Kleas

goats, goats, goats

While in Wisconsin we visited our friends' new place where they are raising goats, chickens, two young cows and bees.  I've known Amanda since she was a young girl and she has always impressed and fascinated me with the way she has chosen to live her life.  She wants her footprint on this planet to be small and works very hard to live organically and off the land, producing little waste as she goes.

Amanda is also very generous and shares with us a taste of everything she makes.  We ate her honey all through the winter, as well as her jams and canned tomatoes and last week she sent us home with freshly made goat yogurt and her hand crafted goat cheese.  Absolutely the best of both I have ever tasted. I've been loving my breakfasts of her goat cheese spread on toast with either the raspberries Amanda grows or the handmade peach/brandy sauce she made.  She is truly a gifted and wonderful young woman and is always, always an inspiration to me.

holiday in Wisconsin

We were away last week, a little road trip to Wisconsin and the farm to see some friends, make some new ones and just enjoy being outside...

where boys can practice using their slingshots and can run and pick raspberries and learn to drive the mule and tuck wild daisies behind their ears if they feel like it

where the viburnum snowballs are growing like wildflowers

where there were fields of horsetail plant to admire and wild mulberries and black cap raspberries to graze on

where the fourth of July was celebrated on a farm, with a swimming pool and state-of-the-art fireworks and paper lanterns to send up to the sky

we ate farm fresh eggs and wonderful pancakes for brunch made by our dear friend, Amanda

and I admired the new paint job in the guest room 

and lazed around on the porch with the cat

while watching last year's wedding garland (now faded) blowing in the wind...

Spain marries Wisconsin

It took me a while to go through over 500 photos that I took on our trip to the farm for the four-day celebration of the marriage between two dear friends.  It was quite an event.  The blend of two cultures, two languages and two families who live a continent apart.  It was beautiful.  Magical.

On the three-and-a-half hour drive to the farm I had grand plans for my little sewing project.  I had cut about eighty pieces of vintage sheet fabric and was hand stitching them to a length of t-shirt yarn.  I only was able to stitch up twenty.

I thought they were pretty, but they paled in comparison to the stunning ones made by the bride and her friend. (I'll admit I was a little embarrassed to hang mine up, but they insisted...)

Grooms dinner and breakfasts were held at the beautiful Old Oak Inn, located in a nearby town.

We had the priviledge of staying in the log cabin.

We stayed through Monday to join the Catalans in a canoe trip down the Kikapoo River.

It was a truly magical event.

Kikapoo Trading Post and Viroqua Flea Market

I took two outings without the boys while we were on vacation last week...I just had to explore some vintage treasures.  I didn't bring my camera to the flea market, but had fun snapping shots at the Kikapoo Trading Post while my girlfriend was trying on vintage dresses.

Definately a little something for everyone.  If you're ever in Readstown, I recommend setting aside an hour or two to explore.

Of course I didn't leave empty handed.

• two letterpress drawers to mount in the boys' bedroom to hold their treasures
• a stack of vintage children's workbooks-such lovely graphics
• wood (anything) handmade knitting needles and vintage bobbins (some with thread-sigh)
• beautiful tapestry (to add to my collection)
• and a crazy number of unopened needlework kits-mostly from Norway.  These kits are so wonderful!  Even if the pattern is out of date or I'm not interested in it, the linen and beautiful threads can still be used, and I plan to take these to the preschool to work on a stitching project with the kids.  At $2 a kit, it's a bargain just for the supplies.

I also just uploaded a huge amount of photos on Flickr from our little journey.  These are for you Mimi.

some of my favorites from the farm

this is where we've been

1. All the Pretty Horses, 2. Barn07-04, 3. Hobopoo Crossroads, 4. Paddlewheel From The William M. Black steamboat - 424, 5. Mt. Olympus - Waterslide, 6. Mark Twain Sculpture - Detail # 2, 7. Star Valley - Former Rogers Farmhouse, 8. Cooperative food, 9. Flags, Flags and More Flags IV, 10. Cassville Ferry, 11. Mount Olympus Trojan Horse, 12. House on the Rock Infinity Room

We left town a little over a week ago to explore Wisconsin and Iowa a bit before stopping at the farm for five glorious (although very steamy) days.  I found the above photos on flickr of some of the places we visited.  It was great for the four of us to get away for a bit but it's good to be home (sweet home). Today we are celebrating independence day here in the US and I am looking forward to enjoying the company of some friends.  Happy July! x

candle making

We made candles at the farm last weekend.  Lots of candles.  An estimated 350 candles.  While the adults poured wax into molds the boys kept busy hand dipping theirs.  There is nothing quite liked the smell of hot bees wax-it's aroma filled the lunchroom all weekend as the pots continuously boiled.

The rest of our winter nights are sure to be bright. 

Happy 2012!

Greetings from the farm.

It's been a glorious five days at the farm and we are sad to have to go back to the city.  Unfortunately, some of us have to go back to work.  I'm happy it's not me.  I have another week off before the kids and I return to school and I look forward to doing some fun projects with my seven-year-old that we haven't had time for lately.

I used to contribute to Mosaic Monday long ago when Shula first started it, but somehow lost my way with Flickr over the past year.  I do miss it though and thought I'd give it another try.

Some photos from around the farm...more can be found here.

I think this valley is truly one of the most beautiful places in the world.  You can see more of the magic in this beautiful video.

Do you have any big plans for the New Year?  I admire dear friends who take on big commitments like Sonya, who has been knitting on ordinary objects for over a year and Adaiha, who crocheted a square every day last year, Ali who stuck with her 365 photo project (i dropped out in March) and Cathy who was able to make a head out of clay a day for 100 days!

Some projects that have caught my eye are, 12 months of giving, 112 photos in 2012, tag Tuesday, a feeling stitchy stitchalong and take a stitch Tuesday.  And as much as I like the idea of Creative Every Day Challenge, I know all too well that trying to take on a project a day would do me in.  

For now, I'll just enjoy each day as it comes and send out my usual New Year's Wish of Peace

1. Peace Beach, 2. Peace, 3. "Peace, come over you", 4. Peace, 5. car-peace, 6. Peace | Paix Cranes 1, 7. Peace Log, 8. PEACE, 9. Peace, 10. peace, 11. peace in mad-city, 12. Peace Sign

Peace and blessings in 2012!!  I am grateful for each and every one of you who stop by here to share your thoughts, encouragement and friendship.  xxx,kristin

spring colors week...white

Day five and final post of Poppytalk's spring colors week.  Lots of varying shades of white to be found at the farm last weekend.

 
That was fun.  I sure loved seeing all the spring colors during this drab season. 

Happy Friday!!  xxxx

spring colors week...lavender

Day four of Poppytalk's spring colors week.  Lavender?  What lavender.  This was a tough color to find at the farm last weekend.

 
Tomorrow...white.