Spray Day

Today they sprayed all the cover crop on the farm.  Everything was very pretty and green.  In a couple of days it will all be brown.......till the corn and soybeans get growing. 



Appliance Covers

Back years ago when cows were the theme in the kitchen and red matched the farm scene curtains better I made these appliance covers for the toaster and tea maker

They don't look so great after all the years of use and then being stored in the attic but I was doing some much needed cleaning up there this morning and came across them.  The patterns were another design pulled out of the Down On The Farm Runner to use on these covers. It was pretty simple to do. The covers were made by measuring the size and shape of the appliance then making up a paper  pattern.  The ends were just sewed into the binding on the sides so there was no finishing off of the side seems with any trim like the top and bottom of the crochet pieces were.   They were crocheted in size 30 thread with a size 10 hook. 

Busy Week

With all the nice weather we have had this week it seems that it has been non stop busy.  It started out by going to Lancaster for one truck then mowing grass for the first time.  Then the next day going to get a load of mulch for a neighbor.  Rick was busy hauling fertilizer every day except Monday and an afternoon or two.

After getting back from the mulch the truck got a much needed bath.

 I talked Rick into helping me get my "new" glider out of the barn since it's kind of awkward to handle alone.  We got this one from a friend last summer but never sat it out last year.  I'm thinking about getting my chairs out, too but I just know we will have a big wind if I do that.  This weather can't last !!

Then it was off to trim some trees around a field up the road.

Some of them are blooming very pretty this week. 

Today started off helping out Rick by hauling a little load of fertilizer to Winchester, VA so he could get a trailer load to Upperville, VA sooner.

After that I finished up the turbo tilling that Rick started the other evening.

Sure not a bad way to spend part of a day !!!

Then it was off to mow the grass again for the second time in the same week in MARCH no less !!! 

I sure hope it rains tomorrow.......



Maw Maw's Helper

Yesterday Addie came to help me gather up my gourds I left in the patch over winter.

She found a favorite one out of the bunch

Then it was off to unload them in the barn.  After that she did another one of her favorite things.....

She likes to play on the stone piles.  She said this one was like riding a horse.  Her favorite pile by the barn had too many bumble bees flying around for her today since it was so warm and sunny. 



Early Mowing

You never know what to expect first thing on a Monday so after a few phone calls to find out what the Willard schedule was like today we ended up heading to Lancaster PA to pick up our 10-wheeler that they took up a month ago to have the tank welded inside.  It was drizzly when we left home but beautiful there.  Lots of Amish out working in their fields and I don't have any pictures but it was definitely wash day !!

When we got home it was very nice and sunny so we decided to tackle the grass.  We have never mowed grass this early before !!!  Maybe in the last few days of March but never this early.  Rick also sprayed the driveways. It never really got cold enough to kill off the weeds and they stayed green all winter.  First spring I ever remember that we didn't have to skip any wet spots in the yard.  Not sure that is a good thing....

Happy St. Patty's Day

This pattern was out of a book called Holiday Doilies.  The designs are by Emma L. Willey.  I don't know how many of them I've made over the years and it was very easy to do except the next to the last round I think it is, it's been a while, every one I made the number of chain spaces always came out wrong.  I contacted House of White Birches that published the book and asked if there was a mistake in the pattern but they said it was fine.  I can't think that I read the instructions wrong every time I made this doily but I guess I did !!  Using size 10 thread and a size 5 steel hook it turned out to be a 22" doily.  Using a size 30 thread and a size 12 steel hook it turned out to be 13 1/2".  Very pretty pattern. 

Happy St. Patty's to ya :)

Pretty Pansies

I know, I know......I'm rushing it but they were just too pretty to pass up at Home Depot this morning !!!

Just had to get out some of my flower pots and other ornaments, too.  Stuff too heavy that the wind, hopefully, won't blow away !!

The crocus are really pretty now, too

Brings to mind a few of my crocheted pansies.....

This one was crocheted in size 80 tatting thread with a size 14 hook around a linen center.

I tried drying some pansies and their leaves years ago and put them in a frame.  It's faded a bit over the years but has held up really well.  I just pressed them between the pages of a big heavy book.  This doily is a very old pattern, one of several I have out of some vintage doily books.  I've made them in every shade of purple and also shaded yellow and for fall shaded oranges with brown centers. 

I also made them into a bracelet.  This was out of size 80 tatting thread and a 14 hook, too.  I didn't starch it or anything so it would be a little frilly. 

This is one of my original designs that was in Crochet World in April of 2010.  There is a better picture of it on the Ravelry website at the link at the top of the page.  If this doesn't make it snow nothing will !!

  

Early Spring

Spring has sprung in the part of the country.  These pretty flowers are blooming a month earlier than usual !!  

Easter Bunny Table Runner

I had an e-mail from epatternscentral.com today that had my Easter table runner for sale on their website that was in the April 2011 Crochet World.  If you would like to see a better picture or buy the pattern you can click on the link on my blog.  I don't get anything out of it, tho....... :)

Chair Set

These might have been the very first filet crochet pieces I ever made and I think it was 1988 if I remember right.  The pattern was in a Better Homes & Gardens Knit and Crochet book.  I remember it was quite a challenge with it not having even edges.  It was a pretty pattern, tho.  The book doesn't give credit to the designer.  It just says "Some Place, Inc, Berkeley, California.  They were very talented whoever they were !!