Some quick and needed sewing

Not sure why I haven't sunken into more sewing this winter, its been a long and sedentary season for sure.  I suppose it may be because my sewing space in the basement is cold enough it serves as our fridge overflow, there are boxes of yams, oranges, apples, grapefruit and Izze sodas nestled just under the sewing table and right up against my presser foot.  In addition, many bodies in a small home all winter leads one to have an aversion to stuff - whatever I sew, no matter how crafty, is just more stuff and my laundry piles are already overflowing.  Lastly, sitting behind the sewing machine with a big belly is about as comfortable as standing at the kitchen sink, I can barely reach.  

Now with all excuses aside I'm pleased to say there were a few immediate needs that found me in the creative process behind the sewing machine.  Most of these projects were simple enough that I did not have to think through them, I just checked out and let my hands do the work, I even let the kids help and that was amusing.

First up are some reversible baggy sword pants for George.  By mid January I had to hide all his shorts because that was all he was choosing to wear.  After that he wouldn't change out of his pjs.  We had a little chat about it and he reported that any pair of pants with a button and zipper were too uncomfortable.  So I pulled out an old baggy Burda pants pattern and made this set out of 3 pairs of Paul's old work pants and 3 old work shirts for the linings. George participated by helping me cut them out and designed the giant deep pocket ,on one side (it holds handfuls of toys) and the sword holder on the other.  

These are George approved!  and comfortable enough that even falls asleep in them sometimes. 

Next up was a new church dress for Maryanna.  We've been getting by by layering summer dresses with sweaters but those have been getting shorter and shorter on her by the week.  When I asked her what she had in mind she requested something that would be as warm and cozy as a nightgown.  So I pulled out a combination of Japanese t-shirt patterns and we designed a knit dress.  I put Maryanna on the task of tracing and cutting and she did a precise job. 

We used a rayon knit that's been waiting in my stash for over 2 years and so happy to put it to good use.  Basically this is a raglan sleeve t-shirt that was extended to an A-line with added funnel neck.  Maryanna said when it gets really cold she's going to pull the funnel neck up like a hood. I think I'll have to make something like this for myself next winter!

In addition to wearables there was an immediate need for some toy bags for the kids.  With a new puppy eager to chew and a pregnant mother tripping over unseen toys I had it! These bags were designed to keep all toys off the floor.  I'm happy with how they turned out and wish I could report 100% success but the truth is, I'm now tripping over over stuffed bags.  Come spring and once I find my feet again I'll be happy they were made.  The secret to making these is as simple as tracing a dinner plate for the bottom and using heavy fusible craft stabilizer.   

In addition to a new church dress Maryanna requested a scripture bag.  Not much to say about this except I love that she designed it all by herself and kept me company the entire time I sewed it.

The next project was the quickest and crudest of them all.  My parents came to visit and offered me a bag of old animal hides.  Of course I could put them to use!  Peter took one with hair on it and carefully made a quiver by hand with the help of some expert leather workers.  I on the other hand decided to just go for it by machine.  My last laptop lost its life to a sippy cup malfunction so I'm a little over protective of my new one.  If not in use it needs a safe home (or disguise).  Moving slow enough with the machine and a larger needle I was able to finish this leather case.  I forgot how much leather stretches though so next time I'd make it a tighter fit.

Lastly I had the joy of sewing a few baby items.  I suppose if I knew the gender I may be sewing more but the truth is I have most of what I need for this special arrival.  I was short on gowns so I refashioned this one from a women's t-shirt.  I'm also short on knit caps because after I washed them a few fell to the ground and the puppy got to them.  I also needed some more cloth wipes and a few swaddling blankets so that is what I whipped up.  

As the season changes so will the need for more sewing appear.  I'm not going to rush it though, for me it is no fun to sew sundresses and shorts when there is still snow on the ground.....especially when temps in the sewing area are still in the 50's.

Making Cob with Kids

Over the last several weeks we have enjoyed getting to know some other homeschool families in the area.  We try to meet once a week rotating homes with the intention of offering project based learning based on sustainable farming methods. 

This morning we were invited to participate in building an earthen oven. The oven is really big, at least 3 feet in diameter and will be large enough for at least 8 loaves of bread.  I'm already dreaming one up for our family to build!
  

I don't know enough about cob building to offer much technical detail so I will simply share what we did.  Buckets of sand and clay where collected from around the property and dumped on a large tarps.  A pile of straw was chopped and sprinkled on top as was a few splashes of water.  

The volume was turned up on some good dancing music and the mixing and stomping began.

Once the right consistency was achieved bricks where kneaded and patted by hand then added to the base of the oven.

I am grateful for a little hands on (or foots on) experience and hope that we will be able to participate in further stages.  For those who are local the family is offering workshops for the next three Fridays and you may contact me for details.  And for those who interested but too far away this book was recommended as a must read on the subject. 

Little helps for healing

The younger half of our family has not been feeling well.  Fevers, coughs and congestion have caused for demanding days and sleepless nights.

As one friend observed, "there is much giving and receiving in your home". And Clara takes to the giving naturally, especially when one is not feeling well.  In her own gentle way she whispers, sings and places her arms around who ever is in need.  In this case she collected her favorite rocks and placed them along George's body as he was suffering with a high fever.  This moment was too sweet not to capture, she was so intent and George shortly fell asleep.

Meanwhile in the kitchen I began brewing up some "potions" as my kids like to call them.  I consulted with the wise woman behind Indigo Forest and she suggested adding elderberries and rose hips to our regular red raspberry and nettle tea, that is the dark one and actually tastes good I'm told.

The other jar is a remedy made from a pound of garlic that was soaked in apple cider vinegar for four days, I strained it and then added some water and honey.  I got the recipe from here  and I have to say it is strong, even for me.  I swallowed the test dose in too much haste and honestly almost instantly threw up.  I went down to my knees and had to breath slowly for a few minutes before I could get back to normal motion.  But after the initial shock of the test dose I felt great, and have since taken a few spoonfuls to support my immune system as I'm caring for those who are sick.

Henry and Maryanna actually really like the garlic solution, I suppose they really need it the most.  Charles is still too young for honey so I'm just giving him sips of the herbal tea and spoon feeding him warm chicken broth.

George on the other is refusing both the herbal tea and garlic solution.  Instead he got into the cabinet with herbs and on his own took two dropperfuls of burdock blend and on another occasion chewed up a capsule of golden seal.  In both cases he said "yummy"...........and anyone who has ever tried those knows there is nothing yummy about them.  Perhaps he was in tune with what he really needed, I don't know, but I do believe if we are in tune we can know.

The tastier healing tools are pictured below.  We went through almost $30 of cough drops this week probably because everyone loves cough drops, even those who are not sick.  I told them anyone could have a cough drop after two spoonfuls of garlic juice and everyone but Paul and James fell for it.  They are tall enough to simply sneak a cough drop whenever they want.  But I have urged them to open the wrappers very slowly because even after the tiniest "crinkle" many little bodies come running with open hands.

Additional healing tools have included homeopathic remedies, essential oils, saying lots of prayers and practicing Jin Shin Jyutsu.  I believe in the Eastern philosophy that healing is 70 percent in nurturing and care and only 30 percent medicine, so that is what I practice with my family.    

And lastly, here's to the kind neighbor who not even knowing what I've been struggling with dropped off a fresh cut bouquet from her garden.  My spirit was revived by her visit and I'm happy to say all the little ones are slowly mending. 

  

Men's shirt to apron

An old men's shirt was passed into my hands last week and I instantly knew what was to become of it, a new apron.  I like aprons because they are useful in collecting spills, and the pockets are handy for storing my cell phone, pocket knife and even a few small squash or cucumbers from the garden.  

The transition from shirt to apron was simple, using mainly the back half of the shirt I kept the hem intact, removed the chest pocket and sewed it back down in a new location.  I added a few tucks on each side of the waist and then cut the ties and waist band from the extra long shirt sleeves.  And for a finishing touch and to remind myself not to work too hard with this apron on I freehand stitched the phrase "Vivir bien".

Here is the before:

And here it is in action in the kitchen.  Kind of love the crooked-out of focused-action mom shots my kids catch of me.   Also kind of love that a few days of rain gave me an excuse to squeeze in some much needed sewing time (finally!).

When your garden gives you weeds

"When your garden gives you weeds.......eat them"

So weeding the garden has been added to the routine of daily life, they grow as constant and high as the laundry and dishes around here.  And after a week of resting my ankle on the couch it all seemed to run away from me.  The good thing is we can actually eat some of the weeds.  Pictured below is our strawberry patch infested with lambs quarter, my friend Beth cooked some up for us while they were still tiny on Memorial Day, by now they are so tall and numerous we are able to feast on them.  So we picked a very large pile.

Also from the garden we picked a pile of garlic scape.  They are the curly green things that grow out of garlic, and to be honest when I first saw them I thought there was something wrong with the garlic.  I quickly learned that theses are actually the flower of the garlic and it is recommended to pick them off to encourage larger bulbs.  We picked a large pile and cooked them with whatever we've been making, using them kind of like chives or onions.  There was so much leftover though we also made a few batches of garlic scape pesto to freeze. 

To prepare the lambs quarter I snapped off the roots and on the larger ones picked the leaves off the stem.  These were rinsed and soaked until the water was clear.

Then I simply tossed them in a skillet with butter and the garlic scapes.  They cook up just like spinach, wilting and shrinking in size but are packed with a lot more nutrients.

I paired it with a few fresh eggs and was wishing the goat cheese I experimented with wasn't such a flop - it would have been the perfect finish to this farm fresh lunch.  The lambs quarter was even better than spinach!  And it was free and I had to clear it out anyway.  Now, if I could only convince the rest of my family.

For those who are local Linda Diane Feldt will be at the Ann Arbor Green Fair this Friday to promote wildcrafting, I have her book Beyond Spinach and recommend it for anyone interested in cooking their weeds.

Eating weeds was only scary the first time I did it,   Now, not only does it seem normal, it just makes sense and it always tastes so good!  Free food I didn't have to plant, water or even weed.

Farm Fashions for Spring

I never thought I'd ever be shopping for clothes at Tractor Supply.  

Paul was there a few weeks ago picking up supplies for the lambs and let me know there was a huge rack of Women's clothing on clearance.  He sifted through the racks with me on the other end at home and  my first response was "don't waste money on something I won't wear, I don't wear clothes from feed stores".  He kept insisting and since the shirts were only $7 he said he was bringing one home anyway.

Carhartts were on sale too, he knew I'd love the lined purple vest for only $14 but wasn't sure the size - I told him definitely a large.  He brought the goods home (in the same bag as the tail docking supplies) and I actually loved the fit of the button down, I liked the vest too but it was too big.  So what did I do - I sent him immediately back to pick up 3 more shirts and the vest in a smaller size.  Which brings me to confess not only did I shop for clothes at the Tractor Supply, but I sent my husband there as my personal shopper, I love that he also grabbed a pink Carhartt hoodie without even having to ask my opinion.

The rest of my look for spring was completed with the online purchase of some Rosie workwear overalls.  These are an essential part of my milking uniform (I'm still working on aim) and will be great for the garden.   The Bogs I picked up last summer on clearance at DSW a few days after securing a contract on our farm and the garden clogs were my moms that she found in an old box during her last visit to MI.

Now the last of the accessories that make this all work is the stack of folded baby wraps, only a few of will be reserved for farm and garden work because they are sure to get soiled.  

And here it is all is together on my way out for morning milking - farm wear has taken my wardrobe well beyond the usual mom wear.   It is surprisingly fun and essentially functional.  

Because I love to talk

Paul and I enjoyed a very unromantic Valentine's outing today.  We took Charles to the pediatrician for his first visit then stopped by the local antique mall.  I suppose the antique mall could have been a bit romantic but Paul decided to stay in the van with the baby.   Maryanna and Clara were along for the outing so they followed me in to share in the joy of looking at junk.

I knew exactly what I was looking for today and found it at the first booth for $25.  It was a phone for my night stand and the fact that it was red made it a perfect Valentines gift. 

It is fun to call on a rotary phone but the real reason I purchased it is because I have the intention of freeing our bedroom from wireless devices.  I haven't read much on the subject but I also haven't been able to get it out of my mind since my midwife suggested it.  

I love to talk on the phone, so much more than texting but it probably is not a good idea to have a cell phone pressed to the ear for hours a day.   

So now that I'm using the old rotary phone for most my talking I need to learn all my favorite contact's # by heart, I don't know why that seems so impossible.  I must have had several #'s memorized in high school and college. 

And since we only had a few stationary phones in the house growing up I use to lay on my parents bed just like this to call my girlfriends, boyfriends and older sisters. Here I'm calling "my boyfriend" Paul out in his office trailer, because even though he is not too far out from the back door it is still amusing to hear his voice on the other end. 

Herbsicles

We were hit with a few nasty viruses this week.  And since I am less than two weeks away from my due date my midwife gave me some good tips on nursing everyone back to health, herbsicles was one of them.

First I brewed up a big batch of family immunity tea.  This one included what I had on hand but there are many variations.  Below is a mix of echinacea, nettles, oat straw, red clover, rose hips, red raspberry and alfalfa.  Just before bringing it to a boil I turned off the heat and covered it letting it steep for around 4 hours.

After the herbs were strained (and then reserved for the chicken scrap pile) we were left with a strong beverage.  I mixed a little with berry juice and encouraged Paul to finish a tall glass of it.  He did with all sorts of gasps and great facial expressions. 

I don't mind drinking bitter herb blends but just like Paul most my kids won't take it alone.  I was generous with the spoonfuls of raw honey I added because not only does it add sweetness but raw honey is also an immunity booster (still I would not serve raw honey to babies under 1).

Usually I'd just serve this infusion up as a beverage but since we were dealing with sore throats and sores in the mouth I poured it into popsicle molds.  

George and Henry have been clearing the nasty Hand-Foot-Mouth virus where it is so painful to eat and drink that there is risk of dehydration.  I was very pleased to see both of them consume a couple of these herbsicles with no problem.  I had to make a few batches to keep up with the demand because even the older kids liked them.

Then before I could fill another batch Paul got to the molds and made his own version of a healing popsicle, he filled them with fizzy root beer.   Clara experienced a quick recovering from a high fever on the couch and has since been declaring it was all because of Daddy's yummy popsicles......Gak!

Paul's cozy new office

We never did get to finishing the studio office above the pole barn, Paul's simply been working in there with a small space heater.  But with the temperature dropping there was a need for an immediate solution.  

We've been eyeing vintage travel trailers for years and always had our heart set on a 28 ft airstream but most we've seen have been either too expensive or in need of too much work (remember we still need to finish the room above the barn).  This 1955 Beemer trailer came up in Holland, MI just the week Paul needed it.  James and George accompanied him on the adventure to pick it up in the old Ford pick-up, and it was enough of an adventure that James chose to write about it for one of his writing assignment this week.

There's not much information available about Beemer trailers, the exterior is not as nice as the airstreams but I instantly fell in love with the simple and cozy birch interior.  But I'm most relieved that it passed my "smell test", even a few lovely airstreams failed at that. This Beemer is still in its original condition and  is only in need of new flooring, cushion covers and a few wood panels.  My favorite is the kitchen stove.

Here are the bunks which may have the possibility a sleeping a total of 5 cozy kids, 2 on the top and 3 on the bottom.

The bathroom is small and simple with just a toilet and sink.

And here is the dinette that serves as Paul's corporate desk.  Those on the other end of his calls have no idea of the surroundings in which he works, grazing sheep, roaming chickens, jumping kittens and playing children, that is the view outside his "office" window.  

And here is the view outside my kitchen window on those evenings when Paul has to stay late at the office.  

I'm happy he finally has a warm place to work but probably more excited about the possibility of taking this on the road with our family.