Recycled old metal rake

Here is an item for sale!! AN OLD METAL RAKE MADE NEW AGAIN INTO WIND CHIMES!!!
I love the sound of old silverware banging together in a slight breeze outside, so here is an extra one for sale. I cut the handle off added curled wire for a hanger then added some old rusty metal silverware along with some colored beads. $22.95 plus us shipping and this can hang by your deck or in your garden. Please email me if interested in a set of these fun and whimsical windchimes.
rockey25@msn.com
Have a blessed day!!
Darlene

Here are more seed pics and a close up of MISS ROSIE MAE!! one of our goats, she is a doll!! but boy watch out for those horns she does know how to use em!! -*wink have had the bruises to show for them!! believe me!! LOL

Sproutin Seeds!!

Here's pics of what is started in my little greenhouse! Gosh it was only 43 degrees out and windy so it was nice to go in greenhouse which was alot warmer!! I need to put a thermometer out there to see just what the difference is. Ok so far we are on schedule maybe just a bit behind as the weather is just too stinkin cold to do too much outside this week, i am hoping and hoping and praying that it doesnt get too cold tonight they are predicting 26 degrees and that might do in the buds on the fruit trees!! Gosh cross your fingers and say a little prayer for all the farms.

NOW for an cheap and super easy and fast row cover idea!! Just in case you want to have a row cover crop for early spring and late fall we made this one to start and the lettuce is sprouting underneath!! Some are very expensive and with money being so tight right now i came up with this idea. Just took some left over sheeting from the greenhouse and wrapped it around some wire fencing that i rolled to make a 1/2 circle if you will and made some hooks out of my hubby's metal hangers from his uniforms to hold it in ground. I actually was out of duct tape!! OMGoodness!! couldnt believe we have none around so used some of my clamps to hold ends on and voila!! works like a charm!! and INEXPENSIVE~~ so here ya go make some row covers for your plants or seedlings!!
Have a good night!!
HAPPY GARDENING!! and dont forget to LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY~

Happy monday!!

HELLO!!
here is a pic of one of my velvet queen sunflowers last summer!! I have these seeds available for purchase too and they range from light bronze to dark burgandy colors great to add to cut flower arrangements or in a mason jar.
Well greenhouse is finally done!! and it is full of seeded trays!! so now come on little seeds sprout!! LOL, we have just over $120.00 into it as the plastic sheeting is very expensive, the temps outside are only in the high 40s and rainy but what a difference inside! toast warm i must say!! Cant wait to have all these plants to plant and sell.
I made 12 dozen donuts on sat and had to make more on sunday so we are gettin the word out cant wait to start on cookies and quick breads/muffins!! I want to try some unusual combinations with our herbs for the breads to take to market this summer~~ I just have a love thanks to my grandparents and mom for gardening, farming and baking and now i can finally incorporate them together!! YEAH~~
Have a peaceful night!!

Teddy bear sunflowers

Here are the teddy bear sunflowers we have the seeds for sale for!!
Arent they the cutest and they hold up really good in cut flower arrangements.

SEEDS ANYONE??

Ok i got some extra seeds in and thought i would sell some.
Teddy bear sunflowers (like the ones pictured on here)100 plus seeds in pkg $.99 plus shipping, autumn blend sunflowers (rusts, burgandy dark gold colored) 100 plus seeds in pkg $.99 plus shipping
Lemon Queen (large yellow with dark blackish brown center) 100 plus seeds in pkg $.99 plus shipping
Cosmos bright lights, and sensation mix $1.39 1/8 oz pkg plus shipping
Painted daisy mix, purple coneflower (echinachea), shasta daisy, black eyed susan, and holly hock mix approx 1/8 oz pkg $1.39 plus shipping.
All can be shipped in reg envelope for first class rate. Just email me and let me know what yall would like we will have more and veggies as soon as i get more planted and see what extras there are.
Have a super night!!
It is a whopping cold 40 degrees tonight and it feels like colder!! BRRRRRRRRRRR

OK here is a pic of the start of my little greenhouse, the doors and windows are being made this weekend hopefully and the plastic will all be up. I added a recent pic of the front of the farmstand we have it is self serve unless we are around. Also made those donuts again this am, only did 8 dozen as there isnt much traffic around lately. It is scary as we are in a rural area with touristy towns around so who knows what this summer will bring. All one can do is try your best and have faith things will work out for the best. And by the way so much for 80 degree weather we are back where we normally are 44 degrees today and last night the furnace kicked on it was cold and windy BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!
Have a blessed weekend yall~~~

My greenhouse

OH i am so excited hubby and i have been building a little greenhouse to start out gardens. We opted not to do a traditional looking rounded one but a built one that will fit in with our farm, old lookin style. This is a 10x10 one to start out with hubby is goin to build door tonight after work and then we can make shelves for the flats to lay on. I cannot wait to put all my already started plants in and to work in there puttin in more seeds which i have to go pick up at the mill today. It is goin to be near 80 degrees today which is really not normal for this time in year in mi but i will take it!! LOL~!~ Well for some reason i cannot get the screen to come up to upload a pic so will try that later tonight.
This is such a glorious time of year the lilacs are begining to show colors on the tips and the trees are close to opening. AND we should be pickin asparagus in the next 10? days or so it is gettin big!! YEAH love that first cuttin, we grill it and it is sooooooooooo yummy!!
Here is my recipe for grilling it

I like to soak a pound or so in a long tupperware type container in an italian dressing overnight. We bought this super pan a couple of years ago that resembles a wok, it is big and shallow and round with all holes in bottom. So the asparagus spears lay in it perfectly, then just put grill on med for 20 min. watch close not to burn we flip the spears often when done i lay them on a pretty platter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and ENJOY!! This year we want to make pickeled asparagus to sell at market too.
Some other uses we like, pickeled asparagus is wonderful to put on a hot dog, or burger, to add to salads cut up, add to an omelet or just as an appetizer wrapped with a thin slice of smoked ham. OH i am gettin hungry!!
Have a blessed day.

Dogs

Well got some time for me to work on paper bag scrapbooks which i love to do. Today i did up another dog book they are so much fun and i just LOVE my dogs!! They are our kids. I have one like it listed on my etsy page for sale.
It got up to 76 degrees yesterday but we didnt get the expected rain last night, dang, it is so dry we could use rain bad. I do have to say it was perfect in afternoon so i worked in my little greenhouse starting more seeds and will plan on that today again. Love working in the dirt LOL, we need to get more taters in too and then will start on plantin beans. They are so yummy we grow 3 kinds for market green, yellow and purple and they all look so pretty together.
In the pic with beans are my little yellow pear tomatoes and those are so sweet and cute!!
Have a wonderful day!!

"Time to make the donuts"

OK well WE DID IT~~ We got donuts!!! We made 12 dozen apple cider donuts yesterday then while hot dipped in a apple cider glaze I made. OH YUMMY!! they are so good i could eat a dozen!!LOL They will be out in the farmstand for sale and as time goes i plan on taking them to the farmers market with me.
During the week i started making my recycled old rake chimes again and that was fun. I love to hear them in the wind. The chimes are old silverware i find at local thrift stores and flea markets so some are nice and rusted and some just have that nice worn patina to them then add some beads i find and done hang outside. I am not sure if you can make out the pic i will try a different spot to hand one. WOW our furnace hicked on this am it is cold but at least no frost!! only going to get to maybe 70 today but that still is fine by me.

Buds and Donuts

Here is a pic of 2 of our kids,and they are best buds!! Buster is a boxer lab mix and a loving 95 pounds, and the baby Barney who is a boston bull terrier. Those two play and play and play some more together, it is fun to watch them. Buster loves everything and everyone he even sits watch over the baby chicks we hatch. Never would hurt anything.
Buster infact is our special guy, he has addisons disease which is rare for a dog and not common in his breeds either. He was diagnosed 3 years ago and gets treatment every month and still loves going to the vet and seeing all the girls there!!LOL.
Well I am off soon to make apple cider donuts!! Wish me luck the last time we tried we had lots of problems and didnt get any done so hopefully will make lots today. I am lucky as the kitchen I am using has all this wonderful equiptment including the donut maker so the owner and I are going to play!! Will let ya know how things work out!! It hit 78degrees yesterday and we loved it!!
Have a super spring weekend~
Darlene

My roost my rules

Here is one of my favorite signs, this i hp on a 1/8 in thick smooth board. Available for purchase on my etsy shoppe. We started working last night on a little greenhouse to start some of our veggies in. I never have enough room but at least will finally have one place to put them. Right now I have sugar snap peas in, super sweet pea pods, red norland taters, and lots of flowers, oh and some lettuce and spinach which is just starting to sprout so hope the weather stays nice and we dont get an unexpected freeze next week. It has been a beautiful week and today is going to be nice too then rain coming which is ok by me we could use it. It is sure welcoming to see NO icebergs out on the beach again the winter just seemed to last toooooooooo long this year. I added a pic above of some of my little crocus coming up and bloomin! AHHHHH spring is in the air!!
Have a blessed day!!

RED FRED

Well here he is!! "RED FRED" keeping a close eye on me while i am doin chores. He is so pretty when the sun shines on his feathers they look like 14k gold mixed in and his tail feathers are a dark emerald green. He is an american aracana rooster his legs are a light bluish green and the hens to match him lay the green eggs. Some being light green to dark olive green they are really pretty too.
Well off again to plant some more seeds. The sunflowers in above post are our teddy bears that we planted last year. I will have extra of those seeds if anyone is interested in them give me a shout they are $1.95 for a nice size pkg i will count and see how many are in there.
Have a great afternoon!!

Welcome

HELLO!!
I live with my wonderful hubby on our small hobby farm in sw michigan and love it!! We live across from lake mi. and never never get tired of the beauty in sunsets over the blue water. We have 50 some hens, a couple of old roosters one "Red Fred" who used to be in his younger dominating life very mean and nasty. After several times being shooed away and pushed with a pitch fork and several bruises and cuts to my mom and I both he has turned into more of a dear feathered friend. He comes running when we call his name and talks to us and loves to be picked up. CRAZY never had a rooster this tame and docile. My hubby and i both grew up on farms and love to garden and raise our animals. Oh we also have in our flock, 5 turkeys, several several guinnea hens, 5 ducks, 4 geese and one peacock. Then we have 2 goats and my special Appy my blind horse, who is a leapord appaloossa, we have 3 dogs, our kids!! Buster, Bubba and Barney who is just a young un at 3 months old, and 5 cats that have come to us to live. On our little farm we grow produce and some fruits mostly veggies though to take to the local farmers market and we put up a building on our property for a self serve farmstand complete with fresh eggs from our "girls". I recently aquired my state food license to be able to make some baked goods and want to can some our own jams and jellies. Busy life we have but wouldn't have it any other way.
IT IS 69 degrees today and this is the warmest since last year so i am off to start some seeds in my small greenhouse!! Will post some pics of our flock and of cource Red Fred!!
Have a delightful day!!