This picture of sastrugi is a metaphor for my March. 
I'm moving very slowly, being blown randomly by the chance winds. The patterns of life are being created with little thought or purpose.
I let this skein of Spunky Eclectic happen. The color blocks were hard to separate, so I let the barberpoling go. I liked the interest that flashed on the bobbin. I knew Navajo plying wouldn't accomplish much in the absence of color separation, so I double plyed as it reeled out. The spinning technique used was Jenny's description of American sliding longdraw alternating with English longdraw. I found the Falklands wool prep to be perfect. It longdrew itself, actually, and I simply cooperated. The colorway is Claret.
That's when you discover that longdraw that takes the skein into its own hands has flaws. The picture is an unapologetic, honest shot of the results (prewash). You can see areas of poof that mean not enough twist.
I spent some time googling Falklands sheep until I understood it wasn't a specific breed. It is a mix of fine wools raised in the Falkland Islands.
Saturday spinning for this week looked like a mix of domestic and New Zealand wool. Margene picked a colorway called Blueberry, and it makes my heart sing songs of ripe fruit from the wheel.
The Last Ditch Cross-Country Ski Attempt happened two weekends ago. Mountain Meadows in Killington, VT had great snow and miserable grooming. When the absence of tracks wore us out (the sastrugi had formed on a pond that is part of the trail network), we went to Woodstock, where I found sheep.
I need a caption. All entries submitted by Wednesday, March 14th at midnight are eligible for a skein of Posh cashmere 30%/merino 70% sock yarn in the Scuffle colorway. I'm looking for more creativity than I could muster: Sheep and Wool Festivals in Search of New Dimensions.
(The skein is a bump of Dorchester Farms Coopworth that I bought at NHS&W last May. It was beautifully prepped, and a delightful spin. It is the most Zen yarn I have ever produced. It lies there, humming balance and serenity. )
I left two sheeps behind at the art gallery. One was a standing model, called "The Shepherd". It did nothing for my aesthetics. Another model was also rejected, and I post a picture for Marcy's benefit.
It was labeled "Killer Sheep".
"A Skein Amongst Friends"- " Sheep Tending Their Wool" -very lame I know. The Killer Sheep is a hoot- esp for Marcy!
Posted by: Manise | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 01:28 PM
Sheep:"Ohhhmmmmm" Yarn: "Ohhmmmm"
or
"Ohhmmm together now"
Posted by: Marcy | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 02:07 PM
I want that killer sheep!!
Posted by: Marcy | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 02:08 PM
A Sheepy Stand-Off over the Last Remaining Skein ...."Technically there are more of our relatives in that Skein than yours."
Posted by: Manise | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 02:33 PM
No, it's Definately from your side of the family!
Posted by: Barbara-Kay | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 03:04 PM
"Baaaaaaaooooohmmmm"
Posted by: Chris | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 03:10 PM
"It wasn't me."
Posted by: Andrea | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 03:45 PM
Oh, those SHEEP! :-) So cute! What a nifty find. :-)
My caption: "Never mind, guys, that stuff's Coopworth. So definitely not anyone we knew."
Posted by: Beth S. | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 03:47 PM
"Why is Laurie's yarn always so much nicer than ours?"
Posted by: Andrea | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 03:47 PM
"Has anyone seen Marcy lately?"
Posted by: Andrea | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 03:49 PM
"Take us to your leader."
Posted by: Susan | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 03:53 PM
"...and with a scream and a fizzle, the wicked Killer Sheep dissolved into a skein of Coopworth."
Posted by: Andrea | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 03:54 PM
OMG!!! I MUST HAVE THOSE KILLER SHEEP! They would be PERFECT for my bookshelf with my Ireland pictures.
You see...I have a story about some killer sheep...
http://www.noraholics.com/ireland_2005/0701/kellspriory.htm
Posted by: Lynda The Guppy | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 04:27 PM
OH, and my Caption entry...
My fellow sheep, we gather here to lay to rest what remains of George's Fleece. It was taken from him suddenly and too soon, and now it is moving on to a better final resting place. May it knit in peace...
Posted by: Lynda The Guppy | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 04:35 PM
"Whose fleece is this one from?" Lame, but I'm feeling feebleminded today. Very cute little guys though.
Posted by: PumpkinMama | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 05:02 PM
Yeah, that skein totally sucks. What does it look like washed, my perfectionist friend?
Also, the the Iron Flock makes me extraordinarily happy. Do they have Steel Wool?
Posted by: juno | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 06:25 PM
Those sheep are hysterical, but I'm no good at coming up with captions or names, so I'll leave that one to the more creative of your readers. As for your longdraw...JMM says "underspin the singles and overspin when plying. Fix everything in the plying." So spake the Queen.
Posted by: Marcia | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 06:38 PM
The newest flock member had more dimension than the other sheep had ever seen. "Don't hate me because I'm soft and warm..." she whispered.
Posted by: LaurieM | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 08:25 PM
"Sheep Shock"
Posted by: Diane | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 08:26 PM
Heavy Metal sheep!! A perfect flock for the suburbs. Your perfectly serene yarn does make ones heart sing.
"Dudes...it's REAL wool. Heavy, man, heavy."
Posted by: margene | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 08:30 PM
"The sheep rejected by brown sheep for their colored sheep ad decided to get together over a cup of latte wool, and disect the qualities of the ones who made the cut."
i'm evil that way
Posted by: minnie | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 10:03 PM
The sheep gathered 'round, awed by how Laurie had been able to spin their steel wool into soft yarn.
Posted by: Andrea | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 11:40 PM
"is it me, or does this fence look new?"
("red rover, red rover, send the little yellow lamb over...")
Posted by: Kristen | Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 11:59 PM
I hope I can become as an accomplished spinner as you....and if not, that I can still sppreciate the simple beauty of a colorway.
Posted by: DebbieKnitter | Monday, March 12, 2007 at 01:16 AM
"What do you s'pose this stuff is?"
Or "Sheep Debating the Wooliness of God and Intelligent Design."
I have been thinking about sastrugi ( a0 because it's what I thought was all over my yard, indeed) and b) because I am having a Kim Stanley Robinson (Antarctica) and an Ursula K. LeGuin (Left Hand of Darkness) festival) and it seems like sastrugi has a good chance of being a second English word for snow. I would like to know if there's a word for snow that appears to be shrinking in clumps and leaving a surface like basin-and-range or cellulite.
Posted by: LauraJ | Monday, March 12, 2007 at 07:07 AM
"Harold? Is that you?"
Posted by: Wendy | Monday, March 12, 2007 at 07:48 AM
The Blueberry is aptly named, and the singles look gorgeous.
Posted by: Cheryl | Monday, March 12, 2007 at 09:40 AM
Wendy's comment CRACKED me up. I agree with you on the Dorcester Farms -- my bump spun up beautifully as well. "The village sheep gather, but are perplexed by the strangely colored wool!"
Posted by: Kathy | Monday, March 12, 2007 at 09:51 AM
YESSSS!!! Saturday Spin In Blueberry makes my day!
Caption: Caution! Caution! Wolf in sheep's clothing?
Posted by: Cindy D | Monday, March 12, 2007 at 09:51 AM
"Twisted sister!"
Posted by: Jan | Monday, March 12, 2007 at 10:42 AM
yeah, my longdraw plying technique (merino/silk) required more twist as well... so I'll respin it. Someday.
Love the caption ideas. The coopworth did spin up like buttah.
Posted by: Cathy | Monday, March 12, 2007 at 10:59 AM
"The ewes gathered their babies round to show them what happens to bad little lambs."
Posted by: Carrie | Monday, March 12, 2007 at 12:37 PM
Is that what happens when you fall asleep?
Posted by: Judy | Monday, March 12, 2007 at 01:43 PM
"Welcome back, Carter!"
"The crowd admires Sarah's donation to Flocks of Love."
Posted by: jen | Monday, March 12, 2007 at 02:54 PM
Fleeced by the Flock.
"Youse guys keep it shut, see. I ain't gonna be happy if I gotta fleece alla youse." - The little green one.
I like your yarn.
Posted by: Dorothy B | Monday, March 12, 2007 at 03:34 PM
"Could be worse. Could be chops! You don't see any mint around here, do you?" ...or
"Dude, what happened to the fence we usually jump over? Is that were Stan went?"
Lovely yarn. :D
Posted by: moiraeknittoo | Monday, March 12, 2007 at 03:43 PM
"Whitey got whacked!"
Posted by: claudia | Monday, March 12, 2007 at 05:19 PM
"I don't care what you say; that long, squiggley thing doesn't look anything like Aunt Esther!"
Or,
"So THIS is how you separate the sheep from the wool!"
Or
"The flock really did not understand Eunice's latest practical joke"
Or
"Huh, funny how different it feels when it's on my back"
However, I would vote for Jen's suggestion above-- "The crowd admires Sarah's donation to Flocks of Love."
Posted by: That Laurie | Tuesday, March 13, 2007 at 08:20 AM
"Dang, how does she do it? Mine always comes out more like... well... steel wool."
Posted by: Allison | Tuesday, March 13, 2007 at 08:52 AM
Are you my mommy?
Posted by: Lynne aka Witchypoo | Tuesday, March 13, 2007 at 10:08 AM
There's only one thing Woodstock sheep would say: "Fleece, man. Fleece"
Here's one more: "Here lies Mabel. May she rest in fleece"
Love the killer sheep.
Posted by: Dotty | Tuesday, March 13, 2007 at 11:32 AM
"It takes a village to raise a child"
Posted by: ladylungdoc | Tuesday, March 13, 2007 at 09:08 PM
love the drifts - may the wind blow your spirit towards more joy at all times.
and the caption - don't know if anyone can top Wendy's... omgosh, it made me laugh. but how about:
'hey Sally, you look pretty good all twisted up, sister"
Posted by: Teyani | Wednesday, March 14, 2007 at 12:10 AM
Gosh there are some good ones, and I had one in mind very similar to Wendy's. Gotta give it to her hands down!
Posted by: Kris | Wednesday, March 14, 2007 at 01:29 PM
The three sheep saying to the four... 'what have you done with our furry friend'. Personally, I was so enthralled by the Spunky Eclectic colors that I didn't notice anything amiss with your skein (but then you are a much better spinner than I).
Posted by: Birdsong | Wednesday, March 14, 2007 at 10:06 PM
I meant to come back when I had something really clever, and of course you could hold the contest open forever and I'd still be stumped. So, too late for glory and just for fun: "Uh oh, it looks like Rambu's been working on that string theory again."
Posted by: Lucia | Thursday, March 15, 2007 at 10:40 AM
I love those little sheep....and the killer sheep is Rich..haha!
"Which side of the fence are ewe on?"
Posted by: Kim | Friday, March 16, 2007 at 08:34 AM
Thank you, Ms. Etherknitter, for your nice plug that takes folks to my blog. I very much appreciate your kindness.
Posted by: spider | Friday, March 16, 2007 at 10:38 PM
There's a new indie film called Black sheep blogged about at http://habetrot.typepad.com/habetrot/2007/03/theres_a_new_br.html .
The snarling sheep may or may not be a character in or inspired by this new horror movie! More info is here http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0779982/
Posted by: auntiemichal | Friday, March 23, 2007 at 03:28 PM