Winter sunset shepherd share
The February winds have arrived, bringing the hope of warmer weather, the spring thaw, and the first lambs of the season. Each day stretches out giving us more and more sunlight as if Mother Earth is stretching after a long slumber. In the middle of the month, we find ourselves realizing that the night comes later and we are able to be outside longer and longer, reducing cabin fever. The brilliant warmth of the sun clashes with the cold winds on our faces bringing life back into our bodies. We are once again woken by the sun.
February is a sacred month for farmers and shepherds here in the north. It is the final, fleeting month of rest before the endless work of spring begins. The agricultural calendar dictates the lives of those who live by it, requiring us to enjoy moments, months, and seasons that others may disregard. So rest, for soon the lambs will be on the ground and the nights will be sleepless and full of barn checks. Soon the snow will melt and the mud will arrive. Soon the winds will change, the sap will flow, and the first hints of spring will become present again. Soon, but not quite yet, so rest.
This Shepherd’s Share symbolizes the beautiful coral sunset of a February sky, and the deep darkness of a winter’s night. This share consists of two 2oz braids. Naturally dyed Rambouillet wool which symbolizes the setting sun, and black Alpaca with specs of Rambouillet which symbolizes the deep dark night. This beautiful share is a collaboration between Petal & Hank and Badgerface Fiber, limited in its beauty and quantity, and as fleeting as the end of day. All the fiber sourced for this share comes from the Midwest, decreasing the footprint the fleece needed to travel, and connecting us with the land, animals, and shepherds who were involved in its creation.