A Little of "This" and a Little of "That"

I brewed a canning jar of home picked, wild growing nettle yesterday.  It tasted so good.  I am running low, but I have many other teas to enjoy this winter - chamomile, ginger root, tulsi, lavender, lemon balm, catnip....the list is long.  The health benefits are awesome.

I'm gearing up for a possible "Farmer's Market" season this year.  I may only do a few dates, as it 's taking a long time to create the "goods" to sell.  This is one "set" I am creating - over sized pot holder, hot pads to match, one crocheted flower dishcloth, and a soap saver bag.  I am using up extra "country yellow" yarn, but many not have enough to knit a matching dishcloth.  I guess we'll see.  I like to make an entire matching set, even if I put them all in separate groups to sell.  One customer once told me she buys "matching sets" for three family members each Christmas.  That put a light bulb on for me.
 

I'm about 3/4 done with the baby blanket I was commissioned to crochet.  I'm working on it daily to ensure it's shipped in a timely fashion (so my book is not being read right now).  Hubby is thrilled that a baby will be using a blanket I crocheted, all the way across the U.S.

When the blanket is finished, I have plenty of "busy" work to keep me moving. The walnuts are still waiting to be cracked.  I totally forgot about them.  It wasn't hard to forget, as the last month and a half was a blur.

The hospital bed really messed me up.  Having a tube up your nose and down into your stomach was not comfortable.  Sleeping was miserable. I had to have my back elevated, and turning to the side was out of the question.  Hence, my back is very sore. I dug out my comfrey salve and a heating pad yesterday, and will again today.  I will overcome this little set back.  Wild weeds will win this battle.
 

I love fun mail.  Don't you?  Especially in this day and age, when everything comes to you in a text or email (vs. and hand written card, letter, or note).  Anyway, somehow, I received a free copy of this magazine.  A cooking/baking magazine.  Hubby was slobbering over some of the recipes.  Ha, and new recipes is not really what I need right now, considering the mess I got into with them.  Honestly, I don't remember seeing ads, and it has some wonderful recipes.  I was told he has a show too, but have not seen it.  I do not even subscribe to any magazines right now - not even Writer's Digest and Writer (which I always subscribed to).  Not sure how they located my address, but I may be making one or two of the recipes in it.

Speaking of "fun mail" my mother mailed me a poem that originally came from my Aunt who passed away a few years ago.  Funniest poem I ever read, and sort of naughty (work and people related), so I can't share.  Hubby came home from a long, hard day at work and laughed when he read it.  Laughing is good.  I'll keep that poem in my box of letters from my Aunt, so I can read it when I need to.  Oh I love fun mail.  No one wants bills, and bills and bills every day.

I survived my first full day of being home alone - tended animals, took dogs out (King is terrible at pulling), barn cats, getting the mail, cooked my egg breakfast, etc.  I even walked on the treadmill and lifted some free weights (could only get my arms up halfway, which was frustrating).  Today, I have a bit of "office" work to tend to, as those hospital bills are rolling in (oh joy). The dogs need their yearly license, and so forth.

It's a -5°F today, so I was up at 6:30am (over slept for once) to get the wood stove going. I was thrilled to see hot embers in it too.   

I'm trying to come up with a good number to sell my knitted dishcloths wholesale, if I can find a store to sell them.  I don't want to "give them away" either.  They take more time to make than crocheted. 

Have a wonderful day today!