HAPPY NEW YEAR-REPAIRING A QUILT-COSMO AND CHANGE-SEED CATALOGS

GREETINGS

HAPPY AND HEALTHY NE YEAR.  May this New Year bring you joy and happiness.

With immune system difficulties I am sick again and slowly recovering.  I did get over a nasty cold which I had over the holidays.  My resolution this year is to keep my immune system in top shape .  We are getting the coldest weather of the year tomorrow.  I have enjoyed this long spurt of warmish weather.  Got so many more things done outside this winter.

REPAIRING A QUILT

My Grandmother was a seamstress I am not, but I do love to sew.  My friend Fran and I are so grateful to our Mom’s for teaching us that skill. I started  helping my Mom  treadeling the machine  while she sewed I was around 5 at the time.  She made all my dance recital costumes, slip covers and clothes.

I made this quilt in the late 70’s and now its in dire need of repair.  It was made in pieces and I would sit in front of the fireplace on cold winter nights sewing.  Most of the fabrics are from old clothing.  The red and white leaf is from a maternity dress I had made.  

COSMO AND CHANGE

I am getting to know Cosmo in many different ways.  I realize change upsets him immensely.  The holiday week that Chris was here Chris slept in my upstairs bedroom.  Cosmo  got sick and  he is fine now.  This has happened when things changed before.  His life has been full of change last but not least an eye operation and moving here.  I will try to keep things constant for him.

Chris was a big help , bringing in the grain is a big task that I didn’t have to do last week Yea.

SEED CATALOGS

The seed catalogs have been arriving since before Christmas.  Wonderful to look at and plan

Hope you have a wonderful day and many thanks for reading my log.  Carole

 

LYMES DISEASE-CAROL K GETS SKUNKED-TURKEY ON A BOBBIN-PICKLED BEETS

The weather is still holding out but rain is coming tomorrow. Picked over a quart of sting beans,I  will get herbs picked over the weekend and dry most and make pesto with the basil.

LYMES DISEASE

I spent most of last winter sick and in bed with an unknown illness.  My family Doctor thought I needed a sleep study! These days you need to be your own physician.  My friend Danielle lent me a book on Lymes and many of the symptom were the same ones I had. Years ago I did get a bite and had the bull’s eye rash and was not treated.  (I no longer go to or would recommend that practice)  I did find someone who listened and knew a lot about lymes but they hesitate to treat unless your testing is positive. Many people have lymes but don’t always test positive.  So life hangs in the balance while I wait for symptoms to show up.  Better treatment can be found near Boston but that is more than 2 hours away.   If you are not treated so many horrible things can happen to you and you would never think about the tick bite.  I wanted to have the tick tested but its $50.  You would think that the state would do it for free considering the epidemic that is happening here.  

CAROL K GETS SKUNKED

Carol is an inquisitive sheep.  She always wants to see what is going on.  When I went up into the barn it smelled skunky but that can happen with a skunk spending some time there.  Yesterday while I was out in the yard she came over to the fence and she was pretty stinky.  At least it wasn’t around her eyes and the smell will eventually get out of her fleece.  It seems that no one else got it, her favorite sleeping spot is near the barn door, that may not be a good spot for her.

TURKEY ON A BOBBIN

I have been want to make these cute decorations for a few years now.  The instructions called for hooked pieces.  I spent some time figuring out how to get it done with wool material and of course changed it up some.  After a few attempts this is how it came out.  I want to make a Christmas tree, a cat and a sheep.  

Hope to have it stuffed and glued to the bobbin tomorrow.

PICKLED BEETS

Today I spent a good part of the day canning pickled beets.   It’s a process.  First the beets have to be washed and then cooked.  The outer skin has to come off and then they can be sliced.  A mix of vinegar, sugar, water cinnamon and ground cloves was brought to a boil and the beets put  into the sterilized  jars  and covered with the vinegar mix.    They are then put into the canner and brought up to a boil and 30 minutes after that they can be taken out.  I got 2 quarts, 2 pints 1 half pint and a jelly jar.  I am pleased considering I grew beets as an after thought and never thinned them   They were heirloom seeds so the beets are all different colors.    Next year I plant to get more of the half pint jars.  It makes more sence for me to have more serving sizes.  The whole house smells of the vinegar mix.

Many thanks for reading my blog today.  Carole

JOHNSON HILL FARM LAVENDER FEST-SILK EYE PILLOWS-MAKE DO-EGGS

GREETINGS

Rains all day yesterday and moe drizzle this morning.  Heaving rains and thunderstorms may come in this afternoon then a dry spell. Perfect weather.  The yard for the chickens is almost ready and I hope to have some of them out tomorrow.

JOHNSON HILL FARM

 

JOHNSON HILL FARM

Buckland – Massachusetts

JOHNSON HILL FARM

Visit our Lavender ‘Coop’ where fresh-cut stems hang to dry.

Home of the Lavender Labyrinth

Our doves are released daily for exercise,

weather permitting

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Each of the past 11 years we have hosted the Annual Lavender Festival

held the last full weekend of June.

 The 2015 Festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday, June 27 and 28, 2015

​10 am to 4 pm each day

I hope that you will put this on your calendar.  It’s a not to be missed event. The Cardinal’s have hosted this event with the help of their family.  I will be vending there with my Cousin Gary hope to see you.  Please leave your dog at home.  Thank you.

SILK EYE PILLOWS

I have finished some Some Silk Eye Pillows,  They are filled with flax and lavender.  SOothing for tired eyes.  The silk is hand dyed, and they is available in size small and medium at the show or from me directly.

MAKE DO

Another project gone from the dining room table.  A blanket that my Dad always kept in his car.  It kept kids warm, was used for picnics covered fresh veggies and many more things.  It’s a nothing special blanket probably acrylic but the memories held in it are more precious than all the money in the world.    My Dad was a caring person who always thought of others before himself  always watching over his family and friends like a Shepard watches over his flock. 

After years of wear and being stored it had some holes in it.  I cut it up and the cats will use some of it in their beds and I will use large piece in my car.

We live in a throw away society today.  There are things that have to be thrown away, i do my best to recycle and repurpose things. My family always repaired things and used them up this went back for generations its hard to break that old of a habit. 

EGGS

I have heard that in some states eggs are being rationed because of the avian flu.  I am always grateful for having my chickens.  They have given me so much more that I could give them.  Eggs and Entertainment!!!!!

Matilda in the nest box this morning

Many thanks for reading my blog today.  I hope you have a delightful day.  Carole

MASSACHUSETTS SHEEP AND WOOL FEST-MAKING WOOLEN PIN CUSHIONS – LOOMLESS

GREETING

We finally had a good soaking rain the night before last we needed it and more..  Plants look much happier now . Calling for a chance of frost here tonight, it got cold and windy today.  Its suppose to be a good Memorial Day Weekend so much need yard work will get done on Monday after the parade.  The fields of dandelions are turning while with pieces of fluff flying in the air.  my picking was done at just the right time.

MASSACHUSETTS SHEEP AND WOOL FEST

I will be packing up and setting up my booth on Friday looking forward to a great weekend.  It’s such a wonderful show and growing each year.All sorts of demo’s will be going on, lots of entertaining sheep and of course the working sheep dogs.  If you need any type of wool product you can most likely find it here.

PRIMITIVE CAT PIN CUSHIONS

I am working on the Cat Pin Cushions today.  It’s a fun project and they make cute gifts.  They are filled with crushed walnut shells to keep your needles sharp.

I am officially loomless as of yesterday.  I started weaving  taking a 3 year course at Hill Institute in FLorence, Ma. in the early 90’s.  I didn’t know a warp from a weft when I first started the class. I made lots of wonderful things but haven’t woven in over 10 years and it was time for the looms to go.  I will have some of my weaving equipment for sale at the show.

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

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MORTICIA-WREN FAMILY IN THE FRONT BIRD HOUSE-SURPRISE IN THE MAIL-THEOLD SINK

GREETINGS

MORTICIA

Morticia is sitting on two eggs this morning and acting very broody.  As soon as the two roosters start crowing she and Samantha will be moved outside, sharing the side yard with Mrs. Brown,Hazel and Millie.  They will be separated for a time until they get used to each other.

A FAMILY OF WRENS

Mom and Dad have been feeding the young in the front bird house.

.  They are small birds with sweet voices.  I think they are Wrens.

 

 

 The side bird house has chickadee’sin it this year.  There is a large Robin’s nest in the willow tree and a Blue Jay nest in the CHestnut tree next door.  The morning songs are wonderful.

GREENFIELD FARMERS COOP

The Greenfield Farmers Coop lost a valuable employee this past week.  Jimmy passed away suddenly.  He was my to go to person for anything to do with animals.  He was helpful, funny and kind.  He will be sorely missed.  It reminds me to take the time to tell people how much I appreciate them.

A SURPRISE IN THE MAIL

Yesterday I got a surprise in the mail from my friend Susan.  T wonderful red embroidery pieces.  

I just love them and will incorporate them into a small bed pillows.  I have bed pillows and use them every night and Minnie does too.

 They made my day.  I want to do more embroidery this year and last year bought a book on patterns.  I have started one but used a flimsy muslin and now realize that I really needed a stronger more dense fabric. The boys and I cleaned out the most of the bottom of the barn yesterday.  It is all orderly and things easy to get to.  They both are so very  helpful to me.  Today we will spend some time in the attic.  I want to clean it out and label each box.  It will be time consuming to do that but in the end I will save lots of time knowing what is in each box.  I am sure I will find some treasures too.

THE OLD SINK OR ZINK AS MY GRANDMOTHER CALLED IT

This sink was at the side of the road.  I loved it and had many ideas of what could be done with it.  But it was fall then so it was put in the back of the downstairs barn. Rediscovered again yesterday, Ricky will make a bird bath for the side yard out of it.

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