Hayhenge

One of three wagons of beautiful alfalfa hay.


HAYHENGE


The wonderful lads and gents who put up my hay...THANKS!

Once again, we've been blessed beyond our deserving. As you may recall, last year we had a severe drought, ran out of hay and had to buy hay out of North Dakota. It was expensive and, while good hay, not as good as what we are, usually, able to harvest. Just a few days ago, our hay was cut, kicked and then tethered prior to being baled into "square" hay bales. It's always called square hay even though it's rectangular in shape.

At day's end, dead dark really, we had 350 PLUS bales of hay! Thank You, God! It's all in our barn where it will cure and be ready to feed out this winter. The horses are given free choice round bale hay because it's not as rich as our square bale alfalfa. As horse people know, the feed has to be carefully regulated in order to prevent what is, essentially, colic in horses. It's much worse than in humans and can, if not caught in time and treated, cause death. A very painful death for the animal and horrible to helplessly watch. Far better to step in and end the suffering.

These photos were taken on baling day and reminded me of Stonehenge, only to my mind, much better. They represent fodder for my sheep and horses, nutrition for the living when the snowballs come...as my Aunt Rena used to say.

While we think of Autumn as a time of harvest, it's really summer's end that brings in the produce and bounty. Our apple trees, Granny Smith and Wolf River, are both laden with apples to be eaten in hand or dried for dried apple pies this winter. There are blackberries and cherries in the freezer that will make delicious cobblers, two kinds of pickles - bread and butter and lime and a few quarts of peaches and many pints of peach topping. I'll need to can some tomatoes, that is if we can stop from eating them as fried green tomatoes. We enjoy fried green tomatoes and I do them up right, even if I do have to say so myself.

Harvest is good and continues to be good, perhaps a portent of a hard and snowy winter. Bumblebees are making their nests in the ground, the nut trees are heavy with nuts, fruit trees are groaning with their offerings...all things point to a harsh winter.

I hope we get lots of snow because we need the slow, deep moisture only a deep snow can provide. The water table is still down and many springs are still dry. People can gripe all they want to about food and food prices but it's lack of water that will take us more quickly than lack of food. Remember the old saying...three minutes without air, three days without water and three weeks without food? That says it all.

Blessings ~ hay! and lots of it ~ rain, which we need ~ pure air ~ clean water ~ good health ~ and knitting in hand ~

Travel and heart-break

In Gori, Georgia the flag is viewed from the Stalin Museum


Georgia wants to become an EU and NATO member; Russia doesn't approve.


A rooftop view of Tiblisi, the capital of Georgia.

The first time I ever needed a passport, in 2004, I traveled to the great country of Russia. It was, and remains, an incredible life-changing experience. My horizons were broadened, my view enlarged, my heart expanded and my world, quite simply, turned upside down.

My family traveled a lot when we were growing up. Daddy had a truck, I believe a Chevy, loaded with a truck camper and every summer the five of us, parents and three children, would crowd together and see the USA. Daddy got two weeks vacation from, then VEPCO, now Dominion Resources, the electric company, and we saw an amazing amount of our great land. One of my favorite trips was Out West. We went to the Badlands, Wall Drug Store, Corn Palace, Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone, Old Faithful and I can't remember what else. I remember a helicopter ride over Mt. Rushmore and huge bears in Yellowstone. We needed a JFK fifty cent piece to take a shower in Yellowstone and, just about the best, standing Directly Over the Top of Old Faithful just waiting for it to spurt. Of course, we'd always move away in order not to be burned by the steam but it was amazing, just standing and looking down into the hole that was Old Faithful. Now days, Old Faithful is roped off and people have to view it from a distance; not quite the same experience but I suppose it helps keep accidents down and the gene pool safe.

Mom prepared delicious meals on the camper stove and she and Daddy taught us how to read a map, how to read the sky, how to travel by both sun and stars. Those family trips prepared me by making me flexible, independent and willing to take risks so when the opportunity came to lecture and teach in Russia, I was more than ready.

Sudhakar Jamkhandi, a professor at Bluefield State College and Director of the Center for International Understanding, CIU, invited me to lecture and teach on Agri-tourism, Rural Tourism Development and Increasing Small Farm Income. Essentially, what I do at Thistle Cove Farm and what I taught at Concord University. Dave traveled with me and that turned into a blessing in disguise as we spent the first week, the two of us, separated from our group. We had a Russian interpreter but, deviating from plan, I lectured and taught alone. It was a great experience and I still maintain contact with some of the dear, wonderful people I met on that trip. I did, and do, love Russia and her people. They opened their hearts to me and I to them; they made me a better person and, hopefully, I helped some of them as well. One day, God willing, I'd love to return and visit with some old friends and make some new friends.

Flash forward to 2007 when Dave and I visited Armenia and Georgia and, again, met many wonderful people who opened their hearts and homes to us. As before, this trip was arranged through the CIU and it was an experience a tour group could never have provided.

All that to say, the business of war between Russia and Georgia is breaking my heart. Dave and I were all over Georgia and in Gori and shared a day and meals with many residents. Now the MSNBC photos of Gori show a city under siege while the countryside is being run over by tanks and soldiers and the country is being cut in half by Russian military. Russian troops are moving toward Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, where we spent many wonderful and pleasant days and God alone knows what will happen.

We know nothing of the people with whom we shared meals with or spoke of ways to enrich our lives and future. We know nothing of the vineyards we visited or the women who served us a delicious meal to celebrate the vineyard. That evening, while seated in a foyer, waiting for the rest of our group to arrive, I drew a small bottle of hand lotion from my purse. As I poured a small amount into my palm, I looked up and noticed a woman watching me. I motioned to pour some into her hand and she nodded “yes” but her companion was shy and nodded “no”. She smelled the lotion, massaged it into her hands and eagerly smiled her approval. I tightened the bottle cap and put it into her hands, a small gift from one woman to another. Her smile broadened and she kissed me on the cheek as thanks.

What of her, Russia? What of that woman with such a gracious heart who made me feel welcome in her country even though neither of us spoke the other’s language? She is…was?…a mother, Russia. Is she alive or has she been bombed into eternity?

It’s true I know almost nothing of politics but I do know Russia, you’re a big country and Georgia is a small country. Russia, you’re too big to be this small; it’s unbecoming and beneath you to be such a bully. It is incumbent upon the strong to take care of the weak; to feed the hungry, to be a mother to the motherless, to care for those less fortunate…not to cause the hunger or to make orphans. I, and the world, expect more of you, Russia.

Russia, in 2004 you showed me your great heart, your great love of family and friends. Russia…where’s that great heart and love? Show us before my heart finishes breaking.

Blessings ~ God…in a world gone absolutely mad ~

~Anyone then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." James 4:17

Life At Thistle Cove Farm

"All the best part of experience consists in discovering that perfectly trite pieces of observation are shiningly and exhilaratingly true." C. E. Montague

Only a short few weeks ago, a month yesterday, summer officially announced herself. We had a coolish, rainy spring that brought a great crop of hay to tide us over the winter. Off and on, for weeks on end, it rained…sometimes gentle, sometimes torrents but always welcome. After the drought we had last year, rain, and hay, are most welcome.

Yesterday, summer reminded me she was dieing; the end has already begun almost before it arrived. Certainly before I'm ready. Isn't that always the case? Why does it seem summer is always so much shorter than winter? I like all the seasons, appreciate them all, use them all, enjoy them all but summer seems to be God in all His glory at His very best.

At 5:00 p.m. the thermometer read 102 in the shade; God only knows if that was the hottest part of the day. It was a hot, humid day and moving through it reminiscent of moving through the shimmering haze of a July day at the beach. It was difficult to get much done although I kept moving all day. I worked in the studio making some cards, de-cluttering, putting up shelves and getting some quilting projects ready for Thursday night. I did several loads of laundry and hung everything on the line where it dries quickly and smells fresh no matter if sheets or blouses or towels.

Dave's Mom gets a shower on Mondays so that was on the mid-day agenda and went well. She's afraid of falling…who isn't as they age?...so I spend a lot of time prepping the shower with extra towels on the bench and handhold so she can feel as secure as possible. People have asked us why don't we put her into a nursing home and that's a good question. The answer is I don't believe in them. I believe in taking care of family, friends too if it comes to that, and as trying as it is having the responsibility of someone 24/7/365, it's what family does. Other people make other decisions based upon their circumstances but this is what we've decided. For the most part, it works. Every major religion says something like, "what goes around, comes around" or "karma" or, as the Bible says, "cast your bread upon the waters and it will return." The Bible doesn't say good bread or moldy bread, it just says bread, so Dave and I are casting our bread upon the water and honoring our parents. For us, life is as it should be.

At 3:00 this morning, the fog was dense and the air cool reminding me in order for autumn to live, summer must die. There's always "that moment" when summer wavers, just a tiny bit, and the mask slips, reminding us of the fragility of time, the brevity of not only nature but of life. The sumac is always the first to turn autumn colors and lose leaves while the next is either the walnut or locust trees.

Dave and I were leaving the Cove and saw this beautiful deer cross the road.

It always amazes me how well a deer blends into the foliage. All too soon, it will be hunting season and while I recognize the need for thinning deer population, it saddens me at the same time. We know many hunters who hunt for food on the table but others, imho, shouldn't be allowed to hold a gun in their hands much less shoot it. I've seen ejits drinking alcohol, shoot from the road, spotlight and other infractions that should, at the very least, garner them a public whipping. And no, they aren't all "good ole boys", some are "professionals" or so they call themselves. Oh well. Enuf said or I'll go on a worse tangent.

I've been quilting then shipping them far and wide. The little "Olivia Pig Quilt" was made for a friend's granddaughter and everyone loved the bold simplicity of the black, white and red quilt. Friend Marti asked if I knew those simple, yet striking, colors were conducive to a child's early development. I wish I could take credit but true be told, I just like the "pig in lipstick" and it amused me; I'm no even sure I knew of Olivia beforehand.

I've several more quilts cut out and ready to sew this Thursday evening. One is a 50^th Anniversary wall hanging for my Mom and Dad and has 12x12 squares of muslin with the written well wishes of friends and family. I'll print their "courting picture" on a piece of fabric and will use as the centerpiece with the muslin squares as borders. I've got a quilt cut out for Dave's cousin and his wife; that's an anniversary gift whenever I get it to them. I need to finish the John Deere quilt for Little John, as opposed to his Dad, Big John, who live down the road. There are other quilts cut out and ready to be sewn, some are for the bed while others are art quilts. I've never made an art quilt but there's got to be a beginning so there can be an end. Just like the seasons. Just like us. There's a time for everything including a time to be born and a time to die. As with all, tempus fugit but most importantly...carpe diem. It's a beautiful day, don't let it get away from you.

Happy 13th Anniversary to Dave and I...may our future years be from the best of our past years.

Blessings ~ quilting ~ summer ~ autumn ~ family ~ day ~ night ~

Summer Afternoon, Summer Afternoon

Since mid-June when I started preparations for my MIL's 95th birthday party, it's been a roller coaster ride. Her birthday was the 23rd but we celebrated on the 28th and had about fifty people with all save seven near or distant kin. The birthday girl is seated on the right and her friend, playmate and cousin since birth, Tece, is seated on her left. Tece is one family name and "Sitter" is the other; seems like "sitter" was the only way another family member could pronounce "sister". Don't you love old family stories and connections?

This is the newest member of the clan, Nicholas, son of Beth and Michael. Nicholas, hopefully never to be known as Nick, is almost a year old and a delight. But then, he would be. He has the Very Nicest parents and two of my favorite people in Dave's family.

Dave and I took a couple of days off and headed to Winston Salem for some Much Needed R&R. Along the way, we saw these two-humped camels next door in Bland County. The landowner moved here from Florida, or so I've been told, and bought or brought camels. They appear to be molting so perhaps he doesn't know the fiber is desired amongst hand spinners.

There are two hummingbird feeders on the front porch and it's one of our daily joys to sit on the front porch, catch up on our day, watch the humming birds and drink a glass of wine. I've found two humming bird nests and brought them to the house where they rest in our sunroom and are a delight. Both nests are made from fiber, some call it horsehair, from our American Curly horses and are tiny, perfect examples of God's creation doing what it does best...glorying God by doing what He intended.
Like the poet Henry James said, "Summer afternoon, summer afternoon. The two most beautiful words in the English language." And I agree even though summer afternoons, and mornings, are filled with work. I awake at, or near, dawn, listen to the birds for a while, think over my day, pray a bit, then roll out of bed. House animals need to be let out, fed and quieted with a treat then I head to the barn to tend to the barn cats and kittens, feed the stallion, check the mineral buckets, eyeball all the sheep and horses, walk the barn lot and, in general, eyeball the immediate area for anything that looks out of place.

Today I headed back to the house and started making lime pickles and will post photos and a recipe later. I've only been home a few days and am playing catch up with my own work, family and farm. Mother had knee surgery and I went to cook, clean and help with the garden. While I was there I did a bit of spring cleaning as well as visited with Mom and Daddy. Both are still very active, Daddy is the Board of Supervisor member for his Amelia district and Mom is on the library board. They instilled in all three of their children a Very Strong Work Ethic and it pains us to "sit and do nothing". Idle hands are the devils' tools so we tend to keep busy. In the summer we have gardens and can, freeze or dry food for the winter; in the winter we quilt, do needlework, knit or keep busy with church work. Daddy takes seriously the Biblical admonition to "help widows and orphans" and gives generously from his garden and orchard produce.

I feel sorry for people who don't have meaningful work in their lives. Meaningful work is a blessing and a gift, both to oneself and to others, keeps one healthy, makes one wealthy and staves off trouble.

Blessings ~ meaningful work ~ family ~ God's creation ~ garden produce ~ rest ~ Summer afternoon, summer afternoon ~

A Likely Yarn

Prior to this month, the nearest yarn shop was located more than one hundred miles from Thistle Cove Farm. All that has changed with the opening of A Likely Yarn in Abingdon, VA. At only fifty miles, it's a real uptick for me and means I can, God willing and the creek don't rise, visit more than once or twice a year.

It's always a delight to catch up with Jane Plaugher who was the featured spinner on opening day. I met Jane several years ago at the first Shenandoah Fiber Festival when Leslie Shelor, Linda Wright and I went away for a fibery weekend.

Janet Woolwine, the owner, is a delightful woman and has built a lovely shop in Zazzy's, a locally owned coffee shop with computers for customer use. The location is great and the atmosphere is conducive to lingering with friends and new friends. I believe there's going to be a knit-in every Tuesday evening and this weekend there's a discount for all eco or green yarns.

She also carries the Omega Shawl pattern by Chris Bylsma; it's a moebius type shawl and goes over the head to wrap around the shoulders. It should be quite the thing to ward off chills yet keep my hands free for tasks. A LYS trip is in the making!
I'm so pleased there's a new yarn shop at a, relatively speaking, close distance to me. A Likely Yarn's website isn't up yet but promises to be wonderful with design work by Blonde Chicken. Speaking of Blonde Chicken, she's spinning up some pretty yarn based on her adventures to the Johnson City, TN Farmers' Market. It's a really cute idea, you should check it out.

Speaking of yarn, I've got some white yarn that needs dyeing but Lord only knows when I'll find time to dye. My mother-in-law will be 95 next week and we're planning a birthday picnic for her on the 28th of June; all my "spare" time is going toward getting the house clean and the farm looking spiffy. Heck, my knitting needles have lain dormant for a while now; tempus fugit and it's all I can do to keep up. Run, rabbit, run!

Blessings ~ a new yarn shop ~ knitting ~ cooler days ~ yarn to dye ~ a clean house ~

Spring in The Cove

In order to get anywhere we have to leave our valley, affectionately and simply called "The Cove" but, officially called "Ward's Cove". The Ward family settled here generations ago, back in the 1700's closely followed by the Bowen's, Dave's mothers' family. They got here in the mid-1700's and staked their claim via a land grant...or so the story goes.

Anyway, the photo above is what we rest our eyes upon when we return from a shopping expedition. That's Thistle Cove Farm in the far distance, the smallest farm in the valley at a little fewer than thirty acres. The next largest farm is a few thousand acres and we're all bordered, on the backside, by a national forest. It's a lovely place to live and I never, never tire of gazing upon God's beauty.

This is one of the ways we can drive home; I love the canopy of trees and the filtered sunlight speckling the roads reminding me of a speckled hen. We often see deer on this road and, sometimes, a sow or her cub. We have bald eagles nesting in our valley, contrary to what the Game and Inland Fisheries Department says. They say no bald eagles nest here but they are wrong and wrong is, quite often, what one is when one relies upon books instead of first hand observation.

Daddy and Robert were gathering honey a few days ago. It was So Hot the bees were gathered on the outside of the hive, using their wings to cool down the inside of the hive. This time of year poplar honey is what the bees are making and it's a rich, dark, sensuous honey that lingers on the tongue. Next month bees will be making linden, aka basswood, honey, an almost clear honey that's as delicate in flavor as a bride's wedding veil.

A lot of bee keepers will use gloves, hat and suit to collect the honey but if a person is calm, quiet and gentle around the bees they will, generally, not sting. A honey bee only has one sting and once that sting has been used, the bee dies. How unlike a wasp or bumblebee...those can sting over and over and over and...UGH!

Anyway, I've grown up around honey bees and their hives and have never been stung while collecting honey. I've never known Daddy nor Robert to wear "protective gear" and they only times they have been stung is when they've done something stupid. Robert put his arm down on the hive and crushed a bee between his arm and the hive; ergo, the bee stung him. It was a clear case of self defense. Steve, my brother, has been keeping bees for decades and is allergic but has never been stung by a willful bee. Bees are gentle creatures, even when someone is robbing their hive of their hard gained honey. A bee will travel more than five miles to collect nectar to bring back to the hive for the worker bees to turn into honey.

This is honey in the comb and once the bees are "smoked" off the honey can be cut out and slathered on home made biscuits...YUMALICIOUS! Oh and if there's home churned butter as well...then you have a little preview of heaven!

Bee keepers use a smoker, into which they place a little paper and a bit of burlap bag. This makes the bee lethargic and calmer, in turn, they fly back to the hive and give up their claims on the honey in hand. It's a humane way to manage bees and bee keepers have done so for generations.

We had a storm yesterday and today and the rain is most welcome even though it's hay cutting season. We need to have our hay cut and had contracted with a neighbor to cut today. Fortunately, the rain came before he could cut so, hopefully, the next few days will be sunny and warm. We're keeping all our hay this year; in year's past we've contracted on halves with other horse owners. Last year's drought meant we had to buy hay out of North Dakota...expensive!...so we're keeping our hay this year. We should, please God, have enough to feed our horses and, perhaps sell a bit as well.

Back to the storm...the winds were horrific and blew over the hammock stand. That stand is heavy, made of steel and the wind blew it over like it weighed nothing.

In the photo below you can see the bird feeder swaying to the left as the wind blows. Even now, hours later, water is pouring from the skies and the thirsty earth is drinking her fill.

Blessings ~ rain ~ honey ~ beauty ~ home made food ~ health ~ a hot shower ~

Happy Sabbath

"May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may wish for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done."

A Franciscan blessing

Blessings ~ Sundays, a day of relaxation & recreation ~ wise words ~ rain for a thirsty Earth ~ our Pastor, a good, decent & honorable man ~ stout hearts

Phoebe

~ Phoebe ~

We have a new family member; her name is Phoebe and she's about eight months old. A number of years ago, Dave made me promise I wouldn't pick up any strays on the road. Which is pretty difficult to promise and almost imposible not to do. I wish people could be horsewhipped in public for dropping animals on the road and I absolutely *hate* cleaning someone else's mess. I've heard it all...I'm giving the animal a second chance. Maybe someone else will give it a home. The animal shelter is too depressing.

Yeah. Right. What it amounts to, people, is you're too sorry to do the right thing by the animal. Take it to the shelter where, yes, it might be killed, put down, destroyed or even, GASP! adopted. But At The Very Least it will die a decent death. It won't be torn to pieces by a pack of wild dogs or coyotes. It won't die, slowly, twisting in agony because it ingested poison. It won't die, slowly, painfully because it was hit by a car and unable to find a morsel of food. It won't die, slowly, in anguish because it got caught in a snare and died, in a few days or weeks, of thirst or starvation.

PEOPLE...DO THE RIGHT THING!

The people who need to read the above are out dropping off dogs; not reading my blog so the rest of you, please forgive the rant.

Phoebe. What a beautiful little girl. She looks a lot like Shaddie, our Ridgeback, but, I don't think, is going to be quite as big. That's a good thing as Shaddie weighs around 110 pounds. Some evil person, perhaps the same one who flung her out on the road, also mistreated her. It took a week of twice daily feedings to gentle her even though her personality said, "I want to be loved, I'm a good dog and want to trust you."

Even when we brought her home, Sunday night, she was cowed and shying away. It took a lot of gentle, slow moving around her; lots of treats, hugs and kisses to bring her around. There's been a small altercation between Poebe and Abigail but that was over a dog bone. Abbie has always been, and will always be, top dog around here and, while she shares, she, sometimes, does so grudingly. Anyway, Abbie snuck around and stole Phoebe's bone and the next thing I knew, the fight was on. Teeth were bared, snarles exchanged but no one used their teeth to bite. Thank God. It was a show of strength and wills and I'm keeping a close eye on both until Phoebe has settled in. That should take a month or so for me to think things are working out.

Yes, I did get out of my sick bed to go with Dave across the mountain. He decided we were going to bring this girl home and wanted me to help. How could I possibly say "no"?

See how much Phoebe resembles Shaddie?

~ Shaddie ~

~ Gracie, foreground; Hattie Cat, background; 91 on lower portion of grill and Boscoe Man on grill lid. This is the grill I use for dyeing my wool and is used as a cat perch the rest of the time. By the way, 91 received her name when I found her, twelve years ago, sitting by the side of Rt. 91. She was a tiny, tiny kitten and was snatched out of a, potentially, deadly situation to come to Thistle Cove Farm.
~ Abigail ~

Blessings - a happy household ~ sunshiney day ~ last night's rain ~ a great life ~ delicious, sweet well water ~ good health, once again ~

Sheep Is Life

There's some sort of epizootics going around and, lucky me, I picked it up. I've been flat on my back and the days have, totally, run together. Today is the first day I've been at the computer in a week, maybe longer, and I'm still weaker than the new kittens playing in the barn loft.

The 12th annual Sheep is Life Celebration is in a few weeks but, alas, I can visit only via i-net. It's one of my dreams to visit this celebration, held at the Greyhills Academy Campus on the Navajo Nation in Tuba City, AZ. It's presented by Diné be’ iiná, Inc., a nonprofit organization and workshops, hands-on demos, vendors, rug auction and sheep and wool show round out the festivities.

Sometimes I think we should have our own sheep is life celebration in the southern Appalachians. Sheep have provided meat and fleece in these old mountains since they were brought over from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England. In days past, sheep gut was used to make condoms and violin strings but was, erroneously, called cat gut. Clinton, neighbor and shearer, has one of the largest sheep flocks in the Commonwealth of VA; probably east of the Mississippi for that matter. He runs about six hundred ewes and lambs in the spring and less than that as he sells to market. He also runs a few goats as there's a large ethnic market for goat meat. Somehow I doubt any of his sheep or goats have names and he looks askance when I say, "oh, that's Sophie you've just finished shearing."

But, differences are what makes us alike and it takes all of us to make the world go 'round. It's only in western, "civilized" countries that we name, tame and keep our animals as pets; in other parts of the world those same animals are knows as "supper". I tell Dave we can't save them all so we save the ones we can.

Did I mention he's gone over the mountan to feed a stray dog? He's been trying to gentle this dog for a week, ever since I've been sick, and feeding it twice a day. Dave thinks she, the dog, would respond to a female voice and as soon as I'm able, I'll ride across the mountain with him. We don't need another dog, our dog girls are in double digit numbers now but Dave says this stray is beautiful and has tugged at his heart. What the hey. We'll do like we do at supper and put another potatoe in the pot. There's always room at the table for a hungry belly.

St. Francis of Assissi would be proud.

Blessings ~ spring ~ well health, coming again soon, hopefully ~ the i-net, keeping us connected ~ good books ~ zinneas ~ animals on the bed, keeping me company as I heal ~

Blackberry Winter

We're home and had a great time on our cruise although fifteen days on a ship, any ship, is worthy of a medal. My hat is off to those Navy boys and girls, men and women...my heartfelt thanks to each and every one. To all of our military and to family members who are serving near and far...thank you!

A cruise is the absolute best way, probably the least expensive way as well, to see so many countries, cities and countrysides in such a short period of time. We went trans-Atlantic then visited the Azores Islands and Lisbon, Portugal; Cadiz, Andalucia, Malaga, Barcelona, Spain; Corsica, France; Civitavecchia, Tarquinia, Livorno, Pisa and Florence, Italy; Villefranche, Nice, Ese, France and Monte Carlo, Monoco. A great trip, wonderful memories and time well spent...just Dave and I. Well, okay. So there were a few thousand other people on the ship but Dave and I took advantage of every opportunity.

I managed to, almost, finish needlepointing a pair of pillow cases. As soon as I've washed, dried and ironed them photos will be posted. I've got a good early start on Christmas gifts.

We came home to Blackberry Winter and low temps, cold rains, high winds. We've all been wearing sweaters and hats and, some days, jackets to ward off the chill. Blackberry Winter is the reverse of Indian Summer. It's that season in spring, after a warm spell, when blackberry vines are blooming, that the temps revert to winter. Frost is a possibility, although we've not had frost this spring, but cold weather, along with high winds and rain can always be counted upon. We awoke to warmer temps today and the sun is shining; animals are lazing around and birds clustered at the feeder. After almost two weeks of cold, wind, rain...life is, suddenly, brighter, more cheerful and full of expectation.

Unfortunately, Blackberry Winter, usually, kills my tulips and other early blooming beauties but that only means summer is closer than it was and soon we'll be thinking about cutting hay.

Life is darn near perfect!

Blessings ~ time with Dave ~ peace on the farm while we were gone ~ Spring ~ Blackberry Winter ~ Summer ~ gardens ~

Sheep Shearing Day April 12, 2008

As much as I hate DST, the days aren't nearly long enough to allow all the work needed to get ready for Sheep Shearing Day. The barn and farm office need to be cleaned out and the barn lot spruced up. Cove Road needs to be trimmed so folks can park alongside the road on either side of the driveway. Older folks and the press may park in the driveway but there's simply not enough room to allow everyone driveway parking. Of course, Clinton, our shearer, drives right up to the barn so he can unload/load his equipment easily.

Clinton is coming around 9 a.m. or after he makes sure his new lambs are on the ground, on their feet. I've got to check with my catcher tomorrow to make sure he's available to catch and hand the sheep off to Clinton.

Clinton has, approximately, 600 lambs on the ground and a few are orphans or too many lambs for the ewe to feed. Some have to be bottle fed, like this little one.

Today was spent cleaning out the farm office where the Cove Community Center will sell refreshments and lunch. All goodies are home cooked and include brownies, "the real deal" pound cake and other things that escape my memory. There may very well be farm fresh eggs for sale as well.

Tomorrow I clean out the barn where the sheep will be placed on Friday and be left until they are sheared Saturday morning. Placing the sheep in the barn overnight ensures the lanolin will rise, making their fleeces easier and more quickly shorn.

This lovely sheep is a Romney and

Shetland cross and the fleece combines the best of both breeds. The fleece is long stapled, perhaps six to seven inches, with a nice, tight crimp and a lovely lustre. All fleeces are, virtually, free of veggie matter and are well skirted.

Lost Arts Guild members will demonstrate and sell traditional Appalachian crafts. Members include:

~Charlie Butcher with his beautiful, hand crafted four-string mountain dulcimers. If you ask politely...he'll even play a tune and, perhaps, his children will play their fiddles.

~Larry Counts makes brooms - sweeping brooms, whisk brooms for both car and clothes and a delightful little "broom" that's used to test cakes. A piece is broken off and inserted into a cake or brownie or whatever...to determine if it's finished baking. Neat idea!

~Bud Thompson will pound out courtn' candles and other goodies on his forge. He tells some great stories as well.

~Mary Martin will help with skirting fleeces and will also demonstrate and sell her lovely hand made baskets.

~Richard Vogel is always a show stopper with his antique wood working tools and he sells the very bench you'll watch him craft.

~Sandra Bennett, that's me, will demonstrate spinning, maybe some dyeing and have some yarn and roving for sell.

Yes, fleeces are sold right off the sheep so all you hand spinners come early to make your selection.

Bring your camera, a good appetite and wear comfortable clothing. It's usually windy and that means a bit of a chill in the air so a sweater or jacket is nice also. Comfortable shoes and service dogs only, please. This is a working farm and my critters tend to freak over "strange to them" dogs.

And, my "double nickel" birthday is Friday but I'll have to celebrate another time. There's simply too much to do in a too short a time frame to add a birthday celebration in the mix. I'm just thankful to God to see another birthday!

Sheep Shearing Day is an opporturnity to share my love of "all things Appalachian" and to celebrate Appalachian heritage and culture. Seems NPR's Fred Eckles is interested in Sheep Shearing Day as well and is scheduled to interview me on Friday, April 11th, for All Things Considered. It's a good time to be an Appalachian American!

Blessings ~ sheep to shear ~ clean barns and farm office ~ Lost Arts Guild members who share the vision ~ a shearer who knows his stuff ~ another beautiful and perfect day at Thistle Cove Farm ~ strength to do the work God has set before me ~

Spring Flowers, Snow & Apple Pies

March came in like a lamb but has behaved like a lion. We've had sunny days of 50 degree weather, snowy days of 25 degree weather and wind chills to bring those temps down to low teens. Last Saturday it snowed, then melted, snowed, then melted all day long. If it had snowed continuously, we would have had five inches of snow. As it was, drifts were more than a foot deep and made for slippery driving on our way home from Bristol.

Dave and I had cabin fever so drove the seventy-five minutes to Bristol where brand new stores are located. Our favorites too! Books a Million, TJ Maxx, Best Buy and several restaurants. We're used to driving to Johnson City, TN, a drive of more than two hours, when we needed to break our cabin fever. Bristol is much, much closer and, almost, just as much fun.

I made two apple and blueberry pies; we ate one and gave the other to Jim Conrad from WCYB TV. It's the Fox affiliate in Bristol and he was here Friday past to do a story on the farm. Jim is a great guy and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves even though the weather had decided to turn back to winter. It was 40'ish, rain/sleet and maybe a bit of snow but animals still have to be fed and chores completed. Jim said he works in all kinds of weather so, for the morning, we made a good team.

Flowers are peeking up from Mother Earth even though Father Time says spring is still a week away. I want to run out and protect the little darlings but they seem to be managing quite well without me. A honey bee has braved March to get an early start on honey making.

Seed catalogues are arriving and I've already bought some sunflower seeds. I want to start them in early April and will use egg cartons that will be transplanted directly into the ground and will decompose as the seeds grow.

Sheep Shearing Day is 12 April. I visited Clinton yesterday to order some sheep minerals and ask him to shear for me. He's knee deep in lambs, I believe the count is upwards of 300 thus far. I'm going today to help him bottle feed the orphans; I've got severe lamb fever.

If you're in the area, make plans to visit us on Sheep Shearing Day. This working day on the farm is open and free to the public. Lost Arts Guilds members will demonstrate and sell traditional Appalachian crafts. We always have a great day; be sure and wear comfortable, warm clothing and footwear. Bring a camera and bag lunch, this is a great family day at Thistle Cove Farm.

Blessings ~ rain ~ snow ~ sunny weather ~ pies ~ spring flowers ~ the hope of spring ~

Bush Hog - Part III

Dealership Guy is here, putting on new choke cable and doing some other things to make the UTV operational, all day, every day. Dealership Guy has always been available to either do things right or make things right. Corporate might learn a few things from Dealership Guy should they ever decide to have a chin wag with him.

Dave tells me I should not have mentioned the Hog showing up dirty. The only reason it was mentioned, being wet had a direct relationship on the choke cable freezing and thus not working. It was one of those things that was just unavoidable but made its presence known when weather was freezing, or below, and the Hog wouldn't start. It certainly wasn't meant as a bad note and I apologize.

There are still a few things to finish but nothing that affects the starting or running of the new Bush Hog UTV. It shows every promise of being the piece of equipment we hoped it to be when we were researching new UTV's and should, hopefully, last us many years. We intend it to be the last UTV we ever purchase for the farm.

Bush Hog Tough - it can now be said with confidence! Thanks, Dealership Guy!

Daddy and Mother taught us to take good care of our equipment, to keep the oil changed, the body washed of dirt, mud and other debris that mean rust, wipe down the soft sides and roof and all those other things that go into care and upkeep. All those things mean long life for equipment.

Today is a beautiful day and most of it will be spent outside. The fence line needs to be checked, debris from the last storm picked up, bird feeders checked, minerals put out for animals and a few other chores. If I have time, I'll drag the alfalfa pasture so the horse manure is dispersed over the field. That acts as fertilizer and helps ensure a better crop of hay this year. We're still low on our water table, I thought we were caught up, but a neighbor tells me we're still very low. My prayer is for at least two cuttings of hay this year, hopefully three. We had to buy hay last year and that, severely, cut into finances.

We also need to pick up a few pieces of electronic equipment, some batterys, a new mouse and the like. That's a job for dusk or later when it's too dark to work outside. It's daylight savings time and I really don't like DST; it takes me a while to adjust and throws my rythm off. I wish ole Ben Franklin could have just left well enough alone. It's fairely obvious a non-farmer/rancher came up with the idea of DST. Most farmers/ranchers tell me they don't care for DST either but I've run into some who love it. I wonder what the difference is...?

Blessings ~ Dealership Guy ~ sunny day ~ good night's sleep ~ an operation...in all weather, day or night, Bush Hog UTV ~ EST...eventually ~

Bush Hog - Reliably Unreliable

On every farm there are pieces of equipment that are useful to the farm operation. For the past four years one such piece of equipment has been a "Workhorse" that is, basically, a "sexy little golf cart" as the farrier put it. Regardless, it was a great tool and made feeding the animals much easier as the Workhorse could carry those 65 and 70 pound bales of hay. Prior to the Workhorse, I was toting those bales of hay to three separate pastures...one for mares and gelding, one for stud and one for sheep. Having a "ride" for the hay made my job lots easier. In the summer, it's much easier to check and fix fence lines with all tools being at hand as opposed to carrying them on several trips.

So. After considerable research, we decided to trade in our Workhorse on a Bush Hog. The Bush Hog has many features the Workhorse doesn't...4-wheel drive, larger bed, independent suspension, higher clearance. We also decided to get soft sides which cut the tremendous winds that assail the farm. This makes a incredible difference during wind chills that are below zero or greater. It gives me a place to escape the wind and allows me to safely, comfortably check my fence lines and assess if more large round hale bales are needed in the outlaying pastures.

We placed our order the Saturday before Christmas, December 22 and then the wait began. Finally, more than nine weeks later, on 26 February, the Bush Hog was delivered to our farm. But, this was only after dozens of phone calls, many “broken promises” ~the P.C. way of saying what my Mama used to call "lies"~ and a Very Long Wait During Freezing Cold Winter Weather. The local dealership was truly embarrassed over the way Bush Hog headquarters treated us. Corporate headquarters kept making excuses, kept making promises; kept saying one thing then doing...Absolutely Nothing. They kept talking about Customer Service - the New Oxymoron of the 21st century. It seems Customer Service...NOT! is the only thing most, all...?, corporations have in common anymore.

The local dealership brought our Hog on Tuesday which was a rainy, cold, freezing day with many, many mud holes, ditch lines filled with water, etc. From the looks of the Hog, not one of those ditch lines or mud holes escaped the honking big truck tires and the Hog was covered in muddy water. Somehow it didn't look so new but seemed rather like the old saying "rode hard and put away wet". It was off loaded, we were given the "here's the light switch, here's the choke, etc." tour and we took it for a drive. Hog Heaven! It was great and the soft sides almost made it too warm with temps in the upper 40's.

Fast forward to Wednesday morning and chore time. I'm up early and excitedly head to the barn, my chores and my new Hog. I pull the choke. Nothing. Nada. Zero. Zilch. I push the choke. Again, nothing, nada, zero, zilch. Sama, sama. Bad words begin floating around the edges of my consciousness. I use my walkie-talkie to call Dave and ask him to call the dealership. He does as I begin hand carrying bales of hay in this 17 degrees F above zero, wind chill below zero spitting rain/sleet/snow weather. Bad word vibes are getting stronger. Dave walkie-talkies me back and says Dealership Guy says, “pull out the choke”. I tell Dave that's been tried and found wanting. Dealership Guy says “sounds like choke is frozen”. I say, "so get down here and fix it, please." He says, “on my way” and ninety minutes later is working on the problem.

~ next entry, please, as this is an almost 2,000 word saga. ~

Blessings ~ strength to carry 65 to 76 pound bales of hay ~ strength to break frozen water in horse and sheep troughs ~ enough clothes to, reasonably, stay warm ~ hot coffee, tea and chocolate ~ no guff from the Dealership Guy ~

Bush Hog - Reliably Unreliable, Part II

Fast forward to...Dealership Guy didn't bring any tools and must return to the shop but will come back this afternoon. My smile feels frozen and I'm not sure if it's because I'm trying to remain calm or because I've been in the cold for close to four hours now. I head to the house to thaw and Dealership Guy heads to his shop; he returns later that afternoon with loads of tools and we determine

*choke is frozen due to being driven through many mud holes resulting in splash on the engine - choke must be partially left out so it can be 'mashed' down to break the ice so it can be pulled out to start the engine. I say, "fine but I'm not willing to do that; Fix The Choke". Okay, schedule a replacement choke.
*vapor lock in the fuel line - too much line means a crimp which needs to be cut off and reattached.
*heater not linked directly to the key so heater must be separately turned on and off or it will drain battery. This is So Not Very Good so please fix.

There are other "issues" but those are the ones that mean the Hog does, or doesn't, operate. If it were a piece of exercise equipment, it would now be laden with clothes and used as additional clothes hanging space.

Dealership Guy is a very nice guy who is doing a great job and is about as frustrated as I. Between the two of us, we manage to get the Hog started and running and Dealership Guy helps me with evening farm chores. I think this is because of two reasons – he’s embarrassed because our Brand New Hog appears to be a lemon and he wants to stay with the Hog until he’s sure it’s working. Eventually, he heads back to the shop and I head to the house, both of us happy which turns out to be shear ignorance of What Lies Ahead.

The next morning, not even twenty-four hours after delivery, I’m in the barn, pushing in on the Hog’s choke which was left open. This works to break the ice and choke can now be pulled out/pushed in and engine turns over and starts. HURRAH! I am SO HAPPY…again, as it turns out, ignorantly happy because I do not know What Lies Ahead. I finish chores and head to the house and call Dealership Guy to say, “Thanks! The Hog worked well this morning…meaning it started…and my chores were accomplished in relatively warmth and ease”. He’s happy, I’m happy and everyone knows when Mama’s happy, everybody is happy. Right?

In the afternoon, I head to the barn, go through my Little Choke Ritual; turn on the key and ratta tat tat tat tat tat .

WHAT THE?????

Dead Battery.

Dealership Guy gets another call. Yep, dead battery and it will be fixed before dark. I manage a smaller hurrah as my enthusiasm is waning.

The week prior to delivery, Dave called Bush Hog Corporate Headquarters in Selma, Alabama and spoke with a “Customer Service Representative” ~and I use the words loosely~ several times. Miss K. promises this, swears that, tells of many trials, tribulations and woes on her part but…Bush Hog Will Make It Right! Miss K. promises to relay messages to Management and, eventually, a VP calls. She and he must have the same script because he, essentially, promises the same… Bush Hog Will Make It Right! Ummm, that was about three weeks ago and we’ve heard nothing since.

Yeah, Yeah. I am So Not Believing This anymore. I’m beginning to doubt my “Buy American” attitude and am thinking if I can understand someone’s accent when they lie, does that make it better or worse than when I can’t understand their accent?

Okay. Less than two weeks of having this Brand New Reliably Unreliable Bush Hog and

*Bush Hog Corporate Vice President still hasn’t called us back
*Bush Hog parts are still “somewhere” in their system but Most Certainly Not On my Bush Hog
*Bush Hog still isn’t starting because choke still freezes in cold weather.

Yeah. You heard me right. Said Bush Hog is setting in the barn with choke frozen solid because I didn’t leave it halfway out yesterday morning. I forgot. So, I suppose that makes it my fault and not Bush Hog’s fault, eh?

So. Bush Hog Corporate Headquarters: If you’re reading this, come get this blasted piece of equipment and FIX IT. I don’t want it until it runs in ALL weather! Bring me a replacement. Heck. Bring back the Workhorse, at least it started No Matter What the Weather. Cold, windy, wet, snowy…the Workhorse started. Yeah. The “sexy little golf cart” started in All Manner of Weather, all day, every day. 365/24/7. The Workhorse Started.

“Bush Hog Tough” my rosy red derriere. Bush Hog Pansy is more like it.

Blessings ~ it's warmed to above freezing so maybe, just maybe the choke has unfrozen ~ we've had much moisture which helps our ground water level ~ the sun is shining ~ dry boots ~ sun glasses

Book Snippets

Tanya Dennis wrote about 'book snippets' on her blog so I decided to play along. It's interesting, you

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages), or whatever book you are currently reading.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

If you're reading this, please, consider yourself tagged. One of my current books is Latitude & the Magnetic Earth by Stephen Pumfrey. It's "The True Story of Queen Elizabeth's Most Distinguished Man of Science" and, a trifle wieldy to plow through, ultimately it's quite interesting.

Here are the three sentences:

"Gilbert did not actually think that two magnets made love, but he was convinced that their motions were governed by principles of mutual harmony.

Magnetism moved the whole Earth in harmony with its fellow planets and made sure that lodestones were in peaceful union with the Earth and with each other. Aquinas' scholastic explanation of magnetic 'attractio' had a dominating agent seizing and altering a 'patient' magnet before dragging it away."

Blessings ~ reading for enjoyment, these days, and not because it's assigned ~ Lions Auction tomorrow ~ rain today ~ more fabric for quilting ~ the start and almost finish of a baby hat for a new member of the community ~ the enjoyment of going to bed...early! ~

Daily Diary

One of my writing groups wanted members to write about their day and that got me to thinking. There's no such thing as a "typical" day here at Thistle Cove Farm and today was no exception. The writer's group wants posts limited to 250 words so that meant a LOT of stuff was left out of my "daily diary".

For example, I spent about forty minutes talking to a farmer wannabe who wants to raise Shetland sheep, chickens...essentially he wants to have a small homestead. He seems a nice guy and doesn't mind getting his hands dirty which is necessary in farming. There's a lot of dirty grunt work in farming but, like Dolly said, if you want to see the rainbow, you have to feel the rain. Or words to that effect.

Truth be told, there's a lot of my day that's eaten up in such small increments when strangers call me, wanting information or help. I try to give them a bit of each but there's only so much of me to go around and every time I stop my work, there's no one to help me. So I get further and further behind but when I don't help, there have been some curse me for being "uncaring, unfriendly, etc.". I told one man I'd be happy to send him my rates and his reply was, "Why should I pay you when I can call my extension agent for free?" I figured it was churlish to point out he did, in fact, call me.

Anyhoo...here's my daily dairy as submitted to my writing group.

The day started around 6:30 a.m. ~
*fed dogs/cats, listened to XM preachers
*fought w/my 94 year old MIL to dress, wash hands
*made ham biscuits, coffee for humans
*barn chores - fed horses, sheep, barn cats, checked water & fence lines
*set out minerals/salt
*got out tractor, went to hay lot, retrieved & set out a round bale for stallion
*came back to house, checked on humans, started yeast bread and soup
*checked e-mail, tended to farm & public relations business
*baked bread, shortbread, finished soup; prepared lunch for humans

Afternoon/Evening ~
*took neighbors some bread, shortbread, soup
*worked in studio - art projects completed, ready to be mailed; used
laptop to write a devotional
*started snowing so checked on horses/sheep
*at house, started supper for humans, dogs & cats; made cookies for Dave
*Abbie, the Jack Russell, got into a skunk fight so bathed her, several times *re-thought my devotional along lines of dog, skunk, sin, washing, etc.
*back to fixing supper then got phone call, acquaintance killed himself
(financial/health problems - please pray for the family)
*fought w/MIL to wash hands for supper; everyone ate...finally.
*called a friend to start a prayer chain, find out in the past few days there
have been six suicides in Tazewell
*put phone on no-ring /if it's that bad, the state police will come to my door - ask me how I know/ took some aspirin and headed to bed
*gave the day to God, it's been too much for me, again

Blessings ~ God, bless His holy name ~ praying friends ~ the strength to do the word He has set before me ~ good food and plenty of it ~ this farm, my animals and Dave...without whom I'd lose some focus ~

One World One Heart Fabric/Textile Postcard

Go Figure.

Blogger will now allow me to post a photo of the textile/fabric postcard I'm sending Teresa. Hope you like it Miss T!

One World One Heart Winners!

And a whopping big Happy Valentine's Day to YOU! Well. All Right. Actually, today is Monday, 18 February but on the rightful V-Day, we had a power outage and everything came to an immediate halt. So, I figure anytime a gift is involved, the timing is just right, eh?

Dave picked the winning numbers and they are...TA DAH!

Teresa, Moon Valley Quilter blog, won my textile/fabric postcard. The following "ingredients" were used: felt, metal snowflakes and stars, felt flowers and bird, rickrack and glass beads. The word "hope", on the bird, is something from scrap book materials and "God Bless You" is cut from vellum.

And...there should be a photo of the textile/fabric postcard...Right Here!
Except. Blogger. Will. NOT. Allow. Said. Photo. To Up/Down. Load.

GRRRRRRRRRRR......

Maybe tomorrow. One can only hope.

Ahem. To continue.

The winner of the bookmark, below, is Diana of Adventuring Through Life. Here at Thistle Cove Farm, I raise Shetland, Romney, Merino and crossbred sheep as well as hypoallergenic American Curly horses. The little sheep on this bookmark are fussy cut from flannel material while metal snowflakes and cross, glass beads, plastic heart, the word "JOY", felt flowers and vintage lace are also used. The farm name, Thistle Cove Farm, is sewn on with metal "thread", using plastic and glass beads.
I'm in process of contacting both women but if Blogger is still true to form, so to speak, that won't happen. For whatever reason, it's still "no go" when I try to leave comments on the blogs of others.

The One World One Heart give-aways have been great fun. Best of all, I've visited so many terrific blogs, saw so much wonderful art and craft work and, in general, had a blast net-visiting all over the world. Even more fun has been spreading a bit of warmth in this all too frosty world and I even won from Pamela and Bannas World, and Lilla. Banna, "the 7 year old boss", made a fabulous box that reminds me of the wonderful times when Dave and I lived on the island of Maui. Banna, you are Very Talented and I'm proud and happy to be "your winner"; thank you very much! We're expecting snow tonight so looking at your box brings much warmth and fun thoughts.

Pamela, at Quilts 'n More, said I won a fabric/textile postcard and she's finishing it now so she can drop it in the post.

Lilla, of Just Lilla, said I won some vintage trim which I'll use in textile and fabric postcards. I've just "stumbled upon" textile and fabric postcards and am making them like someone is buying them. What FUN and what a nice little bit of sunshine and happy thoughts when a friend receives one in the morning mail. I've said it before but it bears saying again, this is an all too frosty world and anytime we can spread a bit of cheer, it makes us all the richer.

Teresa and Diana...I'm trying to send you both a comment to let you know you've won on my blog!

Blessings ~ Lisa of One World One Heart ~ Teresa ~ Diana ~ Banna ~ Lilla ~ Pamela ~ and all the rest of the wonderful participants ~ God Bless Us Everyone! ~

Blogger Woes

YIKES! For several days I've been having trouble traversing Blogland. IOW, I simply cannot get to other sites to join in the One World - One Heart agenda. People are coming to my blog by droves but I can't go to theirs. I try to send a message and everything crashes.

Woe, oh woe.

One World - One Heart

Another great idea is Lisa's ONE World-ONE Heart giveaway event to bring world wide bloggers together. Last year the event had almost one hundred participants, every one a winner.

In order to participate you have to give something away, preferably handmade but can be store bought. One World One Heart says the minimum is one gift but you may give more, your choice. In Lisa's words:

"To be a participant in the event all you have to do is offer up something to giveaway. It can be handmade, which is encouraged but not mandatory. You can offer up more than one item so there is more than one winner if you like. The giveaway item(s) are entirely up to you. Once you have determined what your giveaway will be you will must post pictures of whatever it is in a post on your blog. You will then come to this blog and in the comments leave the link to THAT post! NOW THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT leave a link just to your blog....it must be to the actual giveaway post. This enables those going blog to blog to get to it immediately without having to scroll to find it. Also DO NOT leave a link UNTIL that post is up and ready. You need not comment to say "I will be participating" ahead of time. As the giveaway posts are ready and you then leave the link to it here I will add it to the list of participants that will be on the sidebar. You can check as often as you like so you can be sure and visit those on the list throughout the event. ...

THIS YEAR the giveaway date will be Valentines Day - February 14th. On February 1st or as close to that as possible you should post your giveaway. This will give two weeks for people to get to your blog and enter their name. You should end the chance to enter by the evening of the 13th.........there are time differences to consider so keep that in mind. Winners should be announced on your blog on the 14th(or as close to that as possible). I will try to go from blog to blog to see who has announced their winner(s) and will change the color of that blog on the participant list to indicate that. This way when you check the sidebar you will know who has done so. ..."

There are more instructions so please visit Lisa's blog for more information. I'm giving away two gifts - a fabric postcard and bookmark, both handmade with photos posted by tomorrow, Saturday, 2 February.

Lisa, what a grand way to spread a bit of cheer and warmth in this all too frosty world! Kudos to you and many thanks for your great heart!

January has come and gone and about the only thing I've managed to accomplish is taking care of my mother in law. She's moved in with us and at 94+ years old needs total, complete 24/7 care. Even when she's asleep, I sleep fitfully in case she falls out of bed...again. I'm behind on everything - my art and craft work, my paid jobs, my farm work, my life both physically, mental and spiritual. Virtually Everything. But, enough whining, in order to catch up I must start.

I'm taking part in Sharon's Take It Further Challenge and the key concept for January was "the feeling of admiration for another". Although I'm very late in posting, a lot of thought and prep has gone into this project and I determined there were simply too many people...most especially, too many women, to narrow it down to one. So, my art project includes many women in my life, both known personally and those whom I admire from a distance.

With each and every woman, what is to be admired most is they are women after God's own heart. To a one, each is a lover of God and beloved by God who has kept them tenderly close to His heart. Their lives reflect God's love, their acceptance of Christ, His Son and, most importantly, their long and faithful walk of Christian principles.

My work includes both fiber and paper with many emblishments. Centered on the work is an appropriate quote and each woman's name is placed around the quote, throughout the work. I've used some of the colors suggested in the challenge and have included others that have personal meaning; in the next few days, a photo of the piece will be posted on this blog. In the meantime, here's Sharon's information regarding her challenge.

"The key concept for January is a feeling we have all had, the feeling of admiration for another. Ask yourself who do you look up to and admire? Why? What is it you admire about them? This is a the first Take it Further challenge in 2008. Take the idea, develop it into a resolved design during that month and apply it to fiber or paper.As I explained on the Take it Further Challenge page every month there will be two options.

The second option this month is a colour scheme. This means that if you don’t like the concept you can work the colour scheme or if you don’t like the colour scheme you can work with the concept. Or you can work with both.The colour scheme for this month is below. I came up with it by using ColourLovers . If you have not seen this site before and love colour do check it out as there is lots of fun to be had over there."

Blessings ~ the many Christian women God has placed in my path ~ MIL's good physical health ~ the i-net and the delightful folks I've met ~ color ~ the strength to do the work set before me ~ success is getting up...one more time than I fell down ~

Happy 90th Birthday!

Aunt Esther celebrates her 90th birthday this month and she's looking great! Walks without a cane or walker, still drives, still cooks a fabulous meal, goes to church three times a week and Eastern Star twice a month.

The woman is a dynamo and, most importantly, a woman after God's own heart.

Happy Birthday Aunt Esther; may you live to see many more!

Blessings ~ Godly women and men ~ birthdays ~ snow ~ electricity ~ sun shine ~ Aunt Esther

Blog Contest

You've got until 11 January 08 to vote for your favorite blog. Visit
http://2008.bloggies.com/ . There are a LOT of categories!

Happy New Year 2008!

May the worst of 2008 be from the Best of 2007!


Some thoughts to start the new year in a contemplative mind set ~

For our lives

"An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered;an adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered." ~ G. K. Chesterton

"Truth is always exciting. Speak it, then; life is dull without it." ~ Pearl S. Buck

For our world

"As nightfall does not come all at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged.
And, it is in such twilight that we all must be aware of change in the air,
however slight, lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness." ~ Justice William O. Douglas, U.S. Supreme Court (1939-75)

For our spirit

"Our plans miscarry because they have no aim.When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind." ~ Seneca

"Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen." ~ Hildegaard of Bingen

"Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tunes without the words And never stops - at all"~ Emily Dickinson


"I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do."~ Helen Keller

"There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm." ~ Willa Cather


"Love is not blind...it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less." ~ Rabbi Julius Gordon

"All things shall be well You shall see for yourself that All manner of things shall be well
For as the body is clad in the cloth, And the flesh in the skin, And the bones in the flesh And the heart in the trunk So are soul, and body, clad and enclosed in the goodness of God
As truly as God is our Father, so truly is God our mother And he revealed that in everything and especially in these sweet words where he says, "I am the power and goodness of fatherhood, I am the wisdom and lovingness of motherhood. I am the light and grace which is all blessed love."
I looked at the hazel nut with the eye of my understanding and thought, what can this be? I was amazed that it could last for I thought that because of its littleness it would suddenly have fallen into nothing. And I was answered in my understanding. It lasts and always will, because God loves it, and thus everything has being through the love of God.
You will not be overcome.God did not say you will not be troubled, You will not be belaboured, You will not be disquieted; But God said, You will not be overcome.
What, do you wish to know your Lord’s meaning in this thing? Know it well, love was his meaning. Who reveals it to you? Love What did he reveal to you? Love Why does he reveal it to you? For Love Remain in this. And you will know more of the same." ~ Julian of Norwich


"You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it." ~ Margaret Thatcher

"I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not
dumb -- and I'm also not blonde." ~ -Dolly Parton


"Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission." ~
Eleanor Roosevelt

"All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken: The crown-less again shall be king." ~ J.R.R. Tolkein


"Whom God loves, He loves to the end. And not just to
their own end and to their death, but to His end, and His end is that
He might love them still." ~ John Milton

Print this last one and post it where you can read it Every Single Day.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own Light shine, we
unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." ~ Nelson Mandela


Blessings - a new year with new beginnings where the old is past and we embrace the new, looking forward covered with the Grace, Mercy and Peace of God through Jesus Christ His Son.