fresh black dirt

i have a problem...

you see the gentleman who does my tilling came today! now this lovely vegetable garden of warm black iowa dirt is calling to my bare feet! it is probably the one thing i love most about spring!!! and there is some stiff competition out there! sink my toes into a freshly tilled piece of earth!

my problem??? i need to be sewing!!! i am doing 2 shows next week - the living room coffeehouse on april 10th and prairieland herbs on april 11th! oh, i have quite a good inventory but i have some new ideas i would like to get finished before i go! ya know, new excitements to show off! but rain is coming...so maybe i should take one more day - sink the toes and rejuvinate myself to get the work done that pays for the seeds that grows the garden!!!

had myself talked into it...

then i found this little yellow joy growing so happily along the south side of one of the front gardens....

i buy johnney jump-ups in the spring because they just make me happy...i plant them...and now i have them growing everywhere! their little seeds scatter and come up along edgings, in the cracks of the sidewalk, along trees...wherever! such a pleasant surprise!

now....sewing!!!

'hen haven' progress...

whewww...we (mostly my brother, mike) have been working dilegently on 'hen haven'....up to myself & brad to finish it up! i can't wait! maybe next week little peeps can be ordered!!! :)we now have: a new "old" door, new windows that OPEN!!!, a recycled latch off of the origional chicken house, a partial wall inside waiting for that roll of chicken wire!, a new 'old' screen door inside and posts set for the run. still need to: wire the run, wire the inside room, mix up some new cement for the girls and MOVE IN! will keep you updated!!!

...hen haven...

for almost 2 years now i have begged and pleaded with brad to help me get this little building out by our barn converted to house 10 hens....i promised him he would love the fresh eggs! and for 2 years now he has put me off....

until now....
we are finally working on the building! and i am beyond excited! see even the kitties love the new windows! the view is supurb.....won't these be happy girls???

it is taking some work,but fortunately i have an extremely talented brother who is assisting with the carpentry work...what would i do without mike??? i really do not know.


i see the potential in this little abode...new windows, a new door, some work inside and a run for them to get some fresh air and we are set!!!






the bulk of the hard work should be finished tomorrow...i will post you new pictures! perhaps by the end of the week we will be the proud adoptive parents to about 10 little pullets...those pictures will follow also! there is nothing more satisfying than growing our own vegetables in our back garden...i think fresh eggs will be the same feeling. plus we get the added bonus of 10 new friends & a great learning experiece for our daughters, melanie & amanda.

alot happen'!

wowzers! it has been busy around here lately!

the weather is wonderful - mid 50s and sunny! just what we need to get us to work after a long winter of hybernation! the machine shed is organized and the sewing room is clean! so both brad and angie are ready to get to work! as the bright green little plants (& weeds) begin to show through the mulch of last years fallen leaves it is increasing hard to make myself 'work'

i want to play OUTSIDE! but....

akcollections was recently accepted into the juried D.Moines market day! and i am excited! sounds like a terrifically fun time with other creative souls...

i was also accepted to attend an 'art in the park' event in dallas center (close to DM). i look forward to a nice warm saturday afternoon in june with live music!

also, finally, a show in cherokee, iowa - the little sioux summer festival - on july 3rd! that one is turning into a *girls over-night* event!!! whoo hoo....

that along with visiting my friends at prairieland herbs on their sample sundays & vending at the living room in valley junction & keeping 2 other coffee houses up in inventory

I MUST KEEP SEWING!!!!!!!

so when i am not out soaking up the sunshine i will keep a watchful eye on it from my sewing room window... and hey, when it warms up a bit more i can move the machine out onto the patio and really get those creative juices flowin'!

this is our patio from summer '2009'....looks like a wonderful studio for summer '2010'!!

WOW!

i woke up this morning...

forgot that an article about little 'ole me is to come out in the farm news

(a free publication that is delivered with the local paper)

TODAY!

i run to the computer...click on the link!

slowly i scroll down - almost afraid to see what i will find!

mostly i was frightened of the pictures!!! :)

TA DA ~ there is is!

or should i say --- there I am!

i like it!

i like that it is a wonderful tribute to the amazing women in my life.

my 2 grandma's and my fantastic mom, connie.

read it for yourself! and remember those who influence your life...

the link is over to your right --- under the 'check this out' tab!

spring wool...

who says wool cannot welcome spring??? personally, i love it year round...well, not to wear but as a texture in my home decorating! perhaps not the cable knit wool, but lovely 'smooth' wool that you find in slacks, skirts and jackets. it felts just as beautiful and creates pieces that say "spring is here"!

the 'toad-stool' to the left is my new favorite! the mushroom cap is a sleeve cap from a lightweight wool sweater..the other pieces are bits left over from other projects! this little
pillow will be hard to part with, but i cannot keep all my favorites~we would be over-run!

today is one of the first really nice spring days here in central iowa. the robins are hopping around and the sun is shining. granted we are covered up with mud and the yard is full of sticks but it will get cleaned up! right now, at this moment i revel in the sweetness of spring...and wish for you the same happiness.

bird nest cookies!

last night amanda and i created our spring-time speciality! bird nest cookies. i'm not certain which is her favorite --- helping to form the cookies, dipping them in coconut, adding the 'eggs' or eating the jelly beans!!! i do believe eating the jelly beans wins! she does love them. we made a double batch which filled a tin tray for our friends at prairieland herbs and gave us a plate full for ourselves! they did not last long...melanie came around once they were baked and ready to be tested!!! :)

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg yolk (reserve the white!)

1 cup flour

1 cup coconut

tad bitty bit of corn syrup

baby jelly beans...amanda's favorite is the starburst ones!!

cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolk. Mix in flour. simple so far!

shape into balls...dip in egg white then roll in coconut. place on cookie sheet. press a deep indention in center with finger. bake at 350* for about 10 minutes...just until cookie begins to brown. once cool dip jelly beans in syrup and place in the center of the nest.

ENJOY and share with a friend! what a wonderful promise of spring....