Interview with Theresa Gaffey - One of the Authors of Wearwithall and a Giveaway

Today I am happy to welcome Theresa Gaffey to the blog. Theresa is one of the five author team which just self-published the new Wearwithall - Knits for Your Life. I learned about the book from my friend Gale Zucker who flew to Minnesota to photograph this new book. It is a lovely collection of very wearable knitted projects designed by a group of designers who love to knit and appreciate making easy projects with a twist. I thank Theresa for spending time with us today and for making a copy of Wearwithall available to one of my lucky readers. You can see a slide show of all the projects for Wearwithall here.

KN: Theresa - you and I have known each other a long time. I think I met you back in the 1980's when you were Editor of Handmade Magazine. Tell my readers a little about how you got your start in the yarn biz.

TG: I admit it, I just lucked out. In 1982, I'd  just graduated from business school and couldn't get a job during an economic slump. I finally landed a job as a shipping clerk at a craft publishing company in Asheville, North Carolina. A few months later, I was one of the editors of Handmade magazine. That job combined my two loves: knitting and editing. 

 

Theresa knitting and having a cup of joe.

KN: Oh, I remember that economic slump. I got out of grad school at the exact same time. It was an awful time to get out of school but it sure did work out for you. Funny how taking a job that you may deem awful can turn out so well. Theresa, tell us how this book came about. Why did the five of you decide to write a book together?  

TG: Doing a book has been in the back of my mind for a long time. I've written articles for Vogue Knitting, Threads, and Piecework. I've had designs in a number of books. I produce my own line of patterns. But I had never done a book from start to finish. Why not? I have a full-time job managing web content for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. In my spare time, I co-manage the Yarnery in St. Paul, Minnesota, and teach weaving, knitting, and crochet at the shop. I couldn't imagine where I'd find the time or energy to do a book by myself. 

Then early in 2011, Shelly, Scott, Mary Lou, Sarah, and I started talking about doing a book together. We all work at the shop (The Yarnery) and each of us just happened to have publishing experience: Scott in book production, Sarah in graphic design, Shelly in finance, Mary Lou in publicity, and I in editing and pattern writing. It was the perfect storm of talent and energy. Most importantly, we all shared a vision of what the book should be. Gale Zucker has a Minnesota connection and came on board early on. 

Everything just fell into place, though that's not to say that it wasn't a tremendous amount of work.  I was recently filing away the final galleys that I'd proofed. One of my handwritten notes caught my eye: "It's 3 o'clock in the f---ing morning. I have to go to work at 7!"  

 

Theresa's gorgeous Fair Isle Mittens

KN: I totally know how you feel. You get an idea and think, oh, this will be easy and then the project morphs into months of work and effort and you say to yourself "What was I thinking?" But it is worth it when you hold the book in your hands. Tell me what was the most fun for you as you worked on the project?

TG: The photo shoot with Gale, hands down. It was exhausting and intense and it was sleeting outside. But the energy and professionalism Gale brought to the project was amazing. We were crammed into Scott's beautiful (but small) apartment at times with three 4 year olds, a couple of toddlers, and a baby. But we laughed so much and had so much fun. And we could finally see our vision for the book coming together through Gale's camera lens. Thank you, Gale. 

 

KN: Gale really is an amazing photographer and such a kind person. She is smart and funny and I can imagine the photo shoot was a lot of fun in a work kind of way. You are in good company considering she photographed Kay and Ann's books. What was the biggest challenge of all of you working together?

TG: I thought the biggest challenge was going to be communicating, being honest about our ideas. The five of us all have such very different personalities. But luckily(?) we are all pretty opinionated, so communicating our ideas was easier than I thought it would be. The hardest part was actually setting up the flow of the work. It's a little like a relay race; the hand-offs are critical. We got really good at making sure we all knew what the next step was and who would do it.

 

KN: You have been living in Minnesota now for a long time after a stint down south. How does living in Minnesota influence your choice of yarns and what projects you knit.

TG: I've always loved natural fibers--cotton, wool, and especially linen. But let's face it, you can die in Minnesota winters. Here, warm weather lasts about 3 months (okay, maybe 4) and warm woolies are a necessity most of the rest of the year. So of course, I find myself using more wool than I did when I lived in the South. That's why I loved knitting the baby blanket out of Rowan's Handknit cotton. The colors are fabulous and the yarn is a pleasure to work with and lasts forever.  For the next book, I'm eyeing Shibui's linen. 

 

Theresa's classic ribbed socks

KN: Tell us about your favorite project from the book.....

TG: My favorite project is the stole I designed. It's my idea of the perfect knitting project: unusual colors juxtaposed with an easy stitch pattern and a beautiful yarn. The drape of Alpaca 2 I used in that stole is so luxurious. I also love to play with color. Classic Elite has a terrific color pallette, and I can't wait to play with your new yarn, Kristin. I loved working with it in its previous incarnation.

 

(Here is the shawl Theresa mentioned on the Wearwithall blog.) 

My life is complicated in many ways right now; I like to balance that craziness with easy knitting. Maybe after my son graduates from high school and is off to college, I'll get back into the complicated lace and aran patterns I used to do...but maybe not. There is something zen-like about knitting plain stockinette stitch or a simple knit-purl pattern.

 

Theresa's baby blanket made of triangles

KN: So true - sometimes garter stitch or a simple rib is all I can handle. There are times for both difficult stitches and times you really just need the needles to relax with. I think so many knitters really just want to knit or purl and make a square without any shaping. I know you are a longtime employee at The Yarnery, one of the U.S.'s longtime fabulous independent yarnstores. How does working in a yarnstore inform your designing?

 TG: Wow, great question. The Yarnery celebrates its 40th anniversary this fall; I've been there for 20 of those years. Over that time, I've seen sock knitting just explode, the scarf craze come and go, the shawlette turn into the next must-do project. Now there's a huge range of knitting projects on the web, from exquisite lace to simple hats. 

Yet with all that out there, what our customers often ask for is something simple, something easy to knit. I hear them say, "I just need a simple baby sweater pattern. My niece is having her first baby." or "I just need a simple shawl pattern. My husband is in the hospital and I need to keep my hands occupied." That's the niche I love to fill. Simple patterns, things people will knit and wear for a long time.  

 

The baby blanket a little bigger!

KN: You all have done just that Theresa. It is a great book full of very knittable projects that are timeless. Congratulations to you and your team and I can't wait for the next one! Thanks for your time Theresa!

Here's the good news for one of you lucky readers.....
One of you will win a copy of Wearwithall. Here's all you need to do to enter. Answer Theresa's question below in the comments section. As always, please leave an easy way to get a hold of you - e-mail, Ravelry or Blogger ID. Thanks.

From Theresa:  "When you are not knitting something to wear, what are you knitting?"

Contest ends Monday July 2nd, 2012. Good luck everyone!

Pretty Early Summer Colors

Pretty flowers from a walk around our farmhouse...... 

 

It might not be a manicured fancy yard but there are bits of color peaking out.

The feverfew is amazing this year. It has popped up all over and looks like a white halo above the stone walkways. Must have been absolutely perfect for germination last year and then blooming this year. I welcome the spreading, carefree habit of this plant. It is one I can never have too much of.

 

These photos were taken with my iPhone in the Camera+ app and then tweaked.

From TNNA and from Seth Godin

The big TNNA (The National Needlework Associaton) Fall 2012 Show is over. Vendors are heading home with orders to organize upcoming shipping and supply. LYS's are heading home to count how much money they spent. It happens every year in June somewhere in the Midwest. When I began my career, the TNNA show was in Chicago. June in Chicago was almost always hot and humid, but a whole bunch of fun with great restaurants to try to visit and all the anticipation of the upcoming Fall/Winter Knitting Season. The one thing I don't miss about traveling to the Midwest in summer was the flight delays due to the massive thunderstorms. People in the Midwest know how to knit, crochet, sew, and create. There is a great tradition in making things. For me, this June Show was always a fun and busy one.

June TNNA is the biggest needlework show of the year. It is where new yarn companies launch, new books get signed, new designers flaunt their stuff. There is a new product area and it is a great way as a vendor to see what others in the business are doing. (If you are a vendor, it is polite etiquette to not walk into another vendor's booth - unless you are invited. Hence it is pretty impossible to find out what is new and innovative). Heather from Classic Elite knit this super cute Fair Isle iPad cover that I designed the colors and Fair Isle Chart for. It was on display with some of the new Color By Kristin yarn. This will be an upcoming "web letter" in the fall from Classic Elite.

I didn't go to the launch of my new line of yarn - Color by Kristin. It is really hard for me to go away from the farm. And I am in the midst of a book project with more impending deadlines. When you go to a show like that, you lose a couple days before and after. I just don't have that time in my life this year. I am trusting that stores came to the show. I haven't heard how business was but I have my fingers crossed for all in the needlework industry.

The photos in this post are of the Color By Kristin Yarn in the Classic Elite Yarns booth. All of these garments and accessory designs will be printed into booklets and available at your local yarn store. I do not know about the on-line appearance and availability of these designs but as soon as I do know, I will let you know. Patience please everyone as we lauch this new line of yarn...... It is really nice to not be in charge, I must say.

Over the weekend, I got this in my in-box from Seth Godin about the big brouhaha with the Olympic name and the knitters. Although this whole thing is pretty nuts and a misguided use of a whole bunch of people's time I think it is fabulous that Seth mentioned knitting on his blog. And it is on Gawker, Business Week, Slate, NPR.... It goes on and on. We (as knitters and makers of things) are sure to pick up some new converts, don't you think? Just look google "ravelry olympics 2012" and see what comes up. (Sorry, no links, internet slower than molasses even with 3G). 

Color by Kristin - My New Yarn!

I promised you all some really big news. Here it is!

My yarn is back!

How cool is that? You can read all about it on my newsletter here. I'll share some more about how this all happened here on the blog in the next week. Suffice it to say, I am over the moon to be able to knit and design with this beautiful blend of 50% wool, 25% alpaca, and 25% mohair. The yarn is now called Color by Kristin and it is being distributed by Classic Elite Yarns. If you don't know this already, I worked for Classic Elite Yarns for sixteen years as the Creative Director. It is nice to be back with them. I value the great relationship they have with local yarn stores and the trust they put in me. Here's hoping your local yarn store is buying some Color by Kristin at TNNA this weekend or through their local sales representative.

Hope on over to the newsletter for the back-story. If you want to sign up for the newsletter, you can sign up on the top right of this page or on the top of the link.

Here's a sneak peek from the Classic Elite Yarns booth display from the trade show. I'll share some more photos tomorrow. (Thanks to Meg from CEY for snapping and sending the photos!)

p.s. If you signed up for the newsletter AFTER I formatted it, you didn't receive it. Sorry about that. I use MailChimp and that is the way it works. Don't worry - you will get the next newsletter unless for some reason, you typed your email in wrong. And you can always un-subscribe from it.

Just Not Ready......

...... for the heat..... It has been hot, hot, hot here as it is in many parts of the country. We are up early to do what needs to be done outside. Then it is all we can do to make it through the day - all of us including the animals who are smarter than humans. They just lie in one place motionless. The sheep graze all night long and sleep all day.

Although I am all about color, at this time of the year around me in my garden there are plenty of things blooming that are white. When I look at the photos, they make me feel cooler than I really am with a fan blowing on me as I type on my heated up lap-top.

So for all of you trying to escape the heat, here are some cool feeling farm and garden scenes that will hopefully make you feel a bit cooler than the temperature really is.

I have a rooster bell outside my mudroom door. The idea for it was since there was no doorbell, someone might ring the rooster. I think in 13 years, one person has figured it out. 

 

The other day, a beautiful white moth was sleeping on the bell for hours. Good thing I noticed. I love the transparency and the delicate folds of the wings. Such a gorgeous fragile creature.

Our house came with a Korean dogwood. This year it is covered in an unbelievable number of blossoms. The bugs have already gotten to them but they are gorgeous all the same. 

Lambs ears and ladys mantle - two of my favorite carefree garden flowers at this time of year.

 

What would June be in New England without white daisies blooming along the roadside. 

 

When The Farmer and I got married, we had coffee cans wrapped in tin foil full of daisies along my Mom and Dad's driveway leading people up to the garden festivities. Twenty eight years ago this weekend - wow! Good thing I didn't go to TNNA (the big needlework trade show). Instead, the three of us will all do the Amherst Common Farmers Market together. Twenty eight years ago we had a Greek Lamb Roast for our wedding celebration. Twenty eight years later we are giving our community the opportunity to cook our lamb and help to keep the New England family farm tradition alive.

Big News Tonight! and Little Lamb's Ears

I can't say much but I will tell you that I've got some major exciting news I'll be announcing on my "Once in a While" Newsletter tonight at midnight Eastern Time. If you want to be one of the first readers to know..... sign on up.

Click here to get Kristin's really big news at midnight tonight. For all of you who don't stay up until midnight, the email will be waiting in your inbox tomorrow morning!

We just purchased a new Dorset ram lamb to be the papa to some of next year's babies. He is quite good looking, don't you agree? He came from the barns and sheep program at University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Only problem is he is very spoiled and craves attention. Poor little guy must have had all kinds of students hugging him daily. He'll transition and learn to graze as he spends more time on our farm. 

I love this perennial plant called Lambs Ears. It spreads quickly and does well, no matter what I do to it. Only problem is that weeds can pop up through the spreading mat carpet and sometimes I just have to dig it all out and start again. I grow it along a wall along the patio. There is also some in the pasture from weeding I have done. It looks sweet when the lambs are standing behind it. They will not eat it though. It looks great in a vase too. The texture and fur on the leaves really does look like a lambs' ear, doesn't it?

Kate Winslet was Here

Well, not exactly. But she was not far from us. 

Jason Reitman is filming a new movie called Labor Day in Massachusetts, based on a book written by Joyce Maynard. The first leg of the filming has been here in Franklin County. There's been a bit of a Hollywood fever going around..... Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, and a host of people making the film. The most we have learned about it is through our local Greenfield Recorder. 

Julia in front of a 1980's car in the parking lot of the Arms Academy.

Julia's Grandmother Betty went to this school.

Didn't stop Julia and I from going on a scouting trip to Shelburne Falls, where they were filming. This is the lovely town with The Bridge of Flowers, The Iron Bridge where every year they hold a community dinner, Mocha Maya's Coffee and the old-fashioned Keystone Market. After a bit of sleuthing, we found the parking lot where the 1980's cars were parked until needed on the set. The set was actually the main street of Shelburne Falls, all the store-fronts re-decorated with 1980's signs and colors and 80's vintage cars parked along the street. They even re-named and re-signed "Greenfield Savings" as "Holton Falls Savings Bank".

Julia in front of the fictional town of "Holton Mills, NH"'s cruiser

The film company has moved on to eastern Massachusetts. Rumour has it they will be filming in Acton very soon.

My family had a wood paneled station wagon like this in the 80's

We look forward to seeing our beloved home of Franklin County on the Silver Screen in 2013. Can't wait to see if any locals we know will be extras. It has been a boom to our area with over 200 hotel rooms needed and food to be eaten. Fun stuff for a sleepy community which stays out of the limelight. It's over now.

OMG - I Lied! + Scenes from our Damp Pasture

Did I just type that? I must have a teenager living with me who has one more half day of school before summer vacation. So here we have it.... really, I promise.... the last photo of a peony for 2012. I discovered this pic in my iPhoto library and couldn't let it go away into the disappearing library without posting. Poor little last pink peony in a spooner at my very hardworking sink.

Yes, spooner, I said. I don't know where I heard that term but probably from my friend Sally. All I know of "spooners" are that they were used in Victorian times to hold spoons. Does anyone else know any more history? I picked this one up, most likely, at Brimfield although I cannot remember when. What attracted me is the color...... a lovely turquoise shade. When I have friends for tea (which I must admit is not too frequent), I put my teaspoons in it. Naturally. It's a spooner afterall. 

It has been a very wet May and June. The gardens and fields are very green and the weeds are growing like nuts. We haven't had a problem finding grass for the sheep and lambs to eat because it is all growing so fast. We're going to look back on this month in envy in August when everything dries out and the grass slows down as the sun sinks lower in the sky. Taking photos of sheep when it is misty and drizzling always yields nice results.

The sheep are talking about Ann Shayne's new novel Bowling Avenue. I've ordered it and if it is anything like the blog, it should be funny. Ann has a swanky new website for Bowling Avenue. Totally love the turquoise cover of the book - matches my spooner. Great art. And she got to pick it! That's one of the perks of publishing yourself. Love her new publishing name "Chenille Press." Only a knitter......

This is a photo of one of our pastures in training. This old apple orchard lies south of our farmhouse. It is all fenced in now and the sheep graze under the trees eating what grass and weeds that grow there. If we had enough money, we would pay someone to come in and cut all the trees down, take the stumps out and then have beautiful lush pasture for the sheep to graze. I can imagine it in my mind - just like the lush pastures in England covered with pretty white fluffy sheep. It is a beautiful sight.... albeit in my mind.

But we don't have that much money and The Farmer only has so much time to cut trees down. He's a really busy guy and he is loving these very long days. Haying has begun and when there is a good stretch of weather, he is on his tractor all day long making hay for next winter's sheep feed. As the saying goes "Make hay while the sun shines."

The difference between me and The Farmer is this - I want things done and completed immediately. I'm not the most patient of women. Cut down a tree? Clean it up, chip it, and cut it into firewood. But I'm not the one with the chain saw. (I decided long ago that I did not want to cut down trees - I'm just not that good at judging which way it would fall and it is a very dangerous hobby. The Farmer has been doing it since he was a kid and he knows what he is doing.) So I just go along for the ride. The Farmer thinks about his "200 year plan." He thinks about things progressing slowly and making small and manageable improvements. When I see the tree laying there, I think "what a mess." He thinks that in a very few years it will rot and while it is there starting to rot, it is enriching the soil and holding the soil in place as the grass starts to grow with the new light coming through the trees.

 

And really, the sheep don't care about all the downed trees and limbs they have to step over that aren't cut up.  They just want their mamas and to have a drink.

 

Kate has started showing interest in the sheep again. For a month or so she was refusing to go into the sheep pasture with me. I think a mama sheep must have charged her and scared her when it was protecting its lamb. The lambs are bigger now and the mothers are a little calmer and not as worried about their lambs. I can see Kate's little wheels spinning in her head, pulling on her instincts that were passed down to her through her Border Collie genes. It is darn interesting to watch and observe.

 

 

 

We'll be at the Amherst Farmers Market on Saturday from 7:30 to 1:30. I'll be cooking up some of our lamb sausage for samples. It is "The Taste of Amherst" which is a big food and music event on the Amherst Common. Should be a fun and busy Saturday.

It is the end of World Wide Knit in Public Week. I'll be doing that too, as per usual, on Saturday at the Amherst Farmers Market. Have you participated in any WWKIP events?

Really... the Last Peony

I've been a busy little bee here at the farm. Just sent off my next batch of work for my next book. Lots of new and upcoming things happening here and there that I can't wait to share with all of you. If you want to be first to know what they are, sign up for my "Once in a While Newsletter" up on the top of the right sidebar. 

There is just something so joyful and boisterous about peonies, isn't there? All the flouncy petals welcoming in summer. 

I have finally tossed the last peonies from the jugs and vases in the kitchen. Such a sad day to have to wait a whole year for the next batch of blooms. 

 

I love having fresh flowers from my garden or from the neighboring fields in my kitchen. At this time of year, most of the flowers are pastel shades and whites. I've been taking lots of photos of them. I use a 50 mm lense on my DSLR. which allows for that lovely unfocused fadeout of certain areas of photos. I've learned the term for the unfocused area is called "bokeh." 

I love the old blue and white vase the peonies are in. I bought it several years ago at an antique store in England. My favorite thing about it, besides the color and the shape is the oddly patched handle. The handle must have broken at some point and it was patched with some small pieces of metal almost resembling staples. I know nothing about the jug, just that I like it and the age and the character it has. 

When I first started trying to work in oil paints, I painted the jug with a small handful of flowers in it. I must try to paint it again someday.

 

For all you iPhone users, I've found an interesting new camera app called Camera+. It is 99 cents and there are lots of nice features that can make your photos better. And it's not all about filters like Instagram or Hipstamatic. Check it out here. 

Buff Eggs and Chicken Tales

Buff Orpington Hens scratching in the dirt

Are you new to keeping chickens? It seems like more and more households are catching hen fever. It's a fun farm-y type activity that can be done in many suburban neighborhoods. I've kept chickens since we bought our first house in Pepperell back in 1988. I remember the thrill of paging through the Murray-MacMurray catalog and choosing the different breeds and colors of birds I would keep. I was so excited when the post office called me very early one morning to tell me I should come and pick up the peeping box of chicks.

Every year since 1988, I have purchased new chicks to replace the layers that had gotten old and unproductive or who had been lost to predators. One year we had a very hungry possum who really did a number on my brood until the night we caught him and The Farmer whacked him on the head with a shovel. That was the end of him. We've lost chickens to hawks, raccoons, foxes, skunks, even our Border Collies. Life and death happen on a farm and I am used to it. I used to be squeamish about dead things. Now I just grab a pair of gloves, pick it up and find a place to bury it or move it to the woods for something else wild to eat.

Keeping chickens isn't hard at all. There are tons of good books out now that are available if you are interested. I try to keep it very simple. I start my chicks off in a cardboard box with some newspaper, shavings, water and chick starter and a clip light to keep them warm. When they start to fly, I move them to a taller wooden box and add an old screen to the top. Once they have feathers, I turn the light off.

Every day they need fresh water and some grain. I add fresh shavings and clean out the newspaper and bottom of box when it starts to get smelly. That's pretty much it. I move them outside to the chicken coop when they are big enough to not get through the wire. Our coop was here when we moved in. It is barely holding together and one day I hope to replace it. I have a chicken run which is about 16 feet by 16 feet and it is totally covered with chicken wire, including the top of it. I've tried to let my hens go "free range" but it doesn't work around here. All I end up doing is feeding the wildlife. 

A couple hints that I have learned over the years:

•When you are ready to move your chicks out into a coop with an older flock of birds, do it at night when it is dark. Chickens cannot see well at night and they will not even know that more birds have been added. 

•Don't overspend on an expensive coop. Chickens are chickens, not rock stars. Keep it simple in case you don't like the birds and want to get rid of them.

•The term pecking order is true. Sometimes hens will start picking on another hen and peck it to death. Watch out for that because if there is blood on a hen, the other ones will not stop and pretty soon, the one that is being picked on will no longer be alive. It's a cruel world in the chicken coop.

•You don't need a rooster. That said, I always have one or two because I love to listen to the crow every morning at around 4 a.m. 

•If said rooster attacks you, get rid of it. It will not become nicer and you really don't need to be fearful when you are collecting eggs.

•Chickens are great composting machines. I feed my chickens everything - from table scraps to garden weeds and fall leaves. The more greens they eat, the orange-r the yolks will be. Some people say not to feed chickens meat but I do. I think that is because they worry about rats and other wildlife. Fact of the matter is, the meat scraps are in the chickens' tummies in about 30 seconds so what is the harm? I also skim all the fats off my soups and stocks and feed them and bacon drippings to the chickens. I'm not sure what it is but the next day, I have a bumper crop of eggs to collect.

•Watch where you put your chicks if you decide to move them outside for some fresh air during the day. One time The Farmer did this and didn't think about the sun moving around in the sky. When he put the out late in the morning, they were in the shade. We came home from work, the sun had rotated and all the chicks were dead from heat stroke. Not a good day.

•If you have livestock, you will have dead stock. Get over it. Stuff happens and you cannot save everything. I heard an amazing story about a woman who took her chicken to the vet because it wasn't feeling well. She spent $1400 on vet bills and the chicken died anyway. A new chicken will cost you about $3. Consider dealing with farm animals that die as your family's chance to learn about life, death, and the cycle of life. It is an important lesson to teach your children and to learn yourself.

•A family of three doesn't need more than 4 chickens. I have 10 hens that are laying right now and I am overwhelmed with eggs. Learn how to cook with eggs and get your family used to eggs for dinner. They are very cheap protein and quick to make and very tasty.

•If you want to be diligent and cull your hens every two years when they become less productive, purchase a different breed (or color) of chicken every year. Last year, I purchased gold Buff Orpingtons. This year I purchased greyish brown Aracaunas. I plan to get rid of all the gold hens after next summer as they will be two years old and not as productive. I don't want to feed them over the winter when laying decreases (unless you trick the hens with fake longer days using lights).

Anyone else have some good chicken keeping hints? Leave them in the comments to share with everyone. If anyone has a favorite chicken-keeping website, post the link in the comments. Have a great day everyone.

 

Waiting and Today's Studio Assistant

I wrote this post 5 days ago, shortly before our Verizon Air Card pooped out. Seems like so much has gone on here since then. I'll catch up with you all tomorrow after I try to catch up on the stuff I couldn't do without internet access. 

June 7, 2012
Coming down to the wire on the next deadline for my upcoming big project. Thank goodness it has been rainy all week so I haven't felt the call of the garden. It is all plowed and tilled and ready to go, once I have time to go buy some plants. Today, the clouds are alternating with sun and rain. Strange day but the upcoming weekend is supposed to be nice.

 

I've had a rotating array of studio assistants "helping out" or not. Here's Tommie taking a little nap after his big night out hunting. Let's just say that the chipmunk population here at the farm is going down rapidly. 

Last Peony of the Season

So sorry to see them fade away for the year.

My 10 Favorite British Things - in Honour of the Queen's 60th

First, the obligatory sheep photo though. It's been raining, raining, raining. The sheep must be sick of it although the grass is growing like crazy.

Sheep in rain the other evening

Thought I would share my 10 favorite British Things with you all in honour of good Queen Elizabeth. Feel free to add your favorite British things and link them if you can so we can all have a good look around the net.

(in no particular order.....)

1. Portobello Road
2. Charleston and Monk's House -the creative homes of Vanessa Bell, Virginia Woolf, Duncan Grant and families
3. The Oxford Natural History Museum
4. Contemporary pottery from Mary Rose Young and Isis Ceramics
5. Antique Mason's Ironstone and Gaudy Welsh Blue and Orange jugs
6. Liberty of London
7. Yorkshire Gold Tea  - I get it here if I can't find it locally.
8. Harris Tweed fabric
9. The colors of the Scottish Highlands including purple heather and gold gorse 
10. The Conde Nast Magazine World of Interiors (available by monthly at B&N) and British Country Living

Can't wait to see your favorite British things.

60 Years + a Archie and Winston Update

Not me - at least not yet. As I sit here knitting, knitting, knitting, I keep thinking about all the fun parties going on across the pond for Queen Elizabeth's big celebration. Yes, I am a bit of an anglophile and have visited many times. I've got a bit of Scottish and English heritage too although those traditions were not something that really were passed down to my generation. It's hard to believe Queen Elizabeth has been doing the same job for such a long time. Do you think you could stick to the same thing for that long?

Here's a video on the handmade crowns in Harrod's window. Thanks Kieren for the link. 

I've been watching some British movies to celebrate since I do not have BBC nor CNN. Wish there was some coverage on the regular channels. Yesterday I watched Cold Comfort Farm and today I'm watching Elizabeth with Kate Blanchette. This afternoon I'll talk to our Romney sheep about the Queen's Big Day.... after all they originated from the Romney Marsh. With all the rain we are having, it is a good choice for our farm as their feet are not as prone to foot rot as other breeds.

Saw this post on "Eat Like a Girl" and now I am intrigued with "Sheep's Curd Tart." Does anyone know what it is?

Thank you everyone for thinking of Julia and sending your kind notes. She has finally recovered from her stomach thing and tests did not reveal anything. She is back to school and regular food. Glad that is over. 

I'll leave you with some photos of Archie and Winston. They too have recovered from their neutering event and big adventure to the vet. What a day that was. It was pouring down rain and we had to catch two 100 pound dogs who have never left the sheep pasture, get them into my SUV and then to the vet. It took 45 minutes, lots of chasing and bribing with treats. We finally used the temporary sheep fence to corral them and then The Farmer lifted them into the truck. We arrived at the vet and couldn't get them out of the truck. Seriously, if you were them, would you go inside a building if you had never been in a house? They were soaked and I can only imagine the comments as they were operated on. We picked them up that night and boy, were they happy to be back with their sheep, if a little weary. It's been about 3 weeks now and the nasty fighting seems to be subsiding somewhat.

Back to the knitting. Good day everyone.

Lamb Races - May 31st, 2012

Last night as the sun was going down.....

the lambs were having a bit of fun....

running around the little pond

 Back to mama

Happy First Day of June!