No LZ Bees Here!

Where to start?

This is what's been going on at LZB...

Lots of canning and putting by for winter... Tomatoes, potatoes, beets, cukes, beef, chicken, broccoli, and cabbage, to list a few... I tried dehydrating tomatoes, mangoes,kiwi, cranberries, cherries, and bananas this year. To be honest, it is brain dead easy putting by and takes such a small amount of space. I caught bananas on sale at Aldi's for 22-cents a pound and couldn't resist putting up enough for banana bread through the winter!

Finished all the interior house renovation projects -- all the closets needed painting as well as a complete remodeling. When I first built the closets with my brother 22 years ago, the only shelving available was wire. I have fallen head over hills in love with Ikea's Algot closet shelving system and have redone each closet, including the pantry, with it. The cleanliness and ease of getting things in and out makes keeping house just That Much Easier for me and THAT makes me quite happy! Believe it or not, I was able to match the paint on the right using just this photo! Now, the trim matches in the bathroom! Yay!

 Keeping the farm stock has continued to be a lot of fun and not nearly as challenging now that all the fencing is complete!! This summer I had the last eight acres fenced along the creek bottom to protect the stream bank remediation project we had done over the last two years. Now, we are waiting for the watering systems to be installed since the well is in! Next spring the does will move to the bottom pasture and give their paddocks on the hillside a little rest. Piglets didn't fare well this spring due to the extreme weather conditions. Our supplier lost 14 of 17 piglets overnight due to the extreme cold. We ended up with three of the porkers and one contracted Tetanus from the castration process done before we picked him up. We assumed he had his anti-toxin prior to the castration, but he hadn't. Fortunately, the anti-toxin was administered quickly enough that he not only survived, but is the largest porker in the lot! They go to the processor in November.

And, of course, there has been needlework. Lots of it! This is a friendship quilt from blocks I received in an exchange. I thought I would love this pink fabric, but when I got it nearly set, I wasn't in love with it... so out it goes and I am working on replacing it with a fantastic lavender, which you know makes me more than happy!

Of course, we done much more, but for now, we'll just say we have been very busy bees... and I have missed writing terribly. The break has done my spirit good and helped my perspective of how I want to continue this blog.

Welcome back!

Holey Moley!

This past week has been a blur of activity, people, and surprises. Let's update and get to the fun stuff.

Done: More work in my studio. I am not sure why I have so much ribbon, but everything I do for the next seven years will have a bit of ribbon on it... Be prepared...

Cut out 24 children's aprons with my Cissie who is wanting to start craft shows with me. These are not like my friend Arwen's which are works of art and soooo very lovely! These are single cut aprons with ribbons for the neck and waist; they are sized for children two to six. They are reversible and sooo darling. Yes, pictures. I know. We got six sewn together. It was a tough learning curve, but we have it down pat now.

Finished the AngelWing Shawl AND Truly Tasha Shawl. Have nearly half of the Jane Eyre shawl (Ravelry) done. Started knitting sachets for a demo that I am doing at Grayson Highlands State Park the end of the month.

Made mint jelly.

Cleaned two more closets. Tossed more stuff. Again.

Picked up the things from Ikea and Container Store and put them to use Right Away. Bought a rolling tool chest to organize all the tools in the house. It will go under my stairs.

Mowed most of the yard between rain drops.

Baby chicks graduated to their new digs. They love it! And, they still split up at night to sleep with their "friends" from the brooder days. Since they were kept in separate brooders, they have bonded with a Certain Group. It is like teenage girls. What can I say? And, today,  a second order of little guys arrived, which I don't understand, so we start the cycle again!

Weeded most of the front flower bed until I discovered Polly the Pea Hen sitting on a nest of eggs. She is a pea fowl. The eggs are chicken eggs. There are going to be some very confused chicks one day...

Ruby the Tractor and I spent an afternoon together learning about each other,. We are going to be best friends. She hauls things. She cleans up messy places. She is going to make my life a lot easier! "Smooch" on your little diesel cap, Ruby!

This week... I am going to try to survive! Need to work on the little building, plant, weed, build a solar melter, and prepare for a Governor's School class that I just accepted due to the sudden illness of the instructor. The class has to be created from the Very Beginning, so I guess all things are going to have to wait while I do this. If it weren't for my Friend Bill, I would have not answered the phone! But, it'll be fun!

What's on your agenda!??

Finished my class.

Helped my friend Deniese prime her studio. It was a larger space than I thought. I got high from the paint fumes (Kilz oil based) in spite of the open windows and door.

Helloooooo... Are you here?

Howdy Campers,
The respite has done me a wonder of good and I am ready to start sharing more of Pandemonium Palace, also known as Lazy Bee Farm.

What have I done since we chatted last?
1.) Gone back to work.

2.) Had a wood shed built. And filled most of it.

3.) Painted on the front door.

4.) Cleaned, and I mean seriously cleaned, the porch (it wraps around two sides of the house -- it is not for the faint of heart), the yard, and my front flower beds.

5.) Saved one goat from dying -- darn parasites!

6.) Made soap, soap, soap, soap, and soap.

7.) Worked the farmer's market.

8.) Worked on festival.

9.) Cleaned the attic -- mostly. It is a very large attic with most of the things from the Airman's three bedroom house. Yeah. This has been more fun that a trip to the dentist on the day after Christmas.

10.) Knit dishcloths, a lot.

11.) Solved the mystery of the chest pain -- ulcer. No more Boylan's Cherry Soda for me... I seriously considered crying about this one...
There is more, but why tell it all the first day back?? Pictures are to come as I have become quite proficient, thank you, with the camera and movie making talents!

How in the world have you been? I have missed you all!