Last evening and this morning

Nilla's 3rd harvesting session

Before: 

After: 

Bunnie's first shed

I'd read that angoras don't have their first shed until 6 months. Maybe they meant don't shed "prime wool" because mine started shedding at around 3 months. Their wool looks a little short to be prime, closer to 2" than the 2.5-3.5" long prime fibers.

I've been borderline panic stricken at thought of trying to harvest 9 bunnies at once. Fortunately, everybody has been on their own schedule, so I never have more than 2 in full shedding mode at once. I normally spread it out over several sessions, with 2 peak harvests of about an hour each. So far I've only had one pee accident, after which I took to setting them on a folded towel, lol. Sitting on my bed with music playing makes it a little less like work and a little more relaxing fun for me. Fewer bunnies would really help with making it less like work, tho!

Here's a look at how it goes. Hydrox was the last to start shedding. Here he is before his first "plucking" session:

And here she is after 45 minutes or so. Enough wool to knit another bunny, lol!

 Here is Teddy Graham before his 2nd session:

 And here he is after an hour or so:

The bunnies really seem to enjoy the attention. They usually end up snuggled against me while I pluck. More pix to come. Nilla's wool is the best of the lot -- it may actually be long enough to be "prime" and is more like angel hair than wool!

Dusk

 

And napping next to me right now

After the swim

Watching Jake's accelerating decline is breaking my heart day by day. In the last week or so, he's taken to stealing my socks and carrying them off. Something he hasn't done for years.

We were able to take a slightly longer walk than usual last night, and he wasn't as sore this morning as I feared. But still, he did have more trouble getting into the car than usual. Almost didn't want to try.

Yesterday we did more sniffing around 7 Trees Pond than swimming in it. Same last Friday at Linconville Beach. Same today, but for the first time I saw him really struggling in the water. He got water in his ear and may have swallowed some water, so that may have been the cause. But for the first time he dropped the frisbee. He was able to get it back and make it back. But his last 2 swims, I waded in ready to go in after him if necessary. Still, sniffing around makes him happy, so there is that.

He's napping in the sun now.

And for good measure, our first selfies. It's about freakin' time!

So Hillary Clinton had a seizure and collapsed today

Caught on video that refutes the campaign and mainstream media whitewash.

A piece of metal is seen and heard falling from her pants leg. I was able to capture it.

Lincolnville Beach

Down the road from the public beach, behind the parking lot to the ferry, is a private beach where dogs are allowed. I've brought Jake here every summer since I first learned of it, I don't know how many years ago. With Luna, we wait until after Labor Day to avoid crowds and other dogs. The 1st couple weeks of September the water is actually at its warmest. It's warmer here than in most beaches down in Massachusetts!

 

After swimming, we walk across the sand beach to the rocky shore. 

Jake tucks his tail now when he's getting tired.

A final dip and we head back. Just past the ferry in the opposite direction, we stop at McLaughlin's.  The boys wait in the shade while I pick up our lobster and fries.

Periwinkle courts Sage

Within seconds of Sage returning to the flock cage, Periwinkle was feeding her. I didn't have my camera handy, but did have it ready to go yesterday when he was feeding her again...

Gorgeous green visitor the other day

I was able to capture and release him or her back to the wild...