Town House Homestead Tuesday

So here we are, Thanksgiving over and Christmas moving in. My daughter had the week off to relax for the Thanksgiving holiday. It gave me a little time to myself. It was just her and I for the week, and of course Hunter. We spent the time doing those little things that have needed to get done. 

Dessert was brought to us by Burwell catering. German chocolate cake for weeks, and oh how good it is. She out did herself again and we got all the blessings.

Chris from CCH Lawn and Landscape delivered the shelves. We have wanted something on this wall for nineteen months and finally they are here. 

Through the week we have continued to unpack items we've wanted on the shelves and added some Christmas decorations. We have unpacked Santa's, dishware, and books. The baskets are new and the one over Hunter's crate hides his toys. We have a ways to go with the unpacking, but it's beginning to feel like a real home.

My daughter found a three foot tree that is on top of a vintage dresser. Very Hunter proof, but I probably shouldn't speak too soon. Some of her Santa collection is on the shelf. I need to point out the new door bell. She found it on eBay and of course it's a vintage 1950's door bell. She installed it this week.

I relaxed a lot this past week because I had help with Hunter. I picked up my knitting needles again to try these ornament cozies. They turned out well and they were a small simple project.

I've also gone back to knitting more socks. This yarn was a gift and it got packed when we moved and I just found it again. I find knitting very relaxing. Once I've figured out the pattern that is. 

I got a bit done on my quilt. Not as much as I would have liked, but my hands and eyes are older now and it's tougher for me to sit. I really wish I'd started quilting when I was younger, but as they say, we were busy raising families and getting by. 

My garden has caused me stress, only because it's not happening fast enough, which I'm learning to let go of. For several reasons my garlic bed is still not in. I'm hoping today will be warm, as predicted, to get a start. One reason it's not in, is my physical ability to do a lot. Another is my budget. I needed, to fence it in which meant fence stakes, fencing, and of course weed cloth so that I don't have to dig the whole bed. My daughter bought the fencing, I bought the stakes and weed cloth. This had to be done because of this guy.

Don't let that face fool you. Of all the wildlife around us, it's Hunter who has managed to dig out a lot of what I planted. Markers are his favorite, but he thinks he can bury his things in my garden, and why not? If I'm digging why can't he? Hunter is growing up, but when I go outside I need to take my vinegar water bottle with me to keep him from jumping on me and I try to give him something to occupy him while I'm out there. It works for a while. Maybe the protection of the fence will allow me to get some garlic planted. 

If you look real hard you'll see Hunter peeking out from behind the gate. He's afraid of the gate, but this is how we get any housework done. It's hard staying ahead of a ten month old puppy, but we keep trying. The funniest words out of my daughter's mouth this past week she had off, was that she had to get some housework done. I laughed and said what? Maybe some day he'll let us just sweep. So, that's what's been happening around the Town House Homestead. Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful week, share your blessings, and love one another. 

Town House Homestead Tuesday

Winter is moving in this weekend, with the first predictions of snow, and I am not ready. Most of the yard is taken care of, and with the shed at least secured, we have been able to store materials, fire wood, gardening supplies, and yard ornaments in it. What a blessing to have it available. 

My herbs that I move indoors a month ago are enjoying the windows. Yesterday I harvested parsley. It was taking over the window and I now have it drying for future cooking. Later today I would like to see what I can get for oregano, lemon balm, mint, and sage before winter really gets here and I put them to bed.

I have collected all the dried zinnia seeds. This is a mixture of red, yellow, pink, and white that I will be packaging up soon. Things that can wait until I need to be inside, but I am excited to have a bounty for adding to the pollination garden next spring. 

I swapped out Halloween for Thanksgiving. I've always loved yellow ware bowls and I had two small ones that fit nicely into the cubbies. I've already cooked a turkey and have a nice breast to serve. Just the two of us and some simple sides. It is going to be relaxing and simple. I've been baking and preparing so our staycation week goes easy on me.

Once again I was gifted more vegetables. Even a couple of vegetables I've never tried before. I can only say that the beets were out of this world and I can't wait to grow some myself.

This post will end with Hunter. At nine months he is still full of puppy power and confusion, but he made it through Halloween. It helped not to have any trick or treaters. His treat was popcorn. He discovered thunder and lightening, but is not afraid of it. He only wanted to chase through the yard to figure out where it was coming from. I have considered changing my homestead title to "Mud Puppy Homestead", but it would make it all about Hunter and I'm not giving that up yet. We can only imagine what will happen this weekend when he discovers snow. That's some of what's been happening here at the Town House Homestead. Thank you for stopping by for a visit and have an awesome week. Share your bounty and love. 

Townhouse Homestead Tuesday

Happy Thanksgiving

We will be taking some time to enjoy family, friends, and the blessings of this past year. It is our busiest sewing weekend of the year and we hope to create as many pairs of mittens for donation as we can. We wish you all the best and hope that you help someone who is in need too.

Townhouse Homestead Tuesday

This is going to be a short post today. I want to find time to get to my sewing room and it might look like I've been a bit lazy because I have so little to post, but this is absolutely not the truth. I always have something to do and there are a few changes coming in the next ten months that I am preparing for. 

We are looking forward to our Thanksgiving holiday. There is so much to be grateful for this year. My pilgrims and turkey have not fallen victim to the packing I've been doing so I did a little counter decorating so we feel the holiday goodness. I did make cookies so that I could fill the thrifted pumpkin jar I got this past weekend. It helped that it was 50% off.

I have been blessed with vegetables as gifts. Yesterday it was this five pound bag of snap peas that were headed to the garbage. Perfectly good snap peas. This morning I cleaned and blanched enough of them to load the dehydrator. I will freeze some for stir fries and clean some just to snack on. I spent some time this past weekend putting vegetables up in the freezer that I was given or purchased at the farm market. I put up diced and sliced peppers, sweet potatoes in one cup portions, broccoli, and sauteed cabbage that was given to me in olive oil and butter for my winter lunches. I also put up my cooked celery and onions in poultry seasoning as starter for my holiday stuffing. I think that this winter will be easier than past winters because I have a full freezer and pantry to prepare meals with. We have also been quite successful at eating less meat and sticking to creating a meal plan. Small successes, but great ones. Thank you for stopping by for a visit. I hope all is well with everyone and that you all have a wonderful week. 

Thursday Threads

With the holiday season in full swing and the madness of it all lingering over everyone it was with great pleasure that I accepted the invitation to spend some time out with my younger daughter. She invited me to go to a tree lighting festival and for a couple of hours we walked the street, enjoyed the lights, had hot cocoa, ate roasted chestnuts and candy canes and stopped for a slice of pizza. There were people singing Christmas carols and policemen on horseback. The firefighters decked out their truck with a multitude of lights and cherished the children's delight for it all. There were horse drawn wagons for riding around town  and decorated trees along the canal. Although it was rainy and a bit chilly we watched the tree lighting and enjoyed the music from a local radio station and it was then that the holiday to me got started.

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my family and friend and the food was bountiful. We played games, watched the parade and a long lost movie I hadn't seen in years called Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas.

In my efforts to try and use up fabric and make new decorations for the new chapter in my life I finished these origami folded fabric wall hangings to match some previous Thanksgiving decorations. I'm addicted to folded fabric.

These vintage quilted squares I reclaimed after I fell in love with the bright colors. Although there are wear spots I managed to retrieve enough to make four vintage 16 inch napkins to add to my eldest daughters vintage decor collection.

I've been making some folded star Christmas ornaments for the girls to sell at a craft show and have found myself with this great abundance of leftover scraps. I cut strips down to clean 1 and a 1/2 inch pieces and began to just sew them together until I had four festive quilted coasters. I made a candle cozy out of a reclaimed linen by weaving velvet ribbon in it and hemming it. My candle likes to be involved in every holiday it can.

The only freebies this week was a coupon for a Jif Dipper and some Pantene shampoo and conditioner samples. I am grateful too for a gift of apples to cook with. I hope everyone finds joy in this holiday season and remember to see the blessings that you have. Thank you for visiting and have a wonderful week. 

Thursday Threads

It seems that as the end of the year approaches and the holidays get closer and closer we take more time to do the things that "need" to be done and not the things we "want" to get done. As I'm maturing I am wanting to spend more time enjoying my sewing, cooking, gardening and learning. It's a different time and I have discovered what makes me feel alive. I don't need to compete with anyone. I need to let go and enjoy the world around me and be grateful for all things. I know that I'm not going to do everything perfectly and that too is alright. Nothing is a mistake. It's all a lesson. I am now taking the time to do those things that I want to do. 

I have many things that I want to sew. My daughter has mounds of fabric that are available to work with. I have some too, but her collection is larger and more vintage. I made this collection for our little space. I'm not quite ready for Christmas although I have been working on home made items all year for gifts. This is for Thanksgiving. More seasonal than themed. It's a table topper, four mug rugs and four napkins. Just a little something to dress up the counter for Thanksgiving and get a couple of yellow ware bowls out for goodies.

This project is a round table topper and two dinner size napkins along with two small mug rugs and two tea size napkins. All from about 1 1/4 yards of fabric, a package of bias tape, and some leftover pieces of cotton batting. 

I got my little sewing bag out and have started making folded stars for my daughters craft show that is held annually at her college. It's fun to have the little things to offer for sale to students on a budget and it uses up all the pieces and scraps from the sewing studio.

On the gardening side all that is growing now is a celery stump and green onions. They regrow well in water but after a while they wash out so I put the onions in soil and as soon as the celery gets stronger roots it will go in soil. We have so little light in the townhouse so having an herb garden inside has proven to be tough. I'll keep trying until I get it. The top of the refrigerator has become the best spot so far. We think about and are planning our next living space and one of the features is going to be large windows and just enough space to grow more of our own food.

To make ends meet I try to take advantage of free offers and coupons. This weeks freebies included a sample of Gevalia coffee that makes four cups, two samples of tums, two packages of Ovaltine, some granola and an oil hair treatment. The supermarket had a promotion and we got a free cake mix, 2 litre bottle of ginger ale, a loaf of Italian bread, 3#"s of potatoes, 3#"s of onions and 1# of carrots. I also cashed in a coupon for a free can of tuna fish. I'd rather be growing my own, but until the time is right this is what I'll take advantage of. I'm already thinking about next years canning and I hope I can take better advantage of the farm markets. I want to thank you for stopping by and visiting and I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.