Tiffany and Delilah

Tiffany and Delilah, the queens of the house. :) Unfortunately, these queens do not get along so they were placed in a play pen together and they seem to be doing well. The only tough thing is that Delilah always takes all the toys and puts them in her bed. I had to remove Tiffany's toy and place it in hers. It is funny to see how Delilah can be so possessive.

San Antonio, Texas is truly a unique place to visit and live. It has so much cultural events that one can enjoy year round. If one has the chance to see The Phantom of the Alamo, you will find it totally hilarious, entertaining, and charming. Definitely, this is a must see!

June 17 - July 24, 2009Wednesdays at 10:30am
Fridays at 7pm
An original musical by Richard Rosen

Written and produced over ten years ago by Executive
Director Richard Rosen, Phantom of the Alamo has
played for the last 5 summers to sold-out crowds. A
hilarious mix of musical theatre and Texas history,
Phantom is a hit for locals and tourists of all ages. The
play features the wonderful finale “The 13 Days of the
Alamo,” where each day is portrayed through a parody of
different Broadway hits. Join the Phantom, Chrissy,
Raspa Boy and many others as they discover the legends
of San Antonio’s most famous attraction – the Alamo!

Okay, Johnny is off again to Summer Camp! Yup, 2nd week of fun time for him. The only issue is I'm stuck cleaning the rabbit shed, but that is okay. I've been keeping a close eye on the shed and the temperature. Lucky for us, the temperature has been quite low and tolerable for our rabbits due to the fans and air conditioner.

We are hoping the temperature cools down. Saturday night was quite windy, so that helped to off set the heat, we'll see how the rest of the week goes.

I've also finished 2 singles from the fiber I bought from Lisa of Somerhill. I hope to ply it soon and see the finished product.

Overall, nothing new, just watching the weather and excited about the up coming holiday!

This is an old video of me spinning Angora Wool

I found my old video clip on spinning angora wool. I could not upload the video itself on this page, so I posted a picture and whereby it has a link to the youtube place where it can be viewed. It is funny as my son video taped me and I didn't even realize we were also recording our voice so it sounds funny. I will soon be working on creating new video clips.

Huge Loss of two Great Stars

Such a sad moment when someone dies. June 25, 2009, such a sad day as two stars die.

The sudden death of Michael Jackson, "The King of Pop", leaves a great void in the music industry and heartbreak to his fans.

Farrah Fawcett's battle with cancer is over, but her beautiful smile continues to shine.

Heat wave affecting San Antonio, Texas

Today was a very hot day with temperatures reaching to the 100's. The weather is just getting worse day by day. There is no rain in the horizon and the water is running low in the aquifers. Overall, restrictions on water usage are being informed and this is affecting us all.

Realizing the heat wave is tough here in San Antonio, it is important to keep the rabbits cool and safe. I've posted before about the weather and rabbits, but it is important to mention again. Rabbits need to be kept cool, regardless of their coats. It is imperative to keep enough cool water for the rabbits to drink. Remember that during the heat rabbits will not eat much, so keep an eye on any pregnant does.

Overall, lets all keep an eye on the weather and pray that it gets better. I know that many people in San Antonio are concerned they might not be able to purchase and play with fire crackers during the 4th of July due to the dry grass. However, rabbits, dogs, cats, etc., all need to be taken into consideration rather than just a fun activity, which can inevitably cause a fire.

Let's keep our rabbits safe and help one another during these tough hot times.

Martin and Johnny Playing with my new phone

My handsome sons, Martin and Johnny decided to play with my new phone. It is funny to see that they had a great time with it and found the new features, of which I didn't even realized I had on the phone. The best part of it is that I can import pictures from my phone into the computer without having to send an email!

Mind you, the boys didn't want me to place their photos here, as they think they look really silly, but I thought these pictures look great and wanted to share them--also, I like to embarrass them (evil grin). Johnny and Martin go to the Shows with me and seem more enthused every time. They, like me, cannot wait till September show.

Johnny here, taking a "self picture".

Here is my oldest son, Martin. He came out great and looks like he actually had on the pirate hat and patch!

Johnny here being a "good pirate".
Okay, here Johnny is trying to act like a tough pirate, "grrrr".

And of course, we could not leave out the lovely Tiffany. She some how manages to always appear in photographs. I wish we could take her to shows, too, but she tends to get too rambunctious and silly when people are around. She loves to be petted and played with, but after a while she gets overwhelmed.

Knitted Tams

My good friend, Georgene, from the West Coast sent me pictures of a Tam she knitted. I love the way it looks and I hope I can eventually get to be good enough to make one of those. Georgene has really nice Giant Angoras in her rabbitry Angora Affaire.

Sunday spinning

After waking up late I decided to clean up a bit, shred old paperwork that I didn't need anymore and then sat down and began spinning the BFL Roving I got from Lisa at Somerhill Farms.

I simply love this color and the texture of it. The color on the roving looks solid, but it gave me surprises as it has hints of yellow, white, maroon and bluish it it, thus making this fiber a must have! Lisa told me she will be dying some a greenish color, so I cannot wait till she has some of it so I can spin it.

Beautiful Flower

This beautiful flowering plant has been maintained by the rabbit poop and it bloomed really great.

New Toy from Sprint

I had to replace my old cell phone since it was old and "antique". See below for the new Toy I bought. It is a really nice, Red color, of course, Lotus Sprint Phone.

Got the fiber from Somerhill!

I received the fiber from Somerhill farm! It is hard to believe all that fiber fit in that tiny "pillow look-a-like bag". The fiber was removed from the bag and is airing out and it is getting fluffier by the minute. I am so excited to see so much fiber for a reasonable price. I like the color so much now that I can see it in person. Lisa did a wonderful job with the fiber dye.

Comments on SARBA Meeting of 5/15/09

On Monday, June 15, 2009, I attended a SARBA meeting. This is the first meeting I had the privilege to attend. The experience was quite remarkable. Although there were not many people, the few that were there were inviting, friendly, and quite knowledgeable about the clubs mission, budget, and where the Association needs to focus in order to improve the quality of shows.

Overall, what I enjoyed much was the fact that I, as a member, was able to vote on issues brought to the table. Needless to say, I plan to continue attending the monthly meetings as much as possible so that I can not only be a member, but an active member and assist with the show experiences for the future.

I want to encourage everyone that joins a club to be an active member. All one has to do is attend a meeting and you will be welcomed by all in the meeting. Please visit the SARBA website and join. It will be one of the most rewarding experiences that one can enjoy!

P. Ricardo Gonzalez, Road To Angora Rabbitry

Joining Rabbit Clubs

It is important that a prospective rabbit owner begin looking into joining Rabbit Clubs in their area. The main club to join is American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). The membership entitles the person an ARBA Yearbook, Raising Rabbits, and Domestic Rabbit magazine, which details show schedules around the nation by State.

If you are an Angora prospective owner, there are two clubs you can join. One is the National Angora Rabbit Breeders Club and the United Angora Rabbit Club. Both clubs cater to the Angora breeds and are very beneficial for the Angora owner. Here you will get information on shows, sanctions, and other pertinent information about this special breed. In addition, you can get sweepstakes points for shows attended and winnings.

Furthermore, it is imperative that one joins their local and State clubs. The support of your clubs is paramount to keep the shows going and sharing the rabbit knowledge to others. In Texas, one can join the Texas Rabbit Breeders Association (TRBA) and if you live in San Antonio, Texas, one can join the San Antonio Rabbit Breeders Association (SARBA). There are so many other clubs out there that one can join depending on where you live. One can make a search on the web and find a plethora of information on the subject or simply contact TRBA and ask for shows near or in your area.

The important thing is to be an active member. Many people join, but do not attend meetings, which is okay; however, if you want to be fully vested in the club and be part of the decision making, then attending meetings is paramount.

The fees associated with the clubs vary, however, they are not that expensive and you get perks, such as a news letter and information on shows around the State. Overall, the main reason to join a rabbit club is to learn more about rabbits, specific breeds, and belong to a special “breed of people” that are always happy, fun-loving, and eager to help their fellow rabbit owners.

P. Ricardo Gonzalez, Road To Angora Rabbitry.
Sources: American Rabbit Breeders Association
National Angora Rabbit Breeders Club
United Angora Rabbit Breeders Club
Texas Rabbit Breeders Association
San Antonio Rabbit Breeders Association

Three Digit Temperatures in San Antonio, Texas

We've had the tough three digits temperatures here in San Antonio, Texas. Today, we had 100 degrees weather, so yes, it was hot and humid. It is so important to remember that Angora Rabbits need to be either clipped or taken inside and be given plenty of liquid.

At Road To Angora Rabbitry, we are using the a/c and it is working well. The rabbits are doing well and are happy. However, we have to check on them often in order to insure they are calm and not heat stroked.

We also have some preparations in case of emergency.

1) Get iced bottled waters to place in the cages so the rabbits can rest next to them.
2) Give the rabbits some electrolytes in their water to make sure they are not stressed.
3) Keep the cool spray bottle to spray the ears if the rabbits are over heated.
4) Have some carriers or cages inside a well air conditioned area.
5) Have some clean towels where you can moist them, if needed and cool down the rabbits.

These are just some ideas to keep on hand for Angora or any other breed. The heat can be deadly and it is important to be prepared.

Johnny goes to Camp

Johnny goes to Christian Camp at: Wilderness Ridge Camp in Smithville, Texas. This is his first year at camp and he is excited! He will be there for one week, return home for a week, and then go back for another week. His older brother, Martin, has been there for two years in a row, but decided to stay elsewhere this time. I guess he think he is too old for camp now. :)

The best thing is that I, Ricardo, get a whole week to myself to relax, act silly, and simply not worry about anything but the rabbits, the dogs, and myself!

Consummate Bargain Hunter

I'm a consummate Bargain Hunter. I went to our local Hobby Lobby to purchase some crochet materials as I am learning to crochet, too. I saw this stash of yarn. they had so many of them, but I only chose enough for my own delight. Each yarn skein was on clearance for $.79 cents. Yup, this is an excellent deal, especially when the all of them are between $5.99 to $9.99 a skein.

Okay, the picture of the skein below is my favorite one. However, there was only one available, so I cannot complain. I will make a scarf out of it for my beautiful mother.

More Fiber Rovings

I am still having some problems with the blog releasing the postings on time. I am checking the glitch through help from online friends and I hope this glitch is fixed to prevent any postings from taking long to post.

I recently purchased some Rovings from Lisa at Sommerhill Farms. She has excellent fibers and I'm anxiously awaiting it's delivery. I'll be spinning it immediately!

Look below at the awesome picture of her: "Tropical Punch" Pure Bluefaced Leicester (BFL) from her own sheep.
You can see some of her other fibers on by clicking on the following link: ROVINGS .

You can also email her or call her at: somerhill@earthlink.net 740-732-7120.

ARBA Director Bob Whitman

It is a very sad experience when a person dies. Bob Whitman, ARBA's director and Historian died on 06/10/09.
I never met Mr. Whitman in person, but did communicate with him via email and he was always gracious to communicate and share his knowledge about rabbits. He will be missed.

New Fiber Rovings

Last time I worked with Silk I did a good job spinning it, however, dyeing it was a different story. I contacted Tammy of MySweetSpot2, home of Godiva Yarn in Etsy. She does wonderful work hand spinning and dyeing fibers. Look below at the rovings she has for me! I recommend her fully and encourage you to visit her page.

Update from our Friend, Patricia and Woodrow the Rabbit

Our friend, Patricia, was gracious to let us have some updated pictures of "Woodrow". He is a Giant Hybrid that she adopted several months ago. He is a wonderful rabbit and enjoys the company of Patricia's pet cats. See below the gorgeous rabbit.

Patricia finally clipped, Woodrow and did a good job. He looks nice and cute. Also, he is quite friendly and will walk up to people to be petted. Patricia has done a great job socializing Woodrow!

Rabbit poop

okay, the rabbit poop seems to be doing well for the plants. Finally, I took pictures, but cannot upload them for some reason. Overall, the shed is looking great with the plants on the side. Plus, the rabbits are getting lots of oxygen and the shade is working wonders since we might reach the 100 degree marker tomorrow, Tuesday. Good thing is that I have the a/c and fan in the shed.

Rabbit Poop Fertilizer

I was unable to take pictures of the plants that have been using the rabbit poor fertilizer. I hope I can take them soon. I noticed that there are some flies around the pots, so tomorrow I will purchase some extra dirt to place over the poop and hopefully that will do it. I will also be hanging some fly trap thingies as I don't want to have flies all over the place.

The plants and pots were moved around and we've been organizing things well so that we enjoy the outdoor times better. I'm glad to see the rabbit shed is cool and has ample air flow.

Rabbit Poop as fertilizer

After cleaning the cages today I collected as much poop as the rabbits graciously gave me. I was able to collect lots of it and I used it as fertilizer for the plants around our rabbitry shed.

I've read much about the wonderful properties of rabbit poop as a great fertilizer. I kept thinking of it for a long time, though I found it easy to just throw it away--what a waste!

Well, I'll be taking pictures of the "fertilizer" and how the plants do. I've read in other blogs how some rabbit owners are using their rabbit's poop and they've been able to document with pictures the wonders it does for their plants/veggies. I hope to be able to do the same.

I plan to take pictures tomorrow and post on the blog so I can document step by step how the plants do.

Events in San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio, Texas has many venues of fun for the whole family. Below you will find the Teatro Fest information for the month of June.

June 2 – 27: TeatroFestThe 4th Annual TeatroFest is a month-long festival celebrating Hispanic Theater and Performing Arts, Guadalupe Theater and other theatrical venues. Sponsored by the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. Admission. (210) 271-3151 www.guadalupeculturalarts.org

Mist Cooling System to combat the HEAT

Usually, browsing the Internet and visiting other angora breeders' blogs/web pages, one can always find excellent ideas to improve the care of their rabbits and fixing the rabbit sheds.

Here in San Antonio, Texas, the weather can be tough during the summer months. We can have from the simple 90 degrees to over 100 degrees. Therefore, one needs to insure the rabbit shed is adequately ventilated and insulated to maintain a healthy herd.

At Road To Angora Rabbitry, the rabbit shed was moved to the back of the yard under huge trees that provide adequate shade. Also, several plants are placed in pots around the shed, too. This not only provides a more appealing look, but it also provides nice insulation and better air quality for the rabbits. We have a thermometer that always records the temperature so we know what is good for the rabbits. In many places out of State, rabbit breeders have the luxury of only using commercial fans to cool the rabbitry sheds. However, here in San Antonio, Texas, that is not a luxury. While in the cold months, it is good, it is not so in the summer. Therefore, we have to install a window air conditioner coupled with a commercial fan to keep the shed cool and circulate the air. Yes, this is a bit costly during the summer months, but when one is showing rabbits, the coats need to remain long and it is important to have cool air inside for the rabbits' comfort.

Since the temperatures are not too bad right now--usually gets hotter by Mid June and can go onto September--the a/c and fan are good enough. However, we recently purchased a Mist Cooling System for our rabbitry Shed, which will be installed soon in order to provide extra cooling for the hotter months.

Road To Angora has to credit Woolie Creations Angora Rabbits for this excellent idea. While browsing their site, Woolie Creations Angora Rabbits has an excellent article talking about the Mist Cooling System they installed. Aside from the Mist Cooling System, Woolie Creations Angora Rabbits has wonderful articles on different topics, pictures, and chat room. I truly enjoyed their well organized web site and encourage people to visit them. They also provided a link to Mystymate, where one can find several great Mist cooling systems to choose from, and the price is quite reasonable.

Overall, it is important for one to insure their rabbitry shed is cool and proper air flow so that the rabbits are comfortable and happy. I know many States will be dealing with heat waves, but at here in Texas, the heat waves can be deadly to humans, let alone animals, so we definitely need to insure our rabbits are well cared for and cooled down in order to avoid heat stroke, dehydration, and other ailments that can quickly kill a rabbit.

Video on Men Knitting

As I browse the internet I came about this video about men knitting. It is pretty cool so I placed the link to the video on youtube.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jYa_rJyG18

Unfinished projects

Well, I've been looking through all the stuff around the fiber arts room. There are a few projects that were started, but never finished. It is so easy to get distracted when the "creative ideas" begin flowing.

This coming weekend some of the unfinished projects will indeed be finished--well, that is the thought, right now.

Triangle Weaving Loom

Unlike, my good friend, Dustin of Dusty's Angora Haven, and his brother; I am not as handy to build my own triangle weaving loom.

Therefore, several months ago, I purchased a 5 foot Triangle Weaving Loom from Hideaway Homestead. I had to wait until I set up my fiber studio before I assembled it. Needless to say, it's been a while, but I will be assembling it this week and begin to work with it. I had to purchase an inexpensive easel from Hobby Lobby and I hope it is sturdy enough for it.


Below are pictures from the site of the items purchased. I will take pictures of my own items once I complete the assembly.

Silk Yarn Dye

Okay, I decided to dye this yarn black. I had a tough time dyeing it and it came out purplish. However, with more dye it turned out a bit of "dark red wine" color. I like it though, better than the purplish one. The good thing is that the color is still rich and masculine to be used on a scarf.

(OH, I figured out how to remove the date from the digital camera so that it a great plus!)