The morning sun crept over the Three Sisters peak of the Gabilan Mountains and shone down on a glorious New Year's Day gift for Quicksilver Farm: Two Navajo Churro lambs stood heathy and strong next to their mother. One is pure white, which is good if it's a female because I need more white wool for the fabulous rugs I'm crafting, and the other is Three Grey Hills, which means it has what looks like a white skullcap on an all-black body. (Perhaps it has alopecia under the cap?)

These beautiful lambs are a great symbol of the bounty of my life. We are so blessed. Even if I lose all my hair, I'll never want for wool to make a hat to keep my head warm! (For now we'll ignore that I find wool too scratchy.)

My daughter and I are going to experiment with felting a free-form rug today. It should work, and it should be fabulous, but I'll let you know. Up to now I have been spinning the wool. I also knit the roving, which is felted afterward. I have kept the colors natural. Eventually I will work on dying the wools. I also have a huge loom that was my mother's. I am working up to using that as well.

I have been spending time thinking what I hope to accomplish in 2009 in my personal life, my spiritual life and my business life. I really am unfazed by the possibility/probability of losing all my hair. After all, I have the loving support of my family. I suppose it helps my husband shaves his head by choice, not necessity, and already knows all the "cancer" and "crazy" suppositions. I have made a Blenheim apricot pie from fruit picked by friends this summer at its peak, and that is a celebration in itself.

The only thing I find scary about alopecia is that it appeared out of nowhere. It is a very real reminder I am not guaranteed anything: longevity, health, happiness, sight, hearing....well, you get the idea. So I stay in the moment, savor it, and make the most of it.

It's a good life. May 2009 be filled be blessings!