Those darn old leaves

Poppy thanks you for the many birthday wishes! 

He also said, referring to the picture I posted, "Mel! you need to ask me before posting a picture of me! That picture is awful! Looks just like I am an invalid"!  It's okay though, he got over it. 

and speaking of Poppy, he kept his word and helped me rake leaves...this was Saturday.

he raked AND used the leaf blower...starting way back there...

it was slow going...

and as the piles got too big and heavy to blow...

I raked them onto a tarp...

A mule's harness would have helped.

A few times, he had stop and help me pull the heavier loads.

We talked about not raking this back section any more, from the porch down to the pond, but remembered how bad the ticks used to be. Why, you couldn't go outside without getting several tick bites. It was awful!

And here, at the opposite end, is where we quit for the day.  Reminds me a little of the old farmer holding the pitchfork in that famous painting. 

Dumping that last load!

Leaf dump site!

What could be more boring than a leaf post. You're probably as sick of hearing about leaves as I am! 

Yesterday and now again today...it's freezing cold!! I've just come in from feeding the animals and breaking up buckets of ice, and my hands feel frozen too. It's 25 out there!

Hope to be back soon...with a cheery, colorful post!!

Love,

Henny

Explaining again

Oh my goodness, "THANK YOU" to my new followers.

Why, I could just squeeze Lynn for ever saying, "Mom, I think you would enjoy having a blog". 

Never, ever, dreamed that anyone would find me and my blog, or come back, if they did find me! So, thank you. I appreciate your friendship so much! I needed a friend, and just look what I've gotten.

Yesterday was Poppy's birthday. This is his birthday cake. He wanted to eat at the Remington Grill in town, so we did. He had a grilled rib eye steak sandwich and I had a hamburger. Then we came home and had a big piece of the cake. 

He said, "you're not serious", when I handed him the cake...referring to the size. "Well, I've cut myself a piece the same size", I told him. Neither of us left so much as a crumb for the chickens.

speaking of chickens...

The hens have decided to lay again, and it's about time. They have been eating us out of house and home for the last three months and not laying. Seems good to have four dozen eggs in the refrigerator again.

The snow has melted, and this morning brought rain and high winds.

and this afternoon, would you just look at the sunshine! The cats must have found their way to the back porch as I left the door opened. It is an unbelievable 69 warm degrees. 

Thank you for the comments too. I'm still trying to reply, especially, to those who visit but don't have a blog. I figure, those who do blog, I can visit you there. Hummm, did I say all that right?

Thank you!

Love, 

Henny  

Our big snow!!

We got snow!!! An unbelievably beautiful snow. I know this is no big deal for a lot of you who see this all winter, but for us, well...

It was yesterday and we were really beginning to wonder if was going to snow...then about 10:00 am started.

It snowed and snowed and snowed! and funny thing is, the temperature stayed at 33.3 degrees all day, so lots of snow fell before it began to stick.

then like magic...

everything began to turn white.

Snow was falling mid afternoon when we carried Eli outside

but was still not very deep

at 10:00 when we went to bed it was snowing...twelve hours the snow fell.

Then first thing this morning when I looked out the kitchen window...

 the birds had gathered in the same spot but all the seed was covered.

the sun came out...

casting an orange glow on the snow covered trees and on Eli

Then late this afternoon...

Eli, Weetie, and I walked in the edge of the woods along the property line.

We saw deer tracks and other funny little footprints in the snow. Eli followed a few with his nose to the ground.

and last, and least too...

little snow blossoms.

Okay, this is my big snow post for the year. Tonight the weatherman said we can expect warmer than normal temperatures for the rest of January. Isn't that something!

Thank you for visiting. Hope I didn't scare you away with too many pictures. 

Love,
Henny

Oh dear me! I've simply got to get back in the sewing room. There are bonnets  to be made, and new aprons to add to the shop, and dolls to finish.

January and February are not exactly my favorite months of the year!

I did manage to pull out the old work  baskets yesterday, and again today...

I made a new door to the guinea lot. The old door was in a tight spot, and a real pain to go in and out, especially if carrying feed or bucket of water. 

and finally got around to cutting down another skinny little maple sapling to use for doll sticks...

we sat on the old bench down near the pond.

Eli was asleep on the porch, so Weetie stood guard as I sawed and sanded...

Friday, my cousin Pat stopped in to see us. We were glad to see her, but my goodness, Eli was more than excited...

He was sure her visit was just to see him.

You've probably heard that we have snow coming tomorrow. Yep, the weather man said there is a 98% chance that right in this very spot...there will be snow. 

Okay, I'm off to the sewing room. Hopefully, I will do more than stand and stare at the fabric in the closet. 

Love,

Henny

Tan and White...afghans and goats

I do appreciate the comments and suggestions on the Swedish woven afghan.

Last night, I spent a good two hours in the sewing room with the afghan spread out on the cutting table; searching and studying, counting stitches, and with yarn and needle tried every step, but nothing fit or worked.

I did see lots of mistakes made by me several years ago, trying to finish the afghan without mama's help...it had to be me!  So, I'm thinking about taking out all stitches, back to where mama left off. 

Then I looked at the back side of this afghan  and goodness, those long stitches (some of my work) are not supposed to be there!

Anyhow, with time to think last night in the sewing room, with just me and memories of mama...I recalled just how much of the afghan mama actually did. After supper, she would say, "while you wash dishes. I'll work on your afghan, if you don't mind".  Had mama been able, she would have been right there with her hands in the dish water, but she was using a walker then and having problems with her legs. I was tickled to have her work on the afghan. 

Looking back, mama was probably shaking her head and thinking..."Melba will never learn to do this Swedish weaving"! and she was right. 

So, I do appreciate the offers of help, and hopefully will get the afghan finished.

Okay, enough on that...

Have you wondered about little Rosie lately? Rotten Rosie. Wondering if she was lonely?You know, she has been alone since Asa, the other little black goat died. 

Well, lonely no more...meet Heidi...

Heidi came home from Durham with me on Tuesday. 

Does Rotten Rosie appreciate Heidi? No! Rosie has been very ugly to Heidi, butting her and pushing her around.

and Heidi is a very sweet humble little goat who would not hurt a flea. 

Eli likes Heidi. Worried, I called the girls, friends of my sister Shelby, who gave me Heidi and they told me not to worry, Rosie and Heidi will work things out. You just stay out of it, they told me.  So I've been trying. 

Can you believe we have the heat cut off and the back door opened?? It may reach 70 tomorrow, with a chance of thunderstorms!

Thank you friends, if you have managed to stay this long.

Hope to be back soon.

Love,

Henny

  

Feeling happy

Dear friends,

Today has been wonderful!! We woke up to a cold 18 degrees, but by lunch time the temperature was above freezing. First time in 209 hours! By 4:00 it was a wonderful warm 45 degrees! 

There was sunshine too a good part of the day. I hung Eli's damp frozen blankets on the clothesline to air and dry out.

  Even the birds seemed happier.

Back on November 20th, Sandra at prairiepatchquilts.blogspot.com did a post on Swedish Weaving. I was so excited because I've never known anybody except my mother who did Swedish Weaving, or as mama called it, Swedish Darning.

I have searched the house over looking for the red Swedish Darning afghan mama made for me, and cannot find it, but I do have the one I was working on before mama died. She was teaching me...

It was so close to being finished...just 6 or 8  inches left at the bottom, then make the fringe.  

The sad part is, I can't figure out now, how to finish it. The instructions are very difficult...to me, anyhow. Let me show you. These are in mama's handwriting...

Mama used to cut all the lengths of yarn she would need and put the yarn in envelopes marked Row 1, Rows 2 & 3, Rows 3 & 4, and so forth.

Many many times while working on my afghan, a row would get to looking off. Mama would notice it and say, here, let me go back to where you made the mistake...she would sit and patiently take out stitches and get me going again. 

It has been at least 12 years now and I could never figure out from these instructions, how to make those last rows of stitching. 

Mama also made Shelby an afghan, and made all of her granddaughters afghans, and several of her nieces. 

I hope that you will check out Sandra's blog. She has made several beautiful afghans, or throws, (mama always called them afghans) using pretty colors and patterns.

Guess that's about it. Oh, except for this...

This clean white bedspread was washed and dried and put on the bed this morning. But that's okay. These kitty cats earn their keep. Why, Smokey brought us a little mouse one day last week. Left it right at the front door. Made me feel really sad, but I didn't tell him. 

Love,

Henny