Seed planting

Saturday, April 7th was bright and sunny.  I decided to dedicate a few hours to the green house.

Last summer, John, Joshua & I took the little "farm truck" and went over to the rock ledge on Riverview Farms (the 782 acre hunt club that adjoins our property on 3 sides).  We collected limestone slabs to use in building a rock oven.  Well, the stones have been standing there in a pile ever since.  I decided to put what we had collected into use as the floor in the greenhouse. John said he didn't mind. We can always go collect more rock.

Our "farm truck", with right hand drive.

Our order had come in from Baker Creek Rare Seeds.  I'm always excited about planting!

This year's seed order.

The herbs will be staying in the greenhouse.  I want to get some herbs & small fruit trees going in the greenhouse.  I want an interesting, relaxing growing environment.  Some place to sit and listen to the birds & smell the dirt & plants.  An over sized terrarium.

My friend Karna hosted a tea party last week, and it was a beautiful day for it.  I went to my friend Beth's house so we could car pool.  Then we went to Karna's.  What a nice day.  The food was good, and so was the companionship!

The pergola put interest shadows on our faces.

I also spent time with the ladies, working on the Hardy Homesteaders raffle quilt.  It's almost finished.  We just need to finish the border.

We were quilting ( and eating cake).

The brush piles from this past winter are slowly disappearing.  I hate tripping over sticks!  My right leg doesn't lift very high, thanks to my Parkinson's (and some old damage after a riding accident).  So as I'm walking along those damn sticks trip me up!  I make piles & burn them when the weather cooperates.

Chris and Joshua have been working on the Hobbit House interior.  Josh & I got the exterior waterproofing finished.  Now it looks like an avocado. Once the interior cement is completed, the door and window can go in.  Then I can tile the floor & paint.  I hope to have everything ready when Tammy and Ariel get here in May.

New books

I got a few new books through Amazon last week.  I love books relating to my crafts!  I prefer hardcover books, they hold up better through the years.

So, here's the first book.  Homestead Kitchen

We have enjoyed watching Alaska the Last Frontier for years.  This family brings homesteading to TV in a great way.  They are hardworking.  They have strong family values. They are resourceful.

This new book by Eve and Eivin has lots of great recipes and lots of other useful information.  Great pictures. I'm sure this book is going to be in use in my kitchen for years to come.

As I mentioned the other day, I've been interested in applique quilting for years now.  Recycling wool clothing, felting sweaters from the thrift store, making toys or Christmas ornaments, these all interest me.  I saw these 3 books on Amazon and got a great deal on them,

First is Wool Applique Folk Art

Rebekah L. Smith is a real artist!  Her color pallet is very soothing.  The book is full of great pictures & paper patterns for every project.  The step-by-step instructions are very clear.  Even the novice quilter could use this book to start a project and finish it with excellent results. This is an excellent book.

Gorgeous Wool Applique

This book by Deborah Gale Tirico is wonderful!  Appealing projects, excellent instructions and pattern pieces to help you make these heirloom articles for your home.  This is another book that both the novice, and the long-time quilter can use to get great results.

Summertime Sampler

Erica Kaprow's patterns will help you produce brightly colored primitive quilts.  This isn't a book, per se. The pattern pieces are provided, along with step by step instructions.  I really like the bright colors Erica uses.  Happy, sunny.... They made me smile.

Quilting

About once a week, I get together with a local group of ladies and work on a quilt. We make 1 quilt a year and raffle it off at our annual Homesteaders event.  I've been involved in the quilt making 3 or 4 years now.

The quilt we raffled off on October 1st was very nice.  The design is called "9 patch".  Here's what it looked like.

2016 raffle quilt

We using the "strip" quilting method.  For those who aren't familiar with quilting, "strip" quilting means all the fabric to be used is first cut into uniform strips (in this case 4 1/2 inches).  Then the strip is cut into squares (again 4 1/2 inches).  These squares are sewn together into "blocks".  The squares in the blocks are now 4 inches wide, the 1/2 inch being the seam allowance. The blocks are then sewn together with another strip, the background color (here it's orange and 6 inches wide). These are then sewn together to make the "field" of the quilt.  Then the border is sewn on (brown in this case and 6 inches wide).  The quilt "top" is now complete.  We sent the top off to a local lady who has a larger sewing machine specifically for quilting large items.  She added a layer of cotton batting, and a "backing" (in this case a king sized sheet), and then sews all 3 layers together - the actual quilting.  The border is folded over and is attached to the backing, giving a nice finished edge.  She did a great job on the quilting.

We used new 100% cotton fabric, washed it and ironed it before we started any cutting.  We used a rotary cutter, ruler and cutting mat to make the strips and blocks.  This makes the cutting much easier.  We take turns doing different tasks, but I normally do the ironing.  I can't cut the strips straight with my wiggly hands...

Last year's quilt was a big more difficult.  We still used the strip method but the sewing was trickier.

2015 raffle quilt

This quilt came out very well, it was also king-sized.

This year's quilt to be raffled off in 2017 will be another 9 patch, in blue/red/yellow.  It will also be king-sized 100% cotton.

Several years ago, I saw that the Parkinson's Disease Foundation was seeking 24 inch quilt blocks from people with Parkinson's, which would be put together and displayed in Scotland.

I was really enthusiastic about this, and make a square to be included.  I used 100% cotton fabric, already dyed using the batik method.  Batik dyeing uses more than 1 color.  The fabric is bunched up, folded or waxed to make the pattern.  I love batik fabric because of the wonderful interplay between the colors.

I used the applique method of quilting.  This is done by cutting all the pieces into the proper shape, and then stitching them fast to the background fabric.  This is done by hand-stitching rather than machine, using the blanket stitch.  I sewed the pieces down the embroidery floss.  The color range on floss is amazing!

Spring may have sprung!

Monday morning I went out to feed the chickens and discovered my banty hen, Pebbles, had 3 little chicks!  Wow!  What a surprise!

Pebbles with her babies.

My hellebore have been trying to bloom since before the sleet/snow we had recently.  And now that the ice and snow are all gone, they are blooming merrily.  The daffodils are not far behind.  Everything is waking up and poking their little heads out of the ground.

Hellebore by the den

The south entrance to our home

Yesterday's high was 80!  What a change!  Last week we had ice and couldn't even get out to the highway, today we have to fun a fan!  Amazing.

I went to our friend Doris' on Monday night to help start the Hardy Homesteader's Quilt for this year.  We're doing a nice queen size quilt, the motif is Candy Corn.  I spent the evening ironing the fabric before we started cutting the pieces.  I think we'll get it all cut next week and can start to sew after that. 

This quilt should go together rather quickly.  The blocks are 12 inches square.  Background is a nice autumn leaf fabric with greenish blocks at the intersections.   I'll post pictures once we've got something together to show you.  Here's a link for the basic block. Basic Candy Corn quilt block.

We've lived here 8 years now!  Time is flying by.  One of the items we love to eat, but have a bit of a challenge finding is bulk dried fruit.  I love snacking on raisins, figs, dates... and John loves pineapple.  Josh loves apricots.  We have to drive about an hour to find bulk goods.  The little Memmonite store in Dalton is great.... West Plains has Meadowbrook...Meadowbrook Natural Foods.  There's a store in Jonesboro also, but we don't get to Jonesboro very often.

So, several families we know have decided to go together and make bulk orders from Country Life Natural Foods. Country Life Natural Foods We get our first order today.  It's being delivered to my friend Gena's house, because we don't have a garage or anything that would be a good place to sort out a large bulk order.  If you live in our area and want to be part of our "Co-op", please let me know.

Hardy Homesteader's quilting project

The Hardy Homesteader's group has been hosting an educational event every year for over 20 years.  It's an all-volunteer organization made up of many people in our community.  Some were raised here, some re-located here long ago, we got here 6 years ago... And some who get involved are area newcomers.

Here's a few pictures from last year's event.

Blacksmith's tent

Our group focuses on keeping the "old timey" skills alive.  One way we can do that is to have a public demonstration focusing on all the trades and crafts we can.  All the displays are set up by the volunteers.  The food being made is available to all - with only a donation box in evidence.

Biscuts baking

There's biscuts and gravy.  Freshly churned butter... Jam... beans.













 Lye soap making is always interesting to the people who come to visit.

Lye soap making

There is hot water in that big kettle.   And lye is made from wood ashes.

The recipe is available for anyone who wants more information.  People are encouraged to take a sample.






Dutch over cooking is always a favorite pastime at the Homesteader's.  Some of the Bushwackers set up their wagons, get they're fire started and put their dutch ovens to work.  Dang, it smells good!

Dutch oven cooking

 My husband Johnnie, friend Gena, son Joshua and I have a display for spinning and weaving.  We have a good time.  My husband and son make drop spindles.  And then he usually manages to give them away while we're there.  We both love the smile it brings to someone's face when they've learned how to spin their own yarn!

Gena weaving on a triangular loom

Gena made that shawl she has on.

It's woven from a merino/cashmere bulky yarn.  I crocheted the edging around it to give it a more finished look.

The fabric on this cool loom is warped AND woven at the same time.

I've woven a lot of shawls on there!

John and Josh

John and Josh get the spinning wheel set up.  The laundry rack is what we use for our display.  Both blankets displayed in this picture were hand spun, hand dyed and hand woven by me.  I love those blankets.







A group of the ladies get together during the winter and work on a quilt.  This quilt is raffled off as seed money for the following year's event.

2012 Quilt

Here's the ladies who worked on last year's quilt.  I'm 2nd from the right.

We have a great time making the quilt.  Lots of talking, laughing and sewing.  And not much swearing at the sewing machines either!  That's amazing, in itself!






We had our first quilting meeting last Thursday night and decided to make a more modern looking quilt.  It took a lot of time to piece all those 5-inches squares together last year.  So we thought we'd use 12-inch squares this year.  But, how many squares do we need for a queen sized quilt if we use 12-inch squares?  I found this handy chart this morning.


The picture of the quilt we had in mind had about 6 blocks across.  So, we need to make 16-inch squares.  Geeze, that was easy.  I wish I'd had this handy little card last week!

Late winter flowers

The weather here has been on a bit of a see-saw.  Cold, warm, cold, warm.  One day we had a high of 31.  The next day it was 51!  That confuses the birds and the bees.  And the flowers. 

Our daffodils and hellebores are peaking through the mulch.  I haven't had a chance to take pictures yet this year, but here's what they looked like last year....

Helebore by the den window

I love the color of this hellebore.  I hadn't ever grown any before.  But I planted them in 2011, and here's what they looked like that first early spring.

Daffodils by the west door

This hellebore is right next to the purple one.  The 2 colors really compliment each other.  I'm really happy with the way these plants have thrived.






All the daffodils around our house have been transplanted and redistributed from those that were here when we bought the house.  We have several different colors, some doubles and even some that are very tiny white and yellow.

Tiny white and yellow daffodil

I love this little flower.  I've been looking for a small figurine of a fairy that I can hide in beside it.

Tiny double daffodil

These found these tiny flowers in this spot when we started cleaning up that first spring (2006).  I love the way they're placed in amongst the rocks.  It's very picturesque.  It makes me smile.

Trillium

 

This trillium is also a new flower to me.  I saw some in a catalog and thought I'd try them.  I really like the soft purple color...  Can you tell I like purple?





Back in 2010, I decided to handquilt a square as part of the Parkinson's Disease Foundation's (PDF) Awareness Quilt that was to be displayed in Scotland in that fall.  So, I sorted through my fabric stash and selected all my batik fabrics.  The background is a lovely sky blue.

My Parkinson's Awareness block

I cut each petal and leaf separately, then used matching embroidery floss to stitch it down with a blanket stitch.  I didn't have an exact design or layout in mind when I started.  I just let each piece of fabric "talk" to me and tell me where to place it.  It was a great project and I really enjoyed doing it.
Here's a picture of the work in progress.  See it there behind my leg??

And here's what the quilt looked like on display.

I was honored by PDF, and was featured in their 2012 calendar and their Parkinson's Creativity project.  Here's the PSA (public service announcement) they provided on the subject:

Williford Resident’s Artwork Selected for Parkinson’s Charity Calendar

 

New York, NY, December 13, 2011 — Williford, AR resident Penny Teem is one of 13 artists whose work was selected to appear in the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation’s (PDF) 2012 Creativity and Parkinson’s calendar. Her quilt panel entitled, “Flowers of the Field” is featured in the month of April, which also is recognized as Parkinson’s Awareness Month.

Ms. Teem, a Navy veteran, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s seven years ago. She has been creative since a young age; she began sewing and knitting at the age of nine. In recent years, she began creating quilts using applique, a technique of using smaller pieces of a fabric to create a design on a larger background. Ms. Teem says she that when she is quilting and keeping her hands moving, her Parkinson’s tremors seem to stay under better control.

PDF’s Creativity and Parkinson’s Project exists to explore, support and encourage the therapeutic value of creativity in Parkinson's. So when Ms. Teem she heard that the project was creating awareness quilt for Parkinson’s, she was eager to contribute her talents.

Her quilt panel was chosen from 600 others to be featured in PDF’s annual print calendar, which is distributed nationwide to nearly 20,000 people.

Ms. Teem said of her experience with creativity, “In a way, being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease was a blessing. It changed my life for the better because it gave me the life I wanted. If my hands are going to move, I wanted to focus them in a positive direction and do something creative with them. The saying ‘Flowers in the Field’ inspired me to create this quilt. Many of us have Parkinson’s but the disease is different for each person. Like a flower we are similar but we are all unique.”

Robin Elliott, Executive Director of PDF, said “We thank Ms. Teem for her contributions to the Creativity and Parkinson’s Project and applaud her for having her artwork selected for the 2012 calendar. Her works, those of the 13 other individuals featured in calendar and the more than 270 in the online gallery, have inspired those affected by Parkinson’s who come to PDF looking not only for information, but also for hope. At PDF, we are hopeful that by creating for Ms. Teem works and those of other people living with Parkinson’s; we can begin a conversation about the reports of beneficial effects of creativity.”

Those interested in learning more about Ms. Teem’s artwork may contact the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation by calling (800) 457-6676, emailing info@pdf.org, or visiting www.pdf.org/creativity.

About the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation
The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (PDF) is a leading national presence in Parkinson’s disease research, education and public advocacy. We are working for the nearly one million people in the US who live with Parkinson’s by funding promising scientific research while supporting people living with Parkinson’s through educational programs and services. Since its founding in 1957, PDF has dedicated over $90 million to fund the work of leading scientists throughout the world and over $37 million to support national education and advocacy programs.