Notforgotten Farm

Thursday, October 29, 2026

~ Jingle Tree & Frosty's Mitten ~

Hello Friends & Folk!

can you believe it is the END of October?

(me either)
it's crazy how time is flying by...marching on...skedaddling away!

Ya'll know I love my Autumn/Fall/Halloweeeeen and how I look forward to it each and every year (actually in January I begin drifting back into an October mindset,
just the New England girl in me I suppose)

well anyhoo, here I am offering two winter/christmas things!
I actually hooked these last year, and didn't get a chance to make them into patterns...
but I did now and I just listed their patterns in my etsy shop ~
look under my 'rug hooking patterns' section in my shop.

This one is called
"Jingle Tree"
small, fun & quick to hook..perfect scrap buster too!
only approx. 8-1/2" x 11"
paper/mailed or pdf download.

this one is called "Frosty's Mitten
another small project to hook, only approx 7" x 11"
so many color possibilities with this one,
(I love that cinnamon red though)

I guess I'm 'Christmassy'
because I'm preparing for our annual
Christmas Open House
here at the farm shop/studio on Saturday December 5th
and I have my hands in wools, threads and other various fibers
~ as I'm working on finished goods to be available then.

I hope you can come by for a cheerful visit with us this year!

I post everyday (pretty much) on FB & IG
but
I do miss the comfortable,
familiar feeling of sitting down here for a bit of chatting
(or venting, or just sharing everyday stuff)

I'm very thankful for those of you who do still visit my blog.
gosh I was a great way for me to keep track of things and visit memories of the not so very past ~

I am though, turning off the comments section.
...there are so many whackos, robots and AI generated crap that I have to look through just to see your comments, and it takes ALOT of time.

I certainly hope you don't mind and that makes you leave.

well, back to making supper ~
I put on a pot of fresh tomato sauce from our last tomatoes
(and some previously frozen/fresh from earlier this summer)...
we'll have some ravioli and crusty bread, then after dishes we will go for our evening walk.

talk again soon!

Blessings from the Farm
~ Lori

Thursday, October 01, 2026

~ October Arrives ~

Hello Friends & Folk ~

...and a very merry October to us all!!

〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰

All year long,
I await it's arrival,
this month of merriment and mayhem and mirth!

yes, October is 'home' to Hallowe'en ~
but it is also a door that is now ajar to an other-worldly place

...somewhere between Summer and Winter where the days are shorter
and mornings are now more crisp
like these first few fallen leaves
scattered along my woodland path.

October just 'does' it for me.

the colors.

the wind.

the scents.

the longing for old ways and old friends.

~ memories of lost family members and times gone-by.

Living on this old farm, in this old farmhouse for the past 23 Octobers
has taught me many valuable lessons that I never knew I needed to learn.
Slowing down, living purposefully and being present have been the top three ~

but lessons like;
living within your harvest,
using old things that are still good things,
making home cooked meals from home grown food,

and creating....something. Anything. Everyday....

and treating myself kinder and gentler,
those are the gifts that living here have taught me well.

〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰
~ Seasons Change for Reasons ~
...and nothing ever stays the same.
This August, I celebrated 4 full years of sobriety.
for too many years I selfishly numbed myself of
resurfacing memories from childhood and young adulthood.
~ there was abuse from many outside forms,
that a child couldn't understand or deal with, or have to.

Using alcohol and anxiety medication left me empty, and in turn,
left my family hurt from the pain I was unintentionally inflicting in them
while my struggling soul was lost in artificial 'happiness'.

I was spiritually missing when they needed me.

The death of my mother in '24 was the worst.

it truly broke me.
my heart shattered and my mind raced with anxiety.

I felt more alone, lost, angry, hurt and sad than I can ever remember feeling.
Again I became the mad, angry 'person' that I was trying so hard to not be.

I was truly a mess, but I didn't turn to anything fake for help...

I turned to my family,to those I've hurt... asking for for help and understanding,
and I've been blessed with forgiveness, deep love and kindness from them as their gift in return.

〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰
I am healing now.
slowly,
surely I am changing.

I am creating more than I ever have,
in old and new mediums ~

I'm learning new things about myself,
about who I was,
who I am
and who I want to be.

I'm loving myself more.
and I'm letting go of everything that was keeping my soul angry, hardened and scared.

〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰〰

I went for a walk this morning in our deep woods...
it was 56º and the sun was warm
And for the very first time in my adult life I felt such a sense of clarity ~

like the endless clear blue sky of a bright new October morning,

so ripe and full,
like golden apples filled with new possibilities.

Blessings from the Farm
~ Lori

Tuesday, August 18, 2026

~ Christmas Open House 2026 ~

Hello friends & folk!

and a happy hot, muggy August Tuesday evening to us all....
a perfect time to advertise for our annual

Christmas Open House

to be held on

Saturday, December 5th 2026

from 10:00 ~ 4:00

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

...just like last year's open house,
there will be no stitch'in going on...
we will simply be open for your shopping pleasure and a bit of celebrating together
before the holidays are upon us.

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

as always, the shop & studio will be decorated for Christmas an Winter ~

and be stocked with patterns & supplies for your needlework:
• CROSS STITCH • EMBROIDERY • PUNCH NEEDLE •
RUG HOOKING • APPLIQUE • NEEDLEFELTING • HAND QUILTING

we will also have some finished primitive goods, and new candles!

Looking forward to seeing you then!

❤

Blessings from the Farm

~ Lori