Shelly and I have laid our plans for our planting. We are using the moon signs for success. Shelly is the master at this so I am thrilled to have her guidance. First into the dirt are potatoes, peas, onions, and cabbage. Then, we will slowly begin to add other cole crops. We won't do any tender plants until mid-to-late May. Our last "official" freeze date is May 16, I believe, but I don't trust anything tender in the ground until the 20th at the earliest. One year I planted tomatoes five times. I am a slow learner or very optimistic. The jury is still out!
Many bars of soap are made and ready for the farmer's market. I am experimenting with different blends and textures. I have made some farmer's soap and something delicious that I am calling "Jamica Me Crazy." What fun I am having! Don picked up a beeswax book while at the State Beekeeper's Annual Meeting. We have so much scrap beeswax that I'd love to do something with it. Candles... maybe?? Furniture polish... perhaps?
I'd like to knit some little things for the market as well. Shelly is working on some lovely washcloths and I feel that I should follow suit. They knit up quickly and are so very nice to use! Have you ever used a knitted dish cloth? Fantastic! When my Sissie's boys were quite small they hated having their faces washed....until Aunt Cissie knit them both a "special, magic wash cloth" that wouldn't hurt! Sold! They bought into it and never fought again! And let's not forget I have my Santa Train to catch up! Where does time go??
My loom is standing at ready for weaving some tea towels as well. I am passionately in love with huck lace and think this will be the next project on the Dorothy loom. My Nilus is going to be busy with a runner for the floors. We have these lovely chestnut floors that I am perishing to weave some rag rugs for. My office needs something new, too. So, it seems that I have plenty of weaving to do, don't you think?
Here is what is on the mid-size loom. We call it "Roanoke" because that is where it was bought:
When it grows up, it will be a full-size tea towel in a pattern called, fittingly enough, honeycomb. I love it!
Right now we have the most delicious, gentle rain falling. Thank you, God, for the rain. It is clearing out the pollen and settling the dust in the road and gardens.
What are you doing this summer?
The Franklin Springs West Ladies DVD about making candles has lots of good ideas for using beeswax. I LOVE beeswax candles. :)
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to get the garden planted but between crazy weather and hubby feeling too ill to help me, it has been slow going.
I'm not too concerned as in a normal year, we'd just now be planting cool weather plants, anyway.
My tomato plants will remain safe on my front porch until early May. I went ahead and bought them only to get the heirloom varieties while they were available.
It all sounds so homey and comforting. I love that you do all those natural things. Weaving has always intrigued me - but have never tried it.
ReplyDeleteA soft rain sounds nice; we're having lots of beautiful sunshine but will need some rain in a few days.
OOOOOOHHHH LADY! I wish I knew you a few years back! I had a BIG loom that belonged to Trapper's aunt and had no one to teach me how to use it so I sold it to a gaol for $50! She wasn't interested in teaching me how to use it either!
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how may times I have rushed tomatoes just to find them stunted in growth because of the cooler temps. Usually I have themin the ground and protected with plastic and such: this year? Forgetta 'bout it, I am waiting until Mother's Day! (A few years back the boys planted the garden for me while I was out iof town on Mother's Day and it hailed!). Our last frost date is SUPOSEDLY March 15th, but due to 'global warming', we have had nigh on frost until late April for the past two years. I heard yesterday that the 'experts' at the National Weather Agency say that the weat coast is suppose to have cooler than normal summer temps this year....SERIOUSLY?? We have had cooler summers here for the past few years....at the rate we are going, normal will be in the 70's!
Summer break...how I remember literally 'checking out' from teaching on that last day!
Enjoy yourself!!
...and can you tell a little bit about planting by the moon please?