After the rain

Another project has been added to my 'to do' list... a little herb garden right outside the front door. 

One was started here a few years ago, but the monkey grass and weeds took over, so I gave up and covered the entire bed with pine straw. That big patch of Rosemary survived.

These pictures are nothing special...I just walked outside to have a look after the rain...

With the pollen washed away, things look fresh and clean, and green again, except for the dirt along the bottom of the well.

We woke up to wind and a much needed rain this morning.

We may have the biggest wishing well in the county! Maybe in the state! Just hope we don't have well problems any time soon. 

Coming home from town earlier I noticed that even the mud puddles on the dirt road are covered in yellow pollen.

our puny little cherry tree has white blossoms.

and Smokey, unconcerned about it all. This was yesterday, before the rain.

Hope to work on the herb garden tomorrow. Lying awake last night, I planned it out and decided on the herbs I want.

Need to work on the new apron a bit, so I will say goodnight...

Love,
Henny

Moping around

Dear Friends,

Maybe it's because of spring and this pretty weather we are having, or maybe it's that Poppy is home more, I just don't know, but I am having a heck of a time blogging lately.

Have I simply blogged out? Sure hope not! You friends are always on my mind and your comments mean the world to me.

So, still trying, here's my little post for today...

I did wish on a dandelion puffball earlier that the teeny tiny greenhouse was sparkling clean again...

then marched myself back to the house and fixed a bucket of hot soapy water...

and what a difference that made...

We have dark, stormy looking clouds rolling around today, in fact, Eli and I were coming back from our walk when we heard a loud rumble of thunder. Didn't take me long to get us back inside!

Maybe spring fever is my problem. Why, lately I can't even get into sewing at night...and that new apron pattern, well...whoever heard of putting darts in an apron. :)

The pattern is simply adorable though...

and one apron is almost finished, darts and all, in the fabric with little birds, and with the heart shaped bib. Making these should get easier after doing a few. You see, I am not a gifted seamstress, I have work at this. 

Better get supper started. Thank you for putting up with me and this blog!

Love,
Henny  

Funny, the dictionary says a moping person is usually frowning, slouched over, quiet, and maybe even lying down. Sounds just like me, except for the lying down part. :) It will be better soon.

Back to spring again!

We have had fierce winds lately. Cleaning up around the teeny tiny greenhouse the other day, I happened to see this little bird's nest dangling from a limb high up in a tree, barely hanging on.

The winds did not give up, but blew until the little nest broke lose and fell to the ground. 

The sweet little nest has a bit of Eli's hair woven in. I'm wondering if it was built this year, it looks fresh and clean. Poor little bird...all that work. Does it look like a hummingbird's nest?

Looking through the woods at the long legged tower. I had planned to move that tall lanky thing without mentioning it to Poppy, but wow, is it ever heavy, and awkward!!  

I can just see myself lifting that heavy thing and then losing my balance and crashing into something!

So, to balance things out a little, I've moved this old arbor up to the playhouse. All it needs is a pretty vine, one that will grow in the shade. The entrance!

You know, I mentioned how Poppy is working more in the yard now. The first of the week he helped get the compost bin back in shape.

This compost bin was once two raised beds, back before we fenced in a garden spot. It was hard keeping the chickens out of the compost, so I built that nice looking top one day, all by myself. :)

For months we've been emptying kitchen scraps, cardboard, grass clipping, and old straw to the compost bin without ever turning it. It was a mess!

Then, by cracky! on Wednesday Poppy tilled the whole garden! All this help, folks!!! Why, I don't know how to act!

and today, the first pitiful looking little plants. These are six "stir-fry broccoli" plants. Poppy is working today, so I set out the plants.

Today was simply beautiful and the weather people talk like we may be done with winter this time. 

I found the cute bunnies in the little Salvation Army Thrift Store yesterday. Only .49 cents each.

Oh my, and I found the cutest new apron pattern and two pretty pieces of fabric...in Walmart. I've cut out one apron and can hardly wait to get it finished and show you.

Thank you looking in today.

Love,
Henny

Company on Sunday

Sure didn't mean to be gone so long. The days simply fly, don't they! Six days since my last post. That's just crazy!

Since Poppy works only two days a week now, and both those days are short days, well, things are busier here. It's good having his help in the yard, so I don't dare mention coming in to get on the computer.

Good grief! I can hardly remember anything since last Friday. On Sunday, our Daughter Lynn and her friend Jason came to visit. No, they didn't bring their guitars this time, but Jason did bring his Drone. That was the neatest thing!!

we looked up a lot, waaay up!

I had no idea!!! It was simply amazing!!!

this was lift off! 

Lynn sure made that old swing look pretty, didn't she? Anyway, we enjoyed their visit.

Thank you for visiting. I will be around to catch up, again! :) 

Love,
Henny

my kitty cat picture for the day...

Smokey grew into a big kitty cat!

Sewing with mama and me

For the first time, there was one bloom on each of the two pear trees we planted about four years ago. :(

A teeny tiny post this morning before daylight.

The darned clock alarmed at 4:15 am and with the time change still so new, well, it felt every bit like 3:15 am. 

Poppy is off to work and I've done the usual straightening up in the house.

Two of the four aprons are finished. I kind of like this old fashioned calico...or do the two fabrics clash?

and this one...

This was a large piece of fabric so I used it all at one sitting.

Aprons need nice roomy pockets, don't you agree? I ran short on bias tape and had to make more for this one. These two will go in Henny's shop. Why does saying that embarrass me?

Mama is on my mind a lot at night in my little sewing room. You see, when mama was sitting at her sewing machine, I was standing there watching her every move. 

Mama never used straight pins to pin the pattern pieces to the fabric, she used, as she called them, case knives. And mama cut the notches in, not out, as the pattern instructs. I watched too as she cut strips of fabric to make bias tape.

This was me in third grade and I vividly remember mama making this dress. The dress was dark brown, the yoke brown and white checks, and the trim, white eyelet. The wide sash was brown checks too. She also made a matching dress for my doll. 

Here I am in first grade. Mama made this dress too...pale yellow with white trim and always, always, the dresses had puffed sleeves and wide sashes, and were starched and ironed to perfection.

I was rarely far from mama's side. Why I remember one time bending over to pick up something off the kitchen floor and when I stood up, was under mama's skirt. She smoothed her skirt down and said, "oh, for goodness sakes"!! I must have been under her feet all the time!


Mama was a jewel, and her name was Jewel.

Bluegrass music is my favorite and it plays at night in the teeny tiny sewing room. My favorite is "Medals for Mothers" by Rhonda Vincent. I'm not good at adding a video like that, so maybe you could check it out on youtube. 

Better get busy. I'm stepping out today. Going to see my sister, Shelby. We are going to a couple of thrift stores, then shop around in Costco and eat lunch there...I can tell you right now that I'm having a large slice of pizza. The largest slice on the pan! period! 

Thank you for visiting. I will be around to catch up with your posts. Gosh, it's hard keeping up now. Poppy's retiring has really thrown a wrench into the works! :) Gotta have something to blame my slackness on. 

Love,
Henny

Oops! This was supposed to be a teeny tiny post. 

Snow on the peach tree

Explaining and apologizing keeps me busy lately, well, not just lately.

Been thinking about that big red barn I wished for, and actually, any kind of old barn would do. As long as it is standing, and sturdy enough to hold hay.

Here it is...that cold and snow we've been hearing about for over a week now...

buds on the snowball bush...

There's not enough sheets and blankets in the house to cover everything, so we'll just see what happens... 

two cardinals in the cherry tree

Sunday afternoon nap time for Poppy and Eli means a minute of peace and quiet.

Why, here they are yesterday when I  tried to sit down at the computer, which is on the desk right next to the bed...

Smokey too!

After supper last night I did spend an hour in the sewing room...

Ugh, this chair really needs new fabric on the seat. I will get that done soon!

It took exactly one hour to make these three pieces of bias tape...well, to stitch together, fold, press, and wind on cards. I had cut the strips earlier.

Got four aprons cut out, so now I can sew again.

Oh, I am so tickled to have three new followers. Thank you, Felicity, Jessi, and Stephanie. I'm sure some of you who read my blog never got a 'thank you'...please, just consider the source. I appreciate you all so very much. Never in a million years would I have dreamed of having 104 special friends! 

Okay, I've had a nice long time here on my blog with no movement, or any noise in the house. How much longer could this peace and quiet last? Eli will be around nudging my elbow any minute now...he can tell time, you know.

Be back soon!

Love,
Henny

One more thing...Thank you for the comments on my bunny post. Guess I won't get around to replying to each, so, thank you!

Happenings on Henny Penny Lane today

Sure could use a little cheering up this morning :(  Don't know why, really, unless it's this crazy weather. Snow? Now? 

Duck said she thought for sure spring was here. Why, I've got a nest in the grass by the pond, she said. Got a couple of eggs there too! 

The guineas four, wondered why duck was concerned about snow. What is snow anyway, asked one of the four.

Nothing to worry yourselves about, spoke the Rooster, except it gets pretty darn cold. Why, see the black on my comb...cold weather. Yep, it happened back in January, that night the temperature dropped to 9 degrees. I'll never forget it. Like to have froze to death that night.

You see fellows, mom's worried that the snow and freezing temperatures will kill all those tender leaves the plants put out during February. 

Yikes! Snow? asked Fiona. Well I certainly hope you're going to town for a bale of hay. This clay floor gets really cold.

What's this? A community meeting? Not to worry bunnies. Hay is on my list! Your little feet will stay warm.

By the way friends, have I shown you the remodeled bunny condos? Lowes Home Improvements had the black metal fence sections, $24.95 for a set of two. The 10' x 10' lot is now sectioned into three pens. I wired one section of each set to the fence so it swings open and shut...like a door. We love it!

Sweet Penny, looking a little forlorn, is getting special attention these days. You see, a few weeks ago, she gave birth to one baby bunny, that died.  The baby seemed unusually large. 

Anyhow, Penny had pulled out lots of her fur to make the nest soft. She is doing better now and eating lots of healthy foods. Walmart carries a new bunny food called "Menu". The main ingredient is Timothy hay. The bunnies love it!

home again, home again, with the bale of hay...

Doesn't the pen look warm and cozy with the sun warming the soft hay? Why I could cuddle up with little Penny and take a nap.

why do I love hay so much?

warm, sweet smelling hay...

if I could have anything I wanted, anything my heart desired, right now, I would ask for a big red barn. A red barn with a hay loft full of fresh, sweet smelling hay and have that barn placed right here on our little piece of property.

Better finish up here. Poppy and Eli are both asleep, but it is time for Eli's walk...he never lets us forget that either...rain or shine!

Thank you, my friends.

Love,
Henny