I have a site bookmarked on my computer that uses recycled materials to make bags and purses.  While I've seen a lot of wal-mart bags used in crochet, I never knew about T-yarn.  This is taking t-shirts and cutting then to make a yarn to crochet or knit with.  What a good way to reycle old t-shirts.  We get a lot of them. The site is  http://www.myrecycledbags.com/2009/06/05/making-t-yarn-from-recycled-tee-shirts/  .

Here is a picture of the T-yarn taken from that site.A new project!

This will be a short story as Chucken is only five days old. 

We have a Muskovey hen setting on her eggs.  She also had one chicken egg in there.  How it got there, I don't know.  As the ducks take 31 days to hatch and the chickens only 21, that egg cracked and out came Chucken.  So the duck is still settting on her eggs, which should hatch this week and Chucken sleeps with his "Mama" every night.  No matter how he tries to get her to go out of the chicken coop with him to find food and water, she won't go.  So he's out there on his own (we let them free range).  It'll be interesting to see what he does once his sisters and brothers hatch.

Have a blessed Friday.

From Glory Farm

Good morning.  The sun is finally shining again.  I'm having a blogger's block and so this entry is to just let anyone who reads this know I'm still coming on here and commenting, but have nothing of significance to contribute.

Our oldest daughter graduated and then decided that meant she's an adult.  This has brought with it all of the complications you can imagine.  It has left me emotionally drained and leaning ever harder on my Heavenly Father.

Our garden is in.  Some of it is even coming up. 

I picked up a Hoosier cabinet for the kitchen.  We don't have regular cupboards yet, our kitchen is totally unfinished.

It's not as old as some, but I really like it.

Well, I'll just keep lurking around and pop in once in awhile until my life gets some normalcy to it.

God bless and hold you tight.

From Glory Farm

Went out this morning and I saw---

This is the smallest lamb we've had born.  Looks just like her mom.

I had to show you where our little Angora doe likes to snuggle in the sun--

And a picture of our new LGD.  Her name is Jenny and she's a honey.

Doesn't she look vicious?  She's four months old.

Well it looks like the sun has decided to come out.  I should go out and make good use of it.

From Glory Farm.

Rhonda

We have another new additiong to the farm.  Her name is Jenny and she's a puppy.  I think! She's less than four months old and her back hits me mid thigh.  She is totally lovable.

We have been looking for a dog since last fall, when our daughter's dog was hit on the road.  We wanted one that was mellow, didn't chase cars, kept deer out of my garden, left the chickens alone, protected the sheep and goats.  I think we found one.  She's Newfie and Great Pyrenes.  Everyone just loves her. 

If I have time this afternoon, I'll post a picture of her.  She's completely black and so it's hard to get a good picture.  She's also completely cute.

From Glory Farm

I woke up early this morning, for a Saturday, that is.  The skies were overcast and the wind was blowing at  40mph.  We had and still have a balmy 32 degrees.  Stepping out onto the deck, my feet slid.  Ice and snow! Then the electricity went out.  Trees down on the power line.    I lit a fire in the fire pit, put on the bacon and eggs, and a pot of coffee.  Believe it or not, I really like this.  This is usually the only kind of weather I go camping in.  Cooking outside this morning, I felt like I was at the lake.  The smell of woodsmoke lingers in my hair.  The coffee tastes like real coffee and stays hot forever.  The bacon just slightly burnt and the eggs swimming in bacon grease. 

Yep, it really is fun, fun, fun.

The power is back on now and it's back to the real world, and farm work.

From Glory Farm

Outside my window, falling ever so gently, snow!  Hey, hasn't anyone told the weatherman it's the middle of May?  I'm zipping up winter jackets and putting stocking caps on the kids as they go outside to start chores.  I know enough, not to put the winter clothes away until the middle of June.  Brrrr...

So, want to know the latest addition to the farm?  Bees.  That's right.  We went and picked some bees up on Tuesday.  Poor things are probably wondering what happened to spring.  This is a learn as I go project, so I would sure welcome your advice.  I have one hive and some supers, a veil, hive tool, and smoker.  What else should I have on hand?  I'm feeding them now, as we hardly even have dandelions blooming yet.  I did start mowing the lawn, yesterday, but I hit a piece of baler twine and I may have toasted the mower.

My tiller is in need of a new air filter and gas line.  I'm having a hard time finding parts, but I hope to get them ordered today.  I really NEED to get my garden tilled even though we only have 32 degrees right now.  It's filling up with grass and parts of it look like my lawn.

Sometimes I wonder if my "Homesteading" is becoming more important than my Lord.  I get totally preoccupied with goats, sheep, gardens, etc.  We call our place "Glory Farm", wanting to bring Glory to God in all we do.  Just about the time I think I have my priorities all messed up, God takes care of it.  Our goats and sheep are having their little ones, just like they are all over right now.  My two Alpines, the ones that were so healthy, so promising , have had a horrible time of kidding.  One poor doe died and her kid with her.  The other lost her kid and we're trying everything to save her.  We had to pull both kids, and the second doe, the one still alive, was in very poor shape going into labor.  She started going downhill fast after her sister died.  We have her on two types of antibiotics, oxytosin, and a pain killer.  She's been down for two days, now, but she's not getting any worse.  Now I say, Lord, I could give it all up for you.  Help me to learn from experience, to use this knowledge and to be a better caretaker of my animals. Amen.

I think the two Alpines had too much feed for the last month of their pregnancy.  I've never had this problem before.  A terrible way to learn.

I am thankful for the lambs and kids that are healthy.  I am hopeful that the goats and sheep left to have babies will be fine.  I am thankful that my Jesus is in control.

From Glory Farm

I've decided to join the challenge at

http://teachinggoodthings.com/blog/from-seeds-to-harvest/ 

I read about it over at

http://www.homesteadblogger.com/youwantmetomovewhere/133719

This looks like fun and should help keep us working in the garden.  It should also be a learning experience.  Want to join us?

Here's a start or  a few of my starts.  Tomatoes, broccoli,cabbage and peppers.  Some of the peppers haven't come up yet.  I'm not sure why.  I thinned the broccoli, cabbage and peppers.

The second picture has some of the herbs we planted, too.  There's thyme, lovage, sweet annie, parsley, and comfrey.  The next two  pictures are lavender and rosemary.  I bring them in during the winter because they can't handle the cold up here.  Then they go back out every spring.  I get fresh herbs all winter that way. 

These are the plants going into my garden next month.  My tomatoes should be monsters by then.  My son is starting some flowers.  He wants black violets and larkspur.

Feeling like joining the fun?  Let everyone know how your gardening is growing.

From Glory Farm