Made with love, made with wool

Way back in February the most exciting box arrived at our door - it was 22 lbs of spun wool from our sheep!  It was so long ago we dropped it off Up North at the woolen mill that I almost forgot about it.  Half is a 3 ply sport weight and the other half 3 ply worsted.  It is super soft Merino and still a bit oily so it feels like butter in your hand.  The plan is to use as much as we can, experiment with dying it and we are encouraging the boys to set up a small business selling it. 

I do not have a skein winder but do have many volunteers to help hold and wind by hand.

Many cold days were spent knitting by the fire with Maryanna and Clara.  They both have scarves they are working on and I leaned into the most simple patterns I could find. 

First thing I finished were some little baby socks and then a hat.  The hat was originally requested by Peter but I was way off on my gauge so may end up being a baby hat.



Or a hat for Charlie. 

Paul also requested a hat and still off on my gauge it was a little big - I shrunk it a bit and I suppose it is soft and cozy because he rarely takes it off.  He shared a photo of it on instagram and called it "Farm to head".

The next hat I finished for myself and it was actually a perfect fit - but Maryanna convinced me it was more her style than mine.  I believe she was right.

Along with the yarn another giant package found way to us with the other half of our processed wool - clean batts!  I can't remember how many pounds but it was more than enough to make two doubly thick twin comforters, two crib comforters, and a throw.  The last bit is stashed for a future baby quilt.

Assembling the comforters was not as relaxing as knitting.  I was on my hands and knees grunting like an animal as I hand stitched these into the desired size.



I then covered them in cheese cloth and tacked down every 6 inches before sewing duvet covers for them.  The wool cannot be machine washed so I thought duvets would be easier than quilts.



The girls picked out a stack of Anna Maria Horner fabric for their covers and I found sheets on sale at West Elm for the backing.  I made them narrow to fit the bunk bed as neatly as possible.  These are so soft and cozy and the girls sleep soundly under the weight of them as do the cats.



Instead of their names embroidered they each chose a different animal to separate who's who's.



The two younger boys were also in need of some warm bedding this winter so I did the same for them.  Their covers were made from flat sheets from Garnett Hill, used the pillowcases from the sheet set the girls got with their duvet backing and sewed the animal silhouette pillows just for fun.

They too are sleeping better under the warmth and weight of this wool.

I did their names free hand because I was too lazy to set up the embroidery unit. 

The last project was a small throw for the couch in our bedroom.  I used up some silk I've been storing since I was in China 18 years ago and the result is a super warm, soft and silky space to nap.  It pairs well with the sheepskin from our first lamb and I'm thinking I'll be spending much time there in the weeks to come. 

I'm so thrilled to share these projects because honestly not every project off the farm turns into a successful useful product.  I'm so so grateful for our sheep - they munch down the pastures, provide nourishing meat and now the wool is like icing on the cake! 

Snowy puppy days and (below) freezing puppy nights

It has been six weeks since Oscar the puppy has joined our family.  He presence has both melted our hearts and turned our world upside down.  

I suppose we could blame Santa but really adding another dog was my idea.  I started looking around at dogs last spring after I noticed Archie was sleeping through porch visitors and package deliveries.  Archie has been our faithful doorbell and extra set of eyes and ears for over 10 years and is slowing down considerably.  How grateful I am for all he has offered our family and now wish to allow him rest and comfort in his old age.   

In the past our dogs have been adopted as adults.  First Molly the golden lab who was picked up from a shelter a month before we were married, then Archie who was from a breeder who needed to re-home him because of his hips and then Polar who was no longer cooperating as a show dog.  Each of them joined our home and family without too much trouble or disruption to our daily routine.

I thought adding another adult dog would be no trouble at all.  We looked on petfinder.com, craigslist and visited shelters with hopes to find the perfect match.  I had my heart set on a German Shepherd because I grew up with one, Hedi, I remember laying on her warm belly and riding on her back and feeling a strong connection to her.  

I corresponded with an owner who had to re-home her German Shepherd immediately because of life circumstances. I invited her out to bring her dog for a visit to our farm and not 15 minutes into it the dog growled at the little ones, chased a chicken and attacked Archie.  That was all I needed to push the idea of another dog far into the future.

Oddly, even after such a bad experience the thought of another dog continued to surface in the weeks that followed.  Late one evening I decided to search for a puppy, I have never raised a puppy but I certainly have experience with children - how could it be any harder? The first available litter that came up on my search was 8 available Bernese Mountain dogs, just listed that evening.  I was totally unfamiliar with the breed but with only a few pages of skimming had a feeling it would be a good fit on our farm and with our family.    

   

I called the breeder first thing in the morning and told her our situation - all the kids, the animals, the farm and a new baby on its way.  She reassured me that these were great family dogs, that she had 4 very young children of her own and with the help of a few older children a puppy would be manageable.  8 weeks later Oscar popped out of a wrapped box under the Christmas tree.  It was a magic moment for sure, the girls wept tears of joy and the boys laughed and cheered. 

The first two weeks were more than joyful.  We took turns snuggling him all night and carrying him around like a stuffed animal during the day.  He followed us everywhere and never left our side.  It seemed we just got lucky.

Not sure exactly when it happened but the following two weeks were more than painful.  His playing was no longer fun and turned to biting and the night time snuggling turned to taking turns on the couch to let him out every two hours and cleaning up poop when we were just not quick enough.



We cleaned up so much poop! These two weeks coincided with the coldest weeks of the year - it was not fun begging a puppy to poop at 4 am knee deep in snow at -10 degrees (and very pregnant).



Honestly, I felt I had made a huge mistake. I began to doubt the feelings of peace I had around making this decision.  I prayerfully asked for wisdom, understanding and direction.

My next midwife appointment I think we talked more about the puppy than anything else.  I cried about it - my midwife went above and beyond her duties and in sharing her puppy raising experiences and lending me a training book.

 I then talked to a handful of trainers and found one who would come to our house to train us on how to raise a puppy.  I aligned with her training philosophy and we both agreed that with so much going on both inside and outside the house the puppy needed a strict schedule and clear boundaries.  I realized that this was an opportunity to gain wisdom and experience that would benefit not just puppy but also my children.  And it would not be easy - it would require a new level of calmness, presence, organization, structure, discipline and boundaries.  These are areas that have been calling my attention even before the puppy arrived. 

After almost 3 weeks of practiced discipline it is paying off.  We rarely have to clean up accidents and we have a much calmer puppy who is eager to please and eager to learn.

   

I also learned that I don't have to do everything.  I have turned almost all of the puppy care and training over to James and William.  They are doing an excellent job.

As for the cats.....they are not so sure.  I find them hiding in the strangest places these days.

And as for the other dogs, it seems to be a good match.  Archie seems to have more energy now that he has a puppy companion and Polar enjoys daily playtime in the pasture with Oscar.

Doesn't seem this winter, pregnancy or puppy stage will ever end,  it's been long and memorable for sure.  It seems the snow piles, my belly and the puppy are all growing daily. Doing my best to capture it and not wish it to end too soon.   

Scenes of Summer

I present here a photo bomb of our summer.  I do it because the memory of summer is already slipping from me, or perhaps due to the discomforts of early pregnancy, I was never fully present as it was happening.  

Above is an evening scene at the lake around the corner.  When the nights were too muggy to bear I'd call out, "get your suits on and hop in the car, don't worry about shoes - just hop in the car".  Of course there was no delay in their response.  And it was always a treat when Paul ditched the desk and joined us, it eased the strain of me squinting into the sun counting heads.

Other water recreation happened right in our backyard at the pond.     Uncle Dave and his kids joined us for a day of fishing and with a tub of worms they caught several blue gill and a few bass.  

  

Aside from recreation there was the constant of staying on top of work that must be finished before winter.  Splitting and stacking wood was the backdrop of most of our free time in July.  It was how we celebrated the 4th. 

Paul worked hard this summer for sure, and so did the hammock.

Somewhere in July I declared it was so much more fun to work in the swoosh of a pioneer skirt.  I love this farm skirt and got a lot of wear out of it until the buttons finally said "no".

The kids and I went a little wild when an neighbor invited us to collect peacock feathers.  We came home with a basket load and searched through all kinds of amazing peacock feather crafts on Pinterest. We settled on hair pieces.  The girls wore their to church with confidence and we made a few for our favorite friends.

Another amazing craft event I failed to blog about was an indigo dying party hosted by an artistic and experienced farm lady.  Maryanna joined me and we experimented with different folding techniques and tying patterns.  I wish I could tell you the outcome of them but the truth is they are still sitting in a pile waiting for their vinegar soak. The process of dying is always a thrill. 

William, Maryanna and James have committed to weekly riding lessons.  James' interest surprised me the most and there is no denying the sheer joy on his face from the experience.  He says, "riding a horse makes me feel so alive".  William on the other hand exercises his concentration while riding, he does not like to go too fast but enjoys the connection he feels with the horse.  As for Maryanna, she likes to go fast and is constantly begging to do outrageous tricks.  Riding lessons has been a safe place for her to learn boundaries.  Of course all three of them are begging to bring home a horse.

Peter does not have interest in riding, he says he'd prefer a donkey and wagon instead.  He's kept his hands constantly busy knitting this summer.

 

The younger ones have made crafts out of pretty much anything they could find, boxes, duck tape, sticks, string, wrappers, leaves, flowers, fabric......  Along the way they also have made lots of messes and were constant in amusing me with their creativity, instruments, cameras, masks, boats, hats, robots, weapons, knight armor...... 

Whenever out on country roads we'd peel our eyes for garage sales, yard sales, estate sales or better than anything else Barn Sales! The girls scored these vintage hats at one and tried to convince me to buy a collection of salt and pepper shakers to go with them. 

Their school desks have served as the summer hand sewing station.  While quietly occupied I'd sneak a nap on the couch near by and loved waking up to a Calico Critter or My Little Pony fashion show.
  

We enjoyed a visit from my parents and did the trip to Gee Farms for ice cream with them. 

Cousins Anna and Julia spent a few days with us as well.  They loved hanging out with the animals and climbing trees.

Then somewhere at the peak of my most miserable pregnancy days was the community event that I had planned and organized months earlier.  Along with a few other homeschool moms we hosted a lecture and book signing with author Christopher Shein.  He had much to share and inspired us with his knowledge of permaculture and practical gardening.  I admit though I was sipping fizzy water the whole time, pacing to and from the bathroom wishing I was not there (especially when we arrived at the discussion of worm bins).  Luckily my sister in law Eva was there to share my secret and helped me pull myself together.  That and a few other minor miracles made it a night worth having.  I recommend his book to anyone curious about Permaculture. 

  

Paul's travel schedule was intense this summer and I was unable to prepare the normal meals for our family.  At one point I ordered a 15 lb bag of organic corn flakes and left them out on the counter.  After 6 straight meals of it, it was almost gone and the kids had me swear never to offer it again for at least a year. 

In those couple of days Charlie learned how to serve himself.  He loved the independence!

There was a lot of excitement when our tiny library announced a Lego building contest.  They all set to it, the younger kids teamed up and the older kids teamed up.  William could hardly sleep after the submission, he couldn't wait to hear the results.

Both teams won! It turns out there were only 4 entries and 4 prizes.  William is showing off his $20 gift card to the Toy House and the girls got a small Lego set to share.

On our laziest and rainiest of days we watched through the whole Harry Potter series, what's been produced of the Chronicles of Narnia and then settled into the hypnotic rhythm of our favorite audio books.

But mostly this is what I remember of the summer.  The couch, and glad one the kids utilized Instagram to catch a great shot of it.

Paul is more of a realist when he snaps photos.  The one below is the least flattering but probably the most true of my summer.  Laying around under a fan, getting lost in obscure BBC and Korean films, sipping lemon water and wishing there was someone who could come take over my life for a while.  I asked Paul if this was unusual of me but he just laughed at how easy it is that I forget the memory of first trimester misery.  He reminded me of the time when I was just a few weeks into my first pregnancy and broke down in tears at the grocery store, that and many more episodes over the years of bearing children.   

I am so happy to report that I'm finally easing out of the fatigue and nausea.  I am also grateful for all the good times and sweet little smiles and hugs that helped me move through it.  On an evening much like what is captured here Henry said to me before heading to bed, "Mommy, if you need anything in the night, if you need any water or a hug you can come wake me up".  So this is summer to remember, not because the challenge of it, but because it was lived, enjoyed and endured one day at a time.