Cat Post

Well, it hasn't rained as much this weekend as the weatherman predicted. We did get a shower or two early yesterday, but the rest of the day was just cloudy. 

This morning at 5:30 when Eli, Weetie, and I went out, the temperature was 67 degrees. Is this not still February!!! No complaints here!

Look who else was out early.

Was this a thirsty cat, or a trick? "Come on fellas, don't be frightened, there's plenty of room for the three of us".

Smokey is a hunter, that's for sure, but there were no Cardinals bagged today.

Nope, he came on in the house and went to sleep. All the animals seem to like the new rug, of course!

Every morning I get up afraid of what I might find on that new rug. Are we the only folks with cats that throw up??  No one ever talks about it, so I've been afraid to mention it. 

Actually, Smokey has never ever thrown up...but the other two! Oh my gosh! Dumper throws up hairballs. Bickett throws up just because he can. He knows I'll worry that he may be hungry again, since all his food ended up on the floor, and open another can.

Here's a hint for cat owners...Cereal boxes! Especially the nice stiff ones like Wheaties and Grapenuts. Any time we empty a box I cut the front and back into four squares and keep a stack of the squares in the laundry room. Two pieces of cardboard and a plastic grocery bag is perfect for cleaning up messes, even on carpet. Just go with the grain and it comes up perfectly. Then clean the spot.

These cardboard squares also help with the litter box. Why, I don't think Bickett has ever wet in the center of the litter box. It's always on the side, covered in clumping litter.

Yes, I am talking about you too, Dumperoo!

This was Dumperoo watching the squirrels and birds just outside the sewing room this morning...

so I walked outside to see his face. Silly kitty!

These are not the greatest pictures but all I've got. Hope you're having a good Sunday.

Love,
Henny

Pantaloons and Doll making

Thank you for looking at the dolls, and I do appreciate the nice comments.  I've added them to my silly little shop.

A  couple of you were wishing that pantaloons were still in style....well...

of course, I've never been in style in my entire life. This is me wearing my latest pantaloons. These have wider legs than the others I've made.

I love wearing them with an apron, especially those new cross-back aprons that look cute with a tee shirt underneath.

and me again, a few years ago, wearing the old faded green pantaloons...showing off my new perm and trying to look, well, not so old. I've practically worn these out. 

Have you ever looked at Sarah Clemen's clothing line? Oh my goodness, I love her pantaloons and pinafores, and would own some of her outfits, but simply can't afford  them.  Here's her web site... www.sarahclemensclothing.com 
Her beautiful clothes are all linen too.

and about making those dolls...After cutting the maple sapling into 8-10" pieces and carving them into something that looks a little like a large old fashioned clothespin...

I use a small piece of muslin cloth, stuff it with cotton, and sew it over the head piece.

 I then make simple pantaloons and sew them on each doll...

and sew on a skirt, a square for the blouse, and then make the two fabric arms to match.

the yarn hair is sewn in around the face...

and I use a little hot glue to hold it in place for a ponytail...make the apron and bonnet, and then the scary part...drawing on the face, after all this time spent making the doll! 

I've simply got to get off this computer and get busy! Oh, lots of times when I don't get back to reply to comments, or post, or add something to the little shop...well, Poppy has an ebay shop and spends a lot of time taking care of that.  :)

Thanks for visiting.

Love,
Henny

Hand Made Dolls

Finally finished that little bunch of dolls I've been working on. 

they're kinda cute from the back, even if I do say so myself

and all of them wear pantaloons.

If only I could draw a prettier face. 

Wish I had kept a count of how many stick dolls I've sold, especially a few years back at the Wake Forest Farmer's Market. 

My best customers were the home schooled girls, especially when they were reading "The Little House on the Prairie" books.

Saturday mornings some of the girls would bring their dolls with them back to the market and hang around with me while their moms shopped. It was fun to see a little girl wearing a bonnet, and playing with one of the dolls.

It was fun. I've wished many times that I was still selling at the market.

I had all intentions of cutting another sapling today, but spent the whole day working in the house. Having that new rug made everything else look old and dirty. 

anyhow, I'm dying make a few more dolls. I suppose making these silly little dolls would be my favorite crafting project. Oh, and I am adding these dolls to my little shop...haven't had any there yet. 

Thanks again for visiting. Poppy needs the computer so I'll be finishing up now. 

Love,

Henny

The FedEx Package

Now about that FedEx truck that backed into the driveway yesterday. 

Friday morning as we were drinking our coffee, I said to Poppy, "you know what would look good in the living room"? He rolled his eyes, like what now! "A new rug. A dark brown, soft plush, almost a shag, and bigger than the one we have now".

It may have been the "dark brown" that sold him on the idea. We searched on-line and found the perfect one. Shoot, he said, lets go ahead and order it. 

This was on Friday, so you can see why we were so surprised to see FedEx, mid day on Saturday.

You know, I've worried constantly about how the newly upholstered chair clashed with the big bold flowery print in the rug we had in the living room, and Poppy informed me Friday morning that he never did like the fabric I picked out for the chair anyhow. Well duh! 

As much as I have loved and enjoyed the old rug, this solid color goes much better with the new chair.

It would have been much simpler to have upholstered the chair in a solid red color and keep the multi-colored rug?? But me...having a touch of Dyslexia, being a Virgo, and left-handed, and dealing with a little obsessive compulsive disorder, well, occasionally, I do get something right! :)

So, this was the big secret that created the noise yesterday. Oh, friends, today it is dark cloudy, windy, and cold, with rain showers. Spring is getting closer though.

Love,
Henny

Saturday on Henny Penny Lane

My sweetest little garden bunny says spring needs to hurry up. This is a vewy vewy cold place to wait. Bun Bun was a Christmas gift from Andee, Todd, and Madison.

..............................................................

Now isn't this par for the course...It's mid-day Saturday. Poppy is napping in front of the TV, Eli is asleep with his teddy bear on the back porch, and Weetie is curled up in her little bed beside the couch. The house is quiet and the computer sitting idle in the bedroom. 

I tip-toe quietly into the bedroom, sit down at the computer, and load three pictures, when, (pardon my language), "all hell breaks loose". There's a loud bump outside causing Poppy to jump to his feet; Weetie heads to the front door barking her head off, and Eli almost turns the cot over getting to his feet, then barrels through the back door! 

It was the FedEx truck! The large package being delivered was worth the interruption! I'll show you in a later post. 

but for now...back to waiting for spring...

My daughters know me! This very rustic little birdhouse was part of my Christmas gift from Lynn. Looks like a little house I would rent.

and this basket of little pots came with the bird house. Perfect! Just waiting for spring.

and speaking of Eli sleeping on the back porch, here's how he looked early this morning, looking through the living room window.

And later on. We're gonna whip somebody for waking up Eli!

He still loves those old teddy bears!

old sweetie pie!

Some days I just don't know what to cook for supper. Some days I'm simply cooked out! So, it will either be Chinese or Subway?? Of course, I've got to strike off to town to get the food, once we decide which. Better comb my hair and get a coat.

Hope to be back soon.

Love,

Henny

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