Monthly Archives: October 2017

2017
10/31

Category:
farming
Knitting
Life
quilts

COMMENTS:
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End of October projects

It has been a good month, a very good month.

I finished the end of October projects by getting these socks done and

embroidering these guest towels with cute little Hatched in Africa ladybugs.   They were a free download several years ago and I needed something quick and easy to gift.

I did get 19 of the 28 items done that I had on a list for the month plus much more work outside that wasn’t on the list.   So I’m a happy person.    The items that didn’t get finished will go onto the next month’s list.  I finished a quilt and some embroidery that was gifted.  I took care of paper messes and finished some wall hangings and I took a short vacation – all in one month.

Today was beautiful and I spent it using muscles that I didn’t even know existed.   But hay is coming this week and I needed to have areas cleaned for it.  Hopefully I will finish that tomorrow.   What is left, I need help doing.

 

2017
10/30

Category:
farming
food
Garden
Life

COMMENTS:
1 Comment »

Autumn, are you tired of sheep?

Autumn:  These lovely ears of corn are turning into these kernels.   I had thought they might be popcorn, but they are not.   So they will be ground as needed in recipes.   Aren’t they pretty?

 

We woke up to piles and piles of dead leaves.  They are so crunchy as we walk through them.

Are you tired of sheep yet?   I hope not.

He’s beautiful!   In fact, they both are, but here is why they are called rams.

They quit fighting each other just long enough to do some barn damage.  They were inside this stall, and the girls were outside.   What is the fastest way to get to the girls?   Right through the wall!  Ram! Ram! Ram! and he almost made it.    I called the neighbor who has an electric cattle prod which did get their attention.   They are now across the driveway from the ewes and still contending to see who is the dominant ram.  The prod only gives them a bit of shock to get their attention and to keep the person behind it safe.   If it really hurt them, they wouldn’t need it several times in the space of a few minutes.

Here come the mellow ladies for dinner.   We only had two get stuck in the electronet today.   I’m hoping tomorrow to get the power back up, so they will stay away from it.

  I’m not tired of sheep talk yet and I hope you aren’t either.    Oh, there is another beautiful thing about sheep.  They keep me going fast enough, that I don’t have time to get older, which is another wonderful reason to love them?

2017
10/29

Category:
farming
Life
quilts
sheep

COMMENTS:
1 Comment »

Moving sheep and playing with a design

Today we moved sheep.   A bucket of grain seems to encourage most of the ewes to follow me, which makes life easier.  They will all be together in a smaller pasture for the winter, since we have to feed hay.  That allows the pastures to rest and grow as well.  These two boys lost their harems as all the ewes are now together.   So these two are reunited and deciding who is top ram.

This is John, who grabs a ram by the horns and leads here where we want them to be.   He is showing me the new pitchfork he picked up while out getting other items we needed for construction.

I have been following a BlogSpot “object of design” where she has been playing around with different designs.   This one looked like fun, so I played with it this afternoon.   But before I make it  up in other than scraps of fabric pasted to pieces of paper, it needs more work.

2017
10/27

Category:
farming
Life

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Life is improving

Life is improving here as help was available today.   The tree is cut and the fence is back up and hot.  No one can run away now.

Unless you’re a chicken and want to pay possum and make others think you’ve runaway.

 We’ve come to the end of a hectic week on this farm.   It is time to rest in the awesomeness of our God and the beauty He has given us.  It is also a time to thank Him for the trials of the week and the blessings He has given us.  Shabbat Shalom  May each of you see your special blessings.

2017
10/26

Category:
farming
Life

COMMENTS:
2 Comments »

Dog and pony show; omg

It seems like a dog and pony show around here.   Today, the dogs realized the fence isn’t hot because of the tree across it.   In addition to that, it has pulled the fence down and the gate has a big gap in it.   I had company when they learned this.   I didn’t know where Beau was, but I had to catch Lacey or she would have gone out with the company and met up with Beau and it would have been a very long trip for the two of them.   I did catch Lacey and brought her into the house.   Then I started the car and Beau was close enough to hear the engine.   He likes going, so when I got to the bottom of our hill, he was waiting to come in through the gate.   Big relief!.   So I put these two dogs in “doggie jail” which is 8′ x 20′.    Then I gave each a bone.   A big fight ensued.  But these dog fights are more noise than any thing else.  I just have to stay out of the way while they are deciding who is in charge.   When that settled down, I gave them dinner, which started the whole thing all over again.    That done, I went off to feed and water all the other animals that call this place home.   The two little goats decided they would like to see the inside of the house and did their best to get in.  We nipped that one in the bud.  But they did get in about 2 feet before they were turned around.   Then while I was feeding the others, Daisy decided it was time to chase chickens, which is a big NO and she knows that, but it is also fun and she is a 5 month old puppy.   I finished all that, and put the two young ewes and the two goats in a horse stall for the night so they wouldn’t get into trouble until tomorrow.  After that we blocked the gate so no one can get through.  Then because Daisy was being a puppy, we let her trade places with Lacey.   So tonight Lacey is guarding the pastures by herself, with backup barking if needed from Daisy and Beau in jail.

Everyone was fed and I need a halter for Daisy, so I went to Explorer, typed in Amazon and clicked the first one that came on.   It was a virus, then I was able to contact the Geeksquad, who frequently saves me from such disasters.  (Believe me this has been very inexpensive insurance)  Now who would have thought that clicking the first Amazon entry would do that?   Computer is all repaired now and I’m ready to drop

Oh, what did I accomplish today?   I changed the light bulb on the stairway and went to the butchers and bought dog bones.   I made some meals and did some dishes.   But perhaps I should have sold tickets to my “dog and pony sheep show.  Bored?  Not a chance!  I am thankful I can sit back and laugh at all this.

And so I don’t forget, here is my OMG = One monthly goal with Elm Street Quilts.   I am happy to sign up for their challenge to get one thing done.   It gives me the extra push I need.  This month isn’t over yet, and I am so hoping to get another 2-3 things checked off the list I made early this month.

2017
10/25

Category:
farming

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Welcoming continued plus vet visit

 

 The welcoming continued today with the wind and rain blowing the top off this feeding station.   Those 4 x 8 sheets of plywood were rain soaked and heavy to put back up.  But we want to keep the rain dry, so hopefully they will stay there until we get time for something more permanent.

I then went to add hay to the hay feeder while DH filled the water troughs.   His “sheep down” caught my attention quickly and all else was dropped until she was cared for.  I brought the wheelbarrow over and we tipped it so I could get her in it. (too heavy to carry)   Then he put his weight on the handle and stood it up.   I wheeled her into the mini barn and penned her up with a little friend.   As soon as she was in the pen, she stood up and was eager to have grain.   But she was injured, so we called the vet for a visit.

He shaved her down and found that the skin had been pulled off, but the flesh was unharmed, so some fly spray, an antibiotic and she can go out with the others in a couple days. He thought this actually happened 4-5 days ago.   And a certain new little puppy will be fitted for a harness and we will tether a bouncy ball to her to give her something to play with other than sheep.   No boredom on this farm.

2017
10/24

Category:
farming
Life

COMMENTS:
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Welcomed home

Today I did the animal chores since we are now home again.   See what welcomed me home.

These trees have taken down this fence and shorted out two sides of the hot wire.   I contracted to have these trees taken down and the brush cleared to be done by the end of September at the latest.  And this is the reason I detest not being able to do things myself.

But on a happy note, so much rain fell during the time we were gone, that the pond has started filling again.   The ducks and geese will be so happy.

2017
10/23

Category:
food
Knitting
Life

COMMENTS:
2 Comments »

Home again!

We are home again! and I won’t bore you with tons of photos, but maybe just a couple will be okay.

We missed her mother in this photo as she was in the kitchen serving more food.  I think daughter, Jen, took this photo.

 There was so much food everywhere.   Her family (direct from Armenia) was delighted to meet us and fixed us a dinner feast.  Then the next night they put on this marvelous engagement party.   They prepared an incredible amount of various foods, as celebrating with food is extremely important.   And of course we had to try Armenia food (which was delicious) as well as American food prepared just for us.

Yes, I dropped those two stitches, but decided just to leave them until tomorrow when I was better rested.  Sometimes doing something when tired just makes a bigger mess.  But I wanted to show you that I really did some knitting on my travels.   And when rested, this will be an easy fix.

2017
10/20

Category:
Knitting
Life

COMMENTS:
2 Comments »

Vacation time

Leaving Seattle and some rain for

for somewhat sunnier skies in California, where we are veggin out.

or maybe not completely.   They came back from Costco and said “make this all fit in the refrigerator”   It is food for tomorrow night’s engagement party.

I have started a pair of socks.   I brought enough yarn to make two pair, but it seems I haven’t been knitting a lot.

2017
10/17

Category:
Life

COMMENTS:
1 Comment »

Sunbonnet Sue #2 done!

Sunbonnet Sue #2 is all bound and really to go greet a little girl who will enjoy the snuggles.

The floors are now swept and mopped and I am ready to tackle the laundry.