A Bit of Farm Life

  the barn early Sunday morning

our two Katahdin lambs

The lambs have been tasked with eating the grass in our pasture so we don't have to pay to get it cut. A tall order for two little lambs. We'd like to get a donkey to help them out. First we need a truck to move the donkey. Our list of things to do is long with this having to happen before that...

We also have six Silver Appleyard ducks. They are growing at a very rapid pace. They are seven weeks old now.

Here is a pic when they were about two weeks old -

We just started letting the dogs near them without strict supervision. So far, so good.

My DH, DD and self have been working very hard since we moved almost two months ago - my, how time flies! DH has been especially busy - keeping up with his job (he works from home) and doing so many of the things that need to be done on the farm. DD and I help but so much of the heavy lifting is left for him. Here he is using a broad fork to get the bamboo out of the flower bed. Seems we are destined to remove bamboo (which is highly invasive in Virginia) and old wallpaper from every house we move in to!

DD didn't let any grass grow under her feet - she planted not just one but two vegetable gardens. Didn't get a good photo. We've been enjoying lettuce and radishes and a few baby turnips. We are looking forward to tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, lots of herbs, melons, various squashes, parsnips, and I'm sure there is more I'm forgetting to mention.

The house needs a lot of work and one of the things we need to do is move the washer and dryer since the dryer doesn't vent properly in it's current location. Hence, clothes on the line.

This is just a small section of the pasture. I love this big, old oak tree casting shade.

Staunton has some great used book and antique stores. I found this cute 285K one afternoon when I was out and about. I later read poor reviews on it so we'll see how I like it once it gets a new belt and a tune-up. I got this table for my featherweight at the Quilters Unlimited Quilt Show earlier this month. It was worth the 2 1/2 hour drive back to northern Virginia to see the show. When I saw the vendor who carries these tables I remembered promising myself last year that I would get one if I ever had room for it. Now I have room.

A few more pics-

We've been adopted by the neighborhood cat. I paid her scant attention until she wouldn't leave me alone one day. She was ready to give birth to kittens and she insisted I be with her for support! It was pretty awesome. In addition to the grey and white and calico is the tortoiseshell hiding behind the grey and white. The neighbor wants the grey and white and we are still figuring out what to do with the other two. We may keep them. The momma is also a tortoiseshell and a very good mouser.

I'm still figuring out how to set up my sewing room. I feel a bit out of sync because of this. I think my problem is dealing with builtins in the closet that aren't working for me. They may need to come out. I recently did a little stitching on the featherweight - making low volume half square triangles. And I did a little hand piecing of hexagons out by the barn the other day while the ducks went swimming. I plan to get back to normal and make stitching part of every day. I'm always happier when I do.

Thanks for reading and putting up with my long absence.