Mock Croc socks – a Knit Picks pattern by Susan Lawrence, has been started. Actually, they were cast on two weeks ago. But life has been very busy around here and I haven’t worked on them much – just a row here and there. No, they will not be done by the end of the month. There are just too many projects calling my name. I chose this pattern because it looks like both the pattern and the changing colors will work well together and it won’t be another plain pattern which does get boring.
In addition to two rows today, there was a doctor’s appointment and then filling the car again for a run to the dump. We thought they closed at 5, in fact it is 4.30. We were the last car in and I am so glad that stinky stuff doesn’t have to sit in the car until Sunday. The “car” is an older station wagon that we keep as a “farm wagon”. The poor thing hauls very thing from animals, to animal feed, to garbage and still maintains a good attitude. When ” old faithful” finally gives up, it will have earned a celebration of life. After that run, it will take the recycling to the recycle place.
Have a blessed Sabbath and safe weekend.
Tomatoes are having a bit of confusion this year. It often freezes around October 15, but look at all those new sprouts – they are volunteer tomatoes. Of course, eventually, we will get a freeze and they will all go down, but what a strange time to be sprouting.
This is the kale we planted last spring. It has been giving all summer and still going strong. We have planted new kale, but I’ll show that after it has been thinned out some. I’ve not kept up with the garden or much of anything lately like I would have liked to. But we did get all the hazardous waste – paint, chemicals, etc. in the trunk of one car to get it to the proper place on Sunday. We filled the trunk, so will be using the other car until it is emptied and aired out.
These are the “new lambs on the block”. These brown ones, Zoe and Zola, were born April 14 and have just arrived. It’s fun to watch how quickly they realize they are in with other lambs and warm right up to each other and still they are closer to their siblings when they come together.
Here is another photo of all 5 of the ewe lambs so far. 3 more are expected next week. Then we’ll sit tight for the winter and let them grow up. The brother to the little black one on the left is in another pen with a ewe. Just can’t take a chance.
This little house with a detached garage on 4 acres with it’s own well and septic tank,
this 36 x 48 horse barn,
and this hoop house are what have been taking so much of my time lately. The property adjoins ours. The owners were not in good enough health to keep things up, therefore there is a lot of work to be done as you can easily see. After a lot of negotiating and biting our tongues, we signed the papers today and will take possession either on Monday or Tuesday, when the sale is recorded by the county. We have a potential tenant (I have had to check out as well as one can), who with his wife is excited about doing the yard work and painting. They will only rent the house, not the land, barn, or hoop house. The barn and land are for the sheep. The plan is to put the garden that is currently on the steep hill, between the barn which is on the lower side of the trees and the hoop house. It is much flatter and will be so much easier to garden. So there are more garden boxes going in this winter. And probably less quilting as well.
Another hour of sewing and bit by bit, the quilt is progressing.
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Ram, Ram! Do you know why a male sheep is called a “ram”. The above photo should give you a good idea. One would think their heads are made of steel. If the shepherd is not very careful, the ram could see him/her as competition and injure or even kill the shepherd. Astro and his girls have been moved to a different pasture without buildings and with lots of hot wire. They will have to sleep under the cedars either until he is out of rut or until I sell him, depending on my patience.
More ram? Yes, the quilting machine must have had communication with the above ram. It practiced ramming on this fabric. There must have been a tiny spot where the foot was able to get under the fabric at an intersection.
I am fortunate. I took the piece and the quilting out to this point. These are small pieces and it took me awhile to get the quilting out and will take time to put a new piece in by hand. Since I don’t want to move it, it is something I will do to save this quilt. Some people have quilting machines rip their fabric at places not as easily repaired. This type of thing makes me want to roll my eyes, when someone says “but don’t you quilt by computer?”. Yes, I do, but I still am right there. This could have been much more major if I hadn’t been. A computer driven machine just means there is more work involved because first it has to be programmed and then watched to make sure it behaves.
Goal #1: The hoop house is nearly weeded (one more aisle to go) and lettuce has been planted for the next round. Most of the spent plants are out. It looks almost bare. But the big sweet potato plants are trying to make up for all that
Goal #2. Then we tackled the job of moving sheep into different groups so the girls would get bred with the guys we chose. Fortunately the ram Shetland sheep have horns which help us to be able to grab them. So my helper made a door in the fence and a divider between the two sides of the night area, and we separated Zillow and put him in with Juliette (a Quessant sheep) and her daughters. The new Shetland sheep coming will go in with them. Then new ram, Stormy, will go into the area where Zillow was. Oh happy day, no one will be breeding his relatives. There are still the three Cormos which DH would like me to sell. I will put that on my must do list. Such a toss up caused by breeding time!
Then moving on, I found a sew along project to share with you. It is a bear patch quilt in 4 different sizes from SEW FRESH QUILTS. I’ll be making mine in the crib size which is 47 x 47″. The page (click the red word) is for the introduction and fabric selection. The bear paws are half square triangles which means they will be easy. Yes, I will be making it – just a matter of when I can get started.
Goal #3: The next quilt is now mounted and waiting for me to quilt.
Your turn: I have a question for you. I started the blog to encourage myself to get more done. I find now that I’d really like to be more help and encouragement to you? Would you like to be able to make a list of what you plan to accomplish this week/month? Would you like more information on how I do something – anything related to homesteading would be in this list? Or do we need an exercise encouragement or weight or what? I really need your imput into this to be able to have a better blog and not waste your time. Maybe I can find out how to make a poll. Does anyone of you readers know how to do that? Have a good day and we’ll meet again soon.
Today I want to share with you a new pattern that found it’s way into my mailbox. It is fairly easy and you might want to make it for Christmas. And while here, enjoy looking around her sight. You’ll find the complete pattern by Debbie Kratovil: http://debbykratovilquilts.blogspot.com/2016/09/christmas-in-september-free-pattern.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DebbyKratovilQuilts+%28Debby+Kratovil+Quilts%29
I’m making it in colors and animals for fall. If you do choose to make this quilt, make a note that “c” on the pieced block should be 6.5″ as it is incorrect on the pattern.
Also just a reminder to mark the sewing lines on the light fabric to make the half square triangles.
Here is the photo I promised yesterday – of Juliette and her two lambs who are slightly bigger at 4 months than mom.
The sourdough bread turned out so good, that I made another batch today. Today’s dough was even better than yesterday’s so I’m anxious to see how that turns out. I have to wait because this rises 8-24 hrs in the refrigerator and is than baked.
Oh, and this is exciting to me. This is the first red pepper that I got to before the slugs.
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After breakfast and feeding the sourdough culture, the gym was first on our list today. On our way home, we received a call to come look over some house papers.
Then it was time to make our first sourdough bread as the culture was ready. As I was finished kneading it, the hay arrived along with Juliette (sheep) and her 2 lambs. Photos will be tomorrow, because when I get busy, I forget the camera.
Lunch was a stir fry as the rice was cooked and the refrigerator is full of vegetables.
Dessert was thawed strawberries over zucchini bread. We often eat seasonally.
Then it was off to the bank and the grocery store. I needed olives to make olive bread. As we were leaving, we received another phone call about more papers, only these had to read to be signed. So we picked those up on the way out, went to the bank, where the machine ate some of our deposit,(bank official is taking care of that), then off to the grocery store for olives. Above is the bread, which the directions tell me to rise overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature in the morning before baking.
We signed the papers and returned them on the way home. Now the title search should be set in motion. I love these full days, but I feel like I’m watching life whiz by.
and this 8 x 8 deck is nearly done. Just half of a board on the right and the steps put back in place. Then it can be stained. Tomorrow, I go shopping for the other items we need. But wait! That’s not enough excitement for one day.
This is our new little ram who now has 2 girl friends
And these two girls are in with a previously purchased ram. Aren’t they beautiful? Tomorrow, I will show you the 3 ewe lambs that also came, as I didn’t get a photo before sundown. Nor did I take a photo of a truck some one graciously left here for a week, so we can dispose of what isn’t needed.
The Dreamweaver is finished as is August. Yeah! I have an August finish.