LAKE WOBEGON-WINTERS LONG AGO-WOVEMBER-A LAMB JOINS THE FARM BRIEFLY

Hello

When I am in the car I listen to Vermont Public Radio or favorite Enya, CLannad  or Deanne FItzpatrick’s inspiring CD.  Yesterday I was listening to Lake Wobegon with Garrison Keillor, where the women are strong, the men handsome and the children are above average.  He was talking about winters gone by and the day they were recording it was snowing and he said that God had turned the globe upside down and the world was white.  It’s a very nice way or saying it was snowing.

WINTERS LONG AGO   

When I was young winters seemed harsher.  Much more snow, enough to build igloo’s as I did many times.  Sledding was done on flexible flyers.  There were so many places to go.  My Dad had an adult size Flexible and I had the child size.  I still have my Dad’s, I don’t know what happened  to mine.

 We would take walks in the woods, checking out the animal tracks, its was a fun time of year.  Of course there weren’t as many cars and you didn’t watch a lot of TV, listened to a lot of radio though.  Your clothes were made right here in America out of natural materials mostly wools for the winter.  I remember when I was 5 or 6 I had so many clothes on I almost couldn’t walk!!!!!!  Pants lined with flannel and snow pants on top of them.

Close to CHristmas my Grandfather and Uncle Roger, my Mom and Dad and myself would pile into the green Chevy Sedan and off we would go for hours of looking at Christmas decorations.  Making Christmas cookies was always a special few days at our house. The house would be full of relatives and friends on Christmas Day.  My friend Francine and I would spend hours putting up our CHristmas villages under our trees with the old cardboard houses, fences, animals and trees, they got more elaborate each year.    She still does hers and I am going to bring back that tradition this year.  There was always a train going around the tree.  We would also make that wish, I hope there is a pony under the tree.  I finally did get  a horse when I was 40. Although I loved her it was not the same as getting one when you are young , but i see the wisdom of not having one then too, 

A LAMB IS COMING CHRISTMAS EVE

Does anyone know how long it takes to fall in love with a lamb. A nano second, or a minute.  My son asked if I could house a lamb for an overnight so it can be in the live Nativity service at his church.  I said yes.  I have never had a lamb and I know that I will fall in love with it.  Provisions will have to be made, fencing cut and put together, I do know that lambs are very sneaky and can get out of everything.  I am so excited about this opportunity and to be able to see a live nativity will be wonderful.

WHO MADE YOUR CLOTHES

There is a big movement within the UK and some other EU countries to make your own clothes.  It asks the question WHO MADE YOUR CLOTHES.  I am sure we all have seen pictures of the factories where most of our clothes are made and the paltry sum that these people are paid.  Very few clothes are made here and the material  is not make here either.  At the fall farmers market there was a gal who made dresses, skirts and pants and she was very busy.  My friend Debbie has always made lots of her clothes. I think that I will be doing more sewing this year, it is a good idea to make your own or purchase locally made clothing.

WOVEMBER

Reading the blog WOVEMBER has been so enlightening for me, discussions of things that you think about for a minute and then let go, the blog makes you rethink them and then decide to do something about them.  Their main goal is to get people back to using wool again.  I am a wool person, raising sheep for almost 20 years and selling wool to people at shows is great, but now I know that I need to do more to promote sheep and wool.  We are getting together to see what can be done for small farmers in this part of Massachusetts in January.  Maybe a farm tour similar to the Crafts of COlrain might be a good idea so people can see where their wool comes from.  When I marketed Wilbur Yarn I had a picture of him on the label with info about the farm, everyone loved knowing who the sheep was that produced this yarn and that he was still alive. Knowing that sheep live out their lives on the farm, however long that may be  is helpful to people.  I will keep you posted on how this goes.  It’s a long process with few people to get it going but I think that success will be forthcoming.

Shorty was in this chair this morning when I got up waiting for the stove to be lit, and there he stayed for most of the day.  Its a cats life.  We didn’t get the snow that was supposed to come our way today but its suppose to flurry all night the roads are very slippery, glad that I can stay in.  Many thanks for reading my blog and I hope you had a wonderful day.  Carole and Minnie

WILBUR – SEED STORAGE-FLORIDA IS GETTING READY FOR CHRISTMAS EARLY – MOM

HELLO FROM SUNNY FLORIDA,

Its was  my son’s birthday on Thursday.  He got a special present from a lady at his workplace.  She had come here during the Crafts of Colrain and bought a skein of Wilbur’s yarn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

She made this beautiful sheep for him out of Wilbur’s yarn.  Knitting it and then felting it.  The pictures don’t do it justice.  My son was very touched by this special present.  Wilbur passed away last spring, he was very fond of my son.  We all miss him.

SEED STORAGE

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the small, sunny south-east bedroom is a cupboard which I use for storage.  I have my seeds  in there and gifts that I have bought for people through-out the year.  I was going to put some candles in there.  I was shocked all the seeds that were stored in plastic bags were gone.  These were all heirloom seeds which I planned to grown in 2013.  Quite an array of seeds from worty pumpkins to several kinds of my favorite scarlet runner beans.  They were a tasty treat for those little mice.     They dug up my plants too I guess they are hiding some of the seed in the plants.  I have just ordered a new catalog from Baker Seed Company, my favorite place to buy heirloom seeds.  It will be at my door sometime in December.

I certainly will store the seeds in a tins from now on.

CHRISTMAS IS HERE IN FLORIDA

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pointsetta’s are out at Walmart and Christmas Tree vendors are everywhere.  People are buying trees too.

My Mother was very surprised to see us.  We are taking her out to eat on  Sunday.  She is a little frailer than I saw her last.  Hospice is helping with her care now which is so good.  She will be watched constantly for any changes.

We have a busy day tomorrow with visits to farmers markets.  More from Florida Tomorrow.  Thanks you so much for reading my blog, hope your day is wonderful.

Carole