Ideas!

From the kitchen window...

My plan this morning was to take care of the animals, straighten the house, you know; make the bed, put the dishes away, clean the litter boxes, sweep the kitchen, then go straight up to the garden and set out two more "Rose of Sharon trees". So far, I've planted four!

Oh friends, the idea hit me a few nights ago, in the middle of the night, of course, when all the world around me was sleeping peacefully...

"Plant a hedge, a privacy hedge, using all those Rose of Sharon trees in pots up at the garden"!

Why, I thought daylight would never come, so I could get started on that hedge!

Couldn't find a good picture to show you, but see the dirt path there behind Poppy? Well, it doesn't show in the picture, but there is a good wide space between the garden fence and the road, and also a wide open view from the road to our house.

A hedge of "Rose of Sharon", planted two feet apart would not only block the view, but be pretty, and cost us nothing! I've been potting  little Rose of Sharon sprouts that come up and some of them actually bloomed last summer. Rose of Sharon is a fast grower. 

Anyhow, my plan changed early this morning when I looked out and saw the rain. Where did this rain come from? It's cold, it's windy, and it's raining again! 

So, maybe tomorrow I can add two more little trees to the hedge.

Sorry to always be showing you views from the kitchen, but it seem there is always activity out there. What ever would I do without my little kitchen window...

Looks like we need new rope for the swing, and definitely a new clothesline. Poppy recently asked me why the clothesline was sagging??

Better get the supper dishes washed.  Thank you, and I hope to be back soon.

Love,
Henny

Oh wow!! I have two new followers. Thank you so much!! 

Let me clear this up, right now! :)

Poppy was reading my most recent post today and when he got to the part about him and the computer, he said, "Mel, your blogging friends are going to think that I stay on the computer". "You know good and well there are times when you are outside doing something that doesn't have to be done, that you could be on the computer working on your blog". 

Poppy does sell on ebay and checks often to see if an item has sold...but it's my fault if I don't get to the computer...I'm such a mouse!

and seeing as I'm here anyway...

It is still too cold to hang around up at the playhouse, but wanted to show you a thing or two. Way back last summer, Linda at lindaletters.blogspot.com ( one of my favorite blogs) suggested hanging an old mirror on a wall at the playhouse. Well, I loved the idea and have looked for one every time I've been in a thrift store.

Recently in The Salvation Army store a clerk put out this yellow sun mirror. It's not old, but I kinda like it. Thank you Linda for the idea.

and the pretty hearts, I bought in Virginia when I visited my daughter Andee...and had to drive across that scary bridge and go through that underwater tunnel. 

Anyhow, that's it for tonight. Poppy got four more big sweetgum logs split today and we stacked the wood on the porch to be used next winter.

Thank you friends! Hope to be back soon.

Love,
Henny

 

A quick visit

Let a little ray of sunshine come through the clouds and I go crazy! Really, I do. 

The sun came out this morning after a full day of falling snow yesterday. There was no accumulation, but still, it was blustery and cold, and on top of all that I had a dentist appointment.

So when the sun came up this morning, way before 8:00, I was out with my bucket of feed. The chicken lot was as muddy as a hog pen, and the teeny tiny goat barn looked just about as bad. Goats don't come out when it's raining or snowing, so you can imagine the mess they were standing in.

By 12:00 noon I had covered the muddy chicken lot with eight big loads of leaves, and spread dry straw inside their house...then moving on to the goat barn, I cleaned out both sections then added fresh clean straw for them to sleep on, then scrubbed and refilled all the water buckets. Whew!

Back inside at noon, Poppy said, come here a minute! Watch that little chickadee. He's pulling the stuffing out of Eli's teddy bear.

It was the sweetest thing! We were amazed at the amount of stuffing that little bird flew away with. Wish we could see the nest. Won't those tiny baby chickadees have a cozy one.

Guess who else was watching, and chomping at the bit to get out. The smart little bird ignored him and kept right on working.

Remember the new cross-back apron pattern...

I finished one last night.

It was a fun pattern to make, if you enjoy sewing on bias tape...which I do.

Oh friends, I stress over not being able to post every day, or read every new post on all my favorite blogs every day. I love and enjoy your comments so very much, but lately there's not time to reply, even to those without blogs. Feels like all my blogging friends are out there visiting and having fun, and I'm here cleaning up messes. :)  There really is less time on the computer, now that Poppy works only two, six hour days a week. "sigh"

Thanks for lending an ear. He's watching basketball, so I just might be over to visit and leave a comment. 

Love,
Henny

Blizzard to Spring this week

Okay, I started this post last Monday...I think?? wasn't it Monday that our little blizzard blew through, freezing everything? 

Since the end of February this little peach tree has been through warm sunny days, cold wet days, freezing rain, high winds, sleet, and now snow.

 The flowering quince

and icy buttons on the button bush.

new growth on the rose bushes

I felt like covering everything with warm blankets...but it was just so overwhelming!

From the kitchen window. Funny how the birds hide in the trees and then magically reappear when I come back in the house.

Bound and determined to publish this post, here it is Friday evening and still not finished. 

Snow on Monday, springtime yesterday and today. Unbelievable! I've been outside most of the day. Had to make myself come inside to start supper.

Poppy called me to the window! Would you look at Smokey! This is the tree where the baby squirrels, and a Pileated woodpecker lived. He came down empty-handed, thank goodness.

and curled up on the couch. This leather couch takes a beating from the animals. It needs a rich creamy conditioner. :(

Thank you for putting up with me. 

Love,

Henny

News from the teeny tiny sewing room...

A ray of sunshine would be nice, but we might as well forget that, for today anyway. In fact, we could possibly get a little  snow. Imagine that! How sad for the tender young flower shoots and buds that have come out. Why even the Peonies are about a foot tall...and we still have at least three more nights of freezing weather before a little warm up.

I've been piddling around in the sewing room at night...working on three more dolls, and cutting out a few aprons.

A lady from up the road called and asked if I had any dolls made. A friend of her's saw the one she bought at the Christmas Bazaar and liked it. Anyhow, she came and bought three more.

Also have finished, finally, that blue calico cross-back apron. It only needed the straps sewn in the back, and it had been like this for weeks. 

So, it can now go in the little Henny shop.

I had looked at this pattern several times in Walmart thinking it was cute, but had never picked it up and looked at the back view until last week...

To my surprise, it's a cross-back apron! I bought it!

So, I've cut out one from the black and white cherry fabric. Have also cut out a cross-back apron (my pattern) from the chicken fabric.

While I'm on a roll, might as well show you this bright green one!

finished plain, without the ruffle. Got to thinking, some folks might not like a ruffle on an apron.

Shelby and Jimmy (my sister and brother-in-law) 

plan to stop selling at the farmer's market this spring. Shelby and I want to get back into craft bazaars. There are some good ones around Durham. We used to really enjoy doing those together. One reason for my spending more time in the sewing room lately!

and this big boy! Why, my sells might increase if there wasn't always a kitty cat sitting at the sewing machine. I've noticed on places like ebay, where folks note on what they are selling, "from a smoke free, pet free home". Well we have a smoke free home but certainly not a pet free home!

Wow! I started this post to talk about this cold winter-like weather and the poor pitiful tender plants and flowers, and look how it's turned out.

 And, will this cold rain ever stop? We've got red muddy water running in streams down the side road and into the pond! and cold winter weather has been back for weeks now! That's okay though. We do have a lot to be thankful for. A lot!!

Thank you...if you're still here. :)

Love,

Henny

We have a name!

Bun Bun (Dad)

Penny (Mom)

I sure meant to get back here yesterday, but had a dozen things to do.

After finishing the usual morning stuff; feeding animals, making the bed, putting dishes away,  cleaning out litter boxes, and sweeping, I got myself halfway decent and drove to Henderson. Poppy had prescriptions ready to pick up. Went from there on to buy groceries, then to the feed store. 

Anyhow, you know how that goes...get home with a load of groceries and feed, and it's like fighting fire with gasoline to get things unloaded and put away, and then there's supper to cook.

"Chief, Son of Bun"

There were more comments and more bunny names to add to the list...some very cute names...

Sunflower, Sunny, Chief Thumpalot, Braveheart, & Karrot

But, the name that has stuck with me and makes me smile every time I say it, is..."Chief, Son of Bun".  There were others who commented that this name made them laugh. So, thank you Bonnie! It's perfect!

Thank you all! I appreciate your friendship so much. I will be around to visit and catch up.

Love,

Henny

Which one!!

Dear friends,

A big "thank you" for all the special names you came up with for our little Indian bunny. 

The names are so cute. Makes me laugh to read them...

Tonto

Chief Runs with Carrots

Feather

Chief

Tom Tom

Chief Brown Eyes

Cochise

Chief Son of Bun

Yuma (means, Son of Chief)

Chief Powder Puff

Chief Funny Bunny

This post was to tell you his name, but, I love them all...so, I'll think on it again tonight. Good grief! I never was one who could make a decision! 

His baby picture...before the full headdress.

Better get supper finished. It's about time for Poppy, but I shall return!

Thank you! 

Love,

Henny

Here on Henny Penny Lane

 Just wondering if it's as hard for you to find time to post as it is for me. Seems there is always something more important waiting to be done! 

About three days ago I started a post using this picture, taken early morning after getting an inch of rain. The sun was peeping through a dark cloudy sky.

The high winds yesterday dried things out quickly, but left the yard strewn with sticks and limbs. We spent a good part of this morning cleaning up.

Speaking of sticks and limbs, my scrawny little vase of blooms. I pruned the peach tree and could not bear to throw away the pieces with pink buds. 

and here too.

I've been meaning to show you Bun Bun and Penny's baby...how big he has grown...

Isn't he a cutie pie? and he stood right up to have his picture taken.  A funny bunny too. He told me he wants to be an Indian chief. 

I mean, being born with a natural Indian headdress and all. He says he wants a real Indian name. I'm just stumped! Any suggestions, please? This boy needs a name.

And, here's the recipe for the peanut brittle, that turned out right!

Doc's Peanut Brittle

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. white corn syrup

1/4 c. water

2 c. raw peanuts

1 tsp. soda

Cook sugar, water, and corn syrup together in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan until it forms a thread. Add raw peanuts, stirring continuously, until mixture turns light brown. Remove from heat; add soda and stir well. Spread on buttered cookie sheet. Let cool, then break.

Well finally, a finished post, "such as it is", as mama used to say.

Hope to be back soon!

Love,

Henny