Building a Backyard Pond

My pond this summer.

I hope this story will inspire you to attempt to install a pond by yourself, even if you’ve never done anything like it before!

One of the things I love most in my yard, other than Imax, the llama, who has taken up residency there, or my Austrian pine tree that I planted 10 years ago, is my pond.  When we had been looking for land to purchase, we had looked at so many tracts of land that had existing ponds (these ponds were an acre or bigger!).  At the time, we were concerned with the horses using the ponds, snapping turtles claiming their domain, and the extra work and expense of fencing the perimeter of the pond, so it didn’t seem worth it.  So, instead we purchased acreage without a water source.  When I had lived in Florida, just a few years before, I had a small backyard pond that the raccoons seemed to think was the neighborhood sushi bar! I frequently found remnants of fish on the deck!  It wasn’t big or deep enough to keep the fish safe. So, even though we lived a few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean, I dreamed of a quiet pond.

This large snapping turtle was making
its way across my driveway
a few years ago. Precisely the
sort of thing I did NOT wanting my pond!
He was awesome to watch though.
 He had just come up out of the mud to
 welcome in the springtime.

When we bought our land in Kentucky, I had a small, pre-molded, kidney-shaped pond (bigger than the one I had in Florida) that I placed into the ground even before they were finished building the home!  In it I had fish, flowers, and a small fountain; I even heated it in the winter.  I “liked” it, but not really “loved” it. Within the second day of moving in, I began to dream of what I wanted my real pond to be like.

Fast forward several years and I finally thought, “What am I waiting for?!” 

 

A good friend with a bobcat came and dug the hole to match the pond size that I had wanted.  He dug it one weekend with the expectation that within the next few weeks I’d get around to installing the liner, etc. That was three summers ago.  

Early pond.

Now, it just so happened that just a few days later, during that very same summer, Imax broke his leg. At the time, he was living in a paddock just for him (not in my yard). He had wrestled at the fence with another male llama, and had tumbled over the fence into a water trough. During the tumble, he had gotten his leg caught between the planked fencing that also has wire grids. The vet came and wanted to “put him down”. But, I was forceful in telling him I wanted to at least give it a chance to heal.  The break had been below the knee joint and Imax didn’t put stress on that bone during his transitioning from getting up, to getting down. Llamas are ruminant animals, so they need those extended periods of time every day to sit and just ruminate. The vet agreed to put the cast on and Imax moved into the yard so that I could monitor him more closely and keep bugs/flies away from the cast.

The pond my first summer.

The pond with day lilies and
a few solar lights.

Needless to say, I didn’t put the pond in that summer.  I didn’t want Imax falling into water, nor did I want him getting his cast wet playing at the water’s edge. So, the hole sat there. So did Imax. By the way, he healed and is as good as new!

Pond with thin layer of ice.
I have a heater for it to keep
fish alive. 

The next spring, I decided to finally finish the pond.  I wasn’t worried about Imax.  I knew he had gotten accustomed to my yard and knew the hole in the ground was there.  I was going to put him back into his paddock after the cast came off (summer before), but I’d gotten so used of him paling around with me, that I couldn’t bear to not have him there.  So, Imax stayed in the yard, and I began work on the pond.

This time we had to manually dig!  We dug out the clay, dirt, debris, and whatever else you want to call it! We dug back out what the rain and snow had managed to slide in during a year’s time.  Kentucky clay can be hard as rock. We worked for about a day and got it how we had wanted it.  It was about 48” deep in the middle and about 30”deep everywhere else.  It was also 12’ long  x 10' wide. 

Visitors to the yard, stop for a drink.

The next day we got an early start and made sure our work was level.  I used a fence plank 16 feet long and laid it across the pond.  Then put my level on that to see how it faired. It was pretty good for a first attempt.

Nothing had begun to grow in the hole during a year’s time, so I wasn’t too worried about roots nor sprouts finding their way through the liner. So, I didn’t put down sand.

We spread the liner over the pond, and began in the deepest part giving a little extra of the fabric to allow for the water to weight it down. We added a bit of water to help smooth it around.

Little "oiseaux" (birds-gold finch)
stopping by for a drink! Adorable!

After we were satisfied with the liner in the deepest part, we moved to the next ledge.  We smoothed that and continued to fill with water. The weight begins to pull on the liner and takes as much as it needs.  That’s why it is important not to try to fix the edging until after the pond is almost entirely filled.

At this point, even before I added the rocks around the edge of the pond, I installed the pump and filter. I used a small filter but one that was still strong enough to pump a few hundred gallons of water per hour. I had wanted a waterfall, but didn’t have enough large rocks to build it, so for that first year, I put a whiskey barrel next to the pond and ran the tube from the pump, out of the pond between a few stones, drilled a hole through the middle of the whiskey barrel, and then out the other side so that the water flowed back down over a few rocks.  It was my inexpensive and easy fix to a “waterfall like” feature. We let the water sit in the pond for a week…….                  

Water Hyacinth

Granddaddy bullfrog! EEe-rup!

……Then, the fun began! I was fairly certain that the chlorine would have dissipated and that it was safe for the fish to go in. So, we began draining the pre-molded pond and started catching the fish.  It was a crazy and chaotic task, but we did it with relative ease!  These fish had been purchased for around 25 cents at a “big box” store several years before.  They’d grown quite big and it was because of them that I built the new pond!  I felt they needed a much bigger space!

Using the whiskey barrel
to hide the water tube from
the pump

Next came the planting. We drudged them up from the bottom of the pond covered in muck.  We rinsed them off and checked them out.  This also gave me the opportunity to divide the tubers.  They were so HEAVY and large!!

After all those were in place, I finally finished the edging.  We laid rocks and dug up extra daylilies from a flower bed.  We placed them around the pond in an effort to achieve “instant naturalizing”!

****

Flog with the water lily.

This has been the second summer with the pond.  It is right outside of the dining room window, so I watch as birds come and bathe in the waterfall each day. I see frogs sit on the lily pads, rabbits come and stand on the rocks and lean forward to drink.  I even see frog eggs floating in clusters on top of the water and baby fish swimming below the surface.  I have added more rocks around the edge. I’ve removed the daylilies- I felt they kept me from getting as close as I’d like to the pond.  I still have more things planned for the pond, even to the point that I’d love an even bigger one, but for now, they* are all happy; therefore, I am happy.   (*fish, frogs, plants, birds, dragonflies, rabbits, Imax, butterflies,)

One of the many goldfish!

If you have a water feature in your yard, 

please share a comment or two!  

Water Lily blooms last a only a few days; however, they are constantly
sending up new pods. The lilies bloom all summer long!

BEE Aware!!

Until I have bee hives of my own,
these will have to appease me!

For about 40 years, whenever I heard the word honey, I always thought of Winnie-the-Pooh, and his endless quest for "a little smackerel of something sweet".  But, in the last five years or so, I have begun to think of honey and bees in a different light. Probably ten years ago, I began to hear of “concerns” with bees and their behavior.  Articles analyzing bees were making their way to magazines with other than wildlife titles. We were beginning to realize that their colonies were drastically disappearing; even the plants that they pollinated were on different blooming schedules from the bees’ emergence in the spring. Red flags were beginning to go up, but few were noticing.

9 Acres of Alfalfa!
Plenty for these hives to eat!
(A friend's farm)

Recently we are being told of colony collapse disorder (CCD). When this occurs, the bees literally vanish.  Investigating the hive will give you no clues—apparently there is nothing inside. No dead bees, no signs of disease or illness, nothing at all.  This phenomena is occurring on a large scale; commercial beekeepers are losing thousands of their colonies. With fewer colonies to pollinate, crop production is bound to be affected.  Reduction in crop production should have us worried, or at the very least, attentive! Something that also affects bees, that we rarely hear about, is the Varroa mite. These mites gauge into the bees and drink their blood.  From most books and articles that I have read, it seems that the typical backyard beekeeper has this mite to fear more than CCD. However, all this information is just my interpretation of what I have read.

S-l-o-w-l-y moving the hives,
in preparation of removing honey.
Exciting to watch.
 I got to wear the gear, too!

Thinking of bee-ing a beekeeper? I’ve heard it been said that beekeeping has been deemed as the “extreme sport” of animal husbandry. However, if it’s something that you’d like to do (it is on my dream list, too), then by all means read all you can before you get the bees in the hopes that although you can learn by trial and error, it would be best not to do this with live creatures.  They may swarm and leave your hives “high and dry”. Or, you may take the honey at the wrong time and deplete their food source for the winter causing them to die. Neither of these options are what you would be hoping for.

Gently brushing the stray bee or two.
Those are the combs. An extractor will be used
so that the combs will be reused.
Saves the bees much work and effort!

There are so many ways to learn beekeeping – books, blogs, tutorials, and my favorite—other beekeepers.  Sometimes it’s just easier to hear it straight from a source.  Plus, if you can find a beekeeper near you, then you have an insider’s information as to what works or doesn’t work within your biome's sub-environment.  

There are so many equipment choices, Queen bee choices, hive choices, and methods of extracting the honey.  Some choices are made for ease, others for ethical reasons, still others just because that’s how they were taught.  You are responsible for making the best choices for you and your bees. You can do great teamwork together, but you need to be in tune to their behavior.  This will become easier with time and from observations.

Workers a bit confused,
but we encouraged them to move to the
 next hive that has been prepared

Members of the Hive

Workers-  are female bees and they usually do not lay eggs.  They tend to the Queen, tend to the nursery of young bees, build the comb, store food.  In essence, they do it all.  (Ever feel like that?!)

      Drones-  are male bees and do nothing other than mate with the Queen when she is out of the hive. They don’t collect the pollen and they can’t sting. There mating job is so important, that even though they do nothing else, a typical healthy colony in mid-summer may actually have up to 1,000 drones!

           Queen- largest in the bee hive. A healthy queen may lay 2,000 eggs in a summer’s day.

Honey sources  (found in an article by Oscar H. Will III)

Alfalfa- light color with mild floral flavor

Clover- clear to amber with a very mild flavor

Buckwheat- very dark and very flavorful

Tupelo- light greenish golden color with mild but famous flavor

Goldenrod- yellow with medium-strong flavor

Orange Blossom – light color with mild citrus-flower flavor

Flowers and weeds provide nectar and pollen
for the Worker bees.
Manicured lawns and herbicides are the worse
thing you can do for the bee colonies.
If you 'd rather not have hives, you can still help!
Consider some "natural" areas in your yard.

There is so much information now available about beekeeping. No matter what your learning style, you will be sure to find something.  Once you begin reading, you’re sure to be hooked. Whether or not you choose to be a beekeeper, your appreciation for these little fuzzy creatures will surely blossom!

I have read so many books and magazines on beekeeping and two that I’d like to recommend are:

Magazine—Grit Barnyard Series. Guide to Backyard Bees and Honey – Feb 2014 (from cover to cover, this magazine is filled with wonderful information, in an easy to follow format.)

Book – Homegrown Honey Bees.Beekeeping your First Year, from Hiving to Honey Harvest. By Alethea Morrison.  Storey Publishing (this book is for the novice and gives thorough information from the perspective that you must know nothing. Easy to skip around and find chapters suited for your level of knowledge.

May good luck Bee with you!

Empty Nest Syndrome

Because of the chaos in my life and friends’ lives in the past few days, I can’t focus too well.  So this blog won’t be about farm life, rather just LIFE!

One of my daughters on the Appalachian Trail.
Gently guide them through the years, so they may
have the courage to find their inner direction and make
the right choices when it matters most. 

Our homes, our “nests”, periodically shift.  We are all aging and enduring different stages of life constantly; Life is forever changing. Factors that come in to play for some are: driving; college; bachelorhood; marriage; children; grandchildren; divorce; death. Added bonuses along the way are: friends; and, pets. Maybe you laugh because you know some who enjoy their pets more! True!

But, at some point, our nest does change. Perhaps parents you’ve been taking care of pass away. Perhaps a spouse leaves. Probably most common is that children grow up and leave home, whether heading to college, a job and apartment, or marriage. Suddenly the nest seems very empty. You could still have a nest-full, but when a person or pet that has been an intricate part of your home is no longer there, it takes some adjusting.

Eggs in Nest
They can't always stay safely tucked in
the nest.They need the freedom to become more
than we can ever imagine them to be.

My daughters have been out of the house for quite a few years now, but come home during the summers and/or other breaks. That takes some re-adjusting, even though it’s a blessing. Similarly, a spouse faces these very issues when he/she tries to fit back into the family unit after being deployed with the military for an extended period. We must all be flexible as to our roles within the family. Traditional gender roles are usually tossed out the window these days in an effort to survive.  Everyone, even children, must be a solid cog in the gear to make the family wheel turn.

But, what does a parent do when suddenly faced with the children gone? Well, after all, it’s been 18 years since you’ve actually been “YOU”.  Maybe even longer depending on age the children are when leaving home. So, it’s important to reconnect with that you.  Here are 10 things you could implement to assist with the adjustment.  Believe it or not, I think many go through this same mode of questioning their lives upon retirement. Again, we have to be flexible….nothing is ever constant! If anyone reading this has additional tips, I welcome the comments in the comment box!

Checking to see when next meal is coming.
Well, maybe some things never change!!

1)  Unless you’re planning on turning into a Wild Thing, concentrate on making your house 'homey'.  Pick a candle fragrance that you like and burn it. Senses play a big factor in comfort. Arrange your furniture so that it is cozier and that you feel you have a little niche for your books, crafts, computer, etc.  A small lamp on in the evenings is also so much better than stark overhead lighting.

2)  Re-connect with friends that you have not had as much time for. Lunch dates and reminiscing can also remind you of just how good your life really is. Choose friends that are upbeat and help boost your mood.  The last thing you need right now is someone draining your energy. It’s okay to be the ‘person in need’ for a change.

3)  Make sure you are eating healthfully.  Bingeing because you are feeling blue, is the worst thing that you can do.

4)  Take up a sport, or resume a sport that you haven’t had much time for. You may find “you still have it” in you! Plus, the endorphins will help elevate your state of mind.

5)  Have a hobby or craft that you’d always wished you knew how to do, but never had time for? Well, you just might have the time available now! You probably have the extra space to do it in now, too. Don’t let ‘tenant-free’ bedrooms depress you; find an excuse to utilize that space. (Keep in mind that if they are coming back when the semester ends, you may not want to turn their room into a hatchery!)

6)  Take a mini-vacation that your budget can afford.  Paying for one or two tickets is certainly different from five!

Wanting to be recognized!
No matter how strong of an individual
we are, there are moments when we
 like to feel appreciated and recognized.

7)  Get season tickets to a theatre company or music venue. A reason to dress up and hit the town pampers us all and the cultural experience makes us feel as though we are connected to a bigger appreciation of the arts.

8)  There is a lot to do for free. If you live near parks, or museums, or library, there is always something going on.  Go join in, or just watch and feel alive. Seeing others having fun will bring a smile to your face.

9)  There are so many civic organizations and clubs that focus on helping others in need.  I have discovered that when I’m doing something nice for someone else, it usually helps me forget my problems.  Re-direct the energy that is draining you into something positive for your community, a friend, or yourself.

10)  Finally, grab a cup of tea, and go sit outside. Nature is so amazing. As you watch the clouds roll across the sky; feel the sun on your face and the wind in your hair; hear the sounds of the birds around you, your senses seem to understand and accept the fact that everything is changing and to survive, we must be flexible. 

For Every Thing, There is a Season…

....and a time for every purpose under Heaven:...

Hardy Hibiscus blooming
(Mallow)

Fitting for a Sunday blog, these inspirational words are found both in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (King James version) and in the Byrds pop song “Turn!Turn!Turn, which made it to #1 on the Hot 100 chart on December 4, 1965. 

We all know either the song or the Bible verses, or maybe even both.  I’m sure the words have played over in our heads during different moments in our lives with the hope that we’d take to heart some valuable lesson.  Some may interpret it, “hang on, this too shall pass”, or “tomorrow is another day”, or “every dog has its day” or “everything has its place” or “this storm shall pass”.  We can also use it to reflect on problems with our job, conflict with a friend, growing pains with our family. But, I also feel it is to let us know that our “moments of glory” or time at “the top” has a limited ‘season’, too.  We could even analyze the difference between “Everything” (one word) or “Every Thing” (two words).Whatever your interpretation, I feel we are supposed to realize that there is a time for every thing, and just like the fable of the Ant and the Grasshopper, we had better prepare when we can, for the times and circumstances will change.  

Example- “Make hay while the sun shines” kind of mentality.

Althea
(Rose of Sharon)

Summers in Kentucky are dependable on some levels. Usually the days are warm, even to the point of hot at times; however, the nights are usually cool. This gives the grass its dewy appearance early in the mornings.  It’s what makes our fields so lush.  We also have ample rain most years which gives the crops a fantastic growing season.

I said USUALLY.  During our time spent in Kentucky, we have seen some sort of variance from the norm every year to some extent; however, it usually balances back out before the season has completed itself.  For example, simply put- if we have a drought for a month or so, we usually get an ample amount of rainfall in another month or so (thankfully!).

This year has been totally quirky. We had late spring snow storms. We had a late freeze that actually killed the peach crop in my little orchard (and at the surrounding areas’ real orchards). Then we have had cooler than normal temperatures, which have made drying hay difficult. And to top it all off, we’ve had mega doses of rainfall the last few weeks.

Hydrangea
(as large as hats!)

I’m not complaining.  Earlier this summer our fields were prematurely burned out. Some parts of the county had received minute amounts of precipitation, but others hadn’t received any.  It was taking its toll on the nutrients available in the grasses. At one point I was beginning to contemplate feeding hay. But, the rains began. And it has rained and rained, while at the same time the temperatures have stayed fairly cooler than usual.

Quickly the fields began to recover to the point that I am now mowing again with the fervor that I usually use in late May to early June.  The blossoms on everything look stunning.  Hydrangea, Althea, Crape Myrtle, Cannas, and Dahlias are all looking as if I tended to them all day long. The thing that I’ve noticed the most is how abundant the “bird berries” are in all the native trees and shrubs. Each year I usually get a nice supply that feeds the birds during the winter (they also eat from all my feeders).  Lately, while taking my evening strolls around the farm, the abundant crop has caused me to stop and wonder if there is another reason other than just from the ample rain.

Smaller apple crop this year
because of the late freeze. 

Last year was a prolific year for fruit from all the pear, apple, and peach trees.  I had NEVER seen so much fruit come off my trees.  Everyone else was also saying the same thing.  We canned so much apple and pear sauces. We preserved and also froze sliced peaches. We made so much jam, too.  We even had so much extra fruit that I actually had enough to give away! On the flip side to all that happiness was that last year was one of our harshest cold weather temperatures in history (I know it was for a large portion of our country, too). But, all winter long while we were enduring the ‘polar vortex’, we were also enjoying the summer fruits that we had canned.   I remember wondering at the time if our prolific fruiting season was nature’s way of preparing us for an exceedingly harsh winter.

So, this year, although I’m please to see everything so lush and green again, all the berries in the shrubs are making me a bit nervous of what’s in store for us. 

Weigela continuing to grow and bloom!!

Recently, I overheard several farmers talking, while in line at one of our farm supply stores, that according to this year’s Farmer’s Almanac we were in for a worse winter as far as the ‘polar vortex’ is concerned. Whether or not this is true, I don’t know; time will tell. But, I do know that there must be ways for us to know, signs for us to see, if we would only slow down and look for them.

In the meantime, rest assured that “For every thing, there is a Season”.

Wheat Weaving

Braided Straw with
Wheat Seed Head
and dried flowers

Folklore has it that, “Good Luck, Happiness, and Prosperity will come to anyone with Wheat Weaving in his home.”

A common Heart design is named “Mordiford”. It’s named for a village in England known for creating heart shaped wheat weavings.

America the Beautiful tells of “Spacious skies and amber waves of grain”. For anyone who has seen wheat fields blowing in the wind, they know exactly what that song is talking about.  It’s a gorgeous sight and one that I will never get tired of gazing upon.  On my way home each evening, I round a bend on a ridge that overlooks several crop fields. One of those is always growing grains of some sort or another.  Mid- summer when the air blows its hot breath and the fields are so tall, it’s relaxing to slow down and just “see” the wind as it blows across those fields and sends the grasses swaying. The grasses shimmer with both silver and green as you catch a glimpse at the underside of the long leaves.

Early attempt at braiding Wheat
a type of Accordion stitch

As a young teen overseas, when we studied America (I was the only American in a middle school class of British students) I loved hearing about OUR “Grain Belt” and the importance of crop rotation. The visual I got then of the grains growing to feed our country and the world has forever stayed with me.  Did you know that from a stalk of wheat, we use the seed head to make the grains, flour, etc, and the rest of the stalk is straw for animal bedding? I have found that people who don’t handle types of hay and straw don’t really know those facts nor can tell them apart. At one time, I didn’t either. I hadn’t seen wheat in its raw state until I was much older.

A Flat Braid with 3 Stalks of wheat

 Decades ago as an adult visiting in both Austria and Germany, I picked up several wheat ornaments for the Christmas tree. Our angel on top of the tree is even made of wheat.  I was intrigued by the whole custom and craft of weaving this grain stalk and coming to know the motif that I had loved for all those years.

Several years later at EPCOT Center in Florida, I picked up some more wheat ornaments from Denmark’s Village. (Touristy, I know!)  But, I loved them and wished that I could have done a whole tree in just wheat!

Then, several years ago, I happened upon a book at the Library by Linda D. Beiler.  It was titled, Wheat Weaving & Straw Art.  It is part of the Heritage Crafts Today series.  I found a quiet corner to myself and began reading.  I scrutinized every page, every picture.  I loved the book!  Needless to say I now have my own copy!

A Love Knot's double ring design

With all the things that I had going on, I never started the wheat weaving.  I kept the book handy and frequently looked at it, but I let time pass.  Then, two years ago, in an un-mowed part of a field, I found some wheat heads and pulled them up. I didn’t soak them or even handle them very carefully, but I wanted to see if I could braid (plait) the stalks.  I could! I was so excited!  I held my creation and hurried back to the house and hung it to dry.  It wasn’t anything special; not even very big, but it was a start!

First attempt at a Treble Clef for my
musically inclined daughter

Last next spring, I mentioned growing wheat to a dear nearby farmer friend and he told me not to worry about growing it on my farm. He said he grows 20 acres of wheat and I could pick as much as I wanted! So, in early June, I drove my truck to the field where all that wheat was. Those Amber Waves of grain were singing! There was wheat as far as I could see! It was waist high and absolutely beautiful. Sometimes, I get chocked up easily, and that had been one of those moments.  It brought my fast paced day screeching to a halt. I felt connected with the Earth in a way that made me wonder why we grasp so longingly for things which have no impact to our existence. When it comes right down to it, grain is at the very root for our survival.  I remember just standing there in awe for quite a while.  Then, all I took was about a 2’ x 3’ square, and that was a lot!

20 Acres of gorgeous wheat!
(Those are not MY tire tracks)

I drove my treasure home and began learning the craft that I’d found so intriguing all those years ago.

Next year, I am setting aside a tiny plot of land to experiment with different types of wheat on MY farm! 

Kentucky Wool Festival

Wreath with one pound
Llama fiber - Song's 

For the past two years I have been a demonstrator/exhibitor (not to be confused with an exhibitionist) at the Kentucky Wool Festival in Falmouth, KY. This is a huge festival that has been going on for decades.  It is a success story of something that started out quite small and grew to the amazing event that it is now.  It is quite an honor to be asked to participate with other very talented fiber artists in the Wool Tent.  The artists come from around Kentucky as well as a few of the neighboring states.  Wool/Fiber/Hair from Sheep, llamas, alpacas, rabbits, and goats are what the different artists use.

Dolly Llama's fiber
ready for spinning

Each artist has a booth showcasing her/his specialty.  I am amazed what different and varied things we all do; yet, we are all fiber artists. Some demonstrators have their spinning wheels there and spin all weekend long.  Others have small rigid heddle looms. In fact, one young man makes rigid heddle looms out of pvc pipes and sell them from his booth that weekend.  One artist does the drop spindle and has kits with some wool from her sheep to jumpstart you on your road to spinning. The drop spindles have been hand painted by her with sheep on the whirl.  Some artists knit and carry on a conversation with you without ever looking down at their elaborate patterns; their hands know what to do.

Bear I felted and knitted scarf

While the demonstrators are interesting to watch, it’s more fun to take a step into their booths and see what’s going on.  There are spun yarns, raw wools, clean rovings, felting and felted items, knitted items, woven items, and so much MORE I don’t even know how to cover it all. 

My Felted Llamas
for Christmas ornaments

There are a couple demonstrators who have “related” items.  One does sheep pottery.  She has her own pottery studio at her farm and makes pottery items that showcase sheep.  She also has Icelandic sheep and has specialty gifts made out of their fleeces. Another does weaving, but instead of using wool, she uses recycled fabrics  and makes unique rugs! Fascinating!

Llama- Pillows that I needle felted
and then stuffed

The Wool Festival is getting closer and I need to begin to get ready for my booth again this year. I usually sit out in front of my booth and needle felt so that the passers-by can stop and chat. That way it also encourages them to browse without me following them.

Needle Felting a HeartFelt ornament

 Now about the booth- I have done different things different years; however, I want to attempt something really unique and exciting this year.  Of course, I will still carry my usual items.

 In the past I have borrowed a drum carder from a sweet friend who has been sort of a mentor to me (from a sheep learning viewpoint).  I make individual batts out of the llama fiber.  With these you can spin or felt, or as one little boy said, “I just want one to carry.” They are beautiful and quite soft. I have to package most of them to keep them clean, but I also leave some unpackaged out on the table.  No one can walk by without touching….it’s expected.

Jenna's Wool- Shetland
after it's been cleaned

I also have rovings from both the sheep and llamas.  It’s fun to talk with customers about the personality of the sheep or llama that produced the roving they are purchasing. I love it when they share the stories telling what they hope to create with it.  Many people spin or weave, not everyone has the animals.  So, I guess they have to buy their supplies from some place. I am thankful when they choose my farm!

Stella's Wool -Tunis
before it's cleaned

Last year for a new twist, I made earrings with Swarovski crystals and wool balls.  I thought they were beautiful….so did my customers. 

I have felted wool fabric.  It is wool that has been needle felted into pieces of “fabric” that you could use for sewing, or as is for a blanket.  I made wool bags, purses, and pillows.  I also had some knitted scarves.

I have felting kits that have everything included to needle felt a few projects.  In other words, I have tried to have a little something for everyone, but this year, I want something REALLY unique.  I’ve begun formulating ideas, and will share what I did AFTER the festival.  I hope you’ll check back and that it was worth the wait.

          Otherwise, come to the Wool Festival!Click here to link to the Festival's Sheep and Wool Tent.

Tradition and Heritage

Great-grandmother's recipe that
Mom typed years ago for me.

Those two words don’t necessarily have to be related. You can have a tradition in your family that is part of your heritage that you do year after year as if to honor ancestors from long ago; or, you can have a tradition that is a ritual that you’ve only been doing for the past few years, but you want to keep it going. Sometimes what your children feel is a tradition, may only have been done a few times, but seems as though it has been their whole life to them.

My Great-Aunt Pat's son visiting and
carrying on Pickle tradition with
future generations!

Well, Bread and Butter Pickles may well be an example of Tradition and Heritage in my family. When I was young and still at home, it was my family’s tradition to make pickles.  The time it really comes vividly to mind was when we were living on the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. I remember working with Mom in the kitchen and I was finally old enough to be given the task of slicing the cucumbers.  She was so specific in the size that she wanted them sliced. While I was slicing, and slicing, and slicing, and my fingers were becoming more and more shriveled, I remember listening to her tell me how she loved the smell of Bread and Butter Pickles being made during the summer by her grandmother; and, how she helped do the very thing I was doing. I felt proud to be given the task, and suddenly the pruned fingers didn’t bother me so much. 

My daughters in the kitchen

I hadn’t really known my great-grandmother.  Although she died when I was about 6 years old, we were living in Hawaii at the time, and we had been in England before that. So, all I really have are the stories of what a great cook she was and a few photographs that I cherish and share with my daughters.

Back to the Pickles----

We continued with all the steps: 1) slicing the peppers and onions.
2) Combining with the cucumbers and salt (to bring out the water). 3) Bringing the vinegar, sugar and spices to a boil before adding the other three.

I still remember how my eyes burned from the onion vapors, my nose was inundated with the steaming vinegar smell, and don’t forget that my fingers were still pruning! BUT, this was my HERITAGE and it was going to be a TRADITION that I was finally old enough to participate with.

Onions, peppers, and cucumbers! 

The recipe has been in our family for about 100 years. I remember hearing (and need to ask for clarification) that someone had won a Blue Ribbon decades ago with that recipe at a County Fair. Through the years, Mom has made the pickles, sometimes, I’ve been there to help, other times not.  However, the recipe is in a cookbook my Mom had made for me back in 1982 when I was young and on my own.  I never made them by myself until 2002. My daughters were finally old enough and I thought it was time to carry on the TRADITION and teach them a fun side of their HERITAGE!

Jars filling up with Pickles.
Next stop- the water bath!

That first year that we made them (2002), the whole house smelled of onion vapors. We all had tears that wouldn’t stop….we couldn’t even see.  We had fans on, windows open, and still it offered only minimal amounts of relief.  This warranted a call to Mom.  We analyzed the recipe and the steps I'd done. We laughed when we realized that 100 years ago when they said a “large” onion, it was by natural standards. So when I used 8 large onions by today’s standards, I was mega dosing!  We all made notes and vowed to use better judgment in the future.

Later that same summer, my parents and grandmother came for a visit and the ladies critiqued my pickles. That means color, taste, and presentation had to be up to Heritage standards! (hee, hee). But the best compliment of all came after they’d left my house and had taken a jar of my pickles on to my Great Aunt Pat. She was the real chef in the family and she called to tell me that my pickles were wonderful. She said I would’ve made my great-grandmother proud. I felt all the years of those different generations melt away. It’s funny how some things you do are just in your blood.  Whether or not you think something is your Heritage, it has a way of finding you, sometimes without you knowing it.

Excited to see that Blue Ribbon

In 2004, I entered the Bread and Butter pickles in our County Fair and took home a Blue Ribbon.  That recipe had come full circle, and I felt such a connection to my Heritage.

I hope there's something you'll think of today to help carry on a tradition or share a bit of your heritage with your children or even a good friend! Little things like this connect us all.

                               

It's All About the Clan!

The Celtic music is playing in the background as I begin my blog today.  The penny whistle (tin whistle--so many names) is so spellbinding to listen to.  It actually begins to stir up many memories, and the topic I was going to write about today gets tossed aside until another day to make room for a fond memory today.

Yep! That's the Clan....1970 something---don't judge!

I am Scot-Irish by descent, and my brother takes his “Clan Tartan” and slogan, “ora et labora” very seriously.  Through the years, the women in my family each had a kilt that was the clan’s tartan.  I think the men in the family must have been slightly envious, because for years my brother really wanted something out of that woven wool.  Hmmmm, should I analyze this?

He has a plaque hanging in his home that is the tartan, with the emblem and the slogan.  I guess this still wasn’t enough.

This is the tartan color we wear for "hunting".
We have a red one for everyday use.

One day about six years ago, while I was shopping at an Irish boutique in Frankfort, KY, I happened upon a man’s driving style woolen cap that was our clan’s tartan.  It was definitely more than I normally spend for my brother, even at Christmas; however, this was so perfect, so HIM, that I decided to buy it!

I wanted to give it to him early. I couldn’t handle the excitement of trying to wait for Christmas, but wait I did.  And while I was waiting, I began to think that I ought to weave a scarf to match the cap, and still of our tartan! I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it sooner, but I was still new to weaving and spinning at that time. 

This is the FIRST thing I'd ever done on a rigid heddle.
Not the tartan, just a simple dresser scarf.   It's old now.

I had a rigid heddle table top loom back then, so it was a simple weave. I didn’t have a tartan book at the time (I do now) so I didn’t have the directions for threading nor a plan for how the colors intersected and created different colors.  I studied both my kilt and his cap for a long time and worked backward to figure out the threading.  Now when I remember how seriously I thought about it, I laugh; but, at the time it seemed to be a bit daunting.

I was going to spin the wool, then dye the yarn, then weave the scarf.  After much deliberation, and spun skeins of black and white wool completed, I decided he really wasn’t worth ALL that time, so I bought the woolen yarn. (I know….the “B” word. We don’t say it in our house.  “Bought” yarn just doesn’t have the same connection for us; however, it sure was EASIER!) I tried to assuage my disappointment with my course of action by trying to convince myself that he probably wouldn’t like it anyhow, and then it would’ve been a waste of my time.

The Tartan has Red, White, Black, and Yellow in it.
Here is some of my hand spun Black and White
...slow going!

I warped the loom, took a deep breath, and began.  I hadn’t completed too many rows before I was sure that I’d love the finished product. I knew he would, too. It took a few hours to complete- not too arduous, but still, it required me to sit in one position and focus!

The floor loom I use now....very different!

When the scarf was completed, I took it off the loom, gently washed it in warm, sudsy water so that the wool would “full”, and then blocked it for drying. It handled so nicely, looked so sharp, and felt so wonderful.  I was just certain that he’d love it.

Well, I gave it to him that Christmas, and he put them on Christmas Day……and later that spring, he still hadn’t taken them off!  His wife is a principal at an elementary school in Maryland and one night, near the end of the school year, there was an event at her school that he was also going to attend to be supportive .  Her words to him that morning, as she left for work were, “See you at the school later tonight without your cap and scarf!”  It never happened; when he showed up with his cap and scarf on, he claimed he never heard those words!

You know it’s a HeartFelt Gift when it’s appreciated and loved that much!