EGGS APLENTY, OODLES OF NOODLES!

Today we cracked and separated 4 dozen eggs generously given by our hens over the last couple of weeks.

Earlier in the day we had purchased some pastry flour for this project. We began mixing the flour into the stirred up yolks to which a small amount of water had been added. The mixing is a heavy job, but we used our dough hook on the mixer to make the process easier. We ran the heavy balls of dough through a pasta roller/cutter (seen behind the egg shells) and then hung the strips to dry. They are pictured below on a small set of clothes drying bars atop the counter ($1 at a yard sale) where we hung the dough. It dries really fast on a good day and of course, we had paper towels lining the bars. 

After the dough strips reach a certain dryness, we ran them through the pasta cutters. 

Here is one tray of the finished product. Golden yellow homemade noodles!

The dining room table full of the finished product in it's final drying stage. We will probably turn them once more this evening and let them dry all day tomorrow before bagging them up for storage.

Most of these noodles will make a trip to Colorado in June to be given to our son and his wife and our four grandchildren!!!! We are so excited to be able to go visit! The children love noodles and we hope this will be a big blessing to them!

I hope you enjoyed seeing my noodle-making adventure!

Blessings, LORI

SPRING ROCKS!

Sign I decorated in the church fellowship hall. Then I slightly changed it for Easter Sunday replacing "Welcome" with "Resurrection--the Whole Earth Rejoices!" Then change the wording again for Mother's Day--Bless You Mom!

Chickens in the newly tilled garden area. They love to scratch in the dirt and it is quite healthy for a chicken to do so. Eating tiny grains of dirt adds grit to their diet and helps them digest their food properly. Speaking of tiny dirty grains--now we are on to bigger rocks......

Took a lovely Easter day walk in our woods. I have really made use of our two woods for walking this spring. Last weekend I walked both this woods (2-3 acres) and the woods over on our other property--about 10 acres. Didn't find any mushrooms, though!

 I'm not sure why rocks fascinate me like they do--but our woods is FULL of them, scattered around like this and in giant piles as well! It was great walking in the woods on a Sunday afternoon. It is so peaceful and beautiful right now and easy to walk before the underbrush gets tall.

More rocks in the woods! Pardon my shadow.

A pretty good sized rock that I'd like to have up in the yard.

 

It is hard to tell from this picture just how big this rock is that sits near the edge of our woods.  Actually, it's a giant boulder. It is almost as tall as me. I'm 5'3". We have had people call and ask to buy this rock and others nearly it's size--people who knew from years ago that the rock was way back there. Farmers apparently removed these abundant rocks from the field long ago and they were shoved into the borders of the woods and the fencerows. (See the green field not far from the rock?) I have always wanted this rock down by our driveway entrance. That would be a big project involving lots of small tree removal and big equipment to haul the rock. I am reminded to ponder the rock that sealed Jesus' tomb--maybe this rock is similar in size.

Another of the giant rocks. Again, difficult to appreciate its size. It's nearly as big as that last one, only lays on its side.

A view of the back of our house from the woods (zoomed in). See how green the alfalfa looks already? Since I took this picture it is high enough to make the walk to the woods a challenge.

Another nice big rock. The guy who farms our fields hauled it in place for me! It sits as the entrance to my flower garden.

This "rock" is in the archway to the garden. Can you read the message? "I won't have to cross Jordan alone." Bought this one at an auction, not technically a rock, I guess.

Wish I could have rotated this picture. It's my "Michigan" rock. Shaped like Michigan. Sorry it's so hard to see.

And finally, the new, old plow that my friend gave me. I got a call one Saturday asking if I'd like to have a free antique plow. Yes, I would! It sits by the rocks down on the opposite end of the property near the road. It reminded me of the analogy we used back in January when we were installed to pastor, we are 'setting our hands to the plow,' in the kingdom of God and breaking new ground.  See how the plow is worn? Maybe it hit some rocks in in its' years of use. Plowing is hard work, but rewarding. We have been setting up extra chairs in the sanctuary and some Sundays they were nearly filled! We had a wonderful Resurrection celebration, I hope you did too!

 

From the tiniest grains of garden dirt to the giant rocks, I hope you enjoyed this springtime tour!

 

Blessings, LORI

MY ANNUAL SPRING BOUQUET

Just wanted to share with you my annual spring bouquet. I received this pretty vase as a wedding gift from an friend in Germany about 32 years ago. Each year since I've had tulips, I like to do at least one bouquet of spring flowers and take a picture. I was so thrilled with my "parrot" tulips that I just had to make a bouquet.

 

Included in the arrangement are lilacs, various kinds and colors of tulips, lily of the valley, crabapple blossoms, woodland bluebells and a yellow/green ground cover--sorry I don't know it's official name.

I've been too busy to post lately, but just had to get this bouquet ready to share with you! Blessings, LORI

I BEGAN TO LIKE ALL THE SNOW!

WHY WOULD I SCOOP SNOW INTO EVERY POT, PAN, COOKER, CANNER, AND PAIL IN THE HOUSE ON A SUNNY SATURDAY AFTERNOON?

THEN BRING IT IN THE HOUSE AND WAIT FOR IT TO MELT OR COOK IT ON THE STOVE?

....BECAUSE WE CAME HOME SATURDAY AFTERNOON, TURNED ON THE FAUCET, AND GOT NO WATER! THE PUMP HAD QUIT--FOREVER. WEEKEND PRICES TO INSTALL A NEW PUMP WERE MORE THAN WE THOUGHT NECESSARY--WE DECIDED WITH ALL THE SNOW AND ACCESS TO GOOD, CLEAN PAILS AND FRESH WATER FROM CLINT'S WORKPLACE, THERE WAS NO REAL EMERGENCY! PLAYING PIONEERS FOR THE WEEKEND WAS KIND OF A FUN ADVENTURE KNOWING IT WOULD COME TO AN END WITH THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW PUMP. NOT SURE HOW WE WOULD HAVE VIEWED IT HAD IT BEEN A PERMANENT PART OF LIFE. I ALSO BEGAN TO APPRECIATE ALL THE SNOW THAT WE HAD BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT ONLY DAYS EARLIER!

 

 A FAMILY USES MORE WATER THAN YOU MIGHT THINK--YOU REALIZE THIS ONCE IT IS GONE!

LIVING IN THE COUNTRY, I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN THIS--WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT, THE PUMP WON'T RUN. BUT THIS TIME THE PUMP WENT OUT!

 

I LEARNED I CAN WASH MY REALLY LONG, THICK HAIR IN ABOUT 2-3QTS. OF WATER! YOU CAN ALSO LET THE DISHES GO FOR A FEW DAYS. HANDWASHING IS STILL ESSENTIAL, OF COURSE, BUT THANKFULLY THAT ONLY TAKES A LITTLE WATER.

 

WITH A PROPANE FILL, FOUR NEW TIRES (MUCH OVERDUE), AN UNEXPECTED FURNACE FIX, A HALF DAY'S LOST WAGES DUE TO ROAD CONDITIONS, AND A NEW PUMP (ALSO AN UNEXPECTED EXPENDITURE), THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE WEEKS OUR FAMILY HAS HAD FOR YEARS! THANKFULLY, THE LORD IS OUR PROVIDER!

 

WE GOT ALONG FINE UNTIL MONDAY MORNING WHEN THE NEW PUMP WAS INSTALLED, BUT LIFE IS SO MUCH EASIER WITH RUNNING WATER--I AM THANKFUL TO GOD FOR AN ABUNDANT SUPPLY OF CLEAN RUNNING WATER! I HOPE YOU ARE TOO! IT'S A BLESSING WE TEND TO TAKE FOR GRANTED.

 

Blessings, Lori

ACQUIRING ANTIQUES

I went to another auction! There wasn't much there that I wanted, but I was thrilled to be the highest bidder on this great little antique knitting item, the "Big Knitting Spool Outfit." I love to save old spinning and knitting items and this one was so cute!

The box is in great shape and the little knitting spool is too! I remember playing with one like this that my Dad made for me. It knits "tubes" that I suppose you would use for potholders or something similar. Actually, knitted tubes like this make some of the best material for woven rugs! If I only had time to make them we'd find ourselves with one more rug option!

This unusual little teapot in perfect condition only cost me $5! I love Dutch regional costumes and so this will look great in my "European Corner" upstairs where I keep other Dutch items like Delftware and my print of "The Lacemaker," by Vermeer.

 

I got the knitting box and spool for $8 and they threw in a package of all sizes of crochet hooks, two boxes of pins, various elastic, lots of embroidery floss, an old pine needle basket, and an old hand sewer kit from the 70's--a punch sewing device with all the kit intact.

Just wanted to share my latest "finds" with you. Longing for the auctions of spring and summer where more treasures await! Blessings, Lori

WINTER PROJECTS TO SEND TO LITTLE GRANDDAUGHTERS

When I heard that my grandkids were into watching the Olympic figure skaters and then "skating" all around the house....I couldn't resist. This sweater was made for the oldest girl, Emma. Hopefully the way this winter has been going there will still be plenty of time to enjoy it! Maybe both girls will get to share it. That's the wonderful thing about heirloom children's clothes, they can be passed on and hold their charm for a long time. The pattern is from a "Botany" yarn book from 1950 that came into my possession only days before I learned about how much they enjoyed ice skating.

Here's a close-up of the skater design. I over-embroidered the skates with silver floss.

A button detail. Thought these great little buttons looked appropriately like....sparkling ice!!!! I sewed them on with more silver floss.

The grosgrain ribbon lining the front placket--a detail I had never attempted before. Do any of you baby-boomer-age ladies remember how all our little cardigans had this feature? Worked really well and fortified the placket for machine-worked buttonholes. Wow, was I ever scared to try that after all the work of the knitting! I didn't want to ruin it!

 Sorry this picture is sideways. This is a scarf for Sophie. It will match her coat well and she had been wanting one! I decided to apply crocheted flowers with button centers.

 

Hopefully the girls will love their new handmade items!

Blessings, LORI

RUG REMOVAL!

We recently took the first six rugs off the loom just to see how the finished products were going to look before we continued on. Here is a picture of the first rugs, cut free on the weaving end, loosened and rolled up on the bench right before we cut them from the loom.

Once the rugs were cut off, we had to re-tie all the warp threads to the apron of the loom so we can weave again! This week Rhiannon has spent countless hours cutting old clothing and sewing up strips of material that we've had donated. She has gotten several rugs' worth of fabric ready for the second round of weaving!

Here are the first six finished rugs draped over an old couch in the basement. (Excuse all the junk in the background--we have our weaving set up in the basement!). From left to right--a rug of colorful fleece strips (we like to name our rugs and this one will be something like "Northern Lights," or "Neon Northwoods,"), a sock rug, mostly white, multi-colored rug of woven cotton scraps. Next is a rug made of mostly black and blue socks. The fifth rug is another of the woven cottons. The rug laying in front with yellow in it is another sock rug.

 

Sock rugs are the easiest to prepare. Socks are cut in round loops and then "looped" together, no sewing required. Nylons can also be done this way. However, I'm partial to the old fashioned woven cotton scrap rugs, just like grandma used to make. But I figure in this modern day of not darning socks, the sock rugs are a great alternative to just throwing away a pair of socks which have developed holes in them!

 

We are pretty excited about the finished products, but need to work on a few details to improve quality. Hopefully we'll be making more soon and can share more photos. This is the exciting part of the whole process--getting to see the finished product!

Blessings, LORI

 

 

 

WARPED!

Well, I suppose that WARPED! is a strange title, but you'll see what I mean! It is my pleasure to announce the running operation of my newest loom--the Union 36! For those of you who read my blog often, you may remember seeing pictures of both my looms a while back. The reason I'm so excited is that warping is a BIG job and I have been trying for 10+ years--ever since we moved in here, to get the old loom warped and ready to make rugs again. I guess it took a winter storm to make that happen--though it is the new loom that is warped first!

Now with the Union 36 done, I have a new goal of getting the other up and running! It is an old friend and I don't intend to retire it permanently. However, the Union 36 is a great little loom and with all parts in working order, it was a pleasure to weave with it.

 

EXPLANATION OF WEAVING TERMS

 WARP--The threads that make up the front to back or "vertical" part of the weaving, they run the length of the project.

WEFT--The rags, yarn, or other material that goes back and forth (horizontally) forming the item.

SHUTTLE--the wooden device that carries the weft back and forth

SHED--The space between the warp threads when you press the pedals. The threads separate and allow you to put the shuttle between in order to weave.

REED--The metal device that is the final thread carrier for the warp. It is in the handle of the loom and beats against the weft. Reeds come in various sizes.

HEDDLES--The wire thread carriers that are attached to the "harnesses."

HARNESS--Frames that lift up and down (operated by the peddles) that separate the threads (over and under) so the weaving can be created. Looms with more than two harnesses can make fancier patterns.

SHOT--one pass through of the shuttle

 

This is the first of the weaving. Warp threads are tied on to the apron. I used a yard stick and some old socks (scrap rug material) as something to beat against to start the first rug. That will all be pulled out later when the rugs are cut off the loom. Warp is applied--20 shots--to create a finished edge for the rug. You can see that "see through" area in front of the rags. I never can get that to pack tightly down, but it will shove nicely into place when I tie the ends during the finishing process.

 

Pulling the beater bar back to force the rags into place. You can see the reed in this picture (red bar is the bottom of the reed). See the dark strip of fabric? It is positioned between the warp threads. It is rug material waiting to be packed into the existing rows. Four rows are in place in this picture. One harness full of heddles is clearly visible in this picture as are the pedals underneath the warp threads (near the floor).

The shuttle loaded with rags, the stretcher bar applied to stretch the warp threads evenly from side to side. This helps the edges stay even--an issue I always seem to have. See the black and blue pieces of fabric in between warp threads? You always leave an arc of fabric before packing it down. This helps alleviate stretched edges and allows for enough weft fabric to "take up" when beaten back.

Two shuttles wound with rags. The larger one is very nice and came with the new loom, however I switched to the other early in the process--it seemed easier to use. It is homemade and was given to me when I purchased the other loom. Maybe I'm just used to it--but it sailed through the "shed" easily with its rounded edges.

The first part of the rug all woven. It ended up being almost exactly 1 1/2 yds. long--a most desirable length for a rag rug. It will shrink up a bit when removed from the loom and tension is let off. The rug is about 29 1/2 inches wide. Most customers will purchase this size readily. Nice selvedge edges on the right, a little sloppy on the left--not sure why. I've got room to learn!

 

 There is something about weaving rag rugs that just makes me smile. I love it! It's like the spinning--I just love the craft. Maybe making something out of nothing and salvaging scraps to make a useful product is the beauty of the rag rug art. I enjoy seeing the colors as they appear before my very eyes and make lovely wavy patterns that can be enjoyed for years to come!

What has changed since I last wove a rug? My hair color--and it's now easier to see the work with glasses on! Blessings, LORI

TRANSITION SUNDAY

I've been wanting to make this happy announcement for quite some time! On January 5, 2014, in the midst of the big blizzard, Clint and I drove to Fremont, Indiana and were officially commissioned to the pastorate of Fremont Community Church! We are very excited to be serving and we look forward to what God will do as we minister there! The founding pastor and his wife, Greg and Ruth Chupp, have been so wonderful! They have worked to make our transition a blessing. Their love for the church is obvious and they have been our most dedicated cheerleaders and supporters as they transition out of the leadership role at FCC. Also, FCC has a wonderful group of people on the leadership team that have been so great during this time! We are blessed to have such couples working with us!

 

Our pastor and his wife, Pastor Ross and Jen Gerber, were in attendance to speak at the service and pray for us. Pastor Ross is standing with us while we explain why we have an old-fashioned plow up front for the event! His wife, Jen is in the front row. They just transitioned from the role of lead pastor to assistant pastor at our home church, Grace Christian Fellowship. For the past year our home church had been moving through a transition where the associate pastor and his wife would assume the lead role that Pastor Ross and Jen held for many years. It was a blessing to experience a healthy pastoral transition that went so smoothly. And we can say the same for our transition experience that began this fall. It's been a time of transition for many of us it seems! I guess January can be that way!

 

One day I awoke with verses running through my mind about "putting your hands to the plow." I knew we needed to get one of these old fashioned plows for an object lesson for this transition service. Amazingly, one of the congregation members had one and brought it for us to use. All of the leadership team "put their hands to the plow" along with us and we prayed for wisdom and guidance and committed to working together for the church's future!

January 2014 is three years since we finished our other pastorate and there were times when we wondered what the Lord had for our future. But through a series of very interesting events and prophetic words from people we trusted, we found ourselves being led to the ministry in this small Indiana town! At this point, we do not intend to move but rather we will make the commute.

We are spending one day/week at the church in addition to Sundays and we both are still working at our other jobs. I am enjoying being involved at the church. I help my husband make phone calls, visit people, and help out however I can. I have also done some decorating in the foyer and the area where we meet for services! What a blessing to serve the Lord!

Just wanted to share our joy with all of you! Blessings, LORI

SLEDDING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND

We had a fun time playing outdoors in the snow while the grandkids were home for Christmas! We sledded all around the farm and built a snowman! Good family times together. Making memories for the future!

Sophie and Huxley posing with our snowman! He has eyes made from walnuts and of course, the traditional carrot nose. We found a broom and hat for him and some sticks for arms! He began a slow melting process the next day, but the kids enjoyed noticing that some of the snowman was still left yesterday covered with several more inches of  new snow.

I even took a short sled ride at one point! Not as easy getting up and down on a sled as it used to be especially with layers of clothes encumbering me! Somehow more difficult to get around in the snow than when I was Huxley's age! Huxley really enjoyed the adventure though!

Aunt Rhiannon, me, and the oldest grandkids making cookies with my Mom looking on in the background. Four generations here in the kitchen all at once!

 

Looking forward to a prosperous, blessed 2014!

 

Blessings to you! LORI