Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas!


I couldn't let the day go by without wishing you all a merry Christmas.

To make it a little merrier, here's a link to a recipe for homemade kahlua.  Thanks to Lisa at Lil'fish studios for sharing this link last summer. I've been making kahlua ever since.  I do worry about the people in the liquor store think when I keep buying quarts of 151 proof Everclear. :-)

And my Lady Slipper is in full bloom, it opened up completely on Dec. 21, the winter solstice.  A sign of good things to come this year!

Sunday, December 02, 2012

Trying to Keep up with it all

Sorry to have been so negligent about posting on the blog again.
So much has happened since I last posted:
* The one year anniversary of Stan's passing on October 17th (thanks to all who remembered me)
* Removal of the big willow that was damaged in the June thunderstorm (thanks Alex, Doob and Mike for cutting it down)

* My neighbor's church group, from Trio Community Church, installed new windows in my house on October 27th (Those people were amazing! Not only did they put in the new windows, they raked the yard, cleaned out my barn and fixed the chain link fences that were damaged in that June storm.)


*  Sold some of my favorite Shetland ewes to a new shepherdess, including good old Hattie (thanks for giving them all a good home Alissa!)
*  Put the Finn ram in with the girls and noticed that the burdizzoed ram lambs are just as horny as he is, oh-oh;
*  Taught a nunofelt scarf class at Creative Souls in Anoka (thanks Dawn!),
*  Wrote a grant application and spent Thanksgiving with the family.

This is not to mention flat tires on the truck, hay procurement, vehicle maintenance and a dramatic fall one morning which sent the sheep running for cover. It's amazing how many things go through your mind as you watch the scenery change from the wall to the roof of the pole building -- including the fact that floor is dirt and covered with hay.  :-) That incident reminds me carry my cell phone when I do chores.

I am trying to hold it all together but I really need to do more felting. There are so many ideas in my head that need to come out in felt!  Lord knows I have plenty of fiber. Last week I boxed up 54 pounds of fiber to be sent out for processing into yarn, combed top and roving.


Oh and I hired a chimney cleaner so I can have fires in the wood stove again. Love that!
The ducks are laying like crazy, anyone need duck eggs for baking?  I've got 'em!
My three beautiful ducks (two Saxony and one Blue Swedish) lay an egg daily.  My four pullets from the May hatch have just started laying.  The older hens are laying off and on too. So happy to have chicken eggs again.  I just can't eat duck eggs straight. I use them for baking mostly.  I love duck egg shells for decorating too.  If only I had time to do more wax-resist egg decorating!

Okay, it's time for me to hop in the shower and then feed the critters.  Another day of Census work is calling and I want to do it while the weather is nice.

Leaving you with a photo of my Lady Slipper Orchid which is going to bloom soon. Notice the window changes in these photos.
I love my new windows!  My dad and my neighbor Tim finished up the inside trim this past week. So nice! Now I need to get some curtains and shades put up.

Getting ready for Christmas Markets!

  I'll be doing two Christmas markets this year. The first one is at Sapsucker Farms in Brook Park, MN Nov. 18-19th. And the second one ...