Moments from the Week

After Jen sugguested Bee Balm for natural dyeing, I picked some from our yard and set it out in the sun and it made a beautiful pink dye.  I used alum as a mordant but the yarn did not pick up any of the color.  I will have to try something else.  Any suggestions?

Sarah working on an outdoor play area for Polly.

More tiny house building going on.

I am sure we wouldn't be able to do these things in many suburban neighborhoods and sometimes I have to resist my need for order to just let them create  - another reason to be grateful for our little

hidden homestead.

With our porch floor in tough shape, I decided to use what we have - some joint compound to fill in holes and some leftover floor paint to at least make it presentable for now.

One of our sweet ducks, Shadow, has a broken leg.  It is bad - the bone is completely cut through and I fear she may lose complete use of her leg.  She is eating and drinking well, though, so we are hopeful.

Knitting and Reading and Dyeing

Because the weather got so incredibly hot here, I needed to start a light knitting project and put the Boneyard Shawl on hold until it cools down just a bit. 

I am working on an Old Shale Scarf in some really soft natural colored yarn that I think I bought at a yard sale for $1.00 years ago.  

The other day after cutting up a red onion for a quinoa salad, I decided to put the skins in a quart canning jar filled with water and leave it in the sun.    The yarn came out yellow in a cool shade of yellow more on the green side.   I am still anxious to find some natural dyes that come out something other than yellow:)

The book, Five Little Peppers, I was excited to find at a library book sale after remembering Renee recommending it.

Joining in with Ginny today

Polly

We have a new addition to our ever growing homestead - Polly, a chick that is usually raised for meat.

But not Polly.

After returning home from my peaceful parenting group last Friday with Sarah, I noticed her getting out of the car with a basket in her hand and inquired what she had.

Well, of course, there was Polly.  I asked her if she had asked Christine if she could have her and Sarah informed me that she had and that Christine said it was fine as long as it was ok with me.  (Sarah just forgot that part.)

She wanted to save her.

So now we have a use for the top part of the duck house and just put chicken wire across when we open the door in the morning.

(She gets lots of attention.  The other morning when I went to let the ducks, I found an empty top floor, only to find Polly on a box next to the sleeping Sarah in her bed.)

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On a side note - check out this link
http://www.mnn.com/health/healthy-spaces/blogs/student-science-experiment-finds-plants-wont-grow-near-wi-fi-router
If this is for real - oh my goodness - we are in trouble.

QuarryWorks

This is a post for anyone that may live anywhere within an hours drive or so from the Montpelier, Vermont area.

Our oldest son is involved with this amazing community theater company, Quarryworks, that puts on professionally executed shows at this neat little place in Adamant, Vermont.

Fully funded by donations and fundraisers as well as with the help of the main two benefactors, all the shows are offered for free in an intimate setting that seats 50.

I saw Thomas in their first production of the summer, Two By Two, which is a musical.  Thomas has been in many, many shows ever since he was seven, and this was by far the best I have seen yet.  (Please note that it is not appropriate for children at least under the age of 13 or so - but their next show this summer is Aladdin.)

So if you get a chance there are five more shows this coming weekend.  Bring a picnic lunch or dinner before the show and enjoy the gorgeous grounds.

Not Going It Alone

We just had such wonderful visitors over the last two days that I am looking at our little homestead and family through different lenses.

I am also realizing that families weren't meant to do this whole parenting thing on their own.  I mean it really seems that we were meant to live in a community - even a small one that might be comprised of multi-generations with grandparents, an aunt and uncle.  Or maybe with some other families (with whatever make-up that may be - single, couples, with or without children).

Each of us has been given such a unique set of gifts.  You may not even realize what those gifts are.  It could be as simple as reading books to a child, sharing stories of one's life, a gentle voice of support, a home baked pie - or more tangible gifts such as music, knowledge, or a specific skill.  We each have something to share.  These gifts are not meant to be kept to ourselves. 

  God has blessed each of us and as human beings I think we have an innate desire to interact with one another, to commune with each other - to form community.   

This is a challenge and one that I want to embrace and develop in our family's life, right here on our remote little homestead.

Visitors

It is so nice to have my cousin, Hilary, and her partner, Sun-Kyu, visiting for a couple of days.  

So neat to get to know the young woman she has become from the 16 year old I remember.

Both she and her partner are interested in local eating, farming, and also foraging when they can.

After visiting the swimming hole near us yesterday they noticed some mushrooms under a grove of evergreens and we walked down later to gather.  These are golden chanterelles.

Emily brought along a basket and filled it will treasures she found along the way.

Their visit reminds Mike and I of how blessed we are, as we see things through their eyes - the beauty of the area, the animals and gardens we are able to care for, and for our business which gives us the flexibility to visit with them.

Knitting and Reading

I have been working more on another Boneyard Shawl.  The bottom half I knit with some Peace Fleece yarn I dyed with golden rod last summer.  The second half is just going to be natural.

The book, Medicinal Herbs by Rosemary Gladstar, I was excited to find at the library on Monday.  Herbal healing has been a long time interest of mine.  What seems to happen so often, though, is that I get overwhelmed and don't know where to start.  This looks like a very good basic book for beginners.

I think it has motivated me to simply begin with what we do have around our homestead.

Joining in with Ginny today.