Garden goodness

3 of the 5 tangerines this year.

                 I hope that all my farm girl sisters had a wonderful Christmas  and here is to a Happy New Year. We are calling this Christmas Christmas in July because it is so warm here.  IN the 80's for the past week.   It is supposed to get cold this weekend   like in the 40's,  but for some reason I don't think it will.
                 I have been getting eggs ready for this years show. and have been busy cutting and cleaning them.   I have two major one to do and hope to get them done on this week yet.  I also have a few that I need to finish.  hopefully this afternoon.
               I made leek, sweet potato soup with white sweet potatoes.  It is sooo tasty.  really love the flavor that it has.  I made the stock from the duck remains from Christmas dinner.

                                            Skinned Luffa sponges from the garden
               I still have about 6 left on the vine and hope that they finish growing before it gets too cold.  I also got lots of seeds for next year.  I also want to grow some bird house gourds next year and use them for decorations.
             Well,  Christmas day we got a surprise.   not something we were expecting at all.  My dh  took the dogs for a walk and this tiny 6 week old kitten came running across the street and barreled over my dogs  and climbed up the DH 's leg.   So we are now the proud parents of a 7 week old orange tabby male by the name of Christmas Miracle Tiger.  Tig for short.  The other two cats are about to kills us but they will get over it.
         

  Even I have to admit that he is cute.  but oh does he have energy.


                             Well,  that's all the news from the south,  
                              Happy" farming" to all the farm girl sisters out there.
                             See you next week. down on the farm.

The week before Christmas

                                                   Completed art quilts

              Well,  this was a busy week in which I got several projects done.   I have the art quilts quilted,  just need to add the eyes, buttons and snow to  the one quilt.  I also worked on getting other projects done and got some new projects lined up for the new year.

            Here is the Christmas quilt made from all the swaps  from Mary Jane's Quilt swap  I really love the way that it turned out and can not wait for the valentine fabric swap. ( I already found my material.)
          The chickens have stopped molting and are starting to lay again.  Looking forward to some more fresh eggs.
         Had the lessons and carols at church on Sunday and I was in charge of the luncheon after as well.  Made a wonderful pork roast and Scripture Bread.  and Christmas Eve service is tonight. The weather has been very warm,  think it is going to be in the low 80's tomorrow.  and rain.  Typical Fla.
          I have been working on the dollhouse also.  the lights are up and working and the house in nearly reassembled.  I am ordering the missing pieces so that I can hopefully have it done before the new year.

            Well,  that's all the news from the south,  
                              Happy" farming" to all the farm girl sisters out there.
     See you next week. down on the farm.

Mad as a Wet Hen

                                                              OH  OOPS
           Well,  I did have this really cute little  1/4 scale lighthouse (Dollhouse) that I had made several years ago.   Seems like the people who helped my ex move did not care about the value of such things.  so they smashed it.    I don't think that I have all the pieces,  but I do have most.

          So  along with trying to get my quilt done this week,  (thanks to the December quilt swap group for all the lovely fabrics)  I am trying to rebuild the doll house.  I have to go back and check the electrical connections,  since  each room has light in it.

             As you can see,  it was pretty well banged up and there is a lot of work to do to get it back to where it belongs.  But the first floor has been sorted out somewhat and is getting re-glued back into place.

            Hopefully I will get in done in the next week or so.   I have to order parts too because some are missing or broken beyond repair.  I do remember that the class I took cost over 200 dollars at the time.  and I had added furniture to it as well. (which is mostly missing.)  so probably worth close to 500 dollars after I finished.
          It is raining again and is supposed to rain all week, which is good. I need to harvest some leeks and some lettuce tomorrow,  and  I am going to try to make some potato leek soup from scratch.

                              Well,  that's all the news from the south,  
                              Happy" farming" to all the farm girl sisters out there.
                              See you next week. down on the farm.

Getting ready for Christmas

New Wall hanging

 
          Well as you can see,  I have been busy in the barn working on lots of quilting,  I have managed to get two things done so far, and I am working on the next two which I hope to have done, by Saturday.  Then I have a  full size quilt to do, and hopefully that will get done next week.  But of course,  for all the time I spend out on the farm in the barn I have no decorations up here at the house.  So  In the next few days , I hope to get that done as well.

          I have also started working on the farm plans for the next 5 and 10 years.   Mother did write them but they are way out of date and I need to update and get everything rolling again.  This will take some time, but will be well worth it.   On top of that trying to get the rezoning done, for the house and we have the plans being drawn for the house now.  I think I have a plate full for the farm.

         The chickens have been molting,  and it looks like someone destroyed a feather pillow outside the coop.  I hope they finish soon so that I can start getting some eggs again.  I really don't want to have to buy eggs for cooking.  but I have been collecting feathers for art projects. ( Hum)

 
 The second of the finished wall hangings.  They are three dimensional and I had a lot of fun doing them.  the other two are small quilts more like wall hangings  which I want to put together.  I have one ready to be quilted and hope to get the other ready today.  They are both applique. and are lots of fun.

  I still have to figure out how to hook them together,  but there is the top of the one.

                                        Well,  that's all the news from the south,  
                                        Happy" farming" to all the farm girl sisters out there.
                                         See you next week. down on the farm.

A little of this, a little of that.

                                                Roses by the front door.

Well, what a week.   I ave been super busy trying to get some Christmas quilting done. as wel as trying to get a secret Santa done for one of my beading groups.   I have not even come up for air.   I should have the secret Santa done this week,  and in the mail and  two quilted wall hangings done also.  I still have the Christmas swap quilt from Mary Jane's Farm Swaps to get done.

   The weather is finally getting a bit cold which is nice,  Although it means getting the heater out for the house and the barn,  so that it is comfortable to work in.  But at least it does not snow here,  ( not often anyway.)   But it does rain  and that cold is always damp,  which really eats into your bones.

Hope to finish the east side of the farm this month with cutting out trees and vines that don't belong in the Pines.  So that next month we can start on the west side and clean up from all the harvesting that was done 2 years ago.  Should be able

to have some nice fires to get rid of the old wood.  AS you can see there is alot to do to get that side cleaned up.

  Did get another Deer so that was two for this year.  Have some great deer sausage so some good chili will be getting made this winter.   Love making homemade chili with der meat or white chili with turkey from the farm.

                                         Well,  that's all the news from the south,  
                                        Happy" farming" to all the farm girl sisters out there.
                                         See you next week. down on the farm.