~ Simple Sunday Musings ~

 and a happy, rainy March Sunday to you all....

I hope you are all happy and healthy!

I have been enjoying the slowness and purposefulness 

that we have been having to deal with lately ~

rethinking the way we have to go about our everyday life and avoid contact with the masses.

I myself am a rather private person,

and have always preferred quiet moments to those more boisterous ones.

{although, my close friends will tell you that I do have fun in groups of like-minded kindred souls!}

Peter and I have been healing from the flu ~ and actually ventured out to the market and feed store yesterday to pick up a few needed items for the barn and farmhouse...

we were expecting the stores to be barren; the roads to be deserted ~

but they were not!

the market was open and fully stocked.

the feed store had everything our fur & feathered friends needed.

the roads were a bit lighter traffic-wise than usual, but still people were going bout their business,

albeit with care and genuine concern for their fellow neighbor.

wouldn't it be something....

if this health-scare could actually heal us more than hurt us?

perhaps heal our weary souls and bodies by allowing a little time for mindfullness

~ instead of selfishness? what if we stopped thinking about ourselves all the time and actually paid attention to the needs of family, friends and neighbors

 instead of being in some sort of opinionated competition with them?

that really would be something.

I'm limited right now as to how much I can physically do

while I heal from the flu....I'm weak, but chores still call and daily life goes on...

laundry to be done, floors to be swept, food to be prepared and animals to be cared for.

I do what I can do,

but then I have to rest....

so then I turn to my stitching and my iPad, 

specifically Pinterest for inspiration and beauty.

...here are a few favorite antique samplers I found today;

simple acts.   simple thoughts.   simple living.

hot tea. soups. a good scrub with soap and water. being in the moment.

genuine concern for all. be kinder than you have to. 

be kinder still.

Blessings from the Farm 

~ Lori

~ Crafty Saturday and so much more! ~

~ Hello Friends and Folk ~

... Happy Sunday to you all!

We enjoyed a fun day here in the Studio yesterday ~
I can't tell you how much I enjoy this group of girls ♥ when we get together,
... we just never know what will happen!

Janice and Anita have been knitting and crocheting.
I have mentioned how many times before that I cannot knit but I can crochet {a little}?
well Janice took me under her wing yesterday and showed me how to crochet...
but we'll get to that in a little bit ~

Here is my sweet Janice working on the cutest little crocheted trees:

she brought along with her some extra yarn and hooks for me to try...

and knowing how much I want to make a granny square afghan, 

she also brought this book for me to look through :)

here she is showing her knitting skills below ~

wow!!

my dear Anita worked her needles too...

these two sisters have such talent ~

when this Tribe of creative women gathers together, 

they bring with them more than their bags and baskets of works-in-progress...

the always bring with them cheerfulness, friendship and positiveness ~

and I love them for that.

...way to go Anita!

our talented and funny friend Sharon can do so many types of crafting...

beading, needlework, and...

~ knitting and crocheting too!
{I can't knit with two straight needles, let alone two needles attached to each other!}

just look at the beautiful hats she is knitting for a very lucky recipient ~

again, here are more of their bags and baskets full of supplies, 

and projects for show 'n tell....

we don't travel lightly!

Miss Joan was working on a 'secret' project that she kindly declined to share, 

but you will all see it soon enough.

in the meantime, 

she brought along a few of her own antique needlework for us to drool over ~

I just love the old motto samplers...

Joan loves to hunt for needlework treasures {don't we all?}

and came upon this set of 4 needlepointed coasters ~

we never know what our wonderful friend Nancy will bring along with her...

but we can expect nothing but stitchy-goodness of some kind!

here is her applique from Rebeka L. Smith's newest book:

Nancy loves her horses and this project resembles

 her gorgeous Frisian-girl "Vrome"

see those wrap bracelets? yep. Nancy made them...

our entire tribe is addicted to beading now too ~ we love everything! 

I worked on making necklaces from some older embroidery bits & bobs

that I have had stored away for a couple of years ~

see? I can crochet! I crocheted the necklace portion for all 3 of these!

{ok, so it's just chain stitch crochet, but I added BEADS to that one! LOL

here is the results of my 'class' with Janice yesterday ~
my very. first. EVER....granny square!
made with beautiful worsted yarn and a larger hook...
{and I just realized it is the color of a granny smith apple hahaha!}

with Janice's guidance and patience
{I can be very trying as I am not a good student lol}
I got the hang of it... 



so I decided to try another one while she was by my side ~
I doubled some Valdani size 8 pearl cotton,
grabbed my smaller hook and made another granny square!
YAY for me!!!!!

while us 'girls' were in the Studio "playing"
my dearest was in the Shop "working" ~
here he is packaging the remainder of club kits that will ship out on Tuesday ~
{thank you Peter}

as I mentioned, we never know what a day together will bring ~

Nancy showed us how to make Elderberry Syrup on the woodstove !

Nancy is a plethora of knowledge when it comes to organics, herbs, 

homeopathy and Natural healing ~

...simmering the berries and cinnamon ~ can you smell that? mmmmmmm

straining out the juice after cooling...

and voila! the best natural remedy to keep on hand
when one feels like they're getting sick...
Nancy says: 
"its high in Vit C and has antiviral properties that help fight cold, flu and URIs. 
Also helps with coughs and congestion as it is an expectorant. Take 1 to 2 teaspoons 3 times a day when you feel "something" coming on and during an illness...".

thank you Dear Friend ~

after a nice lunch of split pea and ham soup, 

crusty bread, salad, globe grapes cheese, crackers and bran muffins,

we got back to work...but not before checking in on Nicky, 

Nancy's little old corgi-girl who is deaf ~ she likes to sleep at our feet under our work table...

she is so sweet ~

here is Nicky's brother Jack ~ always looking for a treat!

sweet boy!!

I love this photo of my girls below!

Cannot wait till next weekend to be together again ~

xoxoxox

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori