Two Guys and a Loom

Quickie!!!!

2012-02-29T17:36:00.000-08:00

This one's gonna be short and sweet..... a quickie if you will. My blogging friend Mark needs our support. You may recall that I've blogged before about Mark, his partner of 20+ years Fred, and their four beautiful children.

They have adopted these four beautiful children, but now their family could be separated because of Fred's citizenship status and our country's DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act). Please check out Mark's blog here and join in writing to our government on their behalf.

In 2012, I have a hard time understanding why we need such legislation as the DOMA, who are we really defending, all the straight people that have done such a great job preserving the sanctity of marriage.... I think not!!!! Please help out by writing, calling, or e-mailing if you can. I know they'll appreciate your support.

Looks like a pretty "normal" family to me!!!! If there really

is such a thing!!!!

In case you missed it, here's the link to Mark's blog Our Simple Lives.

Thanks again for your support..... I will now step down from my soap box!

Peace! Kent

Sorry.... had to do one more pic!

Facelift

2012-02-21T17:56:00.000-08:00

Yes, I felt it was time for a facelift.... so here is the new logo for "Two Guys and a Loom" as designed by my sweet friend Meredith! We've also used this same concept for an Etsy banner, business cards, and product tags.... someone could mistaken us for a real business!!!!

So.... whaddya think.... hello.... I can't hear you, oh wait, there's the thundering applause!!!! As you can see, the rest of the blog has a fresh new look too, all thanks to Meres!!!!

Some other things around here are getting facelifts too, cuz ya know bathing suit season is fast approaching! The chicks are getting ready for the season by eating more chicken salad!

What!!!!! You don't feed your chickens salad??!?!?!

This is a treat that the girls get about once a week, and they love it..... plus it will help them look their best when summer hits and those bikinis come out of the closet!!!

Speaking of the chicks, they're finally starting to earn their keep, or at least one little lady is. We've been getting one little pullet egg about every other day, although yesterday I found two, so someone else is starting to step up to the plate as well.


Aren't they about the cutest darn eggs you've ever seen? Plus if my calculations are correct, they're worth about $27.63 each.... who said you can't find a golden egg!!!!

Maxine's back issues are doing better, although she is still on restricted activity and no steps!!!! So that means Daddy Kent has to carry her up and down the steps at least twice a day, and we have now lowered our mattress to the floor so that she doesn't have to jump up and down..... can ya say SPOILED!!!!!

Had to show you a gorgeous hat that I got from my blogger friend Sharon at In Stitches..... she is just amazing, especially when you consider that she spun the wool from her sheep and a neighbor's, then knitted this lovely cap!!!!


It looks pretty good on Madge, and all natural colors.....no dyes for my bald little head!!!!

Speaking of my bald head, I got myself some fashion accessories since I thought I could use a little lift too!!!

This is one of my new Oticon hearing aids!!!! In Chroma Beige of course!!!!

It was interesting when people learned that I was getting hearing aids, their first comment was usually something like..... "Your too young for hearing aids"...... well, hearing loss can effect people at any age, and it is more a factor of genetics and other factors than age alone. Plus, I was just missing too much in conversations with Chris, my family, and my clients. So.... hear we are today with hearing aids at the very young age of 4?..... forty-something!!!!

Hope you all are doing well..... would love to hear some comments here on what you think of the new look.... of the blog silly, not the hat, chickens, dogs, or my ears!!!!

Peace! Kent

Gone to the Dogs!!!!

2012-01-23T17:27:00.000-08:00

Sure.... they look all cute and innocent, but they are thieves!!!! They are stealing us blind, robbing our bank accounts and just wreaking havoc wherever they go!!!!

Haven't posted in a bit, mainly because I've been playing chauffeur to these to heathens. Maxine (on the left) came down with a slipped disc in the middle of her back in late December. Once we figured out what the problem was, she was immediately put on bed rest. That means never off the leash outside, and she has to be carried up and down the steps. Our v-e-t (ya know you can't say that word out loud) is wonderful though, instead of a 3-5,000 dollar surgery, we have been doing laser treatments 2-3 times a week, followed up by chiropractic visits. Yes, you read it correctly, re-read it if you must, but she goes to the chiropractor at $45.00 a pop!!!! Can you tell we love these too.

Meanwhile.... not to be outdone by Princess Maxi, Prince Henry decides to have anal gland issues (I'll spare you the details, but trust me, it wasn't pretty!) followed up by a bladder infection! He's now on antibiotics for two weeks and then another round of bloodwork to make sure the infection is cleared up.

I sometimes wonder what we did before we had dogs, and then I sometimes dream of being a dog-free home, although I know that will never happen. We love these two just like family, and are willing to make the sacrifices (and right the checks) to keep them healthy and happy! After all, wouldn't you do the same for a member of your family?

So for now, Princess Maxi rests comfortably on our bed healing a sore back.

Her life if so rough!

Speaking of rough..... Prince Henry just left tonight for a date with a bitch (hey, don't blame me, that's what they call 'em in the dog world) from Colorado. Her flight arrived this afternoon, and they will "hook up" this evening. He'll be back home on Thursday evening, and we'll be back to a normal (if there can be such a thing) routine!

Isn't he a handsome boy!!!!

So, I guess there's not much more to say other than we love our pooches, and life at Tuckaway just wouldn't be the same without them! I'll leave you with a final question..... What would you do for love?!?!?!

Click here to see Diva Shirley Bassey

Peace! Kent

Friday Funny!!!!

2012-01-06T16:43:00.000-08:00

Do you sometimes feel like this lady, a little out of control, just hanging on for dear life!!!!

Sometimes I feel that way, and not totally in control of what's going on in my life. This was one of those weeks. Went back to work on Wednesday, after 12 days off, and re-entry was a little rough, add to that both dogs having issues, it just doesn't make for a smooth week!

I did get some weaving done over my break, but now I have an empty loom!!!!

But..... that enabled me to get the sectional beam put on that has been sitting in the corner for over a year!!!!

This is one of the scarves that came off of the loom, and was a gift for our family's Christmas exchange. My brother's stepdaughter Chelsea was the lucky one that ended up with the scarf, and it looked great on her.

Not too many holiday photos, but thought this was a good one of my Mom, me, and my younger brother Tim.

Dad, Tim and me..... three of the four Sholder men, my older brother Kevin is missing.


Since the upstairs loom is empty, this will be next to go on. A warp for table runners. A new venture for me, but looking forward to using some "cutter" vintage tablecloths for the weft. Nothing like re-purposing something and giving it a new lease on life.

Sometimes that's what we all need is a new lease on life, or at least a new outlook on life!!!!

Peace!!!! Kent

Friday Funny!!!

2011-12-30T18:17:00.000-08:00

There really are a lot of times that I feel like this old broad. I consider myself to be fairly intelligent, but when it comes to most electronic (or mechanical for that matter), I just don't get it. I bought a timer a couple weeks ago for the chicks, so that they would get more "daylight" which is what they need/want in the winter months. Had all the little notchy things turned down just like the instructions said, plugged it in and it came on fine, but would not turn off later like it was supposed too!

So Mr. Wonderful bought me a digital timer, cuz he's an electrician doncha know! Well H*&L, the instructions were overwhelming, but I was gonna beat this thing, so I pushed all the buttons, in the correct order, and I'd be a sonofagun, but the stupid thing won't work. He promised me that this weekend, he would look at it and get it set for me/the chickies, but we'll see.

If you're heading out to celebrate for the New Year, please be safe, I wanna see ya back here safe in 2012!!!!

Peace! Kent

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T11:45:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!!!!

Everyone at Tuckaway is dreaming of a white Christmas!!!!

Peace on Earth!!!!!

Knifty!!!!

2011-11-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

Certainly not a word that is used nearly enough, and yes, it's not usually spelled this way, unless you're using a Knifty Knitter!!!!! If you've never heard of a Knifty Knitter, you are certainly not alone. They are made by Provo Craft and sold at most craft stores. I was lucky enough to find my set of four at an estate sale for four bucks, cuz ya know I'm ~~cheap~~ frugal!!! I've tried to learn to knit before, but just couldn't get the hang of it, so for four bucks, and some yarn from the thrift store, what did I have to lose.... not much!


You basically wrap the yarn around the pegs and then with the included hook, take the first set of loops over the second. The photo above shows only one row of loops.

Hats are probably the easiest items to make on the Knifty Knitter, but you can also knit flat items as well.

Doesn't Madge look sensational in her hat and scarf combo!!!!

The scarf turned out a little bulky, but I love the texture.


A few weeks ago my Mom was recognized at a luncheon as one of Mary Jo's Angels for her work with cancer survivors and with Hospice patients. This was the first year for the awards, so very proud of her and the work that she's done over the years to make people's lives better during difficult and challenging times.


Not the best picture of me, but a great one of Mom. If you'd like to learn more about Mary Jo's Angels, just click on the link. Mom was fortunate to have known Mary Jo Cropper throughout her diagnosis, treatment and battle with cancer. Must have been a truly remarkable woman.

On the home front, the chickens are growing, and have graduated out of the cardboard enclosure to have the entire hen house. They are really a lot of fun, and I'm glad we took the time with them when they were young to get them tame. Now, they will come up to you right away and eat out of your hands, and peck at your shoes too!

There's been a little bit of weaving goin' on, but there's also been a lot of outside work to do to get ready for winter. We've planted a bunch of spruce trees out back, tucked the garden in for winter, and also planted almost five hundred different spring blooming bulbs. We intended to start a tradition of planting 100 bulbs every fall, but that just didn't happen, so this year it was time to catch up!!!!


Honest, that orange is really more of a rust color. Hopefully Santa brings me a digital camera so I can stop using my phone for photos!


While I'm downstairs weaving, Henry is usually on the kitchen floor at the top of the steps. He's never to far from my side.

Maxi on the other hand, really could care less where I'm at, and at ten, she prefers to be snuggled up on the bed! I want to be my dogs!!!!!

This week is Thanksgiving, and I can't believe all the ads and hoopla over the shopping on "Black Friday"!!!! What a bunch of nonsense!. I love Thanksgiving, because it's so much more about family and just being together. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas too, but we tend to keep things much simpler. We do very little gift buying, and tend to give gifts of time and togetherness. For the last couple of years, we've gotten our parents tickets to go to the theatre with us, and that has been great, instead of more stuff that just sits around and collects dust. My brother and his family limit gifts for their kids to three gifts each, representing the three gifts that Christ received from the Magi. I love that idea.... what traditions do you have to keep the holidays more meaningful?

Happy Thanksgiving! Peace! Kent

Chicks!!!!!

2011-09-23T17:54:00.000-07:00

Well, the chicks have arrived..... I have been waiting quite a while to get to this point, and this was the week! If you remember back a few months to when I showed you photos of us moving the hen house from the neighbor's property to Tuckaway, the renovation and updating has been a long process! Chicken Coop
The peeps were hatched on Monday and arrived at the post office on Tuesday morning. I got the call from the post office at 7:40 am on my way in to the office, so I had to do some quick juggling of my schedule so that I could pick them up before the office closed at 5:00.

We had been working really hard on getting the fence up, and in. In meaning two feet of it is buried in the ground to keep digging predators out!!!! So that means there is about four feet out of the ground and before the birds get to experience the great outdoors, we'll need to put a run of electric fence wire at the top. None of this again, is to keep the chickens in, but to keep the varmints out!

The hen house also needed a new roof, but we both really liked the original metal roof that was on it, just too many old nail holes to keep the babies dry. So off it came!!!!!

Fortunately the rafters (I think that's what they're called) were in good shape.


So the old sheets of metal are set aside in the same order they came off the roof and fresh plywood goes on. The blue screen door in the background was another salvage yard find that we will use as a gate into the chicken yard. Chris was a little taken aback when I painted it blue, but I wanted something bright to contrast with the brown of the old barn.


Then heavy weight tar paper went on and the metal roofing was put back in place.


Ta Da!!!!! New old roof back in place!!!!! Notice anything else different?

Two new windows!!!! These are actually basement windows where the screen is built-in to the frame, but the glass panel comes out when you want some ventilation. Trimmed those babies out myself! Egg basket was a yard sale or estate sale find, which by early March I hope to be putting to good use!

The chicks won't be using this for a while, but the roost is ready for them when they get a little older. It's amazing how quickly they grow. After only five days out of the shell, they are already getting their first wing feathers!!!

We decided to get a variety of chickens and based our selection on them all being brown egg layers, and cold hardy breeds. We have three White-crested Black Polish, two Buckeyes (I am an OSU grad ya know!), four Buff Orpingtons, three Black Australorps, and three Dominiques. They came from Meyer Hatchery here in Ohio. They were most helpful, and I made sure to call Tuesday afternoon to compliment them on their fast service and quality customer service. Do you ever make those calls? I try to make complimentary calls when they are warranted, that way I feel much more equitable when I need to make a complaint call to a company. Sometimes I even call a restaurant after we've received exceptional service. Try it sometime, the manager or customer service rep., is usually quite taken aback that you called to compliment them.

Had to include a photo of Henry laying outside the chick enclosure that is within the hen house. I wanted to make sure the dogs were introduced to them early on and learn that they were not to be mistaken for a squeeky toy or worse dinner! Now, Henry will go over to the door of the hen house and whimper to go inside and say hello to his peeps!

Today marks the first day of Fall, and I was certainly ready for it. So glad to finally be able to wear sweatshirts again, and looking forward to the colors of Fall.

Have a great weekend! Peace! Kent

Birthday Bullets!!!!

2011-08-31T17:34:00.000-07:00

Once again, I'm a little slow on the draw and blogposts, but better late than never! August is a slow Birthday month for our family, but Annika turned 11 yesterday, so we celebrated with her and the family on Sunday. I'll need to explain just a little bit of background. My Dad is a pretty sensitive guy, even though he may come across as a "grumpy old man" at times, and one of his life's goals is to be eccentric. Well, I think he's arrived!!! Just kidding Dad, and I really think eccentric is a good thing and hope one day to achieve that status myself. Anyhoozit, one of his past times is going to his 100 acre woods in Southeastern Ohio, and spending time at his little cabin. The grandkids also like to tag along, and help out, as well as learn a bit about wildlife and nature in a unique setting and with someone they respect and look up to. Dad has taught each of them about gun safety and a lot of times they'll target shoot while down at the mountain. Miss Annika (don't let the cute haircut and sparkly clothes fool ya!) has turned into quite the little Annie Oakley, so for her birthday her Pa bought her a box of shotgun shells! Nanny buys the cute clothes, but Pa really came through on this birthday, and I know they'll have a great time at the mountain blasting tin cans!

Happy 11th Birthday Miss Anni-belle!!!!!

Do you remember when you were 11? Those were some good times!!!!

There has been some weaving goin' on around here, along with the garden chores and continued work on the chicken coop and hen house. The goal is to be pickin' up chicks (the little yellow fluffy kind) on the 16th of September. So this weekend will be a big one working on the windows and roof so those little peeps have a safe dry home.


This is the fourth scarf on the multi-colored warp. Nice bold stripes, but almost came up short on the oatmeal colored rayon. I need to plan better!!!!

Don't you just love to see a box full of yarn arrive!

August was also a bit of stash-building, especially when WEBS had a great closeout on Rayon Chenille. Got some bulkier weight this time to try out, and will be anxious to get the loom re-warped in a couple weeks.

The Weaver's Guild of Miami Valley is participating in A Wool Gathering in September and asked if I would contribute some rag rugs for them to display at their booth. I gladly said yes, and only wished that I could help out that weekend, but my brother's stepson is getting married, so too many other commitments going on. If you happen to be in Yellow Springs Ohio that weekend, be sure and look them up. The event also happens to be held at one of the best ice cream spots in Ohio, Young's Dairy. Stop by if you can.

Have a great long weekend! Peace! Kent

Beans, Beans, BEANS!!!!

2011-08-03T17:32:00.000-07:00

The garden is finally coming along, in fact I picked our first ripe tomatoes of the season tonight after work. So late getting them planted this year, I'm thankful that we finally have some ripe ones.

Last weekend I picked about a bushel and a half of green beans first thing Sunday morning, then when it got too hot in the afternoon, I sat on the porch and got them prepped to can. Lots of work for something you can buy already processed at the grocery for 59 cents!!!! At least I know there are no pesticides on our beans and I use a simple recipe that my Mom has been using for years to can them, and the jars seal every time!!!

Here's the recipe:

One Gallon of fresh green beans

1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of salt

Put all of the above in a large stock pot and cover beans with water, just slightly. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes, or until beans are tender. While the beans are cooking fill six pint jars with boiling water. (I put mine in the sink to prevent messes.) You want the jars very hot when you put the beans in. You also will need to have your canning lids in boiling water (I use a small saucepan) for a few minutes, and then keep them simmering until the beans are ready. When the beans are ready, empty one jar at a time of the boiling water, and fill with the beans, packing them down as you go. Fill with the liquid, leaving about a 1/4" of headspace. Put your hot lid on and tighten down the screw band. You should start to hear them seal within a few minutes.

Because of the vinegar, when you are ready to serve the beans, rinse once in the jar, and once while they cook on the stove. They usually don't need any additional salt, just a bit of butter and pepper.

Not the best photo, but I did two batches and got 11 pints!!!

I also took some time on Sunday to run into town to breeze through the Dayton Celtic Festival. I had heard from a friend that there was a weaver that usually is demonstrating, and sure enough, this gentleman was dressed in period attire, processing flax for linen, spinning the fiber, and then weaving on this ginormous loom! He actually was a speaker at one of our Weaver's Guild meetings this year, so I didn't stick around for long..... I had beans to can!!!!

Isn't that loom amazing!!!! I'd hate to have to haul that puppy around!

I was able to get another scarf started at home...... still the same multi-colored warp, but this scarf is with bold stripes! Be sure to speak up if you're getting sick of this warp!!!! LOL

Have a great rest of the week!!!! Peace! Kent (and Chris)

Blog Slacker!!!!

2011-07-26T17:49:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been just way too long since I last posted, and I can't catch you up in one post about everything that's been going on around Tuckaway, at the looms and with life in general. So..... I'm not even going to try!

The garden is finally coming along after an extremely wet spring. This is the second year for the asparagus, so no picking until next season, although it was very tempting. We did pick a bunch of rhubarb and had enough to share with Mom and Dad too.

Tomatoes and pepper got a late start, but are coming along nicely now that we've had some sunny hot days. In fact last week's temperatures were the highest in any 7 day period since 1940..... and back then there was no AC!!!! The sweet potatoes and Yukon Golds are both grown in large black nursery containers that have had the bottoms cut off. We plant the seed potatoes at ground level and then continually pile leaf compost and hay into the pots until the plants reach the top. We also don't roto-till our garden. We continually add leaf compost and hay to the soil, and then just pull it aside when we need to plant. The hay helps conserve moisture and control weeds.

Spring is a busy busy time for me at work and that is one reason that there has not been any regular blogging going on. But, as the saying goes, you have to make hay while the sunshine.... and the phone's ringing!!!!

We also celebrated a milestone birthday in our family the beginning of the month. My Mom turned 70 this year, and the whole family celebrated with her at a quaint little restaurant near Cowan Lake. We also celebrated my nephew Christian's 16th Birthday this month. Hard to believe that he's already 16, and will be a sophomore at the Dayton Regional STEM School this fall. He spent until the 8th grade being homeschooled, and his younger brother Cavanaugh and sister Annika are still homeschooled by my sister-in-law Loa.

One of the greatest things about summer to me are the flowers! We do mainly perennials, but have to plant a few containers of annuals, and Chris has a passion for houseplants, me, not so much!

Zinnias are just beginning to bloom, but I love them for cutting and they remind me of my Gram!

This is in front of the front porch, the container on the left has a Kong Coleus (yes, one plant) a Bonfire Begonia and some Lysmachia or Creeping Jenny. I love the orange and chartreuse colors! The fern on the right is one of our favorites called a Macho Fern.

This hanging basket has more of the Bonfire Begonias, but these plants have overwintered in the basement for the last two winters, so that means this is a three year old plant. I have to confess too, that during the winter most of the houseplants come in to the basement and basically get ignored. Amazingly, they usually perk right back up when they are re-located to the outside around May 1st or so. Our frost free date here in Dayton is actually May 15th, but we do cheat a bit. The basket hangs from one of the three large ash trees on the property.

Last week when it was so hot, even the dogs were not very motivated to move from the front porch!

There has been a little weaving goin' on around here, but not near as much as I'd like. Still trying to build up inventory to be able to have some stock to begin selling. The beige tones and rusts really look sharp with the mixed warp that is currently on the Union 36.


I've also been wanting to do a black and tan rug using denim, and finally got around to it with the same mixed warp as in the previous photos. You'll also notice that on this rug I also used a temple. That's the wooden tool that spans the rug and keeps the outside edges stretched. Hilary at Crazy as a Loom uses a temple, and I had a couple but really never gave it a try. Well now I am won over, and will keep using the temple, especially on the denim rugs! Thanks Miss Hilary!!!!

On the upstairs Schacht loom, we've been using up the rayon chenille warp doing some great scarves. As I've said before we put a lot of warp on the looms. This means a lot of weaving before you can switch to another color combination or style of item. But I do love, make that LOVE the colors in these scarves!!!!

Oh my gosh..... I almost forgot another huge event of the Spring..... we got to tour the Yuengling Brewery in Pottsville Pennsylvannia. We made the trip in for my cousin's wedding, and took the opportunity to make a little sidetrip.

We even cleaned up for Kurt and Lyndsay's wedding!!!! What a great time of celebration with them. Will share photos of the happy couple in an upcoming post!

Well, that gets things caught up a bit. Hope everyone is having a productive and enjoyable summer!!!!

Morels!!!!

2011-04-17T07:07:00.000-07:00

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

2011-04-03T18:17:00.000-07:00

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!?!?

2011-04-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

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

Laundry

2011-03-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a busy few weeks, and despite the cold temperatures, Spring has sprung in Ohio! Things are picking up at work, with new calls and lots of meetings with existing clients on enhancements that they are requesting on their landscape. Who says the economy is not recovering. What I'm seeing is that people realize that they are probably going to be staying in their current homes, so why not make a more enjoyable outdoor living space!

Last evening a great friend of mine Joann and I went to the Dayton Ballet, they were doing three brand new dances to three brand new pieces of music. Each composer was selected by a committee, and then three choreographers were chosen and they got to choose the piece that they would choreograph. After the ballet, we met up with Chris and another friend of ours Mark. Had a great evening, but have felt a bit sluggish all day. I guess it's a sign of getting older, I think back to when we were in our twenties and would stay out 'til all hours. Not any more, although I did make it way past my normal bed time of 9:30!!!!

I love, no make that LOVE doing laundry. I would prefer doing laundry to almost any other house chore, like dusting or vacuuming! It may have something to do that the laundry and studio space are essentially one in the same, so while a load is in the washer or dryer, I can be weaving or processing fabric!

This is a photo of our laundry center. I am a huge sorter! I go so far as to sort colors and then sub-sort into colors that go in the dryer, and colors that get hung up to dry. We try to use the dryer as little as possible, so that we are not wasting so much electricity. Of course I also think everything just smells better when it's dried outside on the line. The laundry basket "shelf" to the right is something that Chris made for me last summer so that I didn't have baskets all over the floor, it really helps get things even more organized.

Some great fabrics that I found at a local thrift store.... can you see some rugs in the making!

I also make our own laundry detergent. It is much better on our clothes and the environment, and oh so easy to make, I'll using mix up a big batch that lasts about two months. I still use fabric softener, and on some of Chris' work jeans, a pre-treatment of Shout, but essentially I use the homemade stuff. It is a mixture of 3 cups of Borax, 3 cups of Washing Soda, and then 30 drops of Eucalyptus essential oil, and 20 drops of Lavender essential oil. I get high quality oils from Green Clean Chic because they are a higher quality than what you can typically get say at a health food store. Jen Knoth will even do home shows to teach you the basics of going green with a lot of different cleaning supplies that are better for our homes and the environment.

Speaking of the environment, this is one of my favorite products out there for gardening. It is Posy Power, a natural compost that comes in 30 pound bags. I picked up my early spring order yesterday, 30 bags!!!! A local garden club sells it as a fund raiser for about half of what it costs retail. We do a lot of composting, but it's not always fast enough, so I usually stock up early and use this to supplement our own compost throughout the year.

Needed some color in my life, so potted up a couple of pots of pansies. Some of the early perennials and daffodils are helping out around here too!

Actually have had some time to do a little weaving, and a lot of fabric cutting and sewing of strips. Here's the latest rug on the loom. It's turning out nice, and ended up being about 70" in length on the loom. Will be nice to get this batch of rugs of the beam and finished!

Hope everyone has a great week!!!

Peace! Kent

Pure Heaven

2011-03-03T15:45:00.000-08:00

Well, it's that time of year again, and we get so excited for those heavenly Girl Scout Cookies!!! Unfortunately no little girls come knocking on our door, so we have to resort to buying these decadent little goodies from co-workers.

Which are your faves!!!!!

Mine happen to be the ever-popular Thin Mints!!!!!

Now, most of you know that I ~~love~~ LOVE chocolate in almost any form, but I also really like Peanut Butter. Bear with me for a moment, and give it a try before you judge me! Take a plate full of Thin Mints and spread a thin layer of peanut butter on the flat side, then sandwich another cookie with the first one. Pop them in the freezer for an hour or so, and you'll have pure heaven!!!!

This is unfortunately one "sleeve" of cookies (OK, minus two that I had to eat plain) which yields only 7 little sandwiches. Come on girls!!!! The price on a box of these devils is $3.50, and now the quantities in each box has been cut too, haven't you heard we're in the middle of a recession for cryin' out loud!!!

Just kidding, you'll know I'll be back for more, 6 boxes is just never enough!!!!!

Peace! Kent

Thanks Sharon!!!!

2011-02-27T17:17:00.000-08:00

Wow..... Thanks Sharon for nominating our blog. Certainly exciting and reassuring to know that there are actual real people out there in cyberspace that are checking in on Two Guys and a Loom!!!!

I never really considered us "Stylish", but as usual, beauty is in the eye of the beholder!!!! Thanks again Sharon..... check out Sharon's blog here at In Stitches

So here is what comes with the award:

1. Thank and link back to the person who sent you this award. (Check!!!)

2. Share 7 things about yourself (Wow... this could be scary, please read below.)

3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers (I don't "follow" that many blogs, but I do "lurk" around at a lot of blogs.... more about that in a later post. I will mention some of my favorite blogs below.)

4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award (Done!!!)

Well, here are seven things that you may want to know, but after finding them out, you may be disappointed that they aren't more interesting!!!!

1. I grew up in Springboro Ohio with two brothers (I'm the middle child, which should explain a lot if you know anything about birth orders) on a small country place where we raised at different times: chickens, goats, rabbits, pigs, and sheep.... I think we had a cow for a short time too!
2. I LOVE chocolate!!!!
3. I'm not the best friend to have.... I don't like to talk on the phone, but if we are friends, we're friends for life, even if we go for months without seeing or talking to each other. I'll definitely be there for you when you need me.
4. I'm gay...... shocking I know. We are not typical in that we do not define ourselves by our sexuality, but rather hope that people get to know us first and then say to themselves "Ya know, Kent and Chris aren't like some of the other gay couples we know!"
5. My Mom has a Masters of Divinity..... our family has a strong faith and believe in a loving and accepting God!
6. I don't eat red meat.... haven't since I was a teenager.... no reason really other than I don't like it, not even steak!!!!
7. Chris and I have been together for 14 years this June!!!!

Here's a shot of Chris and I with our good friends Cindy and Stan! If you ever find yourself in Yellow Springs Ohio, be sure and dine at The Winds Cafe great dining with a changing seasonal menu featuring local grown produce and meats!

Here are some of the blogs I follow:

Crazy as a Loom

Love, love, love this woman..... she is the one that inspired me to learn the art of weaving!!!! Beautiful photography, and a beautiful spirit!!!!

Homestead Weaver

Chris Gustin is the woman that "kicked my behind" for an intense three days of weaving at her studio in Brown County Indiana..... I wove on one of her looms on the "porch" and think I lost 20 pounds just from sweating!!!

In Stitches
Sharon at In Stitches is the one that "nominated" our blog, and someone that I have been "stalking" in the blogosphere for a while. She loves animals, so that immediately makes her a great person. Thanks again Sharon!!!!

R'new to Begin Again
I love Renee's blog because of her great recycled weaving, which is what we love to do too! Her determination and discipline when it comes to working full time and weaving is inspiring!!!!

Camp Runamuck
Another blogger that I have been stalking for a while. Love her weaving and poochies!!!!! I can also relate to anyone that lives where there is a lot of snow!!!! Anyone else notice that so many weavers live in the North!!!

Dust Bunnies Under My Loom
Love this blog for the beautiful weavings and the sheer volume of what is produced...... I too love seeing those little fiber balls piling up under the loom.... Chris however, feels compelled to vacuum compulsively!!!!

Tales from the Coop Keeper
Not a lot of weaving goin' on here, but Jayme does have a loom! Her writing is fabulous and you will see her on Food Network someday!!!! Plus she raises chickens, something that we hope to do soon.

Loomy Tunes
This is a group of amazing weavers that get together every Tuesday to weave and share.... especially the food!!! Love that there are a couple of gentlemen in their group that are avid weavers!!!!

Happy weaving and blogging.... .and thanks again Sharon!!!!

Peace! Kent

Sunshine!!!

2011-02-27T11:48:00.000-08:00

Well, we finally have a beautiful sunny day here in Ohio!!!! Hauled some firewood to the house this morning, and finished the taxes this afternoon. We are avid gardeners and love being outside. On our walk of the property this morning, here are some signs that Spring is coming!!!!

This is lettuce growing in our cold frame..... planted it last fall, and will pick some for a salad tonight!!!


Will be nice to have some fresh produce in February!!!!


We try to be as environmentally friendly as possible, and part of that is composting. We compost EVERYTHING!!! Including a large amount of shredded leaves which are in pile in the gardens and various areas of the woods.

The Hellebores (Lenten Rose) will be blooming in a couple weeks!!!!

Daffodils are just starting to peek through the snow.... won't be long now!!!!

This is a seed pod from one of the many Japanese tree peonies that our beloved Ann planted when she lived here!!!

This is what the bloom looks like around Memorial Day.... they are usually about 8-10" across!!!


Our lovely Blue Atlas Cedar..... planted last summer and looking great! See the little furry butt going up to the porch, that's Henry..... he just became a Grandpa earlier this month. You can check out a video of his grand-puppies at Jendu Wheatens on Facebook.


This is a much more flattering shot of our little guy Henry!!!!

Had lunch this week with a great old friend, Julie Bolton (she's married to the famous Michael Bolton of Waynesville OH, not the singer). She really wanted to see some updated photos of the kitchen remodel. So here we go.

Keep in mind, we bought the home as-is with everything that was left after the estate sale. That means everything!!!!

Things are looking pretty good, even though we are still using the plywood counter tops. We are seriously considering concrete and looking at some local contractors to do that.

Well, I'll keep everyone updated on the kitchen progress, hopefully new counter tops in the next month or so. Will be anxious to making some more strides towards completion.

Hope everyone has had a good weekend!

Peace! Kent

Scarf Season!

2011-02-25T18:21:00.000-08:00

Here in Ohio, it is still winter, we had another inch or so of snow this morning before dawn, and the strange thing about it there was also thunder with the storm. Even the dogs got woken up by it this morning around 5 or so. Way to early for me!!!!

There has been some weaving going on around here too!!! Primarily weaving scarves. The blue and white one above is a combination of two yarns, one rayon chenille and one wool. The warp is white 10/2 bamboo set at 10 epi. These turned out very nice, but I think the bamboo is a little stiff. Even after wet finishing them, they don't have the soft drape that I was hoping for.

The bamboo warp has been totally woven off, and the next warp is on the loom. The photos above are of the next batch of scarves, using all rayon chenille. The warp is a random stripe of very warm, earthy tones with some rust and light cream tossed in for good measure. The warp is again set at 10 epi, and I think I wound about 14 yards of warp on this time, so we should be able to get 6 scarves out of this one warp. The weft is rayon chenille in a warm amber color, in fact I think the color is called "Amber Lights" 1399 ypp (yards per pound), so these should be soft and luxurious!!!!

Here's a close up of the warp threads at the back of the loom as they go through the heddles. There are 100 threads back here that each have to be pulled through those little metal rods, and then through the beater bar at the front of the loom..... if you're a weaver, you're bored by now, if you're not, you're probably thinking why in the world would anyone want to do this!!!! And keep in mind, the scarf is only 10" wide!!!!

Will try and post again tomorrow.... had lunch with Michael Bolton's wife this week, and she wants to see updated kitchen photos!!!!

Peace! Kent

UFO Landing!!!!

2011-02-05T09:06:00.000-08:00

Well, I know that UFO's are usually spotted in Nevada and the desert areas of the US, but we had one land here this morning on our birdbath!!!!!

Can't wait to see if any little aliens come out, and why in the world did they pick the birdbath to land in!!!! It's really a cool little gadget that Chris got to keep the water moving. The birdbath already has a heater, so now our feathered friends have their own little jacuzzi!!!!!

Apparently they are drawn more to moving water, and then in the summer it will help keep mosquitoes from laying their eggs in the birdbath. I think the name of the gizmo is Water Wiggler or something like that. He got it at a local wild bird food store here in town. I think you should get one for your birds, or at least the heater. More birds die each winter from dehydration than from starvation! Take care of our feathered friends!!!!

I made it back to work on Thursday and Friday, but Chris has been trapped since we can't drive over the wire that is across our lane. Uggggh! In fact the lane is so icy that FedEx will not pull down to deliver anything. Chris had to go to the airport yesterday to pick up a check that was to be delivered, only to find out that they sent it back out on the delivery truck. At least he and our neighbor Mike got to have lunch out!!!!

So, if you can't go anywhere, you may as well weave. Chris has been weaving on the bamboo warp using rayon chenille (1400 ypp). His latest creation is using two different colors of yarn and clasping the weft at different points to create a really neat scarf. Kind of reminds me of an EKG reading thing at the hospital!!!!

Hope everyone is safe and warm today!

Peace! Kent

Weaving!!!!

2011-02-02T17:52:00.000-08:00

Wow.... sorry for not posting a bit more frequently, but a full time job does take priority at times!!!! We have been doing some weaving along with hauling firewood, dealing with dogs and numerous other activities. Won't bore you with all the details, other than Princess Maxine is doing much better and had her staples removed last Monday. There were 15 staples on the under side of her neck/throat area, the good news is that the biopsy came back negative!!!!

We finally have both looms warped and have been doing some weaving, especially today since we had a major ice storm/snow event overnight. An electric line (Chris thinks a neutral wire) came down along the main lane last evening, and is right across the section of lane that comes back to our house. So it forced me to stay home from work, and Chris didn't have anything scheduled for today either..... so let's weave!!!!

I've been working on the Union in the lower level (basement) that has a 34" warp on it in earthy tones. We have a special order piece that we need to weave, but thought I'd crank out a few other rugs first.

This is what we call a "Bonnie" rug... which is a solid body and this one has two stripes of coordinating fabric at the ends of the rug.

Here's another shot of the rug, looking back towards the warp beam of the loom. The warp is set at 8 epi with approximately 70 yards wound on the back beam!!! That's a lot of rugs.

Another rug that's already been done and is wound on the cloth beam in front is one using a fleece that was given to us by a friend. It made a really nice fluffy rug. Can't wait to get it off the loom and tied up.

Sorry for the blurry picture.... hopefully my photography skills will get better as we go along!!!!

Chris has been hard at work on some rayon chenille scarves..... he's not real happy with the white bamboo warp, so after this warp is woven off, I'm sure we'll be doing some earthy tones of rayon chenille for the next warp!!!!

Doesn't that look great..... hard to believe this is the first scarf that he's woven!!!! Not bad eh!!!!

He did a double stripe of a mixed rayon chenille yarn, and it really looks sharp. Looks like it will be a pretty luxurious scarf!!!!!

Well, back to the office for me tomorrow...... .thanks to Walt who volunteered to pick me up at the end of our lane. Should be a brisk 1/4 mile walk for me in the morning!!!!!

Day of Recovery

2011-01-14T10:01:00.000-08:00

Well, the princess Maxine is recovering nicely from some surgery that she had yesterday to remove a large fatty cyst that was under her jaw near her throat. She's tucked in bed for most of the day and will go back to the v-e-t (we can't say the word ya know) tomorrow to have the drain removed and the dressings changed. Hopefully Chris and I will then be able to change the dressings from here on out. Stitches will come out in 10 days!


This is Maxi last summer... she is our special girl!!!!

We've had about 3-4" of snow this week, and it really makes the place look beautiful. No problems with the lane up to this point, but if we get more snow over the weekend as predicted, we may have to get the tractor out to plow us out.


This is what the lane has looked like with previous heavy snow falls, not this bad just yet thank goodness.

Makes ya kinda wish for spring doesn't it!!!!!

In the Beginning!!!!

2011-01-10T17:56:00.000-08:00

In the beginning..... well not really THE Beginning, but more like our beginning at

Tuckaway!!!!

A couple shots of Tuckaway when we first discovered the property in May of 2007.

The home had always been in the Tucker family..... thus Tuckaway, and was at one time

part of approximately 45 acres. Well, thank goodness it was down to five when we purchased

from the estate of Ann L. Tucker, who passed away in January of 2007.

I'm pretty sure that Ann was a lovely person, she never married, and lived in this house her entire life.

We still feel her presence, and other people have as well..... I know her spirit is here,

and our hope is that she is happy with us and how we are caring for her home.

When we purchased the house, we were on the verge of being homeless, as the new owners of our Walnut Hills home were anxious to move in and for us to move out!!!! Imagine that!!!

So, we found this property at an estate sale which a friend of ours was running. Chris immediately fell in love

with the property, and saw lots of potential.... I saw lots of work!!!! Dodo (Dorothy)

is our estate sale friend, and she had about 3 pages of people that were interested in the property.

Amazing, that we were the only ones that the executor ever knew of that were interested!!!

Funny how things work out isn't it!!!

Well, about 4 weeks later it was ours, along with anything that was left from the estate sale.

Many people do not believe it when they see some of these photos, but this actually is what the inside looked like at the beginning.

Basement with the biggest water heater ever seen!!!!

Living Room with everything that was left after the sale.


The kitchen.... hard to believe we actually did dishes in that sink for about the first 18 months.

We even got Ann's car..... I never drove it, but Chris cruised in it a couple of times!!!!

As you can tell, sweet Ann wasn't much of a housekeeper, but she had no one here to help her. No family to take her shopping, or help out with any things around the property.

Needless to say we had/have our work cut out for us.

Will post more current pictures as we move along..... gotta keep ya coming back for more!!!!

New Year - New Warp

2011-01-09T12:51:00.000-08:00

Maxine and Henry.... The Wheaties!!!!

Welcome to 2011!!!! What an exciting year awaits for Two Guys and a Loom. We're jumping right in to the blogosphere world and couldn't be more excited to share our journey with you. Over the coming months our hope is to share our adventures in weaving, home renovations, cooking and gardening... on our way to being more self-sufficient in our every day lives. Wishing you all the best in the coming year!!!!