Kayla's #1 Grandmother is Up for a Visit

Joan is in Northern California visiting her first grandchild, McKayla, born last week. I get custody of the new grandmother for a few days. We decided to visit Robin out on the Meridian Ranch. For a nice look see at Robin's Jacob's sheep and I wanted another look at her chickens - yes, I've got chickens-on-the-brain.


Robin greets us on the new entrance at her Meridian Ranch Studio
I was worried a bit about keeping Robin, the busiest woman in Vacaville from her work. Happily, Robin said she has planned to try her hand at making 'wooly pets' for a class she is thinking of teaching. Joann and I immediately volunteered to be guinea pig students so Robin can see how it would be to teach a class making the fuzzies. Wooly pets are little kits for making animals, birds, bugs and such by sculpting raw dyed wool.


Starting our impromptu lesson wool sculpting lesson
The toys are neat, enough wool to make at least a couple of pets per box. The idea is to 'felt' the wool by prodding it with a sharp needle against a foam pad. Uh... soon I, the perpetual klutz was bleeding. Of course that was only to give Robin a heads up that she will need to have a box of bandages on hand when she teaches class.


Robin demos prodding, poking and stabbing innocent
widdle fuzz balls. Great therapy for working on personal issues
Here's some finished bunnies made with the kit. Joann's bun is on the right, the others are Robin's doings.


Quorum of Wooly Bunnies
To commemorate our work, we took them outside for a photo session


Robin's birds hang from the sage, Joann's bun-bun and
my Red Fox in front. Pretty, neh?
Class ended with Joann's first visit to the Ranch. I, being spoiled was given a tour or Robin's flock of mixed laying hens - a five toed Dorking, white laced Wyandots and Poof-legged Cochins, an Americana, and a very friendly Buff Orpington who came over straightaway so Robin could hold her for some petting time. Who knew there were such sweet chickens around? An admirable group of egg layers!


The Meridian Ranch 'Girls'
For a grand finale, Robin was cool enough to set Rusty out herding the Jacobs. Rusty is still learning but Robin took him to a competition earlier this year and Rusty did them proud - a blue ribbon! For a treat, Robin put Rusty through his paces for us. Show 'em how it's done Rusty!


All that fun, and Robin sent us back to Fair Oaks with a huge bag of home grown pomagranites - deep ruby red and delish.

Thanks for a great day Robin!