My! My! I have been very derelict in keeping up my blog! So much is happening in my world lately and time has been short!
Turned out my male rabbits for the winter, much time and effort in keeping them separated, fed, watered, and cared for. I know that sounds lazy, but these little fellows still get fed, but they also have the freedom to roam, hide, and find nice warm spots to get out of the cold. The females are quite happy in their little hutch and spend their days running each other around and their nights huddled together.
It has worked well for all and each morning I am met by my little fuzzy friends when I go out to feed. They follow me from chore to chore and then get their treats. Coming home from church on Sunday I had quite a surprise when four little ones scampered out of the barn behind mother. Yep, we messed up on one of those little rascals and she has 4 kits that are about 6 weeks old and healthy as can be. I was so excited to see these little ones. They have become accustomed to my movements and as long as I don't move too fast they are content to maintain their space.
Hubby put the chickens up for the winter. The barn provides much protection from the elements and my big fat hens have taken to hiding their eggs. It became a search and rescue mission when gathering eggs. Son-in-law found three nest with 84 eggs in them. The hens had gotten into the storage area and laid in the middle of rolls of barbed wire. Watching them come and go I knew there was a nest in there somewhere, but I had been unable to find it. After sun down, son-in-law took a high powered light and went on a search. So glad we found the stash.
We floated the eggs and immediately lost 2 dozen and another dozen didn't look right when I cracked them for freezing. Eggs, when placed in a glass bowl of ice cold water will float if bad or rotten and sink if good. So 2 dozen immediately popped to the top and some just hovered close to the bottom. Eggs keep very well frozen. I crack them into a muffin pan, remove when set and place in a zip lock bag.
Cold weather in our forecast has initiated my urge to sew. Maybe, maybe not. I have taxes to do, so probably not. At least the urge is still there. I am sorely disappointed in myself with my sewing projects. I have much to do , but no motivation to proceed. Sewing is my comfort chore and I suppose I have been much too content to need the comfort.
My daughter and her family is staying with us while they develop their farm and build a house. She makes the most wonderful soap. Opal's Hope Soaps are cold processed natural soaps that are so nourishing to the skin without the harmful sulfates. She also has a shampoo bar - no conditioner needed. These soaps are loaded with all the good stuff and none of the bad. The Christmas season kept her busy around here getting gift baskets ready and delivered/shipped.
Planting time is upon us and we are already behind. According to the Market Bulletin produced by the Georgia Department of Agriculture asparagus, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, mustard, Onion, potatoes, radishes, spinach and turnips should already be in the ground. Beets, collards, broccoli, and kale should be planted in two weeks. Hubby has the ground turned, but not near ready to plant. I have to get myself into gear and get out there or we won't have the fresh veggies we all love.
Hubby surprised me with a Nook for Christmas. While I love the convenience of carrying so many books with me, I sure miss the feel of the paper in my hand. I will get use to it and one day I will caress the Nook - which I have named "Reba" - as I do my wonderful books. (I haven't thrown out any books yet!) I have downloaded some of the older books I wanted to read but have been unable to find in my Thrift store rummaging.
Well, work is calling and there is much to do. Thanks for sharing the time with me and come back again to visit.
Happy Reading!
Belle
Showing posts with label sewing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sewing. Show all posts
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Just a Little Catch Up!
Things have really started jumping around this little farm and I am trying to hop a long and keep up! February was dragging along and I was dragging with it until the 24th - yes the day of the last big storm. Star, my beautiful white and gray rabbit, decided to kindle on this day. For those of you that do not speak rabbitese - kindle is giving birth. Babies were dropping here there and yonder and unprepared me was running around in lightening and pouring rain trying to get her pen out of the rain and well stocked with all the needs of a new mother rabbit. She had four kits (babies) and is a wonderful mother. I checked on the other doe and Mr. Jedi and they were fine, so Star and I settled in for a quiet afternoon. After the storms had passed, I fed the chickens and gathered the eggs and low and behold here comes Blondie followed by 12 little ones. She led them straight to the barn to eat and eat they did! I returned to check on Cleo and Jedi. The pen was filled with babies. Cleo must have danced in the rain and quickly deposited 9 little ones in an unprepared pen. I lost about 5 to drowning and quickly moved Mother and kits into the second birthing pen. She was not a good mother! I ended up with one survivor and moved it into the pen with Star. She immediately cleaned and fed the little one and now is the happy mother of 5.
I never realized that rabbits grew so quickly. These little ones are a joy to watch. Star has been weaning them this week and I think she is about ready to go back to the big pen and let the little ones grow on up.
In the two weeks in between this tumultuous Thursday, something killed 6 of Blondie biddies and my big rooster along with one laying hen. I am hoping the hen is sitting on a nest somewhere, but I did find two patches of feathers behind the barn. It had to big a big rascal to get my Barred Rock Rooster - he was huge!
I have managed to get in some sewing and therefore knocked back my stack a bit but not near enough. That will have to wait though as I have two chairs to cane and those take priority.
Have to run. Until next time . . .
Happy reading!
Belle
I never realized that rabbits grew so quickly. These little ones are a joy to watch. Star has been weaning them this week and I think she is about ready to go back to the big pen and let the little ones grow on up.
In the two weeks in between this tumultuous Thursday, something killed 6 of Blondie biddies and my big rooster along with one laying hen. I am hoping the hen is sitting on a nest somewhere, but I did find two patches of feathers behind the barn. It had to big a big rascal to get my Barred Rock Rooster - he was huge!
I have managed to get in some sewing and therefore knocked back my stack a bit but not near enough. That will have to wait though as I have two chairs to cane and those take priority.
Have to run. Until next time . . .
Happy reading!
Belle
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The warm Spring like temperatures in Middle Georgia have inhibited my creativity as far as inside projects are concerned. Usually my writing and sewing are done on those cold wet days of winter we haven't experienced this year. I keep telling myself the cold is coming but the days are flying by and except for a night or two my toes are still warm!
So the sewing is still packed away in containers and Zeb (I do believe he is swimming around in the pool right now) and Lizzy (sunning on the back deck) are patiently waiting on the sidelines waiting for my next adventure. I thought to go back to the original stories and edit them into something resembling grammatically correct writing, but I decided to leave them be and let these be a teaching tool for young writers. I am sure they will get a lot practice correcting my punctuation and sentence structure.
I am getting a little antsy though, so regardless of the temperatures and sunshine, I may have to stay in and do some sewing.
I read Christopher Paolini's last book, Inheritance, over the last week. I know this is suppose to be the end of the series, but as with a good many books I have read, I hope there will be a sequel. Fantasy is fantasy and I can make up any ending I want to the story!
Over the past year I have continued to connect with those I not only graduated with, but also those shared the start of my educational journey. I have found it takes only a spark to bring forth the memories of those days so long ago. I know it is good for the heart and maybe it will keep my brain alert a little longer!
My writing time is up! Just an update - my parents are hanging in there and still getting around, albeit slowly. Mom gave us all a laugh at dinner on Sunday when she lost a cap on her front tooth and was afraid she had swallowed it. All our little ones were aghast when she smiled and had no tooth! The cap was found on her plate and she is in the process of restoring her beautiful smile. Dad really got a chuckle out of this one!
Time seems to fly at the times we wish it would stand still.
Happy reading!
Belle
So the sewing is still packed away in containers and Zeb (I do believe he is swimming around in the pool right now) and Lizzy (sunning on the back deck) are patiently waiting on the sidelines waiting for my next adventure. I thought to go back to the original stories and edit them into something resembling grammatically correct writing, but I decided to leave them be and let these be a teaching tool for young writers. I am sure they will get a lot practice correcting my punctuation and sentence structure.
I am getting a little antsy though, so regardless of the temperatures and sunshine, I may have to stay in and do some sewing.
I read Christopher Paolini's last book, Inheritance, over the last week. I know this is suppose to be the end of the series, but as with a good many books I have read, I hope there will be a sequel. Fantasy is fantasy and I can make up any ending I want to the story!
Over the past year I have continued to connect with those I not only graduated with, but also those shared the start of my educational journey. I have found it takes only a spark to bring forth the memories of those days so long ago. I know it is good for the heart and maybe it will keep my brain alert a little longer!
My writing time is up! Just an update - my parents are hanging in there and still getting around, albeit slowly. Mom gave us all a laugh at dinner on Sunday when she lost a cap on her front tooth and was afraid she had swallowed it. All our little ones were aghast when she smiled and had no tooth! The cap was found on her plate and she is in the process of restoring her beautiful smile. Dad really got a chuckle out of this one!
Time seems to fly at the times we wish it would stand still.
Happy reading!
Belle
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
2011 Year End
Over this past year I have blogged about the things going on in my life - my chickens, rabbits, garden, pets, cooking, sewing - just a little of everything. So doing a recap isn't really necessary.
It has been a good year with all its ups and downs. Hubby and I are healthy and able to function and as we get older that pretty much says it all. Hubby has now lost about 80 pounds which is a big plus and I have gained about 8 (all while what I consider dieting). "Mama always said" it would all catch up with me - for so many years I weighed 112 pounds and at 5'8" I was really thin! It didn't happen at 40 like "Mama always said," but it did happen! I feel the aches and pains of the good times of my life and the bad times of my life. I make no excuses - I am what I am and God loves me even though I am not perfect.
I started the year trying to increase my chicken flock. I hatched and babied those little balls of fluff for weeks. I had 32 biddies for a while, then the dogs came and demolished about half. then the snakes came and demolished the other half. Sick at heart I replaced the little ones with lovely Barred Rocks. These ladies are so gentle and loving and fit right in to our little flock. Matilda, my old Rhode Island Red hen, accepted them aboard while maintaining her position as the head of the pecking order.
I have a special pair of Grays that are so beautiful. I hatched them and raised them separately from the rest of the flock. I will lose the beautiful rooster this week when he goes to the sale barn. The rooster's name is Ming Ming and the hen is Tuck. The oldest granddaughter named them as soon as they hatched and even though the sexes don't reflect the names - it is what it is. Ming Ming tried to flog the older of the youngest granddaughter last week and then yesterday tried to flog the youngest granddaughter. Ming Ming is too young as yet to have dangerous spurs, but his spurs are rapidly growing and with his temperment, he has to go. The grandchildren love to play outside and I won't tolerate an agressive animal.
In the Spring, the oldest granddaughter decided she wanted a rabbit, so hubby added not one but three to the menagerie. Lost one of those within two weeks but replace her with a fostor from Atlanta that was someone's pet. Now down to two and they run loose in the barn and are very content until the neighbors dogs come snooping. I really wish people would raise their pets not to get into other peoples business.
I had a fruitful early garden and filled the freezer up while enjoying all the fresh vegetables throughout the summer. I don't can much anymore, but may have to reconsider with the coming season. Hubby has already turned loads of leaves and mulch back into the soil in anticipation of the upcoming planting season.
The youngest granddaughters and I planted trash can potatoes, but we waited a little too long to plant and only harvested a couple of handfuls of small spuds. They will be great with a pot of green beans though, so all is not lost and the experiment was good for us all. Plan to try the trash can pototoes again in early March.
This fall has brought my deer back. They enjoy the huge acorn crop we have behind the house and will graze on the nuts for at least an hour a day and sometime longer. I manged to get some good pictures of them last week and where there were only three, a new beauty joined them. One day and young buck stepped in to enjoy the fare. I cringe every time I hear a shot behind the house, as I fear a hunter as downed one of my babies.
I retired this year and was happy to do so. I really enjoy staying at home and diddling with my cooking, sewing, animals, and garden. I could keep working and Hubby and I could stash the dollars toward future travel, but I watch so many that save and save and then are unable to do the things they saved to do. I wrote about my cataract sugery in an earlier blog, but I am still pleased with my much improved sight.
I spend loads of time with my youngest granddaughters and enjoy every minute. I am bowled over by my oldest grand children every time they visit. Living north of Atlanta, I only see them every six weeks or so and they change so fast. Phone calls are just not the same. They are both so bright and talented!
My parents are aging fast and it hurts my heart to see them struggle to perform even the most routine tasks. They were both so active and energetic during their younger years.
I experienced losses and gaines during the year which is part of living. I have seen new little ones come into the world, couples pledging solemn vows to each other before God, and have seen close friends and family lose the ones they love. I have contemplated the whys of life and am still uncertain that I have accomplished what I am suppose to accomplish.
Cleaning is calling, so until next time . . .
Happy New Year and
Happy reading!
Belle
It has been a good year with all its ups and downs. Hubby and I are healthy and able to function and as we get older that pretty much says it all. Hubby has now lost about 80 pounds which is a big plus and I have gained about 8 (all while what I consider dieting). "Mama always said" it would all catch up with me - for so many years I weighed 112 pounds and at 5'8" I was really thin! It didn't happen at 40 like "Mama always said," but it did happen! I feel the aches and pains of the good times of my life and the bad times of my life. I make no excuses - I am what I am and God loves me even though I am not perfect.
I started the year trying to increase my chicken flock. I hatched and babied those little balls of fluff for weeks. I had 32 biddies for a while, then the dogs came and demolished about half. then the snakes came and demolished the other half. Sick at heart I replaced the little ones with lovely Barred Rocks. These ladies are so gentle and loving and fit right in to our little flock. Matilda, my old Rhode Island Red hen, accepted them aboard while maintaining her position as the head of the pecking order.
I have a special pair of Grays that are so beautiful. I hatched them and raised them separately from the rest of the flock. I will lose the beautiful rooster this week when he goes to the sale barn. The rooster's name is Ming Ming and the hen is Tuck. The oldest granddaughter named them as soon as they hatched and even though the sexes don't reflect the names - it is what it is. Ming Ming tried to flog the older of the youngest granddaughter last week and then yesterday tried to flog the youngest granddaughter. Ming Ming is too young as yet to have dangerous spurs, but his spurs are rapidly growing and with his temperment, he has to go. The grandchildren love to play outside and I won't tolerate an agressive animal.
In the Spring, the oldest granddaughter decided she wanted a rabbit, so hubby added not one but three to the menagerie. Lost one of those within two weeks but replace her with a fostor from Atlanta that was someone's pet. Now down to two and they run loose in the barn and are very content until the neighbors dogs come snooping. I really wish people would raise their pets not to get into other peoples business.
I had a fruitful early garden and filled the freezer up while enjoying all the fresh vegetables throughout the summer. I don't can much anymore, but may have to reconsider with the coming season. Hubby has already turned loads of leaves and mulch back into the soil in anticipation of the upcoming planting season.
The youngest granddaughters and I planted trash can potatoes, but we waited a little too long to plant and only harvested a couple of handfuls of small spuds. They will be great with a pot of green beans though, so all is not lost and the experiment was good for us all. Plan to try the trash can pototoes again in early March.
This fall has brought my deer back. They enjoy the huge acorn crop we have behind the house and will graze on the nuts for at least an hour a day and sometime longer. I manged to get some good pictures of them last week and where there were only three, a new beauty joined them. One day and young buck stepped in to enjoy the fare. I cringe every time I hear a shot behind the house, as I fear a hunter as downed one of my babies.
I retired this year and was happy to do so. I really enjoy staying at home and diddling with my cooking, sewing, animals, and garden. I could keep working and Hubby and I could stash the dollars toward future travel, but I watch so many that save and save and then are unable to do the things they saved to do. I wrote about my cataract sugery in an earlier blog, but I am still pleased with my much improved sight.
I spend loads of time with my youngest granddaughters and enjoy every minute. I am bowled over by my oldest grand children every time they visit. Living north of Atlanta, I only see them every six weeks or so and they change so fast. Phone calls are just not the same. They are both so bright and talented!
My parents are aging fast and it hurts my heart to see them struggle to perform even the most routine tasks. They were both so active and energetic during their younger years.
I experienced losses and gaines during the year which is part of living. I have seen new little ones come into the world, couples pledging solemn vows to each other before God, and have seen close friends and family lose the ones they love. I have contemplated the whys of life and am still uncertain that I have accomplished what I am suppose to accomplish.
Cleaning is calling, so until next time . . .
Happy New Year and
Happy reading!
Belle
Monday, October 24, 2011
Free Patterns for your Sewing and Crafts
Sometimes I get tunnel vision and return over and over to the same websites and never venture out into the great web space in the sky, but on occasion someone will recommend a site and I will travel over and have a look. What a delightful surprise when I visited All Free Sewing! So many ideas, patterns and directions for construction. Not just one line of patterns, but a whole array of ideas and projects with simple to follow instructions. In the process of subscribing to their weekly emails, I encountered a whole line of free recipes, crafts, sewing and much more.
If you have a minute give them a look at www.allfreesewing.com.
If you have a minute give them a look at www.allfreesewing.com.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Remember when . . .
When I went to school our first day of the school year would either be the Tuesday after Labor Day or the Friday after Labor Day. It also signalled the end of summer and the beginning of those wonderful fall mornings. We always needed sweaters for our trip to school and had them wrapped around our waists on the trip back home. After the long hot summers of middle Georgia, we welcomed the cool morning temperatures. Many years have past since the calendar and the weather matched my school day memories, but I do believe we are getting back on track this year. Forecasts call for cooler days in the coming week and the mornings have already began with cooler temperatures.
Rain is coming and my dead grass and garden are jumping with anticipation - or is that me hopping around getting ready? I hope that we receive enough to nourish the roots through our upcoming winter so my plants will flourish in the Spring. March, April and May are my revitalized months; welcomed with anticipation that yes, I did survive another cold bleak winter. September, October and November are my getting prepared to rest months and finish all my summer chores. I love these six months more than any other. I don't function well in the heat of summer nor the cold of winter. I will be sorry to see the pool close for the year. the kids have progressed greatly this summer in their swimming abilities and their diving is getting is much better.
I am looking forward to a fall filled with sewing for my girls and keeping the fall garden going. Hope it provides as well as the summer garden. We have been eating good!
A last summer trip from my grandchildren to the north, this weekend has been filled with bonding, eating and swimming. A fun Labor Day weekend with lots of hugs for Nanna.
As our world turns and until next time . . .
Happy reading!
Belle
Rain is coming and my dead grass and garden are jumping with anticipation - or is that me hopping around getting ready? I hope that we receive enough to nourish the roots through our upcoming winter so my plants will flourish in the Spring. March, April and May are my revitalized months; welcomed with anticipation that yes, I did survive another cold bleak winter. September, October and November are my getting prepared to rest months and finish all my summer chores. I love these six months more than any other. I don't function well in the heat of summer nor the cold of winter. I will be sorry to see the pool close for the year. the kids have progressed greatly this summer in their swimming abilities and their diving is getting is much better.
I am looking forward to a fall filled with sewing for my girls and keeping the fall garden going. Hope it provides as well as the summer garden. We have been eating good!
A last summer trip from my grandchildren to the north, this weekend has been filled with bonding, eating and swimming. A fun Labor Day weekend with lots of hugs for Nanna.
As our world turns and until next time . . .
Happy reading!
Belle
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Sewing
As I have posted before, I have been sewing since I could thread a needle. I guess that was a test, Grandmother said I could learn to sew when I could thread the needle. Good test! I cut me a short piece of string, grabbed a needle and tried for hours to get that blasted thread through the eye of that needle. You turn your head to the right and then the left, hang your tongue out of the side of the mouth and focus. Now at 60, I still have to concentrate to get those needles threaded. But don't cheat - don't use a needle threader; threading the needle is part of the process and you can't skip any steps.
I got my own first sewing machine for Christmas in 1969. My Mom's old Necchi had done me proud, but to have my own was fantastic. I wore that machine out many years ago and took over Mom's Necchi and have been through many hand me down machines since then. I have hinted, told, begged and pleaded for a new machine to no avail. Hubby don't take hints and his motto is if you want it, go get it so that is just what I did!
I ask Hubby to take me to Jo Ann's in Macon to take a look. I had done my research on line and found the machine I wanted. Hubby was astounded at the machine available and the cost of same. He carefully guided me away from those $3500 machines by Viking and kept me steered toward the Singer's that had the Sale Signs taped to them. He was so funny! He made a comment about the Husquvarna machine and the saleslady told him "it will sew your clothes and cut your grass"!
I got my Singer Curvy (which was on sale at a terrific price - $300 off) and headed home. At my age, it takes a lot to get the heart pounding, but I did have that spark of excitement. Hubby wanted to stop and eat on the way home, I wanted to go home and sew! We ate. I unboxed that beauty and read the two books of instructions, popped in the DVD and went through the tutorial and plugged her in. Lights started blinking and a horrible whistle started blowing and I sat and watched it thinking it was warming up. I don't think in this day and age anything has to "warm up" but I calmly waited and waited and waited. I finally cut the machine off, unplugged everything, grabbed the book and started over. No change. I stomped my foot, I yelled at the machine, and then boxed it right back up.
The kind people exchanged the machine with no problem expressing their sympathy and showed nothing but kindness. The new machine did exactly as the books and DVD said it would and I have been sewing happily along. Sometimes there is a bad apple in the bunch and stuff happens. It is in the manner of the resolution that makes a difference in a satisfied customer and a unsatisfied customer.
I made four pillows for the youngest granddaughters yesterday and have another set for my oldest granddaughter to make. I don't have much time with her so she will have to make hers with her Mom. I bought some patterns to make up some jumpers for my girls and my neighbor came over with loads of sewing. I love to sew for her because she enjoys what I make for her.
Lot's to do so I must get at it! Until next time . . .
Happy reading!
Belle
I got my own first sewing machine for Christmas in 1969. My Mom's old Necchi had done me proud, but to have my own was fantastic. I wore that machine out many years ago and took over Mom's Necchi and have been through many hand me down machines since then. I have hinted, told, begged and pleaded for a new machine to no avail. Hubby don't take hints and his motto is if you want it, go get it so that is just what I did!
I ask Hubby to take me to Jo Ann's in Macon to take a look. I had done my research on line and found the machine I wanted. Hubby was astounded at the machine available and the cost of same. He carefully guided me away from those $3500 machines by Viking and kept me steered toward the Singer's that had the Sale Signs taped to them. He was so funny! He made a comment about the Husquvarna machine and the saleslady told him "it will sew your clothes and cut your grass"!
I got my Singer Curvy (which was on sale at a terrific price - $300 off) and headed home. At my age, it takes a lot to get the heart pounding, but I did have that spark of excitement. Hubby wanted to stop and eat on the way home, I wanted to go home and sew! We ate. I unboxed that beauty and read the two books of instructions, popped in the DVD and went through the tutorial and plugged her in. Lights started blinking and a horrible whistle started blowing and I sat and watched it thinking it was warming up. I don't think in this day and age anything has to "warm up" but I calmly waited and waited and waited. I finally cut the machine off, unplugged everything, grabbed the book and started over. No change. I stomped my foot, I yelled at the machine, and then boxed it right back up.
The kind people exchanged the machine with no problem expressing their sympathy and showed nothing but kindness. The new machine did exactly as the books and DVD said it would and I have been sewing happily along. Sometimes there is a bad apple in the bunch and stuff happens. It is in the manner of the resolution that makes a difference in a satisfied customer and a unsatisfied customer.
I made four pillows for the youngest granddaughters yesterday and have another set for my oldest granddaughter to make. I don't have much time with her so she will have to make hers with her Mom. I bought some patterns to make up some jumpers for my girls and my neighbor came over with loads of sewing. I love to sew for her because she enjoys what I make for her.
Lot's to do so I must get at it! Until next time . . .
Happy reading!
Belle
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