Summer took a long time to get off the ground, weather wise, but now it is hot and dry, no pleasing some especially the sheep ‘ we’z hot and where’z lunch’; the grass is all brown and tasteless.
This is the view we came back to after we finished our holiday in Waipara for a week.
As you know I am breeding Gotland Pelt sheep, for their fleece and I am also interested in their history. The photos below are of our resident Gute-like sheep, Bob.
The reason I am telling you about this is because I also have another hobby related to the history of these sheep, namely the Gute. They are a Swedish breed left on the island of Gotland during the Viking period (circa 800-1100 AD).
My interest in the Gotland/Gute sheep has been expanded because of a group called the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism). If you wish to know more about the SCA, please click on the link above.
This group looks and history from 600 AD to 1600 AD and tries to recreate some of the things that were done in history, for example, medieval fighting, archery, rapier (modern fencing) and the arts (i.e.: crafts such as spinning, weaving, fibre, wool, to name a few). My interest with the Gute is primarily researching their fleece, temperament, genetics and relationship to modern sheep.
The SCA enables me to pursue certain aspects of ‘medieval life’ that I am interested in and having sheep producing wool which I can then process by period spinning (drop-spindle) or modern techniques (spinning wheel) means I can use my hobby in my every day life as well.
Our holiday in Waipara was an event that happens annually where a group of people who are also interested in medieval history get together to talk, play and make things as in the medieval period.
I enjoy spinning, as well as dressing up in the Viking/Swedish clothes of that period.
silva kurls 