Grow Your Blog Party!

Today is The Day! It's Vicki's, at 2 Bags Full, Grow Your Blog Party...WOOHOO! I'm excited, can you tell? What? You forgot to sign up? NO WAY, surely you didn't!? Oh gee, I am so sorry...   Please visit Vicki's blog to see all the participants and to leave a nice comment for Vicki...the hostess with the mostess...yeah, it's cheesy but hey! I'm in a party mood and, down on the farm, it's simple pleasures that please best.

Welcome to Thistle Cove Farm where it's beautiful one day and perfect the next. Yes, the header photo is the view from my window, photos change seasonally, and, yes, I am greatly blessed. Dave, my husband, and I bought and established Thistle Cove Farm in 1995. We've spent our time renovating the house, re-siding the barns with rough cut hemlock and, in early days, I bred and raised rare American Curly horses and Shetland, Merino, Romney and cross bred sheep. The Curly horse link is for information only.

Our lives took a turn when, in 2004, I had an opportunity to teach in Russia and that jump started our traveling adventures. Since then, I've taught in Armenia, Georgia, Morocco, at fiber festivals in the USA, at Concord University in Athens, WV and on the farm where I held workshops and conferences. I'm in process of putting together my curriculum in a book, Increasing Farm and Small Business Income, that teaches how to develop your farm or small business by using tourism and networking and partnering with other folks to increase profits. Essentially, it's a how-to manual to help you succeed.

In November, 2011, Dave passed away and the ensuing months have been spent on a very steep learning curve. He and I were going to sit down, me with a three-ring notebook, and I was going to compile "everything" he needed me to know. He died, very unexpectedly and quite suddenly, two days before. Since then, it's been a Very Steep Learning Curve and my hard earned and hard won experience is going into another book...Putting Your Affairs in Order ~ "death comes to us or for us, it's best to be prepared". I'm not trying to be morbid but there's a ton of stuff to know and it's best knowing it and preparing before you need to so you don't waste or lose so much money. Trust me, the only people who couldn't possible use this information are the Gates or Buffet families! -wry smile-

This blog is about life in general and, in particular, life at Thistle Cove Farm. I try to encourage and enable people to do their best work, live their best life and, whenever possible, prepare for the future. You'll find blog posts on how to DREAM LARGE, PDS or Pretty Darn Smart Goals, and, sometimes, You Just Need to Know where I push you in the direction of other folks who offer excellent advice or simply fun stuff worth knowing.
There are posts to your good health -Coconut Oil and Lower Back Pain Relief
and, every Sunday, there's Sabbath Keeping dedicated to the wise words of other folks and each Sabbath Keeping post ends with Prayer Keeping where we pray, one for another.
I am a practicing Christian and, even so, life is still hard; it's been a lot harder since Dave died. I'm just trying to lighten your load and help us both along life's path. I invite you to sign up on the follower's side bar on the right; you're very welcome here!

Okay, more good stuff...there are 5...FIVE...giveaways on this post! Yep, five people will have their choice of goodies starting with ...

~on the left, a skein of purple, blue, muted red Socka, 75 percent virgin wool with 25 percent polyamid yarn made in Austria! It's 30 meters and would make a lovely pair of baby socks, trim for a pair of adult socks or any number of beautiful things.

~on the right, a skein of red Sunbeam Aran Double Knitting Pure New Wool, made in the Republic of Ireland! There are approximately 1 and 3/4 ounces or 50 grams and it's vintage. It's enough yarn to make a small hat, neck cozy or add some color to a pair or socks or fingerless mitts. Then again, it's your choice as to how you use it.

Creating Keepsakes is a scrapbook magazine from May/June 1997; yep, another vintage prize! Along with great ideas for scrapbook projects, this issue still has the "FREE cut and Copy Insert from Design Originals". The magazine is intact, as far as I'm able to ascertain. 

~Summer Cottage magazine is from Summer 2011 and is lovely. The photographs are beautiful, the recipes are delightful...last week, I went to town to the library so I could copy the recipes...no tearing out of pages in this Special Collector's Issue! It's from the publishers of Southern Lady Presents Tea Time and Hoffman Media Publications. You will treasure this special treat!

~Quilters...attention, please...the last prize is a Collins Sneak Peek Preview of 5 Charm Shapes. "A charm quilt is traditionally made of pieces all cut from the same shape, and each cut from a different fabric." The Sneak Peek Preview may be used to design quilts by using as is or rotating designs for varied interest and impact. You may also make special effects with border prints, stripes and florals or develop your own patterns by alternating prints and solids or lights and darks. The templates include the following shapes: Tumbler, Hexagon, Diamond, Equilateral Triangle and an Apple Core. You'll have unending fun using this charming collection.

Winners will be notified on February 1 and chosen randomly. These prizes are open to everyone...domestic and internationally; you only have to leave a comment and a way for me to contact you. No anonymous comments and your e-address has to be linked with your name or in your comment. 
You're invited to follow my blog but it's not a requirement to win and your kind, thoughtful comments are most welcome.

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." ~ Albert Einstein ~

Today's Miracles ~ Vicki, 2 Bags Full ~ you, a visitor ~ prizes ~ American Curly horses ~ my wooly sheep ~ Thistle Cove Farm ~