a Hail and Snow Day (wtf?) ...

Sitting quietly working on the checkbook, all of a sudden there is a racket beyond compare from outside! This is an old trailer house with tiny roof vents and a metal roof, can you imagine? The dog just wasn't happy about this at all ...


I glance out a window and I do a double take, yup, um ... hail ? ?




Not very big hail, but a LOT of hail, coming down in bucketfulls. I grab my camera, take a few pictures, go in to download them ... I was watching the chickens run, hiking their bloomers up and hauling butt for the coop ... I only saw 3 of them, but it was funny!!! I didn't realize they could get a super long stride ...


Here is a shot of the Chicken House - all that white is HAIL!!!


It got real quiet - Lo and behold - SNOW! Am I right, this is May 10, 2010, isn't it ? ? ?
The snow is falling pretty fast, meaning it is a wet snow ... heavy. I still can't believe it is snowing ... This has been the craziest winter and spring I have seen since moving here in 2001.

Hugs to you all and stay warm!

I'm Late, I'm Late, I'm Late ! ! !

On March 17, I received the Kreativ Blogger Award from Caroline over at If I Can Do it Myself. I wrote to Caroline asking how to post this award on my blog. Almost immediately she sent me the directions, thank you Caroline, and I promptly spaced the whole thing ... Talk about Kreative ... my bad, my sooo bad!! I hope Caroline will accept late but not forgotten ... will you Caroline??? Please???

The rules for accepting this award are:

1. Post the award.
2. Thank and mention the person who gave you the award.
3. Pass the award on to seven bloggers who you think embody the spirit of the Kreativ Blogger Award.
4. Name seven things about yourself that others don’t know.
5. Don’t forget to notify the seven Kreativ Bloggers about their award and post a link to their blog.

Oh boy! Now to choose 7 award winning blogs. All the blogs I read are award winning, but ... let's try these.

1. Natalie at ChickenBlog. Always a surprise topic, she makes me laugh!

2. Britt-Arnhild's House in the Woods, Britt-Arnhild lives in Trondheim Norway, is a Deacon in her church, and writes the most beautiful travel posts with lots of pictures.

3. Rhonda over at down--to--earth lives simply with her husband. They are in Queensland Australia and both retired. Rhonda is the best in describing their lifestyle, their back to basics lifestyle. She teaches the rest of us how to do the same.

4. Jodie at Ric raC makes the most delightful crafts. She tells stories with a lot of her crafts - about the life the craft critters have going on. You must check her out!

5. Now I come to Quilt Dad. John quilts. Beautifully. He and his wife took quilting lessons together, and now her sewing machine has been commandeered by John. You need to see his quilts. There is nothing else to say, except you have to see them.

6. tiny happy. Melissa does the most fabulous embroidery from found things, pictures and imagination. Her embroidery with vintage fabrics, lace, etc. are made into wonderful bags, pouches, clothing - oh, you've got to see her things.

7. Emily also lives in Norway, and her blog is Ravenhill. Wonderful family with two really, really cute kids. Emily makes Matroyska Dolls and combines colors like there is no tomorrow. Each season is totally celebrated by color - you must visit her!

Now on to 7 things about myself ... umm, ah, well ... ok, here goes:

1. Rarely do I follow a recipe or a pattern exactly - I improvise.
2. I am a very back to basics type of gal.
3. Love fabric, yarn, beads, paper, painting and most things crafty!
4. I enjoy being by myself.
5. I talk to myself and my animals all the time - real conversations.
6. Won't settle for second best even though I'm extremely frugal.
7. The last movie I saw at a theater is "Jaws".

Wow! These award are harder than they look, but sooo much fun ...

Springtime ? ? ?

I don't know how long Mother Nature is going to drive us crazy! It is snowing - again.


It is coming down hard and fast. The weather channel said we could expect 2-4". This looks like it is well on its way.


This picture is taken about 15 minutes after the ones above ... snow anyone??


I took this one looking up into the sky - you can see the size of the flakes ...


I had an energy audit done on the house yesterday. It was a bit cold and very windy, but at least the guy didn't have to go on the roof or under the house in these conditions. I will tell you a bit more about an energy audit within the next week.

Hugs to everyone, and stay warm and dry.

I love Springtime ...

I love Spring when everything is starting to sprout and start a new cycle of life. My niece and I planted the Daffodils, oh, 4 or 5 years ago and they faithfully come up and have spread a bit even! They are my sign of Spring. I love these two-toned flowers.


These are all yellow and very bright. Sunshine captured in a flower! I took these two pictures two days ago ...


This Friday we are predicted 67 degree weather - - - really ? ? ? I woke to this today ... and it is still snowing. I figure we had a lousy winter with not much snow, so now winter is making up for it. I have 2-3 inches of snow on the porch and railings.


I wonder how my Daffodils are doing. I could only see two little heads when I looked. I hope they will bounce back, but I'm not sure ... maybe the snow insulated them and they will stand up again ... I'm hoping really, really hard that they will survive!!


I have friends who are going camping for the Black Powder Shoot up the road about 10 miles. It is at a higher elevation ... hmmm. They were to leave tonight, but may just wait until tomorrow... I was suppose to go too, but for my neurotic dog.

Hope the rest of you are having a wonderful sunny and warming Spring!
Hugs

M.I.A. ??? ... no ... just crafting

I didn't realize that I've been gone for a whole month!! I've made hatband patterns, beaded the hatbands, beaded earrings, sewing Prairie Bonnets and Caps. Thinking of more items, running out of time too!! In between all that, I've been baking bread (with a machine) and cutting up my own coleslaw. These two items are a staple here at my house.

Designing the hatbands from scratch almost takes longer than the actual beading. I don't have bead designing software, so I use Excel spreadsheets! I make the cells really, really small and then use the fill color button to design spaces. Sounds simple, but the time to get it right, and the limited amount of colors can make it hard sometimes to get the design right. This one has been put together from 3-4 different (free) patterns.


I made this one first, but I wanted the black, gray, rust and white color combination, but I didn't have those colors. I dug through my beads and found the purple, blue, gray and white that I used. I wasn't sure about the combination while making it, but I really love it now. A geometric woman's hatband.


I still need to add the leather end tabs and ties. I found a skirt at Goodwill that will work just fine ... recycling at its finest!

I also puttered around the kitchen making yummy stuff (for me at least!). I absolutely love my bread machine.


I have made several different flavored loaves aside from the regular white and wheat bread. My favorite, so far, is Onion-Herb bread.


I was enjoying a warm slice of bread and butter when I thought that earrings would be easy and fast. I have at least a dozen that I've made, but they don't really say Mountain Man, so I came up with some new ones.
Blue with bone feathers.


Turquoise with bone feathers.


Purple with silver feathers.


These pictures are a little dark/fuzzy/small because I don't have a good place to take pictures, but I hope you can see them well enough. They were all made one after the other as the designs just flew around the gray matter ... LOL

I also dusted off my sewing machine, dug out some fabrics that fit the Mountain Man era (I hope) and started sewing. The Bonnet was made from a homemade pattern following instructions on how to measure and what areas to measure. I used MY measurements and I can't believe that this bonnet will only fit a toddler!!! ... and NO, I don't have a small head!! LOL


Please excuse my patched ironing board cover - it is hard to find a Teflon cover at a reasonable price, and that is what I want - it irons better (and doesn't burn).



The little ruffled cap was made using a 16" pizza pan with a guess of 2 1/2" for the brim area. It is double fabric, with some handmade bias tape for the casing. I used a ribbon instead of elastic so you can wash and iron very easily.


Wow, I'm getting tired just reading about what I've done ... and I have until next Thursday to get everything done.

I probably should have broken this post into two, but I'm sure that there will be more pictures of crafty items coming soon. I have a Saturday Market to gear up for too, but it runs every Saturday until September, so I can choose the Saturday I want. Then there is another Black Powder Shoot coming up in the middle of June. That one will be bigger, so I need to make lots more stuff! Yeah!!

My girlfriend in Boston also sells at a craft fair in October that she wants me to make stuff for. She says that she has never seen anything like my crafts back there, and that it should sell like hotcakes. Sounds like fun! She stains trays in wonderful patters, crochets afghans and makes large stained glass to hang in windows and the smaller sun catchers. I'd love to be there with her, but not possible for a while.

I'm now going to go sit in the couch and knits some dishcloths or crochet pot scrubbers.
Have a great evening and a wonderful weekend.

Hugs

Where did the time go?

The weather has been very nice lately and I've been outside - starved for some sunshine and warmth! It is only a bit warm directly in the sun or if you are really working out there, but I don't turn into a popsicle in just 5 minutes, so outside a bit everyday to absorb some vitamin D...

Dale and his daughter came down and stacked ALL the wood. He want to get another trailer load for me and then he'll be happy! Yeah, me too...

I will be beading hat bands for the next Black Powder Shoot on April 23, 24 and 25. I have been perusing the internet for patterns, whole or in pieces parts that I can put together to make my own, or just ideas to make my own. I have two patterns, one head band and working on my second.



The beading is finished on the one above, but I need the leather ends and ties. This will be good for young girl or teenager with the purple-ish beads. The pattern will be made again in rust, charcoal, gray and white - I think that would appeal to a rough mountain man a lot better!

The next pattern is put together from pieces-parts of many patterns. The background color on the pattern is blue and the beads used are a turquoise.



I am much further along than what the picture shows. I'd like to get it done in the next 2 days, but we'll see how my back handles sitting hunched over for long periods of time. The beading process is meditative as long as I don't have to let a cat in or let a cat out or the dog, or a cat/cat fight or a dog/cat chase ... it does give my back a break when I have to get up, but I don't want to get up every five minutes - 1/2 to 1 hour is good!!



You can see the beginning of the pattern above and compare it to the pic of the beaded work. I make my patterns using an excel spreadsheet with the color fill function! I make the cells 1 pixel wide by 10 pixels high - makes a near perfect square. I then use the fill function to get the colors in place - much easier than graph paper and colored pencils!!!

There are 15 beads (length) to the inch, so that tells you how many beads I'm using to get 18-10 inches of hat band!

The pattern making / "putting pattern together" takes quite a bit of time. I'm never sure I have things just where I want them, or should this go there, or maybe change colors there ... I can drive myself nuts with this "maybe" and "what-if" thing. I need to just do what comes up first. I want my work to be very nice and professional, but do I really need to agonize over the placement of every bead when I'm dealing with 3,300 beads!!!!

Back to beading, I need inventory ... and I need it now!!! I will keep you posted as I progress with more hat bands or whatever else I do.

Hugs

Let's try 'er agin ... Early wood cutting

I think it's working, I think it will be a go. Woo Hoo!!

I have no pictures of the actual bucking and splitting, buy you all know it for what it is - WORK! A friend of Dale's brother is letting us onto his property to scavenge the piles of downed Juniper for usable firewood. It is a private ranch not more than 5-6 miles from our house. The gentleman is having a lot of trees removed to make room for future pasture for his cows. There is every size of wood you could want and a lot of brushy stuff too. Dale brought the splitter along, so all the mess was left there!

My poor little (Ha!) Jeep has lost her home for a few days. There has to be someplace to keep the wood dry in case of a rain storm.


Doesn't really look like a lot, but that starter stack just to the left of the blue tarp, was from this load too. There are 2 pick up loads laying there. Might not look like a big deal - until you start stacking it ... Don't forget that the small stuff that doesn't have to be split was just laying where they cut it, so we had to walk around cow sh*t and over lots of branches to get to it... slipping in the mud.


All those stacked rounds come to about 2' tall.


Oh goody! Two more really full pick up loads later. I have to stack it ... in the wood shed as this stuff is ready to burn. Wonderful, wonderful Juniper - burns long and hot!! Last year we did not get our first cutting until August! This year we are way, way ahead of the game as this is for 2010-11 winter. There will be two more trailer loads coming within the month. This trailer is 8x10 feet with sides 2 feet high. Two of those, and I will have some wood left over for 2011-12!!!


There is a bit of punky wood under the blue tarp and some horribly distorted pieces under the green tarp (4'x6'x2 ricks). We will now also have enough to grab some to take camping. Can't camp without a fire now can we?? Summer evenings can be cool by the lake ...

Ok, I need to go to the PO, store, and then come home and start stacking for today. Don't know how much will get done, but some will.

I'm sure you've had enough of my ramblings about firewood, but it is just so exciting to know you won't freeze your butt off next winter!!!

Hugs to you all

Hmmm ...

I had a post all ready, but blogger is having fits. I will get it posted as soon as I can.

I got a new toy ... whoo hoo!

About three weeks ago I was talking to a good friend on the phone, you know just the jabbering type of visit. Somewhere in that conversation I mentioned that I love making bread, but the kneading just kills my hands and that come spring I'm going to look for a used one at some of the yard sales in my neighborhood. The conversation went on and all of a sudden my friend says that I really should find a new one so I don't have to worry about the used one taking a crap.

I hemmed and hawed because I know I can't afford a new one ... WELL . . . This. Friend. Of. Mine. says "you find what you want and I'll buy it for you" I just about dropped out of my chair - I was speechless ... all I could do was stammer "Oh my goodness, thank you, thank you, thank you" in an emotionally charged voice, I almost cried. People just don't do those kind of things for me ... no, they don't!

Here is the little beauty. West Bend 41300, 2 blender blades, delayed timer - in other words, lots of bells & whistles for me. No, it does not get up and dance! It is a basic, simple bread maker - but I still can't believe it!!!


I know a lot of you are familiar with bread machines, but this is the inside. he, he. It makes 1, 1.5, 2 & 2.5 lb. loaves. All I've made so far is the 2 lb. loaf.


And, oh my goodness, here is a view of the second loaf ingredients being gathered. he, he. I'm not real excited or anything like that.


The first loaf I made had the top fall in. Oops, I forgot to take into account my altitude. I never really worried about that before, but I needed to now - these things are sensitive!! I removed 1 tsp out and the bread didn't drop. The first load was a garlic loaf, but the next time I will put in 2 tsp. garlic powder. It had a hint of garlic, but I want a little more ...

The second one I made was pure Whole Wheat. Came out delish, and didn't cave in. I will go with removing 1 tsp. of water from here out. I could bake almost everyday, I love it so much, but there is a limit as to how much bread I can eat, or freeze.

There is a little problem with it though - - - The only cupboard space big enough for it is the linen closet. Now I need to clean that out!!! None of my kitchen cupboards are tall enough to get it into them. No problem - the linen closet it is. LOL

Forever blessings for my friend. Thank You!

Hugs

I loved this snow...

...but it is almost gone now ... I guess we are not going to have any thing worth wile to remember for the winter of 2010.

I was lucky to catch pictures of what did come down.

My infamous chicken coop/house. A dog kennel complete with dog house, is what the chickens are using for a home. It is probably a good thing that we are having a light winter. When the snow starts to melt, the drips on the right side, inside, starting from the left side of the door over, is like taking a shower, except, you're dancing around trying NOT to get wet.

The door is that light patch you can see. The left side of the coop/house is dry. That's a good thing as that's where they roost and lay.

Now for a short story:
I inherited an old, old dog house when I moved in to this house. I looked for pictures, but didn't find any. It was just a rectangular cube type shape with a flat roof that lifted off, and a door in a lower corner. U.G.L.Y. It was constructed with double walls filled with sheet insulation, therefore, super heavy. In trying to get it moved towards the burn pit, it was rolled around and around the back yard until it landed upside down with the open top on the bottom on the rocks. The little doorway was now in an upper corner. Follow along now ...

The other day I was wondering why my chickens weren't laying so many eggs at the moment. I asked my friend Dale, and he said that happens sometimes. OK. Now keep following me ... I went out to let them out of their house and fed them. I forgot to bring fresh water, so went to get some, the phone rang, and it was at least 1/2 hour before I got back out there. Again only 2 eggs ... and all I could find was 4 chickens ... the 5th was not in sight. I always worry since we live in the woods, so I did the "Here chick, chick, chick" thing - 4 chickens showed up. Hmmm... I started looking at the snow for some kind of tracks. Ok, yes, there were some chicken tracks that looked fresh. I slowly followed them around the yard along the fence ... hmmm, I came to that old U.G.L.Y. dog house, peeked inside and YUP, you guessed it - a chicken in the middle of laying. I was wondering how many eggs I had missed out on. When Lacey finally hopped out I went to look ... NINE eggs! There was no way I could either move the old dog house, or fit in through the doggie sized opening. I float tested the eggs and they were all fine.

I had to call my friend to come help me to roll over the dog house! When I told him what I needed, he thought it was funnier than hell! Well, it was, but that still didn't get the eggs out. He came down the hill, rolled that thing over and down a bit further in the yard, so that they wouldn't lay in there again.

When ever I go let the chickens out or put them in for the night, my dog, SueAnn has to go too. She has taken a real fancy to these chickens. She is sickening - she eats the chicken sh*t, and cleans their butts ... can you say "Bad Breath" Whoowee...!!! She also likes the chicken feed. Go figure. I can toss out old stale bread, crackers, cereal, etc., and that dog is right in there with the chickens! She won't eat it in the house, just when she is sharing with the chickens.


Here is another shot. Darn dog - I just love her!


I hope you all don't think I've gone over the deep end, but I'm easily entertained and love these kind of happenings as long as my animals don't get hurt.

Hugs