A quilt in progress, a cat and some eggs

Just a few things to start off this new year.

I am about half way through sewing the pieces together for the blue jean quilt. My right middle finger is pretty sore from the needle jabbing through my skin. I have a bandaide on it so I can still sew. A little awkward, but it helps. I can't sew with a thimble at all. I can't wait to see this all done.

I love this picture. This is Sybil. I've had her 7 years now. Got her and her brother from a friend when she was a kitten. She is pretty deaf. And the sweetest cat I have. I just thought this was so pretty of her with the bird house and the cement bird. I don't think she has ever hurt another creature.

 Look at the difference in these 2 eggs. I was at the feed store the other day and there was a guy with several dozen eggs he was selling. I bought a dozen. I have gotten eggs from them years ago and have seen their coops. They are cooped, which I forgot. I was just happy to see eggs from local chickens. And for $2.00. So this morning I fixed eggs and put one of theirs and one from my hens. Big difference. That's mine on the left. Theirs is at least darker than the store bought "free-range organic" eggs I have bought for $5 a dozen. But my 4 hens are all laying now so I get at least 3 eggs a day. Sometimes 4.

I took Adabelle home yesterday. And I got John Henry back today. He's out in the back yard with the 2 new does. Not much going on right now. But he sure does still stink!! So maybe there is still hope for a successful breeding.

It's been raining since last night. We are sopping wet. I mean everything is under water. We always get ponds when it rains like this. I used to have ducks and they would love to get to swim in the pond up front. They were the only animals that liked the rain around here.

Have a great first week of this new year y'all!

That was too close

This afternoon, my youngest daughter and her MIL and I went to see Les Miserables. I LOVED it. But not at first. I love the music. It was really good. And I hope everyone gets to go see it. And I cried.

When we got out of the theater, it was already dark. So had to hurry home and feed and milk goats. And dogs and cats too. So got all that done. I am pleased with Penelope Jane's progress and can't wait to start milking her. She is going to have a pretty big udder for a first freshener. Can't wait to see her kids soon.

Also the new doe Trudy is developing an udder too. I am happy with her progress as well. I am really not sure what she was bred with. It could have been either a Lamancha or a Boer. We shall see soon.

I need to get busy making some kidding stalls soon. I need more pallets first. It will be time to kid and I won't be ready for them. I hope to sell all the kids as soon as possible. I am not keeping any of the doelings. I'll castrate all the Boer cross bucks for meat.

After I came inside, I thought I better go check to see if there were any eggs. I got 3 yesterday! So 2 more started laying. I have 4 hens total. So grabbed the flashlight and went to see. And I saw 4 eggs!!!!!! 4! I was so happy to see all those eggs. I now have 1 whole dozen eggs hiden!

Then I started looking for my sheep. I heard the dogs coming up  the driveway. They had opened the gate. Got them in then looked over at the garden gate. It was wide open. My heart fell. I had put the sheep in the garden this morning. I ran in there and looked in the shelter. Nothing. I looked over in the barn yard and saw one of the ewes. Just one. She ran to the pasture. Then I pointed the flashlight toward the apple trees and saw eyes. I was SO relieved. I was about ready to jump in the car and look all over this valley for them. My poor sheep out there lost in the world. But then I started counting and they were all there. Adele and Fiona were over on the other side of the fence in the pasture. But the rest were down in the little orchard at the end of the garden. I was so happy to see them all. They looked a little spooked but all ok. I gave them some hay and shut the gate to the garden. I can't believe they were all still in the garden. I thought they had all left me. I am so thankful they didn't go out. Now if it had been goats... But they wouldn't have gone too far. Anyway, it all turned out good. I will be more careful and make sure gates are latched and tight before I leave again. I would be so sad to lose any of my sheep.

And Adabelle will be going home tomorrow! Her buck kids have been sold so it's safe for her to go back. And John Henry will be coming back tomorrow from his "job" in Hillsboro, Tn. So I can put Zeeboo in with him. Hope fully it won't be too late for that.

The 2 rams will be going to the butcher next Monday. So I can put the ewes back over there and get ready for lambs soon. I know I'll have 3 ewes due sometime in early Feb. Not sure about Darla. Maybe a few months later. Then all the littles will be due in May if Abraham has done his job.

As I was outside tonight, I saw the big huge full moon comeing up over Pigeon Mt. It sure is big and beautiful tonight. Go outside and see it for yourselves!

 Happy new year's eve!

Blue jean quilt

I have had a stack of old jeans in a closet, waiting for the right time to make a quilt out of them. Also had bought some demin fabric at a thrift store last year.

Today seemed like the day to get it started. I just cut out squares and rectangles and then put them together like a puzzle. I even used the pockets, front and back. I love the way this looks. I'll use the demin for the back.

I'll have to hand sew it all together because my sewing machine has had the tension all messed up for a few years now and I don't know how to fix it. I've tried every which way to change the tension, but nothing has worked. It's just a cheap little Singer I bought on sale one year at K-Mart the day after Christmas. I would love to get a good machine but will have to wait. And I don't mind hand quilting. Makes me feel like Caroline Ingels.

This is a side view showing the pockets. It looks so cute already.

I'll take pictures as I go along. I hope it won't take too long. I'm making this for my truck driving husband. It's cold out there in that truck all alone.

I just feel like I have to making something or I'm not being productive. And I can't get out in the garden right now. And it's too cold anyway.

Is anyone else making anything?