Sewing day!

Once a month we have a sewing day with friends. It is like a sewing bee of sort from days gone by. Friends from all over northern Colorado and Denver area came to join us.  It was my turn to host.  We were ready. 

A fire was made to keep everyone warm. 

We share amazing food with everyone participating in a potluck. 

With that many women, we convinced Dude to come have some food. 

Then we sewed. 

Yep, I am getting my garden shirt done.

We are trying to start them young.  This is the best.  Can you imagine growing up with such talented women?  We don't limit it to just girls... I hope to get my grandsons involved some day. (yes, my sons learned to sew!)

Then out to see the animals and something amazing happened. Our horse Libby fell in love with Vera, Catherine's little girl. 

The geese soooo jealous .

Libby was sad when we left so we decided to come back to say goodbye.

Libby gave Vera kisses. 

She didn't want her to leave but it was beginning to get cold. 

All in all a very good day to be with friends, talk and laugh. 

We had snow yesterday and rain is due tonight with sunshine for Sunday.

peace

Remembering life

There times in everyone's life when one must deal with grief.  It comes when you least expect it. It is quick with a gut wrenching punch.  But deal we must, and our homestead is not immune to the sadness it brings. No one escapes it.

It was a cold and snowy day. We received news that a loved one had passed on. Tears came and silence flowed throughout the home. We prayed and cried ... and cried some more.

We spent the time with family gathered in close.  We kept the noise off.  When someone dies we want it front page news and quiet at the same time.  We don't want them forgotten. We talked and walked it out.

We found new grass from the seed we planted a year ago! No matter what,  there is always new life. 

We worked with garden stuff...more new life.  

Crocheted to bring life to trees in Virginia far away. 

Sewed and cried some more, bringing new clothes to life. 

And read for silent reflection. Life is fragile we know this. Over and over we find that life can change in an instant.  May we see the life that surrounds us and pray that in these trials we continue to find joy. 

peace 

Planting, creating, crafting and moving chicks

I pretty much have a blank canvas for my new rose and berry garden. I can't wait but first gutters will need to go up for the water tanks.  Fun time being springtime on the plains. We definitely need rain though.

For the second time my aloe plant is over grown. Last time I was able to get 10 new plants out of it. 

This time I only got eight but, still, that is great.  We use aloe in drinks and for burns, so it is a very valuable plant in our house and as gifts. 

Dude worked on the chicken house and moved the meat birds outside for now. 

It is goose approved. 

A lot more room for the chicks. 

My sisters and I had a trifle challenge. I went the easy route. 

A box of chocolate pudding made. 

An angel food cake already made from the bakery on sale for $2.  Torn apart. 

A can of cherries in sauce. 

Simply layer and serve with whipped cream! 

Craft time with my grandson.  We were making treasure chests.  Take a simple box. Where I work they had ordered a bunch of cameras so I asked for the boxes.  Score! 

The boxes were painted - spray paint works great. Then grab all your scraps, trinkets, shells and leftover mardi gras beads.  Begin to create!

Little man LOVES creating. 

He said a good treasure chest always has gold and a dinosaur. 

Our finished treasure chests!

I got more seeds planted this morning. (the cat is selecting shells out of the container and handing them to the dog below... ugh)

Then she came over to help, of course. 

Four more finished. 

We had our yearly Peep-o-ramas contest. Our team won the Peeps contest due to the skill of our teammate James. Way to go.

Our theme was  Alice in Wonderland. 

Here's another's team. 

Another team had Gladiators. 

I was to get the  leg bands put on the new chicks today but I ran out of time and needed to get to work. It will have to wait until morning. 

peace