Hungry Hook Primitives is Having an Awesome Giveaway

If you get a chance, be sure to head over to Hungry Hook Primitives.
She is having a giveaway and is offering a beautiful hand hooked rug with my favorite subject mater. Sheep!

Here is a photo of her awesome rug. Isn't it just great. I have been wanting to do some rug hooking so maybe this will give me some incentive to get started.

If you sign up for the give away, if you could please mention that you saw it here. Heheh. you know every bit helps.
Thanks
Just click on the title of this post and it will take you there.

SPRING GIVEAWAY update

(This piece is not one of the giveaways) 

I just wanted to make sure that I have posted and received everyones info on the Spring Giveaway.
You can leave your comment on this post to enter the giveaway if you don't feel like going back to the first posting.

When you sign up for the giveaway, please  email me your address so it won't be visable for everyone to see on your comment unless you want it to be




Be sure that if you haven't already, email me your email address so that I can notify you if your are the lucky winner so you can make the first choice.                                                                                  












These are the ones that have entered the
Spring Giveaway:

 Karen

 Gayle

 Angie

 Michele

 Mornings322

 Wendy

 DebbieK

 Jody
 Lora 

 Sue
Valerie of Yorkies
Diane
Julie
Linda Stubbs
Linda Cartwright
Holli

If you signed up but I don't have your name on the list please leave me another comment and Email me your email address separately at primitivejan@gmail.com


Thanks for joining in the fun and Good luck to all
Jan

Well, Its that time again for a Spring time Give Away .

Well, we had some beautiful days of sunshine and now the rain is back. You know, its days like today that really makes us appreciate a sunny day. I have lots to catch up on with 4th of July swaps and some others that I have joined in on, so spending time indoors today is probably a good thing now that it is raining and my aching muscles can recover too. Heheh
I have decided that it time for a spring giveaway again. There are no special requirements other then leaving me a comment about what you like about the Summer time. Be sure that I can find you if your name is drawn on June 15th. Which means that I will need an email address for you. Please email me your address separate as I can't take it off you comments. I do hope that you will visit me again and maybe even become a follower but its not a requirement to be eligible.
Sign up ends on June 10th and the drawing will be on June 15th.
I am going to give away two punch needles that I did and I am leaving it in a raw form so that you can add it to what ever you choose to attach it to.
There will be two drawings as there are two punch needle pieces that I completed that I am offering.
The first name drawn will have first choice and the runner up will get the other one.
These are the two that I am offering. The one on the right is from a pattern from Threads that Bind and the one on the left is my own from a painting done by a local artist.
They measure 4 1/2" x 7"

Well we had a great day today. Phoebe found a new ball in her bad of dog food. It was sort of like a toy in the cracker jacks box. She played with that little blue squeaky toy all day. Had so much fun tossing it in the
air and playing with it like she never had a toy before. While I laid the weed cloth and then put the bark chips down she kept putting the ball in the center of the bed. Isn't that just like a kid. Don't ignore me or I will make my presence known. At least I got the iris bed done now I just have to wait and hope that I transplanted enough of them to get a good bed going again. Looks a little sad just now but it will look great in about a month. I will post another picture then.
Other then that I am pretty much caught up with the back yard. My back is shouting at me tonight that I over did it again but oh well at least its done and my back can rest up for a few days then we get busy on the front yard. Hehehe
I just wanted to share a few Quotes from my Grandson Davids blog. He is so cute and his quotes are really impressive.

These are really great.
Quotes from Boolies blog http://boolies.blogspot.com/

The world's waiting for your dream. The only thing that's stopping it is you waititng. What are you waiting for?"


"There may be guns, there may be swords, there may be bombs, there may be wars. But in the end, no weapon can defeat bravery."


"Influences are like a permanant marker on an arm. You can try to wash it off, but it will always be there."

"The world's growing bigger by the minute, join it before it shrinks."

"The only thing that's stopping you from solving the problem is you letting it become you. Fight it, before it becomes too late."
"Don't make fires that others have to hose down."

"Everyone has music in them, they just have their own way of showing it."

"Two minds may think alike, but they cannot act like."

"Bullies are just a boulder on the road of your dream. Walk over it, and nothing can stop you."


"Getting peace can be like tying to catch smoke with your bare hands. Add more bare hands to help."

"School can't teach you everything, sometimes you have to look up to someone else."

"Breaking promises is like breaking glass, step on it, and you bleed."

"Your life's closing around you, make every second count."

"People may try to kill your dreams, the only way that's going to happen, is if you let them."

"Don't worry if you're not rich and famous. It comes to you, not the other way around."
 
Thank you David. 


Aren't those great. David is one awesome kid.
And with that I will close for the day. Have a great day tomorrow.

Nice while it lasted

                Yep, the rain is back but its suppose to only last a couple of days then more sunshine. Yea! I want more. I feel like this was just a tease. Heheh So I am praying for sunshine in my eyes again. These two day will give me a couple of days for my sunburn to heal.

So we are singing in the rain again.

I am going to be working on a new stitching project so I am going to have to wait to finish my Iris beds.till we have some more sunshine so that picture will have to  

                                                        Bye for now and have a great weekend.

Sunshine in abundance. YEA ! ! !

Here comes the Sun and I say, It's alright!

We just had an awesome day yesterday. We had sunshine in abundance. Enough so that I even got a great sunburn. I know, I know all about the skin cancer,  but it feels awesome instead of the cold wet soaked body and hypothermia and wind burn. I'll take a sunburn every now and then anytime. I think that Phoebe even got a little sunburn inside her ear while she was sleeping in the sunshine. Have to watch that.

Phoebe had a great day too as these pics are proof. I got loads of yard work done but try as I might, I couldn't keep Phoebe occupied long enough to get more then a few digs before I had to toss the ball again so I pulled out her swimming pool. You can see she liked that.

I still need to replant my Iris bed but at least the weeds are gone. I wish I could have done it sooner but weather wasn't my ally and I had to wait for some dry days.
But never the less, we got it done, note I say we. She wasn't a lot of help but she kept me company and whats more fun then working with friends.
I will post more pictures when I get the Iris bed done. I still have about 2 more days of yard work to do before I can say that I am ready to enjoy the yard and the summer and fun with the family in the sunny days to follow. I think that Phoebe throughly enjoy her day outside with Mom. I think she is missing her brother a little less and we are helping each other everyday it gets a little easier.

 

Stawbale gardening.

There seems to be quite a bit of interest in my straw bale gardening so I am going to post the instructions that I used to start mine about 4 years ago.
I learned how to do this from Kent Rogers at Daves Garden Forum.

Do not use orchard grass or hay. Use only wheat straw or oat straw but preferably wheat straw.

Here are the instructions for preparing the bales for planting. You will love the ease of planting in the bales. and for more information to to Dave's Garden Web site.

Straw Bale Gardening
by Kent Rogers~

I've been a traditional gardener all my life, but tried straw bale gardening last year as well.

I tried several varieties of tomatoes, peppers, cukes, squash, and zucchini in the bales and they all did outstanding.

You can start your garden with seeds if you use some topsoil on top of the bales, but I transplanted all of my vegetables from flats and trays purchased from local nurseries.

I initially used 20 bales of wheat straw. The plants in the wheat straw were doing so well that I got 10 more bales of oat straw to see how that would do. (Pine straw won’t work.)
I recommend getting bales that have been tightly baled. The oat straw bales I bought were lighter and baled looser than the wheat straw, and I learned that they don’t hold as much water. I paid about $2.50 for each bale.
Use bales that have synthetic twine if you can find them. The twine won’t rot and it will hold the bales together longer. If the bales use regular twine, that’s no problem. You may have to put a stake at the end of the bales. The bales I used had regular twine, and they started to rot and break, but I arranged 10 in each row, so the bales tend to hold each other together.
I oriented my bales with the strings off the ground. You can do it either way, but I like the twine off the ground. The transplanting seemed easier with the bales oriented with the strings off the ground. You can decide which way to orient yours.
If you make more than one row of bales, put them wide enough apart so your lawnmower can get between them. And because you’ll be watering them, I recommend placing the bales where the water will drain away from your house or away from where you’ll be walking.
How many plants per bale? Try two tomato plants per bale, three peppers, two squash, two sets of cucumbers.

Be prepared to stake the tomatoes, peppers and any tall growing plants. I recommend 6-foot stakes for the tomatoes. I used tobacco sticks last year, but they are too short. My tomatoes grew way over the tobacco sticks. This year I'll be using stakes and a horizontal trellis and arch way-type trellis.
I didn’t plant any okra last year, but they will probably do well. You’ll definitely have to stake them. I don’t think corn will work too well. The plants will be too top-heavy. I water the bales in the morning and after sunset. You can’t over-water because any excess will just run out of the bales. Soaker hoses will work. The main thing is not to let the bales get dried out between watering.
I started out using some Miracle Grow once a week for a couple of weeks. Then I sprinkled in some 10-10-10. You don’t want to over fertilize.

The bales will start to sprout wheat or oat straw, but that is no problem. If the grass gets too much for you, just whack it off with a knife. I give my bales a “haircut” every so often with a steak knife. It takes no time at all.

One thing I’ve noticed—and this could be just a fluke—is I have not had to spray my plants with any pesticides such as Liquid Sevin. I haven’t had any worms, bugs or other pest bother my straw bale garden. Maybe it has something to do with the plants being off the ground.

Be prepared to use new bales each year. I don’t think they will be suitable for two years in a row. You can burn them, use them for mulch or bust them up and set new bales on them next year.
Preparing Your Bales

It takes 10 days to prepare your bales.

Days 1–3: Water the bales thoroughly and keep them wet.
Days 4–6: Sprinkle the bales with 1/2 cup of ammonium nitrate (34-0-0) per bale per day, and water it well into the bales. I didn’t have any trouble finding ammonium nitrate from my local ag-supply store. They sold it in 50-pound bags. I have heard, however, that some people have had difficulty finding it in more urban settings. Ask around. (See more about ammonium nitrate at the bottom of this page.)
Days 7–9: Cut back to 1/4 cup of ammonium nitrate per bale per day and continue to water it in well.
Day 10: No more ammonium nitrate, but do add 1 cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer per bale and water it in well.
Day 11: Transplant your plants into the bales. I used a spatula to make a crack in the bale for each plant. Place the plant down to its first leaf and close the crack back together as best you can.
Other straw bale reference
http://www.nicholsgardennursery.com/strawbales.htm

For those of you who may have physical problems doing tradtional gardening, you may want to try this method. Even wheel chair-bound folks could garden with this method.
I didn't invent this method, but I have become an avid proponent of it.

I'm adding a photo of a portion of my garden.

Regards and have a blessed day,

Kent Rogers
Deputy Sheriff
Wake County
mailto:kent.rogers@earthlink.net">
kent.rogers@earthlink.net

P.S. - the recipe for preparing your straw bales calls for a little Ammonium Nitrate (34-0-0). Because of some Homeland Security concerns, you will probably have to give your name and phone #/address to the Seller. Ammonium Nitrate is just a fertilizer-type catalyst that acts like vitamins for the microbes that help decompose the straw bale to make it a great host for the vegetables you're going to plant. Farmers/gardeners have been using this product for years. However, if you can't find any Ammonium Nitrate or don't want to purchase a 50 lb bag, just add a week or so weathering process to your bales before you add your transplants. Be sure to wait until all danger of frost is over for your area.

Scattered showers but at least we aren't suffering.

Yes, more rain but at least we are above water. I feel so bad for all of those that have truly suffered this winter. I am sure that God mush have his reasons for all this crazy weather this winter and who am I to question his decisions but I sure wish he would start smiling soon and send us a huge dose of SUNSHINE.
I have almost forgot what a nice hot day feels like. I could always make a trip back to our ole homestead in Tombstone, AZ but then I would have to deal with the scorpions too. I will pass and just be patient. I know that God hears my pleas. Please??

I just finished my latest Punch Needle project and if you head over to my other blog http://punchdrunckneedleworks.blogspot.com you can see it. I am trying to decide what to start on next.

 I was hoping that I would be outside gardening by now but I guess I have time to do another project before it will be dry enough to get out there and pull weeds and get my Iris bed back in some sort of order. It just looks like a weed bed now. This is what it is suppose to look like.

It looks like I am going to get a nice bunch of raspberries this year. I hope. I see lots of baby berries so if the sun comes out, I will be munching on some of my berries.

 I have lots of flowers on my strawberry plants so Phoebe and I will both be happy. That is why I had to close of the back section of my garden as Phoebe loves strawberries and ends up eating them even before they are ready. Have you ever heard of a dog that loves strawberries and yes apples. She loves pealed apples. Won't eat it if you don't take the peal off. She isn't spoiled not a bit. Humph!!! hehehe. .

This picture is from last year but I grow all my strawberries in Straw bales. So much easier on the back and right at the perfect level for Phoebe to go shopping for her daily supply of stawberries.

 Gotta love her. She demands it. But then who could refuse a face like this?

Well, I am off to do what ever life throws at me today. No major planning other then a few walks with the little 100lb+  lap puppy. 

I hope you all have a wonderful day. We are going to no mater what. Hehe

We are trying to move on, Its not easy

Phoebe and I have been trying hard to stay busy and take long walks instead of the short walks we used to do because walking two kids that want to go different directions and stop here and go there makes it a little tough on the arms for me. So now Phoebe and I are taking much longer walks and just trying to stay busy.

I thought I would try walking her without her choke collar yesterday as she seem to be doing so well. WELL.... big mistake. We came to a chain link fence with a little frenzied chihuahua just inside. OMG, this little Tasmanian devil of a chihuahua was choosing my Phoebe on. Now Phoebe weighs a little over a hundred pounds and this devil was raising (sorry) hell at  the fence. Well Phoebe has never encountered such a critter and just wanted to catch it or what ever and drug me down to the sidewalk on my hip and knee. My hand was well wrapped in the leash but the dogs were going back and forth and I couldn't get myself up to pull her away. I don't know how, but I finally made it back to my feet and grabbed her by the collar and had to literally drag her across the street and gain my composure or what was left of it back. HOLY TOLEDO, she is one strong dog and I will never take her out with out the choke collar until I get this new harness that you hook the leash to the front and if she pulls it yanks her around. Sounds good to me.
I could hardly move this morning but figured if I didn't do something I would be very sorry so I have been mowing and weed wacking the back and front yard. Major big job. So now I am taking a deserved break and having some lunch.

Now off to finish the west 40 of weed wacking.  Wish me luck.

My Dear Sweet William Wallace Has Crossed the Rainbow Bridge

My heart is breaking and I just don't know if I can go through this again. It just hurts so much. I mean my heart really hurts like it is being ripped apart. Its just not fair that this sweet little boy in my life is being taken away. God must have his reasons and Wallace was one of a kind but I just wasn't ready to let him go. Now he can play with his Sister Maggie May and his brother Gandolf that  crossed the bridge 3 days before Wallace came into our lives.
I may be away from the blog for a few days. I need to comfort Wallace's sister Phoebe. She is looking everywhere for him. I am going to have to change our path that we walked with Wallace as she keeps picking up on his scent. I know how hard it is for her too. We will just have to help each other heal from this and hold on to each other.

                                                                             

Happy Mothers Day to all the Great Mothers in Our Lives. We Love you

I made my Mothers day Posting yesterday but just wanted to take a moment to wish all of the wonderful and loving and Caring Mothers in our lives a very special and Blessed day today and remember that you are the one person that delivered us into this world and you are the one that was there to brush away all the aches and pains when we were hurting.
Mom, I hope that you are hearing my heartfelt thoughts because on this very special day I miss you so much and wish that you were still here beside me so I could give you such a big hug and thank you for being my mother and giving me the life that you gave me. Hugs to you Mom and give Daddy a kiss from me too. I miss you both. Your Loving daughter, Janice

Happy Mothers Day

I would just like to wish all of you that are Mothers and those of you that are about to become Mothers and most of all To all the Mothers that, like my own dear mother, have passed over that rainbow bridge,

       " Happy Mother's Day"

I wish so much that I could hug my own again,  and in my heart and soul, I am doing just that. I miss you Mama. I miss laughing together and sharing our feelings and hearts together. I miss watching the American Kennel Club Dog show together. We would do that every year and if we were apart we would sit on the phone and watch it together. To this day, I have never failed to watch the Pedigree AKC Dog Show every year. My DSH always knows what I will be doing on those evenings and always gives me that time for sharing with my Mom.
Her last year of life we moved her up to our town in Bend, Oregon and got her a little one bedroom apt with a yard. She always wanted a little yard where she could plant flowers and have a white picket fence with a little dog in the yard. My husband built her the fence and we planted flowers together and then went to the animal shelter to pick out a little dog for her. She picked a little mixed adult dog and she was so happy for at least 9 months. Her health then declined rapidly and I moved her in with us. We fixed her up a bedroom and with a wonderful sunny window where I planted Sweet peas that the fragrance could waif through the open window. I think she was as comfortable as could be expected and she never ever complained until the last couple of weeks where I had to increase the morphine and the dreams caused her quite a bit of confusion and grief. The hospice nurses were so wonderful and just loved her as she was always trying to make them laugh and cheer them up no matter how bad she felt.
I just thank God for their wonderful care of my dear mother.
She passed quickly when the time came and I miss her so much.
So, a message to those of you lucky ones that still have your dear mothers with you or near you,

Hug your mothers and 

let them know how loved they are 

and how much they mean to you. 

You may not be so lucky to have the

opportunity to be able to do it 

again next year.

More pictures of our visit

Yaquina Head Light House in Newport, Oregon

 Susan and myself in front of the light house.

This is inside from the bottom looking up toward the light itself.

.

 These are the old oil drums that use to be used to light the lamp in the lighthouse. We just had a really nice visit. I only wish we would have had more time to spend together to catch up on all those past years.
Oh well, next time.

What a great visit we had

I am so sad to see my dear daughter go home but I know that her family is as excited to see here back home as much as I was sad to see her go. I really hope that there won't be as much time before the next visit.
We had such a great time, walking and playing on the beach and talking and walking some more walking.
We then took a break and had lunch at my favorite Chowder Bowl Restaurant of which we had, what else, Clam Chowder and garlic cheese bread.

On Sunday we went to the light house but I will post about that tomorrow as she has to send me the pics as I forgot my camera. DUMMY me.
I had such a great time sharing memories and laughing and huging and I as well as Phoebe and Wallace and my Dear Sweet Husband are truly going to miss her.
Come back soon Sweet Susan.

   We love you Susan and we will miss you too.