# FAC ~ September 2014



## Marchwind

SEPTEMBER? Really? Wow!!!!!! I can't say I'm sad to have the summer slipping away although it was a very enjoyable summer for me. But with the cooler temps. comes more pleasant fiber weather. I'm really hopping my life slows down a bit. Cooler weather also signals fewer adoption events although the need doesn't stop.

For all the new people here, wether you sit back and just read or brave the waters and jump right in, Welcome to you all . This is the Fiber Arts Chat (FAC). Each month I begin a new thread (if I remember and if I have the time) more or less on the 1st of each month. This is where we come together to talk about everything in our lives that may or may not be fiber related. If you are new this would be a good place for you to introduce yourself or you can always start a new thread. We are not an exclusive group, we love our new people. If you want to learn anything or need help ask. We all began in the beginning so do not think your question is stupid. You are bound to get many answers to any questions. If you ask a question we can't answer we can sure point you in the direction where you might find the answer. So join us, please.

I have my tablet weaving workshop this coming weekend with Inge Dam, I'm excited. I started that shopping bag, it's super easy. Grey and drizzly here, still too warm and humid for me but it looks like the temps will drop a bit by the weekend.


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## hercsmama

Good morning all, and Happy September!

Heading into my favorite season, I just love Fall.

Getting ready to get those beets tended, I made the pickling liquid up last night, and got the beets boiled and sliced, so now it's just a matter of bringing everything up to temp and plopping it all in the jars.
The kids will all be over later for hamburgers on the grill, might get a bit of work out of them as well....heh, heh.:teehee:
Otherwise a fairly quite Labor Day for us.
Ya'll have a great day!


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## BlueberryChick

September? I seem to be caught off guard every time a new month starts. Where does the time go?

We've had a busy weekend. Saturday was chores, house cleaning and laundry, and I got in a bit of sewing. Sunday we had church in the morning, then Andy and I went to visit my aunt. She was in the hospital for most of July and August and is now in rehab at a long term care place. She's hoping to come home in about two weeks. She was diagnosed with BOOP, which isn't nearly as cuddly as it sounds. It's an extremely rare form of pneumonia. This aunt is my mother's only sibling and we have been close since my mother died. It was a great relief to see her improving.

We went on to the craft store for snaps and ribbon. I'm using lots of both in sewing project bags for my fiber fair booth in October. The last stop was the grocery store. I had managed to run out of both milk and bread.

While we were gone, Janie, our 9yo daughter, was stung by a wasp. She was helping her brother take care of our animals. It got her on the face, near her left eye. She's doing okay, but her eye was swollen shut this morning. Fortunately, Andy is home today and will go out with them to feed critters and protect his baby girl! 


Please continue to keep our community in your thoughts and prayers. There was a terrible wreck a few miles from our house on Thursday and a 16yo boy was killed and his grandfather injured. The funeral will be tomorrow evening. The grandparents and the siblings of the young man who died attend our church.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning all. I hate seeing summer come to an end, yet I love fall.
Grey, overcast, humid and windy today. Needless to say, more rain heading my way, but, I'm going to go cut firewood for a while until I get rained out.

Spent last evening starting my planning for next years gardens, I am going to try some rather unconventional planting, but I think it could reduce pests and possibly increase production. At the farmers market this year I aquired many repeat customers, mainly for my green beans and peppers, so next year I will be planting several varieties of each, as well as the staple veggies I always plant.

September marks the beginning of vigorous buckle down and git-r-did season in preps for winter. Much to do, less time to do it.
Y'all have a great day!


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## Kasota

Wow! I can't believe it is September already!!! 

Marchwind, it will be fun to hear reports after your weekend weaving workshop. (say that 10 times really fast... weekend weaving workshop...weekend weaving workshop...) Ok, I need more coffee. My brain has gone off the deep end....

Debi, hope your beets turn out delicious! I just love beets. 

BBC, I'll bet your project bags will do real well at the fiber fair. Make sure to take lots of pictures! Bummer about your wee one getting stung. I think wasps get even more aggressive this time of year. Prayers for your aunt and for the families dealing with that accident. (((hugs!)))

DBA, your gardens next year will be better than ever, I'm quite sure! You've done so well for your first year! Yeah, it is that get 'er done time of year. 

I was not able to get anything done outside. It has been raining and drizzling. Last night it rained steady hour after hour. I'm quite sure everything is sodden. Being inside for a couple days has been beneficial to my room. I've been shredding papers like a crazy woman. There are three boxes left in the basement and just one itty bitty shoe box left in my room. So my room is more or less free of bags, boxes and Rubbermaid containers I dragged home form the storage locker. 

I've been shifting some things that I seldom use but don't want to get rid of down to the storage dressers I put in the basement. That made it easier to organize what I have and I actually (GASP!) got my sewing table cleared off! It had been buried under things waiting to be shredded and bags of yarn that I couldn't resist. 

Today I am going to wash some fleece. :happy: I am going to knit. :sing: I am only going to do things that I feel like doing.


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## hercsmama

OK people, I'm ready to g back to bed already!
I got 18 pints of beets done, and all pinging away, got all the critters fed, the "paca boys are having a bit of attitude with one another this morning, I believe I have a few Ewe's in season and they are reacting, great.:whistlin:

I got three loads of laundry washed, dried and put away, cleaned the kitchen not once, not twice, but three times, put another 3 gallons of tomatoes in the freezer, got all the floors swept and swiffered, dusted, cleaned the bathroom, and threw another load of cucumbers in the dehydrator.

Going to go sit out side and have a cup of coffee, knit on another hat, and do NOTHING the rest of the day.
for your viewing pleasure, A Hamster in a sweater. I stole it off FB.


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## Woodpecker

I'm so happy summer is over! I just hate doing summer work. I need to somehow get all those dead fish buried today as I use them to fertilize the garden. They have to many bones to eat. Have a great day all!


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## lexierowsell

Hercs- please come visit. Bring rain. <3

I got my first wheel AND my first loom yesterday. Spent a few hours spinning last night, going to warp the loom and play with it after "work" is finished this am. 

I didn't think I'd love the Ladybug as much as I do (always been drawn to Saxony wheels, had never even sat at a castle type!), but it's sweet and fast and relatively forgiving! 

Now, if only I had ANY idea what I'm doing.


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## MDKatie

FINALLY August is over!!!! :bouncy: I cannot wait! Unfortunately, summer is still clinging on...it's hot and going to be hot all week. I just can't wait until it really cools down. 


I sold 2 lambs today, woo hoo! A little money in my pocket and 2 fewer mouths to feed is nice! Actually, the money is already spent...most goes to the vet bill I still owe and then some goes to buy more supplies for my craft show coming up at the end of this month. Oh well. :grin:

I am making good progress on the little toddler sweater for my 2nd cousin's first birthday. It's starting to look cute!


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## lambs.are.cute

I can't believe that it's September already. It seems like this year is just flying by and I have so much to do to get ready for winter. I just finished shearing one of possibly five ewes/lambs slated for fall shearing. She had 6 months growth on her so it is completely useable if shorter than I am used to (4 inches instead of 8-10) it was coated so has almost no vm in it and is drool worthy. Can you tell I'm in love with her fleece? Anyway I'm testing fall shearing for two reasons. 1) it will be a 100 times easier to see what's going on lambing if they aren't fleeces on feet and 2) I can fit 2 times the ewes at my feeder (not that I have to right now but.......). 

My ram was done sat. The shearer had always grumbled about how much extra work it is with all that extra fleece growth and jumped at the chance to go to twice a year. This way I can actually run his fleece through the drum carder! 

Sadly I think that I'll have to leave the rest for another day as I'm getting a blister.

I applied for another part time job but won't know until at least the 11th. The timing is just perfect on this, it requires 5 years library experience and I just got that in June at the other library system. I hope to be able to work both jobs, since these are both part time. Any full time hiring (with a few exceptions) is done internally for both library systems so that will double my chance of ONE full time job. As it is I'd love to have the extra hours and put that money to more land...... Please pray for me to get the job.


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## canadiangirl

September!! My Christmas soap production is well underway, I've hired a new person to help out because I want more time to play : ) So perhaps I'll be back here a little more often again. We moved our oldest into her new dorm residence this weekend, I'm sad but excited for her. It's a small school and pretty close to home, so we will see her often. I think her sister will be lonely this year, though she won't admit it yet haha. I managed to get a new pair of socks done for each of us this summer but precious little else. A queue a mile long.


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## Kasota

I have some wool soaking. I am so nervous. It's just a little bit to see what happens. 

While it soaks I'm re-watching Three Bags Full. And sorting my sock drawer. Doesn't that sound exciting? hahahahaha


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## Ana Bluebird

Putting up the harvest has been very time consuming, as I'm sure you know. Hopefully it is getting closer to done. I've been working on the same scarf, a gift for a friend, all summer. About time to be done and move on! Good to hear from all of you!


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## Kasota

I am not working on my bestest fleece. I figured better to learn on something less than perfect and save the good stuff for when I know more about what I am doing. This is a large fleece lightly skirted fleece so it's not horrible but there are pieces parts to sort through and some to pitch. I want to try some different methods. I was intrigued by the Three Bags Full lady putting some loose in a pot of water and using a plunger to move it about a bit. I saved out the best locks because I want to try her method of wrapping some in cloth and simmering some on the stove but I have to find some soap that I know is the right pH. 

I have a big sheet laid over top of my bed. My room smells like lanolin and my hands are sooooooooo soft. 

I am going to need a drum carder. I have garage sale money left....

Oh where or where is that thread on carders?


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## lexierowsell

Kas- I'm spending 10x as much time carding fiber than spinning it. Making me crazy.


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## Woodpecker

It's so hot and muggy here that I have a small fever. I'm in the AC relaxing. At least I buried those fish today, God willing the raccoons won't get them. Hopefully with the cooler weather on the way I will find my passion for fiber again.


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## Kasota

Lexi, I can sure see why that would be so. I'm sleuthing for a drum carder. 

WP, good for you for staying in and enjoying the AC. The heat really hammers on you, for sure. 

Ok, here is my first efforts at washing fleece. Before and after picture. Not too bad for a first effort. You can see some bits of chaff but I suppose those will come out when I card? Mostly? Maybe? Hopefully? I have some of the better locks sorted out and set aside because I want to try spinning some from washed locks. I'll give that a whirl tomorrow.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

I'm exhausted.....
Only got one trailer full of firewood home, but its cut and split, right about one cord. Should have got more, but spent a lot of time cutting away limbs and twigs. Have about 30 pieces cut and ready to split.

Tomorrow means pick tomatoes in the morning, hitch the trailer up and head back to dads place to cut more. Can't use it this winter, but a good start on next winter.

Kasota, I should clarify, this is my first year growing for sale at farmers market, but not my first year growing gardens.


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## Kasota

DBA, I kinda figured it was not your first year growing things. But doing a farmer's market is a whole 'nother ball of yarn! Glad you were able to get some firewood in. 

So I was talking with my mom today about my vision for a shed and wanting a wood stove in it and she said to me that there used to be a wood stove in our house and that the chimmney is all set up for it. She said there used to be a little free-standing pot bellied stove in the house when she bought it but she had it removed because the house is so small and she had 4 little kids in it and she was afraid someone would get burned. 

But it got me to thinking. I would not be able to have one installed while mom is with me due to her asthma - but when I am here alone (may that day be far off indeed) I might ponder doing that! I would want to put in a new chimney liner but those can be slide inside an existing brick chimney. Hmmmmm......


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## Kasota

Debi - on the thread where you were talking about what drum carder to get you decided on a Strauch over a Luoet. What made you decide one over the other?


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Oh, and by the way, to the ladies I promised lucets to, I got some wood this weekend, I will get them made asap. Most likely the next day it rains all day, but I need to get these trees cut up and hauled away from dads place as soon as possible, you know the expression, make hay when the sun shines. But I promise, I will get them made first chance I get.


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## Kasota

No rush for me DBA! Tend to what needs tending first.


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## hercsmama

Kas, I really waffled quite a bit on which one. But I want to be able to card my Alpaca, of course, and I also want to be able to card pretty much everything!
So I decided on the Strauch, as it seemed to be the most versitile, at least for what I was looking for..

DBA, no rush for me either! You get your wood hauled, and put that garden to bed first.:happy2:


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Well, I may be able to make the lucets today. It's 3:30 am and storming, if it doesn't quit raining, I will spend today working in my garage.


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## Taylor R.

We're having a day full of momentous occasions at my house today. My oldest daughter, Lily, has a birthday today. She's 9 and I have no idea where the time has gone. She has become (for the most part) a sweet, responsible, and bright young lady and I'm more proud of her than words can express.

My youngest daughter, Kate, will be attending her first day of school ever today. She's so excited and I'm quite teary even two hours before dropping her off. Why on earth must these milestones come on the same day??

I had a very long and stressful weekend at work, and I'm very thankful to only be working one 9 hour shift a weekend for the next two weekends. It'll be almost like having a vacation.

I've gotten very little accomplished on the fiber front lately. I stared a new pair of socks, and I've been carding shetland for my spinning demo. I figure I better have a lot of fleece prepared in order to keep it up for four hours. I'm incredibly grateful to have 8 bobbins right about now so I don't have to wind off during the demo.

I just love keeping up with all of you here. Sounds like September is off to a better start for many of us.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

OMG!!
About 2 years ago I bought a new clothes dryer, nothing fancy, just plain Jane electric GE dryer. About a month or so ago, the knob for the timer switch cracked and it wouldn't turn the switch, so I would turn it using a pair of pliers.
Yesterday, when using the pliers to turn it, my wife broke off the plastic shaft of the switch.
I looked online and called a local appliance shop for the new timer switch....YIKES!, between $65-$80.
The whole dryer cost just less than $300. And get this, the switch doesnt come with the knob, that's an extra $8, and there is a tiny metal clip that you have to insert into the knob to make it snap onto the switch, that's another $3.
The shaft that sticks out of those switches use to be metal, now cheap plastic junk.

Well, the appliance store is going to talk to their repair guy to see if he has a used one. Until then, I jerry rigged it and drilled out the plastic and inserted a screw into it, I can still use it for now, with a screwdriver, but will have to replace it soon. What junk.....make it cheaper, sell it higher....


Ok, rant over


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## Kasota

I am having an utterly glorious day so far! The weather is perfect. My sister took my mom out to get her new glasses and to run some errands so I have had some alone time. Alone time for me is as rare as hen's teeth. Mom has been cranky, fussy and out of sorts. I am hoping getting out of the house will help. She needs to get back into doing some positive things and step away from news on the TV.  It's been so rainy that she's been stuck inside.

So I'm enjoying my time alone. I ran to Menards and picked up some concrete edgers mom has been wanting. That will perk her up. I've been washing fleece!!! Three Bags Full showed her using a salad spinner to get the water out of fleece she washed in her stock pot so I ran up to Savers and found a really nice one for just 3.40. I got the Senior Discount. hahahahaha! It's ugly pumpkin orange but I don't care. It's big and sturdy.  

The fleece I washed is taking FOREVER to dry. I had it in my room and some dried and other parts are still wet so I brought it outside on my deck to let the sunshine and breeze get at it. I hope no birds poop on it!


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## Wind in Her Hair

Kasota - I need a salad spinner! I think I killed my rotator cuff by swinging the lingerie bags with wet fleece in them around and around and around my head like a crazy person. :sob:

How DARE you have such a perfectly gorgeous day to wash fleece!?!?!?!?!?!?  :sob:

On Friday (my day off) it rained and poured and we had a gazillion % humidity all weekend until I finally gave up and mowed and raked wet grass. 

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. then the SUN came out yesterday when I was obligated to other activities. :sob:


I NEED some dry weather so I can wash windows!
I NEED some dry weather so I go out tidy up the garden (bundle the asparagus, clean out the tomato prunings) before company comes. 
I NEED some dry weather so that I can air out the guest cabin.
I NEED some dry weather so that I can clean the screens and porches and :sob:. 
Oh, and while we are at it - I NEED some dry weather so I can ENJOY sitting outside by the dadgum campfire before it starts snowing!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :sob:

Oh, and I NEED the dry weather to occur ON THE DADGUM WEEKEND when I am off and at home!!!!! 

(in case anyone can't tell, I am having myself a pity party over the lousy weather and bad timing. Seems I ALWAYS have to go to work or be away from home when the weather is gorgeous - but if the weather is lousy - you can be sure I am off and I am at home. :sob


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## Lythrum

DBA, we have a GE dryer too, the plastic timer knob has gone out twice on it now. I would say that they have a 3-4 year lifespan on them. We also had to replace the drum bearings on them. I have to say that I've been able to get replacement parts from Amazon really quick and with the help of YouTube the bearing replacement went pretty smooth. Still pretty unacceptable for a six year old dryer IMO considering our old dryer lasted about forever and we never had to do anything to it.

Kas, I think a step away from the TV and news would be good for most people right now, I know that I am considering taking a long TV/Internet break so that I can re-center and de-stress for a while. I hope that your mom gets settled down soon. 

WIHH, hope you get some nice weather soon before it snows!

We had a fun weekend, went down to Atlanta to visit some friends from NC attending Dragon*Con. I am not much of one for crowded places, but it was fun watching all of the people in their costumes (some awesome, some good, some abominable and made me want to bleach out my eyes) and visiting with my sister-at-heart. I brought my recent knitting/spinning projects so that we could go over them, she is an avid knitter too. I wish I had felt better though, I've been having kidney stone/infection problems since last week and I am dragging. Not really hurting but no energy. I didn't even feel up to knitting in the car on the way over there so I lost out on 7 potential knitting hours, booo!! Hoping this week perks me up a little.


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## hercsmama

Lythrum , I sure hope you are feeling better soon.
DBA, it must be appliance breakdown week, as my stove/oven went out yesterday.:flame:
WIHH, if it makes you feel any better, we had a solid 2 weeks of rain, but this week is gorgeous! I'll send it your way..
KAS, WTG on getting that fleece tended!
Taylor, it's so hard watching them grow up...Big Mom Hugs for you

Well, I managed to get 10 of my Ewe's sold in the last week, and got another call this afternoon. It was in my VM, and when I called back, I had to leave a message, so hopefully they call my back tomorrow.
This latest call is from someone in South Dakota. The other two people are from both ends of Nebraska, gotta love Craigslist!
I've got all the adult Ewe's sold I wanted to, but still have 11 ewe lambs..hopefully this latest call wants them.......
I was originally only going to sell half of them, but dh and I talked last night, and with the Columbia's coming, we figure we will make a breed switch... So I'm only keeping 2 of my Adult Barbados, and 3 of the ewe lambs, of course Emmy Lou is staying, as are 2 wethers for companions for the new Rams.All of my other Wethers are spoken for, and deposits collected. They all head to the processor next month....
As far a fiber today, i did manage to get some knitting time in, so yea me!:rock:


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning all. I think the weather man made a mistake, he isn't calling for any rain today.


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## kandmcockrell

Good morning!!! Think I will do some knitting before the kidlets get up and moving.


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## Kasota

((((WIHH)))) Oh, I do so hope you get some dry and sunny weather! Isn't this coming weekend supposed to be pretty good? It can be so, so disheartening to be stuck in the gray drizzlies, watching time wasting to get outside things done let alone a free evening to sit by the fire. 

DBA, that is just rotten about the washer. UGH. I hope they can find a used one for you. 

Lythrum, sounds like you had a great weekend! I do hope you get the kidney stone and infection problems fixed. I had trouble with that last year and they found an infection that had gone systemic and it almost cost me one kidney. ACK! Hope you are getting good care! Doc finally ordered a full CAT and found all sorts of troubles with my kidney and my liver, too. My main symptom was simply being exhausted and dragging so much that I couldn't even crochet. 

Debi, my head is spinning keeping up with you!! Congrats on getting the sheep sold that you wanted to. Hope the ewe lambs go, too. Weeeeee! I can't wait to see pictures of your Columbias. 

Kandmcockrell, oh you were up early if you can be knitting before getting the kids up! What are you working on? 

I had to drag myself out of bed. Had 4 days of sleeping in until 8 makes 5 o'clock seem sooooo early! LOL! But only three days until the next weekend and it's supposed to be a nice one!  

Hope everyone has a great day!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Well, the chilluns are off to school. A little coffee time for me then out to pick tomatoes for a little bit then off to cut more firewood.
Got a few lucets made yesterday, well, almost done. Still need a final sanding and a couple coats of poly. To you ladies that are expecting one, they should be on their way to you by this weekend or first of next week.


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## kandmcockrell

Kasota - i am knitting a shawl from bamboo yarn for my SIL. I was going to use the pattern suggested by hercsmama but the yarn said NO. It wants to be done in plain knit stitch, so that's what it is getting! I will take a picture later and post it. Looks like the water to me, which is what i was hoping for. I also did a little computer work before the knitting. I am hoping to get some pears picked today or tomorrow, then i will have to can them. IF i can get my hands on some good peaches, I think i will make some fruit cocktail and can it up for the kids.


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## Marchwind

:run:yesterday was one of those days. I only just now got caught up with everyone here and what has been going on. My yesterday began as usual at 2:00 am. I didn't stop until 6:30 last night when I scarfed down a turkey burger and some baby red potatoes, then it was right to bed after that. As it was I was late getting into bed :grumble: This is a long week for me, I'll be working 6 days in a row which usually does me in :sob: but I'm hoping it won't be too bad since I'm only working 5 hours on Friday. Then I have my workshop :bouncy: I'm so excited.

All in all I feel kind of guilty because so far I'm having a great month. I'm sorry for all of you dealing with broken high priced items that need fixing or replacing, that stinks. Those of you who aren't well please take care of yourselves. Kasota get you or mom hooked on a Animal Planet or something more up beat than news all the time. I'm a news junky, I was raised by a news junky. I don't watch TV so I don't get the visuals along with my news which helps a lot. Does your mom like music? Maybe get her into listening to the NPR classical station on the radio.

Off to run errands!


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## Woodpecker

I'm totally down and out and now I won't have an income. Perhaps I can get on state disability while I am out of work due to my health. This just keeps getting worse. Love you all!


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## Wind in Her Hair

Woodpecker said:


> I'm totally down and out and now I won't have an income. Perhaps I can get on state disability while I am out of work due to my health. This just keeps getting worse. Love you all!


 income, schmimcome. :grouphug:

You just do what you need to do to take care of yourself, Woodpecker. Start the paperwork and see if you qualify for some help - after all -that is what it is there for!


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## Woodpecker

Thanks WIHH! The one thing that breaks my heart is that I most likely will have to sell my beloved house. The one my greatgrand father built. It's literally tearing me in two. I'm the 4th generation to own that house although I have been to sick to live in it yet.


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## Kasota

What WIHH said. You take care of YOU right now. See what your state programs offer for assistance. I wouldn't rush out and sell that house until you know what your options are. You might even want to see if there is Legal Aide that would offer a free consult. You don't know what your options are until you start checking them out. 

But the MOST important thing is for you to take care of YOU. We love you right back, bunches and bunches! 

Marchwind, that is good advice on Animal Planet. I did get her hooked into Funniest Home Videos and she will watch some of the church programs and some cooking shows. I think I will ask her to start making some scarves for me for the homeless shelter. There is nothing that gets a person out of a funk like doing something for someone else! I think it has been an especially hard year for her because her sister passed away - and they were so, so close! 

I hope you so enjoy your workshop! Sounds like you have sure earned it after all that work schedule! Take lots of pictures!

Kandmcockrell, I do understand about some yarn just wanting to be worked in one way or another! I'm looking forward to the pictures. I love home-canned fruit! Hope you can find your peaches! How many kids do you have? I do love hearing about people's kids. My own son is a big ol 28 years now. I wish I could time-warp back to when he was 5 just for a day.  

DBA, I'll bet the house is quiet now that the kids are back off to school! I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not. LOL! 

Work was so crazy busy today. Something happened to a file feed at the bank and all the debit cards got turned off. Egads. Got a new file feed sent to correct it but WOW did we have phone calls coming in! I spent the morning in a War Room and got precious little else done. 

I started carding some of the wool I washed but I am not sure that I am doing it right. Anyone have a good vid link for carding? I know - it seems like such a basic thing - I should be able to figure it out. The disc set I have for Three Bags Full - when she is done she has a little batch she can roll off into a puni (sp?) but mine is not as big as that. Maybe it is just that what I have been working with is a shorter staple?


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Well, i cut wood for a little bit today, then got into a nest of yellow jackets. They made themselves quite clear, that was their territory. Several stings later, I agreed with them.


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## lexierowsell

Yay! I LOVE my sweet little wheel! 









This is Ella's fleece. She has some grey hairs mixed in, along with plenty of vm and second cuts. She was a pleasure to shear, if only I had known what I was doing so I could preserve the fleece.

Sweet Ella


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## hercsmama

Good morning all.
Been up since 2, just can't sleep tonight.
Dixie, I hope you're alright! Yellow Jackets are Satan's Spawn in my opinion.
Lexie, it looks like that wheel is going to do really well by you, great find!
Marchie, I hope things "even out" for you soon.
WP, (Big Hugs), listen to WIHH, great advice.
Kas, I always question my carding, but it always spins up just fine. Can't wait for my Drum Carder to arrive....
WIHH, I sent the dry weather your way, did it get there yet?
Kandmcockrell, pictures please!

I have no idea what the day will bring at this point. There is just so much to get done, I just plod through it all as it comes up sometimes.
I do need to get some invoices mailed out, and make arrangements to deliver 4 Ewe's to a buyer about an hour away...
Otherwise, not much that isn't just the normal stuff today.
I may attempt to get the Auger out and pop some fence post holes...dh will have a fit, but he's just too busy to get it done, and fencing must be expanded...
Going to go get some knitting in before he wakes up.
Have a Blessed day all!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning folks.
Hercs, have fun drilling post holes. I have a few needing done too, but I only have regular post hole diggers. Those power augers really do a good job.

I will be cutting wood again today, hopefully without yellow jackets. This evening I need to get my brooding box out of the corner of the garage and cleaned out. Since the last batch of chicks it has become a bit of a catch all, I have a batch of chicks being delivered tomorrow morning.

This morning I got another square done for the blanket I have been working on for several months on and off. 7 more squares to go. Need to get the rest of the yarn first, but I'm on the downhill slope now.
When done it will lay across our queen size bed, covering the pillows and will drape over the sides and foot of the bed by about a foot. It should be quite warm this winter, I hope.


----------



## Marchwind

Good Morning! Well yesterday was slow enough, less humid enough, and beautiful enough that I was actually able to take Belu for a walk in the woods. We didn't do our usual 2+ miles! just a little over a mile but he got to play in the stream and swim in the lake. My application has more or less been approved by the Kalamazoo Animal Rescue (KAR) to be a dog foster for them. Now I just need my orientation and home check before I can get started. I doubt it will be a problem. Plus the fact I have a few rescue heavy hitters who think I should be heading up their dogs program :shocked: I'm not so sure about that and I sure would never jump in when I'm not even familiar with the inner workings of this rescue. 

Lexirowsell, now you know and the next time you shear her you can avoid those pitfalls. Your yarn is looking very nice.

DBA, sorry to hear about your stings. I agree with Hercsmama about hornets, wasps are in that same family I think. This seems to be a bad year for stinging insects. A good friend here and her dog got stung while she was mowing her lawn.

Kasota have you seen the video I make about hand carding? I'm not sure if it will answer any questions you may have. I think I posted another video a little bit ago, maybe last months FAC, about carding and making rolags. I know people make punis but I think unless you have shorter fibers that punis would be too difficult to draft from, especially for a beginner. That's just my uneducated guess since I have never actually tried it. A rolag is much easier to draft from since the fibers are all fluffed and loose, compared to tight and compact.


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## Kasota

DBA, hope the day goes well and there are no yellow jackets to contend with. Nasty things! 

Lexie - great job on the spinning. I love the color of that wool! 

Debi - don't overdo! Aren't you still healing? I suppose telling you not to overdo is like telling the wind not to blow or the sun not to shine. lol!

Marchie, I will have to search for your carding vid. I think you are right - these fibers are a little shorter than would be easy for me as a beginner. What I have carded I just have in a poofy pile. It's so fluffy...

It's Friday Eve and I'm hoping that today is a little more quiet than yesterday. I have all my end of month data from August to get entered into various and sundry places and reviews of last month to send out to the people who report to me. If there are no surprises I will be able to get it done. I gotta get my hair cut this weekend. It's getting so long it's driving me batty. 

Hope everyone has a great day!


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## kandmcockrell

picked all this yesterday in half an hour at a friends garden. We need to seriously lime and fertilize our garden as we moved the location this year.


bagged up the tomatoes this morning for the freezer. Once i have enough and it is cooler, i will take them out and can them.



Here are the pears i did on Sunday. They are in a spiced red wine


And here is the shawl. The color is a little off, there is more green than is showing. It has blues and greens.


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## MDKatie

Very nice pics, Kandm. Your bagged tomato pic reminds me I have bags of tomatoes in the freezer from last year. :teehee: I should get those out. 


Last night after back-to-school night (to meet the teacher), I met my cousin at the park so we could walk. She's doing this couch-to-5K thing, and we did that. It was 26 minutes of walking/jogging. She had an app on her phone that told us when to run, and when to walk. There was a brief time where I thought I was going to keel over, but I survived.  DH and I are needing to exercise more than we do now, so we'll be buying bikes. I'm not a huge bike fan, but DH said he'd rather do that than walk, so we'll give it a shot!!


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

* kasota*, let me send you my carding video. Pm me your address again. I am goof when it comes to keeping addresses. :doh:

(note to self: get better organized when it comes to addresses)

*Hercsmama*, you're sending me clear weather, heh???? Well, THAT explains the 2" of hail - not 2" _size_ hail -*2" DEEP *of hail not far from here and enough on the roadsides that people thought it had snowed! The hail wiped out an entire apple/pumpkin orchard that was 3 days away from harvesting.  Somebody is gonna be making a LOT of applesauce. 

This morning at 4:30am, I was cutting up peaches before getting ready for work when the REAL nasty stuff hit - 60 mph winds, flooding rain, hail, lightning, power outages, tornado threat...

BUT

the GOOD news is that clear skies and fall-like temperatures are right behind those storms!!!! :dance:

the BAD news is I won't be home to enjoy it. :sob: :sob: :sob:

we have a funeral to attend. 

Hopefully, we will be able to salvage SOME of our time off while the weather is gorgeous.


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## hercsmama

All i said was I'd send you clear weather, I didn't say HOW it would arrive! LOL!!

Well, I blame Kelsey. I told dh that she thought I should enter the State Fair next year, with one of my shawls, he agreed.
So, i went looking for something I feel is "Fair Worthy"...here is the one I will be making:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sheherazade-beaded-lace-shawl


















What do ya'll think? Too much? Too simple?

I'm thinking I'll do it in black maybe, with silver beads...or I could go with a red, I'm not sure on the beads for that though...
I considered white, but I don't want people to think it's a veil...


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## Wind in Her Hair

wow - HERCSMAMA - THAT IS some SHAWL! In any color, it will be gorgeous.


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## featherbottoms

Hercsmama, that is a beautiful shawl. 

Everyone with gardens, I am truly envious of all of you. We have gotten one tomato and some salad and regular greens. But, I didn't plant much so can't complain. We have a long term plan for gardening that we hope to implement within the next year or two so this won't happen forever.

We've had really hot and dry weather here for a couple months now - it was 101 yesterday - but for the next week there's a chance of some rain and cooler temps.

On the fiber front, I was accepted at the Pecos Valley Potter's Guild for my weavings. It's a jurried show and this is the first time I've ever tried for anything like this. I have to get busy because I only have maybe 12 pieces or so ready to go. I posted my latest project in the Current Projects thread for September.

We had our first guild meeting of the year today but attendance was pretty sparse. I think it's still just not time for meetings again. While I was in Roswell I went thrift shopping and found this for < $1. I thought it would be perfect for the weaving studio (once I get in there!)


----------



## Kasota

KandM - your produce looks delicious! Wooot! Those pears! Oh, yummy! I love blues and greens together. Probably my favorite color combination. 

MDKatie, you are my inspiration. I SO need to get back into better shape. When I had the farm it was no issue. I was doing physical work all day. Nowdays I live in cubical land which I sometimes refer to as "Uncle Miltie's Ant Farm." It's like a maze in there.... 

WIHH - thank you so for the generous offer! I will pm you my addy. The little bit of carding I have done feels very relaxing to me. Kind of quiet and thoughtful. It seems to have it's own pace. I just want to know I am doing it right and I suspect I am not. LOL! 

What a horrid thing about the weather you got hammered with! My place escaped it. The nasty stuff went south of me but for a while the sky was positively green and shades of charcoal gray and there was not a hint of wind. Then on the other side of the house there were these HUGE clouds that were rolled into big puffballs one against the other due to the turbulance. What a sad thing about the pumpkins and apples.  Sorry to hear you have a funeral to attend.  

Debi, that shawl is simply to die for! I love it!! I love the navy color moreso than the pink, even though pink is one of my favorite colors. Dark navy almost black with some iridescent beads... that would be pretty. I am sure whatever color you choose will be just beautiful! 

Featherbottoms, it is good to see you post. Congratulations on being accepted at teh Guild show! Wooot! Love the goodie you found for a buck! 

Today was kinda funny at work. We had some BIPs (Big Important People) come in from New York and Boston. They are process improvement people who help make things happen. I've met some of them before. One was new to me. Anyway, I get into this meeting and we were introducing ourselves around the table (maybe 15 people in this meeting) and when I said my name the new person (who is actually the VP of this whole process improvement team) said, "Wow! I'm so, so happy to meet you!! You're the one who works with wool, right? You're learning to process wool and spin, right? You're THAT Linda?" Another person chimed in and said, "Yes, she's the one!" She started talking about some of her projects and wanted to hear about my projects. Then she started telling me that she just canned up a bunch of Elderberry Jam and she wanted to know if I knew how to make tinctures. It was utterly hilarious. My boss was staring at us, dumbfounded. "How do you two know about each other?" There I was in this meeting full of people WAY above my pay grade talking about canning and making Elderberry syrup and tinctures and what herbs are good to have on hand for medicinal purposes. :hysterical:


----------



## Dixie Bee Acres

Kas, sounds like an excellent day at work!

My day of woodcutting got cut short again, this time my fault. Been using my dads stihl chainsaw, and I broke it. Actually the part had been wearing for a while, I just put it over the edge today. Made a couple phone calls to find out the part could be in in 3-6 days and $25-$35 minimum labor. Called one more place, yeah, we have one in stock, took saw over, parts and labor less than $20. Not bad at all.

Tomorrow is picking for market and setting up at farmers market, so no wood cutting....think i could use a break anyway.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning everyone. It's Friday!!!!


----------



## hotzcatz

Exactly, Marchie, how did it turn into September already! How's the tablet weaving workshop preps going along?

Can you use beet juice to dye yarn, do you think, Hercsmama?

Hope everyone in your family and community are doing well, BBC. Sounds like wasps are everywhere all of a sudden!

DBA, if you're gonna mention "unconventional planting" you have to add in details! What sort of unconventional planting? No till type or hydroponics or what? Have you tried "greasy" beans? 

Okay, Kasota, now you have me trying to say weekend weaving workshop ten times really fast. Ack! If you get really crazy about cleaning things, maybe we will have to import you to clear off my sewing table, too. I haven't seen the top of that for ages.

That's too much work in one day, Hercsmama! I'm tired just thinking about it. Really cute hamster, though! I could see bunnies in little sweaters although they'd probably chew on them.

Dead fish, Woodpecker? I guess I won't ask where you got dead fish from. But they should be great fertilizer!

Whoosh down the rabbit hole, Lexierowsell! Most of us haven't a clue what we are doing with spinning wheels and looms either, we just kinda make it up as we go along.

Hope things cool down for you MDKatie and congrats on selling your lambs. It's always good when the feed bill goes down.

Sounds like some great fleeces, LambsAreCute. 4" fleece is an easy to work with length. When it gets long it's harder for some prepping processes, at least, it seems that way for me. Good luck on your employment quest.

Sounds like an exciting time for your daughter, CanadianGirl as well as for you with more time off. Hope the soap goes well and you don't hear the term "no soap".

How did your fiber turn out, Kasota? Watching Three Bags Full is always fun.

What sort of harvest are you putting up, Ana Bluebird? Vegetables? Fruits? Pickles? I keep thinking I should make guava jam but then never go gather the guavas.

Ah, Kas & Lexie, yup, fiber prep takes just as much if not more time than spinning. Which is why lazy folks like me spin the stuff raw a lot.

Sounds like a lot of work to get that much wood, DAB. Have you seen the "Husta" type stoves? Sort of a carbureted wood stove that uses a lot less wood for cooking and heating. Carbureted with a thermal mass to conserve the heat. You may want to look into them, too, Kas. Saves a lot on firewood.

Isn't your fiber demo a momentous occasion, too, Taylor R.? Although birthdays and first days of school count, too.

DAB, we get dryer parts from the dump, do they let you do that in your area? Technically, ours isn't the official dump, it's more of a holding area of things on their way to the dump. But there's a pile of dryers there which have knobs and such. Shootz, I think the dryer we have came from the dump. 

Congradulations on your orange salad spinner, Kas! They work great for fiber and yarn and I suppose you could even use them for salad.

Has the weather dried out yet, WIHH? Doesn't rain give you an excuse to stay inside, drink hot toddies and play with fiber?

Try cranberry juice, Lythrum. That's supposed to be really good for infections and stones isn't it? Although maybe I'm remembering wrong and it's for something else? Dragon*con, eh? That sounds like a hoot! Did you dress up? Did you knit a dragon?

Canning fruit cocktail sounds interesting, Kandmcockrell. I've never known anyone to do that before. Would you put the grapes in them? I'm never certain if those green grapes should be in fruit cocktail or not.

It's okay to have a great month Marchie! We like to hear about it, too! It offsets the evening news which we don't usually want to hear about.

File for whatever you can qualify for, Woodpecker. That's what it's there for after all! (Just like WIHH said!) Can you rent the house instead of selling it?

Cute sheepie, Lexie! On and off the bobbin.

How come your DH will have a fit for you making fence post holes, hercsmama? Do you put them in the wrong spot or something? If he gets too grumpy, come make them over here, we could use some fencing.

Blankets of yarn are impressive, DBA! Lots of work in those , but so cosy! Will there be pictures?

Exercise is always good they say, MDKatie. What sort of phone app is it that your cousin has? We have bicycles, but they are electric bicycles. Much easier to ride up hill.

I dunno WIHH, there must be some weather god mad at you. Have you forgotten your good weather dances? Or maybe you're supposed to leave out chocolate for the weather gods? If I was a weather god, that would be my preferred practices.

Wow! Pretty shawl, hercsmama! Love the lacyness of it!

Good luck in the Potter's Guild show, featherbottoms! Cute plaque, too! It will look great in your weaving studio.

Were you drinking any of that elderberry wine at work, Kas? Then maybe you'd get on par with the general trend of pay grade. Or, if everyone would drink enough, maybe there would be a leveling effect?

Good on you for fixing the saw, DAB. It is always nice when they come back functional. How much wood are you gonna cut? Wow, it is Friday, although just barely Friday. Past my bedtime, anyway!


----------



## Dixie Bee Acres

Hotzcatz,
When I say unconventional planting, it is just unconventional by normal gardening standards.
I usually plant, say, a few rows of beans together, then tomatoes, then peppers, then beets, etc.
Next year, I am thinking of something like a row of tomatoes, then two rows of beans, then a row of peppers, two more beans, then repeat.
Trying that to keep different varieties of the same veggies from cross pollinating. This year i am not saving any of my seeds because there is a very high possibility that my different peppers might have cross pollinated, same with tomatoes and so forth.
I also think this could be good because different pests attack different plants, by splitting everything up, there might not be as much concentration of any one type of pest in any peticular area of the garden.

This will make crop rotation a bit difficult, but I think it is doable, but only time will tell.

Oh, and how much wood? As much as possible, lol. 4 large trees are on the ground now, a few more need to be dropped. Then several more on other properties. I have 7 cords cut and split for this winter, so now I am starting on next winter, the more, the better.


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## lexierowsell

DBA- do you know about the leaf types (potato-type leaf vs tomato-type leaf, I think)? I know one of the two is less likely to cross pollinate than the other in nightshades. I grow mammals, but I recall the first year we had killer tomato and pepper grows, Steve saved seed from then best fruits and explained to me that some didn't cross, despite proximity and that you could tell by the leaf shape.


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## hercsmama

Good morning all.
Hotzcatz, have I ever mentioned how much I utterly adore your totally spastic way of posting? You always make me smile, and giggle a bit, to quote Zsa Zsa, "Your simply Mahvalous Dahling"!:rock:

As far as beet juice to dye yarn, yep it works! Comes out a bit purplie/blue, very nice really.
Dh has no problem with me doing fence posts, usually, but since my fall he is treating me with kid gloves, and doesn't want me doing anything he thinks of as "guy like" anymore.:hohum: Men.

Today I'll take a trip through my stash and see what I have in a lace weight for that shawl. Lord forbid I may have to go shopping for something. I will need to order the beads for it. 
I got a call from a woman in SD yesterday about my remaining ewe lambs, she said they will take all of them!!
She aso asked if I had any of the grown Ewe's I was willing to sell as well, I have maybe one or two, need to think on that one...
So if it all works out, I am finally, totally done selling lambs for this year.:banana:
Cross ya'lls fingers the sale works out, I have got to start getting things ready for the BIG sheep we are getting next month.
Off to grab coffee.......


----------



## lexierowsell

Hotz- you're so sweet to take the time to go through everyone and reply. Thanks for the love on my girl Ella, she's more dog than sheep. 

Speaking of these dairy girls (all of whom are lovely, btw), I think I could shear these girls twice a year, easily. I just sheared them in late May or June, and they're already back up to 3ish" fiber! What the heck happened last year I wonder, that at 13 months post shearing I got 5ish"?


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## MDKatie

WIHH, glad you survived that weather! Sounds scary!

DBA, how nice the repair was only $20 and they had the part in stock! And I think I do unconventional planting...usually it's, "Oh heck, I guess I"ll squeeze these green beans here, and maybe I'll put the tomatoes over there..." LOL. 

Hercs, yay for selling sheep! It's a great feeling when you have money in your hand and fewer mouths to feed!

Kas, we can inspire each other! I'm really trying to get back into the swing of exercising, and it is HARD to start that new, healthy habit! My friend and I went to Zumba last night. It was hard, and fun, and now I feel like I got hit by a (small) bus. :happy2:

Hotz, electric bikes? Is that sort of like a moped? Do you pedal at all? I like the sound of an electric bike!


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## SvenskaFlicka

Hotz, Hercsmama, it has always been my understanding that wool dyed with beets turns a golden yellow. Even my official Ashford Book of Dyeing says they should make yellow. 
What are you doing to get purple Hercsmama? Is it colorfast? What sort of mordant do you use? (I feel like this may work as a Viking purple if the mordant isn't too weird.)
Well, I finished the first Norwegian mitten. It turned out nice. Haven't started the second yet because I have been sewing and nÃ¥lbinding like crazy. I got a big order from the TV show The Originals for a bunch of Viking clothes. They film this week, the episode with my clothes will air sometime after Halloween. :sing: I had never even heard of this show until they contacted me. .. turns out they were one of the most popular new shows off 2013, and it is about a vampire family. Oh, that explains why I haven't watched it. I guess I'll have to watch for my clothes at least. 
I'm a bit giddy. Not only is it a TV show, but they obviously care enough about authenticity to use real Viking clothes. They even ordered nÃ¥lbound mittens, socks, and a hat from me! This is better than another show i could name... 
Well, all of you take care. I have some socks to finish before i mail everything out!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Wow, is it muggy today. Just came in from the garden with 2 1/2, five gallon buckets full of bell peppers. I think I lost five pounds from sweating....I'm sure I smell pretty.
Time to cool off with a glass of iced tea, then back out to pick tomatoes, jalepenos, banana peppers and cucumbers.


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## hercsmama

Kelsey, it's not colorfast, it will rinse to yellow, but it is good for things like woven wall hangings, that you can avoid washing.
Just dye to the shade you want, and let hang to dry,DO NOT RINSE!!
Then you can weave, or knit it, and the color will stay. As long as you do not need to wash it, ever.......

I should have been a bit more detailed, sorry...


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## Taylor R.

Kelsey, one of my friends is obsessed with that show. Will you learn the exact air date? I'll have to watch that one with her if you do so I can point out the awesomeness!! It's a network show, so this is a huge gig for you, so cool!

My oldest daughter is either massively sucking up or she was just in a fabulous mood this morning. She woke up early on her own, made her brother's lunch (we have to pack a LOT of lunches for him due to food allergies), got herself and him dressed and ready, and then studied her spelling words all of her own volition. She also attempted to make my coffee before my alarm went off, but she forgot the filter (I choked down a cup full of grounds before she left anyways). You think it's because her birthday party is tomorrow?? Either way, it was very responsible and sweet.

Now I have a weekend mostly at home and I better get to work on this house before we have birthday party company tomorrow.


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## SvenskaFlicka

Hmmm... well, so much for me being excited about a purple from beets... :Bawling:

BTW Hercsmama, I love that shawl you posted. I think red with little red crystal beads would be perfect! 

So, has everyone but me heard of this show? :teehee: I don't know the exact air date, but you can bet I'll be finding out. I'll even be watching this episode so I can see my duds! 

I just finished the baby nÃ¥lbound socks for them. Last thing to ship out-- everything else shipped yesterday. I have been working until late at night for the last few days. This was a rush order. I'll post pictures of the tiny socks later. 

Taylor, maybe it's a little of both with your daughter? I used to go in spurts like that at her age. She sounds sweet.


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## hercsmama

Kelsey, I found this for you!
http://pioneerthinking.com/crafts/natural-dyes

Lot's of purple options!


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## kandmcockrell

Hotzcatz - the recipe i have in a ball book calls for pears, peaches and maraschino cherries. But if i do it, i think i will try a jar or two with grapes as well to see what happens. 
My DH works at a boatyard, and they have this cotton roving, more or less, that they put in the seams of wooden boats. Do you think it is spinnable? I can take a picture if needed.


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## hercsmama

Remember my saying this in last months thread?
I expect Christmas stuff will be out within the week.:hohum:

Well guess what, I just saw my first Christmas commercial! Yep, I did, for Kmart, seriously?:smack


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## Dixie Bee Acres

hercsmama said:


> Remember my saying this in last months thread?
> I expect Christmas stuff will be out within the week.:hohum:
> 
> Well guess what, I just saw my first Christmas commercial! Yep, I did, for Kmart, seriously?:smack


Bite your tongue young lady!!!


----------



## Lythrum

hotzcatz said:


> Try cranberry juice, Lythrum. That's supposed to be really good for infections and stones isn't it? Although maybe I'm remembering wrong and it's for something else? Dragon*con, eh? That sounds like a hoot! Did you dress up? Did you knit a dragon?


I have been drinking a cup of cranberry juice every day and one of orange juice. The cranberry juice helps with infections and the orange juice helps keep the stones from forming. Thankfully I seem to be mostly better this week, the infection has cleared up. 

No we didn't dress up, we were visiting friends who were attending. They did dress up, my friend in a steampunk-ish costume and her husband dressed like the Captain from Firefly for their Saturday costumes. They were both doing zombies on Sunday for a zombie prom event that was being held. Every time we visit them there I really get the desire to go the next year and dress up, and every year I get so turned off by the crowds that I almost break out in hives.  We did get to see some really elaborate costumes, and my husband bought a Utilikilt and was wearing it around. Being of Scottish descent, I have a thing for men in kilts. :tmi:


----------



## Kasota

Hello, all! 

I have not been able to get on HT all evening. Finally it worked! Yay!

All this has brought home the fact that I am a Fiber Forum addict. LOL! I was starting to get anxious!


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## lexierowsell

It's been so quiet all day today! I've been baking bread for the CSA, and being somewhat sedentary I was checking in and musing alllll alone!

I picked cotton between oven loads... 20 batches of bread later...

I have this much left-








And this much done!


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## Kasota

This server change just bites. Sometimes I can get here and sometimes I can't. I found the thread on the server change in Countryside families and tried clearing my cache and cookies and rebooting. I am getting a error page 99% of the time.  I tried to post to the server change thread and just get a server error page. 

:Bawling:


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## lexierowsell

After a terrible 24 hours, I find it safe to say that spinning is a most soothing time consumer. 

Last night, my rescue Guinness refused his dinner. Then he tried to take the head off my other dobe, a gentle sweet super submissive little girl. Then, the vomiting started. It didn't stop. Poor guy threw up every few minutes from 8pm to 2am (meanwhile I'm getting all my second builds done on 20 batches of rye bread).

I had my car keys in my hand, ready to head for emerg, when he finally lay down quietly. This am I loaded him full of pumpkin and EVOO, as his previous owner advised me of his past sock obsession post my witnessing him eat a vomited-up sock; I was hoping to make everything inside as slippery as possible without causing extreme discomfort with castor oil etc. 

Finally got home from deliveries at 7:30 pm, and Guin is acting like the jolly dolt I've grown so fond of. Let them out, he has BM, and tada!! 

Sport socks.

In tiny kid size. 

I have no children nor visiting kids, and Steve and I farm in sandals 99% of the time, so he's had them inside for 10+ days...

Dog is completely back to normal now. 

Fml. 

I have now been awake for appx 36hr, couldn't sleep to save my soul. Just spent 3 hours spinning (and, let's be honest, drinking red wine), and am finally calm enough and centered enough to go try sleep. 

Until tmrw HT, hope your server trx is smooth as possible.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning all.
Raining here and will ne most of the morning, then clear and a little cooler the rest of the day and tomorrow. So, firewood tomorrow, today....hmmm, I don't know, but im sure I will get some woodworking time in. Need to get a few skeins of yarn so I can get that big blanket done.


----------



## hotzcatz

I do your "unconventional" planting, DAB, mostly to put beans among the other vegetables. They are nitrogen fixing and help the other plants grow. Plus they are tasty, too! We've been saving seeds for several years now. It's really nice to use the "seed money" to buy new varieties instead of more of the same old thing. I think it also eventually gets a variety that grows well in this specific area.

Oh, sorry for the spasticness, Hercsmama! I usually open Notepad and make replies while going through the posts and then cut and paste the whole enchilada and then re-edit to clean it up, but there wasn't enough time yesterday for the final edit. If there hasn't been a whole lot of time between posts, it's probably a bit more coherent. Things have been absolutely crazy this week but they were a little less crazy today, maybe the weekend will mellow out. I met two people today who wanted more sheep, but they haven't figured out which sheepies yet. They'd probably not be customers for you, though, since the shipping would be a bit much. They are also looking for Oessant or West Breton Dwarf sheep. Something tiny, anyway. 

I still keep trying to figure out how to have sheepies in town, Lexierowsell. Ella would be a great town sheep! But, my DH has been very resistant to the whole idea of sheepies.

Electric bicycles look just like bicycles except they have a rack on the back with a plastic side box and a small round canister down by the back hub. One handle grip twists and when you twist it, it goes. You still pedal, the motor "assists" so that means you get to sit, pedal easily and breeze up the hill. There is an Izip and an Ezip bike. We also have a Vespa, I probably use that one more often since it doesn't require any pedaling at all.

Wow! Great job on the TV show Viking clothes! Although, I've not heard of "The Originals" either. Ooops! Maybe we will have to find out where and when they air so we can see the Viking clothes, too. Can you post pictures before they get mailed or does the TV show want to keep them secret?

Ratz, Hercsmama! I knew beet purple was fugitive. It's such a lovely color until it washes out.

Do kids ever have an angelic twin instead of an evil twin, Taylor R? Maybe your daughter has an angelic double? Have fun with the birthday party!

Your recipe sounds tasty, kandmcockrell! Much better than the fruit salad with the grapes in it. But a lot of folks like the grapes, so maybe they will both be great.

Cotton boat caulk should work, although it may have some nits and VM in it. Boat caulk is probably made from "seconds" instead of prime fiber, but I'm just guessing. It's been a long time since I've had a wooden boat, but I did use to pack that stuff in a few cracks here and there. There's an iron fan shaped chisel sort of thing that lots of folks use to pack it in with. Then there was that goop put on top and that would keep the water out. I wasn't spinning at the time, or I'da probably tried to spin the caulking. Have your DH bring some home and give it a try! Pictures!

A Christmas commercial already, Hersmama? Ack! Maybe we should all become Buddhists or Jews until January and see if that will keep the commercials at bay?

A utilikilt, Lythrum? He was wearing it around and you haven't posted any pictures!?

A fiber forum addict, Kas? Well, we're enablers around here, we can roll with that.

Twenty batches of bread, Lexie! Ye gawds and little fishes! I really hope you have a machine to do the kneading! Sounds like a lot of cotton picking work! Fluffy looking pile of fiber, it should spin up nicely and I'm glad the spinning (and red wine) are so relaxing.

Server change? Hope it gets smoother for you, Kas! It seems computers no sooner get organized, than they need to be reorganized.

Well, it's been busy around here lately. We're finally getting more work done on the back lanai. 










These still aren't done, but these steps took me about a week to put together although a lot of that time was in designing them. The intent is to have the steps look like they "float" up to the back deck. I think it sort of looks that way. Still need to finish painting (ran out of paint) and put a hand rail up the far side. There will also be a fascia board at the end of the floor deck so you won't see the ends of the boards, but that's not installed yet. I've started on the bigger version of these steps on the front of the deck, but that's no further along than just barely starting the foundation. They should go pretty quick, though, since the basic design will remain the same.

This is what's been keeping me busy, though:










This house came up for sale about ten days ago. It was a paperwork scramble, but we got in an offer and it was accepted! Yay! It is right next to the high school where my DH works so he will be able to walk to work and walk home for lunch. It has a bigger back yard than the house we have now. We were going to buy it as a rental, but if we live in it we can get a much better fixed interest rate on a 30 year mortgage so it looks like we will be moving there. It's only about three quarters of a mile away, so it's not like we are moving very far.










That's the ocean view from ground level, it should be better from the higher windows. If we are going to live here, then we will probably build a front deck on it, but that project won't happen for awhile. The back yard needs a ton of work, but that won't be cleared out for awhile, either. This will probably be the first project to work on:

















It needs to be termite tented, a new ceiling installed, new counter tops, scrub everything at least twice, paint the cabinets, paint the walls, replace the flooring and get the plumbing and electrical functional again. And then basically do the same thing for the living room, three bedrooms, hall way and bathroom. It's kinda a nice thing that it's a small house when it needs this level of cleaning.

It is a lovely sized kitchen but nobody has lived in the house for twenty years. They just left and left a lot of stuff in the house. I think they may have left when the sugar mill closed since that was about twenty years ago. The location is great, the layout of the house is good (needs a second bathroom to be great) and the yard is large. It's on a cul-de-sac with a great view. It just needs "a little work". We should get the keys (it's a skeleton key and matches the one to our other old house) but symbolically, we should get official access in about twenty eight days.

I'm thinking an aqua Formica counter top (keep the metal trim), especially keep the big SS sink, glossy white cabinets, maybe a teal colored walls or perhaps light yellow, maybe green and beige checkerboard floor or perhaps linoleum with a stripe around the edges. Hard to say just yet, gotta see what's under that roll vinyl flooring that's there. 










Fortunately, these will all be the "before" pictures. So far I've been shuffling paper like crazy so we could get the offer in, then it got accepted so now there's even more paper to push around. But, the potential of this house is huge after a bit of work is put into it. The back yard might be big enough for a sheepie or two! Well, maybe, although I suspect my DH will still be resistant to the idea. It's roughly 1,000 square feet of house on 15,000 square foot lot, so that's 14,000 worth of room for sheepies the way I figure it. Doubt DH thinks the same, though. He's probably thinking about building a huge workshop instead.


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## lexierowsell

Hotz- I love old houses! And that yard is absolutely sheep-sized. IMO you should just get a fine wool lamb, a long wool lamb and an angora kid, fresh off the bottle. The BEST lawn crew ever! 

We're presently using my orphans of last year to reclaim an old garden.

They're in a 16x16 "pen" made up of hog panels, that we just move every few days as necessary.

What it looks like to begin-








After a few days-








I have 4 in it, and they get zero supplemental feed (just minerals). Perfect for reclaiming your giant back yard, and great fleece on the hoof! I would maybe get a dairy goat or two instead of angora goat, but to each his own! These babies are the sweetest little creatures!


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## Kasota

GM, all. 

I hope posting this time works. I am having NOTHING but trouble with HT since the server change. Most of the time I can't even open the threads. When I can, I can't seem to post to them - just get data error page. 

Hotzcatz, what an awesome new house! You will have such fun fixing it up. I've decided that aqua is one of my new favorite colors. I'm getting a cabinet for my bathroom and I'm going to paint the outside white and the inside aqua. 

Well, if you don't see me here and about or replying to posts I'm still thinking of you all. 

This makes me feel so sad....:Bawling::awh:


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## 7thswan

I too am having big problems getting on,had to do some strange rerouting. I'll see if this posts.


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## Taylor R.

Hotz, there are some awesome new countertop paint systems on the market these days. I've done a ton of looking around for stuff like that so I can assure myself that if we buy a house with a horribly ugly kitchen I can paint some stuff up for relatively cheap and live with it until a full on remodel. Also, that table is awesome, almost just like the one that sat in my grandparent's kitchen my whole life.

Lexie, you have such a beautiful home! The sweet little goatie totally adds to the effect.


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## lexierowsell

Thanks Taylor, it's an amazing place to be. We are blessed, and thankful for it always.


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## Kasota

HT seems to be working better! YAY!!! 

I have been out in the garden today. My sister was over for a bit. The "fuss factor" in this house today is about ready to drive me nuts. So I went out to sit on the swing while shelling some beans for soup and mom has to come out and sit there and give me a looong list of the things she wants me to do. That sort of thing just pushes my buttons - I suppose because at work it is one thing on top of another to do. I had been enjoying just being able to simple breathe and watch the bees making happy in the mint garden and coaxing a little chipmunk over...

Well, I guess it is what it is. 

I did order another compost bin off of Amazon. A wire thing that I think will work. I just don't have time/gumption to build the second one that I so desperately need. 

Onward!


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## hotzcatz

What cute goaties! Isn't the floppy eared one a Nubian? 

I'll look into the paint systems, Taylor, although it might just be easier to replace the Formica since it has the metal trim. Pry off the metal trim, if the old stuff is stuck down real well, just glue down another layer.  Otherwise scrape the old stuff off and put on new. Re install the metal trim and it's done. A good scrub and shiny white paint on the cabinets should fix them right up. Hopefully the termites didn't eat too much of them, we will have to see once we are able to go inside and start cleaning.

We still have three weeks before the paperwork is done so I'm starting to source supplies and stuff but it's gonna be a huge mess to fix up and I'll not have spinning time. Sigh!

What would happen if you gave your mom the beans to shell, Kas? Can you ask her to make a list since you can't remember it all? Might keep her busy for awhile.


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## lexierowsell

Hotz- that's Jimmy, my housegoat. He was dumped on me when he was 8 hours old, and I kept him in the house for a month. He's a Nubian-ish, haha! 

This is my other baby booger, Prize. She's all Nubian, an all star bred milking prospect. And an airhead. 








Then I have two lambs, Tommy (he's the one I sheared just the other day, ef x bfl) and Annie, another orphan that miraculously found my farm.


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## Woodpecker

It's really hot amd humid here lately. I went fishing tonight but only caught one baby snapper, I let him go.


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## Wind in Her Hair

lovin' the sheep and goat and house and projects and "finds" pictures, everyone!

Just popping in before I get the canner to going this morning to can some pear preserves with my Granny's old-fashioned Oklahoma recipe. MMM mmm. Every bite is like going back to my childhood and sittin in Granny's kitchen in Oklahoma on an early spring morning- and playing with the mail order new baby chicks in a box underneath Granny's kitchen table. Seems like only yesterday...

Yesterday was completely and utterly gorgeous and beautiful- the only bad thing was that I was INSIDE juicing tomatoes and baking and cooking and fcutting up and freezing and prepping to can MOST of the day. :sob:

Finally by mid afternoon, I was sitting in the sun, then making a campfire for evening, and enjoying my SUMMER! :dance: :bouncy: :nanner:

Yesterday morning we started out at 46ÂºF, got up to 71ÂºF- and now they TELL me that by Thursday, our HIGH could be 46ÂºF. 

*There is a likelihood that we might get our first frost then as well*.  

Usually I can keep the garden going until the end of September- but looks like fall is coming early this time around. 

Time for chrysanthemums and pumpkins I suppose. 

I did manage to get some knitting done while traveling home from the funeral on Friday- three huge bands of I-cord for a neck on an uncovential cowl- then yesterday evening by the campfire watching the moonrise, I started knitting the body of the cowl on US size 35s. All I could think of was Forerunner and his humongous projects. 

Pears this morning, then we shall see, maybe I will get to finally wash the windows if its not humid- that would be so wonderful!

Have a glorious Lord's Day everyone!

Seems we are in one of those sad seasons of life- last Friday a funeral, and on Monday, another funeral- this time Cabin Fever's aunt. Everyone that all our guests fight over a certain quilt she made us as a wedding gift. Aunt Jeanette continues to warm and comfort folks though she is gone from this earthly experience.


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## MDKatie

I'm sorry about the funerals, WIHH.  I can't believe it gets cold so quickly and early there! I am so happy it's fall, but I'm not ready for highs in the upper 40's yet! 


I cast off my baby/toddler sweater last night. It's so darned cute! I just have to kitchener stitch the sleeve holes (boo) and block it, and then it's done!


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## Woodpecker

I'm so sorry WIHH praying here for better days to come.


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## Kasota

Hello, everyone. 

I love all the pictures people have been posting, too! 

Hotzcatz, in all your business with the house don't forget to earmark time for taking before and after pictures! As for mom - it wasn't that I needed the beans done - it was that I was soooo enjoying being able to do them myself in the peace and quiet while watching the bees and smelling the fresh air. I rarely, rarely get that. I don't want to have her make a list. Then SHE will remember it all! And want to check things off. Which will result in "When are you going to...." conversations. LOL! 

Speaking of pictures - I would love to see a picture of Kelsey's spinning room. I'll bet it is just yummy. 

WP, I hope things cool down a bit for you. ((((hugs))))

WIHH - oh, I am so sorry about the losses you have right now. I'm right there with you on the weather! It's going to be an early Winter, for sure. I'm so, so glad you finally got some campfire time!! Yay!!! What a precious memory of your Granny! As for the knitting project - I am sure FR will be so proud of you!! 

MDKatie - I can't wait to see pictures of the finished sweater!  

I've been busy shutting down the gardens, too, excepting for a few things. I still have carrots, onions, beats, squash and kohlrabi going. Oh, and some brussels sprouts and one lonely cabbage left to pick. A couple heads of cauliflower will come in today. I cleaned up the trellises that the peas and beans were growing on. I cleaned up some of the flower bed that is in the front. It's huge and egads takes forever to go through. 

So this desk-jockey cubicle dweller was huffin' and puffin' outside much of the day. Then in the evening I decided to card a bunch of that wool that I washed. I couldn't sleep and carded into the wee hours of the morning. When I woke up I could hardly move. 

Today I am going to wash up the rest of that fleece excepting for a portion I have saved back to try the Orvus on that LAC is sending to me. I need to do a little touch up painting outside. I hope to find some time to knit.


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## hotzcatz

Prize looks like a sweetie, Lexierowsell. She could almost fly with those ears! Do goats make a lot of noise? Maybe I could fence the back of the lot on the new place and add three goats? There's neighbors directly next door, though. Do goats and sheepies get along? It would be nice to have two woolly sheeps and one goatie for milk, maybe. Nubian goat milk is very tasty, almost the same as store bought cow's milk but better tasting.

No pictures of your catch, Woodpecker? Even if you catch and release, you can still capture them with pictures. Saves having to clean and cook them, too! Sometimes fishing is more fun than catching or at least the aftermath of catching. We haven't been fishing in awhile, maybe we should just chuck the "to do" list and go fishing.

Auwe! Frost so soon, WIHH? I guess it does kinda go along with funerals, but it's hard on gardens, too. Sorry about the funerals, they are so sad. You'd think they'd put some effort into setting up some sort of inter-dimensional email or Skype so we could still chat with them. Sorta like an electronic seance except it would actually work instead of be a rip off. Maybe soon they will download everyone onto hard drives or something so you'd still be able to chat with them. Dunno how folks could still knit, though, but I suppose the next step would be cybernetic hands.

MDKatie, you tell us of this cute sweater but where's the pictures? Well, maybe after you get it blocked?

Yup, there will be loads of before and after pictures, Kasota. There'd be tons more "before" pics, but it is still in escrow. It's kinda nice to have this long planning period first, though. My plans for the kitchen have gone through about four different designs already. Now that we are going to probably be living there ourselves, it will change yet again, no doubt. Hmm, wonder where I can get a baby Wolf stove that will fit in there? Do they even make them in smaller sizes?

So after a day of gardening, you stayed up late carding wool? No wonder you can hardly move the next day. Maybe next time you could try carding wool in the hot tub? Then you'd not be stiff the next day. Especially if you had some of those rum drinks with tiny umbrellas in them while carding the wool.

Another beauty day! Maybe there will be time to scalp some bunnies. At the moment, though, it's computer time to get some drafting done, I'd told the contractor it would be done by tomorrow so there needs to be a bit of work done on it today and probably late into the night as well. One of the major troubles with self-employment is that there is no official quitting time. But, there will also be time to get a bit of work done on the back deck (even though it looks like we will be moving to a different house in a month or two) and maybe time to scalp a bunny as well. Then when it's dark, I'll be able to work on the drafting job.


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## hercsmama

WIHH, they are saying we might get our first snow by the end of the month! Crazy right?

So it has been one of those quite, but very productive days here.
Along with getting ready for the "GReat Sheep Breed Changeover" coming in October, we are starting our Fall clean-up around here.
Spent the morning mowing the Alpaca paddock, after getting everyone fed.
Those boys just crack me up, so curious about everything. They followed me back and forth around the pen, the entire time. 
Then I went down to the lower pasture and did a ton of mowing down there, to make space for the new Sheep sheds coming in.
Dh FINALLY got that nasty peice of pipe pulled that I impaled myself on:hrm:. 
He had put a red bucket over it, after I got hurt, but has decided that it should be pulled, as he would hate for one of the Ewe's to get hurt, seriously?:smack

He is currently making the entrance to one of the Sheep sheds a bit taller, to accommodate the MUCH larger girls we will be getting.
I came in to throw a pie in the oven, and get more cucumbers and tomatoes in the dehydrator.
Also tossed a few potatoes in the oven with the pie, twice baked potatoes and steaks for supper!
I'm heading out to do a bit more mowing, out front this time, then in for supper and some serious fiber time.

I did manage to get another hat and sock number two of a pair I was working on finished last night, while I was watching Outlander. Lord I LOVE that show...:happy:


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## Dixie Bee Acres

We've begun stripping our garden. Still leaving a few tomato plants and all of the peppers as they are still producing nicely. Some of the melons are still doing good, but for the most part, everything else is coming out. This week I want to till it all and sow some oats on it. Not my oats though, lol.


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## hercsmama

Dixie, ours will be put to bed next week.
I'm just going to open the gates wide, and let all the sheep have at it!
I figure all the trampling, and manuring, and what all havoc they can create, should set me up nicely for next Spring. LOL!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

If my gardens were fenced in, I would turn my pigs into them.
Once everything is pretty much done, I will let the chickens have their way with the gardens, but they won't be near as productive as the pigs would be.


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## lexierowsell

hotzcatz said:


> Prize looks like a sweetie, Lexierowsell. She could almost fly with those ears! Do goats make a lot of noise? Maybe I could fence the back of the lot on the new place and add three goats? There's neighbors directly next door, though. Do goats and sheepies get along? It would be nice to have two woolly sheeps and one goatie for milk, maybe. Nubian goat milk is very tasty, almost the same as store bought cow's milk but better tasting.



My goats are noisier than my sheep. FWIW, I have fifty bajillion dairy animals, of several species. Sheep's milk is far and away the tastiest. 2 birds, one stone? Also, notoriously more easily fenced, and extra babies = tasty...

My young'uns are best buds, but the orphan pen didn't discriminate caprine/ovine. So far as they know, they're all the same. My adult milk goats are the snootiest creatures I've ever known, when it comes to other animals. They are just... Special. My cows were out with my sheep, and horses and cows... I only have a couple dairy goats so they can have their own pen ok.

I suggested a mix of the two species because they will clear out land most efficiently. In my mixed pastures (goat/sheep) I have sheep mineral out, and supplement the goats separately with copper as needed. 

Were in the process of transitioning everyone to small moveable pens. Sure don't mind sharing the pen plans with you at all!


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## Kasota

Debi - "The Great Sheep Breed Changover" speaks volumes! I can imagine you have a LOT on your plate! Oh, so glad your DH got that pipe pulled! 
What kind of pie? And on top of it all you finished some knitting projects. You are my hero. 

DBA - LOL! Don't you be sowing any wild ones! hahahaha! Turning chickens loose does have some benefits. I once had these two zucinni plants right smack dab next to each other. One turned into a mutant. It was HUGE!!! I'd never seen one so large before. Couldn't figure it out. Same place in the garden, same care. Then one evening I saw a couple banty hens come scooting out for a bit of scratch. I watched for a few more days and sure enough they were taking an afternoon siesta under the leaves. 

Lexie - pictures of cows and horses, please!  

I have to go dye my hair. Blech. I hate dying my hair. The first thing I will do when I retire is to stop! I dyed it last week but had the wrong color. Golden brown is not for me. It turns the gray a kind of strange color. 

Supper tonight was a nice beef roast (a rare treat for us as I am only allowed beef once a month due to health reasons) with carrots, parsnips and some taters from the garden. Yummy! I wish I had a piece of Debi's pie to go with it.


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## Kasota

Well, I figured out what mom's fussiness is stemming from. It's her sister's birthday this month - the first one since she passed away.  We sat and chit chatted about what we might do and decided we are getting birthday cards for Fran and sending one to each of her children. I'm going to print out a bunch of photos and put together a "Remembering Fran" booklet for each one and one for my mom. She's still sad but I think a lot of the fussy/crabbiness was coming from missing her sister and not really knowing what to do with it. We may put together some stories to go along with the pictures. She's in a much better mood now that we figured it out and she feels like she can do something for Fran's children.


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## Woodpecker

Hotcatz it didn't even dawn on me to take pics. The next time I go, I will take a few.


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## hercsmama

Strawberry/Rhubarb.


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## MDKatie

Here's the sweater! It's supposed to be the 1-2 yrs size, but it may be a little bit bigger. Hopefully it'll fit him for a couple of years.


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## lexierowsell

(Interruption for cute babies!)








My boys, Felix and Oscar








My girl, Lou


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## lexierowsell

Seems my first several pics didn't work. Will fix them in a few when I get inside from milking. Meanwhile, enjoy the babies and the ponies!


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## SvenskaFlicka

Kasota said:


> Speaking of pictures - I would love to see a picture of Kelsey's spinning room. I'll bet it is just yummy.


About that. .. That room has fallen victim to a combination of "I don't have a store to put things in!" and "Yikes, sewing orders!!!" There are random shelves I can't use and boxes and... 

It's a mess. :hohum:


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## MullersLaneFarm

WIHH, I'm so sorry for your losses. Tangible memories, like the quilt, ate so very comforting.

Oklahoma pear recipe, 'eh? You have my attention. I'm a 4th or 5th generation Okie (the rest of the clan stayed in MT). My g-papaw & memaw were in the first rush. (Great family history which includes thieves & murder.)
Ever hear (or taste) of Oklahoma Brown Candy? So sweet it makes your teeth hurt. Involves a cast iron skillet, butter, sugar & cream. It looks like a brown fudge but it is not a fudge. Stored in a tin, it will keep moist indefinitely. It was first published in The Oklahoman in the late 1800'

HK, you sure have your work cut out for you. Is real linoleum still made?

Katie, that sweater is too cute!

Lexie, love the boys. I sure miss our drafts, but we weren't using them like we used to so we sold them to friends who would let us use them when we wanted to.

My tomatoes are just now coming in slowly but sure. I have 14 tomato plants in, usually I have 8-10 & end up feeding some to the birds & pigs. This year? Well, I bought a bushel today (as well as 10 huge sweet peppers). My onions, carrots cucumbers, melons, dry beans, cabbage, hot peppers did great ... not so much for the tomatoes & sweet peppers. Can't wait to see what the sweet taters do ... have over 20 plants in.

Put up 10 quarts of ketchup today ... 2 fails ... one the jar broke, the other was operator error on Tattler lid. Bummer. Have a large pot of chunky marinara & another of salsa rojo (red Mx sauce) that will get canned tomorrow.

On the fiber front, I spun & chain plyed some turquoise dyed merino for a winter hat for Paul

Kas, it is such a freeing moment when you no longer have to dye your hair for work. Growing it out can be painfully ugly (streaking or high- low- lighting can help). I adore my hair colorS. From dark brown to red to silver & shades in between. My hair is just a bit longer than the bottom of my shoulder blades. My mother (75 & still dyeing her hair) constantly trys to talk me into dyeing it again.

Dreamy, you're in my thoughts & prayers every day.


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## lexierowsell

Pixie, due any day!








Karma, Divine's January heifer















Divine, mama to above








Meatloaf


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## SvenskaFlicka

Oh, yeah.








My husband played in clay and horse poo all afternoon. ound:

I feel like I should worm him now. ound:

ound:

:hysterical:

It's okay, he's making a furnace to smelt steel. But he played pattycake with poo all day! ound: :hysterical: ound:


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## Kasota

Good morning, everyone! Happy Monday! 

Lexi, thanks for taking time to post the photos! Your place is just a little slice of heaven!  

Kelsey, and here I imagined you happily spinning, your wheels carefully arranged, baskets of pooofy fiber and brightly colored braids adorning the space - perhaps a big ol' braided run on the floor. And what do I get? A picture of Philip playing in poo. 

Well, sometimes life just gets in the way of being overly organized. How are the pieces coming for the tv show? 

Cyndi, bummer about the ketchup. I'd love to have the recipe for that Oklahoma Brown Candy. Heavens,but I have a sweet tooth! I did know you had Oklahoma roots! I lived in Oklahoma for a year. I found it very hot. Not just a little hot. Hot like this northern gal had never dealt with. I know that eventually when I quit dying my hair and it's growing out that it will be entertaining. Maybe I will just shave my head bald and start from scratch. 

Have a good day, all!


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## weever

Poking my head in and enjoying all the news. WP, praying for your situation. I hope you don't have to sell your house. 

We've been without internet for about a week. Not that I've had much time to sit by the computer anyway, but it means I've been fussing with it for about a week. Glad to join the www again.

A couple of weeks ago I challenged myself to weave a rug per day (5x/week). Crazy goal, what with my part-time day job, my part-time rotational grazing management specialist job, my part-time farm bookkeeping job, etc. During these two weeks, I've also rewarped both looms (well, I guess I'm not quite done with the 2nd one). And I've only missed my goal one day. 

We have a fiber festival that we will vend at the end of this month (so I should be dyeing yarn like crazy, too) and a big 3-weekend Christmas show. Unless we get our rears in gear, we won't have product for it. So, in addition to getting everything wrapped up for winter here on the farm, and harvesting our crops, we need to focus on product. Where oh where is all that child slave labor (joking, people, joking!) we used to rely on?


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning all!
Kiddos are off to school, so my day begins. If I have time today I might make a batch of salsa, other than that, I will be busy outside all day. Pulling more bean and tomato plants, hopefully start tilling the garden, I have to start building some stock racks for my trailer to haul a pig or two to slaughter house next Monday. I need to run into town to ship out a couple lucets.
After the farmers market Friday, I had about 30 big bell peppers left, so today i plan on making a big batch of stuffed peppers, half of which I will serve for dinner tonight, the other half will go in the freezer.
Then the biggest majority of the remaining peppers will get sliced and frozen.
Other than that, its going to be a pretty slow and quiet day around here.


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## hercsmama

Morning!
All the critters are fed, and I'm having a cup of coffee.

So, I've decided to try, yet again, to quit smoking...went into Kearney and got one of those Vapor things. So far, it seems to be helping, only been two days though, and I have cheated.
But going from almost a pack a day, to 4 or 5 a day sure is a big improvement.

I need to head back into Kearney in a bit, have to go get a price to replace a window in dh's work van. We were doing a lot of mowing,a nd trimming yesterday, and somewhere along the way, one of us must have thrown a rock with the trimmer and broke the side window out.:smack
He's got a lovely duct tape window right now...
Also need to check and see if I can get maybe another 100 bales of straw, for winter bedding...I'm just not feeling like the 150 I have is going to be enough, if we have the winter they are predicting...
Ah well, Onward into the Breach!

Ya'll have a Blessed day!


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## 7thswan

Good Morning! Heavy dew today. I'm supposed to go up north to the log cabin this week, clean , get ready for Hubbys daughter and family to come up from Ga. to visit. But the gardens need tending. The Heriatge grapes are really putting out and delish-need to cann up some juice. Last weekend I got an All American canner at a garage sale-30$, now I have 4 canners,but couldn't bass the deal. Dh bought me another freezer, and brought it home last night after he delivered the load of hay we loaded in the morning. It's horse hay a large boarding stable buys from us so we square bale it. Chard is comeing in great, so I chopp and freeze. Kale too, but the chard is gone bonkers. Need to freeze some Malabar spinach, it likes the heat so it did not get real tall this year. Turnips-good and still makeing salsa with all the tomatoes( freeze them too in bags for makeing sause when it's cold out.) Not sure what to do with all this Fennel. Have been knitting washcloths for my sis. A little spinning...Have a Great Day, it's a Beauty here.


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## hercsmama

7th, I keep meaning to share a little story with everyone, that involves you, to a point....


So, about 2 weeks ago, I was using my Mandolin slicer to prep cucumbers for the dehydrator. Stupid me, wasn't using the little holder thing , and sliced a huge chunk out of the top of the first knuckle on my middle finger of my right hand. It was bad, but as I had so neatly removed all the skin, there was no point going to the ER, as there was nothing to stitch together left.

So I wrapped it, and kept it clean, I thought. It just did not want to heal well. I realized last weekend that it was getting badly infected. It hurt like the devil, still, a week later, was red, swollen, couldn't bend it at all, and just awful. 
Well, here's where it becomes about you, I told dh that I was going to give it until today, if it wasn't any better, I would go to the Dr. for some meds.
Then I remembered the Comfrey you sent me, and figured, what the heck.
I'll give it a try and see what happens.
That silly root is huge already, so I reached in and picked a nice big fat leaf. I wasn't exactly sure what to do with it, so just sort of crushed it up in my hands, and used it like a bandage around my finger, all by itself.
Well, within maybe 15 minutes, I checked my finger, and the infection was literally being drawn out. It was gross, but very cool at the same time.
Needless to say, I kept a leaf on it that entire day, just changing them every hour or so.
That was Saturday. This morning, I can barely feel it, it has finally closed up and looks healthy!
That stuff is just amazing!
Thanks so much, again for being so generous and sending me some!:kiss::kiss::kiss:


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

All the pieces for the TV show are done and shipped out, but I have some other pieces to do now, and not a lot of time to do them! HÃ¸stfest is coming up in three weeks, and I'm going to be out of town most of this week. 

It's all Viking stuff, so it should be easy, but wow... I have a lot of orders. I also have to get my tablet weaving and nÃ¥lbinding kits together for HÃ¸stfest too.


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## SvenskaFlicka

Now to generally comment on everything.

Kasota, I'm glad you were able to figure out your mom's fussiness.

Hercsmama, be careful out there! 

Lex, I love all your animals! I didn't know you rode dressage!

Woodpecker, take care of yourself and fish as often as you can.

Hotz, that's a cool looking house!

Cyndi, that candy sounds good!

WIHH, funerals suck. I'm sorry for your losses.


----------



## Taylor R.

The birthday party went great, then a very rough day at work (sometimes, I hate my job and much of corporate America alike..I'm just thankful I'm an hourly associate and get to leave it all behind at the end of the day), and I got home to a sick littlest baby. My poor girl is more upset about missing preschool than feeling awful.

Fall has arrived! It seems like everyone is getting in that before-winter push to get things wrapped up. Hopefully those of you up north get the chance to do what needs doing before the cold really moves in.


----------



## Lythrum

So I am intrigued now Kelsey, what are these nÃ¥lbinding kits that you are talking about???


----------



## Woodpecker

Hers mama what kind of yarn do you use to knit your washcloths? I figure that's an easy thing for me to do right now because my brain is busy.


----------



## hercsmama

WM sells cones of Peaches and Cream cotton yarn for about , I think 7-8 dollars. I can knit up something like 4 dishcloths out of 1 cone, maybe 5 depending on the pattern.

Ok, so. it is currently 7:55 here, and I have NOT had a single real cigarette all day.:happy: YEA ME!!!!!!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

way to go!!! Congrats!


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## SvenskaFlicka

Lythrum said:


> So I am intrigued now Kelsey, what are these nÃ¥lbinding kits that you are talking about???



Well, for HÃ¸stfest, they are going to be a needle and a ball of yarn packaged together for the class I'm teaching.

HOWEVER, I'm getting started on planning a DVD. For reals.


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## Lythrum

SvenskaFlicka said:


> Well, for HÃ¸stfest, they are going to be a needle and a ball of yarn packaged together for the class I'm teaching.
> 
> HOWEVER, I'm getting started on planning a DVD. For reals.


I am looking forward to it!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning folks. Hope everyone has a great and productive day.


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## hercsmama

Morning DBA!!
Morning all!

Well, Day 2 of the I'm a non-smoker challenge is starting well...hopefully it continues this way..
You have to know, I've been smoking since I was 14, and I'm 49 now, so yea, been a long time.....this vapor thing is really saving my bacon though..it's actually keeping me from going totally homicidal, so that's a good thing.

Lot's of the usual around here today. I got a call from the lady in SD that wants all my ewe lambs, we are playing phone tag right now, trying to set up the meeting spot for delivery...
I need to get the trimmer into the garden today..want to clean up the edges before I turn the sheep loose in it.
I also have 5 watermelons to deliver today...noticed yesterday that my tomatoes are just about done.








On the fiber front, went into town yesterday, and stopped at the Hobby Lobby, picked up some #50 needles, crazy huge things.
I made this last night, http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sassenach-claire-starz-outlander-cowl

As ya'll know, I'm madly in love with the show, just had to have this thing.
It worked up ridiculously fast on those massive needles.
I have no idea what I'll do with them now, but I'm sure something will come along eventually.


----------



## MDKatie

Good morning, everyone! 

Hercs, we are rooting for you on the quitting smoking thing! You can do it!! :bouncy: My Dad's girlfriend quite smoking almost 4 mos ago. She's maybe a few years older than you, and she has been smoking since she was a teen also. She quit smoking because she broke her hip (has no idea how), and it wasn't healing because she was a smoker. The docs think the reason she broke it in the first place is because of bone loss due to smoking. 

You will be much healthier for it! Any time you want to vent, we're here to listen and support you!! :clap:


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

Good morning, all!

back from the lovely funeral services for both grand ladies.  Yesterday was a bit of a family reunion for my husband, Cabin Fever's mother's side of the family. So many pictures and so many sweet memories. 

I knit all the way there and all the way back- mostly on those humungous US size 35 needles. 

Cabin Fever said it looked like I was knitting for Paul Bunyan! :grin:

As we were enjoying the Minnesota funeral ritual of a "little lunch" after the burial, a funny thing happened. 

One of the distant relatives heard my accent and asked how I was related to the family. 

So I pointed Cabin Fever out and said, "My husband is a nephew, that's him talking to Uncle Bob." 



The woman replied back to me,

 "Oh, I thought that was your _father." _

:hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical:

best

day

EVER! :hysterical:


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## hercsmama

ound:ound:ound:
Keith and I have gotten that before, isn't it great?!

Of course for some reason, the guys don't seem to think so....


----------



## Marchwind

I am so far behind in reading here I still have two pages to get through before I'm caught up. Hopefully I haven't missed anything super important that I need to know about.

That BIG storm hit here Friday later afternoon. I went to a friends house to offer distractions. We sat and chatted while I got my balls of string wound for my workshop and then we spun awhile. The day was stormy off and on but nothing unusual. It was super hot and muggy. As I left her place to get home to finish preps for my weekend I was listening to the radio and hearing storm warnings and watches going up for all over the state, several counties around us but they never mentioned Kalamazoo. I looked in my rear view mirror at one point and it was pitch black behind me (over the lake way) :hrm: still no mention of Kalamazoo. I was in downtown Kalamazoo and decided I didn't feel like cooking dinner so I stopped for a pizza to go and the storm hit and it hit hard and fast and before I got home it was done. I walked into my house and I had no power. I asked the neighbors when it went out and they said just a little earlier. Well, I was out of power until 2 am on Sunday. Thankfully in the city when you loose power you still have hot and cold running water and a toilet that flushes and works :clap: I have all the candles and flashlights I need. I used up all the power on my laptop watching movies the first night. I needed to preserve the battery life of my iPad since that's my alarm. On Saturday night I ended up taking a bunch of stuff from my fridge to my friends house to store in her fridge, I had just gone grocery shopping and can't afford to replace all that stuff. I didn't have any storm damage at all to deal with but there were thousands without electricity and lots of storm damage closer to the lake. 

I have to say that the cold front behind that storm is glorious!!!!!!

My workshop was awesome, amazing, mind blowing, unbelievably wonderful! Inge Dam is gracious, patient, mega talented and super sweet. Last night she was the speaker at out guild meeting. She brought two large suitcases of her creations along and several of us were chosen to model them, including yours truly :happy: I am completely gobsmacked by this woman, her skill, her creativity and beside all of that, she is a really nice normal woman and her husband is adorable too . She asked me specially to model the very last coat and OMG, that's about all I can say about that. The pictures do not do it justic. She dyed the yarn, I believe she said it was silk and or maybe tensel. This is the coat. http://www.ingedam.net/gal19b.html. I also got to model this coat. It is silk and very, very warm http://www.ingedam.net/gal2.html


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## Marchwind

If anyone has the link to my carding video can you post it. Somehow I lost my book mark to my YouTube channel and I can't remember what I called it :smack and I won't have time to sit at my laptop and really look until later today, maybe. Thanks!


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## Taylor R.

WIHH, I'm often mistaken for my father's wife, which is an incredibly embarrassing ordeal for all involved :smack. I don't think I look _that_ old, though caring for three children certainly takes its' toll on me.

It's a preschool day, which means I'm only home for a couple hours in the morning, then I go stay at my mom's house while my little lady attends her class. I am quite sure my mom is LOVING that I'm bored at her house for 9 hours a week as I get a good bit of cleaning done while I'm there. A girl can only watch so much DIY network while crocheting before she's gotta get up and move!


----------



## Marchwind

Taylor take your wheel, spindle or knitting along with you :bash: You have 9 perfectly good hours that should NOT be spent cleaning someone else's house. That's just my opinion of course


----------



## featherbottoms

Kelsey, do you have a netting shuttle for sale on your website? I have decided I need one.

I couldn't remember the name of your site or I would have checked there.


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## lexierowsell

Please share your site!


----------



## BlueberryChick

Hey, all! I've spent the last few minutes trying to get caught up around here.

We're in full homeschool mode around here. It suits me well because I'm pretty much a homebody and homeschooling means we genuinely need to spend most days hunkered down in the schoolroom. Friday will be a "day off" from the routine. We will attend a history lecture at the museum (not nearly as boring as it sounds! The guy in charge is awesome.). After the museum, we're having lunch with friends and then making soap at their house.

I'm working hard on project bags for my booth at SAFF in October, as well as getting a few things done for the state fair. It's a busy fall, but going well.

My aunt is improving. She spent most of July and all of August in the hospital. She's at a rehab/assisted living facility right now, to get her strength back to go home. She's had a rare form of pneumonia and is still looking at months before she's back to full steam. It's hard to see her so weak, especially since she has always been so healthy. She spent three months teaching in India just last fall. Please keep her in your prayers; she is a treasure in our family.


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## Woodpecker

hercsmama said:


> WM sells cones of Peaches and Cream cotton yarn for about , I think 7-8 dollars. I can knit up something like 4 dishcloths out of 1 cone, maybe 5 depending on the pattern.
> 
> Ok, so. it is currently 7:55 here, and I have NOT had a single real cigarette all day.:happy: YEA ME!!!!!!


Thanks I have some peaches n cream cotton that I could use. Yay for you on making the decision to quit.


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## SvenskaFlicka

My web site is: www.spindleshuttleandneedle.com
I'm
I don't believe I have netting shuttles though.


----------



## Kasota

Debi, congratulations on starting down that quit-smoking path! You CAN do it!!! Did you connect with the ewe lady? That cowl is enormous! 

WIHH - that is TOO HILARIOUS about that person thinking CF was your dad.

Taylor - it is no doubt simply that your dad looks so young.  

Marchie - I am so glad you made it through the storm safe and sound! Glad you had a friend where you could stash your groceries. They're so expensive these days! I am so glad you have fun at your workshop! And getting picked to model that coat! Woot! 

BBC, that's great news that your aunt is getting better - even if it is slowly. Post some pictures of your project bags!  

Featherbottoms and Lexie - if you lose the link to Svenska's shop just look at any of her posts - the links are there at the bottom under her tag line.  

The last two days have been nuts. I ended up leaving work at noon yesterday because I was just flat sick. Felt like someone beat up my insides with a baseball bat. Made it back to work today but because I missed a 1/2 day I was behind on some work that needed done so I ended up working 10 hours with all of about 20 minutes for a break in the middle of the day. Got home and rinsed out some fleece I had forgotten about from the day before, had a bite to eat, did some laundry, took the kitchen trimmings out to the compost bin and took a bath. Maybe I can get in a little knitting before bed. Or probably crocheting- I don't have to think or even look at what I'm doing when I crochet. Hey...I wonder if I could sleep and crochet at the same time? 

I've been having really weird dreams. One night I had a dream that my legs were growing wool. It was getting so thick I was worried about wearing pants because it would make it felt.


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## lexierowsell

Kas- I use my phone with the HT app 99% of the time. I don't see many of the extra things.


----------



## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning all.


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## Kasota

GM, DBA and all who follow. Happy Wednesday! 

It's 46 degrees and raining. Yeah, it sure feels like Autumn! Still supposed to get some weather in the 60's after a few days of cool...but with temps down in the low 30's overnight for the next few nights I think gardening season is about done. My mums are blooming like crazy and all the birds are starting to flock up. 

Winter is around the corner. 

International Falls is supposed to get snow. 

WIHH - are you ready??


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Kas, no cussing allowed, please refrain from using the "W" word.....


----------



## MDKatie

Howdy everyone! DBA, at first I thought the "W" word was Wednesday. :hysterical: I was wondering what was so bad about Wednesday?! Then I realized what she said. I'm ready for the big "W" though! :happy: Although I see some areas of Canada got snow yesterday. I'm not quite ready for snow...just cool weather!


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

Kasota, your DVD went out on Monday afternoon - sorry for the delay. And, yes, I am ALWAYS ready for autumn. :grin: As much as I love my garden, I am always happy to put it to bed. 

There is such a sense of accomplishment, the freezer and the pantry is full, and in such harmony with the seasons. So, I rejoice when the "frost is on the pumpkin". 

It makes me sad to see the petunias and salvia and zinnias freeze and die - but then I try to surround myself with pumpkins and gourds and pine cones and dry grasses and mums that will last far into the season. 

Fall is actually a busy chore time for us because we wait until the first freeze to gather in firewood. Mind you, we are about 5 years AHEAD - whatever we gather in this autumn will be sitting, split, tarped, and on pallets and seasoning (drying/curing) and we won't burn it until 3-5 years from now.

Always stay a step ahead - or three. That's our motto. 

The kitchen counter is covered with tomatoes in various stages of ripening and I am certain I will be left with quite a few green ones this fall. In fact, I might just gather the green ones and make green tomato mincemeat and can it this weekend and then I will be DONE with those tomatoes. Well, at least until I decide to take the frozen ones and make my salsa. 

I love to use phyllo dough and brush it with butter and layer it in muffin cups, then fill that with the green tomato mincemeat and bake it for a delicious autumn treat.

Top it with a dollop of whipping cream mixed with a little sugar and some brandy...oooohhhh lah lah.

I have been enjoying my own fresh tomato juice and alcohol-less Bloody Mary's for breakfast the last couple of days. Oh my.  Such a treat.

And today for lunch I will be enjoying some of the sherried cream of tomato soup I made and froze last weekend. I am definitely getting my fill of fresh home-grown tomatoes. 

This weather makes me a LITTLE bit sad that once again, I seemed to have missed that narrow window of opportunity to get my fleeces washed - ah, the travails of the working woman with only weekends to wash fleece. 

Hopefully, we might get a little more Indian Summer in early October and I will get those fleeces washed after all. I certainly understand now why my friends that buy fleeces at fiber festivals deliver them that same day to the fiber mill's booth of their choosing for immediate processing. 

I have thumbs to knit to finish a second pair of mittens for grandsons and I am working on a cowl thingee for a daughter-in-love. US size 35 needles for most of it. I misread the directions and had to tink back 10 rows to get back on track. :doh:

There is some lovely fall colors targhee/mohair being spun in odd moments on "Grumpy" (the Canadian Production Wheel) which I understand now is more precisely called a Quebec Production Spinning Wheel. 

I am moving the other wheels to corners of the house in anticipation of company in a week. Funny how I "spread out" my stable of wheels when it is just the two of us. 

Tonight we are under a frost advisory as well, Kasota. 

I could so easily have chosen to stay in bed this morning, what with the wind, the cold rain, and the 40ÂºF coming in through the open window. Ah well. One day. 

I have to keep reminding myself that "work is a privilege denied to many" so for now, off to work I go. 

I love hearing about your lives and activities and families and gardens and endeavors. 

Those of you with health and family issues, you are in my prayers - especially you, Woodpecker. 

I hope that each and every one of you will have an enjoyable, fulfilling, productive, and gratitude-filled day. 

:grouphug:


----------



## Marchwind

We have another big storm in the works as I type. Who knows if it will be as bad as they predict. Behind this storm is another cold front and it looks like the temps for the next 10 days will be in the mid to high 60 for our daily highs :clap::clap: I will be so happy for the cooler weather and hopefully lower humidity.

Yesterday turned into a very sad day for me. I have two foster kitties, one wee kitten and an older seal point Siamese who was dumped at a trailer park. He is famous for fighting with raccoons :hrm: he was living with me while he recovered from a badly infected bite to his foot and until we could find either a forever home or rescue for him to go to. In preparation for this I took him into the vet yesterday to be tested for feline leukemia, FIV (kitty aids), and heartworm. His heartworm was negative but he was positive for the other two. Both are fatal and highly contagious. There is a rescue that only takes cats who are positive, more of a sanctuary really but Max does not get along with other cats. He would not be able to go to a forever home unless he was an inside cat only and the only animal in residence. It just wasn't going to happen so we had to make the decision to have him put down :sob: it was what was best for him in the long run. He was such a good cat too and only ever really wanted love. He loved belly rubs and headbutts he had a purr that was so loud . Of the things in life that really suck, this is definitely one of them.


----------



## hercsmama

Oh Marchie, I am so sorry.
All 4 of my feline furbabies are getting very old, the youngest 2 are both 10 now, and the oldest is 15. I dread the day, I really do....

Susan, I know what you mean about the tomatoes! As worries as I was that Iwas going to lose all mine, I managed to save them, and have been buried for the last couple weeks. Too funny about the Green Tomato Mincemeat, as I started a big batch just this morning. Love that stuff!

Well, we have gone from the high 80's on Monday, to the high 50's today. Got rain again yesterday, but today is just overcast and cold. Wind is chugging through at about 20mph or so, and it is a good day to stay inside, get some baking and knitting done.
I do have the vet coming out this afternoon. As I have 10 ewe lambs moving out Saturday for South Dakota, so need to get them their health certificates.
Of to shape loaves of bread for their second rise!


----------



## BlueberryChick

Marchwind, I'm so sorry! 

Like WIHH, I love hearing about everyone's adventures as well as day-to-day lives.

Hercsmama, was it you talking about your son recently, who gets "friend-zoned" by all the girls? My daughter says the same thing! She is 22 and so very sweet, but guys don't seem to notice her. She's tiny, as in 5 feet tall on a good day, and 100 pounds soaking wet. She also looks about 15, which doesn't help. I wish they lived closer to each other!


----------



## hercsmama

Yep BBC, it's my Joshie-bear. Love that kid, 23 yo, 6'4" and about 300# or so. He's a big guy, with a gentle soul.
Could you just see your dd and my son, lol! Wouldn't they just be the odd couple or what?! Too funny..


----------



## Woodpecker

It looks like I'm going to have to go on SSD once I get on that no more work. You're right WIHH work is a privilege. Being only in my late 20's this is a big kick in the stomach. I didn't even make my 10 years for retirement not that that matters much now anyway.


----------



## Taylor R.

Marchie, I'm so sorry. At least he got to experience what it is to be loved. You're an angel to all the animals you take in.

Welp, we've had our first VERY rough day at school for my little man (the days where he just passes out and sleeps for an hour when he gets overwhelmed don't even count in our book anymore). We get a subject by subject breakdown of how his day goes, and the words 'hid' and 'hiding' were mentioned during almost every subject yesterday. When he gets overstimulated, he tends to search out a quiet, dark place with tight quarters (under the class room bean bag, in a cubby, anywhere he can cram himself into and be out of the fray, really). I think it actually surprised his teacher despite many many many talks about what makes him tick. When his teacher can't figure out what is bothering him and I can't be there to sort it out, the results are disastrous.


----------



## Miz Mary

SO sorry Marchie ...... worst part of life , I think ..... I have alays wanyed an orange kitty , one day one showed up IN MY HOUSE on the second floor !!! I fell in love, needless to say .... he tested positive for FIV , and I had 2 other cats already ... didnt think it was fair to them to keep sick kitty .... I feel your pain ...


----------



## amberley

It cannot possibly be September. In September the rains stop and the sun shines, we have gathered all our corn and beans and other veg and are waiting for the fruit to ripen. We start to relax and think about days at the beach. The dogs are ready to jump in the truck at a moments notice.

Well, last Friday I got up to this and it has not stopped since. Which means the power has been very sporadic and the sand roads into the village are more like canals. Think I need a canoe!!


----------



## Kris in MI

I have been woefully MIA from the forum this month. I apologize right now for not taking the time to read through this thread before posting. I hate it when I pop in and out with my little updates and don't comment on the trials and/or accomplishments of everyone else who posts.

So much going on here. Power out for most of 5 days--just came back on yesterday afternoon, getting 2nd cutting hay finally cut and baled and in the barn (what a wet, wet summer!), canning tomatoes. Then the biggie taking up my brain power right now:

My eldest son just lost his job (again). Same company he'd worked for 2 years ago, and same situation all over again: he was 2nd shift, work orders slowed down, 2nd shift has been eliminated due to lack of work. Crazy thing is his manager had told him Thursday that he was moving to 1st shift starting Monday, yet on Friday he got told by HR that he has been terminated. Such a blow for him, he had just gotten back in with this company about 5 months ago after working at whatever work he could get since they let him go the last time. His fiance had just gone back to work at the beginning of this month; their son was born in early July. So they have no reserve left in their savings account to carry them through until he finds another good paying job.

There is a silver lining to all this, however. He's decided to take DH and I up on our offer to have him and his family live with us while he uses his GI Bill and goes to college (he's wavered for years over going to school). His fiance will also go to school full time and use her GI Bill to finish the degree she started before their daughter was born in 2012. So it's a bad news/good news kind of thing. They'll all be better off in the long run for this, DH and I will have our grandkids right here instead of 950 miles away. We all just have to adjust to living in the same house as each other, and the fiance and kids will have to adjust to northern winters--they've lived in the south all their lives.

They will be moving up here at the end of September.

Now I see the need to knit all kinds of warm fuzzy things for winter, in a variety of sizes!


----------



## lambs.are.cute

mmmmm fresh pluot pie. and a nap.


----------



## Dixie Bee Acres

Nasty day here, rainy and windy all day. I made another batch of salsa and watched daytime tv. There isn't a darn thing on worth watching durring the day.


----------



## Kasota

DBA, you scared the liver out of me!!! I opened the last page and right there at the top..."Kas, no cussing allowed...." and I thought, "OH NO!!!! What did I say???" 

MDKatie, you cracked me up! hahahah!! 

WIHH, the carding video arrived!! Thank you so much for letting me borrow it! ((((hugs)))) I used to do the same thing when I heated with wood...always wanted to be several years ahead. The red oak I used to burn took a long time to dry especially since our summers are so "iffy." It's not like we have months of 90 degree weather. I hope you get some days where you can still wash fleece! 

Marchwind, I hope you didn't get hammered by the storm! I am so, so sorry about Max. That is just heartbreaking! Will you be able to do other rescues since he was in the house? 

Debi, you always have so much on your plate. I don't know how you do it. Well, I suppose I do because I used to, but I was younger then. When do you get your new sheep? And what kind of bread? There is a woman up here named Bea Ojakangus (http://beatrice-ojakangas.com/?page_id=2 ) who is known far and wide for her Finnish bread making skills. She has many books. Used to teach Sunday School to one of my peers at work who tells me she was scared to death of her but I don't know why. I would LOVE to go to one of her workshops! 

BBC, maybe you and Debi could arrange a date. hehehe

WP, SSD means you can't work while you are collecting it. Don't you dare start thinking it is the end of your hopes and dreams. I know people who have been on SSD and then got off when they got well and went on to have long and happy lives and careers. This is not a done deal for you, Sweetheart. And I am glad that it is there to give you some income. It's what it's there for. (((((hugs)))) 

Oh, Taylor, I'm so sorry your little one is having such a rough time. UGH! I wonder if a service dog would help him? Sometimes critters can be the most amazing anchor/stress reducer for kids with issues such as his. 


Amberley - I think you DO need a canoe! 

Kris, no worries! We are just glad to see you post. I think we all know how real life so often has to be our focus. We are just glad you are here. As hard as things are now for your son and his young family it will be better in the long run. Sometimes a lay-off is a blessing in disguise. Please do thank them for their service! 

LAC, I can't wait until Saturday when I can wash up the rest of that fleece.  

Too much drama at my house today. People keep calling mom to tell her all their woes with some other person and then as soon as the phone hangs up it is another person. I finally put my foot down and screened her calls because they were not even giving her time to eat her supper. Not good for an 88 year old diabetic. I told one person they need to just deal with it and "whatever it is they will get over it and you need to get over it and no I am not going to spend my evening listening to you." (I have a crazy SIL, yes.) Ugh. I am not normally snarky with people, let alone family, but enough is enough. Yeah, I can be a bit of a momma bear when I need to. 

I would rather knit. Or play with fleece. I don't know why I am having such a blast playing with all this fleece when I can hardly spin - but I am. It's inspiring. This weekend I will knit and I will spin. Practice practice practice I need to figure out if I can use my drop spindle so I can spin in bed. Sometimes I just feel too tired to sit up in a chair. LOL!


----------



## Mrs. Jo

Kasota, hearing about your fleecy adventures brings my beginner days back to me. What fun it is. I recently was able to bring out my Jacob's fleece and begin working on that again. Goodness, was this ever the day for working with wool. Horrible, wet and cold. Brrr....not ready for this yet. Please, pretty please let there be an Indian summer!
Sorry, I am not able to keep up with everyone here but you are all in my thoughts and prayers. I feel so blessed to have a online community like this to be part of. 
I hope everyone in MI is okay. Sure seems like it gets awful weather since I moved here to Mn. My folks are in MI. I think the last time I checked in I mentioned my dad had cancer of the salivary gland. His recovery is still ongoing, he is one of those rare individuals who get terrible sick on chemo ( some kind of missing enzyme in his blood stream I guess) so he's been very weak, but getting stronger.

Kasota if you want to sit in a bed and spin- then you need to get a spindolyn! Look it up on youtube, I think you'll like it.


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## BlueberryChick

How's everyone surviving the crazy weather? It sounds like quite a ride for some of you. Weather here has been pretty mild, warm and dry mostly, although I think we are due to get some rain this weekend.

Debi, our kids would make quite a pair, wouldn't they? If you ever head south, let us know!

Kasota, how about an electric spinner? They are compact and you could spin from a small tray in bed!


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## Marchwind

We did not have the violent storms they promised, but it rained all day. It was warm and really muggy when I went to bed last night. This morning it was cool and still a bit drippy out. I love the cool weather, I can get so much more done.

Kasota I can still foster kitties, I still have my 6, plus one foster kitten. The room where I had Max is closed off and will remain closed off until I can get in there and really clean and sterilize things. I'm glad I have always had a protocol of quarantining new cats for up to two weeks before I let them into the general population of my house.

Today is my Friday so it's nap time after work . It is silly how excited I get about taking a nap on my Fridays.


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## Woodpecker

Enjoy your nap Marchie, I love naps. I will have to look into those spindolyns
that would be cool if I could do it in bed.

Mrs. Jo I will keep your father in my prayers. There's very few things worse than chemo.


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## hercsmama

Morning all!

WP as always you are in my thoughts.
Mrs.Jo, so nice to hear from you! I'll be sending good healing thoughts for your father..
Marchie, enjoy your Friday!
Kas, good for you for telling those people to leave Mom alone! She just does not need their crap.
BBC, LOL! I bet they'd be adorable together. Remember those Pocket Pets? she could be his Pocket Gf! LOL!!
Dixie, you are so right about daytime tv, just stinks....
Taylor, I'm sorry your son is having a hard time with the adjustment...maybe just a bit more time and it will work itself out.
Kris, that stinks about your sons job, but yea for getting them to move in and having Grandbabies with you!:happy:
LAC, I love Plouts! Haven't had one this year, but they sure are nummy!
Amberly, I hope ya'll dry out a bit soon, I feel for you on the too much rain thing..
WIHH, how's the weather?
Ours is cold and raining, again, this morning.
We are not supposed to hit 50 today, and it should rain all day.
We are actually under a freeze warning for Friday night, so I will be picking all of my tomatoes today and tomorrow. In between rain drops I guess....

This morning I discovered a mouse, or 50, have found the Sweet Feed in the feed shed. I keep meaning to go pick up some more metal trash cans, but every time I head to town it slips my mind...
So I'm heading that way here in a bit to go get some, and some of those mouse poison cube things, they work great, and I usually get a couple big buckets of them to toss everywhere this time of year.
I hate mice.
I'll most likely fill the gas tank while I'm in town, no sense wasting the trip on only one errand.


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## IowaLez

Hi Peeps!

Just checking in, as I don't spend a lot of time on any forms now, my time is consumed with learning about and instituting a complicated court action against my Ex, to be able to go back and get the rest of my personal possessions. I have to get an initial consultation with a lawyer to see what it will take to accomplish my goal, but I intend to do some of the legal work and court stuff on my own. 18 years ago I did a palimony and custody battle on my own and I WON BOTH, so I know I can do this and win, as long as he wants to fight me. But he doesn't have the funds for that, so who knows how it will turn out and how difficult he will make it for me. I am smart, I can do public speaking very well, I can present myself well in a courtroom... And he can't!

I like my new digs, now that my bedroom, my sanctuary from the youngin's is done. It has been cold, rainy, and dreary here lately, and unfortunately I left behind my warmer clothes, so I have to make a trip to the Salvation Army store to get some new ones to get me by for now. I have been cold!

:sigh:

My 3 cats are still fighting with my son and gf's 4 cats, two of which are big and nasty. The gf's fat cat is disgusting, Cali is over 16 pounds and she is so gross! I can't stand her. My poor little crabby princess cat is getting beat up be her and my son's big girlcat,Gumby, so Julie spends a lot of time hiding under a clawfoot bathtub in the unusable bathroom upstairs here. Gumby is only nice when her food bowl is empty. "Kitten" still growls at me when I come anywhere near her. Itty Bitty is a sweet girl; she was tortured as a kitten, and her ears and tail were cut partly off, and I feel so sorry fo her.

We are very close to the main frieght tail line between Chi-town and the huge (8 miles long, 2 miles wide) UP Bailey switching yard in No. Platte NE, and much of the time we have them blowing by every 5-15 minutes. In fact another one is going by right now... A friend on Rav says each locomotive engineer has their own rhythm of horn blowing as they go by, and since the train crews are switched at Bailey Yard I know the same crews are going by us, so I keep listening to see if I can figure that out. I actually think this one had the same horn blasts I heard two weeks ago, and was attempting to hear again! It's a double track along here, so sometimes trains are sidelined for another one going by in the opposite direction.

My kids' house was a wreck when I moved in, so the first day here I went on a cleaning binge. I didn't choose my words very well, when Britt asked me if I was OCD, and I replied "no, I just don't like filth." She initially felt imposed on by me cleaning, but I kept telling her she would feel happier having a clean kitchen and cleared counters, and now she likes that I did that, and together we keep it clean and organized. Not only did I clean the entire kitchen from top to bottom, I also did 6 large loads of their laundry, 3 loads of dishes in the dishwasher, 3 sinkfuls of them by hand, scrubbed the shower stall, and the filthy kitchen trash bin, and vacuumed the living room rug and wood floors. In that same amount of time, she conditioned the leather couch and spent the rest of the day on her Ipad, messing with her silly Jamberry nail wraps "biz" that she might someday actually sell some of, if she ever gets off her tush to do that.

You know it's bad when you have to go out and buy a scrub brush, and when you pull out a bottle of Pine Sol she asks you "What is THAT stuff?" I replied "It's stuff you CLEAN things with." And when I had her put all the pots and pans in the drawer under the oven to make more room in the cupboards (small kitchen), I had my back to her when she exclaimed "Wow! I didn't know you could so that!" I turned around to see what she was talking about, and she told me "I didn't know you could stack the smaller pots and pans in the bigger ones!" I about keeled over, thinking "Is she really that far out on another planet? Or is she really that stupid?"

:sigh: Also, I am teaching her how to cook real food, instead of popping frozen burritos in the microwave, and that is going pretty well, since she doesn't know a thing about cooking, and she is afraid of using sharp knives to cut things with, as she faints if she imagines even one drop of blood will come out of the tiniest, or imagined, cut on a finger... My son is impressed that he comes home from work (3pm to midnight) and he has a good meal to eat.

In the time I've written this, 4 trains have blown thru this tumble-down hamlet of 40 souls. I can sleep through them now, tho. If we are hanging out on the deck we can barely hear each other talking...


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## Marchwind

Hercsmama see if you can find an old broken fridge or freezer, lay it one its side and keep your grains in there. I bet you can find one on Freecycle. I learned this trick from horse friends in MN, worked great for keeping vermin out of the grains. The seal keeps out lot of stuff and its much easier to scoop grain from a big bin than a trash can.


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## SvenskaFlicka

We have an old broken fridge for free. ..


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## Marchwind

Perfect!!! Hercsmama now you can kill two birds with one stone and keep lots of mice out of you grains.


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## hercsmama

Marchie, great idea! :clap:

Kelsey, I'm so there!!! :happy:
We have to drop 10 lambs off in Basset Saturday, so would Sunday be ok to pick it up????????


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## hercsmama

UGH...I'm up.

Dh decided it was a good time to let the stupid dogs come in...soaking wet and muddy. :smack
So after that commotion, I couldn't help but notice tht the sheep were all having a fit, odd for 3 am...
So needless to say, dh grabbed a shot gun, I threw on my warm coveralls, and out we went.
Maggie and Murphy were sound asleep in the sheep sheds, but the sheep were all over at the feeding area, just being pathetic.
Apparently, with the weather, they decided a midnight snack was in order. I sent dh back inside, as he has to go to work in a few hours, and proceeded to indulge the girls in their binge eating spree..
Bless their little hearts, they mowed through the 100 pounds of hay I tossed to them in no time, and are all happily back in their sheds sleeping off their food comas.
Needless to say, the dogs and dh are all also sound asleep, and I'm having a cup of coffee, and sitting with a nice warm kitty on my lap.
I was surprised to find the "Paca boys outside, enjoying the freezing wet weather, silly guys..
I'll be trotting off to town later this morning, didn't plan on it, but I messed up and for got to get some paperwork in to dh's dermatologist, so he could get his Stalara injection this month, so I have to hand drop it off.
PITB, but must be done.
Think I'll work on that vest a bit before dh gets up, and I need to go feed the girls their actual breakfast, in a few hours...


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning all.


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## Wind in Her Hair

good morning, early risers. 

Between the carpal tunnel in the wrist and a complaining right knee, the full moon, and my concerns about a frost, I am up. Sadly, I am up.

I whispered "goodbye" to my summer flower garden last evening, :sob:brought in the tomatoes and basil that I decided to save, and closed the door on the rest.

Right now it is *32ÂºF.* It will be colder as the sun rises and we anticipate colder temps overnight. So....that's it. A full two weeks earlier than "normal" and my summer growing season is over. 

Lots to do on my day off today. Tomatoes are demanding my attention, I need to mow (maybe for the last time this year???), ply and clear some bobbins, finish seaming a cowl and doing the thumbs on mittens, do some housekeeping and make some soup.

I chatted with a busy red squirrel yesterday as she finished scunning a Norway pinecone- she was so focused on getting those winter provisions in order and she reminded me that I still have plenty to do myself!

The solar flare from the other day means the potential for bigtime Northern Lights tonight so I will likely be restless again tonight hoping to catch them dancing across the cold clear sky.

Have a great day, everyone!

Edited to add: It has now dropped down to 30ÂºF. Those beautiful summer flowers and tomatoes still on the vine and basil and baby summer squash and baby okra? :sob: :sob: :sob: At least it's not snowing...yet.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

This is the time of year I love/hate.
I've been spending a lot of time planning next years gardens, and looking at ways to improve over what I did this year as far as produce sales.
I have almost convinced myself I should give up selling fresh produce and concentrate on fall type items such as Indian corn, gourds, pumpkins, and mums.
For some reason people scoff at the idea of paying fair prices for fresh, wholesome, great tasting food, but will jump at the chance to pay a lot more for decorative items that only last a couple months.
In the local grocery stores, green bell peppers sell for 75c - 99c each, I have mine priced at 2/$1, I usually sell out, but most people want me to give them a discount if they buy $4-$5 worth.

I cant help but to think I could reduce my produce gardens down to a minimum, and grow several times the amount of gourds and pumpkins and such, and be several 100 times more profitable.

What do y'all think?

Sorry, I know its a gardening type question and not a fiber related question, but i value your oppinions.


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## SvenskaFlicka

hercsmama said:


> Marchie, great idea! :clap:
> 
> Kelsey, I'm so there!!! :happy:
> We have to drop 10 lambs off in Basset Saturday, so would Sunday be ok to pick it up????????


Well, I'm in Minnesota right now, and I get back sometime on Sunday late afternoon. (Sons of Norway, yay. )
You could come by and get it though, I wouldn't mind.  
I will definitely be around Monday though.


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## Wind in Her Hair

DBA, I think it depends on who your "target market" is. :shrug: If it is uneducated urban "citiots", prepare yourself for that sort of mentality. if you are selling to frugalites, also prepare yourself, you can always just say "Sorry, no discount". If you are selling to people that understand what it takes to offer quality, fresh produce? No explanation for your price will be necessary. 

I don't grow my own pumpkins due to limited space under fence, so I buy my pumpkins from my nearest neighbor's roadside produce stand. If he grows them, I also buy his decorative gourds and indian corn for fall decorating. I would MUCH rather support a neighbor rather than a multi-million dollar retailer like Walmart. I truly appreciate it that my neighbor fills the void with the things I DON'T grow. I buy strawberries from a local grower and until he gave me some of his raspberry cane starts, I used to buy my raspberries form my neighbor. Now I grow my own! 

I also think many folks are missing the boat when it comes to providing good quality, healthy starter plants like heirloom tomatoes. I buy mine from the same local fellow every year for $2.22 each and I think that is a fair price for a quality product. 

I also visit the farmer's market during the season but am more often looking for baked goods, honey, maple syrup, Amish baskets, etc since I do grow my own garden. 

So I would take a chapter from Chuck Holton, the gentleman that used to own this these Homesteading Today forums and recommend "Diversify, diversify, diversify."

In other words, "Don't put all of your eggs into one basket".


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## Marchwind

Good Morning! The dogs let me sleep in until about 7 this morning. A leg cramp in my calf woke me up actually, what a rude awakening. But I blame whatever dog was laying at my feet. When I went to move my legs and they were stuck I got the cramp :grump: once I got it out I layed down and tried to change my mind set before committing to the day.

I was very productive last night. I got the basement and the basement steps clean and clear of all dog hair. My goodness Collies shed a LOT the year around. I have been so busy the past months I really haven't had time to do much so that is my goal for this weekend. I got the kitchen done a few weekends ago, this weekend it is the basement (done), and hopefully get a good start on the rest of the house starting with the living room. I love doing a spring cleaning in the fall with the cool breeze blowing in through all the open windows. I dread closing windows but I love the coming winter. I was supposed to have a home visit so I could be a foster mom for puppies with a local rescue, she son is sick so that won't happen today. But I'm going along just as I would if it were happening. I also have to deep clean the rom that housed the sick kitty, I've been avoiding that job but it needs to be done now 

DBA this thread is for just that sort of thing so don't apologize for a gardening topic. We can't always find a way to make it into a fiber topic . As to your question? I'd say do what you love. If you love growing veggies grow veggies if you would rather grow ornamentals do that. Can you do both? I had adopted grandparents for my kids who used to grow just the most tender veggies, tomatoes and peppers. Then they grew fall veggies, winter squash, Hubbard, Spaghetti, Banana, pumpkins, they also grew gourds and "Indian" corns. I think like you they found their big money came with the ornamentals. He sold mostly to grocery stores though.


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## lexierowsell

DBA- we grow and sell everything, year round. We have much higher prices than 90% of our competitors, but people pay what we ask. We also sell (organic) artisan breads, and people barely blink at $7-$9 a loaf. Everything is grown beyond organic standards, but we are not USDA Organic. 

It was a point of contention between DH and I. He was right, his MBA bore out the truth despite my crazies ;-) -- "us small folks don't need to sell to everyone". 

The people that want the quality and service we offer will pay what we ask. We live in a city of 50,000 and if we have even half a percent of these people as regular customers, we have more demand than supply. 

We just launched a CSA in late May, and have been full, with a wait list, ever since. We deliver to ~30 families a week. Great business. 

The most important thing I've learned from Steve's business acumen is that you can't survive by undercutting someone who isn't making any money! Farmers seem to do this constantly. 

To everyone with cold weather- we're in for it too! There's a forecast HIGH of *69* for Saturday!!!! SIXTEY NINE!! In central Texas. In mid September! I can't wait, been a hot few weeks. All in all been a fair summer, only a few 100+ days. 

We are planning our fall/winter gardens. We've added another 3/4ac, effectively adding 1.5x the member capacity to our CSA. That will take us to appx 50 shares (prob 70 families per week, we offer half and double shares too), and I think that'll max us out with no employees. 

If I bake anymore bread than that I think my head will explode... Funny though, I'm finding so much time to craft things or spin while bread baking... Channelling my past life again...

Oh, also, we are planning our first permaculture installation. Like everything we do, we can't seem to do anything on a small scale... Will post pics of the plans when I get them finalized!


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## MullersLaneFarm

DBA, What is the competition for fall ornamentals like at the FM? Could you also set up a roadside stand? Could you get by with less $$ during the summer if you planted more space to ornamentals?

Another cool, wet day here, 50ÂºF. I will _not _ light the woodstove in September! Pulled on my wool socks & sweater yesterday & dug the rest of the carrots and a few leeks, hill-ing up the rest. Time to can the carrots today. I might pull up the bean plants & hang them to finish drying. The melons, celery, tomatoes & peppers are still producing, as are the cucumbers, but I've been ignoring them the past month. I won't harvest the sweet taters until after the first hard frost. Then it will be time to throw the hill of compost (wish I had a skidster) on the garden and let the pigs get their fill of left over produce while tilling in the compost for me.

On the fiber front, I finished the Vernal Equinox shawl and the Mojo shawl. Time to get started on mittens & hats for the grands.


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## Taylor R.

We weren't getting a whole lot out of the garden the last few weeks so we pulled cages and turned it over to the chickens. I think it's still going to require some cleaning up around the edges, though, as the birds seem inclined to leave a nice privacy fence of plants and weeds hanging around the edges. Now it's gotten quite cool outside and I'm hearing awful rumors about our first frost coming next week. Upside? It'll be decent out this weekend for my spinning demo even with all the extra layers of clothing.

Speaking of spinning demo..any brilliant topic ideas I could chat about that are relevant to historical spinning? I already went hunting for Marchie's Magellan fact as my family thought that one was pretty cool.


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## Woodpecker

Lovely shawls Cyndi!


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## Wind in Her Hair

Taylor R. said:


> .
> 
> Speaking of spinning demo..any brilliant topic ideas I could chat about that are relevant to historical spinning? I already went hunting for Marchie's Magellan fact as my family thought that one was pretty cool.


thats my favorite as well and always results in gasps and wide-eyed stares. 

I also like to remind folks that spinning wheels were one of the very few items /tools that earned a place in the steamer trunks coming to "Nord Amerika" from Sweden, Norway, Finland, etc. They tore apart stick by stick and were often made as wedding gift for the bride when she married. Looms were often made once the immigrants made it to Amerika, but they were too large to travel from Europe.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

To try and answer all the replies to my gardening question in one summary:

I enjoy growing the oenamentals as well as veggies. I kinda became known for green beans and peppers this year. I grew 6 types of peppers this year and am planning over a dozen varieties next year. I only grew one type of green beans and next year will grow that variety and another.
I live just outside of town, a town of about 3,000 or so. Our weekly farmers market is friday evening on the courthouse lawn. Usually 10-12 vendors at most, and only 6 or 7 of us sell produce. Only myself and one other sell produce that we grow. As far as ornamentals, myself and one or two others have pumpkins, one other has Indian corn.
Next year I will have a produce stand here at home as well as setting up at the farmers market.

I am limited on space to grow here at home, but it looks like I just aquired an additional 1.5-2 acres to grow on next year.

But, all said, this has been my first year growing to sell, and I'm still learning the ropes.

Thanks for all of the replies.


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## kandmcockrell

Mulerslandefarm-- how do you can your carrots?
We had quite a storm last night. Seems everyone in the house slept through it but me. My brother has requested a fish hat for his son for this winter, so i need to look at the yarn i have and see what i have that will work.


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## Miz Mary

Love reading about everybodies garden adventures .... it's in the 70's - 80's here during the day , but getting that fall nippy cold in the mornings and evenings ...

My FIL is going downhill ... now in a hospital bed for comfort .... has maybe a month left on this earth .... he is still mentally competent , when he's not sleeping from morphine ....been trying to get his affairs in order, the lawyers are not all that helpful .... need some prayers for that !! Naturally the DH & I are tired and stressed , which leads to bickering .... I have to work harder at being a quiet helper for now, and not take things so personal ..... "this too shall pass " 

I shall begin a new knitting project from the latest Vogue Knitting Magazine..... a fancy man vest that has _STEEKING_....oh my , a new adventure there ... its also intarsia ? ( stranded knitting ) in the round .... yikes ..... 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/08-fitted-waistcoat


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## 7thswan

COLD! Dh left about 5;30 and the cat followed him down the driveway. He had to come back and put cat in house-THAT is not allowed. Dogs know Daddy goes out and goes away for the day. Anyone comeing in after that is in serious trouble. My one Rottie, Shady puts himself in daddys spot when he leaves, another rottie gaurds the doorway to the hall and daddys Golden gaurds the foot of the bed. Well, after the comotion I had a hard time getting back to sleep! So I went out to the garden because the house need to warm up,so I'l make some soup. It's noon now and my feet are still freezing. Time to light the cookstove(wood) and bake, shut off the gas stove and get that pot of soup over on it. I've got plenty of room for Knitters and some hot cider!


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## Wind in Her Hair

hugs, MizMary and prayers for your FIL. These are the times that try men's souls...and marriages.  Hang in there. 

Hotcatz, I don't know if you know Mokihana on ravelry but everytime I read about people on scooters in Hawaii- her ravatar is all I see. And they make me smile.


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## MullersLaneFarm

kandmcockrell said:


> Mulerslandefarm-- how do you can your carrots?


In jars :smack

sorry, couldn't resist.

Some I slice length way, others into rounds. This year, I had so many tiny carrots (2" or less) that I brought those in also to wash & can whole. Just those made up 2 & 1/2 pints! 12 pints all together.

Cut up carrots, fill jar leaving 1" head space, add hot water (again, 1" head space). Pressure can at 10 lb psi (or what is recommended for your elevation). 25 minutes for pints, 30 minutes for quarts. Ta Da!

You can add salt if you like, I don't. Leaving just plain carrots gives me more options when I need to use them.

I'm make up a chicken pot pie for supper tonight using vegetables canned from the garden + canned chicken. Only the fillo dough is store bought.

Off to do the treasurer's report for tomorrow's fiber guild meeting ... our topic for tomorrow is 'musical wheels'. Everyone is bringing their spinning wheels and we'll go around trying out each other's wheels. :clap: The majority of the guild has Louet or Ashford Joys. I'll be bringing the Traveller & Sonata.

Oh Miz Mary, I'm so sorry about the extra stress. That vest is gorgeous!!


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## kandmcockrell

I walked right into that one, didn't I. 

So sorry Miz Mary. Prayers sent.


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## 7thswan

kandmcockrell said:


> I walked right into that one, didn't I.
> 
> So sorry Miz Mary. Prayers sent.


I can't grow carrots here, some kind of real tiny worm, I buy deer carrots,big bags for 3.$ maybe 50 lbs,never weighed them.The best ones are a real reddish orange. I cann them and ofcourse feed to my bunnys. We have some huge carrot farms near here,beautiful black soil.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Ok, I may have answered my gardening question tonight.
The only things I had at the farmers market tonight were about 5 dozen bell peppers, lots of sweet peppers, banana peppers and some jalepenos and habaneros. I also had pumpkins, miniature pumpkins and some Indian corn.
I almost always sell out of bell peppers, and always sell out of sweet peppers. Not this week, brought home a lot of all the peppers, yet made more $$ this week than any other week this year. Didn't bring home very many pumpkins at all.
So yes, I will still plant my normal veggies next year, but where i thought about expanding all of them, i think i will only expand my fall ornamental crops.


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## Marchwind

MizMary hug to you all. Keeping you in my thoughts. I can't wait to see your progress. On the vest. What colors will you use?

DBA let the planning begin 

Cyndi your shawls are gorgeous! I really love that equinox shawl.

7thSwan makes me want yo come over and spend the day with you.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning all. It's a crisp 46 degrees right now, I am so very not ready for cold weather.


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## Marchwind

50* here. I was cold last night as I slept even with all live heaters I had in bed with me. Tonight is going to be colder so I'll put the light weight down comforter on the bed. I refuse to close the windows and turn the heat on, nope, not going to do it.


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## Wind in Her Hair

waking up to freezing fog and 28ÂºF.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Yikes!!!!!


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## 7thswan

Wind in Her Hair said:


> waking up to freezing fog and 28ÂºF.


I am so not ready for that!


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## Kasota

((((MizMary)))) I surely am keeping you all in prayers. Such difficult days...

Cyndi, musical wheels sounds like fun! At first I thought there was some sort of wheel that would play music while you were spinning! ahaha!

7thSwan, I've never heard of deer carrots before. The deer in my neighborhood seem to think that any carrots I try to grow are theirs. Maybe that makes them deer carrots. heh

Oh, no, WIHH! Say it ain't so...

It was chilly overnight for sure but it looks to be a beautiful day here! Yay! Sunshine and blue skies. I'm leaving the carrots and onions in the ground yet. I need to pick some squash for supper. Last night I made some bean soup that was a hodge podge of stuff I had. We had a small roast recently done up in a dutch oven with more liquid in it than you would do roasted so I had saved back the juice. Added some beef broth and a couple turkey legs, onions, carrots, and other seasonings and then about every kind of bean on the planet, including some that I gleaned from green beans and yellow beans that I had left too long on the vine. It turned out utterly delicious! 

I got a package in the mail from DBA!!! Wooooot!!! My lucet arrived!!! It is just beautiful! Thank you so, so much DBA!!! I am going to put some stain on it to match my Traveller spinning wheel and get the pieces glued together and then toss a bit of poly on her to give her some shine. Many, many thanks!!!  

Today my wee dog goes to the groomer. She sorely needs a bath and a haircut. I ordered a second compost bin from Amazon and that arrived so now I have more space to put the stuff I'll cut down as I put some more gardens to bed. I need to haul some of the boxes left over from the garage sale out of my sister's garage and back to the storage locker. Thankfully there are not too many. I have some electrical stuff that I'll give to my brother who is building a new garage. 

I have the second to the last batch of that white wool soaking in LAC's Orvus. And she is exactly right! It looks like snot. LOL!!! I can't wait to see how it turns out. 

I ordered the blending board cloth for the custom board I ordered and that should be here today or Monday. Yay! 

It's going to be a busy day!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Kasota, that has two thin coats of aerosol poly ( satin finish) on it already. If you plan on staining it, you will need to scuffle it up pretty good with 220 or 320 sandpaper first.

Glad it got to you, I was rather worried it might break in transit.


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## Kasota

Thanks, DBA! I have just the sandpaper needed. Had to do that with my Traveller wheel, too, because the person kinda sorta started to finish it. I overstained it and it worled out really well. I might even paint a tiny forget me not flower on it. It is so pretty!!!


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## Gretchen Ann

DBA, you might consider growing butternut and acorn squash in the fall too. I'll eat them before I touch a pumpkin. Also, leeks might be something to try.


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## Kasota

Oh, I like the idea of leeks! That's a good thought. They are so expensive in the grocery store. I started growing them a few years ago. Also agree on the butternut squash. Potted lavender and potted herbs always sell really well for me at the fall fairs. People want to bring a little summer inside with them before winter starts. What about sweet potatoes?


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## lambs.are.cute

Yesterday was soooo busy but I got a lot done. First I mixed and ground 100 lbs of chicken feed, shore a lamb, and weeded 25 5 gallon buckets stuffed full of weeds from my garden ( my rams were over the moon for the fresh greens) all before lunch! Then after lunch while making stew (yummy but requires a lot of time in the kitchen) I started to clean the kitchen and reorganize the cupboards to make life easier. Then I got interrupted by 5 phone calls (there are many days where I don't get a single call), 1 lady coming for chicken food (who wanted to see my new bantams and talked for a while) and another lady who wanted eggs. Bout the only person who didn't show up was the guy coming for one of my lambs......... In all the chaos I did manage not to burn the stew! Even of it did cook for an extra 1/2 hour it didn't matter.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Gretchen Ann said:


> DBA, you might connsider growing butternut and acorn squash in the fall too. I'll eat them before I touch a pumpkin. Also, leeks might be something to try.


Thank you. We have already planned on some squash for next year after many requests. Plan is butternut, affirm, and patty pan squash. Have never grown any of them, but it cant hurt to try them. Gardens are getting bigger and yard is getting smaller, but that's fine, the more I grow, the less I mow.


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## Wind in Her Hair

DBA- ButterCUP does better up here than Butternut. Just sayin'. Also EXOTIC looking pumpkins like these rake in big bucks for home decorating (and eating)- try Jarrahdale or (Cinderella) Rouge Vif de'Etampes


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good idea, lol. Actually both of those are on the list of about a dozen varieties of pumpkins we plan on growing next year. Other odd ball varieties we are looking at a goosebumps, red warted, peanut, and porcelain doll. Plus the regular Orange eating and carving varieties.
For small ones, tiger striped, jack be little, baby boo, and wee bee little.

I'm also looking around to find anyone who might have a mini baler. Straw bales are readily available around here, but miniature bales, like 12x12x24 are hard to come by, and I have seen them sell at craft stores and such for $5-$7 or more each.


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## 7thswan

Dixie Bee Acres said:


> Thank you. We have already planned on some squash for next year after many requests. Plan is butternut, affirm, and patty pan squash. Have never grown any of them, but it cant hurt to try them. Gardens are getting bigger and yard is getting smaller, but that's fine, the more I grow, the less I mow.


My Dh likes patty pan far better than regular zuchini. I like the green, it turns white, the best time to pick it is when the skin is still shiney. If I let them go a bit I cut them for use in my dog food mix.You also might try some Swiss Chard,Bright Lights. It grows so well and the colors are a real eye catcher. No bugs seem to bother it. I make an easy meal,take chard leaves lay them in foil and load in anything, veggies, corn beef out of the can/jar and chopp in the chard stems,potatoes. Fold up the foil and put on the grill. You could omit the meat if you want to grill that. Kale is another biggie in the "health market" and it grows just like chard,no pests.


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## Kasota

So I started out with a bag of raw fleece. I washed it. It now weighs less and takes up twice as much space. Carding it doesn't make it take up any less space. I am hoping that spinning it will make it take up less space. 

What I really need is an N-dimensional machine. Something that would create an extra space/time dimension such that I could just winky myself into the other space where I would have my stash neatly stored and organized. I could choose what I wanted to work with and then winky myself back into my regular space/time dimension. 

Do you think Amazon might sell something like that? They sell everything else....


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## hercsmama

Hey all. 
Holy Moly, what a day..:yawn:
Started at 5 am, when I got up to get ready to load lambs. Then ds #3 arrived to help, as dh had to go to Broken Bow to replace a broken water main.
So ds and I got all the sheep into the catch pen, and started weeding out the lambs. Trying to weed out 10 lambs from a flock of 34 Barbados, is not nearly as easy as you would think, AND making sure the ones you grab are all girls, just adds to the fun. Ds got a good kick right in the mouth from one Momma ewe, no teeth broken, so he said he was fine, bless him!
Then I got it from another, right in my bad shoulder, and my knee, lovely..

An hour later we had the ten in the trailer and off we went to South Dakota.
Got there at 11, and met up with the people buying them, no issues there, just a quick trailer transfer, collected a nice check, and we were off for home.

Got home a bit ago, and managed to get the laundry going, refill the roaster oven with green tomatoes and apples and what not, for more mincemeat, swept the floors, SOMEONE forgot to take her boots off when she came in from the pasture this morning...:teehee:
Now I'm sitting for 5 minutes, then off to feed dinner to some rather irritated mothers, and a few little boys...
Dh just called to ask what was for supper, and I told him whatever he brings home!
I'm going to go feed, jump in the hot tub for awhile, and come in and watch Outlander.
I'm tired, filthy, I don't even want to think about what that is on my jeans, sore from getting the bejeezus kicked out of me this morning.
If that man thinks I'm cooking supper he can bite me.
Time for a long hot soak, a glass of Chivas straight up, and some fiber in front of the tv.
Ya'll have a great night!:happy2:


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## hercsmama

Well, it was fun while it lasted.
I opened the garden gates after I fed the girls this evening. We had a hard freeze last night, and it wiped out all the remaining plants.
Dead watermelon vines, tomato vines, pepper plants, beans, you name it.

It's all good, as I was really only waiting for couple watermelons, they needed maybe another week or so...but the girls are enjoying it all now.:bored:

Oh well, there is always next year, and then I shall have my High Tunnel!:nanner:


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## amberley

Wow! Everybody has been so busy! I don't know what the time difference is but I hope everyone is either tucked up in bed or relaxing with a nice glass of something.

I got up this morning to sunshine:happy2: for the first time in over a week. Less than 20 mins later my neighbour from over the river arrived with her daughter, both wet through and shivering. So I provided coffee, towels, and fresh clothes for Grazie (daughter), but couldnt do much for Fabula cos she is about twice my size.

They came bearing gifts. About a lb of this! And Grazie who is 12, wanted to learn to spin. How cool is that? I sat her down with my little supported spindle and I swear she produced better yarn in the first half hour than I did in my first month. They said a friend gave them the cotton and can I teach said friend too.

Later we took all 4 dogs for a walk, although Shelley, my big bad Rottie girl wasn't too pleased about getting her delicate little paws wet and muddy.

I would like to share something that myself and my kids say to each other all the time, especially when saying goodbye, at the end of e-mails or just because we feel like it. Somehow it seems particularly appropriate here. 

Lotsa Fluff everybody!!!


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## MullersLaneFarm

Oh carp, Debi!

I covered all my tomatoes, peppers, celery and tender herbs in the garden last night. The tomatoes just started coming on about 3 weeks ago and I can't afford to lose them yet.

I hope by now you've had your time in the hot tub with the Chivas and are enjoying your fiber & Outlander.


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## Marchwind

Two pages in a day? Or close to it  This months FAC may break a record we are already at 11 pages it's not yet the middle of the month. Were posting about a page a day :nanner:

Yesterday I had a fund raiser/adoption event. My little foster kitty was there and she was adopted. She will be going to her new home on Monday. But no sooner did she get adopted then we get an emergency call from someone about another very sick kitty. I went to get the kitty and it is now my new foster. It's another girl, all black. She is extremely anemic due to the fact she is infested with flees. Her gums are white/grey which is really bad. She surely would have died. Not only that but she is very malnourished as well. She has been flea treated, and well fed. When she gets some of her strength back in a couple of days I'll bath her. I'm sure the water will be red with dried up blood from the fleas. It never ends.

Kasota Orvus only looks like snot when it is at a warmer room temp. When it get cooler it turns white and is almost hard. Much easier to scoop with a spoon or your hand. If you decide you like that Orvus paste go to a Mills Fleet Farm or and L & M if you have one. Mills sells their own version that is called Show Paste. Tractor Supply also sells Orvus paste.

ButterCUP squash is my favorite of all the winter squashes, followed closely by the Delecata and the Dumpling. Petty Pans are my favorite summer squash. I also really like Marrow which is an English summer squash. Looks like a big zucchini but isn't.

Amberly how nice to have your neighbors come visit and for Grazie to want to learn to spin. Is that cotton you are holding up in the photo? You grown your own cotton don't you? How do you process it?

I imagine it is bitter sweet for all of you being hit by the frost. Saying goodbye to the gardens and the fresh food. But with that comes a bit of a rest. I have two eggplant I'm hanging on to hoping they will get a bit bigger but with these cooler temps I doubt it. I have a list as long as my arm of things I NEED to do to get to if it would just stop raining and I would have a few days of uninterrupted time. Like that will happen. I have a hard time beginning a project knowing that I will be interrupted in the middle of it. Getting my mojo back after the interruption is always difficult.

I did get my basement clean, which is an accomplishment. My gosh there is a lot of hair that flows down to the basement. All the laundry got done, I was on my last pair of socks for work. I also washed two pair of my wool socks that had been sitting waiting to be hand washed.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning all. Another cool morning, 41*.
Yes, it is very bittersweet to have these cool temps. I don't like cold weather. I am worried about my firewood supply, happy to have another gardening season almost done, but also don't like seeing my planting areas bare. Mowing season is almost over, but I sometimes enjoy mowing.
Happy to be past the high heat and humidity, but I don't do well with cold weather, my knees, one hip, knuckles, and wrists hurt when its cold.
But, I have already begun ordering seeds for next year.

Today will find me finishing up some yard work, hopefully stripping the rest of the gardens, and this evening I have to load a couple pigs onto the trailer that are due at the processing plant tomorrow morning.


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## kandmcockrell

I started my nephew's hat yesterday, then realized I cast on with wrong color! So I ripped it back and cast back on this morning with the correct color. 
Also getting the oven heated to bake some bread. Trying a new recipe and method. It is one of those no kneed breads cooked in a dutch oven. Hope it turns out good as I am taking it to lunch at my parents. We are celebrating my grandma's 92 birthday. She told my mom that she plans on seeing her 100th. That is fine with us!


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## amberley

Marchwind, in the past I have grown only 5 or 6 plants and tried various ways of preparing the cotton but have ended up spinning from the seed, otherwise the prep takes longer than the actual spinning.

This year I bought a cultivar that has been developed especially to be resistant to drought and will plant maybe 50 plants if the weather ever warms up enough. The guy I bought from said 100 plants per hectare but this cotton will be totally organic and I want to space them more to be able to harvest by hand easier. I will water only if absolutely necessary and the spacing will help with that too.

I am hoping that more of the women who live around here will want to learn to spin and knit or crochet or even weave. This is a very poor area where the men work as caretakers on farms for the rich city dwellers who arrive only at the weekends. I kind of have a vision of getting a group together to process and use the cotton.

We will see....I am doing my best to promote the idea just by talking to the locals, if not I will have an awful lot of cotton on my hands!

The cotton in the photo looks as if it came of the edg of a bale that has been ginned and carded in a factory. It is long staple and beautifully soft but has cuts in it, but will work to show how to make punis and to teach spinning. I was amazed at Grazie's progress in such a short time. She was making usable yarn!

I hope your little foster kitty gets well soon, fleas are a terrible thing for the babies, this one is lucky to have found you

Lotsa Fluff!


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## Wind in Her Hair

Going with several fibery buds to see a fiber friend in the big city hospital 90 minutes away- our friend has Stage IV liver and bone cancer.  We're taking our knitting and announcing that if she can't come to our fiber get-togethers, we're bringing the get-together to her. (I ok-ed this with her daughter)

We're taking some comfy new jammies, some warm slippers, and some notebooks, pens, etc.

I need to get a knitting project together to take- my biggo cowl thing is kind of too much. 

Marchwind, I remember being asked by a lady to babysit when I was 14- but instead of babysitting children (she had none) I was asked to care for an ailing orphaned kitten that needed to be dropper fed every 2 hours. Those photos of your kitty took me back and reminded me how tiny, skinny, and helpless that kitty was. Thank you for being that kitty's angel.


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## Gretchen Ann

DBA, I always plant field radishes in my garden after I take a crop out. They provide a cover crop, the roots grow deep, loosening the soil and it just looks nice to have something green growing. It also winter kills so next spring the soil is ready to be tilled.

Here is a picture of the west side of my garden that had early vegetables growing. I planted the seed the 1st part of August.


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## Woodpecker

WIHH how sweet of you to do that for your friend. I will keep her in my prayers.


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## Taylor R.

I'm getting ready to start packing for my spinning demo. I'm a little nervous..my husband has been inviting everyone and their brother, then there was the flyer that was sent home with all 1400 elementary school students in our district :teehee:. I've never spun in front of anyone but my family and a few friends who happen to be present while I work at my wheel. Upside? I did get my costume all adjusted and altered so that it'll do. I'll have hubs take a pic for you all.

It's down right chilly out this morning, but it'll warm up a bit (hopefully enough that my hands aren't freezing). We went to a bonfire at my husband's aunt's house last night after I got off work with his family and had a great time. I'm trying desperately to embrace the fall weather.

Debi, yay for selling sheepies!

DBA, how about some spaghetti squash? You grow any of that? It seems to sell out crazy fast at our farmer's market. It's trendy these days 

WIHH, I'll keep your friend in my thoughts.


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## Kasota

Oh, everyone has been so busy! 

Debi, you must be just flat exhausted! Egads, woman! I hope you are not feeling too banged up this morning and that the hot soak, Chivas and Outlander with something fibery worked it's magic so that you are feeling better today. You sure did accomplish a lot! I'll bet you will be so thankful next year when you have the high tunnel. Do you have to take those down or can you leave them up to winter over? 

Amberley, I just LOVE the idea of getting the local people involved in spinning! What a wonderful vision to have. Lotsa fluff right back to you!!  That is so cool that you already have one student. 

Cyndi, how did your leg/ankle heal up? We have not had much in the way of updates from you. 

Marchie, I do think this FAC will be one for the records with all of these pages! Bless you for taking that little kitten in. When I did rescue I would occassionally get one that bad, but not often. Sadly, they usually died before we got our hands on them. I'm sure with your expert care she will recover and be bouncy before you know it! 

I have not had frost yet. I think being in the city there is just a certain amount of heat that is held here. The city is it's own heat sink. So my raspberries are still growing and the nasturiums are still flowering and the roses and mums are still blooming. This week is supposed to be in the safe zone. I'm sure we will have snow in October. 

DBA, sounds like you are as busy as ever! The older I get the narrower the range of temps I'm happy in. I can't abide heat and humidity but the bitter cold (-20 or so) bothers me more than it used to. I might have to break out a winter jacket this year. 

KandM - pictures please!  Congrats on your grandma's 92 BD! Woot! Hope the bread turns out! 

WIHH, I am so sorry about your friend. That is just so sad. Bless you for bringing the fiber get-together to her! 

Gretchen, that's a good idea about the radishes! I will have to suggest that to my BF who has an enormous garden on his farm. 

Hiya, WP! How are you feeling today? 

Taylor, I'll bet you will do just great with the spinning demo! Sure am looking forward to the pictures! 

Today I have got to get out in the gardens and start putting things to bed. So much to do! So much to do! My new compost bin arrived so I can't use the excuse that I don't have anywhere to put stuff. LOL! 

There is a woman on Ravelry who has a Strauch finest carder for sale for a good price but she won't ship. Rats. Just RATS! I wish I knew someone in Sacramento. 

I bought some vintage yarn on Ebay last night. It is 16 one ounce skeins of some aqua colored yarn that comes in a box with cute littel vintage pictures on the outside. My sister is crazy for anything vintage of that era and she is going to LOVE it for Christmas.  Only had to pay 8.26 and the shipping was free. Got a couple skeins of self-striping sock yarn for 6.00, too. 

I hope everyone has a good day!


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## Woodpecker

Not too Good Kas, really down. I hate waiting for things to start happening. Thanks for asking! How's mama today?


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## Kasota

(((((WP))))) Waiting is hard, for sure. Are you able to work on your embroidery at all? Do you have embroidery stuff to work on or do you need supplies? 

Mama is fussy today. She is fusses about pretty much everything and can't seem to shut it off. I wish she would start knitting again. She has not done any knitting in a long time, although she has been doing a little crochet work (dish cloths that she likes to have on hand to give away). She wanted to crochet some baby booties so I found her a few simple patterns and pictures and bought her some special yarn but she has not touched them. I bought her a couple new pair of pants today to perk her up. I will have to hem them because she is so short, but I think they will be comfortable for her for Winter. I am often enough at a loss these days to think of ways to coax her out of the funky fussies. But I will keep trying!  

I think some of her frustration is that, like many elders, she doesn't have the same sense of taste. Food just doesn't taste the way it used to and so it is less satisfying. She is all about cooking and baking and now is frustrated because she thinks things "don't taste the way they used to." "I don't know what's wrong with this recipe. It's the same one I've used for years but it just doesn't taste the same." So she tries to tweek it and often enough that doesn't work out so well. I sometimes eat some strange meals these days... LOL!


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## Taylor R.

Spinning demo went well. People seem very interested in how it works, and my odd looking wheel inspired a lot of questions. I was also approached about doing another _paid_ event next month. I'm sure I just sat and gaped at that poor man like an idiot for about five minutes before I managed to answer him, I was so shocked. I explained that it was the first time I'd ever done anything like that until today, and he replied that I'm great with the kids and the questions, so he didn't really care. The only stinky part of today when my husband BROKE my Scotch tension knob off, just snapped the dowel right off as we were getting ready to leave for my demo. I managed to rig up some sticky tack to hold it on there and leave it able to adjust a bit. It held up all day so I suppose I'll forgive the man. I'll have to call my wheel maker to ask him how to fix it later on. Now, the promised pictures.


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## Woodpecker

Kasota said:


> (((((WP))))) Waiting is hard, for sure. Are you able to work on your embroidery at all? Do you have embroidery stuff to work on or do you need supplies?
> 
> Mama is fussy today. She is fusses about pretty much everything and can't seem to shut it off. I wish she would start knitting again. She has not done any knitting in a long time, although she has been doing a little crochet work (dish cloths that she likes to have on hand to give away). She wanted to crochet some baby booties so I found her a few simple patterns and pictures and bought her some special yarn but she has not touched them. I bought her a couple new pair of pants today to perk her up. I will have to hem them because she is so short, but I think they will be comfortable for her for Winter. I am often enough at a loss these days to think of ways to coax her out of the funky fussies. But I will keep trying!
> 
> I think some of her frustration is that, like many elders, she doesn't have the same sense of taste. Food just doesn't taste the way it used to and so it is less satisfying. She is all about cooking and baking and now is frustrated because she thinks things "don't taste the way they used to." "I don't know what's wrong with this recipe. It's the same one I've used for years but it just doesn't taste the same."  So she tries to tweek it and often enough that doesn't work out so well. I sometimes eat some strange meals these days... LOL!


I just can't concentrate Kas. I did go fishing today and caught a nice snapper. They are moving out from the dock, this is when I wish I had a boat. I actually caught two snappers but the bugger got of the hook flopped around on the dock and landed between them. That hasn't happened in a while, well I guess that's what you get for fishing sitting down lol. 

My grandmother always said that Kas. I just thought she was sick of the same old flavors. I remember my grandma would say that all the time, how she hated cooking too. I miss her. I hope your mama gets out of this funk.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Well, after a long day of mowing, stripping the garden, tilling (until i broke the tiller), planting oats on part of the garden, chasing around a couple of pigs and loading them on the trailer, and doing laundry, I'm beat.
But off and on while taking breaks, and after supper, I spent a lot of time researching pumpkin farms....yeah, its official, I'm starting a pumpkin farm. This should prove to be interesting, but fun!!!


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## SvenskaFlicka

I just got home from my first Sons of Norway district board meeting. That was a lot of driving. I learned all about my duties, and cultural medals (you can earn medals and pins for knitting and weaving!) and other things. 
Hercsmama, we still have that fridge if you want it! Lol
Now I'm kicking back and eating a Minnesota carmel apple. It's good to be home.


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## MullersLaneFarm

Got home from church this afternoon to half a 5-gallon pail of concord grapes and a large laundry basket of apples. I had planned on processing tomatoes today, but they can keep in the freezer.

Got 5 quarts of steamed grape juice, 7 quarts apple pie filling, apple crisp for desert and started a gallon of ACV from the peelings & cores. I haven't made a dent in the basket! Tomorrow, I'll be heading over to the rental house. My renters/buyers said the grapes are ready there and they don't use them at all. I'll take over a couple quarts of grape juice & a quart of apple pie filling for them.

Kas, my ankle/leg is doing as good as it will get. I had my last surgery in early July to remove the long screw that held the tibia & fibula straight. I still have 5 screws holding the plate.

This week (besides processing grapes, apples & tomatoes) I'll be planting 4 new varieties of garlic, as well as garlic I saved back from this years harvest and hopefully harvesting/processing horseradish.

It was pretty dog-gone cold a few mornings ago that I put on wool socks. Opening my sock drawer for the first time in the fall is such a happy delight! It get the same thrill as I do when I see the first crocus blooming in the spring.

A friend at church asked me to crochet a baby blanket for her grandson due in January. She'll provide the yarn. I'm happy to do it for her and her daughter. I just wish I wasn't just starting my Christmas knitting! I told her the sooner she could get me the yarn, the better it would be because of my Christmas knitting. I'll make a simple, single Granny square. I showed her an example and she approved.

Amberley, I hope you get a lot of interest in the spinning! Could be extra income!

WIHH, I'm sure your fiber friends had a great time today and your friend in the hospital was able to get her mind off the cancer for a while. Then after you've all gone, she still has warm gifts that will hug her.

Dreamy, How is the applications for SSDI coming along? I bet there is an organization around there that will help you get through the paperwork (and there is a LOT of paperwork) and perhaps provide an attorney pro bono to get it through the system.

Taylor! Looks like you had fun ... and now a paying gig!! Woot!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

G'mornin folks. It's Monday morning...................that is all.


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## kandmcockrell

Uggg. Monday. I have book work I should be doing but my coffee and blanket are to warm.


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## hercsmama

Good morning Fiber folks.

Looks like we are all having a hard start to our week.

Just trying to get going, cup of coffee at hand, and a warm kitty in my lap. There is no other way to start the day.
My youngest is snoozing on the couch, I need to get him up shortly. He works in Broken Bow, but lives in Kearney which is a 70 mile drive one way. So we are having him stay with us during he week so he only has a 30 mile commute. This is the first week we are trying this, I think it'll work out better for him.

I've got to head to Kearney later, just a few errands, then home to finish putting the garden to bed. The sheep have had a field day in there the last few days, need to asses if it's ready for me to top dress it with it's winter mulch yet. I have a huge pile of Sheep and Alpaca manure, and a ton of old straw and hay waiting to go on it. Should compost down nicely for next Spring..:happy2:
More coffee time.


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## Kasota

Happy Monday, everyone! 

I am weird in that I like Monday's. At work I feel like I have the whole long week to get my stuff done (hahaha) and so I feel less time-crunched. 

The weather is supposed to be just beautiful this week! Yay!!!

Hope everyone has a good day!


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## Wind in Her Hair

wearing wool socks here, too. MullersLaneFarm.

my poor friend.  She went in for an annual physical, found out she had developed a MAJOR heart murmur - got rushed off to cardiology and had a pacemaker implanted. 

Came back to complete the physical - told Dr she had back pain, he ordered xrays - he did not like what he saw, so he ordered an MRI and discovered she had significant bone cancer.  While she was in the hospital for the pacemaker, a blood test revealed anemia - which led to further testing and revealed she had LIVER cancer. 

Then on Friday, while in the hospital for radiation treatment, they realized how badly diseased her femur in one leg was - so they whisked her off to surgery and placed titanium pins and screws. 

THIS was a woman that was riding horses in July and "feeling fine" - her back was a "little sore" and she was "a little tired". She was working every day and planning to break in a new saddle.  

She welcomed her first grand baby 4 weeks ago- but has been too sick to finish knitting his baby blanket. Everyone in our group offered to take it and finish it for her -but she is determined to do it herself.  

She is really caught in the middle right now- talking about fighting every day in one breath, and then talking about splitting up her yarn and fleece and who she wants to have her spinning wheel. 

Her husband is taking it all pretty hard and handling it the way most men do - he is angry, feels like he needs to be strong, he is worried about work and money, and he feels so helpless. 

If you are so inclined, please remember them in prayer. :grouphug: and remember to hug your loved ones a little closer for all of those that aren't able to reach out and hug theirs.


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## Wind in Her Hair

Taylor R, is that a JMS Cassandra wheel? Where did you get it and what are the ratios? Is it an accelerated wheel? Inquiring minds want to know! (you look adorable spinning there!)


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## Taylor R.

WIHH, yep, that's my Cassandra. Ratios are 6:1, 8:1, 10:1, 12:1. It's not an accelerated wheel.


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## MullersLaneFarm

Wow, WIHH, that is scary fast. Im putting that family on my prayer list for peace of mind & understanding. It brings memories of my Daddy's cancer 2 years ago.


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## Kasota

Oh, WIHH...that is just so, so sad and frightening. I surely will be keeping them all in prayers! 

What is an accelerated wheel? I have no clue what that means. 

Debi, have you stopped running from project A to project B yet? When do you get your new sheep? I think I have asked before but I forgot... :ashamed:

I can't believe how nice it is outside. My favorite kind of weather. Cool enough and not so cold as I need a jacket yet. This weekend I might take the AC out of my window. I have two spaghetti squash left in the garden that I need to bring in. Yum...


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## MullersLaneFarm

Day 2 of apples: 10 quart apple juice, 19 quarts apple pie filling (totals) and I still have half the apples left! I swear Paul is slipping more in when I'm not looking.

I have 20 pints of applesauce left from last year, so I'll put up another 2 dozen pints (just in case we have another bad apple year next year). The rest will become apple juice.


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## hercsmama

WIHH, how scarey. I'll be keeping them in my thoughts....

Kas, never! The project just keep coming, maybe someday it'll all be done, and I can just sit back and wonder what the heck to do with all the time I'll have on my hands.
My new sheep start arriving the first week of October. Sad story, I actually spoke to the young man we are getting the ram and a couple ewe's from yesterday afternoon. His little 4 month old nephew had just past away, that morning. SIDS. The boy and his Mom hadn't even had a chance to meet the little guy yet...
I about cried when I called to check in with them and he told me, just terrible...


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## hotzcatz

Wind in Her Hair said:


> Hotcatz, I don't know if you know Mokihana on ravelry but everytime I read about people on scooters in Hawaii- her ravatar is all I see. And they make me smile.


Aloha WIHH,

I think Mokihana is on Molokai an I'm on the Big Island, more formally called the Island of Hawaii. But that's confusing to have the island of Hawaii in the state of Hawaii and with Hawaiians as a race and not just folks who live here, so for all general purposes, we just call ourselves the "Big Island". 

Moki does look like she's having fun! Our scooter is gray and boring.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning all.
I went a tweaked my back again yesterday. After a few weeks of no back pain, I had been feeling great, but now I'm back to barely able to move again.
Took a couple pigs to processing plant, going from my trailer to the building, they got spooked and escaped between the stock gates and my trailer. It took us about 15 minutes or so to get them rounded back up. In the process of trying to catch them, I had ahold of the bigger of the two by his ears, well, wrestling him around I twisted my back the wrong way.

I am so beyond sick of this back pain thing. I'm going to really savor the taste of that pig.

Hope everyone has a good day.


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## kandmcockrell

MullersLaneFarm said:


> Day 2 of apples: 10 quart apple juice, 19 quarts apple pie filling (totals) and I still have half the apples left! I swear Paul is slipping more in when I'm not looking.
> 
> I have 20 pints of applesauce left from last year, so I'll put up another 2 dozen pints (just in case we have another bad apple year next year). The rest will become apple juice.



Do you have to press the apples for the juice? Our tree is LOADED. the apples make really good apple sauce, i quarter and cook until soft, then put them through a food mill. Tried it coring and peeling before cooking one time and the flavor was not there. Also had to add sugar. If i just cook them core peeling and all, it comes out a lovely blush color and needs no sugar at all. Plus it is easier. No hand cramps.

So sorry for your friend WIHH. Sound like my grand-dad when i was in 4th grade. Never been sick. Never went to dr. One day told my grandmother he did not feel well. Next thing we know, he is going through radiation and chemo. Cancer is everywhere. he was around a little less then a year. I hope your friend has a better outcome. This was 20 yrs ago, so hopefully with the advances, she will.

Been up since 4:00. Usually get up then to fix DH breakfast, then snuggle back in the bed and cat nap until 6:00, but my girls had other plans. First the baby wanted to cake since daddy had some. I was ok with that as it was actually zucchini bread. I always double the grated zucchini so they get a good helping of veggies with each piece.:happy2:

Kas - I will take a picture of the minnow hat as soon as it is light. I finished the lips and have moved on to the body. I will work on it some more this morning while enjoying my second cup of coffee.

Hotzcatz -- is the lava flow going to effect you? My sil lives where the hurricane hit earlier and is now worried about the lava flow. Might cut them off if it goes over the road. I think the little town she is in is Puna?


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## Marchwind

I was having computer issues at work yesterday so I yarn table to finish reading everyone's posts until this morning.

First, Amberly I wish you all the luck in the world. I think you can do this. Begin with the young ones and they will inspire the older ones. Form a little group, you may have to go to them. Kids pick spinning and fiber arts up really fast, they aren't worried about screwing anything up. Please keep us posted on the progress. We have a ton of references if you need them.

WIHH how very sad for you and your fiends to see this happen to such a vibrant woman have such horrific health issues. Hopefully she is a fighter and has a good chance to beat this. Bless you all for taking your group to her. Is she in Fargo?

DBA take care of your back, you only get one of those.

Hercsmama, I sure wish I had your energy.

SvenskaFlicka so glad you are enjoying your position and I should think you probably have already earned most of those metals or could earn them quickly.

Taylor great photos! You look very relaxed. Jump at the chance to earn a bit of cash for what you do. Don't sell yourself cheaply either.

MullersLaneFarm you too, I wish I had your energy.

Violet my other foster kitty was adopted yesterday, perfect match. The new kitty is doing well. It looks like we will seek changed on the family she came from.


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## hercsmama

Morning all!

Hit the ground runing already this morning.
All the house stuff is done, and I even managed to get several invoices sent off to customers of the plumbing business, so hopefully we should be getting a few more checks in the mail soon..love those!
Critters are all fed, and now I can just relax for a bit.

Had an incident the other day with the Paca boys, they got in a huge knock down drag out fight. Thank goodness dh and I happened to be outside when it started, and were able to run to their paddock to get them separated before they hurt one another.
The area we have them in is roughly 3/4 of an acre, and we are in the process of splitting it in half for two ram pens. So some fencing is already done. We grabbed some cattle panels we have lying about, and wired them together to keep the boys apart for a few days.
But, we may be getting rain in a day or two, and there isn't a shelter on the one side, so this morning, I went ahead and took one panel down, so Elmo could get to the shelter if he wants to. Hopefully whatever set them off the other day has passed, so far so good....
We are building them their own pens before the new rams come, but there are only so many hours in a day........and with the new pens of course we also have to build them their own shelters, it all takes more time than we have right now...but it'll get done in the next 2 weeks regardless.
The sheep have done an excellent job cleaning up the garden, really excellent. Another few days out there, and I'll be able to get all the straw, and manure spread for winter composting.:happy2:
Well, off for coffee, and a serious long day of fiber related stuff!
Love it when chores are all wrapped up early!:nanner:


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## amberley

WIHH, it is so sad to see someone you care about go downhill so quickly. I am sure she loved having your group visit.

MullersLaneFarm The one thing (well maybe not the only thing) that I cannot grow here is apples, wish they would magically keep appearing like yours appear to do:happy2:

Hercsmama, Fighting? Those sweet paca boys look like butter wouldn't melt, hope they have got over it by now. Have a wonderful day doing whatever you want, knowing that the things you *HAVE* to do are done.

SvenskaFlicka I am in awe of all your accomplishments. I think you have already earned your medals.

Taylor, the pics are wonderful, you don't look nervous at all!

Marchwind, so glad your new foster is doing well and you have a home for violet.

I made a bracelet, just a simple i-cord with beads sewn on it with Grazies bit of yarn. I am sure she will love it and it will encourage her I hope. I don't want payment, at least not money, for teaching, I simply would like help with harvesting and processing my cotton when the time comes. I figure that if I teach people to knit or sew or spin, they are more likely to want fibre:teehee:

I am going on a coach trip, a long one, with a group of ladies from church next month. I plan on taking some knitting and crochet and maybe a spindle or two with me. I am hoping that there will be some interest. I want to keep this very informal, no set times for lessons etc, just a group of us that can get together and enjoy each others company whilst doing "stuff" with fibre.


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## kandmcockrell

Wind in Her Hair said:


> Good morning, all!
> 
> 
> I knit all the way there and all the way back- mostly on those humungous US size 35 needles.
> 
> Cabin Fever said it looked like I was knitting for Paul Bunyan! :grin:


Is that the hunters cowl from "Catching fire"? Do you know why it is not available anymore?

My daughter would love it. I will need to see if there is anything else similar.


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## SvenskaFlicka

WIHH, I will be keeping your friend in my thoughts and prayers.

DBA, you be careful with your back!

Cyndi, apple juice sounds so good!

I have done everything I need to earn the three levels of weaving medals, but the knitting medals are for Norwegian knitting. For level one you knit a scarf and another simple project. Level two, Norwegian mittens. Level three, a whole darn Norwegian sweater. 
Then there are medals in genealogy, Norwegian language, baking, cooking, dancing, etc. All culturally Norwegian. 
So yeah, I still haven't earned all my Norwegian knitting pins...


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## Wind in Her Hair

kandmcockrell said:


> Is that the hunters cowl from "Catching fire"? Do you know why it is not available anymore?
> 
> My daughter would love it. I will need to see if there is anything else similar.


That's the one. Katniss Archer Cowl

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hunter-cowl-2

There are some other similar ones but I liked that one best. I think there might have been some problem with copyright infringement, but I don't know for sure.


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## kandmcockrell

i figured that was the issue.


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## Kasota

Well, momma had the liver scared out of her today. She went to take a small bag of garbage out to our trash bin, lifted the lid and there inside the bin was a huge skunk!!! She slammed the lid back down "before it could get me" and ran into the house and window peeped until my neighbor, Steve, got home from work. "Steve!! Come quick!!! My garbage! My garbage!" "Do you need help taking some trash out?" "No!!! I have a SKUNK!!!!" Bless him so, he wheeled our trash bin over to his house to get the skunk out, put my stinky skunky smelling garbage in his own bin and brought my trash bin back over. 

He said he was afraid mom was going to have a heart attack to which momma replied indignantly, "Nonsense! There is nothing wrong with my ticker." Then she told me she had been dreaming that there was something out by the back porch and it was whining in a strange little voice. I figure that skunk was in there for two days because that's how long the little dog has been huffing and puffing and fussing trying to get by that bin. I thought there were chipmunks hiding over in that spot, which is usually the case. 

Poor momma. I think she did get quite the fright. 

I am glad I didn't have to let the skunk go. It probably would have gotten me good.


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## Woodpecker

I am waiting to see how many sick days I get from my coworkers before I start to file for SSD. My friend who worked with me for a while gave me the number of the man who helped her get through all the forms. So I will be calling him pretty soon. Thanks for asking Cyndi.

Glad momma is alright Kas, what a day you've had.


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## MullersLaneFarm

K&M,
The water you cook down the apples in is your apple juice.

I use a steamer to cook down the apples into a concentrated juice. Then run the steamed apples through the food mill.

Today was a grape day ... 16 quarts steamed grape juice & 4 quarts more of ape juice.
I saved back 4 cups grape juice set back for jelly.
Tomorrow it is back to apples ... sauce & juice.

Then I need to get the garlic planted and there are tomatoes in the freezer.


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## kandmcockrell

Morning everyone! Well I finished the shaping on the guppie hat behind the lips, so now on the the body!

MullersLaneFarm- that makes since. And to think, I was dumping it out. When you say you use a steamer, is that one of those specifically for making juice, or just a pasta type steamer? 

Kasota, glad your mom is: doing ok after her encounter. Did it make her forget her fussyness? 

Woodpecker- I hope everything comes together soon for you. You need to be able to focus on healing and fighting without having to worry about money, job and loosing you home.


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## hercsmama

kandmcockrell said:


> My daughter would love it. I will need to see if there is anything else similar.


http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#sort=best&craft=knitting&query=katniss cowl

Check these out....:happy2:


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## Kasota

Good morning, all! 

Debi, I can get so sucked into Ravelry doing pattern searches.... Those look like they would be fun to make! 

KandM, I must be tired. I got the giggles thinking about guppy lips. I can imagine someone asking, "So, what are you knitting?" "Guppy lips." :hysterical:

Hope everyone has a good day!


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## kandmcockrell

It's called a minnow hat, but I think guppy just sound more like a baby, kwim? 

Thanks Hercsmama!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning all.
Folks, take care of your backs. This constant back pain is no fun at all. I have a Dr appointment today for mine, but the only thing they can do is prescribe more muscle relaxers and pain killers. I hate having to pop pills throughout the day just to function. I hate not being able to preform even minor tasks without being in pain. Just taking clothes out of the washer and loading the dryer hurts. Getting dressed hurts, mainly putting on socks. The feeling of being almost useless sucks. Looking around and seeing things that need done and not being able to do them really digs at me.

I usually take care of almost everything at home while my lovely wife works, and now, when she gets home from work she has to help do many of the things I normally do. It isn't fair to her. She says she doesn't mind, but it bugs me, she does her job at work, then comes home and has to help do my jobs. I hate that. Hate feeling useless.


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## Wind in Her Hair

DBA - I ENCOURAGE you - no, more emphatically, I BEG you to seek the advice of a chiropractor. 

Chiros got such a terrible reputation back in the 60s and 70s, but I can assure you - I have NEVER felt such relief from back, neck, and hip pain until I starting seeing a good chiropractor. 

Yes, you can pop a pill and that does have it's place in managing pain and treating injuries. But you can do so much more with chiro - heat, ice, electric waves, and therapeutic massage and manipulation. 

Also, try alternative therapies in conjunction with traditional medicine and physical therapy and chiropractic. My spinal specialist told me to do it ALL - and whatever gives me relief at one point might not at another - but to do it all. And so I do. 

I have a spinal issue that the specialists say needs surgery - and many people with far better MRIs and xrays have already had the surgery - but with everything I am doing - I am at zero pain - knock on wood and Praise the Lord! I am hoping to delay surgery until further advances are made. 

Kasota, Granny Annie and her antics keep me in stitches. :hysterical: Had my mother made it to old age, I am sure she would be just as much of a handful. You are so blessed to have her here. Hug her for me, would you?


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## Marchwind

DBA I agree with WIHH. I had a long post typed out and I lost it 

Kasota poor Granny Annie! I wonder how that skunk got into your trash bin? I don't think of skunks as being climbers, not like raccoons.

Amberly a captive audience can be a wonderful thing, especially when boredom set in :happy2: Take lots of extras as well as simple instructions. Print this if you can maybe http://www.spinningdaily.com/media/p/7453.aspx. And this one http://www.spinningdaily.com/Drop-Spindle-Spinning/

Hercsmama, are your sheep in estrus? That might be setting the boys off.


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## Miz Mary

DBA, along with the Chiro.... YOGA ..... you dont have to be flexible to do yoga, but it will benefit your back -- my hubby is a believer after it helped his back !


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## kandmcockrell

DBA --- I can't say enough about a good chiro either. Helped me, my dh and my fil. 

where is a good place to get 8oz of different types of rovings to try? i thought there was someone here that had a bunch on their website. I know kelsey does, but there was another in addition to her..... was it frazzel, or weaver maybe????


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Well I had my Dr appt. He has me taking a different muscle relaxer than i was taking, and I have an appointment with a back specialist in a week.


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## hercsmama

DBA, very gentle hugs for you, back issues are the worst!

Marchie, I think several of them are in season, I was thinking that was the issue as well.
I let Elmo back in the shelter area yesterday, they both sleep outside at night, when it's cool, but we are supposed to hit 80+ today and tomorrow, and he will need the shade for that. Then Friday we are expecting rain. So far so good....next week 8 of these big ewe's head out to their new homes, so hopefully that'll help some...
Funny story, at 2 am last night, my nose itched, so I scratched it, and pulled my nose ring right out! It went flying in the dark. Needless to say it was my favorite one, and I freaked out. Poor dh, I jumped out of the bed, turned on the light, and made him get up so I could find it.:teehee:
Bless his heart, he just laughed and helped me look.
Turns out it landed on the cat, which we didn't know about until we had basically stripped the entire bed.
What a trooper my dh is.:happy2:


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## Taylor R.

Debi, your husband sounds like mine. He's well-adapted to my special brand of crazy and has learned not to take it too personally when it's aimed at him. I honestly think the crazy has rubbed off on him a little.

IEP prep meeting is tomorrow and I'm nervous. I friggin' hate these things. I do a terrible job of keeping my emotions in check when it comes to my little dude's special needs. It seems they jump to the conclusion that parents of special needs kids attribute every single behavior to their child's special needs and therefore do not properly discipline, leading to more 'bad' behavior. It really gets my goat that they treat his behavior issues as much of the population does (that he's just a spoiled brat so used to getting his way that he throws tantrums in order to get his way again), despite the fact that educators of all people ought to know better. Now, I'm not saying that my son has never had a classic kid tantrum, but trying to wedge himself into a cubby isn't a tantrum, it's sensory overload. Rather than trying at that point to calm him and give him space to decompress if calming isn't working, it seems they're trying to drag him back out into the class to get his work done, which leads tio a crash (sleeping for a couple hours in the middle of the school day).


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## hercsmama

Taylor, I'm going to give you my 2 cents here. 
Feel free to totally disregard anything, and everything I'm about to write.

My oldest son, now 24, had serious sensory issues when he was little, he also had dyslexia and, a few other learning issues having to do with low Serotonin levels in his brain. It's a hereditary thing, runs in dh's family.
Having a Mom who is ADD, doesn't help, so you can imagine the trauma we went through when he was still in school.
I made the mistake, IMHO, of listening to the schools so called "Experts". I did things their way, I never, and I mean NEVER should have listened to a dad gum one of them. I knew my son better than those people ever did. But I felt over whelmed, and allowed them to dictate to me what we should do.
Needless to say, Trevor started smoking pot at 12 yo, when we caught him at 13, he told us he did it because it made the noise quite.
We fought his drug problems all through school, he ended up dropping out his Senior year, after a Vice Principal asked him why he was even in school, as he was a waste of their time, and would never amount to anything anyway.
He was told this, in one form or another his entire time in public school, all because he required extra help, and conditions.
At 24, he still has a drug problem, but now it involves his 2yo son, and the fact that he can't hold down a job to support that son.
If I could honestly go back in time, and do everything over, I would have told those "experts" to go pound sand, and pulled him from public school long before he started Middle School.
I would have done whatever I had to to home school him in an environment that allowed his self esteem to not be totally destroyed, Whatever other things we had to give up.
Teachers are human, and they have emotions, and judgements that come out, and the children pick up on them. They hold on to them, whether we realize it or not.
It isn't your sons fault, it's not even the teachers fault, but my son was damaged by it, and I wouldn't want anyone's child to go through what my son has.
His life today is a living hell, everyday he tells me he just doesn't understand why he is the way he is.
He just wants to be normal, that's the statement I got from him yesterday.

You know your son, they do not.
If you honestly feel they are not meeting his needs, for Gods sake, do something about it. Do not do what I did and trust that they know what they are doing. They don't.

Off my soap box.
Sorry if I have offended anyone here, but I just can't stand knowing what I allowed to happen to my boy, and watching it happen to someone elses.


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## Kasota

DBA, ditto what everyone has been saying about Chiropractic care. I never believed in it until I was in a bad car accident that ended up really damaging my back. Months and months of PT didn't fix me. The chiropractor was the one who finally fixed my back. Helped my headaches, too.  

Tomorrow is my last day at work this week. I took Friday off to get the tranny fluid changed in my car. Appointment is at 9. I can't imagine it will take all that long...and then I will be FREEEEEE!!!! I am going to spend some time with the vid WIHH loaned to me and card up some of this wool! Then I am going to spin some.


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## mamajohnson

Wow! Ya'll have been crazy busy! This took me four days to read!
Praying for everyone. Even when I am not around this place is on my mind. When I check Facebook ya'll are the ones I look for. 
We have had a crazy summer. It has been very unhot and wet! I think it only hit 100 a few times this year. Wonderful. DH is officially on disability now. He worked real hard in the garden while I did the 8 to 5 thing. I pretty much spent most of my off time canning. 

The well pump went out last month. Two weeks and $1000 later it git fixed. That was a painful expense. Work is not going well for me. My boss quit and so that put me under the president of the company. He and I have a huge personality conflict. Basically I think he hates me. I am betting he will find a way to get rid of me by the end of the month. He was yelling at me the other day and pretty much let me know that's what he wants to do.
I have decided to stop stressing. God desires good and not evil for us. So I will just roll with the punches. 

On the bright side, I have been asked to make 26 dance costumes and will be paid. : ) I'm excited about that.

DD went to work at Sonic. She is learning how to balance work and school. The first thing she had to figure out was how to let the boss know she could not work more than 30 hours. Being home schooled sometimes the boss forgets she isn't full time. I had to put my foot down. One week he scheduled her 40 hours. She finally told him that if she couldn't get her school work done she would have to quit. That fixed it I think.

Well I totally enjoyed all the reading here. Hope I can keep up! The new Knit Picks catalog and sleep are calling me... 
Ya'll are all in my prayers. Love my HT family. I sure do miss my time here.


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## MullersLaneFarm

K&M, I use a steam juicer.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

G'mornin all.
Back isn't hurting too bad at all today, so I might be able to get some stuff done today.
Hope everyone has a great day.


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## mamajohnson

Cindy, do you make tea tree oil soap?


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## Marchwind

Taylor I'm hopping on that bandwagon with Hercsmama! I consider myself an IEP expert. After 10 years of meetings and rewriting IEPs and having two kids graduate I think I qualify, not to mention my own disabilities I've had to deal with and learn from. I highly recommend that you get very familiar with Wright's Law http://www.wrightslaw.com. They have a fantastic book (well several excellent books) From Emotions to Advocacy. If you can get it do and read it over and over again. They have excellent forums and resources. DO NOT assume that the schools are there to help your kid. There may be a teacher or two who really are great and do care, hold them close, but know they are bound by their school district. There are very specific laws in place especially for kids on the Autism Spectrum, read them and know them and do NOT allow them to give you or your son less than he deserves. If you would like any help or need to vent I'm always around. It's a heck of a roller coaster ride so strap yourselves in.

Kasota enjoy your day 

DBA glad you're feeling better.


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## lambs.are.cute

Blek, I hurt this morning. I spent from 8:30-4:30 yesterday moving a library to a temporary location so that the original from the 70s can be remodeled. It hadn't had a new coat of paint since the original......... although nobody from that library mentioned it and since it is a 45 minute drive north of the head quarters nobody noticed either. oh well it is getting done now. 

We had to get the collection down from 17,000 items to 7,000 items and thankfully for most things we had lists of books we had to pull but still it was a lot of mental and physical work, especially since they had shelves to the ground. A lot of up and down. Then I went over and helped load books onto shelves at the new library, even more up and down and here I couldn't kneel because the floor was just concrete so I had to bend over. I think what hurts the most are my wrists from supporting all those books...... no knitting for a while :Bawling:.

You all are amazing and soooooo busy. I haven't been able to keep up with this chat this month. I guess I'll have to read some of the back log later this afternoon. So for now I will say HI all and hope that today is peaceful and everybody gets as much done as they need to.


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## Taylor R.

Debi and Marchie, bug hugs! Thank you both so much for your input. He does have a great teacher who is doing her best to make accommodations, but there's only one of her and she _does_ have to work within the district. 

This is why we're considering starting homeschooling at the semester, Debi. I don't want to fight tooth and nail for them to get the educations they deserve when there is another option. It'll mean me keeping the job I have now, not going full time, and continuing to work crazy hours, but something's got to give (and it won't be the district without a knock down drag out). It terrified me to pull my little dude who has difficulty socializing out of the public school system as I was worried that it would adversely affect him, otherwise he never would have started in the public school system.


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## hercsmama

Taylor, I'm so glad to hear this!!!
As far a socializing, there are plenty of HS groups, Scouts, stuff like that.

My ds and I were talking the other day, and he and our dil have already decided to home school our grandson, which has made me so happy.:happy2:


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## Kasota

Taylor, you are such a good mom! So many people just toss special needs kids to the winds and don't fight for what they need. 

Public school can help some kids learn social skills but it can also be detrimental, too. If special needs kids get so overwhelmed that they withdraw or act out it actually can make it harder for them because they associate social settings with being overwhelmed. My kid was not special needs, but he seemed to collect friends who were either ADHD or mildly autistic so I spent a fair amount of time around such kids in earlier years. Making the social stuff less overwhelming by using smaller groups, shorter length of time can really help. What I saw with my son's friends is that they gained more social skills by taking it in smaller doses and over time their social skills really grew. 

I had a good day at work. My director gave me some 1x1 time, something hard to come by with someone at that level and we had some great conversations about how people learn (we are headed into our heavy hiring and training time of year) and also different ways to become more efficient based on our own learning style and how we process information. It was a really good conversation. He is a very bright man. I found it interesting that he sees math as visual pictures. I have never seen anyone process spreadsheet data and manipulate formulas as fast as he does. It makes my head spin. He said he has never been able to teach anyone how he does it. "How do I teach someone to see the pictures I see in my head when it comes to math?" Kind of fascinating.


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## Wind in Her Hair

tomatoes tomatoes tomatoes

More going into the freezer- more into the stock pot

wedding this weekend

my baby sister is coming to visit :dance: :bouncy:

and I took NEXT WEEK OFF !!!!!

Have a great weekend! I have a house to clean for company, cooking to do, an MIA-POW Memorial Dinner to attend, a Kraut Fest to go to, spinning, knitting, steam blocking, oh my!

Later!


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## hercsmama

WIHH, how fun for you!
I always wanted a sister, instead i got a jackwagon of a brother, ah well.

So, we are FINALLY getting the plans tended to for Mom and Daddy. Good grief. I have a final call to make to the Cemetery today, and then I will have a firm date for when we will be there.
I'll be calling my brother to let him know, he is pushing for a full funeral, but neither Mom or Daddy wanted that, so it isn't going to happen. Unless he wants to pay the 10 grand for it.

So ladies in Minnesota, look for us sometime around the middle of October! This time for sure as dh is getting to a stopping point on the hospital we are building in Broken Bow..
Today I will be re-organizing my big pantry. it's a mess. I have an entire 12x25 room for it, and it's just gotten out of control with all the gardening and outside work having taken over this summer. Time to put it all back to rights, and take an inventory for the winter...:thumb:


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## Taylor R.

The meeting honestly didn't go as bad as I thought it would. The new SPED teacher is totally incredibly awesome and she jumped all over anyone who might have even implied that my son is just a PITA because he wants to be. I did not yell or cry or curse at all.

Woohoo for a week off WIHH!!

Debi, I wanted a sister when I was younger, then about the time I started high school, I realized I was happy without one  Thankfully, four of five brothers have married wonderful women, so I have plenty of fabulous sister-in-laws now.

Kas, sounds like my husband. His brain just..doesn't process those things like mine does. He has a very hard time helping the kids with their math because of that.


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## SvenskaFlicka

Well, I canned 17 pints of peach pie filling yesterday. (I got a lug of Colorado peaches from the Lion's Club. Wooo!) I still have a pile of peaches left over so I think I'll make jam. Maybe I'll make some Danish type things with the fresh jam too. 

I'm busy getting ready for Hostfest too. Today I'm hemming a monk's robe and chasing down the UPS man to send some swords back with him. (They sent me the wrong swords! Don't you hate when that happens?!?) Then I'm measuring tablet weaving warp and getting that all ready for my class. And I'm putting in an order with Brown Sheep for nÃ¥lbinding yarn. And I'm packing and shipping orders out. Tomorrow we're cooking a Hobbit second breakfast for a Hobbit Day second breakfast competition (pictures due by the 21st, Hobbit day is actually the 22nd, our anniversary.) Then in the afternoon, we're having a Spin in Public event down in the Stromsburg City Square. (You're all welcome to come!) Then I suppose I'll work on more Viking clothes, for us. Maybe I'll finish off the day with some tablet weaving. This piece really needs to get done, I've been working on it for a year.

Gracious. 

Oh, and there was a big car wreck this morning in front of my house! I was just getting up, and Philip had just kissed me goodbye and headed out of the house, and I heard a BOOM!!!

It wasn't him, but apparently he thought his car exploded when he turned the ignition. 

Our neighbor down the way was driving to work, and a lady was driving her kids to school, in a hurry, and just sailed through the yield sign and hit him on the side of the front half of his pickup. No one was hurt, but both cars were totaled. 

So, uh, WIHH, have fun with your sister! I always wanted a sister too, but I adopted one (my college roommate), and I have a great SIL, so yay! I have all the benefits with never having to share a bathroom!

Taylor, I'm glad the new SPED lady was so nice. 

Debi, good luck with the stuff with your brother.

To everyone else, have a great day today and have a great weekend!


----------



## lambs.are.cute

Try being taught math when you are one of those. I finally learned to teach myself from the books, but I never got the half credits for writing the formula correctly because I could never remember how they taught to do it. The teachers could never figure out how I did it even when I wrote it out but I was almost always right....... It annoyed them I refused to use a calculator and did it all by hand and was still right. It was faster for me to do it my way by hand than for me to do it by calculator and just as accurate. My engineering techer started giving no credit if I didn't have the correct formula even when the answer was correct. These weren't the formulas that built on top of each other they were just calculating trajectory of a decaying orbit and similar. 

I'm drying more pluots for mom today. I just ran to the farmers market and picked up a 30 lb box of them. Amazing how many offers I got to carry the box to my car........if only someone offered when I am stacking the 5 tons of grass hay I need for winter. Lol.


----------



## Taylor R.

Woohooo, John from JMS Wheels in sending me the stuff to fix my wheel's Scotch tension knob free of charge. That right there is part of why I went with my Cassandra. This particular 'break' was so not a problem with the wheel at all, and John still jumps right in to fix whatever is wrong. His customer service is incredible.


----------



## Woodpecker

I decided I want to make one of my nurse's a pink scarf for Christmas. Any suggestion on yarns? Eventually I will make more.


----------



## Kasota

WP, I would see what pattern you want to make first and then pick a yarn that would go well with that pattern. Do you know what kind of scarf you want to make?


----------



## Woodpecker

Kasota said:


> WP, I would see what pattern you want to make first and then pick a yarn that would go well with that pattern. Do you know what kind of scarf you want to make?


I figured I would do my favorite seed stitch. That one is easy for me and shouldn't require too much time.


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## hercsmama

WP, I'm really partial to Malabrigo Rios for anything I might need to wash, it's a superwash wool, and just turns to butter after that initial washing, so super soft and cozy.

Good morning all!
Lot's to get done this weekend. Dh and I are heading to breakfast early, and then over to the Farmers Market. After that we are running to this great little Antique place that is only open on Saturdays from 9 until 3. 
Then home to deal with more fencing, building sheep shelters, and cutting wood.
We have got to get it all done in the next 2 weekends....hopefully, yours truly here, can manage to not end up back in the ER, I have no idea why I have been so accident prone lately. :facepalm: Just not my style....


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## Dixie Bee Acres

G'mornin all.
Done with farmers market for the year, time to start focusing on the coming winter. My dad had foot surgery yesterday, so I will go see him today and see if he needs anything. Picked up our first pig from processing plant yesterday as well, so I'm going to use some fresh sausage and make biscuits and gravy. Dad will like some as well.
Well, y'all have a great day.


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

Got my punkins yesterday from my neighbor's garden stand.
These were the big ones,  it was I could do to lift 'em. 

and I also got pie pumpkins and porch pumpkins and jack-o-lantern pumpkins.

I &#9829; pumpkin season!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

This pic is several days old. Friday we picked the rest of our pumpkins, 4 more giants and couple dozen regular size. Last night someone stole two giants and a few small ones.


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## Wind in Her Hair

DBA- that is so sad. Out here, my neighbor keeps a coffee can at his stand. I got myself change from a $20 out of it and there was about $50 in there. Folks out here are still honest.


----------



## Kasota

DBA, that is just sick that someone would steal your pumpkins. I honestly don't know what is the matter with people. Often enough I would be willing to just GIVE something to someone if they would just ask, but when they steal it sure ticks me off. How is your back doing? 

Debi, I hope you stay safe and sound today and don't get hurt doing whatever it is you will no doubt be up to...which will be something interesting because it seems you do something interesting every day. LOL! When you come to MN - I still have the tiller, books and some fencing stuff - I think a roll of wire and all those insulators and some odd bits and pieces like connectors and such. Have them all stashed for you. Also - I have a whole bunch of metal roofing/siding screws still new in the bags. They are left over from when I built my pole barn. There are two lengths. Some are dark green and some are white. Not sure if you could use them or not, just let me know and I'll put that bin in your stash pile, too. Most of that stuff is in a corner of my sister's garage which we call "Debi's corner." LOL! 

I started and finished a scarf yesterday...mainly because I was stuck at the dealership getting some maintenance done on my car. Thought I had to have the tranny fluid changed at 60K but they said that is only if I am using the car as a taxi. Sometimes I feel that way, but no.  But there was a bunch of other stuff I wanted to get done like spark plugs and cleaning the intake and a coolant flush and fill so they did that instead. 

Mom is soooo funny. She had me dying of laughter yesterday. We know a young man who just got his pastor's license. Mom thought we should do something nice like have an open house for him. "We should celebrate. I could make a cake and invite people over for coffee. It's not every young man so committed to what he is trying to do." Thinking I might have missed some project he was involved in I asked, "What is he trying to do?" "Well, he is so committed to his virginity." "What??!!! You want to invite people over to celebrate his commitment to virginity?" All I could see in my mind's eye was a cake that said, "Congratulations on being a virgin." and the looks on everyone's face who stopped over not to mention the look on *his* face! I started to laugh and I couldn't stop. "Well, he is single and a pastor so he must be a virgin. We should celebrate." (um, no...we don't know that...) Oh, heavens. I haven't laughed so hard in months.


----------



## Marchwind

Taylor I'm so happy you had an awesome meeting and that you like the SpEd teacher, that makes a huge difference.

WIHH I think MN is unique in terms of how honest people are.
DBA sorry you got hit by a thief.


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## Miz Mary

Kasota, your story made my day !!! OMG , I cant imagine a party like that !!! TOO funny !!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Now all pumpkins are up close to the house, and I even had some fun with some Jack-B-Littles


----------



## Forerunner

http://m.us.wsj.com/article_email/s...for-fall-1410542754-lMyQjAxMTA0MDEwOTExNDkyWj


The Wall Street Journal, even......


----------



## Marchwind

You're a trend setter for sure FR  Did you catch that price tag? 

DBA you should arrange the big pumpkins around the face in the shape of a pumpkin


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Marchwind said:


> You're a trend setter for sure FR  Did you catch that price tag?
> 
> DBA you should arrange the big pumpkins around the face in the shape of a pumpkin


Planned on it, but don't have enough. From top of the eyes to bottom of the mouth is between 5&6 feet.


----------



## Woodpecker

Thank your hercshmama, I just ordered two skeins of their English rose. You were a big help!


----------



## BlueberryChick

Hi, all! It's been good to spend a few minutes getting caught up with you all.

I've had the whole day "off"! Andy took all three children to Carowinds (amusement park near Charlotte, NC) and I've had the house to myself for 12 hours. I did 9 loads of laundry, washed and set twist for three skeins of yarn, walked to the mailbox (0.8 miles round trip) made three project bags and had hot wings for supper. I think I'll do my hair too.

Kelsey, I've been spinning one of your braids. It's a Columbian/Rambouillet blend in brown and purple. I split it lengthwise into eight sections and am spinning them end to end. I'm planning to Navajo-ply and should end up with fairly long stripes of color.















I'll try to remember to add pictures of the finished yarn.


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

MamaJ, I have tea tree.

I might have some lavender tea tree or citrus tea tree already made up.


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## MullersLaneFarm

Been busy canning today. 6 quarts stewed tomatoes. Steam juiced grapes yesterday & saved some juice back for jelly. 12.5 half pints grape jelly, 5.5 hslf pints plum jam

I'm up to 540 jars this year ...


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## hercsmama

DBA, that really stinks about your pumpkins, I swear it's just one more reason I'm so glad I live out where I do...
WP, so glad I could help! I really love the stuff..
BBC, love the color!
Kas, your Mom just kills me! 

Well, the plan was to go to one antique store, and then home, but, plans change.
We chatted at br eakfast about it being National Spin in Public Day, and I mentioned to dh that Kelsey had an event in Stromburg today. So he figured we could go out there for that.
BUT, then we ran into some friends, and they were antiquing too..so we all ended up going to Mason City, and then Ansley, and then it was too late to head to see Kelsey :facepalm:.
So as we were just about in Grand Island, we went to Sams, and came home.
Got back at feeding time, so got that done, put all the groceries away, and just finished watching my weekly fix of Outlander.:thumb:
Only one episode left, I can't stand it. Hopefully they bring it back soon.

Needless to say, tomorrow will be extra busy, ah well. I think we both needed the break, so it's all good.
I did pick up our Pumpkins at the market. I never get the orange ones, I got a pink one, a white one, a warty yellow and green striped one, and a great big funky looking crook necked one of some sort.:sing:
All are piled up on the front steps, along with a big pile of the little ones, in all sorts of fun colors. DH just laughed at my choices, and asked me why I can't just be normal and get orange ones, what's the fun in that?


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

I was hoping you could come today, but I'll see you another time. Sounds like you had a great day anyway! 
Picking the normal pumpkins is no fun at all, though Iwould probably Hey one or two normal ones to accent the word ones.


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## Lythrum

SvenskaFlicka said:


> And I'm putting in an order with Brown Sheep for nÃ¥lbinding yarn.


What yarn do you consider to be good for nÃ¥lbinding? I can't remember if I have asked or not. I am planning on trying a project in November so it is never too early to plan ahead. 

Oh, and please share your Hobbit second breakfast picture, I'm curious to see what you make.


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## SvenskaFlicka

I like the Brown Sheep Lanaloft or Lamb's Pride best for nÃ¥lbinding, though really almost any single ply will do. Multiple plies make it hard to see your stitches.

Here is the picture Philip took of our second breakfast:








We had spinach quiche, a cranberry-seed bread with butter, honeyed nut and apple cake with peaches in thick syrup, fresh peaches, and tea. It was all very tasty.


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## hercsmama

Morning!
Woke up perky, never a good sign...:yuck:. I don't do perky.

Kelsey, that looks delicious!

Think I'll make a batch of biscuits, break out my Blueberry jam, and knit awhile.
I'll be weighing the wethers this morning, then dh will go get started on those big Elm trees out back, while I set posts for the new Alpaca area.

I'm going to try to make up some bread today too. I only say try, as I'm going to be copying a bread I get at the Farmers Market. It's an Asiago cheese bread, and it's amazing. But as I am a very prolific bread maker, i always feel a bit guilty when I pay 5.00 a loaf for the stuff. 
I'm thinking it's a take off on a no knead bread, we'll see...
Off to grab a cup of coffee, and some fiber time.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning all. 
Debi, I'm glad someone is perky, I'm just blah.


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## Kasota

Good morning, everyone. 

Kelsey, your meal looks delicious! Yum! 

BBC, when you split the braid do you mean you did it lengthwise? Sorry for the dumb question. I have yet to spin from a braid but I have one calling my name to give it a wirl. I was putzing a bit with the Traveller yesterday and noticed I find it easier to treadle more slowly with it than the Kromski. Perhaps because it is a single treadle and the other is double? Anyway, any tips would be welcome. 

Cyndi, that is a lot of canning! How yummy it will all be for you this Winter! 

Debi, as usual you have wings on your feet. 

Today I'm going to see about putting the blending board together. I have this idea that I can make up some pretty sheets that I could felt and then use to make covers for composition notebooks to sell as journals. I might be daft but it seems like it would be fun to try. And I want to get washing some of my colored fleece to blend with some of the white wool. Need to get out there and toss some grass seed down on the dirt I spread around on a low spot in the yard. Fall can be a good time to seed grass but my little window is fast closing....

Hope everyone has a great day!


----------



## Woodpecker

I ordered new needles last night, I even got them monogrammed to cheer me up. Yay for new needles!


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## Kasota

Wooot! Good for you, WP! What kind of needles did you get? I had no idea you could get needles monogrammed!


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## Woodpecker

Kasota said:


> Wooot! Good for you, WP! What kind of needles did you get? I had no idea you could get needles monogrammed!


I switched it up. The last time I got new needles they were Lantern Moon's, this time I went with my other favorite, Signature Needles. I didn't know they could be monogrammed either, I think it's a nice touch.


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## mamajohnson

Good morning! I am keeping up with ya'll finally! Lol. Cindy - I will message you for soap! 
I intended to knit all day yesterday. But instead did lots of laundry and dishes. 
Our garden is moving from summer to fall. Got lots of greens yesterday. Right now I'm just popping them in the freezer. Should be canning again soon. 
DBA so sorry on the pumpkins. We have a lot of honor system places here like WIHH. I haven't even thought about pumpkins yet. 
We are slowly remodeling the house. DH redid a hallway that was short and wide. It is now his "office" and I love it. I get a linen closet next. Laundry room add on is nearly finished. Then we are taking out our iddy biddy closet in our bedroom and replacing it with two bigger than the one. I'm excited about that. Last will be the kitchen. Sorta dread it. That will be a huge mess and I still am not sure how I want it. The space is sorta limited. Hopefully our finances and energy holds out. 

We also need to make the Paca's and sheep a shelter in another pen and do some separation. 
Always lots to do at our place! 

Happy Sunday! Every one have a great fibery day!


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## Kasota

MamaJohnson you sure have been busy! We need pictures!


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## BlueberryChick

Kasota said:


> BBC, when you split the braid do you mean you did it lengthwise? Sorry for the dumb question. I have yet to spin from a braid but I have one calling my name to give it a wirl. I was putzing a bit with the Traveller yesterday and noticed I find it easier to treadle more slowly with it than the Kromski. Perhaps because it is a single treadle and the other is double? Anyway, any tips would be welcome.


Yes, Kasota, I split it lengthwise. That's not a dumb question at all. I spent some time thinking about how to spin it, to get the colors to end up like I want them. I could have just pulled off chunks as it came off the braid, not splitting it lengthwise at all. That would give me very long color runs. I could have separated it into the individual colors, meaning spin all the purple then all the brown. There's also fractal spinning which I don't think I can explain, but it's another way of splitting the braid to get a particular effect.

And then plying has it's own decisions--2-ply, 3-ply, umpteen-ply, Navajo ply, cable ply...

I chose splitting the fiber into eight lengthwise parts to give me fairly long, repeating color runs. I plan to Navajo ply the resulting singles, which will keep the color runs, with minimal barberpoling. I'm going for a self-striping yarn for mittens. We'll see how it goes! 

Here's the first bobbin of singles:








And the two finished bobbins, ready to ply:








The first picture captures the colors better. The second one looks very blue, but the fiber is purple "in real life".


----------



## featherbottoms

What pretty yarn, BBC. We will all love to see pics when you get that knitted up.

Kelsey, I seem to just be full of dense brain cells lately but what is a Hobbit breakfast. I know Hobbits like to eat, and wouldn't turn down a second breakfast, but is this some celebration thing that is happening now?

It has been raining and/or cloudy and/or dreary here for at least two weeks. We live in the Northern Chihuahua desert and although it IS the monsoon season, it's still not supposed to do this for such a long period of time. We've been socked with rain and overcastedness because of those hurricane in the Baja, Mx area and it looks like a couple more days of this mess (and we've still had <4 1/2" of rain for the whole month). I'm from the southeast originally but have lived out here long enough to really enjoy, and embrace, the low humidity. This 30% and higher is just miserable now. Plus, I just don't do well when the sun doesn't shine. I need sunshine!

I have a scarf on one rigid heddle loom I really need to get off so I can get the loom in the mail to Kasota. I don't want to keep her waiting long. I am shipping off knitting stuff to Kelsey tomorrow so I can get back some pretty socks. I'm pretty sure that will be a day brightener, even if it does keep raining and being cloudy. And Lowes is delivering a refrigerator on Tuesday. They could have brought it today but I thought it might stop raining by Tuesday and the ground here wouldnât be so muddy and sticky. I guess that still might happen.

We are making very slow progress on my weaving studio. We have 1 1/2 walls and 1/3 of the ceiling left to sheetrock and then it's time to tape and bed. We both hate sheetrock mud and sanding it but it's got to happen. I think I'm going to paint the ceiling a pale blue and each wall a different pastel color (yellow, green, blue, light tan) or some lighter tone SW color (sage, turquoise, rose, aqua, adobe, light rust, ???). Haven't decided yet but am leaning toward the SW colors. The only big thing we have left is for me to decide on the flooring. Whatever I decide it may be spring before we get that down, but I can at least work in there with the subfloor.

Mmmmm. Those pumpkins remind me of when I used to bake and would make fresh pumpkin pies.


----------



## Lythrum

A month or so ago I was reading the Icelandic Knits book and noticed a picture of some carved wooden boxes that knitting needles were kept in called Prjonastokkur. I sent some pictures to my dad because he is a woodworker (though he doesn't do it much anymore) and because he has an interest in the fiber stuff that I have been doing. He recently went on a trip up to Ontario to see where our family first landed after coming from Scotland, and while he was in an antique store there he found this for me. Fits my short DPNs perfectly!


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

That's not a silly question, Featherbottoms! Hobbits have 6 or seven meals a day when they can get them: breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner, and supper! September 22 (our anniversary) is international second breakfast day! (And both Bilbo and Frodo's Birthday). The 21st is the anniversary of the publication of The Hobbit.

Well, there is this photo contest going, and photos are due today, the 21st. Since we had nothing going yesterday, we had our Hobbit Second Breakfast two days early. 

Some people even dress up like hobbits when they have their breakfast. We're not quite THAT hardcore!

I think I like the sound of the SW colors for your studio. That would be so cheery in cool damp weather!

I have a lot of Viking clothes to sew today. Woo! I'm making a tunic, and two undertunics, and maybe a coat, and an apron dress, and working on tablet weaving. Hostfest is almost here!

ETA: Pretty little box Lythrum!


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## Lythrum

That is also why Hobbits tend to be a bit comfortably padded if you get my meaning.  I also really liked the wooden serving dishes in the picture.


----------



## Kasota

BBC, thank you for the info and the pictures. That really helps! Your spinning is so beautiful. 

Featherbottoms, you surely do sound busy! I'll bet you can't wait until your weaving room is done! Woot! Will you have storage there for fibery yummy goodness? Do NOT worry about when to get the loom to me at all. Honestly, I will not have any time whatsoever to mess with it until the end of November. 

My obsession with picking up fibery tools and goodies is in part because I want to acquire things now before I retire because funds will no doubt be tighter then. I know I want to learn to weave, but I have no time table at all. So no worries! 

The fall is going to be busy. I still have gardens to put away and I'm making things for the craft sale which is November 8th. With the demands of work and my mom I am going to be hard pressed to get done what I need to for the craft sale. Plus one weekend is earmarked to help my brother who is going to tear out all my drain pipes for the kitchen and bathroom and put new in. As long as he has everything opened up he is also going to bring some tool that will clean the main drain all the way out to the street. This house is old and the drains for the kitchen and bathroom are leaking. He is actually a plumber/pipefitter by trade and really knows what he is doing. He came up today and drew up a new schematic and made a material list. A few years ago he re-did all the copper water pipes and put in shut off valves everywhere. He also re-did the electric so that it is up to code. I am going to have him put in a new bathroom vanity while he is at it because he has to remove the old one to get at what he needs to get at anyway. 

Lythrum, that little box is just lovely! I have something similar that I keep crochet hooks in. 

If I am short and well-padded does that mean I might be a hobbit? No hair on my feet, though. Well, maybe just part Hobbit?


----------



## featherbottoms

Kas, I understand about gathering things before retirement. That's exactly what we are doing.

My building will be just over 330 sq ft finished with about 10' ceilings down the middle (kinda vaulted). I should have room for the three floor looms and the one rh loom, one loom bench that I'll move from loom to loom, the elliptical machine, the sewing machine and sewing chair, a large work table, maybe a smaller work table, a desk and chair and at least one 4' long x 6' tall storage shelf, and a smaller bookshelf.

This room has 5 30"x60" windows and one 36" full glass storm door and then the regular 36" door, plus an a/c built into the wall, so a lot of wall space is taken up already. With the highish ceilings I can go up for storage if I have to, there's just two ceiling fans in there to take into account. If something has to go it will be one of the large floor looms, which was my original intent when I got the 8 now 4 later one. If it's possible to keep both I will, otherwise I'll try to find my original 45" 4 harness Leclerc a new home.

Once I get everything finished and in place I'll take some pics. I don't expect to get the flooring until spring so I guess it won't really be finished.

As for being part Hobbit - you do live in a tiny house, maybe just not round or built into the hillside .

Handcarved boxes are nice. For lots of things. I have several but none long enough to hold any kind of needles except some vintage crochet hooks.


----------



## Lythrum

SvenskaFlicka said:


> I like the Brown Sheep Lanaloft or Lamb's Pride best for nÃ¥lbinding, though really almost any single ply will do. Multiple plies make it hard to see your stitches.


Hmm, maybe that will be a way to finally use up all of those singles that I spun up when I first started spinning. Thanks for the info!


----------



## Kasota

Featherbottoms, I think gathering things and getting ready for retirement is a good thing. It's like this little house. So far I have replaced all the windows, the cupboards, the sliding glass door and the two storm doors. I still need to replace the two exterior doors and a little smaller than normal walkout door from the basement. I also replaced the furnace and rebuilt the deck. The big thing will be getting it re-sided with new insulation. I hope to do that next summer. Just couldn't swing it this year. 

Your weaving studio sounds like it really is going to be pretty and how nice to be able to have your things all together and organized.


----------



## hercsmama

Good Morning!

Ya'll sound like a busy weekend was had by all.
Love all the home improvement stuff, makes me less alone in it all.:thumb:
We still have so much to do here, it just seems overwhelming at times. To be honest, we really haven't done a thing since last Spring, just too much tog et done outside. But with the cooler temps coming, and the wrapping up of alot of gardening, and fence work, I think this winter we should make some progress.
So, get this, I have my once a year hair appt. this morning. No, I am not getting it cut, that will never happen. But I am getting some serious highlights done. The girl doing it is so sweet. She said it will take three bottles, but is only charging me for two, so that's awesome! I just hope I like it....
Need to do something, I started going grey, actually white, in my 20's, and have been dying it myself for so long, I actually have no idea what color it is now...I am sick and tired of dealing with it though, so am going this route to just let it grow out...we'll see....
OH! I managed to find a nice local source of good beeswax this weekend. 
Dh has Psoriasis, bad. He's always had it. Well a few years ago (4), his Dr. put him on Stalara, it worked wonders, initially. But for the last year it hasn't worked at all, and he is starting to suffer from memory loss, and some other weird symptoms. According to the Dr. it isn't related to the Stalara, but according to Stalara, it is a side effect.
He was due his most recent shot last Friday, and called the Dr. to cancel.
He is going to stop taking it, so I have been researching HM salves that will help. Needless to say, they all call for Beeswax, so finding a local source, for only 1.00 a pound was a great find!:sing:
Off to get everyone outside fed and watered, Ya'll have a Blessed day!


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

Debi, I found this and thought of you:
 https://tv.yahoo.com/blogs/tv-news...re-s-dress--ring-jamie-s-kilt-023451554.html 

Outlander costumes! 

I got for Viking hoods and ten hats sewn yesterday. I also got a bunch of other things cut out. Onwards to HÃ¸stfest!


----------



## Taylor R.

Wound up having to call into work last night. My little dude has something going on with his eye, and with his sensory issues, it apparently feels really super awful to him. He had an anxiety attack (that's what I woke up to yesterday), and now we can't get him to open it at all (or the other one, because that moves the hurt eye). Dad just doesn't do the trick when it comes to his anxiety, so I stayed with him. We'll be visiting the doctor today to have it checked out and make sure that his eye really is okay and doesn't require intervention(I'm almost certain that it is, I think he maybe just scratched it).

You've all had a productive weekend, seems like. I had time between work and my few hours of sleep to get ready for work again, it seemed like.


----------



## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning everyone.
I just got back from appt with a back/orthopedic doctor. He has me set up with a neurologist in a couple weeks and if the insurance approves, also an MRI.
Until then we won't know if there are any pinched nerves or not, but we do have some answers to most, if not all of my pain, after a series of xrays.
First off, I have some advanced arthritis showing some rather large spurs on my spine. But thats all in my upper and middle back, my pain is 99% in my very lower back behind my pelvic bone.
Dr says I'm not normal (we've known that all my life, lol), first 5 vertebrae of spine is the lumbar area. I only have 4; 1&2 are fused together, and complicating that, they are fused to my pelvic bone.
That explains the Sharp pains I get any time I hit a bump whrn on the lawn mowrr or driving my truck.
Unfortunately, he says that can't be fixed. I will be looking at surgery in the future for the arthritis and depending on what shows up in the nerve study and MRI they may need to do lower back surgery if there are any pinched nerves. But surgery is a 100% last result.
Other than that, after neurologist appt, he is wanting to see me again and set me up with a pain specialist to help manage the pain......for the rest of my life!!! 
Then he rambled off something about permanent disability, but I was shook up enough I didn't fully catch what he was saying.
So the next month will be a series of tests and appointments for me.


----------



## mamajohnson

hercsmama said:


> Dh has Psoriasis, bad.


Have you ever heard of Renew lotion? It works well on Psoriasis. http://www.melaleuca.com/ProductStore/ProductDetail.aspx?sku=6600


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## hercsmama

Thanks MJ!! :thumb:
I'll be checking that out for sure!


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## hercsmama

SvenskaFlicka said:


> Debi, I found this and thought of you:
> https://tv.yahoo.com/blogs/tv-news/outlander-wedding-all-the-details-on-claire-s-dress--ring-jamie-s-kilt-023451554.html
> 
> Outlander costumes!
> 
> I got for Viking hoods and ten hats sewn yesterday. I also got a bunch of other things cut out. Onwards to HÃ¸stfest!


Isn't her dress utterly stunning? Just love it.

I wish people still dressed like that. I mean we all seem to wear the same stuff, jeans, t shirts, just so casual.
I'm always amazed when I go to an airport, or a restaurant, that people just do not seem to care what they look like anymore.
I'm not that old, but I remember when we dressed for church, mens pants actually fit properly, and women dressed like ladies when they went to town, and were treated as such as well.
I miss it.
I'd love to see people actually "Dress" again...


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## SvenskaFlicka

Oh, but if we all dressed like that still, we would need corsets to pull off the look. No corset = bunchy ill-fitting dress. And then everyone would come out of the woodwork with myths about how corsets ruin your health. *rolls eyes*
I'd like a little more every day class here too, though.


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## Kasota

Taylor, I sure hope the little guy's eye turns out to be okay. Even pink eye can be painful and in the early stages doesn't show so much - you just know they eye hurts. 

Oh, DBA - I am so sorry that you got that news. Rats. Just RATS! At least now you have a better understanding of what is going on and will be able to take that all into consideration. Hopefully they will be able to find some relief for you. Given how active you are it no doubt comes as a shock. Sure will be keeping you in prayers. Back pain is no fun at all. 

Mamajohnson, I sure wish that lotion would work for my sister. The best thing we have found so far for her is Cyndi's lanolin lotion. I gave her a bottle and gave one to my brother who also has psoriasis and it has helped them a lot. I know my sister also gets a bad outbreak if she wears anything other than cotton socks. 

Debi, I don't know that I wish we still dressed up THAT much...but I do wish people would have a little more consideration for dress at work and church and so forth. Egads - the things some of the people wear to work. I actually had to tell one person they could not wear jeans with holes in them to work - I'm talking BIG holes that were nearly as large as her thigh. "But I just bought these. They are in style." She honestly didn't understand why wearing such a get up in a very conservative company was simply not allowed. 

When I grew up girls were not allowed to wear pants to school. We could wear them under our dress or skirt in Winter if we were walking to school but once we got to school we had to take them off. 

If I were not so short and fat I would take up wearing skirts but I just honestly look horrible in them. lol!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Thanks Kas, yeah its got me a little stunned, but more worried than anything. Especially since when doctor was talking to me and taking notes, he wrote "disability" on the side of the paper followed by three question marks, then circled it...
Way he talks my days of doing all I do, may be numbered. It really buggs me, I'm only 37 years old.


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## Kasota

DBA...also remember that you already have been living with this. Maybe sometimes you push yourself too hard and then you are laid up for a bit. But now that you know what's going on you will be able to make some adjustments, such as learning alternative ways to do things...the old "work smarter not harder" sort of thing. You will be able to manage this a lot more than what it seems like today when the information is so new. It's easy to get into worst-case thinking. So you will learn to work smarter, to pace yourself and to take care of yourself a bit more instead of working yourself like a dog. You also now have some xrays that will give you a base line going forward and will be able to know if things physically are getting worse or not, so that is a good thing. And you really don't know, yet, what they may or may not be able to do for you. I hope they approve the MRI because that will give you more information - and information is power. It lets you make the best decisions for this "new normal." So keep your chin up and see what the next doctor says. 

And just because one doctor says "disability" on a piece of paper does not make it so. Some years back when I worked in a hospital rehab unit we had a young man we were working with who was in a horrible motorcycle accident. He was broken in more places than you can shake a stick at. He was engaged to be married and they told his fiance that he would be an invalid all his life, would never walk again, would have to be spoon fed the rest of his life. He had a broken neck, broken back, cracked skull, broken arms. It was horrible. 

6 months later he WALKED out of the hospital. With a cane, yes. But he walked. Several months after that he walked down the aisle with his bride on his arm. 

I am not in the least making light of your news. It just is so rotten and you are so young. What I do know and what I have seen is that sometimes there is more that can be done than a person knows, especially at first. And you are a smart cookie, too. You will figure out alternative ways to do things that don't cause more damage. And there is the power of prayer and the strength of human spirit that you have a full measure of. 

Hang in there, DBA.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Thank you!


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## hercsmama

Kas is right Dixie, I was originally diagnosed with RA in my spine, when I was 34. The Dr. then told me that I would most likely be in a wheelchair before I turned 50.
Wanted me to go on full disability as well.
Guess what, he was wrong!
I'm 49 now, and I get more done in a day now, than when I was first diagnosed.
Yoga helps alot!
Also, the more you move, the more you use those joints, the more you will be able to and the longer you will be able too.
I have my days, days when It all hurts so much I just want to stay in bed. But I get up, do my yoga for an hour, and get to getting.

You have to keep fighting, even when you don't want to.
I have total faith in you that you will be fine. Maybe not as fine as you where back in your 20's, but who really wants to go back to their 20's anyway.:facepalm:


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## MullersLaneFarm

Feather, the colors for your weaving studio sound neat. Just a thought though ... the colors on your walls will cast color on yarns. Maybe the pastels not so much. I went with a soft dove grey for my & accented cor in the curtains & fiber.


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## MullersLaneFarm

Debi, highlighting is an excellent way to transition ... I love my natural multi colored hair!

DB, I can relate to your back issues. My srgeon was quite honest with me & told me I had a 50/50 chace of getting better or making it worse. L1 & L2 are blown & I have degenerative joint disease (one reason I had a compound dislocation of the tibia last winter). My nerve endings react badly to surgeries ... I feel your pain.


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## Woodpecker

Hercshmama fwitw I would love to go back to my early 20's. Things are much tougher these days.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning all. Coffee is hot, kids are still sleeping.....


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## hercsmama

Well, I'm up.
That's about it for this morning. 
Need coffee.
It rained last night, so naturally Maggie and Murphy decided to play in the mud, rather than hang in the sheep shelters. So my beautiful fluffy white baby dinosaurs, are a fantastic shade of gross this morning.:yuck: That's alright, as soon as they dry off they'll be fluffy and white again, I just love the self cleaning aspect of Great Pyr's!:thumb:

Not a huge amount on my to do list for today...a few calls, and really other than normal chores that should be it.
Might get some fiber time in this afternoon....


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## BlueberryChick

hercsmama said:


> Well, I'm up.
> That's about it for this morning.
> Need coffee.
> It rained last night, so naturally Maggie and Murphy decided to play in the mud, rather than hang in the sheep shelters. So my beautiful fluffy white baby dinosaurs, are a fantastic shade of gross this morning.:yuck: That's alright, as soon as they dry off they'll be fluffy and white again, I just love the self cleaning aspect of Great Pyr's!:thumb:
> 
> Not a huge amount on my to do list for today...a few calls, and really other than normal chores that should be it.
> Might get some fiber time in this afternoon....


Aren't Pyrs amazing? Love the "self-cleaning" . 


I don't spend much time on Facebook, but I pop in once a week or so to check on distant family. Last night when I looked, I saw messages of condolence to a friend. Her husband died suddenly on Sunday. They had just celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary. Her husband was one of few people, outside of family, whom I've known longer than my husband. And his wife and I were roommates after college. We got married just a few months apart and were in each other's weddings. I just ache for his wife and sons.


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## Taylor R.

BBChick, that's awful. Sending warm thoughts to his family and yours.

DBA, *HUGS*. I totally agree with everyone above.

I had a mom fail this morning and slept right through my alarm. Kids were late to school :facepalm and I'm feeling wildly unprepared for my day. Ah, well..best get on with it!


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## SvenskaFlicka

I'm packing drinking horns to send hither and yon this morning! Then I have to can my pickles and get to sewing! 

I did have some good news this morning: I called the guy who owns the storefront I want to rent, and he said he would try to get it all cleaned out this Saturday! :bouncy: 

Of course, Monday early we leave for North Dakota and Hostfest. Oh well, at least it will be clean and I will be in! Yay!


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## hercsmama

Kelsey that's awesome!
BBC, I'm so sorry..
Taylor, don't sweat it, Mom fails are a natural part of being a Mom. If that is the worst one you ever have, count yourself lucky.

Ok, I'm annoyed with the sweater I'm working on, stupid black yarn, so I'm taking a mental health break for a few minutes.
I just realized I hadn't shown ya'll my new hair!!
So here ya go. Be kind, selfies are so not my thing.

Note that you can't see the end of my hair, but it is down to my behind, and she got the highlights totally even all the way down! I am so impressed..


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## SvenskaFlicka

You, me, and WIHH need to have a long hair contest. . .


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## lexierowsell

SvenskaFlicka said:


> You, me, and WIHH need to have a long hair contest. . .



I wanna play too! My hair got spun for the first time the other day... Straight from my head... While I was sitting up... Haha!


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## hercsmama

Lexie, too funny!
the one I love is when it gets all caught up in the car door, and you don't even realize it, until your going down the road, and try to lean forward! LOL!!


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## Taylor R.

It's gorgeous, Debi! I'm growing mine out as my kids are now old enough to not yank on it for funzies. Seems to take FOREVER , though. I've got it down below the bottom of my shoulder blades now, but I'm aiming for the waist. It used to be so thick that the weight gave me headaches when it got long, but it's thinned out a lot now so I can manage it.


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## amberley

DBA, I agree with all Kasota said. Knowing what a problem is, is the the first step in dealing with it. My thoughts will be with you.

Debi, your hair looks amazing. Mine is long but it curls and it was once reddish but now I have permanent blonde streaks from the sun. I hate it when my kids call me blondie, and yes, Taylor R, I have spun it!
You are lucky to have self-cleaning dogs, Shelley and Bradley don't really do mud but will dive in any pond, stream, river or even the swimming pool given half a chance. Then they think that rolling in their sand pile (which is for digging) will somehow dry them off. The other two don't care what they roll in.

I have been busy, the weekend just disappeared, but I have been working on translating the downloads Marchwind pointed me at, thank you Marchwind, and learning portuguese terms for knitting and crochet. Of course I went to Ravelry for that, and lost an hour or two or three that way.

Tomorrow is sort of my day off, DH will walk the dogs, see to the horse and other stuff so I plan on starting to spin my gifted cotton. Lets hope it works out that way.


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## mamajohnson

SvenskaFlicka said:


> You, me, and WIHH need to have a long hair contest. . .


I want to play too! Mine is down to my butt now. This pic was to model the new hat.


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## hercsmama

MamaJ, I love it!
May I ask who did the paintings in the background?
Did you do those?
They're beautiful!


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## SvenskaFlicka

hercsmama said:


> Lexie, too funny!
> the one I love is when it gets all caught up in the car door, and you don't even realize it, until your going down the road, and try to lean forward! LOL!!


I've done that!!!


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## mamajohnson

hercsmama said:


> MamaJ, I love it!
> May I ask who did the paintings in the background?
> Did you do those?
> They're beautiful!


Thank you! My wonderful DH painted those. He is an amazing artist.


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## Kasota

Hello, all! 

Wondering how everyone who is healing, recovering or battling issues is doing. 

Mom has been sick. My sister stayed with her for the morning so I could take care of some "gotta-dos" at work but I came home at noon. I was up with her for a chunk of the night. Thankfully she is doing better now, but oh so tired and weak. She cannot be parted from the shawl that Cyndi made - even sleeps with it across her shoulders. 

Needless to say I am exhausted. 

My drum carder arrived! Woooot! I am too tired to take it out of the box, though. I will open it up tomorrow. I bought two different colors of firestar from someone on Ebay. One is kinda multicolored and the other is a blend of greens and blues. It arrived yesterday. Now to wash up some of that alpaca. 

How is washing alpaca different from washing wool? Maybe I will ask in another thread...

I am going to put my pjs on and have a cup of coffee and hopefully rest a little, not knowing how mom will be during the night.


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## Woodpecker

Prayers for you and your mama Kas. I can't sleep without my prayers shawl either.


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## mamajohnson

Praying you have a better night tonight.


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## SvenskaFlicka

Poor Kasota, and poor grandma Annie.  I hope you both get good rest tonight and that she gets better. 

I canned tomato sauce today! It turned out really good, but I only got just under five quarts. It won't hurt to have a jar canned when it is just 7/8 full, will it? They are all just now out of the canner and the lids are pinging! Happiest sound in the world. 

What else today? 

I met with my yarn sales rep for Kraemer yarns. I'm getting some exciting new things in a few weeks, including sock yarn WITHOUT any wool! Woo! 

Started a tablet woven band. Got a foot done.

Put together 4 tablet weaving kits for my class. I need to do 6 more. I need to go finish those. Then I need to cut out and sew some Viking pants. 

It's the crunch time before Hostfest, that's for sure! And tomorrow we are shearing sheep at my parents'! 

Busy-busy-busy!


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## BlueberryChick

Poor Grannie Annie! And poor Kasota, too. I hope you both get a peaceful night's sleep.

Andy and I went to the funeral service today for our friend, Kelvin. He was just such a good man. No surprise that the church was packed. His wife seemed to be doing well. I've known her since college and she is strong, never whiny, always honest. I'm hoping to spend some time with her in the coming weeks.

Kelsey, I finished spinning and plying the Columbian/Rambouillet braid. It's very pretty and I'm planning to start knitting with it tonight.


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## featherbottoms

Kas, I hope your mom is feeling better soon. 

BBC, that is just beautiful yarn. What are your knitting plans?

Kelsey, you seem to be awfully busy since you moved. Your knitting supplies were mailed on Monday and I send you a pm with some size info.

I had long hair like that once upon a time. This year the wind was so bad in the spring and it tangled so that I couldn't brush it without it hurting so I cut it off to about 2" long. What that did do was get almost all the color out so now I'm natural for the first time in years and years. Not sure I like gray though.

Cyndi, I hadn't thought about the color bouncing around the room like that. I'm planning on wood blinds inset into the windows so the walls are clean. Maybe with so many different colors on the walls and ceiling I'll be able to pick out a good spot that's kind of neutral.

DBA and woodpecker, ya'll take care of yourself.

Amberley, you have to show us your progress on the cotton. We had a demonstration of spinning with colored cotton at one of our spring guild meetings. I made a rolag  and brought home seeds for planting next spring.

We are having a wild wind and rain storm right now. I called my husband and told him I felt like I was in Kansas. I don't normally let the dogs in the rv but I brought them both in just now. It's kinda crowded in here with a one year old Saint Bernard and the little mutt.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning all.


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## Kasota

Good morning, all. 

Prayers, surely, for all in need. 

Mom is in the hospital. She has some sort of a GI bleed going on. They haven't found where it is yet. Her spirits are good and she is feeling better with the IV running because she is not dehydrated anymore. (she had diarrhea for a couple days) I took her down to the hospital yesterday evening. My brother came down, thankfully. 

I am so, so tired. My brother stayed so I could come home and get a little sleep before today. They will do a CT scan this morning so I am headed back to the hospital. If you have a spare prayer Grannie Annie could sure use one.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Prayers for you and your mother, Kasota.


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## 7thswan

Prayers from here.


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## Taylor R.

We always have prayers and well-wishes for Granny Annie. I'll be sending them your way! I hope your able to get some rest and take care of yourself so you can take care of your momma.


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## Marchwind

Keeping Grannie Annie in my thoughts, poor thing.

Well my yesterday that was going so well took a deep dive into the crapper last night . I saw a message on FB from a friend, a general plea for help. I was reading it and as I read it I was like, Oh Crap!. She was saying that she had got a phone call from the emergency vet asking about a cat that she had gotten from the pound. She has no cats but she has rescued a few. They told her it was a tabby but she said she never had a tabby. As I read my heart started to sink. Then she said it was named Merypo. Crap, crap, it was my cat I had gotten from her. I called the emergency vet. Apparently my cat was brought into the vet, he had been attacked by two dogs and didn't make it :sob::sob: I am just sick over this. Having an animal die from old age or illness is one thing but to be attacked and torn up by dogs :sob: I had a hard time sleeping with images of how much he suffered and how scared, terrified he must have been.
On the flip side, I'm getting two puppies to sit for a week. When it rains it pours.


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## BlueberryChick

Oh, Marchwind, I'm so sorry! How sad.

Kasota, keeping you and your mom in prayer today.


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## hercsmama

Kas, sending many healing thoughts for Granny Annie. Have I ever mentioned that my Granny was named Anne? I called her Granny Annie as well.

Marchie, how awful. I am so very sorry! I hope the people with the dogs are held accountable. That's just terrible.


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## Kasota

((((Marchwind)))) I am so, so sorry! What a terrible thing to have happen!! 

Quick update on my mom. She is still in the hospital. CT scan didn't give them any useful information. Her blood work shows inflammation and she was REALLY low on potassium even though she is on a prescription supplement so they have been giving that to her IV. IV potassium can be painful so she will be glad when the last treatment is done. (she had to have quite a few treatments) They'll be doing more tests this afternoon and evening - colonoscopy and endoscopy. She has a GI bleed somewhere that they are trying to find. Not bleeding massive amounts which is good...but the "why" is troublesome. It could be something like diverticulitis or it could be that her cancer is back or it could be something like a bleeding ulcer. I am hoping it is a simple infection of her diverticulitis that can be treated with antibiotics. Have btdt myself. 

I got my blood work back from my wellness visit and I'm not at all happy with the blood sugar. Puts me in the diabetic range. UGH! This I did not need. I gotta get more active and I gotta get smart. Rats. Just RATS!

I'm headed back to the hospital. I had just stopped home to let the pooch out. 

Thank you all for the prayers!!!


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## 7thswan

Kasota, I hope everything comes out OK and ASAP.
Marchie, I'm so sorry about Kitty.


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## Jacki

I am diabetic, and in June, my A1c was over 8, and my last checkup it was under 7. I have been eating a high fat, moderate protein, low carb diet. I try to get 70% fat, 20% protein, 10% carbs. I take no meds for diabetes, and usually test twice a day, and when I eat something new.

Before I became diabetic, I ate mostly whole grains, veggies, a little meat, and low fat. Because diabetes is so individual, it is best to see what foods are your triggers. Some people can eat whole grains with no problem, but not me. And if I eat too much protein, it raises my BS.

I wish you the best, and know how hard it can be to control.

Jacki


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## SvenskaFlicka

Kasota, so sorry to hear your mom is in the hospital. I hope they get everything figured out and get her back to her fiesty self soon! 

And Marchwind, that is so sad about your kitty. I don't tolerate dogs that can't play nice with cats. 

Well, today was shearing day here! Icelandics have to be shorn twice a year, and the fall lamb fleeces are the best and softest! Once my Philip gets the pictures we took of them into Dropbox, I'll start a thread here to give you ladies the first dibs on the fleeces. We have some drool worthy fleeces this year. One of the lambs had a staple length between 6 and 9 inches! 

I love my Icies.


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## Kasota

Hello, all. 

Mom is still in the hospital but doing okay and will come home tomorrow. She has diverticulitis. No cancer. Yay! 

My lab results came back and they are not in the happy range for kidney function. Some enzymes are slightly low and "May indicate chronic kidney disease." I am feeling a tad stressed. UGH. I have got to lose weight. Doc left a message saying I am not what they would call fully diabetic but I am for sure headed that way. I have got to find a way to exercise and lose weight and I have to stay off the ibuprofen as it will contribute to kidney troubles. Oh, and reduce stress levels. 

I guess my little dog is going to get more walks.


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## hercsmama

Kas, I highly recommend Yoga!
I tell everybody to do it. It is very relaxing, as well as just a plain good, and low impact, workout.
Between that and a few extra walks for the pup, I bet you'll be fine.
So glad to hear Granny Annie is going to be alright!:sing:


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## hercsmama

Morning!
Been up since 2 this morning. 
Just too much on my mind I guess....
I read for abit, knit for a bit, and am puttering on here for a bit...
I'll most likely take a short nap later.
I need to clean out the "Paca boys pen this morning, more manure for gardens, love that!
Also need to call my Alfalfa guy to bring me 4 more rolls, the hay guy dropped 8 rolls off yesterday. I pre-paid for 15 rolls of hay, and 10 of alfalfa, they just deliver what I can store as I call. I should have enough pre-purchased to get us through to next May...I hope. Might get another 5-6 rolls of hay......:ashamed:
I found a guy to draw up the logo for the farm yesterday. He is a local tattoo artist, and I really like what he does. Who knows, maybe I'll have the logo tattooed on me, that would be some way to advertise! LOL!
Well, off for a cup of coffee.....


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## Dixie Bee Acres

'Mornin all.
Now that our cool summer is over and fall is here, the weather man is confused.
The last few weeks of summer, temps were a bit cool, below normal, a few times highs were in the low 60s.
Now that it is fall, our weather man must have made one prediction and went on vacation. Yesterday was 80* and sunny, seven day forecast shows a couple days partly cloudy, but sunny every other day, and here are the highs for today through Thursday; 80, 80, 80, 78, 78, 80, 80.

Weather like this, with very low humidity, makes me wish my back was better, I could cut a lot of firewood per day. Actually, this is June weather, makes me want to plant a garden.


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## Taylor R.

Does it stress anyone else out to have tons of bills to pay all at the same time? I mean, we've budgeted for all of them, even the once a year ones I'm paying right now, but it gets me all worked up to have to spend this much money within a week's time. I've paid over $2000 in bills since Tuesday; it just makes my skin crawl to have that much money going out. My husband insists that my feelings were rational back when we really may not be able to scrape together enough to get them all paid on time and still eat, but not these days.

DBA, we're experiencing similar 'fall' weather here. The allergen warnings are blaring every morning on the news (as if we need those warnings, my husband's very swollen eyes speak for themselves).


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## hercsmama

ACCKK!!!
Massive change of plans!
Why didn't you people tell me it was Friday!???
Dh just came in from hitching the small trailer to my Suburban, I asked him why he did that, and he just stared at me.
He said "I thought you were going to go do the Junk Jaunt this weekend, I said I was but it doesn't start until Friday, and today is only Thursday.:facepalm:

Needless to say, I feel stupid, but I'm comfortable with that! 

IT'S JUNK JAUNT WEEKEND!!!!!!!:sing:

I'M OUTTA HERE!:banana::banana::banana:


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## Kasota

Good morning, all. 

I'm going to tidy up the house a bit and then head to the hospital to hopefully pick mom up. I'm tired beyond measure and drinking a cup of coffee sans sugar. It it not nearly so satisfying. Well, maybe I will get used to it. Maybe I will just give up coffee altogether. lol! 

I hope everyone has a great day!


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## hercsmama

Well, another change of plans, my DIL was supposed to go with me today, and my DGS woke up with a terrible fever, so she has him at the Dr. right now.
Hoping it's nothing but a cold...that weird virus is going around, so we're a bit worried, we'll see what the Dr. says.
Needless to say, I'm skipping the sales for today, who want's to go all by themselves....Dh said he would go with me tomorrow, we'll see......


----------



## Marchwind

Good morning everyone! I'm feeling much better today. It was a rough week amoungst my friends in rescue so last night one of my friends had an impromptu gathering, it was great. I want to clear something up. It was NOT my dogs that did this (I would never tolerate that either). I do NOT know what dogs did this nor do I know who took my cat to the vet, I have a guess but I don't know for sure.

I'm spending my morning with the puppies and kitten, enjoying the warmth of them. I tried to upload a photo but i'm not able to right now. I'm not sure what's up with that, oh well.


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## SvenskaFlicka

I didn't think it was your dogs Marchie. I am of the old school that thinks dogs should be well-trained and know who's boss. (This does not entail beatings.) Too many people let their dogs run around crazy without supervision, especially out here in the country. One of our sheep was attacked by a dog this summer, tore her side right open. (She lived. ) 
If someone wants a pet dog, they should keep it home and safe! Or with them and safe! Don't let it run around terrorizing the neighborhood! Especially if it likes to bother cats! 
Sigh. 

Today is just sewing and tablet weaving. Woo! I stayed a new tablet weaving pattern but due to a tipi in the book I threaded my cards wrong and have to redo it. Phooey.


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## SvenskaFlicka

Kasota, could you have Stevia in your coffee? I know some people really like that.


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## featherbottoms

Kas, I am sorry to hear your momma has been sick but am really glad it's something that lets her come home so quickly.

It's really hard to get enough exercise and eat well when you have an indoor sit down job. Is there some way you can take a short walk during lunch? I can't imagine how anyone in MN does anything outdoors when it gets cold.

I used to drink instant coffee with milk. On a trip to Mexico we found out pretty quick that drinking it black was much better. That was many years ago and now I can't imagine drinking coffee any other way. I don't drink instant anymore either, though.

Don't try to change everything at once, and if you fail, just start over. If you are like the rest of us your numbers didn't go up all at once, it took years, and it might take some time to get them down again. Just get started and do the best you can and then do some more. 

MW, I'm sorry to hear about your cat.

Taylor, I have that same feeling when it's time to pay the annual stuff. It just hurts my heart to see all that money go out the door all at one time.

Debi, sorry to hear your gs is sick. Junking with your husband sounds like fun, too, though. 

DBA, we have had clouds and rain and dreary here for about three weeks, and lots cooler than normal weather. Today, the sun is shining and it's beautiful. I'll take 80's and sunshine over 60's and clouds any day.


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## MDKatie

Morning everyone! I haven't been around much... been very busy getting ready for my craft shows! I have the HUGE one this Sunday, and a 2 dayer after that next weekend. I'm ready!! I feel good and prepared. I just hope everything goes smoothly. :thumb: Actually, I still need to find an outfit!! I am not sure what to wear! 

I hope you are all doing well. I've been able to read back a few pages, but I'm not sure I can catch up totally. 

Kas, I hope your mom is doing better now! And I have gotten used to Dunkin' Donuts' coffee with no sugar. They were always putting way too much in, and they weren't very consistent with "half sugar", so I started saying "no sugar" and I like it now. I hope you're able to get used to no or less sugar. Have you tried maple syrup? I put it in my coffee at home, and it really doesn't take much at all. 

Marchie, I'm so sorry about the kitty. We lost a kitty that way once...my parents had greyhounds and they had always been ok with the kitties, but one day one of them went after our cat and grabbed her. She had to be put down. It's very sad. 

Debi, I so wish I could go on the Junk Jaunt with you! Sounds like a blast! Take pics!


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## Kasota

Hello, all. 

Many thanks for the suggestions and well wishes and encouragement. It really is hard to find time to exercise when I'm in a desk job and take care of mom when I get home. It would be nice if I could join a yoga group but it's so blessed hard to even get out of the house other than work. Maybe there is a vid I could get and just do it in my room. Suggestions on a good one would be welcome. I will find a way. Maybe I could get an exercise bike for the basement. I think even 15-20 minutes on a bike would help. 

Marchwind, I didn't think it was your dogs either. ((((hugs)))) 
Taylor, I hear you on having funds go out. When I was really poor it was hard to spend 5.00. Paying bills used to give me anxiety attacks. Now that things are much better and I don't have to worry that I won't have enough to pay bills I've grown to really kinda like it and it gives me a sense of satisfaction to get things paid early. 

Debi, I hope the GS is okay! There sure are a lot of crazy illnesses going around. 

Svenska, we actually have some stevia here. I had forgotten about it but I rummaged about in the cupboard and found it. I'm giving it a try as we speak. It's really not so bad. A different kind of sweetness, but not bad. Maybe I am such a sweet and carb craver because I don't get enough sleep. 

MDKatie - take lots of pictures! I hope you have a great and prosperous show!  

Featherbottoms, that's good advice. I'm sure it will take a little time to get used to a new normal but I can do it. I'm kinda motivated to keep my kidneys.  

Finally got mom home. We got the giggles in the hospital waiting for them to come with the release papers. It started when we were talking about that conversation they always have about "end of life" and "do you want extraordinary measures if something happens" - that talk they give you as you are being admitted. I said, "Ever notice how they always take your clothes away before they ask that question? They never ask you when you are dressed like a normal person. They wait until you are more or less naked." My mom and I started to laugh and we couldn't stop. She got into a whole comedy routine. One of the CNA's came in and he got caught up in the giggles and then a nurse came in and he was dragged into it. We were all laughing so hard tears were rolling down our faces. 

The staff probably thought we had lost our minds. 

As we were loading mom into the car I said to the nurse, "Just remember one thing, Chris. Don't ever let them take your clothes." I thought he was going to lose it. :rotfl:


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## hercsmama

Well, Master Colton is going to be just fine! Whew!
He does have a touch of Bronchitis, but he should be okie dokie in a week or so.
Kas, I have a WII and do my Yoga with tht. My boys got me the Balance board for it, for Christmas last year, and I have a couple videos that go with it that I use.
Cheaper in the long run than joining a gym, and I can do it when it is convenient for my schedule.:thumb:
So, dh is on his way home early, and he said to warm up the truck, cause we're going junking!
I just love that guy. He knew how disappointed I was, so he made an early day of it for me...


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## featherbottoms

Kas, there are a set of youtube videos by Pure Fitness that I really like. They are called "10 Minute Fitness Routines" and there are lots of ones to choose from. They run 8-10 minutes each. Many are geared towards the beginner. There are also ones for more *fit* folks. They are not all the same instructor so it's like a class with different instructors. I like that I can watch the easy ones over and over 

This is one of my favorites, and there's one aerobic one I like with this same instructor. They also have yoga. I tried to embed this link but couldn't get it to work. Maybe that's best.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUGvjiTfr-xmDow6cwUY7yFA&feature=player_detailpage&v=CAcPGobzrak


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## Marchwind

Taylor I meant to answer your question. I also ways seem to have this problem. With many of my bills I have been able to call them and ask to change the billing date. Figure out which ones you want to change. Some may make you pay a bit of money upfront to change the billing date but not all of them. It sure can't hurt to ask.


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## kandmcockrell

hercsmama and WIHH - what do you use in your green tomato mincemeat? The only recipes i can find call for citron, or candied orange peel. I don't keep stuff like that on hand. Would like a recipe i did not have to purchase special items for. I have a ton of green tomatoes and tart apples. Need to do something with them and soon.


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## lambs.are.cute

I hate dogs that roam around. I've had many friends locally that have come home to their whole flock massicured and the poor innocent dogs who wouldn't harm a fly still playing with the dead animals. There was a lost dog poster from a couple places down that said, my beloved dog hasn't come back in a couple of days. They asked me about it and I said well was he off your property? Yes it's the country all dogs roam around (they've only been here 6 months). I told them only city dogs run, the beloved country dogs stay home. There are just too many things hat can kill them. I am sure that they still don't know although if they find the right person he would tell them. That blasted dog has been chasing livestock and they have been warned and the day he disappeared he was chasing cattle. Not only cattle but the ones almost ready to calve or with very young calves. I know the owner and he's a crack shot...............

Kas, I have been doing yoga ala YouTube. There are tons of them, just search yoga. It has been awesome to be able to chose the length of the class and when I do the class, to fit my schedule. I have even been doing some at my desk at work to help my shoulder problems from hunching over. 

I too hate bills. That and junk mail are the only mail I get and now I hate getting the mail.


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## MullersLaneFarm

I'm so happy Granny Annie is home & full of laughter.

I've been busy canning & getting things ready for our guild's fiber festival. I'm teaching a beginner RH class, setting up our viewer's choice & this years challenge (Shawl We Dance), tabulating the viewers choice. Since I'm the guild's treasurer, there will be money counting at the end of the day.

With what I have in the canners this morning, I've topped 600 jars for the year.
I was thinking I was done with tomatoes but I want to try canning sliced green tomatoes so we can enjoy fried green maters this winter.

I'm hoping to get some shopping done.


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## Kasota

Cyndi, that's so awesome that you have been able to preserve so much! Wooot!!!

I think when I see my urologist I am going to ask for a referral to a dietician. It seems like the there are a lot of things that are at odds with each other when considering a kidney friendly diet and a diabetic diet. While I am not full-blown need medication diabetic I am supposed to follow a diabetic diet. Diabetic diet says avoid white bread and eat whole grain. Kidney diet says to avoid whole grain and eat white. Kidney diet says to eat white rice and not wild or brown and diabetic is the opposite. Some of my favorite go-to items I can now only have in small bits...bananas, oranges, nuts, squash, yams, beans (dried type beans), cheese, cantaloupe and other melons (but I can have honeydew), avocados, raisins, tomatoes (ACK!!), brown rice, granola, beets, wild rice, kiwi, nectarines, oatmeal (ACK!), dairy foods (including yogurt), walleye and pollock, peanut butter, and (gasp) chocolate...the list goes on and on. Thankfully I can have most berries. It is all very confusing and cooking just got more complicated for mom and I because so many of her go-to items (walleye and squash for example) are things I can't have. UGH. 

On a positive note - if I get the hang of this I am going to lose a ton of weight and I might someday be able to look not so bad in one of those chunky bulky sweaters like FR makes. hahahahah! See what comes from wishing I were skinny?  I did get some size 17 needles...


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## Woodpecker

Hey all. I've been really sick since treatment Tuesdsy. Im trying to keep my fever low enough so that I don't have to go to the ER and risk infection. My new needles should be here soon and the yarn which I'm going to make a scarf out of for one of my nurses.


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## featherbottoms

Kasota, which of those diets were all the fruits a no-no? And the beans and oatmeal? And on a side note, I am working on a slideshow for you with images of the rh loom before and after coming apart.

Woodpecker, I'm really sorry to hear you have been so sick. I agree that staying away from people amap is a good idea. I hope you get some "feel good" back soon.

Ya'll that are canning so much sure do seem to work hard. I know this winter you will all feel really good about opening those pantry doors.


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## Kasota

(((WP))) Oh, I surely have you in prayers! I hope you feel better soon and that the yarn cheers you up and the new needles, too! 

Featherbottoms, no rush on the loom at all. I am very thankful for the before and after photos. Those will help a lot! As far as the diet - I can manage a diabetic diet just fine. That I have figured out pretty well because of mom. However, with my kidney function less than it should be I need to go on a kidney friendly diet which means low potassium and low phosphorus and low protein and of course low salt. The salt I have no trouble with because I already pretty much gave that up. We don't use box mixes and I don't add it to very much and my BP is actually perfect. Some of the foods I normally eat - like bananas - are simply too high in potassium for me. Same for oranges. I can have apples, though, and strawberries. And it isn't like I can't have ANY - but it just has to be limited. So I can have two slices of a banana on a cooked rice cereal but I should not be eating a whole banana. In my lunch I used to take a couple dried apricot pieces, a couple dates and a couple pieces of cheese for an afternoon snack - none of which I should be eating now. I can have 20 grams of protein which isn't a huge amount but will have to do. The problem is that protein is often used to balance carbs in a diabetic diet. It's all confusing at this point so I am going to keep track of what I am doing and bring it all in to a dietician to see what I am doing well and what I could do better with. I really would like to keep this from getting worse. I am going to be eating a lot of green beans and apples.


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## Wind in Her Hair

kandmcockrell

here is my recipe= tried and truly my favorite!

Green Tomato Mincemeat

8 cups finely chopped green tomatoes
4 cups finely chopped apples
3 cups raisins
4 cups of brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
3/4 tsp allspice OR ground nutmeg
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup apple juice or water

1/2 cup brandy (optional)

Combine all ingredients, except brandy, in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for two hours until desired pie filling thickness is achieved. Remove from heat, then ladle mincemeat into hot, sterilized pint canning jars, within 1 inch of tops of jars. To each jar add 1 tablespoon brandy. 

At this point, you can elect to freeze your mincemeat or if you are canning, you will need pressure canner. 

Wipe tops and threads of jars with a clean damp cloth. Put on lids and screw bands as manufacturer directs. Process at 10 pound pressure for 25 minutes. 

(Follow manufacturer's directions for your canner and higher elevation adjustments). 

This stuff is yummy and spicy sweet and tart and makes wonderful turn overs, fried pies or a side dish for baked, roasted or fried poultry or pork. 
This is kind of a combination of several recipes - some include a whole lemon and a whole orange run through a food processor, others add citron -that nasty icky stuff they put in fruitcakes and others call for white sugar, molasses, or NO sugar! I did made it one year with less sugar and it wasn't as good. 

I plan to fancy up the jars with fabric tops and fancy hand-did gift tags and give this as gifts at Christmas time to my co workers and some special friends. 

have fun! 

WIHH
__________________


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## kandmcockrell

Thanks WIHH!!!! Hope you feel better and get the fever under control woodpecker.


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## hercsmama

kandmcockrell said:


> hercsmama and WIHH - what do you use in your green tomato mincemeat? The only recipes i can find call for citron, or candied orange peel. I don't keep stuff like that on hand. Would like a recipe i did not have to purchase special items for. I have a ton of green tomatoes and tart apples. Need to do something with them and soon.


http://www.food.com/recipe/green-tomato-mincemeat-3926

This one is really close to mine, with a few exceptions.....
Let's see, I use an entire orange, instead of the lemon and orange peel. I just whir it about in the food processor, peel and all, and then dump it in the pot...
I also just use raisins, instead of Sultanas and currants.
Brown sugar and Apple Cider Vinegar..instead of reg. sugar and vinegar...
The only other difference is I about quadruple this recipe. If I were doing a single batch, I would only use a quarter of the orange.

Mine I Water Bath can, follow the directions for your altitude on that.


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## kandmcockrell

Thanks!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

I feel like an oaf, whatever that is. Today and tomorrow is special youth deer hunting season for Indiana. I forgot about it as my son had decided he didn't want to hunt this year.
I said something about it this evening, he says, oh, I forgot, I want to hunt now.
So, we both got our deer tags tonight, and tomorrow we will hunt. I have to be with him, but only he can carry a gun.
I hope he gets one, and continues to want to hunt.


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## Jacki

I found that eating a "diabetic" diet didn't work at all! And they don't tell you that protein can also be converted to glucose. Which totally sucks.

What has worked is keto. I was eating a diet that you were recommended when I became diabetic, which I found out by having a heart attack. My kidneys are a little less than perfect, but have been consistent for quite a while now. Another thing that is frustrating is having meds for one problem make another problem worse.

Unless the Doctor is real worried, you will probably just be monitored. 

Trying different foods, and checking your glucose two hours later will likely be the best way for you to find the best foods for YOU.

Wishing you the best.

Jacki


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Well it paid off. My boy got his first deer ever this morning. A little doe.
He is excited, and i am a very proud papa.


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## Kasota

Thanks, Jacki. That helps to know. I think the thing they are concerned about is that the kidney function actually got worse over the last 12 months. Still, I think losing weight will really help. Sure can't hurt!  

DBA, that is so, so awesome that your son got his first deer! Nothing quite so special as that first one, regardless of size. 

I get such a kick watching the fathers and their kids as they come out of Gander Mountain when hunting season rolls around. (It's on my way home from work and sometimes I swing in their parking lot to make a few calls before going home as it's just easier.) Sometimes you see these kids and you can tell it's their first season and they have this bag full of "stuff" and you see orange clothing sticking out the top of the bag...and no way no how are they letting anyone else carry that bag. On the way in they bounce into the store like they have springs on their feet and when they come out they are doing a mini-version of dad's manly stride. One does not skip when carrying a bag of hunting gear. I love it.


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## Wind in Her Hair

Kasota- do we know when hercsmama is coming? Just trying to make sure I don't obligate myself to being somewhere else?


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## Kasota

Hmmmm it is in this thread somewhere...October something....let me peek


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## Kasota

I found this:


> So ladies in Minnesota, look for us sometime around the middle of October! This time for sure as dh is getting to a stopping point on the hospital we are building in Broken Bow..


So no firm date yet...


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## Kasota

Finally got mom into the bathtub. She has been so tired and weak I didn't want to chance it as all we have is a big ol' claw foot soaker tub that is one day older than dirt. She's happy to be clean but is now weak as a kitten. I feel so badly for her. She is sitting in her chair all wrapped up in Cyndi's shawl.

Today I'm hoping to take it easy and find a little time for myself. I might try washing a bit of alpaca in the kitchen so that I can blend some with my white wool with that fancy drum carder that is still sitting in the box, which is kinda sorta it's own kind of torture. I need to run over and pick up some meds for mom as soon as I think she's recovered from her bath enough for me to run out. None of my family has shown up to help. I am feeling kind of alone in all this and a little sorry for myself. I'll get over it, but it sure would be nice if someone would call and ask what help I might need. 

When I stop to pick up her meds I am going to get myself a scale so I can track my adventure in weight loss. I'm feeling kind of empowered about it. I CAN do it! Maybe I will take a picture of "thin Kas" out of the photo album and tape it to my computer to give me inspiration. I'm concentrating on how good I will feel when I can move more easily once that weight is gone. I think it will help my knees, too. My goal is to lose 40 pounds. I'd actually like to lose 50 but would be happy with 40. That's a lot of extra weight to be carrying around on a 5 foot 3 inch body.


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## Woodpecker

Prayers for your momma Kas. I ended up in the ER after all last night, the fever was just to high. I got out in 2 1/2 hrs and feel much better. The fever finally broke this morning.


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## Wind in Her Hair

oh Woodpecker, bless your heart! What do they do for you when you go to the ER for your fever?

Thanks for the information, Kasota. Give Granny Annie a hug for me. 

Today is my Granny's 94th birthday. &#9829;


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## Marchwind

Hugs to all the grannies and yo WP


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## Woodpecker

I still have a small fever. They gave me lots of saline in the ER plus IV antibiotics, I also took home a prescription for more antibiotics. This has to do with me getting the flu shot, I asked my doctor before I got it and she said it was a good idea. 

Happy birthday to your grannie WIHH!


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## Kasota

Happy Birthday to your granny, WIHH! 

WP, I'm glad they could get the fever under control. Hopefully you will feel better soon. Did your yarn and new needles arrive yet?


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## hercsmama

Kas, give Granny Annie a hug from me too!
WP, I hope you get to feeling better soon.
WIHH, tell your Granny Happy Birthday!

I am alive!!!

Been Junking all weekend, I'm just wiped out.
But we had a ball, and can't wait for next year!:sing:
Got a few really nice bargains too, let's see, I got an antique quilting frame, complete with the stand, for only 15.00!! It needs cleaning, and oiling, but is the perfect Christmas gift for DD.
Then I found a really lovely set of copper windchimes, for 5.00, they are about 2-4 feet long, and sound amazing, also got a great little end table, for 10.00, just the right size for our tiny living room, dh finagled a guy out of a whole suitcase full of plumbing parts, for 5.00, and that included the suitcase!
A really awesome ash tray from the 40's, it sits in a floor stand, very cool looking out on the porch for when visitors need a smoke,(I'm still working on quitting, don't worry!)
I also saw, are you ready....A Great Wheel! It was in terrible shape though, I was so disappointed, the entire thing was falling apart, and the wheel itself was so damaged. The guy only wanted 20.00 for it, but I just couldn't justify it, as I have no idea how long the bits would be sitting around waiting for me to get it dealt with, or even if I could...:facepalm:
Then I saw a wonderful old floor loom, for 200.00, but it was in even worse shape than the Wheel, once again major disappointment.
Dh got some good deals on some hand tools, and we met some really nice people.
So all in all it was a great Junk Jaunt weekend for us. The sheep shelters didn't get done, neither did the fencing, but we have another weekend coming up soon, so I refuse to worry over it.

As to our coming up to Minnesota in October, I'm really shooting for the middle of the month. I don't know what I was thinking, but I totally forgot to tell the people at the cemetery that Mom was a Vet also. So I need to make a few changes, as they will both be interred together in the Veterans section. I will for sure have it all sorted out by mid week.

Off to go let my poor unloved sheepies and "Paca boys know I'm alive!


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## Woodpecker

Kas the yarn came but not the needles, they should come tomorrow. Thanks for asking, I'm really excited to have them monogrammed.


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## Osiris

Gettin' in under the wire for Sept! 1st scarf off the loom! Second one in progress. A different weft for the second. Using a wool silk, natural color. This one is still wet but it'll do for a learning experience. I think I'm gettin it! I go easy on fringe.


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## Osiris

Oh Bollocks! This was suppose to be in "current projects"! Stupid me! :facepalm:
How the heck did I get it in here? Can you move it Marchwind? Or can I delete it?


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## MullersLaneFarm

Oh Dreamy, you're in my prayers. I'm glad you're getting the fever under control.

Kas, I feel so honored that Granny Annie takes such comfort in that shawl.

I harvested the celery, dry beans, leeks, sweet potatoes & the rest of the tomatoes & peppers from the garden. Pulled the cages & bean tipis, now it's time to move the hogs in to glean, clean & till.
And dehydrate the herbs & celery & can the sweet potatoes.


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## MullersLaneFarm

Kas, set short term goals ... like 5% of your weight. 40# can seem daunting whereas 5-10# is more obtainable ...


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good Monday morning all.
Just watched the weekly weather forecast, going to be high 70s to low 80s all week, until Thursday. Thursday 79, Friday down to 69, Saturday 63 for a high. Yup, looks like fall might be coming.

Fall temps will be nice Saturday as we have a family cookout/bonfire planned.

My boy is still stoked about getting a deer yesterday, he is looking forward to telling friends a school about it. We found part of the slug while processing the meat, so he kept it.
I think I'm going to print out a picture of him with the deer, then frame it and glue the slug piece and the spent shell to the frame. I think it would be a nice momentous for him to keep and maybe one day show his own child when they get their first???

I hope you all have a great day. I will be cutting firewood today and tomorrow, so hoping my back holds out, several days now with very little to no pain.


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## Kasota

Osiris, this is a good place, too! No need to move it!  

Cyndi, you sure have been busy! Your pictures on the current project thread are awesome!  You are right about short term goals. I am working in 2 pound increments. The scale we had was kaput so I bought a new one. It would read 40-50 pounds one way or another...so I bought a new one. I think it will help me keep on track. I can do this.  

DBA, take it easy on that back of yours. Work in short time frames. Stretch before you get going and take breaks and stretch out again. Slow and easy does it. I'm glad the pain is better. Do you have a log splitter or are you doing all this with a maul? Great idea about framing that picture! 

I am off to work today. Anxious about leaving mom for a couple hours before my sister gets done with work but there is nothing for it right now. She is doing better and will sleep until my sister gets here. Somehow she managed to reset her remote control for the TV/Cable and it no longer works. They tried to help me re-program it over the phone last night but we couldn't get it to work so I have a service person coming out this afternoon. Maybe the remote is just broken, I don't know. 

Hi ho Hi ho... it's off to work I go.... 

Hope everyone has a good day!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Kas, yes, I have a splitter. Got it last year and wish I would have many years earlier.
Have a great day at work.


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## hercsmama

Good morning all!
That is wonderful about your boys deer! Congratulations to him,and the proud Daddy!:sing:
Kas, I so wish we lived closer, I would love to come sit whit your Mom for you, at least then you would have one less worry...:kiss:

Well, lot's of little things needing attention today.
After feeding time at the Zoo, I need to head to town to do some banking, pick up a gallon of milk, and get some essential oil for soap making.
Then home to make the soap, do the laundry, and do some quick sewing.
I told a friend of ours I had a leather sewing machine, and they pretty much assumed that meant I had time to sew the patches on their vest they got at Sturgis..:facepalm:. I could be mean and tell them no, but really it just takes a few minutes, and the machine needed oiling anyway...
It just irritates me when people assume just because I'm here, and not gone to some office job, that I have nothing else to do all day but tend to their little whims...whatever.
I also need to send out 5 bills for work dh did over the weekend, we used the work van to drive about for the Junk Jaunt, and picked up the extra work as people saw the signs on it! It was great!
I told dh we should go junking with it every weekend, and extra 450.00 we wouldn't have gotten otherwise, gotta love it!:banana:
We also have 3 more jobs scheduled for this week, and next that we got because of it, they were just too big to do right then. So that's awesome!

Hoping for some fiber time later today...


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## laceyj

So, I'm chiming in at the end of the month. I've been a lurker more than a poster here, but I must say I do find ya'll quite amusing and informative! I've been working on spinning up about 2 lbs of Coopworth for a shawl that I plan to knit, but I think I'm going to have to incorporate a stripe because I don't know that I'm going to have enough to complete it and make it as big as I want it. I like really big shawls that I can wrap around myself and my 4 year old little boy when he wants to snuggle in the mornings! I have a Border Leicester/Romney fleece that I may work up to do the stripe in. The dark brown of the Coopworth would look nice with the black-ish color of the BL/R fleece.

On the knitting side of things I'm working on my first ever sweater!! The above mentioned little decided that I needed to knit him a sweater. Who am I to refuse such a request?? 

Well, it's nice being able to share with ya'll what I've got going and I'm thinking I should make myself more of a regular here! Have a blessed day!!


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## Marchwind

Osiris I don't know how to move just one post, I looked but can't figure it out. It is fine to post your projects here, we all do that. The Projects thread is a fairly new thing we have only been doing for a couple of months. Feel free to post in both places. There are people who may never look at the projects thread but will come here. If you really truly want it moved I will figure out how to do it for you.


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## Taylor R.

It's been a long and mostly fantastic weekend. We took our monkeys to my hometown yearly festival and they had a blast, then we went to get my husband all decked out for a wedding he's in in October. We stopped by my dad's (where he pushed MORE of the eggs on us, apparently he doesn't want 15 dozen eggs in his fridge, but I've got 4 dozen in mine already!!) so hubs could go get one more check of his game cam. He'll be out bow hunting this afternoon in the orchard, so hopefully we'll have a freezer full of deer by tomorrow. I figured they were coming through in the evening, but as it turns out, they show up out there at about 2 in the afternoon every three days. I did have to work Sunday, but then I came home to a (relatively) clean house and chili in the crock pot. It's getting to be fall, y'all!


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## amberley

Its been a busy week, for everybody it seems. 

Kas my mum has been pre-diabetic for a while now, she has a thyroid problem and has been overweight for years. She tried coconut oil about 6 months ago and has been steadily losing weight and her numbers have improved loads. Hope you can get yours sorted too.

Everybody seems to be getting ready for Autumn and Winter whereas here we are getting ready for Spring and Summer. It still seems strange that our biggest growing season is Winter! So we have put up the shadecloth for the salad garden, we will continue to grow and water throughout the summer.

I got an email from Daniel Friday saying to do a germination test on my cotton seeds. He said if 4 out of 5 germinate then it is time to plant. Today I have 5 out of 5 so we will be busy.

Yesterday I visited Maria, who sent the cotton fibre, and gave my first crochet lesson in Portuguese. I taught her how to make a simple motif which is almost all chain and single crochet and she did well. Motifs are great for learning, the first ones can be put on one side and the later, usually better ones, can be used for a project. Next week I will show her how to join them.

The cotton she gave me is almost spinning itself, a tad finer than I would like but after fighting it for half an hour I gave up and let it do what it wants. I figure I can ply x 3 rather than 2 and still get what I want, and probably quicker.

Have a great day everybody, lotsa fluff, Amber xxxx


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## BlueberryChick

Woodpecker, did your new needles arrive today? And how are you feeling?

Kasota, how are you and your mom today?

I have been working on getting my state fair entries ready. I have a sweater, a pair of socks, mittens (made from SvenskaFlicka's fiber), a baby sweater, a tote bag and a pillow. I also hope to get my blueberry jelly ready tonight. I had planned to make muscadine jelly too, but we didn't get any fruit this year. It was just too dry this summer.

Here's a picture of the mittens:









The fiber is beautiful, Kelsey! I've got a good bit left, so I'm thinking of making a matching hat.


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## Wind in Her Hair

those mittens turned out beautifully! Those are lovely - what pattern did you use - inquiring minds want to know!


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## SvenskaFlicka

Wow! Those look better spun and knitted up than in the braid!


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## Kasota

DBA - how did your back hold up today? I am glad to hear you have a log splitter. When I had my farm I heated 100% with wood for 5 years. Dropped trees and skidded them out of the woods, split and stacked like a crazy woman. For 3 of those 5 years I didn't have a log splitter and did it all with a splitting maul. I still have that maul. No woodstove anymore, but I can't part with it. We have a relationship.  

Debi, you are so sweet. I wish we were closer, too. I could help you with the zoo!  As usual, you had wings on your feet. Kewl beans about the added work! Woot!  

Lacyj, I am so glad you decided to come out of the shadows and post! Welcome to the Fiber Forum. I really do think this is a special place here on HT. I love hearing about everyone's day, too, and listening to what's going on with everyone. How long have you been spinning? I am just learning and I'm really quite horrid at it, but slowly getting better. For sure you could not turn down a munchkin's request for a sweater! That is so sweet! What is a coopsworth fleece like? I am just learning about fleece types. Please do post more and remember that we love pictures!  

Taylor, I hope you have a freezer stocked with venison before you blink. I just love venison and always hope the boys in the family (brothers, nephews) get a bunch so they have lots to share with me. lol! 

Amberley, that is so awesome that you got to teach your first crochet lesson in Portuguese! I'll bet Maria was happy to have your time and attention, too! Can you post pictures of the cotton you are spinning? 

BBC, your mittens are so beautiful! Gotta love blueberry jelly, too! I have some elderberry jam that a friend made and I'm hoping she gifts me with another jar. I savor it in small bits all year. What is muscadine jelly and when is the fair? I'll bet you do real well! 

Mom is doing better today than yesterday. Yay! She seems to have a bit of her spunk back. Not a lot of spunk, but enough to give her some hope that she won't always feel so weak. Thank you all for asking about her. She really is my hero. Her whole life has been one hardship after another and yet she has always kept her good nature, faith, spunk and curiosity about life. She is always ready to do a good turn and lend a hand, even at her age. So I am glad she is feeling a bit more hopeful today.  

I still have not dragged the drum carder out of the box. Just no time to think, let alone do much about anything. I still have about a 1/2 skein left to knit on the prayer shawl. Maybe I can do that this evening. I SO want to get it done so that I can try knitting a hat. I have a real simple pattern and it won't take near as long as the shawl which will be nice. I need some quick projects to add to the craft fair stash.


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## BlueberryChick

Thanks for the kind words about the mittens! I really like them and hope we get some days cold enough to wear them.

The pattern is more of a recipe, like a plain vanilla sock. It's from a book called I Can't Believe I'm Knitting Mittens by Cynthia Guggemos. The fiber is what makes it special!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Kasota, my back is ok. I got 2 truck loads today, but it was only 13 pieces of wood. Big tree. The guy who owns the property was there with his loader tractor, I cut the rounds, rolled them into the loader bucket, he put them in my truck, I drove the mile home and rolled them out.

My splitter is at my dads place where I will be cutting tomorrow. I split for several years with a maul, I really don't miss it, but sometimes still use it.
Thank you for asking, you are a true sweetheart.


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## Woodpecker

Well the fever was an indication of some sort of blood infection. I'm in the hospital now for the 1st time. I really could use your prayers. God bless.


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## hercsmama

DBA, so glad you had some sort of help with the wood, just be careful when you are lifting those logs up on to the splitter tomorrow!

BBC, love the mittens! The striping came out really well.

Kas, so glad Mom is feeling a bit better, hopefully she continues to improve.

Kelsey, how did Hostfest go? Pictures are required you know!

LacyJ, Welcome!! As I told Kelsey, pictures are required!

WP, sending many healing thoughts and good wishes to you. Hopefully it is just a minor setback, and you'll be right as rain very soon.:kiss:

Amberley, enjoy your summer! That wold be very odd going from one hemisphere to the other. Was the adjustment difficult?
Of course I'm assuming you lived "up north" previously....

Well, I managed to get almost everything done today, I still need to get to a Notary, just some paper work pertaining to Daddy..That went to the top of tomorrows list..:facepalm:


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## MullersLaneFarm

My little fighter Dreamy ... keep fighting girl!! Special payers being said for you now
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Keep Fighting!!


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## hercsmama

Morning all!
Well, I'm in another frightfully good mood this morning, this must stop.
One should not wake up in a good mood, before coffee.
So guess what?
Those of us with Alpacas,Llamas, and other Camelids, have our own forum on here now!
If you haven't seen it yet here it is!
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/camelid-forum/
So awesome!!

Today I just have the usual, and a trip to Broken Bow to get some paperwork notarized.
I'm thinking of tossing a batch of beans in the canner...
I also need to get into the Broken House, and un-bury, my Moms hutch.
I'd really like to bring it in the house, and dig out some of the good china. It just didn't seem like Christmas last year, eating on the every day plates...

So that chore may go on my list as well.
I have almost finished hat number 8, this one goes to dh's brother in California, then on to numbers 9&10 for our helpers..
Off to grab that coffee!


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## SvenskaFlicka

Hostfest is far from over. We drove up here yesterday, and today is set-up day. Tomorrow thongs start and it goes til Saturday. 
Craziness.


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## hercsmama

Why did I think it was last week???:ashamed:


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Gooood morning FAC! (in my best Robin Williams voice)

Looks like another month is winding down. Almost time for a new month to start.....wait, didnt we just start one a month ago??

Off to my dads property today to cut more wood. It won't do me any good this year, but it gives me a jump start on next year. This weekend the whole family is getting together at his place for a weenie roast and bon fire. Good times, and a good way to get rid of all the brush from the cutting earlier in the year.
I kinda need to now my yard, but not too bad, maybe tomorrow.

By the end of the week it will be starting to get a lot cooler, so fall is in the air and winter is coming. Will start collecting walnuts and hickory nuts soon, then when winter hits i will have plenty to do inside.
Once it starts getting cold, I will finally finish the big blanket I started almost a year ago. I still want to try to get one done for each of my kids before Christmas too.

Well, I'm off to feed the pigs, chickens, and rabbits, then load up the saws and oil and gas and head out for the day.

Y'all have a great day, and to any of you facing hard times right now, remember this, it is always darkest just before dawn. And if any struggles seem overwhelming, Phillipians 4:13, nuff said


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## Marchwind

WP thoughts and prayers for you. Did your needles come yesterday?

Kasota so glad your mom is feeling better although not great, yet. She will get there.

DBA Glad your back has settled down a bit.

BBC a love your mittens and the way they knit up with your yarn.

SvenskaFlicka are you back in MN?

I've decided that having puppies around is a good thing. It is my excuse to stay home, and I got so much done this past weekend. I got almost all my plants planted that have been waiting months to get into the ground. Having two puppies at once is driving me absolutely batsh*t crazy though. Sorry about swearing but really. I'm just baby sitting these two, neither one is house broken and I can't follow both of them around watching them every minute :yuck::facepalm: Yesterday because I had a lot of stuff to do I just put all the dogs in the yard and shut the door until I could get the dishes and stuff done. Then about a half hour before I was going to bed I get a phone call saying my foster kitten was coming back to me, ugggg! My house is over flowing with babies. The puppies will be leaving in a few day :sing:

Here is a photo of my mom. She is 88 years old. This is her new neighbor and his teenaged son. The son took my mom up in his glider the other day. Obviously my mom had a blast


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## weever

Binge reading here--seems I stop in about once a week and have 5 pages to read. 

WP, prayed for your health.

Marchwind, so sorry about the kitty. 

DBA, yay for your son's youth hunt success!

We are just back from the Northern Michigan Lamb and Wool Festival. Yesterday was payback time--when you leave the farm, the re-entry can be rough. It's bean harvest time, so hubby was busy with that, and I had three groups of animals to move to fresh pasture. Two more moves today, and I'll be back into the normal rhythm of rotational grazing. Sheesh. We were only gone three days.

Anyway, we had a lovely time. I've attached one photo of our booth. That's my hubby, cranking socks and chatting with some spectators. It was wonderful weather, and the leaves are just starting to turn.


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## Taylor R.

Marchie, your mom looks like a hoot!

WP, healing thoughts for you always. HUGS!

Debi, my husband would be amazed that any woman could wake up in a good mood before coffee. I am a massive grump when I get up in the morning, so much so that I often have to apologize once I get my my caffeine fix. Thank goodness we are rarely both up in the morning together for more than a few minutes or I'd have to apologize a lot more often!

DBA, tell your son we're all proud that he persevered this year! So glad it paid off for him.

We don't have a freezer full of venison, gosh darn it. Hubs didn't see a darn thing yesterday. I think he threw off the schedule when he threw down a new attractant/mineral supplement last week. Hopefully he can get out there for a whole weekend so that he's got a better shot at coming across them. However, it won't be for the next couple weekends as I've got to work nights all this coming weekend and we have that wedding the next weekend.


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## Miz Mary

WP , praying for you !! 

Weaver, your booth looks really nice !!

Trying to get gardens to bed, and winterizing ( tarp on the motorhome, pool covered etc. ) seems everyday is going so fast ! 

Kasota, its wonderful to hear about your Mom being full of spunk and life ... watching my FIL choose to be bedridden and having no gumption is heartbreaking , and frustrating ! 

I have been watching weaving videos and reading books .... got the new loom fixed up , maybe this week I will decide on a project to start ! My hardest part is choosing which pattern and which yarns/colors to use !!


I cut my hair all off and went darker ...AKKKK ! Never been this short in my life !! I like that it doesnt fall into my eyes when working on projects , and it's easy to get ready for the day , but not feeling feminine .... oh well , it will grow back !


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## hercsmama

Miz Mary, I showed you mine, you show us yours!:thumb:


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## Woodpecker

My needles came yesterday but I didn't open them since I'm in the hospital. I am getting a blood transfusion some time today. I feel really sick, I don't like blood. It sounds like when I got my port put in is when the infection happened. Thank you all for your prayers.


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## hercsmama

Wp, (((hugs)))).


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## Wind in Her Hair

oh no, Woodpecker.  My heart goes out to you. I know this isn't what you wanted or were expecting. 

I am so sorry. 

I just hope and pray they get the infection under control soon and that in no time at all, you will be back home and tearing into your packages of NEW NEEDLES and yarn! 

Hugs to you, sweetheart. Feel better soon and keep us informed. We truly care and want to send you all our energy and care. :grouphug: 

I am praying for you.


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## Molly Mckee

Prays for you WP. Things will get better.


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## amberley

Hugs, prayers and good thoughts for you WP.


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## Miz Mary

hercsmama said:


> Miz Mary, I showed you mine, you show us yours!:thumb:



HA ! 

^ there ya go !! SHORT !!!!


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## Kasota

Oh, no (((((WP))))) This you surely did not need. I'm glad they found out what was causing the fever. I'm so sorry you have to have a transfusion, but so glad you are where you can get the help you need. Praying you are home soon with your new needles and yarn!! Keep fighting, WP. We are here for you! 

Debi, that is terrific that you got a Camelid Forum going! Wooot!! We need pictures of the hats. 

Kelsey, I'm sure you will have a wonderful time with Hostfest. You'll be all tuckered out by the time it's over. 

DBA, you have a list a mile long! The weenie roast sounds like fun. How grand that you can collect nuts! 

Marchie, your mom looks like she had such a grand time! I hope when I am 88 I still feel like going up in a glider. Hang in there on all the critters. They sure can keep you busy. I used to foster, too. The most I had at one time was 21 - courtesy of three orphan kittens, some of which still needed bottle feeding. They sure could raise a ruckus. 

Weever, your booth looks wonderful! Look at all of that roving and all those socks! 

Taylor, hopefully your DH will get a deer next time out. How long does your season run? 

MizMary, I have been wondering how your FIL is doing. It sure is heartbreaking to watch our loved ones grow old. (((hugs))) I used to wear my hair short. Oh, was it convenient...excepting that I had to get it cut every time I turned around. 

I am so glad to be home and the work day is done. I was up sick all night last night. Got about 3 hours of sleep. I think the stress just caught up with me. I am adjusting okay to my new diet. It's amazing how many things have phosphates in them. Reading packages is very enlightening. I picked a huge bowl of raspberries tonight. If the frost holds off I will have a few more bowls to pick. They are utterly yummy. 

I ordered some chiffon scarves off of Ebay and they came today. They are so, so utterly beautiful - I just can't believe how lovely they are! They are from a seller in China who is in a port town so they got here very quickly...much faster than the cashmere/silk yarn I got from someone in Mongolia. I am going to order more of these scarves. The price ranged from 1.50-3.00 and that included the shipping. How they can sell and ship them for that I do not know but I am so loving them! They'll be wonderful to dress up some work outfits.


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## mamajohnson

WP praying for you. 

This thread goes so fast! Is almost hard to keep up. Excited to check out the camilid forum. 

Oh! Something exciting! I was asked to spin at the Heritage Festival again! She said they were really thrilled with us last year. And really loved my red headed son. Maybe DH can sell a painting or two this year. I need to get busy knitting and spinning. I sold yarn and shawls and scarves last year. 

I went on a little kit buying bing. Lol it had that magic word. ..sale. I will post pics when it arrives. Two cowl one shawl and a pair of baby pants. I need more spare time. But don't we all?


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## Marchwind

The new FAC is up and live. Please pos there from now on. Here's the direct link http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/co...ts/525487-fac~october-2014-a.html#post7233962


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## laceyj

I'm a little late in responding. Kasota, I've been spinning for about a year now. I learned on a home made quill wheel that my father in law and I built one Sunday afternoon. I now have an Ashford Traveller that I love. I also spin on a Spindolyn. Coopworth is a bit coarse, but not terrible. It's more suited to outerwear than next to skin items. Here are some pics of William's sweater in progress and some of my spinning. The sweater is Michael's Loops and Threads acrylic and the hand spun is about 185 yards of 2 ply worsted-ish weight coopworth.


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