Saturday 19th December Advent Calendar

Sheep

Kat of Poetikat's Invisible Keepsakes gave me an award recently. It is the Ewe Rock award. I appreciate that Kat-thanks! I would like to pass it on to anyone who takes the time to look at my blog and double to anyone who leaves a comment. You make me happy and thoughtful at the same time with your kindness and insights! So you all rock!

I liked this award too as it got me thinking about sheep. I like sheep. There is something mysterious about them despite their familiarity. I love the way they move on their thin, twig like legs with their solid, comfy looking bodies. I used to think they were a little silly but have changed my mind over the years. My driving instructor used to say "Don't be a sheep" when I was in danger of following the person in front in either speed or wrong doing. I suppose sheep do do that-follow I mean. Last year in Scotland we saw sheep herding using dogs and quad bikes-it was great!

Below is a sheep from the Yorkshire Sculpture Park-a great place to visit. I went there with my sister and my friend a couple of years ago. Below said sheep is a picture of the toilet in a great cafe we visited in Whitby. I love it when businesses take time to make their toilets interesting and fun! These two photos are my version of 'Ewe Rock'.

Jane (my sister) made a great pottery sheep when she was at school. It has a fantastic texture and captured their shape perfectly. I just happen to have a photo so here it is! All that remains from my family's art is something from my Dad!
The second sheep is a present from me as I thought it went with Jane's quite well.

Sheep are great for many reasons, not least the wool they produce. This is a picture from the Whitby Museum, a very interesting place. Have a look at the Museum's Jet collection here.

This is wool dyed with natural dyes-isn't it beautiful?

Years ago I worked in a post office. I got to know the regular customers quite well in some cases. One lady used to wear a selection of sheep brooches. My curiosity overcame me in the end and I asked her about her brooches. They were mainly presents and they had been given to her because she was a weaver. She was a Swedish weaver in fact. I really liked her and was invited to a wine and weaving evening at her house once. I didn't really get to know her very well but I am glad I met her.

Have you ever seen Henry Moore's drawings of sheep? He got sheep perfectly! Mum has this book but I might have to buy it too.

This is a little lamb outside Gary's house in Whitby.

One last sheep thing-sheep will go, or have gone, down in history due to Dolly.