Bye-bye goaties!
Letter From the Ranch #42
Greetings everyone!
Rachel here again. And it’s me because mom has been knee-deep in getting the ranch ready for the ranchsitters before she and our dad embark on a journey across the ocean to join Sarah and me here in the UK.
This will be the last ranch letter until we all get back, so let me fill you in on all that has been happening.
If any of you follow the ranch on social media, you’ll have noticed that I haven’t been posting as much as I normally do, as Sarah and I have been traveling by trains, planes, and automobiles.
Literally a boat ride off an island, 5 trains, and a flight in the last week and a half in 4 different countries.
We have so many stories and experiences to share, but every day is so jam-packed that they are all being stored away until we have the time to share again.
We are currently in the east of England with family friends and will take a final train ride this weekend along the coast up to Scotland, where we will meet our parents.
There, my 6-week adventure nears its end, while theirs just begins.
I will be driving on the wrong side of the road for a week up through the Scottish highlands before we reach the Outer Hebrides, where we will then do a weeklong weaving workshop.
My mom has been following a respected rug weaver on Facebook for some years and dreamed that one day, she would take one of her coveted workshops.
When my mom was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago, she was determined to make that dream come true once she defeated cancer and had the strength once again.
So here we are!
After that whole cancer debacle, we have really chosen to make the effort of doing experiences as a family because you truly never know what is going to happen.
I have never woven a rug before.
In fact, the giant floorloom that my mom has gives me a headache just looking at it.
But since I shear all the goats twice a year, I think I should at least give it a go and make something worthwhile out of all that mohair we grow.
Back in March, mom and I went through and sent a bunch of our mohair to their studio, where Chris (the expert weaver) has since prepared it for us to use in addition to her wool from her very own flock of sheep.
My dad, mom, Sarah, and I are each going to be weaving our own chosen patterns and colors.
I’m incredibly excited to see how each of our rugs turns out and to continue to weave back home on the ranch.
Unfortunately, it is not easy for us to just up and leave, as we have over a hundred animals at home depending on us.
It takes a lot of time and effort to prepare for this, and that has fallen onto our mom and dad, who have done an outstanding job, especially since they have met obstacles at every turn.
This spring has been one of the more challenging years of raising livestock.
No clue why, as many of the incidents are unrelated, but it has been crazy to say the least.
It’s gotten to the point where I dread calling mom at night to tell her about our day, as she only has bad news to give us in return.
To say that Sarah and I have been weighed down and riddled with guilt this whole time is an understatement.
So I’m hoping that things will go smoothly for the ranchsitters and that mom and dad will be able to enjoy a desperately needed getaway.
Since we will all be gone for the next couple of weeks, I wanted to let you know shopcaprine.com will be “closed” until we get back.
You still have the ability to place orders, but we won’t be shipping out again until mid-June.
We appreciate all your support so much, and I cannot wait to get back home and share all that has happened with you.
Hopefully, once we are all reunited in Scotland, I’ll be able to bring you all along on our journey through our weavings and the highlands.
A true family experience rich in tradition, heritage, and the ranch.
Even across the ocean, our goats will be with us, and their mohair will be woven into something so special and unique that we will have it for the rest of our lives and beyond.
Thank you for being with us on this journey, and stay tuned, it’s going to be epic.
Cheers!
Rachel (and Sarah)