PERMACULTURE THE GARDEN

31 08 2012

            HELLO

Every SPring I plant the EAster Lillies that I buy. It’s a nice surprise to see them blooming in the fall.  The scent just fills the air.  Below is a picture of the Hibiscus flower.  I didn’t get the last one planted as the yellow jackets were out.  I hope to plant it in the morning which they will still be sleepy.                                                                      PERMACULTURE

I picked up this magazine a few days ago at WORD EYE BOOKSTORE in

Greenfield.  They have a wonderful selection of magazines.  This magazine is published in England and I am really enjoying it.   There are many stories about permaculture works all over the  world.    Many people are getting on the band wagon.  I hasn’t yet caught on so much here in the states.  I hope it will soon.

The hens have all settled in so that’s one worry gone.

 

Happy Day to YOu and thanks for taking the time to read my blog.

Carole                     


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THE CHICKENS THE GARDEN MARLEY

30 08 2012

HELLO

Well the chickens did fine last night.  Their first night in the caravan and only two were worried about going in.  Hester found the nest box right away and staked her claim to it. Helen is checking out the egg she just laid.  There were three eggs in the nest box.  So the move didn’t bother them too much. Marigold somehow got into Amelia and Charlotte’s area and couldn’t remember how to get out.  She sought refuge in their house which is a converted dog house.  I will get a picture of it.  It was reasonably priced and worked out so good.

 

 

 

 

THE GARDEN

Today I went to  a Christmas tree farm in GReenfield.  They also have a wonderful assortment of plants.   I picked up two perennial hibiscus.  I have planted one.  I do love them and had one when I lived in Holyoke some almost 40 years ago.  Each year it produces saucer size bright pink flowers.    I have been want to get them for some time but they are hard to find in this area.

Marley

Last night I trimmed around Marley’s neck, he appreciated it so much.  He can be so good he just stood there and let me do it.

I will try to get him all trimmed soon.  A little at a time.  The shearer and I have not been able to co-ordinate times.

I am off to rug hooking at the Bangs Center in Amherst.

Thanks for reading my blog.

HAPPY DAY TO YOU
Carole

 

 


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THE CHICKEN CARAVAN

29 08 2012

Hello

THE CHICKEN CARAVAN IS DONE AND THE CHICKENS ARE IN THE YARD.                                                                  

I have to paint the nest box and the back side and I am finished .    There will be fewer eggs for a while as they adjust to their new surroundings.  They were happy with all the new weeds and bugs.    It took the three of us from 11 to 2:30 to get it all done.

Now I can add the two new vents that I bought for their area and whitewash it. I want to add another 2 nest boxes and a board near the window so they can perch there.

                                                                                                                      

 

They are separated from the two hens I bought this summer by a fence.  Amelia sqwaked all afternoon.  SHe apparently doesn’t like the new neighbors.

The boys have left to go on a fishing trip with their Dad.  It sure is quiet here.

I saw this advertisement in a magazine.  6 more weeks.

Thanks  for taking the time to read my blog.

Happy Day To You     Carole                                                                                                                                                                                                                    


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KRINDLE CANDLE THE FARM TABLE LIFE ON THE FARM

29 08 2012

   HELLO

This morning after all the animals were fed and a wall in the dining room painted we left for my appointment with Danielle at Heart and Hand for some body work.  The boys checked out some stores in Greenfield.   I wanted them to have lunch at The Farm Table at Kringle Candle.   I had been there once before with some friends.  All the food is local and mostly organic.  Everything is extremely fresh and cooked to order.  It’s a beautiful atmosphere.

The boys had a desert called TAKE 5 and we highly recommend it.

 

 

 

We ended up at the candle shop and purchased a few candles.                 Putting up the snow fence. Chris and I put the snow fence around the outside chicken.  I have been wanting to do it for over a year.  With the help of Chris it was done in an hour.  It would have taken me most of the day.  Last night I was putting the two hens that are  out there in bed and it was almost dark.  My son, David who lives next door came out with a brighter flashlight and told me not to go into the yard.  There, running away was a skunk who had been enjoying the hens corn on the cob.   Everyone likes corn!  I realized that I really need to get the snow fence up as another barrier to the wild beasts.   The fence will grow some hops and scarlet runner beans next and the reclaimed land will host some other plants.  Maybe raspberries.   Ricky was busy helping David put some things in a dumpster he just rented.   Tomorrow we hope to finish the caravan and have the hens in it.  The boys are winding up their time here and will be leaving here tomorrow afternoon.  I surely will miss them and all their help.

HAPPY DAY TO YOU


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LINENS AND THINGS THE GARDEN

27 08 2012

HELLO

LINENS
Today I was given a large bag of old linens.  They belong  to my friend Carol.     The bag was given to me by

 

family members who weren’t interested in it.  Carol had wanted me to have some pieces but now I have the whole bag.  Some of the linens were made by her mother and others by Carol.  They have been stored for

over 40 years so will need a soaking in fabreze.        There is an old green blanket in the bag , it is woven with a

fine thread and wool.  It’s a small blanket and I wonder if it was carol’s when she was a baby. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

 

 

 

 

I have two friends, Debbie and Susan whom I will consult with about cleaning them.  There are many stains, from years of being out of use.  I used a lot of my family’s cherished linens and dishes.  Why put things away when you can enjoy them

everyday.                                                                                    

                                

 I am hoping to make pillows and things like that out of some of them.  One piece is big enough for a baby blanket  so I may make that for my granddaughter Lillie who is to arrive sometime in October.  Each Piece will be a treasure for a member of my family.                                                                                                                                                                                                              

THE GARDEN,

The garden is winding down, but I am still busy canning and freezing.  I bought some beets yesterday and plan to can pickled beets the end of the week.  I am still doing tomato sauce.

GOOD DAY TO YOU

 

 


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DEERFIELD RIVER NEW KNITTING PROJECT

27 08 2012

Hello

Today Ricky and I painted, he painted the door to the diningroom and I did a portion of the diningroom ceiling.  Of all the things I do  painting and building things are the two I dislike the most.  I am not good at either.  I worked on the chicken caravan, putting two sides of the nest box.  TOmorrow I will cut the opening and install the last wall.

After all that was done we went to the river.  Here are some river pictures.

VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE

RICKY JUMPING IN AND CHRIS WAITING HIS TURN

BROTHERS

A BOAT IN THE SAFETY OF A HARBOR                  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEW KNITTING PROJECT

I have made several sweaters from this pattern.  Its easy and goes real fast.  The yarn I am using was spun some years ago and is from my favorite sheep Lottie, Sadies mother.  I dyed it with Pro Chem in the grease and sent it out to be processed into roving.  It’s a bulky yarn and this sweater will be more jacket like when its finished.  I will keep you posted on its progress.

HAPPY DAY TO YOU


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HOOKING – CHICKENS – TANSY AND THE GARDEN

25 08 2012

GOOD MORNING

This is what I did with some of the Tansy.   I was given this broken picnic basket and it was headed for the dump.  It looks so much different with the tansy in it and I will put it in the dining

room when I finish painting the walls.  I kept all the leaves and stems and layed them on the bottom, they have such a wonderful smell and are hidden with the flowers.    A touch of fall.

  HOOKING

Yesterday I did some hooking while at the river.  I have found some finer handspun wool yarn and am going to make a few pins.  I hope to finish this in a day or two.  The hardest part of these pumpkins is not the hooking but sewing on the backing and mixing herbs to put inside and the stem which needs to be glued on.              

CHICKENS

Her is Amelia and Charlotte.  Both hens came from an organic farm replacing older hens with new ones.  They both came to me with  no feathers on their backsides.  Charlotte grew hers back but no such luck with Amelia.  I have used BLUECOTE on her every other day to prevent anymore pecking but nothing has seemed to work.  I now think she will never get those feathers back and I will have to be watchful of her.  It was a good lesson for me as I just thought everything Organic was good.  It’s not necessarily true.  Being organic means that you have to be vigilant of everything.   I try to be but am not always successful.  It does give one something to think about.

THE GARDEN

I have included a picture of my Scarlet Runner Beans.  I planted them to late and they are just starting to blossom.  If I am lucky I might have  some beans before frost.  I like to plant them near the outside coops.  They quickly grow over the top and provide shade and beauty in the summer months.

GOOD DAY TO YOU


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