~ Scraps ~

Good Morning Friends & Folk ~

... are you ready for a clean slate? 

~ tomorrow is New Year's Eve.

... have you been thinking about the past year 

and what you would like to change for yourself in the upcoming new one?

I will be changing many things:

The way I react to things not under my control ~

 letting the Universe instead work on my behalf 

and always trusting that it knows me well enough to take the best care of me.

How I perceive my surroundings... 

how when something may look right to my eyes, 

but shows very differently to my heart & soul.

Who and what just doesn't fit in my wheelhouse any longer ~ 

that may sound harsh, but we all have our very own memories 

of events and of people ~ some that we will cherish,

 and some that just need to be let go for the betterment of all.

and It's ok to feel that way ~

 for the health of our minds, bodies, spirits and souls.

2020.

two thousand and twenty.

twenty-twenty.

it's a good number me thinks!

it's rounded out and sturdy ~ equal and balanced.

I will take all of the leftover scraps of 2019

and make something beautiful from them!!

~ scraps from both the good and the

bad things that have occurred this past year.

 I will imbue new life into them,

I will add hope, light & love 

...and forgiveness.

most of my scraps will be mended and stitched together tightly with love ~

... while others will be discarded ~ 

but thanked first for their use and the lessons I have gleaned from them.

~ some scraps will even become the stuffing for new projects! ~

filling my new year with fondness and healthy reflection.

 threadbare.

tattered.

frayed.

worthy and beautiful still....

I'm binding last year's scraps together with resilience ~

the strength of love from family and friends will never be torn or ripped apart.

~ forgiving the weaker portions of last year's seams

 and repairing what can be salvaged

but knowing what cannot be repaired will be simply left to fade away.

sturdy.

clean.

fresh.

new...

I'll add new scraps to my basket in 2020 ~ 

... filling it once again with colors and textures of my life.

always remembering that each tiny remnant 

was in my life for a purpose or greater truth...

and that lesson itself will bring me so much more peace than last year.

may the New Year for you

be filled to overflowing

with love,

 light 

prosperity

good health

positivity

 

~ and those who love you the very most.

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ The Day After Christmas ~

Hello

friends & folk!

an early evening post for you today...

a quiet, peaceful posting

after the hustle-bustle has gone away for another year ~

our little family enjoyed Shepherd's Pie for a comfort-food dinner, 

 ~ then watched old movies and classic Christmas comedies too!

Our temps here in this part of Virginia are mild ...

...  really mild ~ 60's and bright sunshine today ~

I cleaned the bathrooms, hung the laundry in the fresh breeze outside to dry

and even began my yearly purge of my sewing room ~

all with these old wavy glass windows open to let in the clean air.

I even undecorated a bit,

packing away the more 'Christmas-y' things,

and leaving more of my 'Winter-y' things out...

Every year, I force a white hyacinth bulb on my kitchen windowsill ~

the promise of longer days with every morning's sunrise!  

this window overlooks out onto the back woods behind our beloved farmhouse ~

the woods are deep and the trickling of the creek can be heard after a heavy rain.

our deer and bird friends usually visit us here

and I love watching them while washing the supper dishes ~

 

Now that the house is quiet again, 

{seems too quiet now that the kids and our grand-pups have gone}

I'll take advantage of the stillness...

~ then I will make a simple supper and sit down to stitch.

 

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ Winter Solstice ~

Happy Winter Solstice!

the days are getting longer...

Celebrate & rejoice!

Blessings from the Farm 

~ Lori

~ Wonder-land ~

Hello Friends & Folk!

and a ch-ch-chilly Good Thursday morning to you all ~

oh the woodstoves will be piping today...keeping them going is a job in and of itself!

but we 'wood' not have it any other way ~ I love the coziness of our woodstove, the tangy smell of the smoke and how it curls gently from our rooftops.

It will be a good day to do some final decorating & cleaning ~

then I will settle in for an afternoon and evening of stitching!

Each year, our little family visits the

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, VA

{  https://www.lewisginter.org }

Being that our daughter Hannah was born on December 20th,

~ it is a perfect way to celebrate! 

 

although it was only 28*, we enjoyed the brisk-ness of our annual visit...

 Each year the Garden decorates in a 'theme' with this year 2019 being "Things that Fly" ~

there were fairies, flying pigs and hot air balloons...kites and aeroplanes and flying monkeys too!

here are a few snaps of the beautiful lights...

{{ it was so cold that I hated to take off my gloves to work my iPhone }

entering the Garden Walk from the Gift Shop

a view of the 'Tree-house'

Hannah's friend Sarah, Hannah & Peter all bundled up

my Space-Cowboy lol

a fabulous view of the greenhouse, from the 'treehouse' {and Peter photo-bombing}

another view of the greenhouse...

walkway to the greenhouse...bricks engraved with names of philanthropists who support the Garden...

HUGE lighted peacock in front of the greenhouse ~

our beautiful Hannah & her sweet beau Tevin ❤

...and here we are, my hubby & me ~ in front of the towering tree in the conservatory!

 After our walk, we made our way in to the gift shop

to choose our yearly ornament ~ 

Hannah & I have been collecting one each time we visit ~

...here are a few from year's past:

 

this year, I found this sweet little Bee!

 I wish I would have taken more photos, 

but as I mentioned it was hard to remove my gloves to take a photo!

and once we got into the greenhouse, we warmed up and enjoyed the most-beautiful

room of orchids and giant hanging baskets above our heads ~ and I simply forgot to take photos!

if you're ever in the area, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is a must-see ~

any time of the year, but especially magical at Christmastime...

you won't be disappointed!!

 

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ Yuletide ~

 T'was the night before Yuletide 

.... and all through the glen

Not a creature was stirring, not a fox, not a hen.
A mantle of snow shone brightly that night
As it lay on the ground, reflecting moonlight.

The faeries were nestled all snug in their trees,
Unmindful of flurries and a chilly north breeze.
 

The elves and the gnomes were down in their burrows,
Sleeping like babes in their soft earthen furrows.

When low! The earth moved with a thunderous quake,
Causing chairs to fall over and dishes to break.
 

The Little Folk scrambled to get on their feet
Then raced to the river where they usually meet.

“What happened?” they wondered, they questioned, they probed,
As they shivered in night clothes, some bare-armed, some robed.
 

“What caused the earth’s shudder? What caused her to shiver?”
They all spoke at once as they stood by the river.

Then what to their wondering eyes should appear
But a shining gold light in the shape of a sphere.
It blinked and it twinkled, it winked like an eye,
 

Then it flew straight up and was lost in the sky.

Before they could murmur, before they could bustle,
There emerged from the crowd, with a swish and a rustle,
 

A stately old crone with her hand on a cane,
Resplendent in green with a flowing white mane.

As she passed by them the old crone’s perfume,
Smelling of meadows and flowers abloom,
Made each of the fey folk think of the spring
 

When the earth wakes from slumber and the birds start to sing.

“My name is Gaia,” the old crone proclaimed
in a voice that at once was both wild and tamed,
 

“I’ve come to remind you, for you seem to forget,
that Yule is the time of re-birth, and yet…”

“I see no hearth fires, hear no music, no bells,
The air isn’t filled with rich fragrant smells
Of baking and roasting, and simmering stews,
Of cider that’s mulled or other hot brews.”

“There aren’t any children at play in the snow,
Or houses lit up by candles’ glow.
Have you forgotten, my children, the fun
Of celebrating the rebirth of the sun?”

She looked at the fey folk, her eyes going round,
As they shuffled their feet and stared at the ground.
Then she smiled the smile that brings light to the day,
“Come, my children,” she said, “Let’s play.”

They gathered the mistletoe, gathered the holly,
Threw off the drab and drew on the jolly.
 

They lit a big bonfire, and they danced and they sang.
They brought out the bells and clapped when they rang.

They strung lights on the trees, and bows, oh so merry,
In colors of cranberry, bayberry, cherry.
 

They built giant snowmen and adorned them with hats,
Then surrounded them with snow birds, and snow cats and bats.

Then just before dawn, at the end of their fest,
Before they went homeward to seek out their rest,
 

The fey folk they gathered ‘round their favorite oak tree
And welcomed the sun ‘neath the tree’s finery.

They were just reaching home when it suddenly came,
The gold light returned like an arrow-shot flame.
 

It lit on the tree top where they could see from afar
The golden-like sphere turned into a star.

The old crone just smiled at the beautiful sight,
“Happy Yuletide, my children,” 

....she whispered. “Good night.”

Author: C.C Wiliford

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ the Little Witches Stitches Club ~

Hello friends and folk!!

exciting news and happy to announce ~ our

“Little Witches Stitches Club”

from Notforgotten Farm 

Membership opens tomorrow For our new cross stitch club for 2020! 

Membership is limited and will only run from December 15th through December 31st or until sold out ~

~ If you like to cross stitch quick projects, love spooky-sweet & friendly little Witches and decorate for the seasons, then this club is for you! 

Kits include: chart/graph, color photo, finishing instructions, DMC thread & linen. Your 1st kit includes the beautiful stained wooden Keystone paddle from Notforgotten Farm to mount your seasonal Little Witches onto so you can change them out for the Seasons ~ 

🖤✂️🧵✂️🖤✂️🧵✂️🖤 

1st kit ships January: “early Spring witch” with shamrocks and hearts

and includes paddle {shown above}

2nd kit ships April: “early Summer witch” with umbrella, raindrops and tulips

3rd kit ships July: “early Autumn witch” with American flag, acorns and leaves

4th kit ships October: “early Winter witch” with jack o lantern, Santa hat, holly & feather tree

Full year membership commitments only ~ no returns/refunds

$135.oo with Free Shipping!

Available through our ETSY shop only!

Blessings from the Farm 

~ Lori

~ Shop & Studio Open ~

Come on out to the country...
Bring your needlework and visit with me in the Studio ~
Shop with us for needlework and rug hooking supplies, finished folk art and
other needful things!

The woodstove will be piping hot, the kettle will be whistling -
Hot chocolate while you shop and create?

Come make yourself at home ~

Blessings from the Farm 

~ Lori

~ Holiday Open House ~

 Thank You 

to all who came out for a visit both Friday & Saturday

for our 11th annual Holiday Open House here at Notforgotten Farm ~

Miss Joan & Miss Janice

 Along with the open house, 

we held a two-day drop-in 'make & take' class ~

demonstrating the 'uncounted' way of cross stitch that I do...

 our little shop & studio were filled both days

 with lots of joy and laughter ~

Amy, me & Donna Rae

Amy, Becky & Donna Rae

sleepy santa

beautiful mrs. claus

♥ ~ 🌲 ~ ♥

I will be holding an Online Event this week here on the blog on the 

" FINISHED GOODS " page:

https://farmhousenotforgotten.blogspot.com/p/finished-goods-for-sale.html

 

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori