New Life Old Farmers

Our irrigation water goes on in April. We had two jobs that had to be done prior to the water going on. We were going to handle them this weekend “come h@ll or high water”, said My Loving Spouse. It was actually “come 2 arguments and one worker who fell in the mud (me)”. There was no waiting for better weather, there was only getting it ‘done’.

After job one was finished, we took a quick break. We had babies to see.

You’d never know by this photo, but I am something of a Baby Whisperer. Crying baby? Give it to me. Tired baby? Give it to me. This 3 month old is an adorable muffin with a whole head of hair, but she clearly did not get the memo. Miss Ellen is a Baby Whisperer.

Nope, she was not having it.

No worries, we had more babies to see.

Twin baby bull calves! Agnes has done it again! We brought her some bananas.

What a great mama. She’s in great hands.

We went home to finish job #2. Humored by one of our own goofy group.

Leaves anyone?

ALL irrigation jobs got done! They are not hanging over our heads anymore. Great glee was had this morning when we saw this.

12 more days until Spring break….we’re going for a week in Scotland!

…and we are blessed.

We’ve been hibernating since the very first snow fell in early November, except we clearly didn’t stop eating and live off of our fat. My Loving Spouse handled the snow, all the while muttering, “I can’t ever remember the snow starting this early, Bad British Word.” I was ‘handling’ fevers, headaches and fatigue which quickly turned me into the Queen of napping.

For Thanksgiving, Number Two Son, My Loving Spouse and I decided to ‘step out’ and dine at the fancy resort in the nearby town. We ordered the family Thanksgiving dinner, but then the chef showed up at our table.

“Are you the one who’s allergic to garlic?” She asked me.

‘Ahh, yes‘, I said apologetically.

“You can’t eat that.”

‘How much of it can’t I eat?’

“All of it, except the pumpkin pie.”

Visions of chicken nuggets passed before my eyes.

“I’ll make you something else’, she generously offered, which is how I ended up eating Thanksgiving Trout.

December brought more snow and cold. It was extremely cold over our break from school. I’ve never lived anywhere with a minus.

This is the day I cleaned the refrigerator and then spent the rest of the day by the wood stove, reading and perfecting my nap. It was too cold to do anything else.

Christmas Eve brought us many regular traditions, Christmas Crackers, food and church. We returned from the Christmas eve service to fresh snow and 3 out of our 4 ‘frost-free’ water stand pipes frozen, right, they’re not supposed to do that. The only one working was the one farthest away from the water tank. We hauled the frozen hose reel into the house to spend the night near the wood stove.

Christmas breakfast became Christmas brunch. Cooked every year by Number Two Son, he’d gone by work to discover a burst pipe, so as he was sopping water up, we were doing our best to get water out.

I came to accept the unique Christmas decorations called ‘pumpkins frozen to the porch’.

…and we might have had a nap.

…and we are blessed…

by the birth of our Lord and more importantly our Savior,

and grateful beyond measure for health.

_{(Should you have the weird symptoms I was experiencing fatigue, fever, headache, painful to chew and stabbing pains in the temple don’t wait for ‘it’ to get better, as it could be GCA and your eyesight could be at risk).}

An old friend texted me last summer,

“Hey, are you still quilting and do you take on commissioned projects?”

I immediately thought ‘baby quilt’.

‘Who needs a quilt?’

“I have a lot of my kids old clothes sitting in bins, but don’t have time to quilt something.”

‘Well, that could be sort of fun, I’d be worried about disappointing you…’

“You couldn’t disappoint me, plus you know my kids so that would make it more special. Let me know what you charge…”

The truth is you can never really charge for something like this (although I don’t turn down wine). This is a gift, as there are more hours in it than anyone would believe. You do it for the creative endeavor and the challenge and to make someone happy.

Then the clothes arrived.

It was a rather imposing amount. There were many piles of clothes as I went through them multiple times trying to figure out what could work together and keep all 3 children represented.

My Friend was interested in a more modern quilt. She’d given me full creative license, which was good as I don’t enjoy it when people tell me what to sew or do or how to do it…

I’d had the fore thought to have My Friend signify a few special pieces from each child. She went a step further and included a dress she’d worn as a child and that both her girls had worn as well.

That pink dress became the compliment for both corners of the quilt, paired with the special pieces from each child.

I choose one piece of clothing for every ‘band of color’. In this combination, the brother’s purple shirt becomes the constant.

The problem with all the different fabrics is some stretch more than others. Sewing on the diagonal only exacerbates this problem.

The only solution is to trim each and every small square otherwise you’ll end up with a quilt that, how shall I say….is a Bad British Word.

The 9 patch. I tried to keep little pockets, buttons or appliques wherever I could.

There was enough of the Brother’s purple shirt to make it the stopping border. I managed to use the placket complete with buttons and button holes that were only a tad tricky to quilt around.

This quilt was a challenge. I think I touched each piece of clothing 3-4 times, but then I’d fine something new that needed to be represented like these sister dresses.

All in all, I was pleased with the finished product. It is always more difficult to use other people’s ‘colors’.

The gift is now in the hands of My Friend…

I got to use my time and my talents for someone else, so I am blessed.

A quick hello and Happy Thanksgiving from the Pacific Northwest.

Our weather resembles something of a well running meat locker. I’m never ready for a temperature of 12 (in the morning, when you’re suppose to go places and be productive…).

The cold came in handy last Friday when I got a call from a friend.

‘Hey, are you guys in town? We’re at your house and we’re leaving a box of meat on your porch. We’ve had a great year hunting and fishing’

Three hours later when I got home everything was as frozen as they’d left it. What a gorgeous gift! Beautiful salmon, ground elk, a small caribou roast (that’ll be a new one for me) and sausages. Pooh the cat took a liking to the venison jerky, but only nibbled on a medium sized piece.

Another country gift was a gallon of cider from our friend’s family traditional cider crushing. The cold weather has allowed us to perfect the best cider drink. We heat the cider and add just a smidgen of Fireball whiskey to the brew. It’ll thaw you out in no time. In fact I’m feeling a bit chilled….

In other Country news to be grateful for, we’ve had a polite honey thief.

With the opportunity to steal multiple jars of honey, the thief took only one. It was probably a honey emergency.

I’m finding myself a bit tenderhearted this season. Remembering such fun holidays in years long past, grateful for the family and friends that have been a part of my life and missing those that are gone.

We’re thankful, we’re blessed and we’re looking forward to new adventures to come.

Happy Thanksgiving to you friend.

Fall means football. We have our first ever Family Fantasy football league. I’m pretty sure THE Grandparents were added to round up the bottom of the league. My Loving Spouse tried garnering some wisdom from the 8 year old Grandson, but I doubt he understood a word he heard. One of the residents of Glory Farm will be a winner this weekend, yes we’re matched up against each other.

Do you remember the greenhouse we built to keep us busy during the pandemic? We’ve had our suspicions that it was cuter than efficient. However, this year we’ve had a plethora of produce. The vines have reached for the every crevice.

Our favorite tomatoes of all are the ones growing on the roof of the greenhouse.

My Loving Spouse and I have started talking about retirement. We were sharing this with My Girl and we’re still cracking up over the discussion.

“Well, what are you going to do? You know, you can’t sit around all day watching TV.”

Oh, yeah we’re still blessed.

If you help harvest honey you will get sticky.

You might have the bees follow you to the back door, just waiting for you to come out again. Demanding their honey back. (I did not, go out again.) You will also have most surfaces and handles in your kitchen become sticky.

My Loving Spouse’s two hives produced roughly 8 gallons of honey. Sweet, sweet stuff.

The Honey stand sells on the honor system, because that’s how it’s done here. I think the bunting gives it a festive air.

Life is sweet and I am blessed.

Last year after the accident, I didn’t know how much better I would get. I am grateful that I can do most things. However, the reality is I cannot do them for as long or as well. It is what it is. I finally faced this truth over the weekend and have sold my beloved Agnes to a dear friend, who will feed her bananas and spoil her. To say it makes me sad would be an understatement.

I might love cows best. The reality is I LOVE my dog, but I seldom love anyone else’s dog. Cows on the on the other hand are just…grand.

Even with them gone, I will be blessed.

I took a very large suitcase when we went to England. After all, I had a wedding quilt to pack. The Groom was ‘in on’ the gift having provided the Bride’s color preferences. Pastel and white.

I believed the Bride would like something simple, but pretty. I started shopping for fabric and creating ideas. My original fabric purchase was gorgeous.

Although this is beautiful fabric…it just wasn’t ‘right’ for this project. Not pastel-ly enough…too orange (coral) and grey. I put all my pieces away for another ‘someday’ project.

The good thing about living where we do is that although there are not any large fabric stores, there are some fabulous small fabric stores. I set off for Cle Elum to Ruby’s. There are only two people who work at Ruby’s, Ruby and The One That’s Not Ruby. The One That’s Not Ruby spent an hour scouring the bolts with me to find the right amount of pastel fabric that would fit my vision.

…and so I began The Wedding Quilt again. A nine patch made with two inch squares.

My design wall is an invaluable tool for me, holding the fabric up where I want it as my plan comes together.

There was one more trip to Ruby’s. I needed a smidge more green stripe fabric for the binding. We (the One That’s Not Ruby) and I spent another little while scanning the bolts. They’d just moved everything around. We couldn’t find it. The One That’s Not Ruby took my number as she thought she might have just a smidge of it at home. She’d look that night and meet me in the morning if it was so. (Just the kind of customer service that comes with living in the country).

I am learning more on Bess, my long arm. I did a swirl design along the edge and then circles in the body of the quilt. The scary part of trying new quilting designs is simply that you don’t want to mess up all your hard work at this ending point in the process.

Unfortunately, cell phones do not do the quilt colors justice. The quilt came out just right and the Bride was stunned, so I am blessed.

I was back at Ruby’s looking for animal fabric last week. The One That’s Not Ruby wanted to see the final pictures and asked about the trip across the pond. So I filled her in on the whole story, including the part where we found out the day before we left, that Cousin Mike’s Wife (my new UK-BFF) was having a birthday while we were together.

“Do you have a table runner or something?” My Loving Spouse asked.

‘Hmmm, no, but I think I could come up with something’. Remember those pieces for a ‘someday’ project?

I needed a bit more of the coral, which My Loving Spouse went off to buy. (I couldn’t go, as I had a date to go wine tasting with Number Two Son and because well, ….priorities.)

I really like the wider border we chose to make the creating of it a tad faster. I plan to make more like this in the future.

I told my UK-BFF she could re-gift it, if it wasn’t her ‘thing’, as I didn’t know what ‘her thing would be before we came.’ She said, “Are you kidding!” Gave me a hug and a kiss and stated “I LOVE it!”

and believe me….I am blessed.

I will never make it as a travel blogger. I will, however, attempt my own sort of English trip family visit recap. (Absent any of the blow by blow driving terrors with My Loving Spouse driving a manual (stick shift) French car, (clearly it was the French’s fault) from the right side of the car on the left side of the road.

Our view from our window at Cousin Mike’s. Farningdon, Uk, even with jet lag you know you’re in England. Cousin Mike calls his wife ‘My Darling’, which I found rather endearing. (I began noticing how many people use these words. Even the woman at baggage claim sounded lovely as she was trying to get me out of her way in order to retrieve her luggage. Excuse me, just doesn’t have the same ring.)

Cousin Mike’s wife and I hit it right off. There was a general consensus that we two could get into a lot of trouble, if we actually lived in the same continent. I’d greatly looked forward to some of the shops in Farningdon and felt it was fairly rude that this one was closed both days we were there. Perhaps it was all for the best.

Beautiful old stone buildings in the Cotswolds

always capture a place in my heart. They’re not ‘made to look old’ as so often is the case in the US, they are old….and so lovely.

My happiest place on the trip family visit was Yew Tree Farm B&B. I think Heaven will be a farm….

Upon arriving we had a cup of tea and then took off on a walk with directions provided from our hostess. They were speaking my ‘love language’ when it said, climb the stile and walk through the cows field.

We carried on to the lake, stopping to take pictures of every beautiful 5 plank gate we passed.

The lake…

More gates…the epitome of ‘form and function’.

Even the British farmers rely on a bit of blue ‘chain’ (baling twine).

I carry on down to the locks. A visual treat that filled my soul.

I hurry back to the B&B as we’ve more cousins to meet for dinner….

the view out our bedroom window

and we are blessed.

I have not been blessed with the ‘fashion’ gene. I have been known to ‘shop the mannequin’. I’d see how it was put together and buy the complete outfit (the sales people loved that about me). It doesn’t really work here. They sell jeans at the hardware store, but there are no mannequins. If there were, they’d probably be wearing overalls.

Our impending trip to England inspired me to step up my game, as I had 3 types of jeans- too small, too big and too ‘farm-y’. It was time to do some research and learn fashion stuff.

Time to dress this farmer, without the mustache or chest hair. (Seriously cute and I want to give Mr. Lapin all the credit.)

Where do I begin?

Pinterest, of course. You’d be amazed what you can learn when you type in these two little words…’travel wardrobe’.

How could I not be drawn into a post called “A Capsule Wardrobe for the ‘Mature’ Traveler“. That’s it! I’m a traveler, I need a wardrobe and I’m often mature. The bonus was that this was simple. Lots of clothing choices don’t work for me. I can go into a large department store with all the options and come home with one plaid shirt, whose sleeves are not long enough. I wear it 3 times and give it to my BFF.

This was just the beginning. I knew I could buy the stuff and still screw it up.

More Pinterest.

More info, research to figure out how to wear stuff. Or as the website says, “Putting Me Together”. After all, once I know the secret fashion rules, I can follow them, right…right, until they change them again.

I got easily overwhelmed and I wasn’t even shopping yet.

My Loving Spouse says ‘Mutton Dressed as Lamb’ whenever we see an older gal dressed like a teen. I sought out a lot of info that was NOT for teens.

I’ll never be a big shopper, because I’d rather mow the lawn. I do think I’ll be ready for this trip. Who says I can’t be taught. I even bought bell bottoms (white on sale). It was like an out of body experience! I immediately called my sister, who does have the fashion gene, to bring me back to reality.

No one is going to recognize me when I go back to school, except I am the only tall, old person who works there…

I have learned that running shoes make me look like I should be running (which is bad for your knees). I may never be the ‘size’ I want to be, so I should dress for the size I am.

Nerd alert, I’ve even made myself a packing spread sheet and bought packing cubes, which I learned all about on Pinterest, of course.

I’m feeling much more confident about what I’m packing for the trip, as opposed to standing at my closet with my eyes glazing over.

England here we come.

We love the couple getting married….

and we’re going to see Sheep Dog Trials! Oh, be still my heart…

and I am blessed.