monday snow day

Hello my friends...

here's a peek at the needle punches I've finished so far...
Peacock Farm & Colonial Adam & Eve ~

...the two larger designs will be released as patterns for your enjoyment,
but the smaller punches are finished pieces that will be made into pins and offered at the
Virginia Rug Fest ~ (click on my shows & events link under my header)

I'm working on "Bee Good" right now,
and then will start on the last one, called "1872 Sampler"


and we woke this morning to almost 3" of snow..
(I didn't even know it was forecasted!)
so needless to say, Hannah is thrilled to have a day off from school...

the woodstove is warming us, along with my Suzy
who gets Soooo close to the stove I'm afraid she'll combust one of these days...

Iggy is content watching the flakes float down from Heaven...
(he also enjoys the activity at the birdfeeders, so he runs from window to window)

Enjoy your day, my Friends ~

blessings from the farm,
Lori

Ironstone & Crows

Hello Friends & Folk ~

it's a beautiful early March day here on the farm...

sunny skies, not too cold and a tad breezey ~

all the better reason to grab a cuppa and in between window-washing,
share with you a coupla snaps of some goodies I found recently :

here's a sweet smaller sized candy-jar, that I picked up from Robin's shop
(www.millstonemercantile.blogspot.com)
it's perfect to hold my handmade soaps in the bathroom...

yesterday, between dropping Hannah off at school and then driving to her concert,
I stopped off at
Blue Moon Antiques

and found some ironstone goodies...

here's a smaller pitcher and an oval platter that works in our bathroom too:

and, Peter had a really cool idea for a shelf ~
he took my vintage sleeve-presser (ironing board) and mounted it in our bath...
the doll-on-bobbin is from Fiddlycat (Rachel Burke), the little pitcher is Homer Laughlin
(found yesterday) and the small, homespun covered jar holds more of my handmade soaps...

I also tied up a small bundle of linen, brown calico & old feedsack for the bottom 'shelf'.

and look who came by for a visit today...
(not that he's not here EVERYday)

Mr. Crowe, as I call him...
has been visiting our backyard feeder as-of-late ~
he waits until the chickadees & titmice are finished,
...then he scurries along at the bottom of the feeder's pole to find his helpings ~

He is rather polite, and will graciously wait his turn.

He looks to be a small Rook, approx. 12-14 weeks old, and is fairly-new to the social scene....
he is sleek and skinny, but energetic & quite alert!!!

...he has been chortling and cavorting about for days...
his family is near, and he always makes sure his Momma is in his sights...

I love his blue-sih/black color...his shiny feathers and his black beak ~
something about those crows that tug at my heart!!!
All Crows are Welcome here at Notgforgotten Farm...

we have neighbors that dislike them,
{{as crows have a penchant for corn}}
but I will always love & admire them for their intelligence and family-commitment ~
Did you know, that when a crow dies, the 'family' will mourn the departed? even scavenging for shiny offerings to leave at the base of a tree, like a pop-top, silver-paper or bit of old metal?

and
did you know, that when an adolescent crow gets into trouble, say, for not being polite in his circle, that the 'family' will hold 'court' and judge the crow's actions? If said crow is found 'guilty' of his crime, then the crow will be punished by the Elders, perhaps by not allowing him to forage with the family, or even going so far as to chase him off for a day or two ~
until he redeems himself to his clan...
or 'MURDER'
{{as a grouping or family of Crows is known by...I learned all of this from the History channel ~}}

All I know is, they are beautiful and such a pleasure to watch...
I love how the babies hop, how the Momma's feed them
and how the Daddy's stand ready for fight-or-flight
....I don't mind one bit if they make a racket

"borrow" shiny things or have a taste for corn...

(perhaps I should offer my visitor an ear or two??)

blessings from the farm,
Lori

Just Crazy ~

Like most of you in the southeast & midwest,
we've been in the midst of some pretty bad storms....
torrential rains, high winds and booming thunder.

That doesn't stop our Pinocchio from running & hiding
(unlike another donkey that lives here with us who shall remain nameless ~ DAISY!)
nope, ...when the weather is bad, the sheep & Daisy high-tail it for the barn and remain there
until all is calm once aagin...

but Nocchi?

there stands my brave-boy, dripping wet and shivering ~
no coaxing with carrots, no promises of hugs, smooches or peppermint candies
can budge him from where his hooves are fimly planted in the muck....

he's one crazy donkey.

ON THE OTHER HAND,....
Buddy, our big-boy 212lb. Great Pyrenese, HATES storms...
so what has he been doing?
climbing on TOP of the dog house he no longer fits in :

here is Hannah, telling him he's too big to be acting like that....
since we removed our old rotten wood front porch,
and um...Peter hasn't put another one back on...yet, (MILD hint here)
Buddy & Lazy sleep next to the front door on their many comfy & warm blankies,
pillows & clean dry hay...
except when it thunders.

that look on his face says it all...
"mom...I'm skeered! can I sleep with you tonight??"

yeah,....um right....
CRAZY dog!

and on another CRAZY note,

we just returned home from Hannah's concert ~
Hannah & the school band rode school buses to the high school they were to perform at, so the buses were parked, locked and in the kids went.

HOWEVER,

after returning home, we received a phone call from another band member
to say that money was missing from her wallet...then another call and another, etc...
seems as though some low-life, dead-beat LOSER had broken into the school buses and went through every backpack, bag & belonging....

Hannah had a ten-dollar bill stolen, and

some of the money stolen was even coins from her little coinpurse.

The school & police were notified, so let's hope the bus camera's were rolling.

Poor Hannah, she doesn't even want to touch her backpack..she feels so violated.

I hope the buses had their cameras rolling!!!!!!!
and I hope they catch whoever would do this to such good kids...

just crazy, huh?

blessings from the farm,

Lori

I forgot....

Hi Folks ~
I forgot to mention in my last post, that the shop here at the farm will be
CLOSED
tomorrow, Saturday March 3rd ~
Hannah will be performing in her highschool's Spring Concert in Charlottesville, VA
and I wouldn't miss it for all the tea in China ~
(and you all know how I love my tea!)

the Stump Doll Class will be on Saturday, March 10th and there are 2 openings left,
if you're interested in coming, email me at not4got@aol.com


blessings from the farm,
Lori

Threads & Roses and other amusements...

Here's the progress of my

Colonial Adam & Eve
needlepunch pattern

(actually, it is finished...but I have other works in progress on this same fabric too)

and is this rose not just perfect??
I was gifted with a beautiful arrangement for my birthday
from Peter, Hannah & Skyler....
(it's color reminds me of a creamsicle :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...here's another view of what's on my frame...
I'm really enjoying punching lately ~

...and here's thee entire arangement ~
the vase that it came in is clear glass,
but it has an etched design in it that looks like tree bark on a log...
perfect for me!

I'm looking forward to seeing old friends at the
Virginia Rug Fest on March 24th...
(click on my events link under my header)
I love seeing the rugs, fondling the wools, and decorating my booth!

(of course I'll share pics!!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a beautiful day on the farm today...70's and sunny altho a titch windy...
Oh Well
"In like a Lion...."

I've decided for dinner it will be a nice, flavorful but HEALTHY meal ~

Baked Lemon Thyme Chicken
Steamed Asparagus with Sea Salt & Chive Butter

Garlic & Rosemary Broiled Potatoes
(all of the herbs mentioned are from our herb garden)

I even snipped some fresh herbs to decorate the farmhouse kitchen with...
I'll post those pics tomorrow ~

blessings from the farm,
Lori