I am feeling hemmed in by the weeds which have grown as tall as the flowers, so today, the weed whacker and I spent some time together. But it is so overwhelming and really very difficult to find help.
Hunter Star cut
Using my Accuquilt GO cutter, I have cut out enough pieces (1088) to make a 72″ square Hunter’s Star quilt. Since my computer is getting more and more cranky, here is their website photo. The fabrics I’m using are in darker green and a cream.
Updates
I should have made clear that this is for those residing in the UK. If you are in the United States, please disregard.
updates
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Yarn, more yarn, and patterns
Today was the day to gather the yarn from various places, sort and make a written inventory. I don’t have nearly as much as many of my friends, but it seemed to be hiding in various places. Then I gathered the sock instructions that I get free of the internet – which were also hither and yon and they are now in 2 notebooks.
I also took the time to go through the skeins and set them so they start at the same color place on the sock. It would make it so much easier if the manufacturer did that, but I think they just cut when they come to a certain number of meters. So now my sock yarn is in balls and ready to use. That should help me to get started on a new project faster. Somehow knowing that I have to rewind it and make the pattern matches really slows me down. I even found one skein that was skeined reverse. I had to lay out many yards out to find the repeat before I figured that out.
And while doing this, I found another pound of the pretty burgundy that I was spinning, so I can spin more of that now.
This is one of the smallest lambs and one of the most difficult to catch. She makes up for size in her zippy movements. Today was her third day of halter training. The first day, she was a bucking bronco, yesterday, not too bad. Today, she managed to slip out of it and get away. Somedays, it is hard for me to win these battles.
Halter training
She may be small enough to pick up and carry – she is only 2 months old. But halter training is not her thing and she packs a lot of strength already. She rears up like a horse, then slams to the ground, working very hard to get away from this thing that controls her. The halter is not her favorite thing. I know that if she doesn’t learn it now, she will be an out of control adult. Her life and my life will be much easier once the rules are learned.
Impossible girl socks
The “Impossible Girl” socks (Pattern by Madeline Gannon) were knit out of the Madelinetosh BFL (Blue faced Leicester) sock yarn. I did not realize until I finished that they are 100% wool without nylon. They may be a bit less sturdy, so I will use them for special instead of everyday. I really enjoyed working with this wool and like the depth of color. And next time I may reinforce the toe and heel with nylon – or maybe not. It is sock yarn and may wear very well.
Stack and Flip quilt finished
The Stack and flip quilt designed by Missouri quilts is finished. I used a most of a 2.5″ roll. It languished for over a month while spring chores took my time.
It measures 57 x 74″ which is a good nap size. Since I wanted it to feel nice and airy, I used these clouds to give it that feel. 
The backing has some pretty flowers which also make it a happy quilt.
Farm life is busy
ese
DH went to the gym alone this morning. Beau wanted to go for a car ride, but settled for a good brushing and a treat
When we were through, this office waste basket was full of discarded dog fur and he was happy with his treat of string cheese. And I bet he feels a lot better in this warm weather.
Even mini farm life is busy, and especially so with this beautiful weather we have had. There is always so much to do. And the dogs don’t get brushed often. There are the lambs that need to be halter trained and the stalls that each need cleaning at least twice a week if I want to keep the work doable for me. There is the fencing, and the weeds, thistles, nettles and most of all, we need a garden, blueberries, grapes, raspberries, and an herb garden in addition to the hoop house we have. This year we are moving the garden that has been on the hillside up to a flat area, so that means creating new beds. There are hanging baskets to water and flower bed weeding to do.
These are all extras in addition to the normal feeding and household duties. I have accepted that I cannot do it all without help.
So today, I hired two young men to layout the new garden beds and plant somewhere around 300 potato starts and one hundred onion bulbs. It feels so good to have them in the ground now. Sometime in the next the two weeks, we will plant corn, green beans, and squashes in the rest of this area. They will return to help with the nettle, thistles and weeds on the fence line
While they were doing the new garden area, I was able to get the tomatoes tied up as well as weeding in the hoop house. It should have been done 2-3 weeks ago, but it is done, and now, I need to keep up with it. Already the kale is getting out of control. I picked the parsley and it is time again to pick the peapods and once again, I managed to plant more lettuce than we can eat. But neighbors, chickens, and sheep are always willing to help.
These are called Egyptian walking onions. The little white bulb lets on the end bend down and plant themselves into the soil, thus reseeding themselves over and over. They are a hot onion, so I use them in cooking.
Impossible girl progress
The “Impossible girl” sock progress is slow but steady. The instep is now done and I am on the home run to the toe.
I started to lay out the beds for the potatoes and onions today, when I realized I didn’t have the twine I needed. I went to the hardware store and they directed me to the feed store. At the feed store, I found an employee who told me they don’t keep it out on the floor, only in the back room, until someone asks for it. How do they sell it that way?
So having purchased it, I made my way back home, where I found the sheep migrating (with help) over to the neighbor’s house. They wanted the back yard mowed down. Then the pasture seed arrived and we had a good visit with the people who delivered it.
