Greg Howell's Article about Howard Hall Farm made front page!

Our Sheep got haircuts

After months of searching,WE FINALLY FOUND A SHEEP SHEARER!

They got the **latest** possible hairdos in every sense of the word.

This new sheep shearer we found was truly incredible...

And since it took us MONTHS to even find an available shearer in the area, we decided to bring him in next spring to train people in sheep shearing...more on that to follow. We're just glad our Shetland sheep are finally pampered as they deserve to be.

Airing out the Attic Bathroom

The newest addition to our crew, Ralph, helped us finally get rid of the hideous attic bathroom. He threw it down the stairs!

**Airing out the attic bathroom floor.**


**lovely restoration scene...**

An ad from 1973

This was sent to us by Sylvia Hasenkopf. It’s a picture of an ad placed by Joseph Groom (one of our house’s inhabitants from days of yore) in 1793!

THE DAY OF THE WINDOW WOMEN

Today:

Nikki primes the glazing

And Brooke and Lorena sand the old shutters...

While the rest of us prepare for Dennis Heaphy's visit!

Visit From A Morning Prophet

Visit From A Morning Prophet

Click on the album below to meet my strange visitor.

praying mantis on my desk

This morning, I was greeted by an unusual guest. I sat down at my computer at Howard Hall Farm, and perched on top of it was an enormous Praying Mantis. She stared at me calmly and followed me with her eyes. The magnificent creature was inches away from my face, and longer than my hand. She looked around at the scenery. The way she moved was stunning and sinuous. She held her forelegs delicately, and moved them with the grace of a Flamenco dancer. When I sang to her, she moved the top of her body and swayed, arching and lowering her back. Her antennae balanced on a gust of wind. She was very aware of all of my movements, as I was of hers. ... following me with her large amber eyes. She showed me her underside. It was a stunning synchronicity of delicately monochromatic corals and reds, with iridescent copper filaments. We looked at each other. I was awed by the acuity of her awareness. We watched and tilted our heads together. I couldn't help but speak to her. She was like a fairy. When a mantis is threatened, it spreads its forelegs to allow penetration of the victim, fanning its legs and opening its mouth...hissing... This mantis did not do that. She danced: turning, swaying, and writhing. For twenty minutes this went on. Silences and sways. Communication. We shared one last gaze, then she flew over my head and away. Mantis means prophet in Greek.

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In other news, " WHY would some people willingly spend decades — and hundreds of thousands of dollars — renovating houses they will never own? " From By EVE M. KAHN, New York Times.