Farmhouse Blues.....

Please let me vent...

I am taking some time off....

not from creating,
but from being caretaker of someone else.

I'm burnt out. tired. feeling a little 'BLUE' and needing to heal myself...

I've done what I set out to do getting my sister & her family here,
...but I need my life back.

I love my sister Jo, and don't regret having her here.
I made a promise to her and my Mom that I would help take care of her,
but she and I have always had a rocky relationship...
thusly, I knew it was a matter of time that we would, (again) have a 'falling out'...
This is 'normal' for our relationship,
although I don't consider it normal fully for anyone else.

Having a sister that is terminally ill is a hard thing for anyone to handle...
having a sister who is terminally ill and volatile emotionally is a whole 'nother thing.

since we were children, differences have come between us, turning ourselves against each other, only to rekindle a very strong sisterly love...only to have it stomped out again and again by her insecurities and,
well...I don't know what else and just can't try to figure out 'what else' anymore...

THANK YOU ALL for your help.
You've done a beautiful thing by praying for us and supporting us and being there for us...
your generosity was not in vain.

So again, I say, I need to find me again.
and I will,
in my work,
in my home
in my garden
in my husband and daughter and mother and
my dear, dear Friends...

(Sherry Kristoff...YOU will always be my SISTER)

Yesterday, I was sitting in my Keeping Room and was feeling a little blue ~

I was thinking to myself just how peaceful and serene my little farmhouse is...

how very safe and happy it makes me feel.

...all of the things that I have decorated it with have a meaning to me...
times shared with friends antiquing and thrifting,

many hours of arranging and re-arranging to get it 'just right'...

gathering and collecting beautiful (in my eyes) things from Dear Friends,
and artfully arranging them and enjoying them everyday...

and I began to notice a theme...

the color BLUE is everywhere in my home.

and it suits me just fine today...

Thanks for listening, my sweet Friends ~

Blessed be!

Lori

Fun on the Farm!

(little Strawberry Witch painting will be on ebay this eve along with a larger Witch painting)
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~Hi Folks!!!!~

Hoping this post finds you all relaxing on the porch
with a tall, cool glass of sweet tea!!

I got up good 'n early this morning...
first, I painted some Witch portraits,

...then I headed out to cut the lawn.

I love to ride my lawn tractor around our property...
I cut the lawn once a week all throughout the spring & summer.

I have a cool little wagon that Peter bought for me
so i can cart around all of my garden stuff...
(right now there's chocolate mulch in it for my herb beds...)

I need to visit our local nurserry in Appomattox for some more herbs...

...my Strawberry plants are looking good!

I'll be moving them to inside the shops' fenced-in garden,
so the deer can't feast on them again this year,
along with my blueberry bushes and a snowball bush!

Look how happy this Lamb's Ear plant is!!

I have to paint the beeskep white...
that keeps them from deteriorating in the weather.

I'll be starting my week of working on some stitcheries for the Pharsalia event,
then I need to design some new needle punch for the shows in Sept & Oct...

All of my visitors have returned home...we had tons of family come down to visit this month, so I haven't had the chance to stitch too much...hoping that will change a bit now!!!

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I have 3 new Hallowe'en cross stitch designs being stitched while we speak!
I hope to release them in June,...
they are:

*Goodwitch Sampler*

*Skeleton Keys*
&
*Hallow's Nigh' *

~looking forward to seeing these all finished!!~

Well, friends, I'm heading over to Ebay to list those Witch paintings...
I'll look for you again tomorrow!

Blessed be!
~Lori~

Friendships and Gardens...

my friend from Texas, Sandy and me in front of the shop...

Hi Folks!

We're having beeeeautiful weather here in VA today...
actually, this entire weekend will be sunny & in the 80's!

This morning, a dear friend of mine, and her hubby stopped in for a visit...
Sandy lives in Texas and always makes time to visit with me
here at the farm when she's 'in the neighborhood'...

I'm planning on getting my herb gardens mulched and decorated this weekend too...

here is my scarlet bee balm in the shop's front garden~

I can't wait for it to bloom...the sweet red flowers always attract
tiny little hummingbirds and swallowtail butterflies....

I have to really buckle down and finish a bunch of stuff for the Pharsalia Folk Life Festival...I have so many things I want to make...bonnets, pockets, hooked mats, samplers, dolls...
I haven't had the time to make anything for weeks!

I better get stitchin'!

Jo was hospitalized the last couple of days...
she was severely dehydrated and weak,
so I rushed her to the emergencyon tuesday...
they gave her fluids and morphine and anti-nausea meds...
She'll be released this afternoon, so I'm waiting for the hospital to call so I can bring her home...

in the meantime, my other sister Louisea and her hubby Tom are here visiting us...
I've missed my sisters so much these past 6 years, now I have one here with me and I'm hoping Lou will want to move here with me too!

So, tell me...what have you all been up to?
stitching, gardening, planning vacations, spring cleaning?
Catch me up on all that you've been doing...I feel like I've missed out!

Enjoy this *SPARKLING* day!!!!!
Blessed be, my sweet friends!

~Lori~

Sheeps Wool ~

I've just listed some of my Freshly Shorn Sheep's Wool on ebay...

If you are a Needlewoman (like me!)
and you like to create primitive things,
then stuffing your pinkeeps & pincushions
with real sheeps's wool is a dream...

not only does it keep your needles sharp,
it is organic and won't break-down like polyester filling
(think green!)

It is also excellent for dolls hair, santa beards, needlefelting and hooking.
you can leave it 'as-is' or overdye it...it is full of lanolin and helps soothe tired, rough hands.

If you 'd like to order some directly from me,
just give me an email at not4got@aol.com

~you have your choice of light or dark colored wool,
so please specify which you'd like.
the cost for one 6" x 10" poly-bag STUFFED with wool is $10.00 + shipping...
I gladly combine shipping too.

the picture shown above are my sweet and gentle sheep...

Blessed be, my sweet Friends!

Lori

Home Sweet Home

Well, Friends,...
it is Sunday....a quiet, cloudy evening with a warm southerly breeze.
the 'peepers' (tree frogs) and whipporwills
are doing their best to out-do each other, and I think they sound so relaxing....
last night we heard a big old Owl out back in the woods...
not sure what he was, but boy was he loud!

I've planted some pansies in our flower boxes, and some lemon balm and lavender
in another flower box that is close to our back-door...
the door we use most often, and when I pass in or out,
I can touch these herbs to release their fragrances...ahhhh.....

Laundry was hung early this morning
to catch the breeze and sunrays...
... the bed-clothes will be a blessing to curl up in tonight....

Home Sweet Home
~or~
Farmhouse Sweet Farmhouse

I am such a homebody. and proud of it.
I enjoy my home and the feeling it brings me, my family and my friends.
I feel Safe. Loved. Special....just plain Happy and Blessed to be here.

I couldn't imagine not having a place to call your own,
or having to be in a place where you didn't feel comfortable...
that is why I've worked so hard
at getting Jo out of that 'other' place and into her little house in Gladstone.

Today is the first day in almost three weeks that I've had a little time to myself.
We've got Jo all moved in to her little house in Gladstone...
I can't wait to take pictures to share with you all!

She is Safe. Loved. Special and happy...and I'm Blessed to have her so near to me now.

Wednesday the 22nd will be her first Chemotherapy appt. since moving here...
she is in alot of pain from the tumors on her liver,
and from all of the stress and hard work from moving...
please keep her in your prayers?

My heart is Full because of the wonderful 'gifts' that are being sent to me for Jo...
my unending thanks to you all...

and, on a little lighter note, since I had time to write this post, I thought I would offer a painting on ebay...you can visit 'Mrs. Grundmann' by clicking on my ebay link on my left scroll bar...
her picture is at the very top of this post.

Blessed be, my sweet Friends...

~Lori~

Progress....

We're painting, spackling, cleaning, sweating, laughing & crying...

but

we're almost ready to start moving boxes into Jo's new little house!!!

In the pictures above, you can see the pretty greens they picked out for their bedrooms...peaceful & serene.

the stairs need to be repainted, whoever painted the walls before us must have used a spray can 'cause they got paint all over the stairs, but we'll be repainting them, too.

there were two fridges left in the house, only one works, so we have to get the other out...
I now have muscles where I shouldn't....LOL!

and, you can see Jo in her little hat, Emily in the middle and Josh next to Em...on their cute little front porch...

I'm going over today to finish painting, hang blinds & curtains and scrub floors...
this aft we'll start on the boxes!
woohoo!!!

Jo's truck decided to konk out on her monday...so it's in the shop now..

...When it rains it pours I guess, but everything always works out for the best, no?
I'll be calling the mechanic in a little bit to find out what the $$ damage is...*sigh*

we're in need of area rugs, & a used (or new?) washer & dryer
if you know of anyone willing to donate?

Thanks for all of the emails of support & encouragement, and for the monetary 'gifts' for Jo...
she can't believe the outpouring of help we've been receiving from you all...

I told her that my Dearest Treasures are my Friends...
and you've proved again & again that is true.

Our love to you all, and I'll be taking 'after' pictures of Jo's little house soon!!!!

Blessed be everyone~
Lori

Happy Easter Everyone!!

~May you each enjoy a Peaceful Eastertide with those you love~

the Joy in my Life is that I have Friends like you...

Blessed be
Lori

A New Day !!!!!!

We received a phone call last night from a woman down the road from us...

she had heard about our situation in needing a home for Jo,
and she came forward to let us know that she wanted to rent out her home to her!

She was Hannah's girl scout leader, and is a wonderful woman in our community.

so we hopped in the car, went to get Jo to tell her the Good News and drove to the new home...

wouldn't you know, it just happens to be 3 doors down from Felicia? hahaha!!!!

the house needs TLC desperately...but is liveable.
I'm going to go to the Habitat store
for some paint & basics because Jo just can't afford anything right now...

I'm hoping to find her a washer/dryer and furniture
through one of our thrift shops
(Almost Home thrift shop in Colleen)...

since being diagnosed terminal, Jo lost her house and everything that was of value had to be sold off to pay for medical bills......
she's also lost her teeth, her hair and a percentage of her hope...
(especially when this crazy landlady said to get out...)

I'm hoping this new house will bring some peace to her...

...it will be a relief to get Jo into the house,
where she can at least feel safe at night & get the rest she needs...
we have much work ahead, but with positive thoughts and the support and help from others,
I know things will work out fine...
they always seem to...

Jo (and I!) thank everyone here for your kind words, thoughts and actions,...
from the bottom, top, and sides of our weary little hearts!!!

THANK YOU

So Here's the SCOOP!

Hi Friends!

Finally, I have a moment to set down and tell you what has been happening since our return from Tenn. on Saturday...

let me beginn by saying that I had found my sister Jo a beautiful double-wide mobile home to rent almost down the road from me...the home is spacious, clean and surrounded by pastures and woods. a FAR cry from down-town Knoxville for sure...

The landlady & I had spoken about the fact that Jo has pets, and she said they would be allowed in the rental home. great!...

welllll.....

on Monday morning, the landlasy came to the rental, and told Jo that she changed her mind.

that, NO, she wouldn't be allowing her pets.

now, I don't know about you, but being the anilmal lover that I am, thought this was a rather COLD thing to do to someone...let alone someone who has no place else to go, is in an unfamiliar place, and is terminally ill to boot.

these are her companion animals. her fur-babies. and she would be lost without them.

SOOOoooo, after some harsh words between me and the landlady, we are again in the process of finding a home for my sister Jo, her daughter Emily, and my soon-to-be- nephew-in-law Josh...along with 2 small dogs and 1 old cat.

I just can't believe how ugly people can be. this landlady has been leaving nasty notes taped to the door of the rental, and sends her two daughters over to the place to 'spy'....
...what a mess.

If you know of any homes that are for rent in the Lynchburg VA area, that accepts 3 pets and would like a super tenant, please let me know.

...so that's that.

I'll be getting things listed again on ebay, working on a couple of finished items now (needlepunch) and new xstitch patterns!

drop me a line, let me know what you've all been up to...i feel like i haven't had a normal life in years, but it's only been a couple of weeks!

Thanks for all of your well-wishes!

Blessed be!

Lori

I'm BAAAaaaaack !

Hi Folks ~

Well, I'm back from my trip to Tennessee....

and happy to be home again.

this has been a very stressful trip for us all, so I'll be taking the next few days to catch up on all of my emails, and orders...

please be patient with me as I'm getting things back to "normal" here?...

many thanks for all of your well-wishes about the trip...I'll get you all caught up on the goings-on as soon as I can!

Blessed be!!

Lori