A DAY AWAY-THE WEAVERS TRAIL-SALEM CROSS RUG HOOKING DAY-BARN WORK-SURPRISE PACKAGES

GREETINGS

We have been getting some wonderful days and just the right amount of rain.   Although I think we have had enough rain for a while.    It seems to come down in inches now.

I even took some time to sit in the sun and knit one day.  The Chestnuts from my Son’s trees are falling and getting them collected before the Chippy’s and squirrels get them is a feat for his family.   At this time of year many restaurants in the Boston area love to have them.  Today the weather has turned sharply cooler with winds but beautiful sun..  We may have a frost tonight and more torrential rains on Sunday.

A DAY AWAY

My friend Jane asked me if I would like to ride along with her to Adams , she needed to go to social security.  It’s a beautiful ride along route 2 ending with The hairpin Turn.  It’s a ride that I have taken since I was a young child.  The store where my Grandfather  bought my little drum is still there!   The leaves are slow to change this year so it was mostly yellows and browns with the occasional red thrown in .    We had a leisurely lunch and she took me on a tour of the town.  Jane was a Vicar there for  a few years.  It’s a town of Church spires and much beauty. The social security visit was quick and we took another route home 8A which was even more beautiful than the ride over.  A wonderful day with a good friend.  We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful and diversified state.

Mt. Graylock

 THE WEAVING TRAIL

A new venture was started by some local weavers and I attended  one venue of it.  It was well attended.  My Friend Lisa had her handwoven and some handwoven and hand spun towels and on her spinning wheel was some flax that she was spinning.

 Another friend Emily,  had  towels, napkins and a whole array of handwoven things.  She was giving tours and answering all kinds of weaving questions.  Both weave on Swedish looms.  

Emily

DEHYDRATOR  

I  have dehydrated all the catnip and hope to do some other herbs but right now there are hot,red peppers being done on the porch. Then will come the orange slices which will go into potpourri .   The house always smells good at this time of year.

SOME BARN WORK

Last week my grandson Charlie and I cleaned the barn.   He also put up the extension cord for Maude’s hot water bucket.    We need to cover the window with plastic and clean up around the entrance to the barn and the sheep will be ready for winter.

I hope to get the downstairs front chickens  sorted out tomorrow  I would like to separate the bantams from the regular hens.    They get picked on .  I have figured out how it will be done and need to get working on it.  The trip to Ireland is coming fast and these things need to be done.

HOOKING AT THE SALEM CROSS INN

It is one of my favorite days of the year.  Deb and I have been doing the Woolen Memories Hook Inn for 17 years.  Starting in Hardwick, Ma and now at The Salem Cross Inn.    This year we had a lovely group  of gals 7 in total.  It was a wonderful day.  It was  close to 70 out, usually we have snow flurries!  The vendors were great carrying things from wool to needle punching things, cookies to antiques.  Looking forward to next year.

Ahhhhhh Homemade apple pie with whipped cream

SURPRISE PACKAGES

Every once in a while I get a surprise package in the mail from my Cousin Gary.  It could be a box of black walnuts or some sheepy item he found.  I don’t know where he ever finds these unique sheepy things but I do love them.  This rain gauge is so cute and the last torrential rains we had there was over 3 inches in the gauge.  I have always wanted a rain gauge.  Of course he will be coming in soon and go back out in the spring.   Thanks Gary for brightening up my day.

 

Many thanks for reading my blog on this windy day.   Carole

NEW BANTAM CHICKS-MORTICIA AND mRS. bROWN SHARING DUTIES- SAM-GOODBYE GARY

GREETINGS

Today start out very windy but then grew into a beautiful sunny fall day.

NEW BANTAM CHICKS

A big surprise Yesterday when I found 2 sweet little bantam chicks under Morticia.   I added more hay and Mrs. Brown was standing guard so no other hens would come near the new babies.I left them in the Caravan for the night but took them out today and put them into a cat carrier in the house.  They will stay in there till the others come in which will be in a week or two.  They both seem to be doing well.  Mom is good and taking good care of the little ones.  Peeps and Tweets are their names.

SAM

Sam has another infection and is on antibiotics.  The vet also suggested Lysine for all the cats.  I have started giving them it.  It helps with stress.  The old cats have been under stress with the new cats coming and the new cats were on lot of stress being moved around.  He is acting much better today.

 

SAMMY

GOODBYE GARY

 

Gary left today by Amtrak..  He will be home sometime after 9 pm and may come back up for Christmas.   The Brattleboro station is always interesting.  They are very friendly there coming out and giving updates on the trains arrival and what is going on at the station.  In May they invite people to come and learn about train safety     There are many lives lost each year by people walking on the tracks.  It’s a very good program for children who often tend to play on the tracks or put pennies on the track.  If a train hits the pennies in the right way they will shoot faster than a bullet.  I hope that my Grand children can make one of these weekends.

Many thanks for reading my blog today and I hope you have a wonderful day.   Carole and Owen.

 

A GOOD READ-CHICKENS ARE OUT-STAR SPANGLED BANNER

HELLO

 

 

 

DOG DAYS BY JOB KATZ

On one of my Minnie visits to Brookside Animal Clinic the subject came up about good books.  This one was mentioned enthusiastically by the vet tech.  I got one for me and one for a birthday present for a friend.  It’s about a man who lived in NYC and moved to a farm in Vermont.  Its takes us through daily life of owning a farm and the animals and people who are in his  life.  Its a thoughtfully written book with humor.  As in this farm there are good times and bad, sometimes we feel we can’t lift another bale of hay then a robin drops into our path.  Farming is a tough life for older folks but somehow we carry on.  There is nothing nicer than sitting in the pasture with the sheep or going down to the river to cool off.

CHICKENS OUT

I spent a few hours this morning cleaning out part of the front outside coop.  I want them to clean that up before I open the rest of the area.  They are happily digging for bugs.,

LUCY WASN’T SURE ABOUT COMING OUT!

IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR DIGGING UP SOME DIRT

PRIDE OF BALTIMORE

The Pride of Baltimore 11 was in Havre de Grace, Maryland  recently and I asked my Cousin Gary, who lives close by, to get me a picture or two.  He couldn’t get the pictures but sent me this card .  It contains a piece of material woven like the original Star  Spangled Banner.  I was surprised how loosely woven it was.  What a treat to get in todays mail.  Havre de Grace is one of the prettiest towns in Maryland.  Located right on the Chesapeake Bay its loaded with quaint shops, beautiful scenery and lots of history.  Right off of 95.  Stop by for a visit you won’t be sorry.

 

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Many thanks for reading my blog and I hope you day is wonderful, Carole and Minnie

MORE DYEING-STARTED ON THE HOOKED PIECE FOR CLASS-A PRODUCTTO AVOID -MORTICIA’S NEW HOUSING

HELLO

It is a misty morning here at the farm.  The trees are in a foggy haze.   It’s quite peaceful.  Although it rained there was no rain in the barn   The birds seem quite busy looking for nesting material now and there is plenty of it here

PURPLE DYEING

I dyed more purple yesterday and am dyeing a batch of red today.  I will take some of this up to Vermont to sell. 

HOOKED PIECE FOR CLASS

I started on this piece yesterday and was hoping that I would have it done by Wednesday night but I don’t think so.  Too many other things to do.  I will certainly have it done by the weekend and bring it to Sheep and Shawl next week.

The piece will be rectangular and have a wooden stem.  I have not decided about the leaves yet, I thought I would get the background color started and work my way down.

MIRACLE GROW

If you buy this product you are buying a product of a partner of Monsanto.  Please consider and purchase something else or if you live near me you can e-mail me and pick up some really good plant grower made right here on the farm.    Its called barn scrapings or LOTTIE DOO.  When my beloved Lottie was still alive I packaged up small amounts of dried and composted stuff from the barn. My cousin Gary came up with the name Lottie Doo.  It was very popular and made a wonderful gift for the gardener.  Someday I will do it again.

MOTICICA’S HOUSING

Here is the cage that my friend lent me.  It will work perfectly probably for the first month.

 

Many thanks for reading my blog and I hope your day is wonderful.  Carole

 

WILLIE-CHICKENS-WOOL PROJECTS-GARY-LOUISE’S PRESENT

HELLO

WILLIE

Willie’s world is back to normal, he is eating well and doing his usual things  WIllie came into my life after me saying no more cats for what seems like the millionth time.  People moved out of a rental house and just left the cats when they moved .  Willie is a love bug, friendly and sweet .

CHICKENS

The chickens are enjoying the milder weather but still not laying.  This is the time of year that they slow down anyway and will start-up when the days get a little longer.  Most of the people on the local chicken group are having the same problem with laying.   On the group there has been much discussion about using heat lamps and there was a fire in a coop because of one  In all the years I have had chickens they have been fine without the extra heat.  I tighten things up in the fall and add plastic over the window and have been insulating the outside walls of the coops.

WOOL PROJECTS

I have made these small pillows as Christmas presents now I am making them for my website and the shops.  The tops of them are done and I will sew the back on, I am not sure what I will fill them with but I know that I will add lavender and rose petals to that.  They are not large only about 7-8 inches wide by 10 or so inches long , made out of mostly wool and fun to make.

 I have also got 6 spinning hooks almost done.

GARY’S SAD NEWS

I got a call from my Cousin Gary last night and his family homestead burned down yesterday afternoon.  Luckily his father who is in his 90’s was out.  The news took my breath away.  That house was a home to me too  I spent time there as a child, my children spent time there and I lived on their property for a few years.  Everything gone but no lives lost.  I have momentos from my Aunt who was always busy making things and  treasure them more now.

Louise’s Gift.

I received this wonderful Winnie The Poo bear handmade buy my friend Louise from Montreal.  SHe even sent the pattern which I am going enlarge and make some out of soft felted wool.  Also a wonderful dark chocolate bar was in the package and that was eaten right away.  When you receive a present such as this and every stitch was made with Louise’s hands it’s just so special.  We had a lovely chat tonight.