just a treat...

The chickens LOVE oatmeal!  I cook it for them several times a week. 

hump day...

I started this sweater Monday night after I finished knitting my fall socks (see pic below).  This is my first sweater to knit.  I'll be working on it at night while DH and I watch TV.  I knitted a few rows last night while watching Fringe...one of my favorite shows.  Whoever writes for this show definitely has a vivid imagination!  
On cold days like today, these socks keep my feet toasty.  
There are about 200 potted seeds in this light box that DH built this past weekend...some of the plants are already sprouting.  

random saturday

I made butter this morning...
 7x5 watercolor sketch...she looks like she has a sunburn. 
I finally finished knitting my shawl this week!  

wheat bread...

This is the best loaf of bread I have baked, so far.  It's great for sandwiches, toast and just cutting off a slice and eating it with butter.  Yum!

chickens and garden...

DH feeding the reds rye grass...they have rye grass in their yard area, but like to think they are getting something special if you hand feed them.  This past Saturday we processed 6 whites...we roasted one Sunday and the others are in the freezer.    
DH welded this row maker together.
This is what the garden looks like after DH made the rows...I couldn't believe how fast he was able to make the rows.  We plan on planting potatoes this weekend.

biscuits

I made these biscuits for Kris yesterday morning before she drove back to CS...this is the best biscuit recipe I have found.  

pot making...

I used my mat, ruler and rotary cutter to cut strips...first I cut about a 1/4" off the outside fold...
next, cut 3 1/2" strips and unfold them...
This little gadget is from Burpees...
Next, take a long strip and roll it around the pot maker...
Then fold the bottom 1 1/2" of paper under and twist the bottom of the pot maker to form the bottom of the pot...it's that easy.
Tada...a pot.  The good thing about starting seeds this way is you just dig a hole, place the potted plant in the hole and cover it up...there's no trying to get the plant out of a plastic container.    

random thursday...

I started this face painting a couple of months ago and have not had the time to get back in my art room to finish it...hopefully, next week. 
I've been making pots out of newspaper for seeds.
This is the view I saw out the window last night while making pots at the kitchen table...this photo doesn't do the sky justice...cobalt blue and alizarin crimson.
My little knitting buddy...Buckles likes to sit in the chair with me at night when I knit.
I have been working on this shawl since last March and it is a torn in my side!  Last night, I had to frog the past 2 nights worth of knitting because I dropped a stitch...it wasn't a purl or knit stitch...it was a k2tog (decrease), so I had to frog 2o rows...what a pain in the a@$!  I'm hoping to finish it by the end of the month.

lunch sketches...

The girls and I ate lunch at Charleston Tea Room yesterday, so I decided this was a good time to get back into sketching.  I felt so rusty...I've just been too busy for any art lately.  I'm hoping things will slow down in about a week or two.   

happy new year!

I see this owl down by the creek almost everyday...this is the first time I've been able to run back to the house and get my camera and he's still there when I return.   

Update:  An owl attacked one of the white hens on Saturday...I think it was this one.  Luckily, I was able to get out there and stop him before he killed her.  We covered their yard area that afternoon.  I no longer like owls!!!  BTW, the hen is now in the freezer...I don't think I will be able to eat her.  DH plans on processing at least 5 more whites this weekend.  Kris took all kinds of pictures on Saturday and thought the whole process was "cool."  I couldn't go out there...I think DH is on his own when it comes to processing these chickens...I spend a lot of time taking care of them.