Sheep!

Homestead

Welcome to our homestead, my dear sheep.

Three ewes and a ram joined us yesterday, relocating from White Barn Farm Sheep & Wool in Gardiner, NY. I have dreamed of this day for years. But I also fretted about having livestock again — what if the coyotes go after the sheep? What if they run away? What if I resent the extra work? Am I going to curse them (or myself? Or my husband?) while hauling buckets of water in February?

I don’t know any of the answers, but we decided to go for it anyway. I have already visited their pen twice this morning – I went out at 6:30 just to make sure that they hadn’t broken the fences overnight and escaped.

The kids keep climbing in and out of the yard – checking water again and again. I have implemented a new family policy, too: all complaints must be submitted to the sheep. I sent Eli out to tell the sheep that he didn’t like what we served for dinner last night.

Names are still being decided – the list is so long now!

City thoughts

Stitching

Jim came home from a conference in Seville, Spain, and his stories & pictures got me thinking about historic urban spaces. The way that buildings were built first, and the space that was left over became the public space — the buildings defined the pathways between them. Cities that established a grid grew by defining the streets first — where the carriages, and then cars, would belong. The roadways defined the buildings between them.

I started stitching these little maps — a variation on my treasure maps — and also a throwback to my architecture classes in college. I got lost once I stitched some building footprints… what happens outside those buildings? What happens in the public space? These pieces are only asking questions right now, no answers yet.

I am thinking especially of a visit to Venice with my friend Julia in 2000. The pathways are so fascinating to wander – I could turn left and find a dead end, and I could turn right and find a tiny piazza with a cafe and a fountain.

And I had to revisit a favorite book: Courtyards by John S. Reynolds, because I had some of his drawings on my mind. And now I am left to wonder…