RIP Annabelle

Annabelle the Angora

Happy July 4th

Hope you had a good one too!

Introducing

Herbert Rainbow Sherbert




the new addition to our family! Our family now consists of Zoe (girl child age 4) Annabelle the Angora (Rabbit age 2 1/2) and Old Man Ashley ( our Maine Coon Cat age 12)


zoe and annabelle

We are dreaming about purchasing two Alpaca.....maybe in a few years........

A Week in Photos

March 3rd- A girls day celebration!

WIP's. Gifts.....(more on this later so as not to kill suprizes!)

More snow, sledding and birthday parties

Playing new games with friends

Sister love

"Mama tell me a joke"

that's what I hear all day long. She doesn't know any yet but is becoming very interested in the concept. I don't know any appropriate for FOUR YEAR OLDS!!!! Help! anyone! Do you know any.....Remember any know good jokes for four year olds.... I'd like to compile a few to take with us on our trip.

As I write this here is one that has come back to me....

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Banana
Banana who?
Knock Know
Who's there?
Banana
Banana who?
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Banana
Banana who?
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Orange
Orange who?
Orange (aren't) you glad I didn't say Banana

and the winner is....

" holistic_earthmama " please email me your mailing address.....thanks


Snow Bears

We have really been enjoying the arctic illustrations Jan Bretts latest book "The Three Snow Bears" Today while we were out stacking wood here are some pictures of what the Littles were up to....




fishing, canoeing and plain arctic living......Brrrrr

45 mins later, dry and playing princesses in the warmth of our home

Renaming Ceremony! and Give Away!

First there was "hard head". Her first love.


yes you know who she is!
then Big baby" joined us



then "Soft baby" (pictured with hard head)
and then came "Nothing" (in the wagon)




All named by Zoe between 1 1/2 and 3 years old! Today She informed me that her babies no longer like their names. So she will rename them.
We lit a candle and
Hard Head became Izzybelle
Big baby is now lucibelle
Soft baby is Janey
and Nothing is Susan.

These are well oved babies.





Yes friends this is my 200th post and to celebrate......back to my roots! a basket of herbal goodies! (echinacea tincture, calendula tincture, chest rub, cough syrup and lip balm.....plus a page of instructions for those who may be new using herbal remedies. I will pick a name on Jan31st so leave do leave a comment........comment on your favorite entry so far.......

Fabric Love!

My latest splurge! Don't you love it!! Imagine it paired with with brown corduroy, perhaps an apron skirt. My Garden Twill Forest from the great Superbuzzy

More tea love

Has anyone tried "Pu-erh Ginger Tea" made by Rishi? Wow! I mistakingly bought it thinking it was a black tea with ginger and orange. It tunrs out Pu-erh Tea (Named after Pu'er county near Simao, Yunnan, China) is a type of large leaf green, there is semi green and a dark green.It is traditionally made from old and wild trees. Pu-erh leaves can be compressed into tea cakes or bricks, and then wrapped using various materials, which when stored away from excessive moisture, heat, and sunlight mature the tea. Pressing of pu-erh into cakes and aging the tea cakes possibly originated from the natural aging process that happened during horseback caravans on the Ancient tea route!!

For more that you have ever wanted to know on read about Pu-erh Tea hear

I *heart" Porcelina!!

Stephen Mackey prints, cards, wrapping paper (Mackey Porcelina Cards).....oh my gosh! Such cuteness.

This one has to be one of my favorites



and his esquimo holiday card line........oh my!

I *heart* red shoes

What is it about red shoes? Old or new, small or big, shinny, glittery or just plain janes. You have seen this one before.


And I agree with Amanda that this cover sells this book..


Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros. Last Christmas while we were in Greece I bought my sister this book (in Greek) I had no idea what it was about but the look the presentation. I couldn't wait until it came out in English and hoped that the cover would not be changed (it so often is)

Here are some of my flickr red shoe favs:
Shoes for Five Sisters
Red Shoes
Red Shoes
My new Red Shoes


and WOW! Check out these Hand Made Italian goodness!

Zoe also loves shoes. She has great shoes! Luckily for me her feet have been growing slowly so she has been getting at least a years worth of wear. She is still loving these Stripped sneakers I got her last January. She does not need another pair...Still I am loving these for the holidays. L'Amour T-Strap Red Leather Shoes


I also have some red favs over at Zappos

Naot Sea
Naot Bramble

There is a little frivoulous post to celebrate getting my computer back!!!

It's has been a while, I know. I have a good reason. My computer is dead awating ressurection. It will be a couple of weeks until it is back with me, so I'll just be popping in to say hi until I am back on track again.

But here is a summary of my week:


- Zoe began 3 days at her home school collaborative. She loves it. I love it too! For the first time in 4 years I have me time.

- Much apple polishing, apple picking, apple eating, apple printing, apple sauce making while learning about Johnny Appleseed. I told the story of the little curious boy on a search for a red house with no doors, no windows, 5 rooms inside and a star inside- what a captivated audience.

- Not enough cider drinking.

- Lots of peach eating. Season will soon be ending. Not ready for that yet. I should freeze some.

- Ate a huge sweet as can be, juicy locally grown pink watermelon!

- Too many dental appointments cause me to be grumpy.

- Super Elecampane Harvest. Syrup to follow.

- Bought "Doodle Stitching" by Aimee Ray for me and "Pumpkins" by Ken Robbins for Zoe

- Read "Christophers Harvest Time" by Elsa Beskow , "Little Red Riding Hood" retold by Andrea Wisnewski and "The Old Tree" by Ruth Brown

- Played with Milkweed and read "Milkweed DAYS" by Jane Yolan

- Unsucessfully tried to needle felt Milkweed!

- Am thoroughly enjoying these Indian Summer Days-my favorite season

- Started planning a birthday party (she's turning 4)

- Determined to grow an apple tree from seed

- Watched "Little House on the Prairie" with Zoe- I am in love with the apron dresses with the bloomers. I must learn to sew bloomers. Read Zoe some of the "my first little house books"

- Cut and pinned my first quilt (brown and pink) Pictured below in the early stages, it is much bigger now

-Cut and pinned a pinafore dress for Zoe's birthday

- Started reading Zoe "The Tales of Tiptoes Lightly: The Bee Who Lost His Buzz, Pumpkin Crow, Lucy Goose and the Half-Egg" by Reg Down, so sweet

-Made Zuccini muffins. Pumpkin muffins next up.

-Began making my napkins for the napkin swap

-Thought about our Fall nature table. We still have out summer holidays one up.

-Signed uo for my first craft show as a crafter and not an herbal products person!

Now for some photos:

A head scarf I made for Zoe a few weeks back loosely following an Amy Butler pattern. Using some "trefle" Japanese Fabric purchased from Superbuzzy. In process made a self discovery. I do not like to cut into fabric! I like to see it piled neatly on my shelf and day dream about the endless possibilities for it. Once a cut has been made the dream ends!



WIP

Feet Week

more tree climbing!




we are so blessed to have so many "climbing" trees around us, at the farmers market, at the CSA.......Though I grew up in suburban London I still remember a few trees that I played around, hid under, built homes in and used as a home base. One was a sycamore tree at my junior school in Highgate. I remember the beautiful gardens which included an old glass green house, some woodland areas where at different times of year we could see red fox and this huge old sycamore tree, I also remember a hollow bush where were spend many hours creating our home. The other tree that I remember loving was a weeping willow, the kind that I imagine from the "The Wind in the Willows" it was at my friend Juliet Davis house not so far from where we lived. It was located near the back of their yard not so far from a brook. How I wish I had a photograph of one of these trees and memories!


Staying with the theme of trees this weeks "environmental pledge" will center around paper useage. Reducing it........cancelling catalogs, asking my address to be removed from junk mail lists, watching my use of computer paper, and of course reusing as much as possible.

The average American consumes 700 lbs of paper every year, of that only 51.5% is recycled. Our paper consumption has increased three-fold since 1961 and continues to rise.

Understanding sustainable paper lingo


The best solution for paper selection is:

100% Post-Consumer Waste (PCW)
Processed Chlorine Free (PCF)
Uncoated
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified
Made by renewable energy sources (wind, geothermal, solar, etc.)
Treeless paper like bamboo, hemp and kenaf (if readily available locally)

Chlorine is an ideal chemical to remove lingin from paper pulp to increase its strength and also make the paper a brilliant white. However Chlorine also releases deadly organochlorines, PCBs, and dioxin into our water supply (from releases at paper mills.) Animals exposed to these releases have been known to experience a weakened immune system, heart and respitory problems. (Source: Seventh Generation).

The best choice, when choosing paper, is to select a paper that is Processed Chlorine Free (PCF). Below is a list, in order of environmental preference, of Chlorine free paper types and explanations.

Processed Chlorine Free (PCF):
Paper is made from fiber recycled from post-consumer waste (PCW) and unbleached or bleached without Chlorine compounds. PCF paper is the most environmentally friendly type.

Totally Chlorine Free (TCF):
Paper made from 100% virgin fiber (including alternative fiber from sources other than trees) that is unbleached or bleached with non-Chlorine compounds. TCF cannot apply to recycled papers, because the source fiber cannot be determined.

Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF):
Paper made from virgin or recycled fiber that is bleached using alternative Chlorine compounds as a substitute for elemental Chlorine.

Things I LOVE:

This morning while I was painting Zoe dressed herself from scratch....even remembered underwear!! This is the outfit she chose (plus her red stripped sneakers which I made her take off before stepping into the office) I LOVE it so much.




And a sneak peak of how the office is coming along!

I am a Canna What Flower Are You?

I've just been tagged by Sara over at Twiningoaks


The rules are simple…Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

Hmmm 8 facts about me........

1) At 13 years old I was infactuated with Boy George! I collaged a full wall of my Laura Ashley bedroom with his mugshot! which included a life size picture of him. When my grandmother visited from Greece she asked me who that pretty girl was!

2) I love color. I collect paint strips- Dunno what I am going to with them all but someday I'll be happy I have them, I know.

3) The first big concert I went to was Adam Ant! at the Wembly arena in London. Yep, I grew up in London in the 80's

4) I love books! New books, old books, antiquarian books, home made books.....Presently reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver READ IT..... GO BUY IT NOW !! I even gave you the link.

5) I really miss playing Tennis. I used to play tennis, watch tennis, coach tennis. I have barely played in 10 years. I hope that one day soon I will play regularly again.

6) The life of Hobo's has always intrigued me. The Children's Art Museum which I run is just a few feet from the train tracks.....trains go by a couple of times a day, I still wonder what would happen if I hopped on one.......I have also planned a trip goat packing down through Central America, and of course dream of motorcycling across the country......

7) In my CD drive presently you'll find

* Rani Arbo and Daisy Mayhem latest release Big Old Life
* Susan Werner The Gospel Truth
* Erin McKeown Sing You Sinners
* Kris Delmherst Strange Conversation
* Tracy Grammer & Dave Carter Seven Is The Number

8) I drive too fast.

Tagging Zanne, Simmy, Sienna

edited june 11th

it took me a looong time to think of 8 things and now i keep thinking of more

- i love striped socks and tights
- i love owls and hedgehogs
- i love macs
- i love key lime pie

- i have a phobia of cows

Lucky Stitches:



and yes the bag is reversable!





The highlight of the few weeks was a basic machine sewing class I took at Lucky Stitches. A four week course...........Highly recommended!! A kick ass sewing experience....I have been wanting to learn how machine sew for years with no luck! that was until my friend Zanne Blair founded Lucky Stitches Sewing Lounge in Northampton! and now 4 weeks later the possibilities are endless.

Other highlights this week have been a FANTASTIC Susan Werner concert at the Iron Horse. The best yet! A great new CD and a stellar band!

Talking Music.... I also heard a new local band Radio Free Earth" /> Kim and Josh Wachtel.....If you live in Western Mass Go see them!

The 2007 herbal apprenticeship began last tuesday...........hoping to see some sun, soon........praying for a sunny May

April by Anon.

When April was asked whether
She could bring reliable weather,
She laughed till she cried
And said, "I have tried,
But things will get so mixed up together."




I have been thinking about some fresh Springtime/Easter Rituals:

We have always planted fresh Easter basket (oat grass/wheat grass) and either lily of the valley or daffodils. This year the grass is a little behind! but possibly by Sunday! It is presently under a grow lamp. Also try to get some paper whites to bloom.

My friend Kara wrote that her family celebrate this Day of Fertility by burying red eggs under the birch tree and sow a seed of intention.

If you have special ways of celebrating this time of year please let us know.........

Road Trip- Looking for signs of Spring!

As we were driving down Williamsburg Road on route to Northampton we drove behind 4 deer running for a while. They just ran down the road in front of us......eventually they run off into the woods although they turned around and stared at us for a while. We stopped the car and watched them eventually run up the snowy/icy bank. No Signs of Spring!

We (zoe and i) are driving from Massachusettes to Florida

We left Northampton at 2pm (march 7th) it was 12 degrees F!


Driving we listened to a lot of Curious George adventures on Cd! over and over.....When Zoe slept I listened to Susan Werner's brand new CD "The Gospel Truth" . I love it! perfect up beat, thought proposing driving music. Another CD that I really enjoyed was Lui Collins 2006 release Closer (the perfect searching for Spring CD). I bought it last Spring and enjoyed it......and yesterday I remembered why. The Cd includes Lui's original poetry and songs as well as a few covers including Cheryl Wheelers "His Hometowm" and a beautiful version of Patty Griffins "Making Pies" as well as the ever popular "Red Red Robin"

and we saw a robin while driving..............

4:30 we were crossing the George Washington Bridge in NYC.... (22 degrees)
(we stopped for dinner with a friend in NJ -Flemmington-)
9:17pm entered PA (passed Philly and Baltimore and DC)
12:30pm stopped at a Super 8 in Stafford, Virginia.

8:40 am Set off (after a latte) it was 29 degrees
11:01 am entered North Carolina
12:00 pm Lunch break in WIlson, NC 44 degrees (shed wool underwear, and smart wool socks replaced with Tevas and Crocs (zoe)
50 degrees in Smithfield NC
3.23pm Saw our first flowering trees!! in Fayetville 57 degrees

South Carolina, Pit stop in Georgia (saw our first Palm trees) reached Florida at 9ish......

9:30pm stopped at a Best Western in Jacksonville.

8:05 am ............ looking for a latte! Before heading to Orlando to meet our friends.
(for the record it is raining!)