Excerpts From a Journal Junkie

From the Homesteading Journal . . .

While hanging laundry on my clothesline, I kept hearing a woodpecker nearby.  My clotheslines are run off of 3 large, older trees.  They were there from the previous owners.  

I stopped what I was doing, and walked in the direction of the middle tree.  

 

In the top portion of where a tree limb was broken off, I found this. The last few tornado seasons, brought in bad winds and tore down many thick branches.  Birds now make a home in this portion.  I sure hope the barn cats don't see it.

We are drying Peanut (our goat in milk) off for breeding.  We are down to 1 pint of milk a day.   I will sure miss it over the winter, but will be blessed with more milk next year.

Wood splitting came to a halt.  Our chainsaw blade went bad.  Now, it's just a matter of hubby getting the time to put the new one on.   

From the Family Journal . . .

This past weekend was full of surprises, deep house cleaning and pumpkin carving.  On the one day I thought I would have hours to catch up on unfinished projects, my 17 year-old daughter had an idea of her own.

While sitting at my sewing machine, sewing rag rug strips together, she pops her head in and says, "Oh good, your sewing.  Can you make this top look like . . .?"

I dug through the sewing machine drawers and found a small amount of red thread.  We ran out, and used some cheap thread.  I adjusted the tension and said a prayer.  The thread held up.  I used some old seam binding that my Mom left in the sewing machine drawer.  It still had the original price tag on it - $.19!!!  Can you believe that?  I sewed that on for the front design and used silver thick string to create the criss-cross pattern on the front.  I have to give her credit for only spending $3.00 on the original top.  However, I lost out on my day to catch up on projects.  

My 15 year-old daughter asked me to buy her a pumpkin to carve.  I guess she will get extra credit for Spanish class.  Why a pumpkin?  I can only guess "Dia de los Muertes."

I hope she gets all her extra credit too.  I had a hard time finding pumpkins so close to Halloween.  I found 2 for $2.99/each. 

She spent almost the entire day carving this pumpkin.  I sure hope she gets her extra credit.

From the Crafting Journal . . .

It was a good day for a celebration on Saturday.

I finally finished my 12 year-old's crocheted blanket.  Just in time for winter also.

While out looking for other items at a local thrift store, I found myself a used sewing chair.

 
It's not in that bad of shape and it only cost me $7.00.  It works perfectly with my sewing machine.  The chair I was using was too tall.

I also managed to finish up two more flour sack towels for my 9 year-old daughter.   One more left to embroider. 

I also managed to fill my basket again with rag roll balls.  I am going to need another basket.  I will have plenty of projects this winter.

From the Writing Journal . . .

National Novel Writing Month starts tomorrow.  Am I ready?  Nope.  This sinus pressure is not helping my brain think.

From the Gratitude Journal . . .

Today I am thankful for:


1. my camera
2. the scarf that is keeping me warm inside today
3. hot tea
4. kleenex
5. Vick's Vap-o-rub 
6. my kids who keep me on track
7. my mother
8. peace and quiet today
9. God's Mercy
10. trees

The Missing Cow

Do you remember Jasper, the cat who loves to play under my rag rug?

Well, a few days after I deep cleaned one entire wall area in my bedroom, I noticed small items behind my book shelve again.  I asked who was in my room and why there were items knocked down behind it.  No one knew.

A few days ago, I figured it out.   I saw Jasper, the sneaky cat, running through the house with my cow!  My oldest daughter brought this home for me after an FFA trip for school (after two daughters have made trips, I have a 3 cow collection of different types).

Do you see the discolored face on the cow?  It's all dirty compared to the rest of the cow?

That is how Jasper is carrying my cow around the house.  I put it back, and he got it out again yesterday morning.  I actually had to hide it in a dresser drawer so he would find another toy to play with.  For some reason, Jasper loves to carry around small stuffed animals.  

I wish I had a photo so share, of him carrying that cow around the house.  It sure gave us a chuckle.  I guess my poor cow needs a bath now.  I had planned to blog about it yesterday, and had the cow on the counter in front of my computer screen, but that little stinker kept jumping up on the computer are to get at it.  Hilarious!  

I think I know what to sew or make for him for Christmas - ha ha ha!

Another pet that gave me a chuckle yesterday was Jesse.  He's my 15 year-old's dog.  The kids have really been bogged down with either work outside the home, or with homework, or both.  

I told them yesterday that the animals really needed some lovin' and to not forgot.  

Not much later, I was sitting in my favorite reading chair knitting, and there was a huge bang from the other side of the room.  We all started cracking up laughing. 

We have a basket for the dogs.  We keep it in the same place, and it's filled with their toys.  Jesse, getting tired of waiting for his attention, took a hold of the toy basket with his mouth, and tossed it off the shelf.  BANG!  He then dug his nose in it, pushing toys around.  Finally, after he got what he wanted, he started barreling around the front room begging for someone to play with him.