.  "The man" and myself rarely watch T.V. during colder months, we'd rather capitulate to the crackling of the fire in the woodstove, dim the lights and have a nice conversation, before retiring to bed early, similar to the old days. " Early to bed, early to rise"...................I don't know how " healthy, and wise" we are, but we feel very wealthy with Autumn's splendor upon us.

FALL PICNIC HOT SPICED WINE

1 cup sugar

4 cups hot water

Sliced lemon and other desired fruit(apple, orange, dried berries)

18 whole cloves

6-8 cinnamon sticks

2 (750 ml) Red or Burgandy wine

To Prepare:

Wrap spices in cheese cloth, tie off. 

In a pan, heat water, sugar and spices to boiling for approximately 10-15 minutes

When slightly cooled, remove spices and add simple syrup and fruit to crock pot, putting it on low setting.

Add wine and additional fresh fruit (if desired), heat gently, DO NOT BOIL!

Serve in insulated cups.

Have you Herd?

Ihope you are not yet tired of my musings..........once again, I'm writing about sheep, and "yes" this is another picture of my Jacob ewe, "MG" or "Grace." In the background of the other picture is my Navajo Churro ram (last years breeding season). I would like to share a "plan" I have as well as some history about the breeds I raise.

Let me begin by giving you a "run-down" on Jacob Sheep as they were the first breed I started raising. Jacob sheep are an old world breed dating back several thousand years. While their exact heritage is unknown, pie-bald or spotted sheep have been mentioned in historic accounts for several centuries. Named after Jacob in the Bible (Genesis 30), these sheep most recently appeared in England several hundred years ago, where they graced the Estates of the Nobility. By 1970 Jacob sheep were so rare in England that the Jacob Sheep Society was formed to help preserve them. Due largely to their efforts Jacob sheep numbers have increased dramatically in Great Britain. Jacob sheep had been imported in small numbers into the US and Canada since the early 1900's. In 1988 the Jacob Sheep Breeders Association was formed in the USA to ensure the conservation of Jacob Sheep through inspections, registration and education. The American Jacob is still considered a rare breed by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

Several breeds of sheep can produce spotted lambs but Jacobs are the only breed which remain spotted throughout life. Jacob carry the polycerate gene which allows them to produce multiple horns, and both rams and ewe are horned. They are a small to medium size breed with ewes weighing from 80-120 lbs. and rams ranging from 129-180 pounds. Jacob fleece is a medium grade (24-33 microns, Bradford count 44-56s, demi-luster), with an open character, a soft springy handle and little or no kemp, or britchyness. Staple length is 3-7 inches and fleeces weigh from 3-6 pounds with little grease and a high yield. When the colors from one fleece are separated it can yield three colors-creamy white, brown/grey and brown/black.

They are very hardy and disease resistant
Their small size means they eat less food and have higher per acre stocking rates than commercial breeds.
The ewes tend to twin, have few lambing problems and are excellent mothers.
Their multicolor, medium grade wool is prized by Hand spinners.
They produce a lean, flavorful carcass with beautifully unique pelts.
Their magnificent horns and attractive spots are very showy and beautiful.
With their "goat like" personalities, they are smart, curious and tend to tame down fairly easily.
The lambs are soooo cute!

The "run-down" on Navajo Churro sheep. Navajo -Churro sheep are descended from the Churra, an ancient Iberian breed. The Churra(later corrupted to "Churro" by American frontiersmen) was brought to the North America by the Spanish Conquistadors in the 16th century as a source of food and clothing for their armies. By the 17Th century Churros were popular with the Spanish settlers in the upper Rio Grande Valley. Flocks of Churros were also acquired by Native Americans through raids and trading, and soon became an important part of the Navajo economy and culture. A series of US Government sponsored flock reductions and "improvements" (by cross breeding) decimated the Navajo flocks until the old type Churro sheep nearly disappeared. In the 1970's several individuals began acquiring Churro phenotypes with the purpose of preserving the breed and revitalizing Navajo and Hispanic flocks. The Navajo-Churro Sheep Association was formed in 1986 to preserve and promote this original American Breed. The name "Navajo-Churro" was chosen to honor both their Navajo and their Spanish heritage. While more than 4,200 sheep have been registered (ours is one) since the N-CSA was formed, Navajo-Churro sheep are still considered a rare breed by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

Navajo-Churro sheep carry the polycerate gene also. They are small to medium size with ewes weighing from 85-120 pounds and rams ranging from 120-175 pounds. Navajo-Churro wool comes in a wide range of natural colors, is classified as coarse and is composed of three distinct types of fiber: 1.)Inner coat (3-5 inches staple length): wool fibers ranging from 10-35 microns, comprising 30% of the fleece. 2.) Outer Coat (6-12 inch staple length): hair fibers measuring 35+ microns, comprising 10-20% of the fleece, 3.) Kemp: short opaque fibers of 65+ microns, not to exceed 5% of the fleece.) The fleece is open with no defined crimp and should be lustrous with a silky hand. It is high yielding with a low grease content.

The Navajo-Churro sheep has always been sacred to the Dine' and at the core of their culture and economy, is the only domesticated breed of sheep indigenous to the Americas. Though driven to near extinction since the 19Th century by government stock reductions that slaughtered hundreds of thousands, the Churro was always cherished and protected by the Dine' who hid remnant herds in remote areas such as Black Mesa and Monument Valley. Today it is a nationally and internationally recognized rare and endangered domestic breed-hardy, intelligent, and resistant to scrapie and other diseases and of rising economic value. It's fleece is one of the finest in the world-long, lustrous, and low in grease, with an amazing range of colors and a white of remarkable purity that takes dyes and great clarity and depth.

They are independent, intelligent sheep with a fascinating history and a very special heritage.
They're very hardy and disease resistant.
Their smaller size means they eat less food and have higher stocking rates per acre than commercial breeds.
Being desert sheep, they can survive and thrive on less than perfect forage.
The ewes tend to twin, have few lambing problems and are excellent, protective mothers.
They have the quintessential weaving wool-strong, beautiful and available in a wide variety of natural colors.
Lamb fleeces are rich in color and make terrific socks and sweaters.
They produce a lean, flavorful carcass and beautiful pelts.
They're considered a dairy breed (haven't tried that yet).


Our efficacious plan is to breed the Navajo-Churro ram with a registered Jacob ewe. Our "Grace" had too many congenital anomalies when born thus she is not of good quality breeding stock, breeders always strive for better flock traits. However, this past breeding season we did manage to have ewes with the polycerate gene (all three ewes born have horns) and a Jacob spotted ewe by breeding a Jacob X with the Navajo-Churro ram. This particular ewe we will keep although she will only be able to breed with a ram lamb from next years lambing. Never, ever can you breed a father to a daughter although you can breed a ewe from one lambing season to a ram lamb (from a different mother) the following lambing season.

I've had many people scoff at my plan. I personally don't listen to others regarding my sheep flock as everyone has an opinion that raises sheep. We do what works for us, simply! Both the breeds we raise are superb in fleece, well sought out by fiber artists and spinners throughout the world. Both breeds produce superb meat, low in cholesterol, high in vitamins, zinc, and protein. In England, Jacob meat is prized by chefs for the superb flavor (stronger somewhat than Churro), in Arizona the Chef at La Posado in Winslow, Arizona buys strictly Churro meat from growers up on the reservation. How can we go wrong with breeding these genes? We sell both fiber and meat for locker.

One of our good friends, Claudia comes from a cattle family out of Williams, Arizona. Her family has ranched their whole life in that area, from parents to grandparents and so forth....... She married a Basque in her early years (a BIG NO, NO coming from a cattle family) and they began to raise sheep..........Hampshires..............3,000 head as a matter of fact. She and her husband didn't eat many of the Hampshires as they always preferred the Churro off the reservation. Churro meat is very lean and mild, more mild than most sheep meat. She buys a lamb from us every year (she'd like two but we need some for our freezer!). We are the only place she will buy her lamb..................in that sense, we feel good about what we are doing despite criticism from others. What I can say about our "little spread" is we get the most bang for our buck, I utilize our wool for my spinning, crocheting/knitting projects, Rick uses our lesser quality fiber for insulation, we utilize our meat for our food. We also save horns for button making. And I will tell you, the tongue, heart and liver from our sheep is superb...............YES, we do eat that as well. This year I will tan my own yearling fleece, requiring them back from the locker. Who knows, maybe I can donate them to the hospitals for preemie baby's to rest/grow on in the incubators...........

Kat's Lamb Shanks in Mirepoix

Lightly season 4 lamb shanks with salt, pepper and flour. Cover bottom of a deep, heavy, ovenproof pan with a combination of about 75% canola oil and 25% olive oil, and heat on high until almost smoking.

To seal in the juices (braising), saute' the meat for about 5 minutes, or until all sides of the shanks are golden brown. Watch closely and turn frequently because shanks burn easily(don't ask how I know this!). Use long-handled tongs to remove shanks from pan.

Add mirepoix, a mixture of 1 1/2 cups diced onions, 2 cups diced celery and 2 large carrots, diced. Saute on high about 5 minutes, just long enough to release the flavors.

Stir in 1 ounce fresh rosemary, 1 ounce fresh thyme, a whole lot of freshly ground black pepper and 3-4 bay leaves into the mixture.

Next, add 2 Tablespoons tomato paste and cook on high for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently until tomato paste is blended with mirepoix and herbs. Place shanks back in the pan. Add about 2 cups veal or beef stock, 1 cup good, dry red wine, cover shanks with liquid completely. Cover pan tightly with lid or heavy foil and bake at 425-degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the meat falls off the bone.

This can also be made with a lamb roast. We prefer the shanks(a terrific cut of lamb).

Bon Appetit!

The "Ninepatch"

The Amish are descendants of European Anabaptist's, who in the late sixteenth century were the radicals of their day. The Anabaptist's, including the followers of Menno Simons called Mennonites, risked their lives trying to change things, believing that earlier Protestants hadn't gone far enough in their reforms. They were named Anabaptist's because they were against infant baptism, believing that people should wait till they reached twenty and could make a conscious choice about their religion.

Jacob Ammann, the charismatic Mennonite leader for whom the Amish were named, went even further than other Anabaptist's in his demands for strict reform. In the 1690's, he questioned the enormous power and authority of the Catholic church, thinking there should be a clear separation between church and state. He criticized the vanities of the church, the ornate ceremonies, the luxurious clothing worn by priests, believing that something crucial got lost when the hierarchy of the church separated an individual from a direct experience of his God. Religion should be a felt experience. The Amish, his followers, saw themselves as God's chosen people and were taught that God had a personal interest in their lives.

Ammann's beliefs led him to seek a way for his followers to lead a good and decent life. He demanded a return to the plain and simple, Pious feelings and simple rural living should go together. He taught them to practice their beliefs. Worshiping in church on Sunday wasn't enough. Applying what they believed day in and day out was what mattered. Customs and traditions reinforced religious beliefs. "By their fruit ye shall know them," the Bible said.

Ammann's quite specific teachings extended into every aspect of daily life. Humility and modesty were valued, and he reinstated some of the earliest Christian rituals--such as foot washing--to remind his followers to be humble. He preached non-violence and told his people to refuse to fight in wars. Ostentation was a sin, a sign of false pride; since buttons were originally used as ornamentation, he insisted that only hooks and eyes be used. Ammann's intention was to keep the Amish separate and distinct. By remaining apart from the larger community, this "small island of outsiders" would be drawn together.

A ninepatch is the simplest quilting pattern, the one an Amish mother uses to initiate her daughter into the craft of quilt making. In theory, the concept is easy. Place one dark square next to one light square, until a grid of nine patches comes together in a tic-tac-toe pattern. No one is labeled an "artist" in an Amish community. That would be a sign of false pride. They're a deeply religious people, and humility is a trait that's valued. Things are made to be used, not revered.

How to fuse the disparate choices into one life? How to design a life with all the varied pieces---arrange and rearrange--and in the process create a feasible pattern to live by?

Patch #1 Valuing the Process/Valuing the Product

While I don't make Amish quilts (and I have quilted), I do enjoy my hand at skirting raw wool, washing it, carding and hand spinning my fiber from our sheep. This is truly a task to be savored as there is no chance for a hurried product. There is the skirting of the wool, (removal of all vegetable and animal matter), carding the wool for the making of rolags (a length of tubular wool, carded and ready for hand spinning). Once this process is done, I begin to hand spin the wool. I use the "inch-worm technique," namely drafting with my drop spindle. All work is important in this process, all work is of value honoring the process and the product. It's in the energy I find the pleasure, in doing and finding meaning in the work itself. For me it's all connected.

Patch #2 Living in Time

There is no need to rush to get one thing over so you can get on to something more important. It's understanding that it's not rushing through tasks to achieve a series of goals that is satisfying; it's experiencing each moment along the way.

Patch #3 Celebrating the Ordinary

It's the everyday things that give life its stability and its framework.

Patch #4 Home

The things I do daily are my focus, from feeding my sheep, to watering my flowers, harvesting and canning our vegetables from our garden, playing my guitar, cleaning our home, washing laundry and hanging it out to dry................this is MY expression of who I am, it has spiritual meaning to me.

Patch #5 Community

I share joy and hardship with others in my life. For instance, my very good friend Barbara of Fiber Rose Ranch, comes to my home monthly. It's our time to share lunch and a conversation while crocheting, knitting, and chatting over happenings in our lives. Another friend calls me for help with canning (she's new to this "craft"), sharing seedlings from my heirloom garden with a multitude of others, community work at Christmas. Community life is a natural extension of my home life.

Patch #6 Life as Art

One year, not long ago, I made my grand daughter Kiley a set of "Church dolls." These were three little dolls made of muslin, hand embroidered with hair and clothes tucked neatly into a tri-fold calico "wallet" with a hook and eye closure. These were dolls to entertain her while she sat in church, something to keep her occupied but quite. While it took me several years to make these dolls, it was one of the most joyous gifts I had ever given anyone. It was the beauty and practicality of the object that gave me joy, something especially for Kiley.

Patch #7 Limits as Freedom

When my expectations and achievements match, I'm content. Doing the best I can, and not questioning who I am, or where I belong brings me freedom. Having my limits, subtracting distractions, making a commitment to do well for each day, brings me a new intensity.

Patch #8 Power of Contrast

The startling balance of one kind of energy coexisting with a very different one. A simple hand spun and crocheted dishcloth to be used daily against a lavish dyed, and knitted woolen scarf. Two very practical items allowing usage of different energies. Or my plain, dirt pastures against the contrast of my vegetable garden with flowers and herbs in all it's vitality.

Patch #9 Choice

I've learned that the more choices I have, doesn't mean I'm luckier. There is a difference between having many choices and making a choice. Making a choice-declaring what is essential-creates a framework for a life that eliminates many choices but gives meaning to the things that remain. Satisfaction for me comes in giving up the wishing I was somewhere else or doing something else. It's living in the moment and reminding myself that nothing I am doing is wasted time.

While I am certainly NOT Amish, I admit they have many spiritual attributes to their lives that I admire. I've learned much about the Amish over the years, as their lifestyle has always intrigued me. I've even "threatened" the kids that if/when I become a widow, I will join the Amish community. Fortunately for the kids, they don't accept the "English outsiders."

Several years back, I bought my mother (who loves dolls) a "Faceless" Amish doll, made by the Amish. The eyes, nose, mouth, fingers, and toes are missing. Their bodies are covered with hardy unbleached muslin. Dressed in tattered, dark, old-fashioned clothing and bonnets they each have a distinct personality, the unique mark of the mother who made the doll for her child. For years, these dolls were not sold to the public, Amish mothers made these dolls for their daughters. Always, the same, no need to change or embellish or improve them. They just needed to be durable enough to withstand lots of use.

The Amish secret.................there aren't any secrets! They know there is nothing "out there," just the "timeless present." How they live reflects what they believe. Their life is art. Learn not to rush through life in order to get "the goodies." Learn that life delivers the goods, and it's quite different...........

"MG" the Outlaw Sheep

This is our darling "Grace," she was the second lamb born on our ranch if you count the first set of twins as one! Her mama is a Suffolk, her daddy a beautiful Jacob ram named "Patch." "Grace" has his gorgeous blaze down her nose but the hump on her back???? Neither her mama nor daddy have this congenital "thing."

"Grace" was born on March 13, 07 at 12 a.m. She weighed 8 pounds. When I found her she was under a feeder curled up in her lambing jug almost smilin'. Her mama was standing near-by. As I gathered my lambing kit from inside the ol' homestead (all the while excited we had our first ewe lamb!), I mentioned to "the man," "we have a new lamb get up!" When we both walked back out to the barn together, and entered the lambing jug, we realized something was terribly wrong with this little girl. When I knelt to gather her up in my arms to inspect her she couldn't stand, she was shivering (even though mama had cleaned her real well), her little legs would just collapse under her weight, they also looked somewhat deformed. After taking her temperature we knew she was in the stages of hypothermia, a life threatening disorder. We pulled her from her mother(which is very, very stressful for a ewe) and took her inside the ol' homestead to warm her up.

Dealing with a hypothermic lamb is a long, arduous task. First and foremost you must warm the lamb by putting them in a sink or tub of warm water, then we give our lambs an enema, this is an important step in dealing with hypothermia. The enema removes any meconium not yet evacuated from the gut of the lamb. Failing to remove the meconium causes dehydration and a spiralling downward of the lamb's temperature. The enema also helps to warm the lamb from the inside out. The next step is what we call Dextrose Therapy, preceded by a SQ (subcutaneous) injection of Vitamin B Complex, the Cal-Dextro we use is loaded with calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. We had to inject the little thing with 2 cc per 1 pound of her body weight. Injecting many shots into a newborn is very difficult, but as a shepherd, you have to overlook the "youngness/cuteness" and go into the "saving" mode. This is not for everyone, shepherds are a special breed of people.

Our next step in this process is Vitamin Therapy, we give the lamb Vitamin A&D, Vitamin E, Procaine Penicillin and of course the B vitamins. Once we can start to see the little lamb responding to our efforts, we see if she can take warm colostrum milked from the ewe, placed in a bottle. Everyone knows how critical colostrum is to a human baby, it's the same in the animal kingdom, it's the best for them.

"MG" our Miraculous Grace, did indeed turn around and start responding, it took "the man" and myself nearly ten hours to pull her around..............but she did it, she had a will like no lamb I've seen since. However, she still could not stand on her own, her legs were "mufflefunked!" It was very frustrating for us, how was she going to go back out to her mother if she couldn't stand and nurse? How was she going to keep up with the others? There was only one thing I could do, I would have to keep her indoors in a crib, by the wood stove, and get up every few hours to let her nurse off her mother. "Grace" would cry (like any baby in the nighttime), I would get up, dress, take her out to the barn, tether the mama, and hold her on tit until she was full. After four days of this intense nurturing, she began to bare weight on two of her four legs. Eventually, she would put weight on one front leg but ever so lightly. It was then that I made the decision to put her out with her mama. I knew she would thrive better with her own than with us.

So..........I put our crippled baby out in the barn for good, it was one of the hardest things I've had to do. She had to hop everywhere mama went because naturally she followed. She hopped to nurse, she hopped when she'd first stand, she'd hop to lie down. It was also very hard for her to lie down with those two front legs crippled up, but she did it. After about a month our little "MG" started walking on all fours, mind you, you could still tell something was wrong with her legs, but she did it.

I can not tell you as a shepherdess how much joy and sadness raising sheep brings to a human. I naturally bonded deeply with this little lamb, she was my everything for a long time. I was her surrogate mother. To leave her in the hands of her own mother, GOD, and nature was hard but I did it.

"Grace" is still not a "normal" little ewe, she "Baas" differently than the others, she's small for her breed, she's shy and non-confrontational with the others, she's had to learn to look out for herself and she's done so very well. BUT, she's also a lil' outlaw which brings me back to my story.

Lately "Grace" has definitely decided that the "grass is greener on the other side." Every evening when I head out to the barn to feed I fill my cart with the BEST alfalfa I can find (which is a real challenge at times). I open the iron gate into the covered portion of the barn, fight off all the young lambs from this years crop, mamas, the Nubian goat,"Blue," and turn around to close the gate just in time to see "her heinous" stroll right out the gate into the big, free, yonder. I commence with the chore and let her go.

"Grace" has always come to her name, although she's not overly fond of lovies and hugs, and rightly so. She's afraid I'm going to give her a shot, an enema, a shearing or something "not so fun," but she comes to me. So when she's done having her little jaunt out in the BIG world I call her, she comes and loads right back into the barn. It's her special little treat and I allow it.

Now I've had a lot of people tell me I should just "put her down." I won't, I can't and I'm ever so thankful that "the man" knows this. It's a special bond the lamb and I share, we love each other, we respect each other, and I can't say you can get that in many relationships anymore.

"MG" will have a pasture, fresh food, fresh water, vitamins, shearings, the wild, for as long as she lives. She adds much to my life, they all do in one way or another, but she is one of my favorites.

The Shepherd's Lament

Now I lay me down to sleep

Exhausted by those doggone sheep;

My only wish is that I might

Cause them not to lamb at night.

I wouldn't mind the occasional ewe,

But lately it's more than just a few:

Back into bed, then up again,

At two o'clock and four a.m.....

They grunt and groan with noses high,

And in between a mournful sigh,

We stand there watching nature work,

Hoping there won't be a quirk:

A leg turned back, or even worse,

A lamb that's coming in reverse.

But once they've lambed we're glad to see

That their efforts didn't end in tragedy.

There's no emotion so sublime

As a ewe and lamb that's doing fine.

I'm often asked why I raise sheep,

With all the work and loss of sleep;

The gratification gained at three a.m.,

From the birth of another baby lamb-

How can you explain, or even show?

'Cause only a shepherd will ever know!