Harvest

How did a month go by!?! I feel like this year has been a blur. We have finally contracted to have some much needed work done to the house. Our new master bath and laundry will start next week (fingers crossed) and we'll get a new roof and gutters this fall. It is such a relief to have these things scheduled. There are so many good things that have happened because of our move - a big vegetable garden, lots of animals, driving country roads, enjoying the sites and sounds outside my windows, and small town living in general. Still, the move has been a big adjustment. Little by little it is getting better - feeling more like home. A couple weeks after we moved I remember thinking - geez, every step I take is new. I'm a creature of habit and this really took it's toll on me. Those first weeks were spent unpacking and working outside. It was frustrating to me that little was happening inside. I know I just needed to be patient but that was easier said than done. It was during this time that my daughter told me Parks and Rec was looking for teachers and suggested I teach a quilt class. I thought about it briefly and said I didn't have the time. A few days later I visited Appalachian Piecework in town. I'd been wanting to stop by to meet the proprietor, Laurie, who is mother to a friend of my daughter's. What a shop! It is full of antique and vintage textiles and fiber creations by Laurie and other artists. While Laurie and I were chatting I mentioned teaching a quilt class and she offered to have the class in her shop. We started planning and before I knew it we were in the Parks and Recs fall brochure! I decided to offer the class on English Paper Piecing. I soon realized I really didn't have a finished EPP quilt! Well - this won't be a finished quilt but it will be close to a finished top. I'm looking forward to the class and hope someone signs up! It was good for me to get my mind off my new surroundings and all the demands I felt because of them. Quilting is such good therapy!

I made the star last winter - was it really that long ago! and pulled it out for a quick (really?) hexie border.

I've been snapping photos for over a week now. Here is a little of what's happening in our farm garden...

Galeux d'Eysines squash - a French heirloom - it gets a wonderful warty surface as it matures. I just read the name means "embroidered with warts".

Ruby Red Chard 

The Silver Appleyards have gotten very big. They are almost adults so we now know we have two males (drakes) and four females.

My daughter putting in the fall garden.

The barn garden - see those sunflowers in the background - they are easily 10 feet tall.

An okra blossom. I tried okra for the first time - very good just sautéed in a bit of pork fat.

The ducks love to forage under this big oak tree in the pasture and Duke is trying to find the groundhog.

This is the spring house. My understanding is that the water we don't use comes out here and goes into the spring that runs through our property.

Harvest - plus a crock of fermenting cabbage. Had a little of the kraut for lunch. It was so tasty. Very easy to do and it is so good for you.

Freda the momma cat. I'm afraid she is pregnant again. We are learning about cats the hard way...

Duke and the kittens are getting to know each other. Duke is realizing he can't take them in his mouth or momma cat gets pretty fierce. The kittens don't like it much either. The calico goes to her new owner later this week. We are keeping the grey and white and still looking for someone to take the tortoiseshell.

Little Smokey Roo - can't really explain how he got that name - has been seen rubbing up against Dukes legs. Duke received a lot of praise for quietly letting this happen.

Some jewelweed by the spring

I started making some curtains this afternoon. It was a beautiful day so I opened the two windows and got a nice breeze. I wasn't happy with the sheers in the stores so I ordered a linen cotton blend from fabric.com to make my own. I'm loving my new Oliso pro iron. I'll need it if I make window treatments for all 27 windows. Yikes!

Hope it isn't so long between posts in the future. Thanks for stopping by!