Adventures Off and On The Farm

Adventures off the farm are few and far between these days...

unless they are by bike.

Yesterday, however, our electric Prius (yes, we love this car!)

needed a service check-up so I went along with Hubbs

and we took a drive deep into Amish country to the most

wonderful fabric store.

I was able to procure more elastic (it's getting hard to come by)

and bought some wonderful new mask fabrics.

Here's a sneak peak of some of what is to come very soon...

(Of note, interestingly, there was a
 Duke University study of the different types of masks that are being used -

and cotton masks are effective in blocking expelled droplets.
Bandanas and fleece masks were the least effective.)
Therefore, I will continue to make cotton masks.

I wish I could bring you along on these travels through our
beautiful central Pennsylvania.
We are in the midst of the ridge and valley region of the Appalachian mountains,
and the valleys here are stunning...
dotted with quaint family farms.



I love the slow rhythm of country life
and the "clip-clop" of horse-drawn buggies.



The heat has returned to this summer of endless sunny days.



Afternoons are made for shade.



The chatter of cicadas abound.
(and yes, I will record both
the cicadas and the katydids for those of you who might never have heard them)



While out to tend to afternoon chores,



I stopped in the garden to harvest some tomatoes.




No matter where I go... I am always joined by Griz-
so, of course he followed me into the garden.



He is a special boy, for sure... and never minds posing for the camera.

(Unlike Chester, who avoids looking at the lens.)



We are in the midst of a tomato explosion.
I have been roasting and freezing the excess to use in winter cooking.

Every few days, I am able to pick a handful of globe amaranth
(gomphrena globosa).

I've been drying them in a hanging scale in the kitchen,
and now have a beautiful pile of dry, scarlet blossoms.
How cheerful these will be on a grey winter day!



After picking tomatoes,
I walked down to the mailbox...

hoping something special awaited me.
(nothing but junk mail, today)

I stopped by to check on our beehive.
This is such a robust colony...

it's vibration audible from several feet away,
as the workers beat their wings to cool the interior.
These hives are situated perfectly...
they get only the morning sun-
the trees blocking the hot afternoon rays.

I did a little embroidery and made a special linen/cotton mask...
a "wishie" as Mackenzie calls it...
a dandelion seed head.

Happy Birthday, Mackenzie!!
Today, this special little girl turns 5!

PS:  It is challenging these days doing business through the mail.
The US Postal Service has a new Postmaster appointee who has no
prior experience.  He is not allowing overtime, and so....
mail is backing up all over the country.
There are days when our little country post office gets no mail
from the main hub.
And from what I have heard from the gals who work at our Post Office...
much of the country is in the same boat.
Mail sits and does not move.
Please, please.... if you don't receive an order from me... know that it was shipped
either the same day or the very next day... without exception!
I will send you another mask if yours does not arrive.

Until (hopefully, it does) all of this gets straightened out...
my apologies.
😢