Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Truck Envy and Shows!
I was recently reading Jenna Woginrich's blog and she has purchased a red truck causing me to have instant truck envy! By the way if you haven't read Jenna's book "Made From Scratch" you should visit your library. I enjoyed the book well enough that after requesting my library purchase it I bought my own copy. She is a young writer, very enthusiastic about homesteading and living a sustainable lifestyle ... plus she is driving a fine looking red pickup truck!
For many years I drove a red and white full size Ford Ranger. It was, and still is, my very most favorite vehicle. I only gave it up after my mechanics (Daddy & my Uncle Jerry) said they could no longer revive it. To say I was sad is putting it mildly.
Trucks are just so darn useful to have around the homestead, even a very small urban homestead like I'm working to make. You can haul lumber to make raised beds, use the tailgate in place of sawhorses to make the raised beds, haul compost to fill the same raised beds ... you get my drift.
I would love to have a small or mid-size truck with an extended cab. Just enough space to put my groceries and the usual necessities that one always carries around with them behind the seat. A large enough bed to carry home the cat food, bunny food, chicken feed and bales of straw and hay. I will be needing materials to build my chicken coop next spring and wouldn't it be sweet to not have to finagle another way to get those materials home from the tractor supply! A truck would also help make vending at shows easier. Pop on a camper shell and load that puppy up then off we go!
Speaking of shows Angela has signed us up to do a show next month so I'm not planning my open house after all. This show is sponsored by the Orange County Homegrown Assoc. and will be Saturday, November 14th at the Orleans Elementary school at Orleans, Indiana. We are also planning to vendor at "The Fiber Event" April 9th & 10th 2010. This show is at Greencastle Indiana and is probably the best fiber show Indiana has to offer. After Christmas Angela and I will be spending much of our time making items for this show. It will take a lot of product for a two day show!
My home computer is being the spawn of Satan so I had to come to work to order new business cards and do this update. I'm suppose to meet Angela to do a few things and it is getting late so I had better get going!
For many years I drove a red and white full size Ford Ranger. It was, and still is, my very most favorite vehicle. I only gave it up after my mechanics (Daddy & my Uncle Jerry) said they could no longer revive it. To say I was sad is putting it mildly.
Trucks are just so darn useful to have around the homestead, even a very small urban homestead like I'm working to make. You can haul lumber to make raised beds, use the tailgate in place of sawhorses to make the raised beds, haul compost to fill the same raised beds ... you get my drift.
I would love to have a small or mid-size truck with an extended cab. Just enough space to put my groceries and the usual necessities that one always carries around with them behind the seat. A large enough bed to carry home the cat food, bunny food, chicken feed and bales of straw and hay. I will be needing materials to build my chicken coop next spring and wouldn't it be sweet to not have to finagle another way to get those materials home from the tractor supply! A truck would also help make vending at shows easier. Pop on a camper shell and load that puppy up then off we go!
Speaking of shows Angela has signed us up to do a show next month so I'm not planning my open house after all. This show is sponsored by the Orange County Homegrown Assoc. and will be Saturday, November 14th at the Orleans Elementary school at Orleans, Indiana. We are also planning to vendor at "The Fiber Event" April 9th & 10th 2010. This show is at Greencastle Indiana and is probably the best fiber show Indiana has to offer. After Christmas Angela and I will be spending much of our time making items for this show. It will take a lot of product for a two day show!
My home computer is being the spawn of Satan so I had to come to work to order new business cards and do this update. I'm suppose to meet Angela to do a few things and it is getting late so I had better get going!
~ Penny~
Saturday, September 19, 2009
I'm Still Here!
This will be a quick post to let you know that I'm still around.
My hand surgery back in July went very well. About six weeks after surgery I was able to begin knitting for short periods of time, which made me very happy! Although the surgery was done with a local anesthetic I think it messed with my Fibro. I have been fighting fatigue more than usual and it is making me crazy. I'm behind on everything!
I'm still trying to have the Open House but it will be moved back to November if I'm able to pull it off. The down time I've experienced with my hand/fatigue issues have really put a kink my plans.
This afternoon is dyeing day and I will take some photos to post in the near future. There are several skeins of worsted wool, fingering wool/silk blend, and fingering wool waiting for me at home. I also bought a couple of skeins of a natural gray Shetland/Mohair blend at the Farmer's Market that I want to practice my overdyeing on.
On a sad note note the bunny I was to be gifted with had to be put down. His owner came to tell me early last week that he began to have trouble with his back legs, then appeared to be in pain so they made the decision to put him down. My hutch was almost done and I was making plans to winterize it for the little guy. So now I will wait until spring then begin looking for another English Angora that needs a good home.
If you feel lead please include my sister Angela (The Country Cellar) on your prayer list. She is fighting pneumonia again and has recently begun treatment for her liver issues. The treatment includes some chemo and is making her pretty sick. Thanks a lot!
My hand surgery back in July went very well. About six weeks after surgery I was able to begin knitting for short periods of time, which made me very happy! Although the surgery was done with a local anesthetic I think it messed with my Fibro. I have been fighting fatigue more than usual and it is making me crazy. I'm behind on everything!
I'm still trying to have the Open House but it will be moved back to November if I'm able to pull it off. The down time I've experienced with my hand/fatigue issues have really put a kink my plans.
This afternoon is dyeing day and I will take some photos to post in the near future. There are several skeins of worsted wool, fingering wool/silk blend, and fingering wool waiting for me at home. I also bought a couple of skeins of a natural gray Shetland/Mohair blend at the Farmer's Market that I want to practice my overdyeing on.
On a sad note note the bunny I was to be gifted with had to be put down. His owner came to tell me early last week that he began to have trouble with his back legs, then appeared to be in pain so they made the decision to put him down. My hutch was almost done and I was making plans to winterize it for the little guy. So now I will wait until spring then begin looking for another English Angora that needs a good home.
If you feel lead please include my sister Angela (The Country Cellar) on your prayer list. She is fighting pneumonia again and has recently begun treatment for her liver issues. The treatment includes some chemo and is making her pretty sick. Thanks a lot!
~ Penny ~
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Nothing like a deadline for motivation!
Hmmm ... so I'm giving serious thought to having a Black Sheep Cottage open house in October.
My offerings would include soaps, candles, sachets, earrings, dyed yarns, hand knits, dyed wool fluff, and whatever else I may think to add to the mix.
With only three months to plan I'll be motivated to organize and clean my house. It would also require me to get busy with making the items I want to sell.
My living room is larger than the average craft show booth and I own a lot of things that could be used for props. I would need to move a couple of chairs but other than that it would mostly be like setting up for a show.
Need to talk to my sisters and see if they would want to join me. We wouldn't have any expenses, (booth rent, travel, lodging etc.), so it could be very doable.
Stay tuned to see how this works out. As always prayers are coveted!!
My offerings would include soaps, candles, sachets, earrings, dyed yarns, hand knits, dyed wool fluff, and whatever else I may think to add to the mix.
With only three months to plan I'll be motivated to organize and clean my house. It would also require me to get busy with making the items I want to sell.
My living room is larger than the average craft show booth and I own a lot of things that could be used for props. I would need to move a couple of chairs but other than that it would mostly be like setting up for a show.
Need to talk to my sisters and see if they would want to join me. We wouldn't have any expenses, (booth rent, travel, lodging etc.), so it could be very doable.
Stay tuned to see how this works out. As always prayers are coveted!!
~ Penny~
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Okay so I admit it ...
.... I'm a slacker.
I could give reasons, or make excuses, but the bottom line is I've been a slacker for not posting before now.
I want to thank Sandra Bennett from Thistle Cove Farm for giving me the One Lovely Blog Award! Please visit her blog ( the link is under My Favorite Blogs) she is a very gracious person and a kindred soul. As soon as I figure out how to show the award Sandra I will add it to my blog. =)
Since my last post I have been to a quilt retreat in May with my sisters and friends. This is an online group so friends come from across the US, plus our friend Michelle flies in from Victoria, B.C. to visit and sew. Not being able to do too much because of my crazy hand/wrist I did a little embroidery, shopped a bit, rested a bunch and visited with the girls.
On the bunny front my hutch is coming along nicely. Daddy has been working on it sporadically in between making hay and his other projects. When I saw it on Father's Day weekend I told him it was definitely a bunny townhouse!
Regarding my crazy hand/wrist I will be having surgery on July 15th. Will not know the time until the Monday before the surgery. They tell me it is a small surgery and in fact I could drive myself there and back. If anyone feels led to pray for me and Angela (who will probably drive me to Indianapolis) we would certainly covet those prayers.
I want to get this hand thing over with so I can get on with all my projects that having been waiting months to be completed. I'm told there is only a two week healing time so Yay let's get it over with so I can play with my yarn, dyes, wool, beading, etc...
Something I'm working on now is getting my house in order. I'm moving rooms around again trying to make the best use of my small space. The Black Sheep Cottage is pretty tiny! Only one closet and the furnace takes half of it! So I need to be creative with furniture placement for optimum room and storage.
My friend Linda and I worked a deal and I have gained a primitive cabinet (Angela has her name on the bottom of it!), a base to an old Hoosier cabinet (niece Heather has her name on the bottom of it!), a neat rattan rocker for my porch, an old Jenny Lind half bed that will take the place of my rickety yard sale find from twenty years ago.
Once everything is in place then I want to get my looms warped, my spinning wheel spinning and get some creativity flowing. It's been a long dry spell!
I could give reasons, or make excuses, but the bottom line is I've been a slacker for not posting before now.
I want to thank Sandra Bennett from Thistle Cove Farm for giving me the One Lovely Blog Award! Please visit her blog ( the link is under My Favorite Blogs) she is a very gracious person and a kindred soul. As soon as I figure out how to show the award Sandra I will add it to my blog. =)
Since my last post I have been to a quilt retreat in May with my sisters and friends. This is an online group so friends come from across the US, plus our friend Michelle flies in from Victoria, B.C. to visit and sew. Not being able to do too much because of my crazy hand/wrist I did a little embroidery, shopped a bit, rested a bunch and visited with the girls.
On the bunny front my hutch is coming along nicely. Daddy has been working on it sporadically in between making hay and his other projects. When I saw it on Father's Day weekend I told him it was definitely a bunny townhouse!
Regarding my crazy hand/wrist I will be having surgery on July 15th. Will not know the time until the Monday before the surgery. They tell me it is a small surgery and in fact I could drive myself there and back. If anyone feels led to pray for me and Angela (who will probably drive me to Indianapolis) we would certainly covet those prayers.
I want to get this hand thing over with so I can get on with all my projects that having been waiting months to be completed. I'm told there is only a two week healing time so Yay let's get it over with so I can play with my yarn, dyes, wool, beading, etc...
Something I'm working on now is getting my house in order. I'm moving rooms around again trying to make the best use of my small space. The Black Sheep Cottage is pretty tiny! Only one closet and the furnace takes half of it! So I need to be creative with furniture placement for optimum room and storage.
My friend Linda and I worked a deal and I have gained a primitive cabinet (Angela has her name on the bottom of it!), a base to an old Hoosier cabinet (niece Heather has her name on the bottom of it!), a neat rattan rocker for my porch, an old Jenny Lind half bed that will take the place of my rickety yard sale find from twenty years ago.
Once everything is in place then I want to get my looms warped, my spinning wheel spinning and get some creativity flowing. It's been a long dry spell!
~ Penny~
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Been Feeling a Little Blue.
I haven't been able to knit, crochet, embroidery or any other handcraft for weeks and it's getting me down ... and made me whiny too.
Earlier in the month I was diagnosed with De Quervain's Stenosing Tenosynovitis. Needless to say I can't pronounce it and have been telling people I have tendonitis or handing them the brochure I received at the Indiana Hand Center in Indianapolis.
Earlier in the month I was diagnosed with De Quervain's Stenosing Tenosynovitis. Needless to say I can't pronounce it and have been telling people I have tendonitis or handing them the brochure I received at the Indiana Hand Center in Indianapolis.
I've had a steroid shot in my wrist and I'm wearing my splint faithfully but dang it still hurts and I don't return to the doctor until May 20th. That was the whiny part in case you didn't recognize it. =)
While I can't knit I may try to make earrings this weekend just to see if I'm able. Farmer's Market season is almost upon us and I haven't the inventory I thought I would have already built up.
Hmmm, wonder if I could dye yarn in small batches using mostly my right hand ......
Happy Wednesday!
~ Penny~
P.S. I gave Daddy my bunny hutch plans Monday morning!
While I can't knit I may try to make earrings this weekend just to see if I'm able. Farmer's Market season is almost upon us and I haven't the inventory I thought I would have already built up.
Hmmm, wonder if I could dye yarn in small batches using mostly my right hand ......
Happy Wednesday!
~ Penny~
P.S. I gave Daddy my bunny hutch plans Monday morning!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
