26 November, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope that everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

That family time is a happy event and that the Lord blesses everyone with save travels and wonderful visits with family and friends.

12 November, 2008

Sense and Sensibility now has ePatterns

I have always loved this period of clothing.

I have looked over these patterns many times and now that she has ePatterns I plan on getting several of them, because one of the biggest problems I have is that I loose pattern pieces. Having them always in the computer they can't go anywhere.

I am trying to choose between the underpinnings and the Spencer-I have always loved this style of coat. Probably will start with the underpinnings as I have been looking for a way to make our female underthings.

So go over to Sense and Sensibility and look at her new ePatterns.

06 November, 2008

Happenings on our homestead

So on Sunday three of the pigs went to the butcher, and two are still here, they will both be fattened up and go in a few more months.

I ordered 25 more chickens yesterday and still need to get a couple roosters. We also need to build a real chicken coop and get them out of the barn stall that they have all been in for so long. I need that stall for other things.

I am not sure that our mama pig is bred back, so we are going to be watching her, and I am going to be looking into getting a calf that we can fatten up for the freezer. She has really fattened up since we moved her and the one little pig left, I should be able to send her over around the end of Feb and get a good bit more pork for the freezer.

The other big thing that I am working on is getting the third bench installed in the van to make it a 12 passenger, that way we can spread the children. The only draw back to that is that it will be a lot harder when getting feed and such, so that means, I am also going to be getting a trailer hitch and be on the lookout for a small enclosed trailer. That I can use not only for when we get feed, but to also use when we go to the grocery store.

I have decided that I am about done with Walmart, our little store might carry something that you like, then it's just gone and no they will not order it again for you.

So even though it is a drive there is an Aldi up in Florence, I am really looking into heading up there and really looking at everything that they carry. Since I am not one to really buy boxed food, I am looking at canned things and possible frozen items. We already have a really nice large cooler, but will probably getting at least two more for this kind of shopping and the distance. The last time I was in Aldi's the had a really great price on gallon milk.

I am still very much interested in getting a milk cow, but first we need to fence in at least an acre for her and a calf. I talked to Jeff up at Co-Op and it will probably cost about 40.00 to have all the fencing supplies we will need delivered, but this way things won't get bent or messed up as the truck is longer than our little pickup. The other reason to pay for the delivery is that it is a good 20 miles into town and I just can't leave the children here alone even for a quick trip in with the pick up.

I am trying to plan out our orchard, I would like to have peaches, apples, plums, pears and cherries-even though I don't like them I am sure that they could be used to make some jams or something that we would possible be able to see at the farmer's market. I am not sure what all of the things that you can sell at ours, but I would think that jams and preserves would especially if I am selling homemade bread too.

Our garden is the next big plan. I should think that seed catalogs should start arriving soon. I know the basics that I want, it is just trying to get the right quantity of plants. I am thinking that we need at least 200 tomato plants, 100lbs of potatoes-Richard bought some purple fingerlings that we are going try. Green beans, peas, romaine lettuce, zucchini, yellow squash, watermelons, pumpkins, collards, okra, garlic, carrots, broccoli, must think about what other veggies we want to plant and put up.

04 November, 2008

I voted today, Have you?

I have to say that it is a lot different here in Alabama compared to what it was back in FL.

First off we live in a very rural area, my little town has a post office, one gas station, a bank, city hall, a new medical clinic, and three different churches, oh there are also two restaurants, the auction house-for the once a month auctions, and the discount flea market & grocery store that is only open on Fri & Sat.

Anyway our voting place is at the city hall. I did take all of the children with me and we were there while another young man was there. Back in FL you had the old style, where we had that lovely chad problem, then we had the touch screens.

Well here in my neck of the woods, we have a ballot that is a fill in the bubble. Then you put it into this big box that had a counter on it and I was the 33 ballot into the box. As we were leaving there were more people coming in to vote.

The poll workers were all very nice and gave I voted today stickers to all of the children. I got one too.

Have a great day!

03 November, 2008

Got my laptop fixed.

It seems so silly to think that this is just a computer, I've only had it for a year or maybe almost two. But having to go back and use the desktop after having been on this one for so long was like having to tie a rope around my waist and run around the house, while the other end of that rope was tied to the inside of the front door. It took forever and it was hard and slow going, trying to get things done.

But it is now working again, the tech guy even came out to me and was super cool, because he didn't mind having all the boys ask questions, even took the time to tell them and showed them everything that he was doing and what things did. That is the best thing in my book, when a person will take the time to talk to children while they are providing a service.

But now the bad news, I just went to use the usb ports on the side and they are in crooked, so I suppose that I am going to very carefully take this apart and see if I can fix it myself. Bummer, oh well at least the computer is running again.