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Friday I met my good friend Robyn at the Gwinnett center in Duluth. It was the annual sewing expo for Georgia and we had planned this outing since early January.

It’s great to have a kindred spirit so close to home so that I can have company for these things. We spent some of our time looking at the quilts, although I have to say, even though they were lovely there really was not very many of them. There was however a lot of vendors 🙂

I had promised myself that I would not buy any fabric, i mean it’s not as if I am likely to run short anytime soon. However I still managed to find a few things that caught my eye.

 

We decided to move the chicken coop down to the horse ring. Moving the actual coop was the easy part getting the chickens down there proved to be more of a challenge. First of all we tried herding them down there with scenes reminiscent of Monty Python sketch and even resulting in an all out body splat by Rob.

I moved on to plan B, which was to lay a trail of oats across the grass and on down into the horse ring. It took a few hours but they all wandered down there and we were able to acquaint  them with their new home. They certainly look happy enough there.

Good job we moved the chickens yesterday (Miss Lynne will say more). First thing this morning we had a call from the fertilizer company who wanted to deliver and spread today. Now that’s service. I only put in my order yesterday and they explained that deliveries are very weather and location dependent and that we were looking at a three week window. Anyhow, our luck was in and they wanted to deliver and spread before the rain comes in tonight. …….. and the truck was just leaving the depot.

The soil analysis recommended lime at a rate of 2.5 tons per acre so I was very relieved to find a company that would deliver and spread. The other fertilizer needs a more delicate application though and I’ll have to spread that myself. The driver did a masterful job getting his truck around our relatively small paddocks.

 

 

 

This weekend I had a nice surprise in the post from one on my NY Quilty friends. Here it is, a book to teach us to speak properly. We have been giggling most of the weekend as we read through it. We now know we live in Etlaanta!

And going in the post today will be a belated birthday present for my sister. Hope she likes it, I took a basic pattern and me it more to her style, I hope.

We had a surprise visit from our friends Patrick, Claudia and Catlin this afternoon. They brought with them a very special house warming present.

His name, we have decided, is Roger. Roger the Rooster. The ladies of the hen house have already begun clucking.

We think he’s gorgeous. Lets hope we still think so tomorrow morning!!

 

Up early as always to feed the critters. I know it’s been cold but this is not supposed to happen down south. I thought we had left the white stuff back in New York.

Ok, it’s not going to hang around or make life difficult but still …… !

While in Vegas, I was lucky enough to be given tickets to Rock of Ages. The PGI group had arranged for a buffet to feed us first. So we all met in the Grand Lux cafe in the Venetian, the buffet was really good also an open bar. Then off to the concert theater for the show. As you can see we had great seats and the show was excellent, just a good laugh and plenty of blasts from the past. Not for those of a sensitive disposition, a little swearing and lots of near the knuckle jokes.

Flew home on Friday, hardly seems time to sort myself out for the next weeks work. Hey ho!

Saturday we went to Turner Feed and bought a horse feeding manger for the Pacas, then off to Lowes to buy seeds ready to start on the garden. They also now stock Jim Shore garden items so I bought 2 planters and a chicken. Love his stuff!

 

 

One of the yahoo groups I belong to is the “small quilts” group and they were all talking about a new book – so not to be outdone I quickly placed my Amazon order and was not disappointed. It was really inspiring and spurred me on to get on with some small projects that I had lined up. Nothing radical just some small quilts for my hanging frames and a tea towel for the kitchen. In the evenings I am busy weaving, I have now managed about 25 inches only 35 more to go!

I found a box of pictures that we have not unpacked since we came to the US and had a fun 30 minutes finding homes for them around the house. Rob hung our leaded glass in the picture window, it is really starting to feel like home. Can’t wait to see what he has done by the time I get back from Vegas.

Nice easy trip into the airport this morning and one of the things I like to do is give myself enough time so that I can walk to my terminal rather than use the train. They have a great display of African sculptures between baggage and terminal A.

Our chickens have stopped laying and after much discussion we have decided to get a second chicken coop and some more younger chickens and just let the other girls live out their lives in the original coop. We might toughen up over time but at the moment we are not up to slaughtering something we have named.

Whilst the weather is much better than New York – it still gets down around freezing overnight so we will have to wait a few more weeks before we can plant out our garden veg. We also have to wait until our new farm gates arrive or the chickens will eat it all and we would definitely review their life expectancy!

Arrived in Vegas and I am staying in the Wynn for the first time, the reception area is really stunning, all of these giant balls are made from flowers. they really know how to do things in style. My room is great and has a perfect view of the Strip. I know Vegas is an acquired taste but in short bursts I quite like it.

 

 

The university have come back with our soil report and recommendation. There is a large amount of lime to be spread! (click on pic to enlarge)

I was up bright and early Sunday morning and off to the Dekalb cultural center for part one of my introduction to weaving class. There was only 6 of us in the class and two tutors so we got plenty of time to understand what we were doing.

First we created our warp and then dressed the looms. The instructor showed us how to start weaving the waste yarn and then “declare” before starting to weave our scarf.

 

We had a break for lunch and joy of joy the center is right next to a Panera Bread. So Sonoma chicken stew with cheese biscuit and the chance to have a free cake for my birthday, Thank you Panera.

The afternoon we were weaving with our chosen yarn and trying to get the tension right, I needed to get 10 rows or weft to the inch and after a while I was close enough. Although this looks quite open on the loom it closes up when washed and if you do it to tight you will end up with rug quality not fabric. We were sent home with our looms and have 2 weeks to weave 60 inches before we have lesson 2. ONly 50 more to go.