late posting... So.. It might be a little rambling...

I made feta, and yogurt today. In between times of waiting for the cheese making, I did my nalbinding. I am almost done with the second sock. Last saturday my nalbinding teacher taught me a new stitch it is called the Åsle stitch( pro: ÅL ). The stitch that I am doing on my sock is one that I made up. The Åsle stitch is very fun to do so I am hurrying up on my sock so I can start somthing new with the Åsle stitch. I am thinking of doing a pair of socks for Izzy. Speaking of Izzy, My sister and bro-in -law (and the boys: Buddy and Izzy) came over this evening. She came to pick up a kombucha mushroom. I reacived in the mail this week two kombucha mushrooms from my friend Cora Beth. I am excited to try my hand at making kombucha tea! My sister also gave me some of her mold ripened cheeses to try out, They were really good. Me and her enjoy sharing cheese and cheese making tips and recipes that we come up with. It is alot of fun.

I have been locking up the kids in a triangular pen that I put in the fence. So then I can have full udders to milk in the morning. And now I have milk to make cheese! I got a order last week to make some cheese for some friends that we know. I am going to be making feta and other mold ripened cheeses. That is why I made yogurt today, for that is what I use for culture. Yesterday while at the market me and hannah and Olivia went yard-sailing. I found a really nice big pice of unbleached muslin. On the way home from the market we stopped at Junque&Necessities Shoppe. There I got a skirt and a shirt. then we stopped at the flea market to see if we could find a angel food cake pan. we did! And we got icecream there too. I got a really nice bowl there too.

When we got home I tried on the skirt it fit very nicely then I tried on the shirt and it was to small. so I let Hannah try it on and it was too small for her. So, today I gave it to my older sister when she came and it fits her! I told her it can be a early B-day gift from me to her. Her B-day is in a couple a weeks, today was a fine day. I had a slight sore throat last night and a little bit today. I ate some spoonfuls of raw honey and a clove of garlic and swallowed a C capsule. and drank lots of tea at dinner. Oh and should say that I might be making nan for a friend who has a food stand in T.C. I have been thinking about that and how it will all work out for me to get up there and help her out. I am going to be working for her on the 13 of June. There is a dairy fest at the commons that our family is going to be at. My friend is setting up her food stand at the fest and I am going to help her. She is going to be doing either Mexican,Armenian, or Indian foods. All my favorites! I really like making food and doing fun stuff with family and friends. So, I am really looking forward to that day! Well I better get to bed... Or do should I keep rambling on?... I am tired... But should I write more? Do you like this post? Comment please!!!!! Oh and one more thing: My friend Elizabeth( yes I am quite fond of that name and am quite fond of her ) has a blog and she really wants more people to visit and comment on her blog, so please go over there now and leave a comment. She is such a sweet friend. Go here@ leaningonjesussafefromallalarms.blogspot.com

The cheeses that my sis brought over for me to try

They were good!

Mama made perogis

Me and hannah both found some really nice baskets at an estate sale on friday on way back from T.C. village market

Also at there, there was a spinning wheel that I tried out. I did not get it for it was a flax wheel and that spool was too small for the amount of yarn that I like to make at a time. But it was fun to try out, becouse the people had never seen a wheel used, so that was nice that I was able to show them. They enjoyed it. One older man comes up and the other older man says:" Look She's goin' ta make us'a blanket! "

Look at this beautiful raw cheddar. It tasted really good! Our friends were selling their own goat's milk cheeses at the market. They have a small goat dairy and cheese house and they are making some really great cheeses!

I'll probley be posting pictures of my socks when they are done. So until whenever...

Praise the Lord, it's Christ His glory

Praise the Lord, my song my story

Of the life that's found in dying

And the joy that comes by crying

Of the love that's shown

By laying down my life

It's of sorrow and suffering

Now known as joy and peace

Praise the Lord bless His name

I have been set free

~ R.A.~

You have given me breath to sing. For this I am thankful. I can not live without you. As I walk this way, as you hold my hand, as you take me on, I know that your love is with me and it goes on and on. In this life there are many horizons that I do not know, but I wait in expectation for what is to come, and in this place I have found rest and joy and peace. This place is you. You have brought me to this place. You have prepared this place for me. Will it ever be that everyone knows this place? How will you draw them? A light is shining and it is bright and the eyes of the blind are being opened and the lame are walking and the sick are made well. Rejoice for the Lord our God is strong to save. He will deliver from the bondage of death and bring life to the ones in darkness. Have hope and look to the one who is delivering all and bringing all into His light and life. He is springing up a well of water in the dry place. Come and drink of this water. He is this water. Like a mighty river His spirit flows through and washes and works an inward cleansing, bringing deliverance and making whole the heart that was broken. His spirit dwells within the heart and rules the whole body. Step into this river and let Him wash and bring deliverance to your soul. Take no thought for saving your life. You life is not your own. Let Him flood your soul and carry you away and let you and yourself and all that you want and your will, and give it all to Him and be lost in Him. All will know and see Christ Jesus and bow down before him and worship Him, and know that He is Lord of their life. "At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, of things in earth, and things under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" phil. 2:10-11. There will be a time that all will come to know Jesus as their Lord and will bow before him and fall on their knees and worship Him. He has drawn me and is drawing me closer to Himself each day. So He can work in any heart even a heart as hard as a stone. All men will come to the light and see the face of God. "All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee.

For the Kingdom is the Lord's: and He is the governor among the nations.

All they that be fat upon the earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before Him: and none can keep his own soul alive.

A seed shall serve Him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

They shall come, and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that He hath done this". Ps. 22:27:31

When I see the people around me that God has created for his pleasure. I see hearts that are made to love and to know love, the love of the Father. They will know this love though Jesus. Jesus is coming to the hearts and is healing them. He is healing the nations. He is bringing them unto himself and the light of Him. I find the best way to reach a heart that is needing him is by prayer. When He wants me to say something He will tell me. I want to be open to whatever Jesus has for me. What does He want me to do? What does He want me to say? Where does He want me to go? By His spirit He will make everything known. I will wait on the Lord and in His timing He will tell me.

Unless the Father draws him, no man can see His face, and when the Father draws him it is only by His grace. Oh Lord I pray you draw me with every breath I take and change my life forever that I may see your face.

Come and let us go unto the mountain of the Lord and to the house of our God. And He will teach us of His ways and we will walk in His path for the law shall go forth out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

Jesus is Beautiful!

And Jesus makes beautiful things in my life.

Something so small inside, but I know it is alive. It was planted long ago, Before the earth began it was there and I know it will always be. And each day I can feel it closer and closer and it draws me closer still. Like a breeze on the wind I can feel it stronger and sometimes less but still the same it is always there. Softly and quietly it comes to stay and I know it is there, even when I do not see it. It was given by your hand and I will cherish it forever. And when my life is over it will still go on and on. It is you and what you are. You come and make it known to me in your lovely way that you have always done. Your life though me, flows on forever, It touches lives and spreads on forever. How beautiful! How beautiful the hands that move and the feet that walk and the mouth that speaks and the eyes that see and the ears that hear. The life that lives in you. And moves in you. How beautiful! The beloved and the lover of my soul. The one who I run to. My rock. My high tower, the forever abiding never ending love of my life.

Oh no! I did it again!

Ok, Mama mixed up some bread dough and I stared the fire. She did all the pats and folds and got the bread up to the bake. I had to bake the bread. I put it in the oven when the oven was way too hot. I had to bake 12 loaves I was able to fit 10 in the oven. Just as I was putting the last one in I smelled a burnt smell. I thought Oh no! Mama said no burnt bottoms! I looked at loaves. They were all white. The ones in the back had a slight bit of brown on the sides and smoke coming from the bottom. I quickly flipped one up and what my eyes saw was black, burnt to a crisp! I tried to take the loaf out. It flipped over on it's back and got smashed on the wall. That happened because the top was still dough like. I left it there. Checked on the other loaves and found them in the same condition as the first. I got those out with not a little difficulty. They were all burnt on the bottom except two plus the two that did not fit in the oven. I put all the partially baked, partially burnt loaves on a table with a rack. I ran inside the house and got a bread knife. The younger brothers were close by. I started cutting off the burnt bottoms. I said to Nathanael. "Nathanael I think I am the most embarrassed as I can get". He says "what happened". I says "I am not going to say". He comes up to see. And then he runs to the back door and calls " Mama Grace burnt the bread!" Mama comes and sees what happened. she says" well there are two that still have to bake so thats good".

I let the oven cool down a bit while I sat on the white swing and did some nalbinding on my sock that I have been working on for the last couple days. When I thought the oven was cooled enough I put the cut-off loaves +the two that did not burn back in the oven. The two that did not fit in the oven at the start were still in the house, waiting. After putting them in, I went in the house and did some more nalbinding on my sock. I was in there for while then went out and checked on the bread. It was fine so I came back in. After a while David comes in starts reading a book. Then He says " Have you checked on the bread?, I smelled a burning smell when was out there". I said "I better go check it out". It my mind I said "He probably smelled the burnt parts that I cut off. (they were right by the oven). But No, When I got out there they were burnt again. I took them out. They were not all burnt just some of them on the bottoms. This is the second time that I have burnt bread by putting it into the oven when it was two hot. This time I did alot better attitude wise. Last time I went up in my room and bawled. Last time I let someone else finnish the loaves. Last time I was terribly tired, Last time none of the loaves turned out. This time I was not tired, I could have baked 12 more loaves if I had them. This time two of the loaves turned out great. This time I laughed about it right away. This time I finished them even though they did not turn out. I wonder what the next burnt episode will be like!

Now here are some pictures that I took yesterday.

The clay oven

My nalbinding

A lamb that was born a few days ago

our buck

These are the lambs that were born. She had two rams

Auddie and her kid. We named all our kids.

Here are the names that we named them

Nymph

Luppy

Hendery

Giddin

Bella

Parmesan

This little brown kid is Nymph, I think Enoch named him.

His mothers name is Autumn. I call her Auddi for short.

Here in MI we pronounce our Ts as Ds so... If you were wondering how I got the name.

We pronounce autumn as auddum

Here are some lambs that were born at 1:00 am yesterday. She had a ram and a ewe.

David making a nalbinding needle.

Here is is when it was done. I think he did great.

A robins nest in the apple tree

seedlings

This is how we have it set up in the barn for the seedlings

These are my marigolds that I started. I grow them to put on salads and sell them at the market. they are miniature marigolds.

These are my flowers that I started about a week ago. There is Calendula, Babie's breath, Dianthus, and woad.

My zinnias

Well thats all. I am glad I was able to do a post! I was not able to do one all week. I think this is what I will be doing from now on. Is a post a week. It works out so much better for me and what goes on here. I woke up pretty early this morning 5:40. So that is why I was able to do such a long post. Plus I had already put the pictures on yesterday. But now I must go for a busy day is ahead of me. At 9:30 my sister is coming to pick up me an Hannah and we are going with her into TC. She has to go to the dentist and me and Hannah are going to take care of the dear little nephews. I am happy and excited today. I am looking forward to what the Lord has to teach me today. He has been teaching me alot lately and I am thankful and full of Joy and Peace. I am Believing in Him and trusting and rejoicing in time to come!

Nålbinding

I learned something! It is a hand skill called nålbinding. Nålbinding predates knitting and crocheting. It is worked with one needle,both hands and yarn. A man at the village in T.C. taught me how to do it last saturday. He taught me how to do the York stitch. There are many other different stitches that I still have yet to learn. Last night I figured out how to do a stitch called Oslo. The next one I am going to try to learn is the Broden stitch. It is a tighter stitch that is good for socks. I traded eggs and popcorn for the needle that he made.

After coming home from the market and after doing the milking I sat down in the living room and practiced the stitch that I learned. I made a big chain. Then took it out.

This is a close up of the needle going in to make a stitch

I started making a fingerless mitt

This is the first one just about done.

I used scraps of hand spun yarn that I had left over from other projects.

Here I am starting one the second mitt. I had the first one on my hand for fun while I was making the second one.

It was a rainy day. A nice day to sit inside by the warm wood stove and work quietly with my hands. And it is always better yet when someone comes along so two of us can enjoy it together! I had a nice fun time with my sister Hannah. While I was nålbinding, she was making a nålbinding needle. If you would like, you can read her post about that

here is the link "Hannah's Needle"

It took about a day to make them. I did not work on them all the time. I started them yesterday and finished them today.

I really like them!

Here is another thing that I got done. And I am so excited!

Yep! It is the sock for David! I finished the heel today. Now I just have to do the rest of the leg on the second one and the second heel and they will be a finished pair of socks. I am so happy! So is David! He has been waiting awhile for these. He is going to trade two buckskins for these socks.

Today's doings/pics

I got up early milked the goats and cow. I mixed up two batches of dough one rye/wheat and one all rye. Then I quickly ate some lentils and a glass of fresh warm milk. I hopped into the waiting truck and me and mama and Rebecca were off to her house. Hannah stayed home to take care of the household duties and do the pats and folds on the bread dough. Daddy got the clay oven going for me. I took care of my nephews while my sister Rebecca went to the dentist.

I had a lot of fun with them. Izzy is one year old now and he is trying to do everything that his older brother does. But then it's kinda funny because then Buddy sees the babyish things that Izzy does and tries to imitate them so I then will give attention to him. For example: Izzy tries to push a cushion of the couch (They were trying to make a house) and he does not have quite enough man power to do it, so he whimpers for me to help him, so I help him. Then Buddy does the same thing and imitates all the little baby antics that his younger brother does. So then I help him in the same way. Then he gives me a big smile. It is funny! The younger one trying to be big and the older trying to be little! They are the most adorable little children that I know! I love them so much. I made tortillas with Buddy. He really enjoyed rolling them out. We had them with scrambled eggs for lunch. He calls eggs "eet-eets" that is his name for chickens, you know the sound that chickens make? He does not call animals by their name. He calls them by their sound that they make. It is so cute. Cow is "moo", Pig is a sound that I do not know even how to write, he makes this sound deep in his throat and it sounds just like a pig grunting maybe like this "Roughuufgh". Horse is "eeEEEeee", cat is "Eeeeeeeew!" Dog is "wuhwa! wuhwa!" and the funny thing is the only animal that he will say the name is rabbit he says it like this "ravit". Rebecca brought me and mama home and she stayed for awhile and visited with us all. When we got home Hannah had the bread ready to be shaped and put into the baskets. I did that and looked at the fire in the oven to see when it would be ready. Then I helped the Enoch &Nathanael wash eggs for the market tomorrow we washed 15 dozen. David left early this morning to go to a class in T.C. I am sure he will be posting about that in the near future on his blog. You can get to his blog on my side bar. It was a class about holistic farming. He is going to go tomorrow on a farm tour and a cookout on one of the farms while we all are at the market selling stuff. After we got the eggs washed and my sister left with her family, I baked the bread. Then just as I was getting the bread out of the oven David came home. He had hitched a ride for there and back with one of our friends who works in T.C. so that turned out real well for him. After baking the bread, Oh and one of the reasons why I baked bread today is because last week on saturday someone at the village market asked me to baked them two loaves. And when I bake, I a bake for my family too, so I baked 9 loaves today. Ok, so after baking I heated up some soup that I made the other day and we had that with fresh bread and a salad from the garden. After that I went out and milked the goats. They were in the barn because it was raining today so Hannah brought them in there. Goats don't really like the rain, Sheep don't really mind it. We like to bring our goats into the barn when it is raining a cold and wind driven rain. After milking I strained the milk of course then I put the chevre in a cheese cloth.

I started some chevre last night, I can't have bread with no cheese if there is fresh milk around. Then I clear, rinsed, and stacked the dinner dishes. Came into the living room and read a few chapters in a Mr Tucket book to Nathanael. Loaded some pics onto blogger. Then prayed with my family. And now writing this post. and now publishing it and now Good night!

For tomorrow is another early rising day. I like market day! I look forward to it ever day of the week. I am going to bring the spinning wheel and ply the yarn that I have been working on.

Buddy

Izzy

washing "eet-eets"

rye/wheat

rye

close up of the rye

this one is going to be so yum with cheese!

I had hannah take these bread pics with the chalk board for the background because the numbers on there are my morning figures for the mix of the dough.

Good night Folks!

I hope you enjoyed this post!

killdeer babies and spring days

David holding killdeer chicks

This afternoon David came in from the field and told us to come out and see something that he found. So we all ran out there to see these little fuzzy killdeer chicks. They are so cute. I held one of them. That was the first time I had ever held one of these tiny baby birds. Killdeer chicks are different than other baby birds. Most birds hatch without any fuzz and stay in the nest. Killdeer hatch with fuzz like a baby chicken and are ready to run around right after they hatch. It is so fun to watch them run after their parents. This has been the most wonderfullest of springs! I have been enjoying everyday of it. The past few days are starting to feel like summer.

very warm in the day and thunder storms at night.

On sunday we planted our field of corn.

This whole field is now planted in all corn. It is the corn that we use for baking and cook with. And feed for the chickens and pigs.

It was so much fun to all be out there planting seeds.

David made a place to plant the corn

Then Enoch and Nathanael put four seeds in place.

Daddy, Hannah and I covered them up.

Now there is about one thousand mounds out there that have four corn seeds in them waiting in the ground, getting ready to grow into corn plants. I think seeds are so amazing. Just think of everything that is in one seed. It is just amazing! Our God is amazing! I am so glad He made all these things for us to enjoy.

We worked out there all day. It was a little cloudy in the morning. By afternoon the sun was really shining. Now I have red arms and neck.

The new fencing came, so now the all animals are out on the grass.

Autumn is getting used to getting milked off the stand.

Shwanli and...

Hopli

are used to being milked out in the pasture.

It has been really nice having fresh goat's milk again.