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Gathered Up:  Over 50 Farmgirls  |
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Tall Holly
True Blue Farmgirl
2305 Posts
Holly
Worcester
Vermont
USA
2305 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 08 2014 : 5:27:11 PM
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Good evening everyone,
Didn't do much today besides feed the pigs and take the boys to therapy. Only 14 more days until they are on their way to the freezer. The pigs that is.
On Friday we are going to do in our chickens. If you want to see a demonstration go to Featherman. They are the equipment we will be using and they have several videos to watch on how to do the process.
We have been paying for someone to do our birds in and last year we payed $4/bird. That more than doubles our cost. This year we will rent all the equipment for $25 for a 24 hour period. We have about 80 birds. Wish us luck.
My front hallway used to be flaming sunset. I thought it was bright and cheery. When C moved in with me she thought it was hideous and overwhelming. Now it is a rich green color. I am sure that no matter what the walls end up looking like you will be glad the project is done. You can add touches to cool it down or warm it up.
MMMMMM Mar and what kind of modeling did you do? I am sure you were gorgeous and entertaining. Your dd is talented. Glad you had a good time.
I think you can give yellow dog plain uncoated aspirin to ease her pain.
By now Bunny the funeral is over. I hope you had a nice visit with your step sisters. something good had to come out of the sadness of the day.
Sweet dreams,
Holly
farmgirl #2499
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doll58maker
True Blue Farmgirl
2259 Posts
G
TX
USA
2259 Posts |
Posted - Oct 08 2014 : 6:17:03 PM
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I used to try to respond to everyone when I used my computer with the notepad, but now with the IPad i don't have that option. My Poor memory isn't much help.
Im trying now to decide on colors for this house. I like color, but B likes what I call builder beige.
Holly, my neighbor used the featherman and I watched them. It's still pretty labor intensive.
I've never used a chain saw and I don't know what is dangerous about them, but have always heard they can be seriously dangerous. Don't think I will be doing that.
I, too, would like to hear the whole story about Mar's modeling gig.
Bunny, how are you doing? Hope this day is over for you and hope mom calms down and is at least half rational. Sounds like she enjoys the drama. She should get some widow's benefits shouldn't she? I just learned that since my first husband has died, I am able to draw his full social security. She should check into that for sure.
It was another ordinary day here. Weather is pretty nice. I actually don't know where the day went. It seems to be getting dark a lot earlier.
Cindy, you sure are due some good news for a change. I don't know why, but when it rains, it pours. Maybe you have gotten all the bad stuff over with now. Let's hope so.
GG
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Bearclover
True Blue Farmgirl
2391 Posts
Bunny
Gig Harbor
Wa
USA
2391 Posts |
Posted - Oct 08 2014 : 9:07:33 PM
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The funeral is over. Only one blow up from my sister but it's over because she wants some of my fabric so has to play nice now. It was nice to see my other stepsisters. They bailed early to head back to Portland. They have an early flight out tomorrow.
Cindy, either my room or the basement are my safe places. I'm doing ok.
My sister is convinced my mom is moving to Utah next spring. If I don't have anywhere to go, she expects me to move there too. It would be terrible. My sister would be around all the time. My stress level would be maxed out.
GG, what is it with men and color. You'll just have to buy bright colorful furniture to compensate.
Cindy, sorry you have had such a hard time. I know how it feels. One day at a time. It's they only way I maintain sometimes.
Yeah Mar, what did you model?? I think I missed something along the way with what your daughter did.
Holly, love the comment clarifying that it was the pigs that we're going soon. I would have such a hard time with the killing part. I would most likely turn vegetarian.
No new sales but my views keep climbing. I haven't heard anything from the store owner either. I'm going to try to call her tomorrow I think.
Nite.
Bunny
Farmgirl number 3738
My blogs:
www.curiousorangecat.com
Handmade stuff http://www.curiousorangecat.etsy.com
Not all who wander are lost.../
Plan to improvise
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doll58maker
True Blue Farmgirl
2259 Posts
G
TX
USA
2259 Posts |
Posted - Oct 08 2014 : 9:30:40 PM
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Bunny, not only is it--what is it about men--what is it about sisters!
I found online tonight a resale older small house in that subdivision that we both like. And it won't break the bank. Now if we can go see it before it's gone.
Mar, you see how our minds work! We are a shameless bunch! Now you've got to come up with a good story about the modeling.
GG
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churunga
True Blue Farmgirl
3957 Posts
Marie
Minneapolis
MN
USA
3957 Posts |
Posted - Oct 09 2014 : 10:01:49 AM
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Ladies,
I have been insanely busy. As you know, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning, I am at the school volunteering. On Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons I have a crochet class to teach. I get there early to help shelve books in the library. On Wednesdays I go to Dungeons and Dragons, which is my wild night out with "the boys". One Saturday a month, I volunteer for the Fix-It Clinic where I mend clothing or troubleshoot sewing machines. I guess no one can say I do not work for my disability check.
I am amazed by how Lowell doesn't manage money. I guess it's story time. In August, Lowell noticed that something was wrong with his van's brakes and he went to a local place to get it fixed for $823. The check wasn't paid until the 1st and he didn't have enough in his account. Ever since he got the work done, he has been asking me if the payment went through. I told him no and suggested that he contact the company and ask them what was up. He just waved it off. (Another WhyTF did he do that Man Thing.) He has gotten $3000 from his dad over this time. I look at his bank statements all the time and I KNOW what he spends his money on. He spends over $700 a month for gas for his job and $500 a month for the car payment and $180 a month for insurance. He also spends $160 a month for breakfast out on Saturdays and Sundays. (I do not go with him.) He take out cash which he spends on food and drink on the road. He did buy a new fedora for $120 this week and says that if I hadn't taken him to that store, he would have had enough to cover the check. So I guess all this is my fault.  The upshot is that now he has no money for gas so that he can work. I happened to have $200 in my account and, you guessed it, he wanted that so that he could work today. Well, so much for keeping my medical bills out of collection.  He still wants me to pick up another week of groceries which costs about $150. When he asks me about this, I will just tell him that the grocery money was paid to him because he did not keep track and get information on his outstanding brake repair check. I am so tired of his lack of concern about money. Lowell has a talent for numerical analysis in his head but he does not understand the timing issues associated with money transfers via check or the internet. The question is always why? Why? WHY?. You know what? I don't effin know. Thanks for your attention.
On to more pleasant things.
Marianne - Yes, we want the WHOLE story about your modeling gig and pictures if there are any. Over 50 minds want to know!
Gypsy - If you can afford the resale and it is what you want, go for it. Although it would be tough to move again and to lose your renewed craft room, I believe that this could be your last move and you and B can enjoy life. I have looked at men's fashion and realized that men tend to prefer colors such as dark green, rust, tan and navy. They prefer either geometric patterns or flat colored texture. In other words, they do not like "fussy" stuff. What!? You haven't seen The Texas Chainsaw Massacre!? Those things are extremely dangerous. <shiver>
Bunny - Sounds as if your mom went a little overboard on the funeral perhaps to cope with her own guilt. Being with the stepsisters sounds as if it was good compensation for you. I am glad you have a safe place to go to. I do not have a safe place from Lowell. Even when I had my own sewing room, he would frequently come in, turn off the radio and want to talk to me. I couldn't get him to leave. At least your mom seems to know enough to leave you alone in your safe place.
Holly - The Featherman equipment looks very efficient. I can see the process would still probably need 4 to 6 people working steadily in an assembly line fashion to process a large number of chickens. It is a good thing you have all the kids and dsT's friend to help. I just love the feather plucker. Are you going to keep the feathers to use for pillows or featherbeds? Please be careful with the chainsaw!!!
Cindy - Oh dear girl, what a string of heartache and loss. I can understand the feelings. We are here for you. If I had your address I would send you something to cheer you up. Please email me and I will get a nice little care package to you.
Darlene - My version of the hardware superstore is the guitar store. I make Lowell drop me off at the fabric store and we agree to meet at the pattern book table. We each have no patience for each other's hobby supply shopping. I have heard that a hardware store opened next to a fabric store in a mall and the hardware store starting having the best sales because all the husbands would go there while the wives were in the fabric store. Makes sense to me.
My garden is winding down. I planted the cucumber too late and only got a few small ones. I was hoping for another zucchini but I think they are done. The cherry and purple tomatoes are still coming but are slow to color. More peppers are appearing on the plants. I still have tat tsoi lettuce and kale growing. I have not even started picking the tomatillos and have dried very few of the herbs. The watermelon and the peas were a total bust. The weather is warm here so I will start cleaning up the garden this week.
Marie, Sister #5142
Farmgirl of the Month May 2014
Try everything once and the fun things twice. |
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Bearclover
True Blue Farmgirl
2391 Posts
Bunny
Gig Harbor
Wa
USA
2391 Posts |
Posted - Oct 09 2014 : 2:57:12 PM
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Well the Tornado made landfall. My sister just lost it and started screaming to me about all kinds of stuff I supposedly did. I have been apparently putting her down in front of people and she didn't like the way I talked to her kids, or grandkids. Last night her 3 year old grandson was trying to open the front door and I was the first person to see it so I told him no. Apparently I'm not allowed to do that. I should have just let him run and hope a parent saw him.
She really lost it. Screaming at me. I calmly asked her to leave. But she just kept on screaming at me about how terrible I treat her. I have seen her once in 4 years. Mind you this was while she was in the basement with me picking out fabric. I'm still shaking. Thankfully, my mom got her out of the house.
I grew up with this type of behavior from her. She use to do this to me all the time. Moving to Utah would be a death sentence for me. I would not be able to live through it. By God or my own hand, I could not make it. No one can hold up under that stress for long.
Bunny
Farmgirl number 3738
My blogs:
www.curiousorangecat.com
Handmade stuff http://www.curiousorangecat.etsy.com
Not all who wander are lost.../
Plan to improvise
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Oct 09 2014 : 3:28:45 PM
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Bunny--that must be awful. Some people are just hateful. I take Klonapin to deal with stress. All I can say is, cultivate positive energy. Do things that are fun but calming. It will help protect you from the negative energy of others. And it is important to protect yourself--don't worry if someone else feels hurt. Protect yourself.
Marie--I'm not good at managing money either. Part of it is I don't get paid a living wage but I got myself into debt with credit cards and am currently getting out of debt. Check out the books by Dave Ramsey. I don't agree with all he says but there is some good advice there. I feel better today--went to see a dr. after work and she gave me a breathing treatment. Life is so much better when you can breathe!
My SIL had her surgery and is recovering. Everything went well. So that is wonderful news. I would be scared to death to have heart surgery. Check out Patty's post on the Hogs & Quiches thread about her sister and BIL.
I have a lot to do this evening so gotta run.
Cindy
"Come by the hills to the land where fancy is free; And stand where the peaks meet the sky and the rocks reach the sea.Where the rivers run clear and the bracken is gold in the sun. and cares of tomorrow must wait till this day is done"--Loreena McKennit
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
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churunga
True Blue Farmgirl
3957 Posts
Marie
Minneapolis
MN
USA
3957 Posts |
Posted - Oct 09 2014 : 4:52:11 PM
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Bunny,
It is time to tell her calmly and firmly that you will have nothing more to do with her. Use "I" statements - "I do not like someone yelling at me. I do not like being treated with disrespect. I want nothing more to do with you. Here is some fabric I picked out for you. Please enjoy your life." Say this in front of some people who care about you and walk away. This woman does not get another chance to hurt you.
Marie, Sister #5142
Farmgirl of the Month May 2014
Try everything once and the fun things twice. |
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doll58maker
True Blue Farmgirl
2259 Posts
G
TX
USA
2259 Posts |
Posted - Oct 09 2014 : 5:10:59 PM
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Edited by - doll58maker on Sep 15 2019 8:25:49 PM |
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Bearclover
True Blue Farmgirl
2391 Posts
Bunny
Gig Harbor
Wa
USA
2391 Posts |
Posted - Oct 09 2014 : 5:34:12 PM
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She left without the fabric. Don't worry. She is leaving tomorrow. I have been able to stay away from her for years. I did try to tell her to leave and I realized that the best thing to do was to just not talk and let her vent it out.
Bunny
Farmgirl number 3738
My blogs:
www.curiousorangecat.com
Handmade stuff http://www.curiousorangecat.etsy.com
Not all who wander are lost.../
Plan to improvise
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doll58maker
True Blue Farmgirl
2259 Posts
G
TX
USA
2259 Posts |
Posted - Oct 09 2014 : 5:56:22 PM
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Edited by - doll58maker on Sep 15 2019 8:27:02 PM |
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Tall Holly
True Blue Farmgirl
2305 Posts
Holly
Worcester
Vermont
USA
2305 Posts |
Posted - Oct 09 2014 : 6:30:33 PM
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Good evening everyone,
Today was overcast and rainy most of the day. We can use the rain. It is supposed to clear off for tomorrow. I am glad. doing in chickens is tedious enough without the added benefit of the rain and cold. However, it usually rains the night before we need to catch the birds so the mud in their pen is good and slippery. I have three other adults helping who are somewhat knowledgeable about the process so we should be good.
Some people are so self centered they can not get out of their own way to be nice to anyone. I think you were the scapegoat for the woman's stress, Bunny. An easy target. I would live in a tent before I moved to Utah if I were you. I would offer you a spare room but I think we are a bit far away from you desired location.
I took the little boys on a walk to the beaver pond. It is a favorite destination. Today we walked all along the edge all the way to the top of all the ponds. It is a series that must have 15 dams on this little stream. We finally walked to the top where there were no more dams. Some of them were concave and some convex. I could not see why the beavers would choose one over the other. There are no beavers there now. I do not know where they went. The nice thing about all those dams is that they retain the water so it slowly goes into the ground and fills up the ground water tables. That is good for us because our spring is below all of these dams and we did not loose water this year al all.
When I deal with the children I try to use I sentences so I show them I take responsibility for my actions. Now DsT and DsJ tell me it is all about me. Now I tell them yes it is. lol I figure I can never win.
Sweet dreams,
Holly
farmgirl #2499
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Bearclover
True Blue Farmgirl
2391 Posts
Bunny
Gig Harbor
Wa
USA
2391 Posts |
Posted - Oct 09 2014 : 9:10:59 PM
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My sister never apologizes. Neither does my mom. As usual I'm the black sheep of the family. Her kids won't be able to speak to me for a while. But I never had much of a relationship anyway. I try, but they don't really try on their end. I don't really fell a part of this side of the family anyway.
My son is still working on his dad to get a place together. His dad brought up that he knew someone moving out of a nice house in June. I'm probably jinxing it by even mentioning it. But ...fingers crossed. At least he is thinking about it.
I did get in tough with the lady opening the shop in San francisco. Looks like my dresses are going to be heading uptown. I'll have to almost double my prices in the shop to pay for the consignment fee.
Bunny
Farmgirl number 3738
My blogs:
www.curiousorangecat.com
Handmade stuff http://www.curiousorangecat.etsy.com
Not all who wander are lost.../
Plan to improvise
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Bearclover
True Blue Farmgirl
2391 Posts
Bunny
Gig Harbor
Wa
USA
2391 Posts |
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Tall Holly
True Blue Farmgirl
2305 Posts
Holly
Worcester
Vermont
USA
2305 Posts |
Posted - Oct 10 2014 : 5:58:54 PM
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Good evening everyone,
We are still alive. I am so tired. I was up at 5 AM to get the animal chores done. I thought my friend said she would be over at 6 AM to help get everything set up so I wanted to be ready. She showed up about 8. She said that I said I was going to do animal chores and then she would be over. Oh well. It all worked out. We finally got the equipment set up and the pilot on the scalder going. The paper said it was hard to start but when our other neighbor came by and I told her how we were having problems starting it she went out and lit it right up with her lighter. YOu had to turn the knob to pilot and then hold it in to start and then carefully turn the knob to go. It ran all day without a problem. However, something that small needs a long time to heat that much water so we heated gallons on the stove in the house and carried it in and pour it in the scalder to give it a boost. Once we started the process it went right along. C killed and bled out the birds. Then she dipped them in the scalder to loosen the feathers. The we dumped them in the plucker and it spun them around on the rubber fingers that knocked off the feathers. Then the friends who came to help and I took off the feet, took off the neck and took out the guts. Then we threw them in cold water tub adn then in the cleaner cold water tub and then out onto the shallow tub to drain off the extra liquid. It is all done and I am so glad.
There are ten turkeys still yet to do but they will not be ready for at least a month yet.
I am going to have several gel caps, a hot shower and go to sleep.
Bunny if the woman solicited you to have your dresses in her shop to bring in customers she should give you a break on the fees. I did not realize that she wanted you to pay so she can have quality merchandise in her shop.
Sweet dreams,
Holly
farmgirl #2499
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doll58maker
True Blue Farmgirl
2259 Posts
G
TX
USA
2259 Posts |
Posted - Oct 10 2014 : 7:07:58 PM
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Bunny, how will that work? If you continue to sell direct from Etsy then you will have to raise your prices or undercut her prices.
Oh,mY, Holly, what a lot of hard work! I'm just not strong enough to work that long any more. We worked about three hours on the yard, then came in and I rested an hour, B slept two hours, and then we went back out for about another hour. That's about as much as we can stand for one day.
It seemed like a cool day but we sure got hot out here. Looks like rain may be coming in tonight. We sure need it.
After looking at small houses on small lots for sale, this feels like a huge resort. No wonder we can not keep up with the work. For the first few years I lived out here we were able to hire all the outside work done. Always folks coming across the border who didn't speak English and needed house and yard work. Now I think they get money from other sources.
Speaking of work, wonder how Jan is doing with her sale. I'll bet she went to bed with some gel caps too.
Marie, some time you should let DH suffer from his own mistakes and see if he could do better if you didn't always bail him out. You are a kind person, I think, even though you sound so tough, lol.
That smell of scalded feathers is one you never forget. My grandmother would scald the turkey and hand pick the feathers and then hold the bird over the fire to burn off all the pin feathers. I'll never forget that smell either. If it were not for my grandmother I would not have many good childhood memories. She died in 1984 and I still think of her almost every day.
I did go and look at the post about Patty's sister and, that was really a horrible accident. I am sorry for all concerned.
Cindy, I hope you are feeling better. Time does help heal our hurts. We all have our share as part of our earth journey.
Hey, Mar, what's up with you? Still hanging out with DD? or are you avoiding us, knowing we won't forget about your modeling story. We never forget any of the important stuff.
We haven't heard from Janiee or Ginny for a while.
GG
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Edited by - doll58maker on Oct 10 2014 7:12:47 PM |
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rough start farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
3331 Posts
marianne
The Beautiful Pacific NW
Washington State
USA
3331 Posts |
Posted - Oct 10 2014 : 7:52:23 PM
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I'm here. I'm here.
Holly, that sounds like a whole lot of work. But, what an amazing feeling it must be to have the freezer full. I can imagine the burning feather smell. Yuck. Like burning hair. But, you can get used to anything.
Gypsy is right, Marie. You are tough sounding...but, a marshmallow underneath. And Lowell counts on you saving his hide. You have quite the schedule all lined up. Is this for the first half of the school year or the entire school year?
Cindy, I hope you are doing ok. It is so hard to get over the passing of such an important pet.
G, I hope you can find a great resale and quickly unload the resort when you put it on the market.
I will tell the almost totally boring modeling story, but I am tight on time right now...
Mar |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Oct 10 2014 : 8:51:31 PM
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I'm going to hear a speaker tomorrow talk about the 100 mile challenge. The challenge is to source all your food from within a hundred mile range of where you live. Should be interesting. I hope that doesn't forbid eating at some of my favorite restaurants.Seems like they shouldn't count, only food you buy and cook yourself.
I couldn't butcher chickens. Even if they're not very bright. Yet I'll eat chicken that someone else has killed. It puts me in a moral quandary but that's life. I used to be a vegetarian but life wasn't as stressful in my college days. I sometimes eat certain foods due to stress--when I'm feeling anxious, I gravitate towards KFC and Chinese take out. For comfort I eat ice cream, of course. And sometimes I just feel primal and want nothing but a nice juicy steak. But I try to eat lots of fruit and veggies every day. Otherwise I start to feel sluggish from eating meat and carbs.
I got a new parakeet to keep Skye company. He was very silent when I got home after work so I knew he needed a cagemate to talk to. The new keet is green with a tail that has green, turquoise, and yellow feathers. I named him (her--still too early to tell) Rainbow. Skye and Rainbow. I think they'll get along fine. Rainbow was the most active bird in the pet store so that's why I picked him. He was on a ladder and pulled the tail feathers of the bird above him. so he has a sense of humor. He seems assertive. Skye has been single for so long that he's still unsure what to think. When I had Koko, they were in separate cages but talked back and forth to each other. So this is a new development for Skye.
The surgery on my SIL took longer than expected--eight hours. I can't imagine it. The aortic valve was in worse condition than they thought. It'll take at least a month to recover.
The street I live on is changing. Earlier this year, a woman who had lived here for over fifty years passed away. Now another longtime resident is going to live in assisted living. The house across the street i being rented and we think they're running some sort of shelter home for people who are temporarily homeless. Which they don't have permit for. But we can't prove anything. They've blocked my driveway and use it as a turn-around and sometimes a person will drive by the house and park in the middle of the street so no one can get through. And their front yard was dug up for sewer work and there's a huge mound now where they dug. It looks awful.
That's my world on this gloomy, rainy day. I think the cooler temps. are here to stay. Which is good. I love fall.
Cindy
"Come by the hills to the land where fancy is free; And stand where the peaks meet the sky and the rocks reach the sea.Where the rivers run clear and the bracken is gold in the sun. and cares of tomorrow must wait till this day is done"--Loreena McKennit
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
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Bearclover
True Blue Farmgirl
2391 Posts
Bunny
Gig Harbor
Wa
USA
2391 Posts |
Posted - Oct 10 2014 : 9:04:07 PM
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Holly, it is common to pay a consignment fee. She needs to make some money too. After all, she is paying rent, utilities and paying employees. It's like I'm getting a wholesale price and marking up to retail so she can make a profit too. I'm ok with it. I was able to get her to take a lower commission. She wanted 50% for her and 50% for me. I talked her down to industry standard of 40/60.
As far as Etsy, my prices will stay the same there. But the clothes going in the store will be taken off of Etsy while they are in the store. If they come back unsold, they will go back on Etsy at their lower prices.
Holly, I applaud you with you and C being able to do the chickens in. I would have a hard time killing them. After that, I would be ok.
I spent the day sewing my labels into all the clothing going to SFO. Tomorrow I will be making the hang tags that have my information and the size and pricing. I'm trying to make them artsy and cool. Thankfully I'm only sending 12 garments to start. It is still a lot of work. It will be easier from now on now I have designed everything.
Bunny
Farmgirl number 3738
My blogs:
www.curiousorangecat.com
Handmade stuff http://www.curiousorangecat.etsy.com
Not all who wander are lost.../
Plan to improvise
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doll58maker
True Blue Farmgirl
2259 Posts
G
TX
USA
2259 Posts |
Posted - Oct 10 2014 : 10:01:49 PM
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Bunny, remember Edith Head almost went under before she made it big. You are doing all the right things. This is your true calling.
Cindy, I really enjoy your posts. I wish I could write as well as you do. Smart to get a new bird. It will lift your spirits and he/she/it sounds like a wonderful addition to the family. I love all pets. I'm just too lazy to clean up after a bird. They really make a mess. I once raised canaries for a while, and gouldian finches. It was really an interesting hobby. But lots of bird poop. I lived up in the north Georgia mountains and had a house with a walk out basement, with the garage underneath, like this one. Had the birds in cages, had some baby canaries. We left for the weekend and when we got home we went down to check on the birds and in the cage where all the babies were, there was a big black snake. He ate the birds and was too fat to get back out the wire cage. It made me so sick I sold all the rest of the birds and gave away all the stuff, and that was the end of that career. The mama was named Peaches because she was part red factor and part yellow, and so was a beautiful peach color. The papa was a georgeous red factor I named named Julio because he sang so beautifully. She had tried unsuccessfully to hatch eggs before and this time the days were up and we were just about to toss the eggs, went down one morning and there were three babies. Then only a few days later the damned snake got in through the garage. That snake did not escape with his life, but revenge did not make me feel better. I was sick over it for weeks |
Edited by - doll58maker on Sep 15 2019 8:31:02 PM |
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Bearclover
True Blue Farmgirl
2391 Posts
Bunny
Gig Harbor
Wa
USA
2391 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2014 : 10:03:38 AM
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Haha, GG I am no Edith Head! But I do enjoy what I'm doing and hopefully will evolve as I go along. I think if my clothes are going to be in a pricy artsy store in the City, I better step it up a bit though. It will be a fun challenge. I think if some decent money starts coming through my mom will stop harassing me to get a "real job".
I do know she is happy with what I am doing. It makes her look good too. A friend told me once that my mom and sister said they were just waiting for me to become a millionaire so I would take care of them. Ummm. I don't think so. At least not my sister. She is so on her own.
Btw, the bird store with the snake ...so sad. I'm glad that snake got its due.
Cindy, I'm glad you have a new family member to love. It does help. Good luck with the 100 mile project. Sounds like a good one. A little hard to do I. The winter though. Could do that around here in the summer easy as there is lots of fresh fruit and veggies. Local meat as well. But unless you can all that stuff for winter, not much you can do. Besides, I can't live without avocados, chocolate and coffee.
GG aren't neighbors wonderful? I had one like that when I had my house in California. I had to force him to have a survey done so he would put his fence in the correct place. He was a joy to work with. The only good thing about losing that house. I even disclosed him as a pest in my sales contract with the realtor.
Well, off to do dishes and then the sewing room to finish making artsy hang tags. I'll post a picture when I get them done.
Mar, we are still waiting for the modeling pictures. :)
Bunny
Farmgirl number 3738
My blogs:
www.curiousorangecat.com
Handmade stuff http://www.curiousorangecat.etsy.com
Not all who wander are lost.../
Plan to improvise
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doll58maker
True Blue Farmgirl
2259 Posts
G
TX
USA
2259 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2014 : 1:34:16 PM
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Oh, yeah, that's right Bunny---hey, Mar, now we want Pictures!
GG
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Edited by - doll58maker on Oct 11 2014 1:35:44 PM |
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Tall Holly
True Blue Farmgirl
2305 Posts
Holly
Worcester
Vermont
USA
2305 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2014 : 5:35:44 PM
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Good evening everyone,
I woke up sore this morning. I think my arms and shoulders were so tired that whatever way I slept made one of my hands go to sleep. It was very frustrating to have the tingling while I was trying to sleep but shortly after I woke up The tingling went away.
Yesterday when I wrote about scalding the birds it was just dipping them in hot water that was around 145 degrees. You had to dip them for 20 seconds or so and then check to see if the wing feathers would pull out easily. If they did not then you dipped again. They only smelled like dead wet chickens not like burning feathers. The nice thing about this plucker is that it cleaned the bird so well there were no pin feathers left. I have done the hold them over the flame on the stove to singe off the tiny feathers and that is no fun at all.
I would have a hard time killing the birds myself. I guess I could psych myself up to do it and after I had done a few it would not be so nauseating but I am more than glad to let someone else do it for me. I really do not mind gutting the birds.
DsC caught all of the birds and put them into the crates for calming before the kill. While he was in pen and around it he found some old clutches of eggs. I smelled this awful stink and it took me a while but I figured out that they were tossing the eggs onto the road to here them pop.
Today we walked up to a pond that is behind our property. I had never been there before. So, we meandered ourselves to it. It was very pretty with the yellow leaves reflecting in the still surface. On the way back we did not veer to the southwest enough so we ended up about a mile from the house through the woods. We did find the road and start walking home. We found the Ashram. It is some sort of meditation community on the property behind ours. The building was pretty and they have a stone bridge that is fascinating. Geez I need to figure out how to post pictures from this new computer.
Cindy I am glad you healed enough to get a new bird. I hope s/he lives long and sings beautifully.
GG I prefer to work as you do. Yesterday's marathon was just that. I am glad I do not need to do that very often.
Bunny good lick with the consignment shop. I bet there are shops like that in many of the larger cities. Maybe that would be another avenue for you to sell. I hope this one works out for you quickly.
Sweet dreams,
Holly
farmgirl #2499
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2014 : 5:58:21 PM
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There's something infinitely satisfying about driving the River Road between Alton and Grafton on a nice autumn day. No matter how many times you've driven it, it still inspires awe and a feeling of peace. People who live in Missouri say it's the best thing about this area. The river is on one side and the bluffs rise up along the road on the other side. The most beautiful time to drive it is when all the trees are in their full autumn glory. They haven't reached that point yet but when they do, all the sight-seers come out and the motorcycles can be seen (and heard--most definitely heard). I saw an experimental car--looked to be solar-powered--made by college students and out for a test drive. It reminded me of Speed Racer's car, the Mach 5. Only it was small and didn't go all that fast. So many things had been swirling around in my head before the drive, but afterwards serenity has come again. I'm serious. It's better than a drug.
GG--I've heard of snakes getting into people's basements and eating their birds. That must have been horrible. I don't blame you for selling your birds and getting out of breeding them. That's part of the reason I'm too chicken to get chickens (I know, bad pun)--I'm afraid some wild animal will kill and eat them. I don't want to get up one morning and find chicken parts strewn across my back yard.
Bunny--I'd like to see what kind of labels you come up with for your creations. You are very talented and maybe your mother and sister are secretly jealous of you.
I wonder how Jan did with her sale. She's probably too tired to post. I was going to say too pooped to post but somehow that didn't sound right.
Skye and Rainbow seem to be getting along pretty good, birds being flock animals naturally are attracted to each other.
The talk about local food was very good but then at the end some woman who worked at (gasp of horror) Monsanto got up and made a little speech. She wasn't asked to but just seized the opportunity to sound off about how Monsanto really isn't that bad. They're infiltrating our ranks--beware of Monsanto spies lurking at your local CSA. They probably read this forum to keep up on how much we've learned about their plans to take control of our food.
They're scared we're winning.
Cindy
"Come by the hills to the land where fancy is free; And stand where the peaks meet the sky and the rocks reach the sea.Where the rivers run clear and the bracken is gold in the sun. and cares of tomorrow must wait till this day is done"--Loreena McKennit
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
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doll58maker
True Blue Farmgirl
2259 Posts
G
TX
USA
2259 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2014 : 7:53:04 PM
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Cindy, I hope we are winning. It is impossible to know what to believe any more. I truly believe that 80 percent of our health depends on our diet. I believe the reason we have so much cancer is because of the toxins that we ingest in our food, water and air. Perhaps we will mutate like Monsanto's poisoned weeds and become more resistant to the new non-food stuff we eat. Being married to a conspiracy theorist does not help my fears about what is happening to us.
When I was around 10 years old, it became my job to go out to the chicken yard and catch and butcher the chicken for dinner. My mother taught me how. We had a hook that I think was an opened coat hanger, a sawed off tree stump, and a not so sharp axe. I picked out the chicken, hooked it, grabbed it by both legs so it wouldn't scratch me, laid it on the stump and whacked its head off, then flung it away from me while it flopped and bled. Then I skinned and gutted it, took it in the kitchen, cut it into pieces, including a wishbone, and floured up the pieces and mom fried it. It was the best fried chicken I have ever eaten. The breading was cooked directly on the meat and you could eat it all. I have never learned to like chicken skin. I had two brothers and we kept up with whose turn it was to pull the wishbone. we also had to take turns on who got that favorite piece of meat.
The trick in skinning the bird was to cut it properly so the craw stayed in tact, and then to skin it down to the butt and cut around carefully, then pull the intestines out so nothing got on the meat. If you messed up either of those places, the bird was ruined. I don't recall ever being bothered by doing this, it was the way of life.
I learned to cut with a knife at a very early age because we had to work. I don't remember not working.
This sounds a little gross now, but we are farm girls after all.
Now we get our chicken from a grocery store all nicely packaged and it is so nasty we can not get any raw chicken on anything, and it has been covered with chemicals to kill the filth it was processed in.
When we killed a hog we used every part of it. Mom had an old iron pot outside and we made lye soap in it from the fat off the hog.
But I'm telling you, the meat was so good back then. We raised our own food and it was clean and tasted like real food. Now I think if you were blind folded, you would have a hard time knowing exactly what you were eating.
We are going to look at a small, affordable house tomorrow. I am tired of housework and yard work that never ends, and every apartment/townhouse/condo is too close to someone who smokes or has some undesirable habit, so we've sifted it down to a little house in a retirement community. I can not leave my mother at this stage of her life and I don't want to leave my daughter, so finally this is the decision we have come to. The del webb community has three golf courses so that's all B had to hear and he forgot all other options. He asked tonight if I thought he could play maybe three times a week and I said yep, that works for me.
So much for my ramblings. Good night everyone. I wish for you a good, deep, restful sleep.
GG
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Edited by - doll58maker on Oct 11 2014 7:54:55 PM |
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Gathered Up: Over 50 Farmgirls |
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Over 50 Farmgirls
