Lovely

Love the way this yarn came out.  Mohair plied with Bluefaced Leicester wool and angora.  What a fabulous combination.  I got this done at the Hamilton 4th of July event yesterday.  I think one reason why I enjoy the market so much, despite all the hard work it takes to set up and take down, is that it gives me a couple of hours to sit and spin.  People stop and stare, but that's okay.  It reminds me how rare and unique it is to spin your own fibers...and, in my case, they really are my own fibers, from my own sheep and goats, and that is VERY special and wonderful.

Dawn's Early Light

Woke up at 4:44 with the first rays of light peeking through my window.  I love the early morning hours.  I don't like the feeling that I get around 2 PM when my body says you better lie down because you've been up way too long.  That's when the lovely cup of coffee comes in.  I covered up the Little Man who had kicked off his blanket and snuggled with the doggies a little before venturing outside.  The mist was swirling on the hill with sheep slipping in and out.  Love that scene.  Couldn't help but notice how fat and healthy they looked.  I have some old girls who are a withering a bit, the way old ladies do, but most look good.  Came back inside to press the magic button.  Think I will sew a little.  There is two months before the shows begin, and one might think that is plenty of time but not for me.  With a mountain of wool and mohair to pick, wash, dye, dry and get out to the carder, along with soap to make and bags to sew, two months is no time at all.  That's okay, I like to keep busy.  Still looking for someone to cut and bale my hay on shares.  Was hoping Stan would come back this year, but he hasn't called me back.  Have a couple of leads to check out.  The weather is simply glorious.  I'm going to get the beautiful yarn I plied in Hamilton yesterday off the wheel and wash it.  Another lovely skein for my basket.  I don't care if it ever sells, I just love the way it looks.  I think I will sew a bit before the kidlets wake up.  Hannah is doing well in her celebrity trailer.  She's much more happy and relaxed this year, and is not sequestered away with her teen/angst novels.  I can't get over how tall and beautiful she is.   We're looking forward to the Parkinson cousins coming to visit this weekend, along with the celebrity Auntie Mia.  I want to camp up at the pond, listen to coyotes singing and bullfrogs telling us to get the heck out of there.  It's high summer and I love it.

Fun on the Fourth

My plan to spend the 4th of July on the Hamilton town square worked very nicely. The weather cooperated and we had a great day.  Hannah and Luke thoroughly enjoyed the festival.  I stayed in the booth and gave Luke my camera to take pictures of the parade.  Many of my vendor friends were there and lots of tourists, too.  Shelley Crouch came to pick up her bag and she loved it.  She's the graduate student who called up and asked for a bag "just like the one her mother bought two years ago."  That was funny because I make my bags out of remnants and can never make very many of one kind of fabric.  Hannah shopped for jewelry and Luke stood in a very long line to get a Blooming Onion.  Speaking of food...the electric service was overwhelmed by the giant food trucks sucking juice.  It was not long before the two big trucks, and one across from me, had fired up their generators.  The roar was deafening in my little booth and I could hardly communicate with customers.  I will definitely ask for a different spot for the next 4th of July.  

New Tote

After a brief hiatus where most of my time was happily spent on critters and kidlets I'm sewing again.  With fall shows coming up and the Hamilton Farmer's Market in full swing I really need to run my machine.  I whipped up this bag last night with some fabric I recently found online.  You always take a chance buying online but once in a while I get some fabulous stuff.  I'm really enjoying sewing on this bright and beautiful tapestry chenille.  I had some heart buttons in my button box, ready to sew on.   I cut this bag a bit smaller to make my roll of fabric last longer, and to please the people who don't necessarily have a ton of stuff to carry around (like me).

What's on the Wheel

I'm spinning some lovely mohair right now.  It was a surprise run as I forgot I left it with the carder at Md. Sheep and Wool last year and was delighted when I got it back this spring.  I totally forgot how I got this lovely celery color, then examined it in the sunlight.  It's sky blue with chartreuse, slightly dissipated after washing.  I might never be able to duplicate it, making this run all the more special.  Kimmie Cornerstone and Carol Crayonbox both grabbed some to play with.  I was plying it with another pink/green run of BFL and angora, but think I will make one skein of two ply mohair for a scarf for myself.  I'm on a spinning jag right now.  Not getting much else done but I'll have lots of lovely hand spun to add to my basket. 

Helpers

Loving the kidlets being here.  Luke and Hannah are very helpful with everything from carrying in packages to helping with chores.  Luke is having a great time chopping down thistles and burdock with the machete.  Hannah is in charge of dragging the hose around and watering everybody.  Every night Luke and I go on an "eggpedition" where we find the hiding places of all the day's free range eggs.  We make "kitty stew" with the eggs, canned cat food and lots of dry dog kibble in two big buckets on a sheet of plywood in the barn.  Then we give it out.  There are several places that need attention including the chicken room, the maternity pen which currently houses five goat moms and their babies, the hay mow kitties, dairy goats in the between room, and three guard dog locations outside.  It takes a lot of foot power to cover all these stations, with grain for some, hay for some and water for everyone.  Then the ducks come along and muddy all the water they can get to.  Most of the sheep and goat water is hanging up high for that reason.  Many hands make light work.  Hannah and Luke know that between 6 and 7 they will hear the words "Time for Chores!"  So good to hear the pitter patter of little feet coming to work with me and, best of all, keep me company in the barn.

Fashion Plate

Hannah turned heads in Hamilton with her cute outfit when she worked the Farmer's Market with me on Saturday.  She loves the market and always finds cute earrings and other trinkets, like Candace Cain's dangling feather hair ornaments.  We always stop at the Hamilton Whole Foods after the market to buy a banana-soy milkshake made by our friend Gary.   Gary is raising kale and other veggies for barter with me and other people.  I bought some very pricey organic coconut oil to make popcorn with but really can't tell the difference.   I love the feeling of the store, with Susann Farrington's pottery, liberal magazines and tables to sit down and read them.

Mild and Beautiful

What a lovely day - cool with gentle breezes.  Shame to be inside at all.  Will get Luke and do some barn work early while it's cool.  It's wonderful to have him to help me.  He loves digging, scraping and toting poop and hay.  Too good to be true!  Took Sadie in for spay this morning.  Tanner is done and Reba is next.  It costs a fortune but is worth every penny.  If I lived ten miles away over the Oneida County line I would get my cats done free with a legacy left by two wealthy ladies.  If I won the lottery I would fund a neuter/spay clinic myself.  In the meantime I'll do what I can.  The farmer's market was a lot of fun on Saturday.  It was a bit slow, with so many vendors and summer events going on everywhere, but I enjoy seeing my weekly market acquaintances and getting some serious spinning done.  A lovely family, two pastors from Boston, the Henrich-Sydnors, and their three little ones, came to the farm to visit us before they journeyed home yesterday.  I sometimes forget what a paradise this farm is to people who live in the city.   I've been on a continuous spinning jag lately, maybe because it can be done sitting down while watching TV at night, shoulder to shoulder with Hannah and Luke.  Kids and critters have prevented much sewing from getting done but that's okay.  I'll get it back.  We are going to Hamilton for the 4th.  I'll set up my booth and the kids will watch the parade.  I keep hearing about local people having big shindigs with their families.  Many people around here have huge extended families with too many parties to try and get to,  but with just us I need to find a place for us to celebrate.  The parade will be perfect, with food vendors, music and a few crafty people.  Fingers crossed for good weather.

Hannah's Bag

We finished Hannah's bag today.  What fun it was to sew with my granddaughter.  My Oma would send me boxes of beautiful hand sewn dresses.  I still remember strings around the packages and black crayon writing on the paper grocery bags turned wrapping.  We never sewed together, and that's something I really want to share with my daughter and granddaughter.  Hannah was very patient, especially with the lining because, as my Southern mother from Georgia taught me, it has to look as pretty on the inside as the outside.

Buckets

Woke up to thunderous rain on the metal barn roof.  It passed, then another cloud burst.  Couldn't tell what time it was.  Luke needs complete silence and darkness to get to sleep.   We both sleep on big sofas on the living room, staying up as long as we can stay awake, reading, watching TV, sewing, playing with doggies and kitties, etc.  We are so "on vacation."   Last night I said Luke let's go night-night.  He turned off the head light he was using to read his book and proceeded to turn everything off, I mean everything.  I was proud to see he is so "green" about using energy.  Trouble is, I like to go to sleep with the news on, or Jay Leno, or the Weather Channel, etc.  Silence gets my mind racing and no Sandman.  So I wait for Luke to go to sleep, then sneakily put the TV back on, very low.  I woke up to see the little man standing up and marching over to the TV to turn it OFF!  He's so adorable.  On deck for today...finish a Bundaflicka tote that a nice graduate student has been waiting for, work on Hannah's bag, tidy up the house, tend to critters and take a dip in the POND.  Monkey is still asking me where her baby is, poor thing.  With five dancing goat kids in the maternity ward, and one running around the field, I'm happy with what I've got.  

Sorry Monkey

As Hannah, Luke and I started chores I noticed something protruding from Monkey's female end.  It looked like a birth bubble, but deflated and not quite right.  I asked the kids to hold her horns and head for me so I could examine her.  I hated to do it but knew if something was wrong in there I better go in and deal with it.  I prepped up and went in to find a small dead fetus, already partially expelled.  The rest did not come easily but finally the whole little body was out of her.  Poor Monkey, she kept asking me where her baby was.  I don't think there is another one in there.  I gave her a cracked corn treat and flake of hay, and let her go out in the field where she could nibble on thistles and get her mind off her baby.  I still have John-John, Monkey's handsome blue-eyed son out of my gorgeous Tommy Boy.  I think Monkey is retired.  Luke is completely recovered from the experience.  Hannah was really feeling sorry for Monkey and said later "I keep thinking about Monkey and what she must be feeling."  So sweet...

Making Stuff

Hannah started sewing her quilted bag pieces together today.  I taught her everything I know about locking seams, which way to point the pins, putting the next piece under the presser foot to avoid wasting thread, how to make the seam to seam pocket panels and sew them to the lining, and the cell phone pocket.  It was so much fun teaching Hannah all this.  After two or three hours of tedious work I could tell she was waning.  I asked if she would like to finish the bag tomorrow and she said yes.  Luke was working along side us with soap wrapping.  What a great worker he is.  If a square of cotton was not quite right he had me trim it. Luke kept up until the Lavender was wrapped and I told him to take it easy.  We'll do more tomorrow.  I'm getting ready for the market on Saturday.  Warmer weather today, with little breeze.  Should be a lovely weekend.

Kids and Kidlets

The goat babies are absolutely adorable.  Wish I had more black kids but still waiting on Monkey.  Got her in the maternity pen, which she is not happy about, but I want her to drop her kid(s) where I can intervene if necessary.   We are cutting fresh thistles for the mommies, who crunch down happily on the thorns that cause humans to shriek in pain.  Don't know how they keep from puncturing their gums.  Red mohair dyes beautifully so I don't mind it a bit.  I'm planning on doing a black wool/black mohair run without color in it for the natural enthusiasts and myself.  Still hoping to knit a Gansey on of these days, and weave some rugs.  Many black fleeces in bags and boxes to go through and pick.  Luke is happy to help with anything I ask him to do, but he prefers to dig and tote.  Fine with me.  I got him in a bubble bath in the big old bath tub last night.  He is sparkly clean.  It's been too cool to swim in the pond but warmer temps are on the way.  The dogs chewed through the last screen in the living room while we were out yesterday.  Woe is me.  It's going to be a little buggy around here.   Matt is off on another happy trip to Buffalo.  A community college out there is building a weatherization training house funded by the last remaining ARA funds and he is supervising the construction.  All those contractors at odds with each other and him far away in Syracuse makes for tense times.  I have a bag to make for a very patient customer, and tons of lovely fabric to fashion into something functional and beautiful.  We are hoping for a visit from the Kingston Parkinsons and Auntie Mia very soon. 

Summer Fun

It feels just right to be home with the kids on the farm.  I get up just as early but don't have to rush out of here - sheer bliss.  I love having Hannah and Luke here.  It somehow feels like I've gone back to the time I had AJ and Mia home again.  We are keeping busy with trips to town yesterday to get badminton rackets.  We put them to good use right away, with the lovely cool temps and breeze last night.  Luke flies his remote control helicopter in the cavernous hay mow and helps me with chores without being asked.  Fantastic!  Hannah wants to sew and I'm thrilled.  She is living in the House of Fabrics, and with two machines in working order right now we are good to go.  Luke wants to wrap soap for me.  How could I be so lucky?  They are both looking forward to the market tomorrow.  I suspect we will be ready for the pond after a day in the sun in Hamilton. 

The Fam

So wonderful to see Eric's family again.   So good to be together.  They love the farm.   After their two year stay in the Dallas Palace, in Flower Mound,Texas, the farm was quite a different and relaxing country holiday.  The kids were happy to be back on Omi's farm again.

Travelling Doggies

Eric and Annie's entourage included three doggies, Booker, Perdita, and Dizzy, who was recently homeless on Craig's List in Texas.   Eric pulled his trailer full of manly toys in Annie's Land Cruiser, while Annie followed in their old but classy Mercedes, stuffed full of things they'll need while staying at a Boy Scout camp near Portland.  Eric bought that Mercedes on Ebay after it was listed by an Iranian restauranteur in Hollywood.   That owner had the car fitted to take vegetable oil as fuel.  Luckily, Eric is a motorhead and can work on this beauty himself.

Farm Visit

Eric and family stopped for the night on their way to the new BSA assignment in Portland, Maine.  After three days of driving from Texas they pulled in around dinner time yesterday.  I was thrilled to see everyone and vice versa.  Eric is driving Annie's Toyota Land Cruiser pulling a trailer full of his "toys" while Annie drove the 1980's Mercedes, purchased from an Iranian restauranteur in Hollywood, Ca.  Hannah and Luke were thrilled to meet the new angora goat kids.  After a spaghetti dinner we set about doing chores.  It was great to have help in the barn.  Our evening plans were to build a campfire, roast marshmallows, chat and catch up on the two years that I haven't seen my son.  It's been a year since I've been with my grand kids.  Way too long.  Rain clouds were rolling in as Luke built the fire but we ignored them.  Finally a down pour chased us inside.  Luke really wanted to watch Forrest Gump together, which we did, snuggling on the sofas with the doggies.  Annie and Eric bedded down in Hannah's Celebrity Trailer which I had all tricked up with candles and little white lights.  They got a good night's rest before I filled their bellies with Swedish pancakes and French Roast this morning.  Mom and Dad went on to set up temporary residence at a Boy Scout camp while the purchase of their lovely Cape Cod home in Gorham, Maine, is completed.  I have Hannah and Luke to myself for a few weeks, after which I will drive them to their new home.  So nice to have their good company and help on the farm.  We have a lot of time to catch up on.

Gorgeous

I'm happily rushing around trying to make some sense out of this place before Eric, Annie, Hannah and Luke arrive tomorrow.  I don't know why I'm even trying to make sense as it is impossible to make any sense out of this place.  I thought when I bought a 20,000 square foot barn that I would have enough room for all my "stuff" but even stuff requires storage facilities like walls, cabinets, etc.  Fortunately my family knows what my life is like here on the farm and they love me anyway.  My son is taking his family from one beautiful home in Dallas to another near Portland, Maine, where he will head up the Pine Tree Council of the Boy Scouts of America.  While the paperwork is going through they will stay at a local Boy Scout camp to save money.  Even tiny little Mom and Pop motels in southern Maine charge a hundred dollars a day in the summer.  Hannah and Luke will stay with Omi until the moving is done and the family is settled in the new house. I haven't seen my grandchildren in a year and I am very excited.  Hannah's Celebrity Trailer is all cleaned and ready for her, complete with little white Italian restaurant lights and candles.  The "guest" room has long ago been taken over by fabric and fiber.   Monkey has not given birth yet, lucky for me as I can concentrate on filling boxes and hiding them in various places.  The temperature is a lovely 70 - 80 F. with beautiful sunshine.  Hope it stays this way for our camp fires and sitting by the pond.  The sunsets have been so lovely the last few nights, with hummingbirds buzzing around our heads and fireflies flitting about like little fairies.   Better get to work.

Kidlets on the Way

I've waited all year to see them again and now they are on the way!  Eric, Annie and the kidlets are driving from Dallas, Texas, to their new home in Gorham, Maine, and will stop for one night on the way there.  With the end of school just yesterday, and me who always has every excuse in creation not to clean (animals and heat are my two favorites) the place is a mess.  There are piles of clean laundry, wool that needs to be picked and sorted (the dogs love to help with that) little balls of yarn, scraps of fabric, dishes, mail I chose to ignore, and the blankets and pillows I use to sleep on the sofa.  Funny, my mother gave up her bed in favor of the sofa in her later years.  I guess sleeping on the sofa makes me feel like I'm on vacation.  There are boxes of teacher-crap I had to clean out of TWO classrooms the last couple of days.  My truck has two sewing machines in it, and so much junk.  Good thing I have a tractor shed to stash this stuff.  It's unbelievable what a teacher can accumulate in just a year, and I had two rooms to do it in.  With summer school coming in, and administration having no idea what they are going to do with me next term, I had to take everything home. Oy.  Anyway...I gave up the market today to clean the house.  I love the market and will miss my market friends, and my meager earnings, but I also know that absence makes the heart grow fonder.  People often say are you going to be here all summer? so they don't buy that bar of soap or hank of yarn thinking it will always be there.  Today it's not there, so maybe they will grab it next week.  I'm glad I can check on Monkey, who is hanging against the wall in a spot of the barn where I rarely see her.  Maybe it is her time.  I'm so excited about seeing Hannah and Luke.  Luke wants to make a tire swing and the hay mow is a good place to do it.   Now how to get up thirty feet and connect a rope to the ceiling beam, and what kind of rope, and where do I find used tires?  These and many pressing questions will be swirling around my mind as I try to make some sense out of this place.  "Try" is the operative word here...

Sadie and Izzy

Sadie is a very happy puppy on the farm.  No chance of her going to live in New Jersey, and Mia is fine with that.   She is busy with her new exciting career as a surgical Nurse Practitioner and can't have a little puppy to worry about.   Besides, Sadie is a purebred farm hound dog and is happiest when she is roaming around digging up all things gnarly and disgusting.   Sadie has the happiest personality of any dog I've ever known, and she's even gotten old Izzy to loosen up and play with her.  Izzy usually remains aloof from any other-dog activities, refraining from any involvement in their silly activities.  He likes to go about his business around the farm, peeking down holes and eating various forms of dung.  He waits for his favorite time of day, when I get under the covers and Izzy crawls in along side me.  Woe to any dog that tries to come close.  Izzy will jump on top of me, all four paws firmly planted on my person, and snarl at the interloper.  Sadie waits until Izzy is very drowsy and crawls in on the other side.  Smart dog.  Last night Sadie had Izzy rolling around on the sofa, playing like a puppy, having so much fun.  I didn't know Izzy still had it in him.