Ketchup

As in catch up. 

It's been raking the yard, starting the seeds,  cleaning the barn, washing the blankets and rugs, getting ready for the farmer's market, planning my parents 50th anniversary party, and taking care of a couple of new born calves.

We're still remodeling the house.  I STILL have to finish mudding the livingroom and then pick a color scheme.  Anyone want to help?  My kithchen is done in light blue and yellow.  I don't know if I want a warm color scheme, an accent wall, something to match the kitchen?  Then I'm going to varnish the hardwood floors.  Paint my bedroom in mint and peach?

How about ideas for the anniversary party?  We have polka music and just some sandwiches, fruit and vegies and dip.  It's an open house at a nearby school.  Any frugal???  ideas.  I made up the invites on the computer.  Planning on doing up vegie trays myself.  Have you seen what they want for them, even at Wal-Mart?

It's a gorgeous day, again.  Cool and sunny.  After lunch it's back to cleaning the barn and the yard.

That's it from Glory Farm.

May you bring Glory to the Father this day.

Rhonda

Homestead Business Opportunities

Here at Glory Farm we are always looking for ways to make our farm more self supporting.  I came across an article in Small Farm magazine and thought maybe we'd give this a try.  Picking wild botanicals for resale.  There are a number of wild herbs that grow here, some bring better prices than others.  Things like dandelion roots and leaves, rasberry leaves, strawberry leaves, red clover blossoms, burdock, yellow dock are in demand.  The recommeded book, "Directory of Flower and Herb Buyers 2007", is available at Prairie Oak Publishing for $12.  I haven't ordered it yet, but I might.  Their website is www.herb-buyers.com.  Has anyone else given this a try?  I realize it takes quite a bit of some herbs to make a pound.  I don't think that this is a get rich quick program, but it might work for spending money for the children. 

Have a blessed Sunday.

From Glory Farm

A Day of Hope and Promise

This is so cool.  45 degrees and it's supposed to stay warm for at least the next five days.  Spring!  Melting snow revealing all of the dogs' doings for a whole winter.  Spring!  The chickadees have changed their song.  The back porch is full of water instead of ice.  We can wear mud boots instead of snow boots.  Though we still have a couple feet of snow out there.  I don't think it'll last long with these temps.

 

My honey has some time off and it's so good to have him home for awhile.  I sure appreciate him.  He cares so much and asks for so little.  He took the youngest two ice fishing yesterday.  They caught a lot of ice. (bad joke)  They also caught one little crappie.  Dd3's first fish.  Not enough to eat, but they all had fun. 

 

I took the oldest two to an awards banquet at the Elks Club.  We met a family that was just great.  Kept us laughing all night.

 

Well, I started some broccoli, tomatoes and peppers two weeks ago.  I know it's early, but I just have to do something.  My peppers haven't come up.  I don't know why.  New seed, kept moist, maybe it wasn't warm enough?  I'm still waiting.

 

I've been trying to spin with a drop spindle and I think I'm ready for a wheel.  Not that I've gotten that good, I just can't spin with a spindle.  The yarn is all different thicknesses.  I think I want to learn to do this, though.  I don't need another pastime, but I think it could be a lot of fun.

 

I need to get off of here and do something constructive.  I have some sewing to finish and taxes to finish.  Also, I need to get our farmer's market plans organized and figure what else I still need to get.  These are, for the most part, enjoyable things.  I am blessed to be able to persue the things that God has given me an interest in.  (The goats are coming.)

Thanks for stopping to read.  Have a glorious day.

From Glory Farm

Sew What? Without a dongle?

I was over at ZooNana's looking at all of her great pictures of the things she's made on her new embroidery machine.  That got me thinking that there are a lot of people here that know a lot of things.  I have a Husqvarna Iris machine that has the computerized embroidery.  I have the customizing program 5.0.  An older one.  I lost the little adaptor that I need for my computer to save my designs.  They call it a dongle.  I lost it when we moved last August.  I've emailed Husqvarna and my emails won't go through.  I've looked on ebay and haven't found any.  I don't want to buy a whole new program.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks.

From Glory Farm

It can Stop Now-

We aren't going anywhere.  I don't mind, especially when I don't have anywhere to go.  This blizzard, the one that started today, is supposed to bring 15 inches.  The wind is whipping and the driveway is all drifted in again.  I'm not snowblowing until tomorrow when it's all over. 

This latest bit of weather means no school today or tomorrow so my older ones are home with the young ones.  Didn't get much done with homeschool today. 

 

One of our geldings cut his foot right above the fetlock.  It looks like it's going to be okay, but it sure scared us with all of the bleeding.  We've had it wrapped, but are letting it air out today.

 

Yesterday, the youth group leader called for a fast.  The youth are supposed to  go without any TV, books (except school books and the bible), no computer.  This is to give them more time with God.  Uninterupted.  The fast along with the snow days has made for some pretty interesting entertainment.  How I wish they could all watch a movie!  We have a trumpet going, a trombone, a keyboard, and a guitar.  They just don't all go together.  Then we had the GI Joe marathon.  Even the 15 year old was GI Frogman.  My dd2 got pictures for future blackmail material. 

 

My dh is stuck down in southern Minnesota.  They've closed I-35 down into Iowa.  He's parked waiting and praying.  Not sure which way to take.

I'm going to go and warm my hands in some dishwater.  Have a blessed night.

From Glory Farm