Morels!!!!

Aside from the privacy living in the woods provides, we also get the added benefit of finding morels every Spring.  These delectable little gems pop up usually after a couple of days of extremely warm temperatures which we had last Sunday.... up to 82 that day.  Then the picking begins!!!!

Aren't they gorgeous!!!!

One of the tricks is getting to them before the neighbors that live in the 'hood behind and beside us.  For some reason when it comes to picking morels, they have a hard time seeing those No Trespassing signs!!!

This week was also my birthday, April 14th, so have had a busy but fun week spending time with Chris and my parents.  My folks gave me an early birthday gift a couple of months ago of a great set of cookware.  The stuff we had been using was in pretty bad shape and has now been turned over to the scrap yard!!!!

Chris surprised me with a Kindle!!!!!  I was so excited, have been thinking about getting one, but I also love seeing books on a shelf too.  It will certainly come in handy for times when we travel or are away from home, which isn't that often, but looking forward to playing with that a bit today.

Yesterday we spent most of the day with my parents (Butch and Nancy).  Was a great day to have lunch out and do some shopping, as the weather was gloomy and spat rain most of the day.  We took them to one of our new favorite restaurants, Coldwater Cafe in Tipp City Ohio.  They have a great lunch and dinner menu and the desserts are made from scratch and out of this world!!!!

This was my dessert, a delicious Coconut Cake with real whipped cream!

Chris stuck with his traditional English Tea Cake, that is drenched in the richest, buttery sauce you can imagine.

Since my folks had not been to Coldwater before, I encouraged Mom to try the five layer, yes five, Carrot Cake with white chocolate cream cheese icing.  Don't let her size fool you, she ate the whole thing!!!!  (Just kidding.... my Dad had a few bites, I had a couple, and then she took half of it home.)

Had a most enjoyable time, and even had time to visit an antique store or two and a huge gallery, that unfortunately was mostly pottery from one artist.

I did have time to visit my favorite Thrift Store this week, and found this.......

She's a bit androgynous, but I think she'll work out great for photography scarves and a display piece at shows.  Any suggestions for a name?

Have a great rest of the weekend!!!!!  Peace!  Kent

Baby Steps

Be careful..... I know it's been less than twenty-four hours since my last post, so if you are feeling faint or having any other strange symptoms, step away from the computer and call 911 right away.... just make sure you come back.  I know I won't be doing much posting through the week, as I have a full calendar at work this week, so thought I'd better double up.
 
Things at Tuckaway sometimes take a long time to see progress.  Good example is our chicken coop.  I really, really want chickens!  In February of 2009 our neighbor down the lane had an old building that he didn't want anymore, and it looked to me to be the perfect chicken coop.  Fortunately our lane can get pretty icy, but when you need to move a chicken coop a quarter of mile, the ice comes in handy!

There's Chris driving the tractor, pulling the chicken coop!

In the home stretch!

Not a great picture, but the coop is in place.

Ta Da!!!!!

So, fast forward to April 3, 2011..... today we re-leveled things and installed the upcycled storm door that Chris salvaged from a job site.  I can almost see the chickens.... now we just need to get the rest of the stuff out of the coop!

Had to take a lot of trim off, remove hardware, and pull a ton of nails!

Isn't this stone perfect!!!  We hauled that from my Dad's mountain land in Southeastern Ohio.  Had a couple of guys from work get it set last year, and it will be a perfect step into the coop.

Finishing touches on the door.

Next step, and remember, it will be a baby one.... re-do the windows and put up the fence.  We already have the windows, salvaged from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

I also had some time to do some weaving today.  Finished up the rug from yesterday, and then finished another one this morning while Chris was doing paperwork. 

This one is shades of rust, browns, tans and creams.  Not bad, and will be a good sized rug to add to the inventory!

Here's what the cloth beam below looks like.  There are seven rugs down there, and definitely time to get them off.

Everyone have a great week.

Peace!  Kent

Hoarder!?!?

OK..... I must admit that I've never seen the show Hoarders or some such thing on cable.  We don't have cable because we are too far off the road, and more than that, we're too cheap!  It's hard enough finding a show worth watching on the five local stations that we get.  Chris came down to the studio/laundry room/lower level (doesn't that sound much better than basement!) today and he was a little overwhelmed!  I have been purchasing a lot of fabric lately, but when you can get it for $ 2.00 or less a yard, I just can't pass it up!!!!

This is the pile of fabric that is waiting to be washed and then processed.  Most of this came from a local Thrift Store that I try to stop at once a week on my way home from work.  They usually have some good yardage and decent scraps.  The manager has indicated that they have a ton of fabric at the warehouse.... now just how am I going to get in there!!!!  

See those jeans.... 50 cents a pair.... a different Thrift Store in town has a sale every Monday with a certain color tag only 50 cents!!!!  I do get a few looks as I go down the ladies aisle, but it's all part of the game!!!  Haven't been there in a while, and from the looks of it, that's not a problem!

 

I consider this "building my stash" as opposed to hoarding, so hopefully you won't see us on an episode of Hoarders!!!  I do need to stay focused on getting fabric processed, but am considering some options.

Doesn't it feel great when you get a bunch of stuff done! Now this batch just needs to be organized by color and wait to inspire me!!!!

 

This tub is of all mixed fabrics which will become what I affectionately call "Nanny Rugs", both after my Great Grandmother and my Mom who my nephews and niece all call Nanny.

They turn out to be just great old-fashioned rag rugs that will last for years!!!!

I do love to see a package on the porch when I get home, sometimes fabric, sometimes something almost as good!

This week our seed order arrived!!!!  That has to mean that Spring can't be too far away.  We put out a decent sized garden, and usually start things by the middle of April, although this year we're ahead of the game and have been picking lettuce out of the cold frame for a few weeks.  It was planted last Fall, and overwintered nicely.  The garlic that I planted last Fall, is also up, and just a few sprigs of asparagus are poking through.  Since the asparagus was just planted last year, we won't be able to pick any until next season, but it will be so good!!!!

Some of the wonderful varieties from Harris Seeds.  There are probably six varieties of lettuce, some beans, two types of cucumbers, and our garden would not be complete with out a beet called Long Season Lutz.  If you've never grown this beet, you must give it a try.  It is a large beet, but it never gets woody or pithy!  Sometimes my Mom has had beets so large that one will fill a quart jar.  They are wonderful pickled and really taste great through the winter.  For some reason both of us love beets now, but neither of us liked them growing up.  Of course there are a few packs of radishes, carrots, and I'm again growing soybeans (edamame) for you fancy types.  These were great last year, especially stir fried with some chicken or pork.

Final pic is of my buddy Henry!  He is always right by my side when I'm home.  If I'm not home and Chris is, he hangs out with him, but he is definitely my boy!  Maxine is a much more independent gal, and she really would rather be by herself laying on the bed or in her crate.  We used to have to coax her to come down for dinner, but now she knows that if she doesn't get to her bowl soon enough, Henry will clean things up for her.  Hope everyone is having a happy and safe weekend. 


Peace!  Kent