end of the week..... already???

So the week flew by way too fast, as I knew it would. Linda and I had such a good time, we both said that we wished we lived closer together. But, since we (sadly) don't it does make our time together so much "more special". This day started out with a visit with a lady I know from church... Jean... she is a spinner (like Linda is) and has a spinning wheel that needs some fixing. Linda was able to find some names of folks that work on spinning wheels, so we took the information to Jean. We had a nice visit with her, (saw her beautiful spinning wheel) and I think I have found a teacher to teach me how to spin. (there will be more about that in future blogs). Jean told us about a huge patch of "Lady Slippers" that we simply had to go and see... and so, after our visit, we did just that.






She wasn't kidding when she said there was a huge patch!!! They were everywhere and you can see that they are re-seeding themselves and there will be even more next spring. These aren't in full bloom yet, so I hope to get back there in a week or so and see them again.. still, even in "part bloom" they are amazing to see. Lady Slippers are endangered, and it's illegal to pick them or replant them. You're suppose to just leave them alone and enjoy them as they are!!!

While I have been "playing", Ed has been working on the window trim. He has all the trim made for the downstairs windows and is beginning on the up. I have a ton of painting to do now.. especially if I want to "catch up with him"... but actually, as soon as I am done with my part, he can finish the windows!!! I have picked out my trim color (actually Linda picked it out).... so, once I get the wood primed, I can begin on the final steps.

But, back to spinning. Linda brought her beautiful little wheel with her, and gave me a lesson in spinning. I really do enjoy it, and if I can hook up with Jean and get some more lessons, I might even get good at it. One thing I found out this week, is, I can get all the "roving" I want, and not have to keep the animals to get it. So... it I want to be a good spinner, there is no excuse not to.

So, here we go. It takes a "knack", sometimes I did OK and other times.. well..let's say it gave us a good laugh!!!

But, with a little help, I did manage to put together a small skein of yarn....

"designer" yarn so to speak. I still need to "set it".. and perhaps I will make it into something.. or maybe I will just keep it and one day laugh at my first attempt.....

Friday morning, it was time for Linda to pack up and head back to her family (who was anxiously waiting her return)... but, before she got on the road, we had a nice cup of coffee together. One thing around here, we want you to feel welcomed.... and the pets are just here to help out with that...

Linda called later in the day... she arrived home safe and sound.. but rested after her week with us. I can't wait to have her back again, and I am (someday soon) going to "run away from home" and visit with her. I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends!!!!!!

buttons and yarn

It was another fun and interesting day with Linda- I am going to be so sad when she heads for home!!! I could get used to days like this!!!

Our morning started out with the Women's Fellowship group from church. It was our monthly meeting, but the guest speaker was a lady who collects antique buttons. She brought a small part of her collection with her, and it was so interesting. She has buttons from all over the world and from all periods of time.





From what she told us, button collecting is quite popular and there are gills and clubs all around the world. Some buttons are worth a lot of money, and some are extremely rare. She told us that if we have "grandma's old button jar or box" don't disregard it... there could be treasure's inside!!!!








The "thing" about collecting buttons is you can pick different categories.... anything from "what the button is made of" to what type of "dress" they button came from (military apparel, work apparel, fancy dress apparel...the list goes on and on). One thing for sure, there seems to be something for everyone when it comes to interesting items or hobbies... anyone who goes thru life "with nothing to do or nothing of interest" well... they're certainly not living life!!!!




After our morning of buttons... it was an afternoon of yarn. There is a cute little yarn/spinning shop not too far away. I have been meaning to get over there all winter, but it wasn't until today that we finally did. The shop is in a little old school house, and it;s as charming as it can be!!!!!









The lambs outside of the shop were a welcoming crowd. And so cute.... too bad they don't stay little like that!!!











Inside the shop is a wonderful collection of spinning wheels... both old and new.












The shop offers spinning classes as well. So there are wheels for students to learn on. (really need to look into classes!!!)











Linda and I had a grand time looking thru the beautiful yarns. (and yes, we each bought a little!!!) They also carry needles, and other knitting supplies, which is good for me to know the next time I am in a pinch and need something for a project.

so, if you are local... check out the Spinner's Warren (they have a website)...




Not too sure what's on the "list" for tomorrow... but I already know, it will be very fun... yup-- that's it... Linda can't go home!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (sorry kids & Wayne!!!! :0)

so.. what's going' on?

After a few days of "farm week", it was time to get back to the farm and back to house work. To date, I am quite certain that we won't be moving in on time, and will more than likely be spending a couple of weeks back in the little camp... but there's always hoping that we won't have to. Still, there is much to be done, and the time is speeding by!!!! But, I also have come to the fact that I can't let "life go by" just because we have this house to finish, so the days I take off to do things like "farm week"... well. that's just the way it is.

Now, this doesn't mean that I haven't done anything. In fact, the master bath is now all painted, and two of the closets are done. And the window in the mudroom is now all primed and ready for "real Paint". Course, choosing that color.... well, it's a project all to itself. Painting window is.. quite frankly... a pain in the neck. It took me nearly two hours to do this one window (including the "panes")... in two hours, I can get a whole room done!!!!

I "hate" to think of the number of windows we have!!!! And this is just the prime coat... there will still be two finished coats... ugh... let's not think of that... I will just concentrate on one room at at time!!!!!

Sunday, was Mother's Day. Last year, we all went out to "brunch" and so Kas made reservations for us to do that again. We met up with the "Flagg" side of the family - and Uncle Bill - and had a grand meal together. This was at a local country club.. the meal was wonderful!!!!

And it wasn't just "Mother's day" for me.. but this year... Grandmother's Day as well. Abbie is getting to be quite the "ham" with the camera... we say "cheese".. and this is often the look we get!!!!

Now, I haven't said too much about this just yet.. but my very dear friend Linda is here from New York state... visiting with us for a whole week!!! So, the past couple of days, I have had so much fun talking and being with her!!!! (and thanks Linda's family for letting her come!!!!!) Linda spent Mother's Day with her family... but today, I had her all to myself....

We started the day out at the local quilt shop. I haven't been back to the shop since the day I took Kelli there to "pick out her quilt".. so it was so much fun to be back again and see what new things have arrived. It makes me all the more anxious to get my sewing room up and running!!!!

Now, aside from having some quiet time to herself, Linda is also on a fact finding mission. She and her family have alpaca and Linda is a spinner. She processes all her fleece by hand (a huge job) and has been looking into the idea of setting up a "mini process mill". There are a number of these small mills here and there around the country, and it seems that there is a need for them. Often the smaller farms of animals don't have a way to process small amounts of fleece so these "mini mills" are a real help to them.

Unknown to me, one of these "little" mills in nearly in my back yard!!! It's an alpaca farm as well, and I was pretty excited to go and see it. Linda, Sadie , Abbie and I went to check it out after our visit to the quilt shop.

It's quite a place!!!! And the owners were so excited to show it off to us. This is the storage room and all these bags contain "fleece" that are waiting to be processed. The owner thinks that this is at least six months of work waiting here, and that's not even thinking about this spring shearing!!!!

These are the drying racks that the fleece sit on after being washed. Once dry they are then "carded"... and processed from there. I don't really know all the steps... but there seemed to be a machine for each one.

The fleece can be "stopped" at any step.. so if someone just wanted their fleece washed.. the "mill" will only do that. Or if they wanted it done just to the "carded" stage, they will only go that far.. but... it can be done up to the "completed" made into knitting yarn stage. This is the machine that makes the skeins of "finished" yarn.

Course, we couldn't just see the mill... we had to visit with the animals as well. I think alpacas are so cute!!! and they seem much calmer and "nicer" than llama. Linda and her family love their alpaca (they have five of them!!)

Abbie found them fascinating!!! and she just looked them all over. (they are kind of funny looking after their shearing!!!)






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The funny thing is, the alpaca were pretty curious about Abbie as well. Many of them came right up to her and looked her all over as well.

Linda got a lot of good information to take back to her family/farm... and who knows?? there might be another "mini mill" on her farm one day....








Sunset on Sweetgrass Farm and the close to a very fun and interesting day. Days like this remind me of why we made a move to our farm.. and I just can't wait to be settled in to this house!!!!!

farm week...

This week was "farm week" at Kassy's pre school, so she asked if I would come down to school with some of our farm animals. Sadie and Abbie came with me, and Abbie was dressed in true "farm apparel"... blue jeans!!!
















The children at the school had seen a number of "farm animals" thru the week, horses, goats and chickens to name a few. They are even raising some chicks in the class room.. so I thought that they might really enjoy meeting Beeker!!! We packed her into a crate, and brought her with us.









I knew that Beeker would be a big hit with the kids. She's just so "strange looking" , I figured the kids would get a big charge out of her. But what surprised me.. was how Beeker was with the kids!!! We had them in a big circle, and I placed her in the center and she did the rest.

She walked around the whole circle as though she were trying to say hello to each child. Everyone got to pet her and she stood nice and still so they could. (she didn't even poop!!!)

she would actually walk up to the kids that called her by name... they couldn't believe her!!!

and she seemed to have a great time talking with this little chap!!!! She was quite the hit of the party!!!!

I also brought Mocha down. Some of the children remember her from last year, but they still enjoy seeing her. Course, I no sooner got her off the trailer when it began to rain. But, no loss there, I just walked her up the ramp of the school and the kids got to visit with her on the porch. No one got wet!!!

The rain did let up a little, so it was back down the ramp and on the lawn where there was more room for everyone.

Some where in this "pile of kids" is a miniature horse!!! I am so glad she is "safe" with kids, my biggest worry is that she might step on their toes, but other than that, she is so very good with the kids!!!!

After animal visits, the kids came in for snack. Abbie was in her glory "crawling" around the school room... the kids were great with her as well...

And then it was home again. The big horses were happy to have Mocha back, especially Silver, she's his little mare to be sure. I love Farm Week at school, I love bringing the animals out and sharing them with the kids!!!! We;ll plan on this again next year!!!

I just have to share this picture with you all. This painting is a NEADS dog - Dango - who is a veteran's dog... and prints are being made for a fund raiser. I just think it's speaks volumes!!!

if anyone is interested in getting a print of this painting, go t0 the NEADS website and you can get the info... I am certainly planning on having one for myself!!!

a good night message....

OHH.. this is what technology will do these days. My hubby is on the night shift and he sent me this picture and a little good night note!!! I will miss him tonight.. guess the cockers will have to fill up the other side of the bed!!!

I love you too honey!!!!

where are the blogs?

I know.. it's the fifth of the month and this is the first blog!!??? Well, couple of things have been going on.. first we have been super, crazy busy with the house. This is our "last" month here, come June, we need to be "some where" else, and I so hope that means the farm house and not back to the little camp!!! Some days, I feel that we are very close to the finish and other days.. well.. let's not go there!!! THEN my camera decided NOT to talk to my computer.. so.. no pictures being transferred. I think there might be something wrong with the cable, I tried buying a new cable but that isn't working either. I was getting rather discouraged, until I discovered that Sadie's camera and mine take the same picture card... solution!!!... put my card in Sadie's camera and transfer photos. AAHHH, back in business picture wise, I just now need to figure out what to do about mine.

We had a fun weekend. Saturday night, we went to Deb's and Dave's for our first official cookout of the summer. It was a wonderful warm night, and cooking on the grill, good conversation around the picnic table and great "summer" food was a real joy to be sure.



But Deb also had some other "surprises" to share.. her kitty Peaches, is a new mom to two beautiful kittens. Two little yellow kitties to be exact. They were nine days old and their eyes had just opened.









Both kitties already have homes... one is going to Kassy and the other to Lauren.. so they are staying right in the family. Kas has named her kitty Lucy and Lauren is still thinking of a name. ( now here's the question... who will get to their new home first... the little kitty - in about six weeks - or us.... It better be us!!!!)











Just as cute as they can be!!!!













After our cookout and kitty visit, we all headed over to Memories for our first ice cream run of the summer... well first for us ... everyone else had already made a run or two. When I saw their board "Memories Specials".. we just had to get a picture of Abbie!!! She could either be the "flavor of the month" or the "Sundae of the month"... they both work!!!












People, dogs and babies... that's a ice cream run!!!!














Course you know that Chester and Camille were part of the group!!!!









And if Saturday weren't "fun enough".. we met up with Kelli (and Rick) Sunday evening to celebrate Kelli's birthday!!!! We had a very nice meal at a local restaurant, shared some gifts.... and a cake. Happy Birthday dear friend!!!! We had a great time being with you.







On Monday, Ed was up bright and early and heading out the door to go to work!!! Yup, a job!!! It's only temporary but it's kind of cool. He is part of a safety team at the MERC plant. What's that??? Well, the MERC plant is a place that burns trash and makes it into electricity. Twice a year they do a shut down to go thru the plant and check for safety measures, repairs and clean up, and when they do, they need folks that will come in and supervise/safety check the crews doing the work. Ed put his name in and was hired on for four shifts!!! (all 12 hour shifts).. so he got two day and two nights of work. That left me with house projects, but there are plenty that I can do on my own... so I continued at the house while my dear hubby brings home the "bacon".




We officially have a creepy crawler in the house. Abbie is very close to being on the move under her own power!!! The dogs are kind of funny about that, because I think they are surprised to see she can move from one place to another!!! I feel so blessed that they are all very good with her and we don't have any worries about them being all together.


so, that should bring you all up to date on the latest. And if any of you are bored out there in blogger land and need something to fill your time... I got some ideas!!!!