I did it!

Isn't this cute? I made this! Well, with a whole lotta help from my friend Jennie. Couldn't have done it without her really. But she let me do most of it. This new sewing machine had her stumped a few times. But she likes it. And I finally figured out the back up stitch. That will help a lot.

Kansas loves it. And it fits perfect. But not for long. She's growing like a weed. She can wear leggings under it or shorts.

I am right proud of this! I haven't made any clothing since I was in 8th grade Home Ec. And I hated it! Took me a whole year just to sew a pair of pants. Why can't we have school when we're older? I want to learn everything now.

But this was fun. I can't wait til I lose more weight, so I can make some clothes for me. What fun! Another goal for me to work toward.

Can you tell Kansas loves to pose? Such a ham, she is.

Around the farm...

 And just like that, most of the trees are green again! The grass is growing like crazy. Already been mown twice. I haven't been able to start the garden because it's still too wet. And rain all this week too. I do like a fall garden best anyway. But I do want green beans, corn and tomatoes.

This is one of my herb gardens. I can see chives and a few other things coming back in. I should add more soil.

                                         The clematis is full of blooms! Can't wait to see them.

I think all 4 fig bushes are dead. Makes me so sad. They did great the first year. Had lots of figs that were so good. Then last year, they were getting leaves and we had a killing frost. So I cut them all way back and they came back, all nice and full. Got a few figs. But this year, they are doing nothing. I'll break a branch and it's brown. No life at all. So sad. I wonder what happened? Does anyone else have figs?

My little bee garden is looking good. Hosta popping up all around it. And I see several of the perennials coming up that I planted last year. Me and Kansas got in there the other day and pulled up big clumps of grass and the dead branches. Looks better. I'll mulch when everything is bigger.

The 3 pear trees are in full bloom! And full of critters. Lots of my honey bees. I hope to get lots of pears this year.

                                   Cab you see the honey bee right in the middle of this picture?

  Beautiful apple blossoms. This is on one of the newer apple trees below the garden. I planted 6 there and can't remember what all they are. I know I got Arkansas Black, a Granny Smith, and a few Yates. But can't remember the others. They were good last year.

 

 And the Old  Granny Smith apple tree, in full bloom too. The Yates and Early June is coming along too but not like this yet.

Here are some working girls. I love my hens. I have 7 and get 7 eggs about every other day. Yesterday, I was putting them up for the night and only saw 6 with the rooster. I got them in and looked all over for #7. I had taken a long walk earlier and thought maybe she had followed me. But I didn't see anything on the road. Looked in the garage and other rooms. No # 7 anywhere. Then I saw her, meandering along the fence in the studio yard. Just taking her time. She's always by herself. She marches to the beat of her own drum, that one. I was very glad to see her and she went right in the coop.

And this was my lunch yesterday. I love this salad. My favorite. It's spring lettuce mix with dandelion greens and red loose lettuce. I added some hen-bit and violet flowers. Also have dried cranberries, walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese with a Superberry fruit vinaigrette dressing. It's SO good! I do hope you all go outside and harvest wild food from your yards and eat them!

I rode my new bike down to the fire hall and back yesterday. Man, I have not been on a bike in years. It's hard!! I was exhausted y'all. And it's only about a few blocks away maybe? Why is riding a bike so hard? And that seat! Torture! I think it feels too small for me. I might take it back and go to the bike store and try them. They are a lot more money, but I want a bike to last for a long time. And I want to be comfortable. I might try a cruising bike. I won't be racing. And the seats are bigger and look more comfy.

My friend will come today and we'll finish the dress I started last week. I tried it on Kansas and it's perfect! She likes it. So I hope to make lots more clothes soon.

20

Today, 4 weeks and 1 day into this weight loss journey, I have lost 20 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I bought a bike yesterday. Oh my goodness, I have not been on a bike in forever and it's kind of a little scary. And good grief I am SO out of shape it's horrible. I rode it up and down the long driveway and was huffing and puffing. And my driveway is pretty flat. But I was trying to get the seat and speed adjusted too. It somehow doesn't feel just right to me so it might have to go back and I'll try another one. I'm going to ride a little later this afternoon, just to see how it is on the road, then decide.

I am so happy right now! And I feel SO much better already.

Fluffy Friday

 Just some very fluffy sheep pics for your Friday enjoyment. Have a wonderful Easter weekend y'all!

Wood Faeries

We have wood faeries. They live up on the mountain. We've known them for years and they are the best friends ever. They came last week while we were both gone and filled up the wood shed and the metal wood stand. It's so nice to have wood faeries. This is a great start for next year's wood pile. Thank you, sweet wood faeries!

Sunburst Granny Squares

This is something else I've been working on lately. I take my bag everywhere with me. Always when I have to take mom or Mrs. T to a doctor. I have 74 so far. I'll make 16 more, for a total of 80.

I think I'll give this to my oldest grand daughter for her 16th birthday May 27th. It should be finished by then. I hope. If not, it will be for graduation.

It's made with cotton yarn. I love it. And really easy and fast. And a conversation starter too. I had taken Mrs. T's car in for an oil change and check up last week. Brought this along. And a man asked me what I was making. He said his wife keeps telling him he needs a hobby. I told him lots of men crochet and knit. I hope he'll at least try. He seemed to like the squares.

Sewing

I bought a Brother sewing machine last year. Didn't take it out of the box til a few months ago. It's got a lot of different stitches and other fancy things on it. But not too fancy. Or computerized. I have sewn before, on a little basic sewing machine. But it quit working years ago. So I did most things by hand. I like making quilts by hand. But have used a machine to sew the squares together. I always have quilted them by hand though.

So when I got this machine, I thought I would learn to make clothes for myself and the grands. But I had to learn first. I asked several people to teach me. But people are so busy these days. And sewing lessons are expensive in the stores.

I finally Had a friend call and said she could help me!. She came a few weeks ago to learn the sewing machine first. She loves this machine. She sews her grand kids clothes and makes doll clothes too.  We got the machine all threaded up and practiced on it. Then later I made a few little pouches, just for practice.

I decided to wait on clothes for myself til I lose much more weight. So I got a cute little dress pattern for Kansas. She loves dresses and I figured it would be easier to start with a simple dress.


Got the material all washed and ironed. Got my work table and sewing table all cleaned and ready to go.

I love this work table. It was my old brooder box for chicks and turkey babies. I painted it the color of the walls and use it now for everything. I have an old metal stool I painted purple to use with it. Then my sewing table is behind it. Lots of space to work with here now.

Jenny came over yesterday and we got started. Cut out the pattern pieces for this dress. She showed me how to save lots of material. That was a good thing to know. So when I want to make another quilt, I'll have lots more fabric to use.

I learned how to gather. That was fun. We got the straps sewn onto the front and back panels. She had to leave, so she'll come back Friday to finish it. We just have to sew the elastic in the back and sew the sides together and hem it. It's a size 12 with the size 14 length. Kansas is not here to measure her so will have to hem it when she comes back.

I am so excited to finally be sewing! But for any of you who do sew a lot, how do you get your fabric? I was at Joann's the other day and it is SO overwhelming, just looking at all the fabric in that store. Walmart only has a few rows, so lots easier to make a choice, although I hate Walmart. And Hobby Lobby would be better I think. But I see people's sewing rooms on line and am amazed at all the fabrics they have, all lined up and folded and in color order. It's so expensive! Do you order fabrics on-line? Where is a good place to get it? I see on Amanda Soule's blog, one of her sponsors is Alewives. Their fabrics is beautiful. But I bet it's pricey too. Do you just go to fabric stores every day to catch good sales? I know lots of people have the phones where they can pull up coupons and specials. I don't.

I will get a picture of Kansas in the dress to show it off. It's so cute and summery.