http://needled.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/fifteen/

http://needled.wordpress.com/?p=6653

My own neighbourhood is my favourite place to walk, at all times of the year. The We Love Leith movement is currently encouraging more people to walk, bicycle, and enjoy their local patch. I am very fond of these banners, which currently festoon Leith Walk, and which celebrate Leith’s exuberance, variety, and history. This one [...]

http://needled.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/fourteen/

http://needled.wordpress.com/?p=6649

lights!

http://feeds.reference.com/click.phdo?i=ef59d84b3fbf29fe9d1bc903fc9d51df

http://www.dictionary.com/wordoftheday/archive/2009/12/16.html

doff: to take off; to remove; also, to rid oneself of.

http://1hundreddollars.blogspot.com/2009/12/foggy-christmas.html

In 1997 -98 chemistry was 1st period on thursday mornings. I walked out with a %54 because of the Foggy Hogtown Boys. They played Wednesday nights as Crazy Strings at the Silver Dollar.

I get to sing a few tunes at their X-mas party on Friday at the Silver Dollar, 486 Spadina Ave, 9:30 PM, with special guests, Jenny Whiteley, Joey Wright and Corin Raymond and me.

Tickets $20, $15 with Food Donation, $10 with student car dan food donation. Tickets at door.

Peace on Earth,
Simone

http://coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com/2009/12/hive-minded.html

Bees have been on my mind a lot lately. Late December is the time beekeepers start getting contemplative. We all know January is just around the corner: and that means it's almost time to order new nucs and dust off our gear. We become hive-minded, letting our thoughts turn to clover flower seeds and letting the back field get overtaken by dandelions. Our apiary's number is on the fridge. Our catalogs are on the coffee table. Our smokers and hive tools are down from the shelves. We're beekeepers and we want to keep some bees, son.

Yes, honey is on my mind... But with such an uncertain future ahead of me - I don't know what to do with these thoughts. I want to place my winter order and start preparing for a fresh hive but I have no idea where I'll be living in the summer, and that means a little extra planning if I want to start the early stages of my next hive.

I talked to my friend Roger today, knowing he may be able to shed some light on the predicament. He's a like-minded coworker if there ever was one. Roger works with me all day as a designer in the office, but goes home to his chickens, gardens, and bees. His wife and daughter are just as involved and excited in their backyard homestead as he is. We alays have something to talk about when we catch each other in the halls. So I felt like I could swing a deal his way. I asked him if he'd be willing to home the hive if I couldn't? Would he take the bees if I was in an apartment in the spring?

He gladly obliged.

I left the office today knowing I could order my new colony. If the bottom dropped out I could keep them at his place. He said I was welcome to stop by and tend them as needed until I could move the whole establishment to my own farm. I don't think he had any idea how happy that simple offer made me. I did a little dance in the snow walking out to my car. I can get bees again, even with the question marks. Hot Dog!

When you're living without a net you take these gifts as they come. I hope I never forget how good grattitude feels at 5:06 PM on a Tuesday.

http://www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/2009/12/15/making-sorrel-with-fresh-hibiscus/

Sorrel or rum punch (sorrel spiked with rum) is a popular, refreshing drink in the Caribbean, especially during the holiday season.
Knowing this, I was particularly excited to get to the market and get my hands on some fresh sorrel so that I could find out how the drink compares when the flower calyces are [...]

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:POTD/2009-12-16

Picture of the day

An engraving by James Caldwell, from a painting by Gavin Hamilton, of action from Act V, Scene III of William Shakespeare's 1608 play Coriolanus. The play, based on the life of the possibly legendary Roman general Gaius Marcius Coriolanus, was originally published in the First Folio of 1623, but its first known performance, an adaptation by Nahum Tate, did not take place until 1682. Restoration: Adam Cuerden Archive – More featured pictures...

http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2009/12/15/quickie_also_random.html

1. The tree is up, the shopping has been begun and I might pull a Christmas off after all.2. I am knitting a lot of French Press Slippers.  Don't think I can stop, don't want too.3.  I'm not felting them...

http://makesomething.ca/2009/12/15/fabric-fish/

http://makesomething.ca/?p=2644

Last year I got Andrew’s dad & grandfather some fishing lure for Christmas. These jigheads have a super sharp hook, so I thought it would be cute to sew up little fabric fish from scraps and safely hook these little guys into them before wrapping them up. It was something I did at the very last minute, but I think it looks so cute!

For some other ideas, I thought I would just point you in the direction of my holiday posts from last year, since I can’t really share this year’s ideas just yet.

• a simple linen apron, you can’t go wrong
• every year I pick one thing to make multiples of, last year was the year of the snap coin purse
• for some quick wrapping – sew your gifts into paper
• easily personalize your handmade items with a typewritten fabric label
• another great use for scraps – patchwork potholders
• family photos are a great way to mark the end of the year

A couple people have mentioned to me that they’ve made some of the French Chocolate Granola for gifts. I personally think food gifts are awesome.

http://www.dressaday.com/2009/12/official-dress-of-international-woman.html

I love this dress. I think it would be fun to have this dress with three or four different underslips, in different patterns, kind of like wearing different shirts with same suit, only better. This dress was probably used in one of those 1960s movies where the heroine's "disguise" consisted of a completely conspicuous hat and sunglasses that would shield car headlamps, or where she dressed as a boy (but with full-on false eyelashes), or she "hid" by standing behind a set of brocade drapes (like any villain with common sense doesn't have venetian blinds at this point).

You can nab this dress (and possibly sign up for Interpol) at the Vintage Fashion Library, where Lisa is having a FREE SHIPPING sale. Yes, that even includes you folks outside the U. S. of A. (See what I mean about Interpol?) Also, 10% of your purchase price will be donated to the United Christmas Service in Indianapolis. (Interpolnapolis? Okay, took the joke too far.) This sale includes patterns at Miss Helene's as well -- email Lisa for more details if you want to buy from both sites. Sale lasts until the 17th, so shop now for best selection ...

http://feeds.reference.com/click.phdo?i=d3292200f3d4bdaecef1557e54ae26f6

http://www.dictionary.com/wordoftheday/archive/2009/12/15.html

appellation: a name, title, or designation.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yougrowgirl/4180156454/

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So much better than the potted things we grow at home.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:POTD/2009-12-15

Picture of the day

Midway Geyser Basin and the Grand Prismatic Spring, a hot spring located in Yellowstone National Park in the U.S. states of Wyoming and Montana. The third-largest hot spring in the world, it is known for its vivid colors, which are the result of pigmented bacteria in the microbial mats that grow around the edges of the mineral-rich water. Photo credit: Mila Zinkova Archive – More featured pictures...

http://coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com/2009/12/books-and-boys.html

Everything outside is wet, slushy, and yucky. The beautiful snow that fell Sunday afternoon turned into rain, which turned the already fallen snow into mush. Now the farm is in a muck of dirty white and chicken tracks. If a snow cone machine threw up on a pile of mud—you'd be in Vermont.

I match the weather. My cold turned into a cough and I actually left the office at noon to come home and sleep. Which is exactly what I did. A long rest in front of the fireplace and a quart of downed orange juice later and I already feel better. I won't be succumbing to scurvy, anyway.

I'm reading a book many of you may already be familiar with: MG Kain's Five Acres and Independence. It's a handbook for managing a small farm, written for folks before they actually acquire one. It starts out by saying there are two types of people with the small farm dream: those who are sure to fail and those who are destined to succeed. (A 50/50 chance is pretty good odds!) The point of the book is to help new farmers figure out the messy stuff and all the pitfalls that go into buying, starting, and living on a small plot of land. So far it's brilliant. And I'm looking forward to diving into the renting vs buying chapter. I also got a used copy of Joel Salatin's You Can Farm which I look at as part two in my winter small farm home study program. Reading and notes is something I can do to now. It's information I need and helps me feel like I'm working towards something, even if all I'm doing is sitting up in bed with a husky head on my stomach. With Finn, the rabbits, goslings, hive and garden gone I feel like I have so much time now. I fill it up of course. There's always something to do. It just feels emptier.

On a totally separate note....I have a question for you guys, and when I say that, I mean it literally. Are there any men out there? I feel like the overwhelming audience of this blog is female (which makes sense, so am I) but us farm girls can't be the only clicks around here? I feel like the things I write about: farming, livestock, trucks, music, electric fences, dogs, killing roosters, etc are pretty macho. There's got to be some dudes reading this and just not causing a ruckus on the blog. I'm just curious if you're out there gentlemen? If you are, you should comment and say hello. If you don't I'll assume it's just us girls and start writing about eyeliner and tights on sale at Banana Republic.

http://makesomething.ca/2009/12/14/road-to-california/

http://makesomething.ca/?p=2593

I just read this morning that there are 12 days until Christmas. This is right after I had convinced myself that I had lots of time left to get stuff done. But let’s not talk about that today. Today, I just want to post something non-holiday related that I made.

It’s a new quilt block for my Brown/Orange/Grey sampler quilt called, “Road to California”. I spotted it online here and thought it looked easy enough to give it a go. It was!

I have to admit that making a sampler is completely relaxing. I just need to do one block at a time. I love it.

I’ll be back again this week for a holiday giveaway. I’m hoping to somehow check about 50,000 things off my to-do list today.

http://www.dressaday.com/2009/12/such-paper-doll-and-sale.html

When I ran across this dress I looked at it for a good five minutes trying to figure out what it reminded me of. Of course, that didn't work, and it was only after doing two or three unrelated things that I realized -- the sleeve-and-neckline combo here reminds me of paper dolls! Not that that's a bad thing. I think you should get this pattern and make it for you and all your friends, then wander around holding hands, very stiffly.

This pattern is from Sheila at Out of the Ashes, and she's decided to have a last minute Christmas sale - so if anyone wants to make any presents or that special Christmas or New Year's dress you *may* have time. (I'm now planning to make a festive dress for a December 26th wedding, myself ...) Sheila also needs to make room for some more patterns - she can only fit so many in that spare bedroom!

How much of a sale, you ask? TWENTY PERCENT OFF! Use coupon code MERRY for discount, sale ends Wednesday.

http://feeds.reference.com/click.phdo?i=a696a77337fa00962c0db8a4abe88945

http://www.dictionary.com/wordoftheday/archive/2009/12/14.html

numinous: spiritual.

http://coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com/2009/12/homebodies.html

I was outside early this morning. Part of me was fighting off cold and the other part was working on the sheeps' water tank. I had bought a defroster the day before in Bennington and was trying to read the installation instructions while crouched down near my munching flock. All three of my sheep were on the other side of the fence chewing the hay I just plopped at their feet. Occasinionally they'd lift their head in my direction as I mumbled between box, paperwork, and contraoption. When the defroster was installed and no one got electrocuted in the process: I considered it a small victory. No more cracking hooves through ice. No more dumping heavy rubber containers of igloo bricks. A little civility was delivered to the farm today.

After the water tank was set I headed over to the coop to grab the big white plastic bucket to refill the chicken fonts. Cyrus and Saro (who long ago learned what the white bucket stood for) followed me, waddling in the hard packed snow. I filled the bucket and set it aside for them to dunk their heads in and drink while I stacked more cord wood on the house pile. They drank and preened and I went about my chores. Then, overhead a flock of wild geese broke the quiet, causing a ruckus as they flew. I looked up but couldn't see them. They had to have been above the gray clouds. Then I looked over at my pair of geese and watched them react to the sounds of their wild cousins. Sometimes I wonder if they too want too take off? Cyrus looked up sideways, tilting his head at the sound, not moving or drinking. He seemed to be considering his options. I watched in anticipation. After a brief pause he dunked his head back in the bucket with a loud splash. I laughed and smiled as I went back to the wood pile.

Travel isn't for everyone.

http://needled.wordpress.com/2009/12/13/thirteen/

http://needled.wordpress.com/?p=6640

Christmas before the Victorians got their hands on it.

http://coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com/2009/12/etsy-snow-and-books.html

I opened up my old Etsy shop again. It has everything from knit hats to headdresses, farm-recorded music to original watercolors... It showcases characters from the farm and songs on my dulcimer, banjo, and Irish Whistle. All proceeds go towards my future home. So browse away! There's a link on the right side of this blog.

I'm about to head into Manchester to do laundry and meet up with some readers at the bookstore in town. They are calling for icy rain and snow today, so I'm hoping to be back here at the farm before dark. If you're braving the weather to join me around two of my top three (Coffee, books, and dogs) you'll be a welcomed guest. Stay warm!

http://feeds.reference.com/click.phdo?i=0309d7b56df1a45fff3ea6308b74706c

http://www.dictionary.com/wordoftheday/archive/2009/12/13.html

largess: generous giving; also, gifts of money or other valuables.

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:POTD/2009-12-13

Picture of the day

The Red Wattlebird (Anthochaera carunculata) is a large species of honeyeater found across southern Australia. Growing up to 35 cm (14 in) in length, it has distinctive red wattles, white streaks on the chest and belly, and a bright yellow patch towards the tail. Its diet consists mostly of nectar, but it will take insects as well as fruit. Photo credit: Mick Stephenson Archive – More featured pictures...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yougrowgirl/4179340575/

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The trees are everywhere!

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Also everywhere in the mountains.

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Everywhere in the mountains

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