Thistle Cove Farm

Get Expelled

Ben Stein has done it again! www.getexpelled.com is his new  site and No Intelligence Allowed is an "upcoming feature film in which host Ben Stein (Ferris Bueller's Day Off) goes on a quest to expose the suppression by science's anti-theist elite, and unveil new scientific facts that may suggest evidence of intelligent design in the universe." (from the site)

If you homeschool, send your children to public or private school, teach Sunday School, hold a place of authority in your community, church or place of business then YOU/WE need to see this film and visit the website.

It's past time Christians stopped worrying about not being PC (politically correct), being afraid they will hurt someone's feelings, thinking someone else will do something. Nope. Sorry. It's time for Each One of Us to Do Something.

You ask, "do what?" The answer...what you can, how you can, when you can...the time is NOW. Prayer in school is gone because we Christians didn't speak out. The murder of millions of innocents (abortions) because we Christians didn't speak out.

Stuff envelopes, staff phones, pray, open your home and hearts and, perhaps most importantly, teach the next generation the importance of taking a stand. Like the old feller once said, "if you stand for nothing, you'll fall for anything."

Agape and shalom.

Christmas Eve 2007

It's Christmas Eve and the weather has turned a bit colder; it was below freezing last night but still above "normal" for this time of year. The Christmas moon is full and pregnant with anticipation. Even as full as it is, I don't believe it would dim the star that led the wise men to the Christ child. It's said that on Christmas Eve, around midnight, the animals regain their speech and talk about that long ago night. My beliefs are Bible based but not held to the limited imagination of men or women. The Bible speaks of unicorns and I firmly believe unicorns existed...long ago and in memory time dimmed so we humans speak of them as fanciful or figments of imaginations.

Not so! The God of All Creation, the Alpha and Omega, who made life forms we have yet to discover, much less understand, made unicorns. And humans, being the ungrateful creation we have shown ourselves to be, hunted them into extinction. As we have hunted and killed into extinction so many others of His creation and are the poorer for having done so.

Do I believe animals speak? Absolutely! I'm not quite ready to believe they speak English, my language. I know for certain they understand English, my language, for they listen to me and understand words I'm telling them. They know their names and come when called. I believe it was, once, a Very Different World that world of Adam and Eve. When God walked with them in the Garden, in the cool of the day, each and all live in harmony and peace, no want, no worries. It wasn't the animals who changed things and not for the better.

I've been at the barn at midnight on Christmas Eve and listened to the animals talk to each other. Mostly, it's in sighs and murmurs; the horses tend to nuzzle each other and when I arrive, some of them will come and lay their heads on my shoulders. I wrap my arms around as many as I can touch and we stand there, almost silent, caught up in the mystery. Sometimes I'll go into the sheep pasture and sit on a rock while the sheep crowd around me, fighting for the opportunity to have their noses kissed or their chins scratched. I've asked them, both horses and sheep, what their distant kin have said down through the ages but no one is telling family secrets.

Our dogs are elderly and two of the three don't understand my need to be with the animals on such a Holy Eve but, they go with me, grumbling all the way. The Jack Russell, Abigail, is delighted to be out in the middle of the night and goes on a tear as she searches night smells and sounds. Dave thinks I'm crazy and warns me against getting sick, or, getting sicker. I've been ill for the past six weeks and am, only now, gaining my strength.

Yesterday's church service was, as always, thought providing and provoking. During one prayer, Pastor Jim said, "forgive us when we seek amusement instead of fulfillment."

I'd never really thought about it before but amusement is so temporary, so transient and ephermeral while fulfillment brings about satisfaction and a sense of fullness and well-being. Fulfillment also suggests an end, perhaps after being sated. As I've aged, I find more joy and satisfaction in activities that bring fulfillment. Frequently, such activities are also amusing such as gathering with fiber friends and spinning, knitting or quilting; though rarely do I find amusement also fulfilling.

Christmas is fulfilling as well as fulfillment. I didn't put up a tree but there are Nativity scenes scattered throughout the house and studio. My gifts aren't wrapped but will be surrounded by tissue paper and tucked into stockings. There's no traditional meal planned but Dave is making crab and lobster soup and with cheese, crackers and a tempting Merlot we'll have a divine feast. Perhaps we'll open a bottle of bubbly instead; there's a nice Saint Hilaire we've been saving.

We spent yesterday afternoon, gathered at the Thompson Valley fire and rescue squad building sharing a covered dish luncheon. Afterwards, we all stood on both sides of several 6 foot tables, end to end, and stuffed bags full of candy, pencils, pads, posters, fruits and other giveaways. The fire engines are going throughout the valley, as I write this, giving bags to every child.

Last week, Dave was able to visit his Mother and sister; perhaps I'll visit my family next week. In the meantime, we'll spend Christmas at home, in the company of each other and our animals.

Contented and fulfilled.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holydays.

she panted, catching her breath ~ sweat streams pouring and steam rising from her body.  the baby, wet and bloodied ~ dark face, dark eyes, dark skin ~ willingly shoved into the world. he, taking wisps of hay ~ trying to clean his son ~ fear making him clumsy. she held out her arms ~ took her robe's hem and wiped ~ then swaddled Him in her death shroud. only for the moment ~ peace and stillness ~ with the warmth of love and the animals.

Blessings ~ Christmas and the Christ child ~ family ~ friends ~ fulfillment ~ being able to give unto others ~ a little country church filled with the saints of God ~

Works for Me Wednesday

I stumbled across Rocks in My Dryer and something called "Works for Me Wednesday" at http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/ and she asks for ideas and tips making one's life easier. It's a really cute idea and, while I've not completed reading all the tips...probably won't for that matter...not enough time to do what I need to do much less what I want to do...I have enjoyed both her blog and the tips/hints of others.

Some of you know my 93+ year old mother in law lives with us and recently...just a few days ago...I found out the two most "at risk" items for caregivers are both health related. High blood pressure and lowered, or compromised, immune system.  I have both.

Exercise will help lower my blood pressure and I've found elderberry extract will help boost my immune system. Other than being a satisfied user, I have nothing to gain by saying Sambucol is our preferred brand of elderberry extract. It was developed by an Israeli female scientist and Dave, my doubting Thomas husband, absolutely *swears* by the stuff. Sambucol is good for viral, not bacterial, illnesses but it does seem to work wonders. At least, that's been our experience; your mileage may vary.

It comes in both a syrup and in an extract. The syrup is used when cold symptoms appear, taking two tablespoons every six hours. The extract is mixed in water and a few ounces drank every day to boost the immune system.

Like I say, I gain nothing by this little "commercial"  except the satisfaction of passing along good news. And, in a sometimes...or is it mostly?...frosty world, that's good enough.

Live well, love much and don't forget to treat your body like a temple...not like a tent!

God's blessings on you, yours and the work of your hands and heart.

Fiber Femmes

Nelson Mandela

cutting grass

You are either a 'liner'; you cut the grass neatly, row by row, sometimes on a diagonal and sometimes parallel, or you are a 'boxer'- you mow around the perimeter of the lawn, around and around, making the box smaller with each pass. 

So which are you?  A liner or a boxer?

Whoops! I cut in circles and have the most fun!

Scheduled Shows

Ten Things I'm Planning to do this Summer

1.   find a church home

2.   travel to eastern Europe

3.   learn to saddle & ride my horses

4.   train my untrained horses to saddle

5.   host a natural dye day @ Thistle Cove Farm

6.   de-clutter the house, barns & farm office

7.   travel to fiber festivals for fun & teaching jobs

8.   spend more time w/my family & friends

9.   spin enough yarn to knit a shawl for me

10. finish the two books I've begun writing

Happy Mother's Day from children

Lovely Rainy Day Sabbath

We've had lovely, lovely rain since last night and the thirsty Earth has been drinking it up. The sheep are weary of dragging around wet fleeces but at least the heat isn't causing them to stroke out on me. The horses are tired of dealing with the rain but I'm loving it!

We've been in a deficit situation due to lack of rain and this rain is a blessing.

Dave's birthday is today and he wanted to go see Mission Impossible 3 or MI3 as I learned it's called. Tom Cruise is the lead and he's very good; his acting skills aren't very challenged but considering his actions of late, perhaps that's a good thing. Friends who like to keep up with "Hollywood" keep me informed of these things. Anyway, it's a good popcorn muncher and we enjoyed it and each other's company.

I've been knitting a scarf of my own design and enjoying that process. I'm keeping a record of what I knit and that's a first. I've been knitting and giving away and haven't a clue what I've knitted nor what I've given away over the years.

I'm also writing down my patterns and will sell those at the few festivals I'll attend this year. I'm a tad slow sometimes...it took me a while to realize I can knit someone once and sell it or I can write down the pattern and sell that quite a few times.

The Knitting Pattern a Day Calendar 2006 and 2007 both have some of my patterns. Paulette Lane has been very gracious to me and I've enjoyed both her as an Editor and the process; she's taught me much.

Leslie, over at Greenberry House, has a new venture called Gossamer Strands. She and her co-editor of Blue Ridge Gazette have started GS as a blog on fine fibers. Lots of good and useful information and photographs and well worth a visit for that alone if you're not a fiber person.

Down the road a bit is the "Lassie House". It's where the 50th Anniversary movie "Lassie Come Home" was filmed and this is the lovely old lane. During the wet times of the year, there's a creek that flows  through the bridge in the lane and every time I see this sight, I wonder at who built it and when.

Our valley is full of such sights; the first Anglo settlers came here in the mid-1700's and found it a beautiful place to settle and put down roots. It's said this valley reminds folks of Scotland, Wales and probably Ireland and England as well. I love living here, in this valley and there's not a day that goes by that I don't Thank God for His gift of this beautiful place to live.

Friday Five

Appetizer - dog breed...hmmm...Probably Jack Russell. Out of our three dogs (hound, Jack, Aussie shepherd/Corgi mix), I'm most like the Jack. Play hard, work hard, sleep hard.

Soup - sunny disposition - most times yellow, some times blue.

Salad - olives, pine nuts, pepperocini (is that how it's spelled?)

Main Course - the first name that *popped* into my head was Diana, Princess of Wales - after she got her life together and began doing extensive charitable work for so many good causes. She was really coming into her own, becoming more comfortable with herself, her children, her life. There's a time to every season but I was sorry she died young. And her boys...to lose a mother at such a tender age. People do every day but that doesn't stop the sorrow.

Dessert - Favorite beverage is my well water. We live in a valley where the underground rivers and springs run through limestone. Limestone makes for the sweetest water immaginable and very delicious!

Tea and Biscotti in the morning

We have hard, very hard, water at Thistle Cove Farm. Our valley is the largest karst area in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the limestone does two things - makes the water hard but also makes it incredibly sweet. If you've never tasted sweet water, you've missed out. Our well was dug to six hundred feet and we think we might have hit a branch of the underground river that runs through this valley. BTW, a karst area means there are underground caves and in our valley, that means underground limestone caves. One only has to ride down the road to see huge sunken spaces where the dipped ground is slowly but surely sinking and will eventually cave in, leaving a hole. Some people use these holes to dispose of "whatever" but we won't go there.

Tazewell County has water that originates here but goes somewhere else. We have no water flowing into the county and that leaves us in a difficult place. The "powers that be" have yet to grasp the idea that water, not people, is the primary consideration when thinking about industrial development. People will always come to where the good jobs are but if there's not water, there's no job, good or otherwise. It's just that simple. One person told me our county has water and he explained about the water tower - the lone water tower - against the edge of town. "But where does that water come from to get into the tower?" I asked him. He stared at me as if I were a dim-witted child who had no hope of ever understanding.

Water is and will continue to be our most precious primary resource. China is already encountering problems because they forsee, in the very near future (my lifetime) of running out of water for their people. The good folks of India have raised arms against huge corporations who have tried to gain total control of water rights in that country. If memory serves me correctly, it was Monsanto who went to the mat when the farmers in India attacked with rakes and hoes.

We have yet to reach that mark in this country but we will...in due course and in due time, we will.

So, where is the water going? Is it possible we've always had enough water but now we have too many people? One theory is the way we bury our dead in the United States. For every person who is dead and buried in an enclosed box, three to four gallons of water is sealed with the body. That's three to four gallons of water which will never be recovered.

We're supposed to drink about a gallon of water a day to maintain good health. We use a few gallons for meal preparation, to wash our teeth. The huge consumption comes when we wash clothes or our automobiles or, God forbid, water our lawns. The gray water from washing clothes can be recaptured and used for gardens or, if one must, water the lawn. That is, if the local authorities allow gray water capture. Some don't, you know.

I have a rain barrel or two set up around the farm and use that water for plants, gardens, washing equipment, etc. For those who are anxious about mosquitoes, a bit of oil floating on the top of the water will prevent mosquitoes.

When making a pot of tea, I always prep the pot and that bit of hot water goes into another container to be poured, after cooling, into the dog's water dish. Perhaps I seem overly concerned about water but if you've ever had to do without water or had to pay for a well to be drilled, you know what I mean.

Tea is thought of as so civilized perhaps because of the English and their high tea. Long before the English, all over the world people were drinking tea for the flavor, for the health benefits, for the caffeine. Today I made chi tea, a flavored tea that I drink with milk and sugar. That's overkill, yes, but, for me, tea is comfort food. Tea is to me what meat loaf and potatoes are to others.

The water is brought almost to a boil in a tea kettle. The tea pot is set out on a wooden board and about one-half cup of the almost boiling water is poured into the pot. This is called prepping the pot and is helpful in preventing the pot from breaking when poured to the top with boiling water.

I swish that hot water around, getting the sides of the pot thoroughly heated and then hold the pot so the hot water is allowed into the spout. Once the pot is heated, I pour that water into another container to be used elsewhere. Today I used teabags (other days loose tea) and stuffed them into the pot and poured hot water over them. On went the lid, then the woolen tea cozy and the whole thing steeped for about five minutes. In the meantime, my cup was parepared for the tea. A generous amount of cream was poured into the cup and then the whole thing was heated in the microwave for a few seconds. Raw sugar was added, stirred and then the waiting began.

After the tea finished steeping, it was added to my cup and I sat down with my Bible and the hot cup of tea.

Aaaaahhhhhh! This moment is really good and with a few biscotti on a small serving plate I've started my day with TLC for me. One thing I've learned in life is when I don't take care of me, I can't take care of other people. Taking care of me comes in many forms...a small pot of tea in the morning, a few walks throughout the day, daily devotions. After my quiet time, I'm ready to begin chores, to start work.

God's blessings on you, yours and the work of your hands.

April showers, Organizing & Friday Feast

Here's looking at YOU!

One gift of the day is the most welcomed and needed RAIN! Hurrah and Thank You Lord not just for the rain but for the quiet rain that's feeding a thirsty land. We're heading into a drought situation in southwest Virginia and rain is number one on both my needs and wants list.

Thank You, Lord, thank You.

I'm devoting a lot of today to cleaning and straightening some of the house, certainly not all of the house...that's an insane idea!  No need to overdo. The office desperately needs organizing and what I've usually done in the past is "read" about organizing and then didn't have time left over to actually organize. I'm changing tactics...today I'm writing a blog entry...no more of that procrastination in *reading* about doing it...I'm going to actually THINK about doing it! (By now, you're supposed to either be laughing or nodding in agreement.)

By a show of hands...how many of you do similarily? Bold confession time --- I've always thought of extremely organized people as "is there a hyphen in anal rentative?" but you know what? I'm a disorganized, pack rat slob and am sitting up and heeding the advice of organized folks. They have a LOT to say that's useful and needed in this household. Dave is -gasp, shudder- even more disorganized than I and that makes for a highly dangerous and flammable situation.

"Honey, do you know where to find _____? (fill in the blank) "Nope, but let me help you look" and then we both spend a tee total waste of time looking for something that should have its own little nesting place.

So, after having answered the Friday Five I'm off the computer and getting a bit more organized. Although, to paraphrase Alice, "how can one get a bit more organized when one isn't organized at all?"  Blast that girrrrlll's smartness!

Friday Feast:

Appetizer - salty snacks unless I'm craving chocolate and then I'm flexible

Soup - no board games, thanks. I prefer spinning, knitting and weaving.

Salad - painted background of lovely jeweled earth tones

Main course - oxymoron because I like the way it sounds

Dessert - barefoot in house, moccasins for town errands and boots for barn/farm chores

God's blessings on you, yours and the work of your hands.

Happy Easter & after sheep shearing day...

was in uniform as Johnny Reb and told people of the life of a Confederate soldier. The non-profit CEE's mission statement "..Securing our Future through the Preservation of our Cultural Heritage.." and does so by working with both gifted and at-risk students. Their three-pronged approach uses Living History, Aerospace Education and Genealogical Studies to promote pride among the region's residents and to "encourage the youth and adults of the area to develop their potential and increase their knowledge".

Richard Vogel is an expert woodworker and uses only antique or handmade tools to make benches, hay rakes, hay forks, grain shovels, spoons, stools and other useful, decorative wooden items. A couple of years ago, Richard made us a king size bed using massive cherry tree trunks and putting the whole thing together with pegs. It's an incredible piece of work!

Charlie Butcher, luthier, came and brought his lovely family including his beautiful first grandchild, Benjamin. It's been said babies are God's opinion the world should go on. Who could look at this precious child and disagree?


 

Sheep Shearing Day

Sheep Shearing Day is tomorrow and

I am NOT ready!

Ya'll pray

*we'll have dry, and not wet, sheep to shear.

*for safety for humans and animals alike.

*traveling mercy for those coming.

and

God's blessings on us and the work of our hands.

Agape & Shalom...

Sheep Shearing Day @ Thistle Cove Farm

Out Like a Lion

Friday Feast, March 24, 2006

Appetizer - pasta

Volvo - Steady, dependable, safe; I'm the kind of friend who can be called upon at three in the morning but mean, cruel people have no welcome in our home or in my space.

Orvis for a shopping spree or Harrods in London (I've never been to London but seems as good a place to shop as any!)

Television re-runs - favorites are Andy Griffith, British Broadcasting such as the series on the Scots bobby, Hamish McBeth (I think) and the Scots show on the huge estate in the north of Scotland (I have the same problems remembering to watch as I do remembering the names . I'm not a big television watcher.) I like some of the British murder mysteries such as those made from P. D. James, Elizabeth George and other authors. I'd LOVE to see re-runs of Sky King and Penny! I also like Roy Rogers and Dale Evans re-runs.

Look into the future...no thanks. I have my hands full dealing with today. What's the Good Book say...something to the effect of letting the evils of today be enough for today...I have no desire to see into the future.

Three Most Favorite Things to Wear (in winter)

The Lost Arts Guild

The Southern Appalachians have a rich tradition and heritage that have their roots in the earliest Anglo-pioneers of North America. As those earliest pioneers moved westward, they brought with them a lifestyle that supported them in their move.

Stores and other places of business didnÂ’t exist on the early frontier. People were either adept at making clothing, shelter and either growing or killing food or they died. Only the strongest and heartiest survived to pass along their genes to their offspring.

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs states that “food, shelter and clothing are needs; everything else are wants”. The earliest Anglo settlers knew this on an intimate level and could either provide for their every need or barter/trade with other skilled folks.

Blacksmiths would shoe horses, make nails, gun parts, knives and wagon rims for wheels, candleholders, door hinges and the like. Wood workers made wagons, cabins, tables, chairs, serving vessels, garden hoes and those things needed for shelter. Women were spinners and weavers making clothing and linens. They would save precious garden and flower seed for both food and beauty. Every frontier wife and mother also had a medicinal herb garden where feverfew and willow bark (precursor of aspirin) would calm headaches. Boneset would lessen the symptoms of influenza and comfrey was used to stop heavy bleeding and to aid in healing wounds and broken bones.

Children were given chores at an early age and would gather eggs from the setting hens, hoe weeds from the garden, gather firewood and card wool for the spinners. Boys would be given guns and taught to hunt as young as six or eight, depending upon size.

Every hand was needed for survival and everyone had many jobs and was expected to help. Chores would increase in scope and importance as children grew in age and size.

As time went by nails could be bought in a barrel in the store, bolts of cloth were purchased from the mills of the northeast, furniture was ready made and oil lamps replaced candles. People could afford the luxury of making things for the pleasure of making them. As money became a more easily obtainable commodity, people began buying mass produced items and things like spinning wheels and niddy noddyÂ’s lay unused.

Life is cyclical though and, in time, what was old is new again.

“A group of like-minded Southern Appalachian folk who do things the old-fashioned way, one at a time, with their hands” got together because “artists and artisans value their connections with the mountains and with the long traditions of craftsmanship in rural highland Virginia.”

The Lost Arts Guild was born of a need to see the old ways not only reclaimed but shared with others. The Lost Arts Guild (LAG) was formed to celebrate our rich mountain heritage and to bring together people who enjoyed making things and keeping our culture alive.

The mission statement reads, “to provide a nurturing atmosphere in which crafts-people and artists, using natural and or organic materials may expand their areas of expertise and have a market-place to sell their wares. Further, to educate others by teaching our arts and crafts.”

Members believe strongly in not only supporting each other but also provide a venue for others to see first hand how a bench is carved from a tree trunk or how yarn is spun from sheepÂ’s wool. LAG members take great pleasure in demonstrating their craft and go to great lengths to demonstrate and teach the history behind the spun yarn dyed with black walnuts, fungi or sumac or the pear shaped 4-string mountain dulcimer born in Virginia.

Charlie and his children are well known in Tazewell County for being musically inclined. Charlie plays the guitar, dulcimer and mandolin and his youngest son and daughter play the violin. Charlie and his wife JeansÂ’ oldest boy, Matt, plays the bass or stand-up fiddle as itÂ’s sometimes called.

The pear shaped dulcimer is said to have originated in Virginia and a few years ago, Charlie made one for then recently elected Governor Warner. Charlie and Jean traveled to Richmond and, at the Tazewell County lobbying reception, Charlie played Stephen FosterÂ’s Hard Times Come No More. Mr. Foster published that tune in early 1855 and it reflected events in his life such as he and his wife separating for a time. ItÂ’s a hauntingly beautiful tune, especially sweet and poignant when played by Charlie on one of his hand crafted dulcimers.

Bud Thompson is a blacksmith, farrier and ironworker. Bud is a superb story teller and, while making iron courtnÂ’ candles, he tells the story of how the Father would make sure the young man courting his daughter would know how long to visit.

The historically correct iron courtnÂ’ candle has a wooden peg within an iron spiral upon which the candle sits. If the Father liked the young man, he would place the peg higher in the spiral so it would have more inches to burn down. If the young man wasnÂ’t very welcome, the peg would be placed lower in the spiral so the candle only had an inch or two to burn. When the candle flame reached the top of the spiral, it was time for the man to leave.

We live in an extremely rural area and will often lose electricity. One of BudÂ’s iron courtnÂ’ candles not only looks pretty, itÂ’s pretty useful when the lights go out.

First article in series.