Taking a break

This week I am going to take a break from posting here and focusing on getting things done around the house. 

There is a bit of a problem with my sewing area. Not so much the area, but my machine. It seems that the straight stitch setting doesn't want to work anymore. Then I figured out that my 1/4" seam allowance setting wants to go in the opposite direction. Which means the seam allowance is a perfect 1/4" on the left side of the needle. So it still works, but it also is on the "wrong" side. I mean I could probably get used to it, but it would take a lot of mental gymnastics for me to unlearn doing seams on the right side of the needle. I would rather not have that happen. 

My initial sewing cabinet set up

The kitchen island now cutting table

Final Set Up

So, my sewing machine is a Husqvarna Viking Lily 545. I have really enjoyed this machine. A LOT!

Honestly I can't remember when I got this machine. It has been at least 20 years since I bought it, possibly longer. 

This machine has been so great! I'm just sad that I didn't get to use it nearly as much as I would have liked to. For the first several years after I got this machine I could only sew occasionally. Weekends and sometimes after work. Even then there were more times that I had other things to do than to sit down and stitch some fabric together to make a quilt. Now that I'm retired I made/finished a few quilts and made a bunch of tote bags for OCC. Even then, I only sat down  to sewing during the cool months - when outside work was not as desirable. 

The idea that this machine has a couple of problems, minor ones at that, makes me feel like my days with this machine are numbered. Sure I can use a couple of tricks to make so I can keep this machine, but when do I call it quits with this machine? When more things break down? The reality is that I don't use hardly any of the stitch functions on this machine. Although I have used a couple here and there for fun. 

I'm torn, but I might have to give this machine up. The one good thing is that I can take it to Montavilla Sewing in Portland and have it looked at for free. If the circuit board isn't the problem, then maybe I will opt for a trade in. I've been researching sewing machines and checking out prices. I'm not interested in paying over $1,200 for a new machine - this one cost that much. What I need is something that offers the basics and a couple of Special Features. Unfortunately the special features on machines is mostly standard. I've landed on the Juki Exceed F300 Home Deco. I might make a trip over there tomorrow. I'm not 100% sure yet. Portland is not my most favorite place to go to. 

So, I'll be "away" for a the next few days. Maybe a little longer, I still feel like I'm catching up around here and need the extra time to get things in order.

January 13, 2023 - Day 43

Today started off with a walk. As some point I hope that I am getting out early to walk at least 3 days during the week and once on the weekend. That's all I can manage right now given that my sleep habit is really messed up and I don't get as much sleep as I would like (or need). My other goal is to start running again, just a little bit. Maybe work up to a 5k distance again. We'll see...my mind is willing, but my body says slow down lady...why are you thinking about running again?!

This morning after dealing with the critters I got some blackberry whacking in again. This time I moved over to the old barn foundation. It's been overrun by blackberry vines for a few years. It's time to do something about them and try to reclaim the foundation. I started to whack the blackberry vines back during late summer last year - while little Zeke and his sisters were small enough to go underneath that mess and find fallen berries. 

Before

After

It's hard to tell the difference of the work that I got in this morning. It was nice to work on something different, but not far from the big shed. 

I would like to repurpose this area into some sort of animal area. I'm not sure yet. It has been so long since I last saw what this area looks like without the brambles, so I'll dream once I can get the canes all cleared out. Also, I'll need to find a way to keep the blackberries under control. 

The rest of today will consist of picking up my Azure Standard order. This will consist of 25 pound bags of grain ingredients for my DIY Chicken Feed. Probably should make a trip to the grocery store too. I haven't cooked much this week, but I am out of fruit and we need some milk. Maybe next week I'll get into the kitchen and bake some bread. We'll see.

January 10, 2023 - Day 40

Tuesday!

Another not so exciting day, but very productive :)

Filled the morning with laundry, because that's fun. Then to the feed store to buy more piggo food. This week's trip I decided to buy another Giant Rubber feed pan to use for water for the "free range pigs." The last time I bought one - about a month ago or so I was having a terrible time getting ONE pan out of the nested stack. This time was no different. I'm pretty sure that I was the one who bought the last one. So I took the stack (of four) to the register and said "I only need one!" I didn't want to injure myself trying to get one unstuck, because that would happen. So I let one of the ladies works there try to wrestle one out. It took her a good amount of time, but she did it! I would have applauded her, but felt that would be too much. So then I placed my order of two Champion Hog and two Alfalfa pellets. 

We all know what comes next - having to wrestle those bags out of the car, but I waited until I fed Big momma and the boys to get those out and loaded into the bins. UGHH...

I'm happy to say that I was successful once again! I didn't immediately hurt myself, but that came later after I was finished with chores and hanging out after dinner. So much fun. I have to say that as I write this I am feeling tired and ready for the week to be over! Actually no, but I am feeling a little sore. 

I guess I better stretch more ;)

January 10, 2023 - Days ????

Not gonna lie, I've been struggling a little bit the last few days. 

As much as I want to create a routine that makes sense, I find that it falls apart the moment I have a mental moment and think that something is not right. Seriously I second guess myself all of the time! I guess I want to do so much I forget that there is a lot of days in a year and I don't have to do EVERYTHING in one or two days. 

Also, yesterday (1/9) I went to the Driver's License office located across town :( only to leave with a replacement driver's license and not a Enhanced Driver's License. I don't even want to get into that whole thing, it's just too irritating. I basically drove all the way across town (10+ miles) from our home, just to go home without doing what I set out to do. My trips are basically no more than 3-5 miles from our house and anytime I have to be in traffic in a part of town that I don't drive in on the daily I'm annoyed. Mill Plain Blvd from I-205 to NE 136th Ave has a million traffic signals and about 2 million drivers. Have I mentioned how much I dislike driving? Anyway, that set the theme for the day AND my appointment was late morning which cuts my day short and man I hate wasted time. 

The weekend was alright though. We got all sorts of things done - and by we I mean Tom. 

Here are a couple of the things that were done. First the drakes (Lewy & Uncle Gordon) needed a new roof tarp for their rickety shelter. Those tarps were purchased on Friday from Harbor Freight. Of the three that I bought this is the only one that was installed.

I like that the new roof doesn't stand out like a bright blue tarp. That would definitely make our farm look janky. The other two tarps can wait until this coming weekend. 

Project #2 was to replace the bottom step going down to the basement. Actually the whole staircase could be replaced, but that would be a giant project. So, since the bottom step totally busted and everything around it was crumbling away. Actually, I'm surprised that the steps have held together for the 25 years that we have lived in this house. They really are not great. So here is that repair...

It works, but the distance from step to step is slightly different and that will take some time to get used to. Just a side-note. This step was made from an old piece of lumber that was a homemade waterbed frame many years ago. A bed that we replaced with a regular mattress not long after we were married. 

Today (1/10) I am planning to hang around the house to do inside chores. I think I probably will have to leave and go to the feed store at some point today, maybe around lunch time. By that time I'm pretty sure I'll be over doing laundry. 

However, this is the one project I did this morning, removing the compost ring in the garden and freeing what little compost I have. The hens will enjoy the brussels sprouts that I tossed on the pile a couple of weeks ago. The only reason why I composted them is because I knew the pigs wouldn't eat them and I wasn't sure that the hens would like them either. Well, they do, so I set the compost free and the hens will have something to do today.

This year I'm going to slap together a different compost "bin" with a few of the pallets we have laying around the farm.

So I suppose I should continue with my chores for the morning. 

Enjoy the day wherever you are!!

January 6, 2023 - Day 35

The end of the week. By the time Friday rolls around, I find myself a little over the critters. As much as I love the pigs, I get tired of their pushing me around bit by bit, day by day. They are food motivated, but that's a given, they are pigs. I know this, but dealing with this on the daily gets tiring. So by Friday I'm ready for Tom to do the chores on the weekends.

So, the one critter that REALLY irritates me would be our Tom Turkey - Carl. I don't know if all tom's are like Carl, but when I am outside he is constantly gobbling. It is not subtle. He is loud and it's so freaking annoying.

I'm extremely sensitive to sounds. Any little thing that I can hear in the background can distract me so much that I cannot concentrate on whatever I'm trying to do. Someone eating very crunchy food is a big distraction - Carl's gobbling is just as bad as someone eating crunchy food. So my desire to do work outside is low. Sometimes just walking out the backdoor sets him off. I've tried all sorts of things, locking him back into his house, that works, but it takes so much effort to get only him back into his house. I've crouched down and given him all sorts of attention, that keeps him quiet, but then I can't be productive. I think the only thing I can do is just go out to work and jam earbuds in and listen to music or a podcast just to drown him out just a little bit. 

I have noticed that if I walk away to a part of the property that is further than where he would normally go I can find some peace. So earbuds, working at the back of the property has to be my new routine outside. That will only work for so long. At some point I'll have to get into the garden and that will set him off for sure. 

In the afternoon I was able to get out and work on cutting back a little more of the brambles on the big shed. The loppers that I chose are a little on the heavy side, but I'm determined to make them work! It's worth it though, I'm clearing more space around the shed and that gives me a sense of accomplishment. 

I did run some errands in the morning. Back to Harbor Freight for more tarps. Tarps are our favorite thing you know! I have a camo theme going here. I figure camo is better than bright blue. It doesn't really blend in, but at least it's not like a beacon during the day - seems like they might glow at night too. The outside duck shelter, the turkey house and the pallet shelter that Aquila and Priscilla go into each evening will all get a new covering. Hopefully we'll be able to get those onto the shelters on Saturday.

Happy Weekend everyone!

January 5, 2022 - Day 34

Well, we thought that the high winds were behind us.

NOPE.

This week I ended up waking up around 3 a.m. because of the wind and started to worry about the ducks and their house. They have the worst shelter of all of the shelters we have slapped together around here. Surprisingly they were just fine. This is what I found when I was out doing chores...

Poor Skinny Momma, she was probably sleeping pretty soundly when this happened. This was the only thing that happened, the tarp over Big Daddy's shelter was blown off, the zip ties were torn apart. Not only that, the big ol' door to the big shed was blown over again. 

It was an eventful morning so far. 

After I saw the shelter I texted our neighbor Bobby, mostly because his is the number that I have and Brian was at work. Within a few minutes he was on his way over on his little tractor and he was able to get the shelter back over the fence without hardly any effort from the forks that he put on his tractor. So good! We chatted for a few minutes and then he went back home and I went back to work. 

So the next thing I thought I would do is get the tarp reattached on the Big Daddy Shelter. When I first took a look at it I noticed that the pallets were askew so I grabbed my drill and some screws and fixed that before getting the tarp secured. 

The last thing was the giant door - that was down on Skinny Momma's hog netting. It's huge and I wasn't 100% sure that I could do anything, but it needed to be moved. With my luck she would have gotten brave and decided to escape and run over the metal door. So, slowly, but surely I was able to scoot the door over and off the netting. Then it took another couple of minutes to get the netting nice and tight again. No sagging anywhere.

There is a reason that we call our place Windswept Farm. Wind is a constant here. However, the wind usually doesn't blow things over other things or end up busting other things. 

This winter has been stinky so far. Ice, high winds/rain and then more wind. What else could possibly happen? There's a lot of winter left and I don't even want to imagine what else is in store for the Pacific Northwest.

January 4, 2023 - Day 33

Today was a quiet day. Only had one thing on my agenda - meet a friend at the Food Pantry so she could shop. 

Other than that I spent the day getting our living room back in order and tried to visualize a set up for my sewing area which will take less than half of the room. It would be the space between the dining area and the seating area in the living room. I have been needing a cutting table that is more counter height rather than regular dinner table height - so I wouldn't have to bend over so much. My back will be much happier. 

I found this online and ordered it. It will be delivered to Home Depot by the 12th or 13th and then that weekend I will put it together and have a space to store other quilting related items. I'm excited! 

Anyway, the day was quiet and I didn't feel the need to do a whole lot other than my living room project. 

As far as the critters go, I really need to switch up the order in which the animals are being fed. The boys and Big Momma just gobble up their food so fast! If I don't get on the ball then they are following me from paddock to paddock and then to the hens area. Not a good plan. My next evening chores day will see me feeding the boys and big momma THEN the hennies/turkeys/duckies. The other three pigs would be fairly easy and the "free-range" pigs won't bother me so much while I haul their food to them. 

We'll see. 

January 3, 2022 - Day 32

Yeah, there isn't a post for Jan 2. It was Tom's holiday, so we didn't do much that is farm related. 

Just as a reminder - I post the day after during this particular period of 100 days. So far it is working out alright.

January 3 - Well, it was a busy one and almost all of it was away from home. 

As per usual the critters had to be taken care of. However, since releasing Big Momma from the breeding pen, the feeding dynamic with the four boys has become a little chaotic. She's a Queen and the boys are the jesters. Still working that out really. 

The rest of the morning consisted of me running to the feed store because someone didn't think to replenish the pig feed...hmmmm... the person who went to the feed store as recently as the day before to get straw and hay. The woman who helped me says "Oh, yeah I remember seeing him here..." 

sigh

Then to the bank and then to the church. It had been well over a month since I last helped restock the food pantry. So off I went. That pretty much took the rest of the morning and saw me returning home around 1pm. 

I took some down time once I returned home, but not too much. I had feed bags to dump into bins and out of date dairy and bread to take care of as well. My goal is to only make a trip to the feed store once a week. I'm not sure that I can actually take care of more than 4 bags (40-50 lbs) AND the discarded food pantry items. This was an anomaly though, trips to the feed store should not happen on a Tuesday - unless someone doesn't say that the pigs need food. So, if needed I'll purchase more than need in a week and store it. However, until I can get the garage organized and a place designated for feed, we'll continue to go once (or twice) a week. 

By the end of the day, my body was tired and I was feeling the weight of the day on my back. Fortunately a good night's rest usually does the trick, but at the time of this writing I am a little sore. I really need to move more!

I did notice that big momma was in the pig shelter - so I figured that the boys wouldn't have a space to crash for the night. So, straw on the other side of the shelter under the tarp roof should do the trick...

Little Zeke got to settle in first. After I was done for the night, I saw all of them making their way over to their new space. They have each other to keep warm and they really do adapt quickly.

December 31 & January 1, 2022 - Day 30 & Day 31

We have some catching up to do here! Happy New Year! 

It's 2023 - wow 2022 went fast...for me anyway. The last year was a bit challenging, but at the end of the year we are back to a regular income flow and able to dream a little more about what we need to do and want to do here on the farm. 

So, the weekend...honestly, I don't remember what we did this past weekend. Oh, well the first was on Sunday so church was on the agenda. Then afterwards we were off to Harbor Freight to get yet another tarp for the momma's shelter. I hadn't really looked at it in the past week, but it was almost non-existent. Not sure who was the culprit with tearing it apart - I'm guessing Little Momma. 

Anyway - here's the after photo since I didn't take a photo of before....

I decided to get a bit larger tarp so that there would be a fair amount of overhang so that she (skinny momma) would have a little "privacy." She totally loves it and is a "single girl" now. We decided to move Fiona out of the "breeding paddock" and moved Little Momma in with Rexy. 

Fiona is enjoying her freedom and being the boss that she is and was not allowed to dominate with Rexy. The four boys each took their turns acquainting themselves with Fiona (sniffing girl part) and then immediately being reprimanded for even trying to be interested. I think now, a couple of days later, they have all settled down and are co-mingling fairly well now. 

So yeah, that was Sunday afternoon. Yesterday was all about trying to get Christmas put away and relaxing in the afternoon. The living room isn't back to normal yet, but then I will be putting my sewing machine and other sewing related storage into the part of the living room that is closest to the Dining area. I was able to get the couch and easy chairs in place. So at some point the rest will fall into place. Photos will come after I'm done rearranging. 

OH! I did start my new project for 2023 - a crocheted Temperature Blanket. 

Crochet is not my thing, I have tried to do some crochet projects - but never got far. I thought that I might try making hats for OCC, but I didn't understand how to get a hat started. Also, I am very proficient with the Single Crochet stitch! That's about it. So far, so good...I'm on track. For now. 

Here's to a new year and new possibilities. I think my #1 goal is to be intentional. I spend too much time not being around other people. In all honesty, I like to be home alone. However, with the retirement of my other longtime friend we have enjoyed connecting a little bit. I like it, I want to keep that up. So we'll be planning coffee dates with our other friend and truly connect with each other.