Northern California Angora Guild: 8/11/13

Lindsay's Puppy and French Angora

Lindsay's male pup Jasper did great in his first dog show, winning the prize of "Best of Winners". His sister Bridgette did well but not as well as her brother. It does not dampen her spirit, she is having a great time visiting with Captain Jack, Lindsay's white French Angora.

Are you fluffier than I?

Captain Jack rather be enjoying the green dandelions than playing with a puppy.

Allen Does Nuno Felting

Kellyjo taught Allen how to nuno felt with wool and mohair over winter 2012 but he did not pick it up again until recently.

Randy and Allen are on their way to Michigan Fiber Festival to show their champion Angora goats. While driving through CO they stopped in Denver so Allen could share some of his scarves with Kellyjo.

Kellyjo is going to do a Rabbitcon in the convention at Harrisburg on how to nuno felt scarves using molted rabbit fur!

Three nuno felt scarves created by Allen.

Pete, Lori and Chloe Visit Betty

It's a pleasant surprise that Pete and Lori along with their daughter Chloe come to visit Betty. Their other daughter Pearl is attending a computer summer camp at Stanford University so they are in the area for a week.

Pete and Chloe look lovingly at Lori who is taking the picture.

Pete and Lori are very experienced in handling English Angora, they are giving Chloe the instruction of how to properly how Mila, Betty's white English Angora doe.

Mila is contently being held by Chloe.

Betty gets to join in the picture with Lori and Chloe.

Pete and Lori were very active in breeding and showing English Angora in the 1990s. They won Best of Breed in the ARBA convention three times in 1996, 1997 and 1998; and in the 1996 and 1997 their English Angora does went on to win Best Group twice.

This is a picture taken at Madison in 1997 where Pete and Lori's doe won Best of Breed and Betty's buck won Best Opposite Sex of Breed. The judge, that's right, that's Randy! This was Randy's second judging at a convention; he received his judge's license in 1996 and judged in the 1996 convention for the first time and was voted in to judge the Best In Show the same year.

Betty's Annual Barn Cleaning: Day 3 Getting Back to Normal

The morning of day 3, the barn and cages are cleaned and dried. Not quite ready for the rabbits yet, feeders and water bottles need to be hung and trays need to be lined.

An view of a clean barn.

After lining the trays and hanging the blinds to the barn and water bottles to the cages, it's ready for the rabbits to return; it's the late afternoon already.

After several more hours, rabbits are back, feed and hay are in the feeder, it's almost bedtime.

Rabbits and human are all exhausted, the barn is closed off around 10 pm.

Then there still are the carriers to wash but the bulk of the work is done.

Betty's Annual Barn Cleaning: Day 2 Flaming and Power-Washing

Thirty plus rabbits are moved from the barn to the garage in order for the barn to be power washed.

Most of the cages are out of the barn being flamed and washed, there are some more to be done.

Power wash from the top.

It's important to have all the corners thoroughly cleaned.

The stacks are flamed and power-washed, now sitting in the sun to be dried. Kitties Nikki and Mary Jane stretch out under the cages.

While the stackable cages are being sun-dried, the trays are also power-washed and being dried under the sun.

Betty's Annual Barn Cleaning: Day 1 Preparation

Kitty Mary Jane wonders why all the vehicles are out on the driveway, the garage looks very empty.

Betty's show carrier stands are set up and carrier trays are line up.

Some of the carriers are on the stands and some more trays are waiting to be used.

The carriers are set up, the swamp cooler just outside the garage is on. What's going on? Betty is preparing to take all her rabbits out of the barn so that everything could be flamed and power-washed.