Merry Christmas!

Christmas this year was the most wonderful one ever. For the first time all of our family was together for Christmas morning. I have to say, I have the best kids ever. Our two oldest, both just turned 16, are going for their drivers permits this week. Gosh- that's a scary thought. I don't know how they got that grown up! It is going to be really weird to be sitting in the passenger seat while my sons' are driving! My one daughter is getting into wearing make up, another sign that the kids are growing up. This is just amazing- especially since there is no way I am old enough to have teenagers, LOL. Wish that wasn't so, but alas, I apparently am.

Then we went home, got the little one's to bed and hung out waiting for Santa.

Christmas eve ended at 3am when I went to bed. At 4am there was a sweet 12 year old telling us it was morning. How confused she must have been-LOL- it couldn't possibly be morning yet. We sent her back to bed with instructions not to return before 6am. Luckily the kids gave us until 7am and then they were all up and anxious to see what Santa had brought. The boys were thrilled to get a new xbox360 and can't wait to get live with it later this weekend. The boys also got model rocket stuff, so I"m sure NASA will be jealous of the happenings of our backyard in a few weeks! The girls got dolls, dolls and more dolls, doll houses, doll beds, etc. etc. Camille, of course got make up. Both the older girls got their own sheep and goat grooming supplies (yeah- I won't have to hunt through the backyard looking for my supplies anymore!) Little Markie got all sorts of trucks, cars and trains- so he is in his glory vrooming around the house!

We then went to Grammie and Fafa's house (in our jammies) to see what Santa left there. After a wonderful breakfast, we came home to relax, play with our new toys, and take care of the farm chores. Later in the day we went to Auntie Melissa and Uncle Jon's house for dinner (yum) of ham and turkey and all sorts of stuff. By the time we got back home, I was exhausted and fell sound asleep-

What a wonderful holiday it was all around!

Snow Day!

We got about a foot of snow and the kids and Addie are having a blast! The goats, on the other hand are not at all happy. They can be found peeking their heads out from their shelters waiting for it to end. The ducks and geese don't seem to mind much. The alpacas don't seem to mind snow- they were running around outside in it yesterday and we waiting by the fence for their breakfast. I love snow days... a good excuse to stay home with the kids, make crafts, bake, watch movies, and snuggle together. The little ones (ages 2 and 3) made the cutest little frames for their grandparents out of bowtie pasta dyed with food color glued onto popsicle sticks. They were so pleased with their creations. The girls are busy crocheting scarves for their family members.

The girls (10 and 12) spent hours outside in the snow playing, sledding, etc. Then after dinner (which was delicious and easy to make- chicken breasts baked in mushroom soup and chardonney) so tasty. Add to that green bean casserole and roasted potatoes with italian seasoning. the kids finished off the 6 dozen cookies I had made for the cookie swap at church which was cancelled due to the snow.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time to think about all the blessings in your life and to thank God for those blessings. When times are tough, with layoffs and the problems with the stock market and high prices on necessities and so forth, it can seem overwhelming and you wonder if your life is blessed or not. But, if you look closely at what is truly important, you will see that your blessings far outnumber your troubles.

What am I thankful for? First of all, my relationship with God. Without my faith I never would have made it through those tough times in life, nor would I really be able to appreciate the wonderful blessings I have had. I am thankful for my incredible children. I am thankful for my loving parents,  siblings, aunts and uncles. I am thankful for my home and my farm. The precious animals that have been intrusted into my care. I am thankful for my health, and the health of my children and family. I am thankful that I live in a country where I can be a farmer, or a teacher, or anything I would like to be. I am thankful that I have food on the table, insurance to see a doctor when I'm sick, a warm bed to sleep in, and a car to drive. There is so much to be thankful for. My life is far from perfect, but it is a truly blessed life.

As for the rest of Thanksgiving- The turkey was great! Gobbles (our pet turkey) was glad he wasn't on the menu, LOL. The animals all had their special Thanksgiving meal (their grain mixed with chopped carrots, mashed pumpkin, molasses and oats).

In Memory of Duke

Duke, a black lab mix

The Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.

There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Needle Felting Classes, New Animals, 4H

Beginning next month I will be able to offer classes in needle felting at Cupola Hollow Farm in West Suffield. Our first class offering will be a beginner level class and we will be creating holiday pins/ornaments. If all goes well, we will continue to offer various classes there, including other beginner needle felting classes, intermediate classes, "painting" with felt classes, wet felting classes and more. Our November Newsletter (you can sign up on the http://www.tranquilmorningfarm.com/ website) will include dates and information about available classes.

We've added some new fiber animals to our wonderful farm. We have two new llamas who will be arriving soon, Nicole and Peek a boo. Both females, who we plan on breeding to Dominoe of Henson's Menagerie. We now have 3 female alpacas (one of whom was born on our farm recently) and four male alpacas. We have settled on breeding shetland sheep, shetland/icelandic crosses and cormo/cotswold crosses. The crosses have been carefully thought out to achieve a particular type of fiber. We are presently breeding our colored angora goats, nigerian dwarf goats, and nubian dairy goats for early spring kids.

Our 4H club is off to a running start this year. We have already had a couple of community service projects and have a couple of big ones planned for this year, including bringing 4H activities and our animals to a housing complex in the city. Our club, at last count, has 19 members doing alpacas and llamas, dairy, meat and fiber goats, sheep, rabbits and poultry. Sounds like a fun year!!

Farmer's Market

Our booth at the Farmer's Market at Billings Forge in Hartford has been doing well for us.

The market is open every Monday and Thursday from 11am- 2pm through October.

We have been bringing our wool batts, mohair, angora, etc. for our handspinners, Felting supplies and "learn to" felt, knit, spin etc. kits for children and adults, Fresh Goats Milk soaps, Needle felted jewelry and gifts and more.

On Mondays we offer free "mini- classes" where you can try your hand at various fiber arts such as spinning, needle felting, and more. On Thursdays we do demonstrations of our fiber arts such as needle felted wall hangings, teddy bears, spinning, etc.

Come join us! There is so much else to see at the market: fresh vegetables and breads, plants and herbs, farm fresh milk, cheese and ice cream, handicrafts, music, and so much more!

We also set up our booth at the Nutmeg Spinner's Guild in Enfield every other month, and at area craft fairs.

Fiber Art - Pink Dogwood Tree

I've been working on quite a few needle felting projects. We now have needle felted barettes, necklaces, bracelets, earrings...and now landscapes.

After studying watercolor painting for a couple of years under an outstanding teacher, I used some of what I learned about color, light and more to create these "paintings".

One of the things I really love about these felted paintings is the texture that can be created using different kinds of fibers.

New Craft Kits Available!

New craft kits are available now! Choose from Needle Felting starter kit, Make a Felted Soap Bar, Felted Ball Toy, Felted Bead Jewelry, Make yarn with a drop spindle kit. More kits are in development.

All kits come with:

*Complete Instructions with Color Pictures

*Plenty of beautifully dyed wool (some with mohair as well) from our farm

*Everything you need to complete the project(s)

These kits can be ordered through our website www.tranquilmorningfarm.com or email me for more information tranquilmorningfarm@hotmail.com

A typical day on the farm

This is a busy time of year for us (and most farms). I do this pretty much by myself, while taking care of the kids, so things are slow-going quite often. We start each day with getting big kids off to school, and little kids fed and changed, dogs fed and let out for a while, and then finally, I get to sit down with my breakfast and coffee to check my emails and handle any online business I need to do.

That finished (two cups of coffee are necessary for my proper functioning, LOL) the toddlers, dog and I head out to the morning farm chores. We give hay to the sheep and goat pens, feed the chickens, ducks and turkey, give water to the rabbits (they get their grain in the afternoon when the girls come home), empty and refill the duck pool, bring fresh water to all the various animal pens, collect eggs and milk Pearl. The toddlers get to have their fun playing on the climbers and swings etc. in the yard.

By the time this is all finished, it is time for the littlest one's nap, so in he goes. I pasturize the milk and put away the eggs. My 3 yr old and I (and the dog, of course) head back out, she to play, me to tend the sheep and goats. The pens are let loose, one pen at a time to graze (which is a good thing when the lawn tractor is broken, yet again). Addie helps keep them in check, that they don't wander past the borders. I take this time to work with the sheep/goats with whatever is needed- hoof trimming, shearing, worming, whatever. If that is done, some time can be used to clean cages, pens, etc. On a good day, I may even have time to play with the kids a bit!

Then its lunch time. We head in, the little one wakes up and we all relax for lunch. After lunch we hop in the car and head to the big pasture where we keep the horses, most of the sheep, and llama. Luckily the other horse owner there does the early morning feeding. We tend to the animals there for a couple hours. Feeding, cleaning, shearing (oh, I try to get some time alone once a week to ride the horses, if I'm lucky).

Then we head home and the older kids are all home from school. Time for homework, housecleaning, making dinner. The kids have some animal chores at home they do after school, which is a big help to me.

After the little kids go to bed and the older ones are settled watching TV, I take some time to wash fleeces, dye fibers, process fibers, spin, whatever needs to be done so we have plenty to offer at the farmers market.

Oh, and then at some point, I go to bed, LOL.

Hard work, often dirty work, but I love it!

Welcome

Welcome to our farm. Here at Tranquil Morning, we raise Santa Cruz Island Sheep, Shetland Sheep, Finnsheep and Blue-faced leicester crosses, as well as a few meat sheep crosses (tunis crosses); Colored Angora Goats,and San Clemente Island Goats; German and FrenchAngora, mini rex, Polish and Thrianta rabbits; chickens (ameracauna, aracauna, Crele old english game and Dutch bantams.), ducks and peafowl . We also have an amazing farm dog, Adelaide the English Shepherd.
We sell fiber, yarn, drop spindles, and goats milk soap- all grown and produced right here at our homestead. We can be found at the Nutmeg Spinners Guild meetings, Ct sheep and Wool Festival, . You can also order our products online from our website, www.tranquilmorningfarm.webs.com or www.localharvest.org

We hope to share with you here some of the special fibers and colors that we produce!
Thank you,
Kristen Bacon