LOST RIVER FARMS STARTS NEW BUSINESS

Oh, everyone, I am so excited.  Blessings keep raining down on me, and the brainstorm I had this morning is just the most recent.

I have decided to start a business as an Alpaca Farm Sitter, Halter trainer, and general consultant!!

You can read more about it at my Lost River Alpacas blog.  Just click the button on the right margine and it will take you there.

I am stoked.

Other than that, I have finished my crazy Queen Elizabeth hat.

What do you think?  Linda, huh?  Well, I planned on wearing it to my church's Valentines Banquet, but I will be in Seattle for a baby shower for the little Bambino who will soon be joining us.

I will save the hat for Easter and the Kentucky Derby party.

Have you ever eaten Spaghetti Squash?

Oh, my.  I cooked it for the first time, and covered it with my Kick Ass Spaghetti Sauce.

I will never eat pasta again!!!



Let's see, other than that, there isn't much to report.  I'm still sewing and will report on those projects soon.

I took time out resterday to have a pedicure.  My toenails are now a brilliant shade of Lilac.

I sold one of my alpacas for a comparable value in beauty treatments at a local Beauty Salon,  Mane Styles in Lynden.  The Owner is a breeder.  This is working out so well for me, and I just love everyone at that shop.

Tabatha does not need to Take Over.

Thrift Store Fun

Well, I'm finally over that nasty cold I had.  Staying in my jammies all day Sunday and sleeping most of the time worked wonders.  As many of you know, due to the Deep Freeze Western Washington endured last week, I was not able to have the surgery on my eye.  Lots of people did not get to have their surgeries last week!!!  I was housebound for 6 days and ready to lose my mind  I have rescheduled the surgery, but cannot have it until February 21.  That has me very disappointed, but I will survive.

Yesterday, a friend took me into Bellingham, the big City, and we did our grocery shopping together, stocking up for the next storm front expected later this week.

Today, I was able to make it to Lynden to my favorite Thrift Store.

This immediately caught my eye:

A 100% queen sized alpaca blanket for $40.  Even in Peru, this would have cost 2-3 hundred dollars!!!

Ever since I visited Peru, I have longed for an alpaca blanket for my bed.  I don't think I have ever slept as well as I did there.  We shall see if it works it's wonders for me here.

Then I found this: 

I love hats, and if this isn't something Queen Elizabeth wouldn't wear.  I have already dyed the tips of the petals red, and plan to put some red flowers and ribbons on it.  I am going to wear it to my church's Valentine Banquet.  Then I will wear it for Easter, and finally to the Kentucky Derby party my kids have.  After that, it will be delegated to one of the scarecrows for the summer.

I will post another picture once it is finished.

Last but not least, I had the oil changed on my car last week.

Is this the kind of reading material you get at your local repair shop?  Good thing I took my knitting.

First Aid Kit

I came down with a cold Wednesday night.  Hmmmm.  If I had been able to get to my appointments and to the surgery on Thursday, they would have sent me away.  All things in time.  I guess I was meant to wait another week.

Well, my nose was running so fast and furious, I had used up all my Kleenex, and the cupboards were pretty bare.  My neighbor brought over a rescue kit for me to hold me over until her husband could take her to the store later in the day.

It is day 5 of the big freeze.  I'm watching the news, and the snow is all melting in the Seattle area, causing alot of concern about flooding.  But here, so far, it is still 26 degrees.  Well, I guess that's an improvement over the 21 degrees an hour ago.

Life WILL return to normal soon.  I am so bored.   Good thing I have lots of sewing and knitting to do.

That is absolutely all I have to share with you, because I have been a prisoner.

Chin up.  I'll go out and get that quilt top sandwiched so I can get it quilted.

Peace.

Snow *&^%(* Snow

I love a couple of days of snow.  The peace and beauty of it all is so wonderful.  But then, I don't HAVE to leave home for any reason since I am "retired".  However, my surgery was scheduled for this coming Thursday, and it required an appointment for some additional measurements on Monday.  I've had to cancel and will have the eye surgery rescheduled as soon as the weather returns to normal.  What a disappointment.  I have a friend who is a Bellingham cop, and he always reports on road conditions to us, and with my eyes making even a trip to Bellinghan stressfull, I was not about to add ice and snow to the equation. 

Monday, however, was a very fortuitous day for me.  Growing Washington, the organic farmer that leases 7 acres from me for growing vegetables, asked me if they could lease the barn for raising small livestock.  I was thrilled.  There is nothing sadder than an empty barn, and for some reason, the building tends to deteriorate without use.

GW plans to raise Range fed chickens for meat, laying chickens, turkeys, a high quality meat rabbit, possibly some goats, and a couple of cows.

I negotiated a fee based on their share of the water and electricity, along with some labor for maintining the farm.  At this point in my life, help on the farm is WAAAAAY more important to me than a few dollars that I will just spend on something I don't really need.

It will be so nice to see animals back there again, and the best part?  I won't be responsible for them!!!  There will be workers there every day of the week caring for the animals.  In addition, I get free turkeys, chickens and eggs.  Added to the broccoli, carrots and beets they raise here, I'm gonna be sitting pretty!

So, since I haven't been able to get out, I've been able to get some sewing done for my soon to be Grandson.  I saw the pattern for this a little over a week ago, and then purchased whatever fabric I needed.  I just have the border and backing left to do.  The pattern is called "Baby Babushka".  This has been so much fun, and if feels good to sew again.  I have many more items to make for the little bambino.  This has worked to put me in the mood.  I've only included one row in this picture.  When it is finished, I will post a complete picture.

It's only 14 degrees this morning, and I am thankful I don't have to go out and feed alpacas.  I am wishing I had a nice little wood burning stove, so once I am out and about again, I think that will become a priority for me to pursue.

You Meet the Nicest People at Your LQS

I went shopping for a new quilt project yesterday.  It's for my new Grandbaby to be, so I don't want to disclose too much, but this is what I acquired yesterday.  I was a jolly good time there, with customers sharing and laughing and carrying on.  I was busy on my hands and knees, trying to find some more fat quarters, when I heard a familiar voice.  I got up and looked around, and there was a woman I had hired and trained about . . . well. . . darn, I have to admit it was 30 years ago.  Well, maybe only 27.  What's a year here and there.  After hugs and an exchange of business cards, we decided to have lunch next Thursday to get caught up.

So then, there were these other three ladies who were carrying on about Scaprons.  What?  So I asked to see one.  It is adorable, a little apron that can also be used as a scarf or headpiece, or whatever your imagination inspires in you.  I bought 4 of them from her.

I took this picture of myself, using a mirror, so I look a bit wonky.  You can also see the strain in my eyes.  But I folded the apron and then twisted it into a rose and tied it in my hair.  Cute!  I will wear this!

Then I folded it into a princess crown.

Then, I don't know about you, but these were the perfect remedy for those bad hair days in my teens.  You can also tie one around your neck as a scarf, or wear it as an apron.  Oh, yea, that's what they are actually made for..

Now, back at the farm, I took a walk out in the broccoli field the other day and actually found some that had not been frozen.

This was promptly made into cheddar broccoli soup.  Yum.

Now, even though I feel renewed and am looking forward to my surgery and feeling human again, there has been a bump in the road.  Terry is no longer in my life.  A small matter of personal values became more important to me than to him, and I chose to leave.

In the time we were together, he brought me so much joy in a very difficult time.  We had so much fun together, and he helped me with many many chores around the farm.

I loved him so, and I will be eternally grateful for the special time I spent with that very special man.

It's getting late, and I need to get ready for church.

Dancing for Joy

I know that most people don't get excited about having surgery, but I am so happy, I can hardly wait.  After 6 months of misery, and living with this condition most of my life, I am finally going to be cured.

I explained before that I have 4th Nerve Palsey.  What that means is my right eye is out of alignment with the left eye, and the prisms they have been putting in my glasses for years are no longer doing the job of pulling my double vision together.  The doc explained it is not my eye that has gotten worse, my brain has just had it, gone on strike.  It says "okay, no more of this, I'm tired".  As soon as the insurance company reviews my files, I will be having surgery to tweak the muscles in my left eye to pull it into alignment with my right.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?????

I will be able to read a book!

I will be able to read your blogs again!!!!!

I can sew again~

Oh, My.

Like I said, I am dancing with JOY!

This is an Amber stone that my old time High School friend and neighbor gave me just a couple of days ago.  It is over 4 million years old and has petrified vegetation inside the amber.  It hails from Lithuania, where it is the national gem.  I am of Lithuanian descent, so this is really special.  What makes it even more special is that Amber is said to protect you.  I think this was given to me at a very appropriate time in my life.  I've gone through many changes over the past year, along with many challenges, and I feel as if I am starting over.  The correction in my eyesight is just the beginning.

Thank you my dear, dear friend, Kris.  I wear it always.

I had been staying in Seattle over the holidays, and missed out on a whopper of a wind storm on Christmas day.  Tuesday, I noticed this huge branch had broken off, but is wedged in place by some other branches.  I'm afraid that it will fall at any time.  There is a reason these are called "Widow Makers".

I have called an Arborist to come in and do a risk assessment on the 18 trees on my property.  They are all over 100 years old, and who knows how tall.  For now I have my driveway blocked off, because I'm afraid the branch will fall in the driveway when someone is either driving or walking down it.  In fact, I'm avoiding all of the trees as much as I can.

Well, folks, that's it for tonight.  I'll have more to share with you tomorrow.

My Life as a Pirate

Did you know that the eye patches you buy at the drugstore are pointed,  and won't fit under your glasses?  Or, I could wear a stick on one.  But while I'm here at Terry's, I wear his patch.

Aaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrggggh.

Until I can have my surgery, I am able to rest my strained brain by covering one of my eyes.  They work so hard, trying to create one image for me, that I get to feeling physically sick and unbalanced.

I have not been very good about wearing my patch this week, and yesterday I started to pay the price.  So, it's time to rest my eyes more fully, with a nap!!  Gotta rest up for the show we are going to tonight.