Winter/Spring, Winter/Spring - make up your Mind!

Cones of Fun!




Who doesn't love chocolate?






Hello Kitty!





The weather has been crazy this Spring, I guess its just struggling with getting started like I do in the mornings. I am happy to sit back and look at a mostly completed vege garden. And of course we are enjoying the first pickings of greens and radishes and are looking forward to the broccoli in about a week.

So last week we had our first Open House. It ended up being sort of sprinkly and rainy but a few people came and relaxed, played badminton and croquet and had some goodies. The next one is scheduled for June 5, and I hope the weather is a little better. I only took a couple of pics of the food but next time I'll get more pics of people. Rebecca and Frank came and Karen, Karen and Nicole,Stephen and the kids. Meatball and Cameo were very agreeable to the pony rides for the kids too and a good time was had by all.




Two of the cutest kids in the world on two of the cutest ponies ever!



The preparations are almost complete for the baby chickens to move out the coop. We are going to put the baby house in the run and use it for a few more days and gradually get them used to the new area. Glen worked most of the day yesterday on the coop/run to make it nice and secure and clean for the girls. They are so big now, it amazes me how fast they grow. I'm not sure I am ready for them to "leave the nest" but it is best for them. They need room to play and be chickens!

I haven't done much sewing lately, although I did make a wallet. It's very cute, in fact I might make a few more for gifts. I made a cape/jacket for the Spring and saw the same thing on one of the Royal Wedding guests (only in much nicer fabric I'm sure). Now I feel like I need to make some more, I have a pretty fabric for fall that I'm saving for this and I think I will line it too.



Cool cape jacket





Everyone needs a new wallet




Today is Mother's day and I am looking forward to seeing the kids and making homemade pizza. Oh, bring on the Chianti :) I remember my Mom's last Mother's day. She was in the hospital and Jonathan and Stephanie got all dressed up in their concert clothes and off we went. The gave her a private violin concert and it was perfect. Other patients, visitors and staff wandered down the hall to see what was going on so really they brightened the day of a lot of people. I know she enjoyed it and hope they know how much it meant to her.

What have we been up to?

What have we been up too? So hard to believe it's already June14. Well, once the snow storms were over we began looking forward to spring and the garden. During March we got the garden started with potatoes and then in April we panted the other earlies which this year included peas. The early peas we ate off the plant as we worked, they were so sweet - just like candy.

potato plants

Work on the garden continues through the spring into summer with plantings, weeding, harvesting and of course the best part is eating the wonderful fresh food. I don't think I've ever had broccoli that tasted this great. With only 9 plants it has gone quickly but little shoots keep coming so for now we still get our fix. I have planted a late crop of broccoli, seeds this time so we may have many more plants. The greens are still holding on as well, all but the spinach. We will replant all the greens for a fall crop and enjoy this as long as they hold up into the fall.


Our dastardly groundhog is back, with at least one baby this year. We have buried wire fence about 2 feet out from the fence to deter digging and are applying a natural product all around to keep them away. So far they are winning the squash wars but Glen and I are determined to outwit them.

On a happier note, we have our blue birds back in the nest box. Mom and Pop are busy feeding a noisy bunch of babies. So sweet to hear them when it is feeding time.

Dad, waiting for us to leave so he can feed the babies

Nathan and Madison are doing great, they are both growing and changing so much I can hardly keep up. Nathan is finishing Kindergarten and next year on to first grade. Madison is no more baby, just a little child full of energy and fun. She is talking and is very good at making her wants known to all.

Two very big kids!

I've been sewing as much as possible.

Working on a dress for Stephanie:

Made a summer top for me:

Mad about Plaid

And an outfit for Maddy for next summer:

We had brunch for friends and family early in the month and everyone seemed to have a great time even though the weather did not cooperate. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed visiting with everyone. (will add pics later, can't seem to upload them right now.)

Well, that's about it and hopefully now I will update more regularly.

Is it summer yet?

Snow, snow


New dresses for Maddy






That's the question Nathan keeps asking? Well it will be summer one day, I'm sure of it. Until then we just work with what we've got. I made two summer dresses for Madison, just wanted to use some bright fabric. Still working on a dress for Pam and now have one lined up for Stephanie. Yes Glen, one day I will make the seat cover for the truck. The last month has just been annoying to say the least, and if we are lucky maybe the next snow will head north to New England where it belongs!

The animals are really fed up with the snow. We let the ponies out last weekend and Cameo got to the top of the field and didn't want to come back down through the 3 foot snow drift. Stephanie had to go up and lead her down and Cameo stepped on her and knocked her down because she wanted to follow in her steps exactly. Everyone was okay and of course the ponies have been in since then. If we get a little more melt today, I hope they can go out later this afternoon. The chickens and cats don't care for the snow either, but worse for Harla is the mud. She will walk on the snow to avoid mud. Anything to keep her white paws clean.

We've had damage to the chicken run again and will have to totally rebuild it this spring. I think that's the worst real damage, everything looks sort of bedraggled but I think it will come back okay once the snow melts and the mud dries up some.

Nathan has school to keep him busy this week, sort of a change of pace since they've been off so much. I have Maddy to keep me entertained, she has started using the dog/cat water to wet her hair and refresh her curls! Guess I'd better keep my eye on her she's really starting to get into things.

Next week is a new month and I'm sure everything will look brighter.

Merry Christmas

Well finally some quiet time - its 5:30 Sunday am and I'm thinking about the wonderful Christmas we had this year. I love to sit in the dark with just the tree lights on and relax. Of course with the addition of the Wii there was less sitting, but then that's the whole point of the Wii isn't it?

Now that the gifts are exchanged, I can post some pics of one gift I made this year. They are counter mats, handy for putting all those still wet pieces of plastic on when they come out of the dishwasher or big pots if you wash them by hand. I can't take credit for the design, just having the good sense to make them. I think I have sort of an addiction to them, I have more in mind to make. They are a nice project to whip up in between more challenging things.

The roof on the chicken run is a little higher, we raised it more on Christmas eve, but of course since then it has been raining so today we will get out there and work on it some more.

Maddison's first sewing project

Today Madison decided that she needed a new bib. We found fabric - a quilted cotton flannel - and she decided to add a red and white kitty cat applique. We also decided to stitch her name in red and edged the whole thing with the serger. She loved the machines and wanted to sit on my lap while I sewed. At one point she put her little foot on the sewing machine pedal.

Wow, it looks like I may have a real sewing buddy. Look out Nicole, fabric's not cheap :)

Where does all the time go?

It's been so long since my last post but things move so fast around here. So just sort of summary for each of the missing months will have to do with pics of course.

Nathan started school in September. Boy he made the transition very smoothly, we are all so proud of him. Madison and I settled into a new routine which meant different nap and lunch schedule and I'm happy to report, I do fine with just one nap! After school we come back out here until Nicole gets home from work.

I worked on some more sewing projects and also started a swimming exercise class - love that.

Blouse and vest I made for myself.



Hat I made for Stephanie








Nathan and Madison playing in the leaves.






November brought a lot of new things for Madison. Besides turning 1, she started coloring this month and walking on her own all over the place. She started out looking like Frankenstein but now bends her knees as she goes along and is pretty good at not tripping over things.





We didn't have a fall party this October because we got together with the other neighbors and put in an asphalt driveway. In the long run we'll be happy we did it, but a party would have been nice. Our project for the house this fall is a dirt pony paddock built off of Meatball's stall. We need to have a place to let the ponies out where there is no grass for the Spring and Fall.

We had a nice Thanksgiving and of course ate too much. All in all this has been a big month.

Now that I'm caught up, I will do better about posting more often!

Stuff

Deer Raider



Madison's New Outfit


Glen and Nathan's new Jammies



Well, I haven't posted sewing projects for a while and I do have some new things. Of course Madison has a new outfit, Glen & Nathan have new jammie pants, I have some yoga pants and there is a dress I'm working on that's not quite finished.

The vege garden is bigger every day and this morning I picked two ripe cherry tomatoes! That was a complete surprise and I will enjoy eating them. I also picked some banana peppers to throw in a salad for dinner. We have a deer who has become a new visitor to the place. At first I thought she was only eating the tree leaves, but now I've noticed some munched bean leaves. We will have to work on the problem this weekend, maybe a second row of fencing along that side. Next year we will have a better plan. The dogs barely bark when the deer comes so there is really nothing to scare her away so we will have to be creative.

On the chicken front, it seems one of the hens has gone broody. This would be perfect if she was sitting on eggs to hatch but that is not the case. There are was to fix this problem so I guess we will work on that this weekend too. My biggest worry is that she won't even get up to eat or drink. This is our first "chicken" problem since we got them so I'm not complaining!

How does your garden grow?

Peony that I must have planted last year but don't remember




Cabbages, Onions and Potatoes




Apron for Nicole



Wow, can't believe it's been so long since I posted last. We've been busy this month, had a quick trip to Pittsburgh to visit Richard and Trish. We joined them at Trish's son's wedding and really had a great time. We also got to met and spend some time with her Dad and Brother since they were staying in the same hotel. The time went by too fast but it was a great visit.

I've been doing a lot of sewing in addition to working in the garden and general weeding. We picked lettuce today and radishes so had a great salad for lunch with hard boiled eggs from the girls. This is first year we've grown potatoes and the plants are looking good. They are ready to flower so in about 2 - 3 weeks we could pull some new potatoes. (yum) We've gotten the second garden just about ready to plant and by Monday everything should be in. I need to buy new basil plants (again) because the cold snap just about did them in but the rest of the herbs look okay.

We also bought the plants for a new flower bed up near the grape vines - more to come on that later.

Madison's outfit

I just finished a summer outfit for Madison. I forgot how little the pieces were for baby clothes but the plus side is that the seams are shorter! She tried on the hat yesterday and it fits perfectly. I need to make a tie for the had and I think it should secure with velcro. Now I need to finish my top then on to another project. I think I still have skirt to fix for Stephanie so that should be next.

The garden is calling me, and after 3 days of wind maybe I can get out there this afternoon.