aubergine

Give the Gift of Learning to Knit

2011-12-20T15:26:00.000-06:00

Give Inner Peace Give Life Skills

Give the Gift of Learning to Knit

Gift Certificates available (or treat yourself)

$65 for four knitting lessons (1 ½ hours each)

$25 for one Quick Knit mini class (2 hours)

Cashmere and Wool and Silk, Oh My!

2011-11-29T13:41:00.000-06:00

A cashmere sweater for $20? I've just unloaded a bounty of oh, so soft and cozy sweaters, hats and holiday goodies and there's more to come!

~ Warm handknit hats for blustery days
~ Yummy, soft vintage and current cashmere and merino wool sweaters
~ Sweet silk camisoles to layer under sweaters
~ Handknit Christmas ornaments
~ Vintage holiday decor
~ Retro knitting needles
~ Yarn and spinning fiber

Home for Wayward Wildlife

2011-06-24T19:22:00.001-05:00

Aparently I am now running a wild animal refuge center.

On Wednesday morning, I glanced in the compost bin to see two tiny trembling rats completely covered in mud. It has been quite dry in recent weeks and I have seen a rat climbing out of there at night. Not a bad place for a nest really; it's warm and full of food.

Mama Rat was clearly not anticipating the deluge of rain we had late Tuesday night that left her nest soaked and her babies in a swamp land.

Drowned Rats

I scooped the little ratties up on a big shovel and deposited them in a new nest of fresh pine shavings. They just sat and shivered for quite a while, but eventually took a few nibbles of the moistened cat / dog / chicken food mixture I offered them (we were fresh out of rat food I'm afraid).

Almost dry.

By afternoon they had dried out and fluffed up and are actually pretty cute. I now fully understand the reference to looking like a "drowned rat."

Much better now.

On Thursdsay morning, I checked the compost bin to be sure I'd found all the rats. No rats. There was a baby possum in there! This one I was not so eager to scoop up. Even at its small size, it still hissed at me. I left it there.

In the evening, I offered it the same cat / dog / chicken food mixture (fresh out of possum food too) which it happily accepted. I left some branches propped against the inside of the bin and said goodnight.

Friday morning there were no baby animals in the compost. Little possum must have found its way out by climbing the branches. The rats are happy in their temporary home until they are big enough to be let out.

I fully expect to to find a litter of kittens, skunks or racoons one of these days!

O, The Chickens Have Been Busy!

2011-05-06T11:27:00.000-05:00

O no, it is not a typo. Olivia, Olive and Odette have joined the urban flock and o do they have stories to tell. The blog has been silent for a while and there is much to say. I will take it in pieces. Today, the chickens.

Clementine on the set

The middle of March was full of adventure, good and bad. There was fame, fortune and demise. My beloved Clementine made her film debut in a fab commercial for North Haven Gardens. She even got to sample some of the props.

Shortly before this, we had brought two new friends home to the coop, Olive and Olivia. They brought with them a nasty upper respiratory infection. Sadly, new Olive and dear Clementine were both lost to this ickiness. We took Olivia to the chicken vet for a proper diagnosis and were sent home with a prescription for ten days of chicken antibiotics (carefully measured and delivered by beak twice a day to 4 chickens). Olivia got well and the others (Celine, Sylvie and Coco) never showed signs of illness.

Once this saga had passed, we ventured out again to find new flock mates. We had a lovely trip to Burnet, TX to Mobile Chicken Coops and came home with Olive Deux and Odette. Both Olives are Welsumers who lay dark chocolate brown eggs. Olivia is a Japanese Bantam with long wings and very short legs. Odette is a sweet little Buff Orpington chicklette who promises to live out Clementine's film legacy and become a star herself.

Original Olive, with us only briefly.

Olivia

Olive 2, carrying on the name.

Little Odette who peeps and chirps all the time.

Open for Business!

2011-02-14T13:23:00.000-06:00

Knits and Knick Knacks has things on the shelves - not very many, but we are off to a good start and more is on its way! Thanks so much to my dear, sweet contibutors - Laurie, Mary, Janie, Andrea, Cindy - your consignments and donations look fabulous!

Those empty spots will be filled up soon!

Cozy knitting area next to our space.

Coming soon!

2011-01-24T12:29:00.000-06:00

Located in Old Town Village Antiques and Uniques

307 S. Rogers St, Waxahachie, TX

To my fellow Yarnies and Little Red Barn groupies:

(and everyone else too)

I recently learned that there is no yarn shop in Waxahachie (horrors) so I am going to open one in a downtown antique mall. If all goes well (and with a little help from my friends), the shop will open in early February! The shop will be starting out on a shoestring budget so I am looking for beautiful hand spun / hand dyed yarns to feature on consignment. Let me know if you’d like to feature your wares in the shop and we’ll work out a fair system.

I also would like to nominate the shop as a recipient of the JRF Yarn Storming. I know there are some unique and wonderful yarns in your stashes that other knitters would love to have (especially those who are far away from larger yarn shops). Let Cindy know if you’d like part of your de-stash to be contributed to the shop. Of particular interest are natural fibers, organic and specialty yarns (in other words, it won't be found at the Waxahachie Walmart)!

If anyone is interested in teaching a class, I would love to know about it. I can teach basic knitting skills to get people started, but I’d like to offer some advanced and specialty techniques, spinning and so on. There is a cozy space in the antique mall with chairs and a couch where we can have classes.

If you have odds and ends of needles, notions, books, patterns, etc that you’d like to be free of, let me know. I can purchase things at a reasonable cost and donations are appreciated. If you happen to see interesting vintage knitting or sheep related items at estate sales or thrift stores, would you let me know? If they are a good bargain, I’d love it if you’d pick them up and I’ll buy them from you.

Save your yarn ends, scraps, feathers, lint, etc for Scraps for the Birds. A while back I received a large box of these from Cindy with the promise to donate initial proceeds to Ruthie’s Rags fund (and now also to the puppy transport fund). This will be the first charitable effort of the shop.

The shop will feature:

☼ Locally made specialty yarns: hand spun and hand dyed from the fiber of locally raised animals

☼ The Stash Basket: re-purposed yarns donated by area knitters. The selection will vary, but will always contain unique and unusual finds.

☼ New and vintage knitting needles, notions, books, patterns and other supplies
☼ Hand Knit accessories for you and your home.
☼ Scraps for the Birds: colorful bits of recycled yarn, fiber, fur and feathers in a mesh bag to hang in your trees for the birds to include in their nests.
☼ Charity knitting collection - we will offer suggestions of projects for you to knit and return to us to be donated to area charitable organizations.
☼ Knitting classes, groups and workshops: held at the shop or at our relaxing country property (with overnight accommodations available).
☼ Knick knacks: you never know what else may be available in the shop - often with a knitting, fashion, country or farm feeling - we are always on the lookout for special things.

2010 Harvest

2011-01-10T09:11:00.000-06:00

This lovely, frosty, wet, cold morning seems the perfect time to reflect on my garden harvest for the past year and plan for a bigger one in the coming year.
I had success with bell peppers of different varieties - standard and mini. They kept on going through the hot summer and into the fall (the last stragglers are out there under a sheet right now). The Basil did well; it has dried in the cupboard and is ready for winter use.

The big winner of course was eggs! Oddly enough, the "crop" that required the biggest initial outlay of both time and money ended up producing effortlessly with minimal further intervention on my part.
The monthly egg tally:
May (the 1st month of laying): 4
June: 25
July: 43
August: 51
September: 53
October: 50
November: 45
December: 37
Grand Total: 308 eggs
Just like fruits, vegetables and herbs, chickens and eggs come in many varieties. This spring, a few new chickens will join the flock to bring variety to the harvest.

In planning the food crops, I am enjoying the catalog from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. The descriptions and photos are lovely and they offer a great variety of rare and heritage seeds. I will order some from them as well as shopping locally for seeds and starter plants. In December, I layed the foundation of a new garden, "lasagna" style with layers of leaves / newspaper / compost / newspaper / leaves / newspaper / leaves / hay, shavings, poop mixture from the chicken house. This will sit for a few months until I add several inches of soil and more compost before planting the spring garden. This should be an especially fertile garden which I hope will lead to much better yields than in past years.

Here are some more garden photos from 2010.

Best wishes to all the gardeners for a bountiful 2011!

Find Inner Peace - Learn to Knit

2011-01-06T22:46:00.000-06:00

Ask me about individual or small group basic knitting lessons for adults and children.

Learn to knit for the first time or brush up on skills learned long ago.

Talk to your friends about joining you.

We will arrange a time and place that works well for all.

▪ Session consists of 4 lessons (1 ½ hours each) over 2 - 3 weeks.

▪ $75 per person, per session, paid in full at first lesson.

▪ Follow up sessions consist of 3 lessons for $50.

▪ Beginning materials and resource list are provided.

Consider this:

Knitting teaches patience and can be a mindful meditation practice.

Neurological research confirms that mobility and dexterity in the fine motor muscles, especially in the hand, stimulates cellular development in the brain, and strengthens the physical foundation of thinking.

Knitting and gardening reduce the risk of dementia in later life.

Knitting teaches children success through persistence, concentration, control, follow-through and mastery and improves fine-motor skills, hand-eye coordination and brain development.

A Whole New Family

2010-11-07T09:45:00.000-06:00

A few days ago I learned that I have a whole family that I've never met. What a wonderful surprise! As an only child raising an only child, our family is small and I've often missed having the boisterous holiday gatherings that larger families have. Growing up, we had large gatherings of relatives from my Mother's side of the family (which is rooted in TX) that were always organized by my Grandmother. Granny passed away in the '90's and that bunch hasn't gotten together since. Another branch of my Mother's family used to have a family reunion every year, but that too has fallen by the wayside. We do still see several of them throughout the year and that is nice. We are making more efforts recently to stay in touch.

My Father's side of the family had all been in New York and we used to visit when I was younger. When my Father's twin sister and two brothers passed away, he lost touch with their families. Recently he heard from his niece, my cousin, in California. It turns out that she has three sons around my age with scads of grandchildren around Claire's age! Poof, instant family! Thanks to Facebook, we have been able to instantly connect, see pictures of each other's children and learn all about our lives.

My Father and his young niece in the 40's.

I've never doubted that I'd stay connected to my Mother's family, but my Father's family was a mystery. It is such a great feeling to know that my Father still has a large family after all and they will be around to be Claire's family too as she grows up; what a blessing.

So to all my family: I am grateful to have you in my life and I vow to stay in touch in the years to come. I hope you will all do the same and that our children will grow up knowing a larger extended family than we did!

Poinsettias for the holidays

2010-09-21T10:33:00.000-05:00

The holidays will soon be here and it's time to consider your decorating. Poinsettias are both traditional and beautiful. This is your opportunity to order in advance and be prepared. Claire is selling Poinsettias in 6" pots in red, pink or white to raise money for her participation in the The Children's Chorus of Greater Dallas. The Chorus is planning a major tour (possibly international) in 2012 which will cost as much as $3000 per child (yikes)! Proceeds from Poinsettia sales go directly into Claire's account to help offset the tour cost. Each plant is $12 (of which $5 will go to Claire's account). That's a lot of pretty Poinsettias! Please order for your home and workplace. Ask around to friends, shops, offices and so on. Orders are due by November 1st and will be received on December 4th. Post here or email me with your order. Thanks for your support! Let's send Claire on tour!

Chassé Shrug

2010-09-06T14:38:00.005-05:00

This is a simple, quick knit for adults or children. When my eleven year old daughter was ready for something a little more than simple knitting, but nothing too complicated, we came up with the Chassé Shrug. This shrug is made in one piece with no seaming. It includes the new skills of using double pointed needles, ribbing and a simple cable. The sizing is custom, based on the size of the person and can be used with any yarn. It is written with the beginning or child knitter in mind.

Claire is an accomplished young ballerina who is going en pointe this year so she is upgrading her dance wardrobe. This simple shrug will be a nice addition.

Abbreviations:
sts - stitches
in - inch
CO - cast on
# - number
/ - per
x - times
dpns - double pointed needles
K- knit
P - purl
cbl ndl - cable needle (you can also use an extra dpn)
sl - slip
rep - repeat
beg - beginning
BO - bind off

Notes:
You can use any yarn for this pattern. Depending on size of yarn and length of sleeves, you will need 1 - 3 skeins (balls).

You will start at the bottom edge of the right sleeve, work across the back and down the left sleeve all in one piece, no seams.

Determine how many stitches to cast on by using this formula: # sts / in x desired length = # CO sts (to do this, knit a small test swatch and using a ruler, count how many stitches are lined up within an inch). To determine CO length, measure around the largest part of your arm.

Pattern:
CO appropriate # of sts divided evenly on 3 dpns (video here), place a stitch marker near beg of round.
K1, P1 rib for 4 rounds

Begin cable pattern (determine where your cable should be by finding the center of your round and counting 3 sts on either side. Place 2 stitch markers to separate these 6 sts when you come to them). This way your cable goes up the center of the sleeve and across the center of the back.

Right Sleeve:
Round 1: K to where 1st marker goes (place 1st marker), P1, sl 2 sts onto cbl ndl and hold in front, K 2 sts from left ndl, P1, (place 2nd marker), K to end of round (video here)
Rounds 2-6: K to marker, P1, K4, P1, K to end of round
Rep rounds 1 - 6 until sleeve is desired length (we made 3/4 length sleeves, you may prefer wrist length)

Back:
At beg of next round, transfer sts to straight ndls in order to knit back of shrug flat.
Continue as follows:
Row 1: P2, K to marker, P1, sl 2 sts onto cbl ndl and hold in front, K2 from left ndl, K2 sts on cbl ndl, P1, K to last 2 sts, P2
Rows 2, 4, & 6: K2, P to marker, K1, P4, K1, P to last 2 sts, K2
Rows 3 & 5: P2, K to marker, P1, K4, P1, K to last 2 sts, P2
Continue until flat portion covers back between shoulders (get someone to hold it up for you)

Left Sleeve:
At beg of next round, transfer sts to dpns (divided evenly as before).
Continue cable pattern as for 1st sleeve until 2nd sleeve is same length as 1st, ending with round 1 of pattern.
K1, P1 rib for 4 rounds
BO all sts
Weave in yarn ends.

We will add photographs as we go along and also will note any corrections.

I Hate to Cook

2010-08-19T15:35:00.001-05:00

Well, not really, it's not my first choice for leisure time activity but I enjoy it sometimes. Claire is a budding pastry chef and keeps our kitchen humming. On vacation, I was reading a humorous article about one woman's kitchen adventures. She mentioned the I Hate to Cook Book by Peg Bracken, published in 1960 (the only cookbook her mother had owned). I didn't think much of it at the time, but while perusing the shelves of The Book Nook in Rockport, I saw this charming little book (of course I will always find both the yarn shop and the used book store wherever I travel). It was meant to be.

The book's illustrations are by Hilary Knight, who also illustrated the delightful Eloise. This alone was reason to own it. Reading about the 1960's housewife who had better things to do than cook is the real charm. The chapter titles include The Leftover - or Every Family Needs a Dog, Potluck Suppers - or How to Bring the Water for the Lemonade, and Desserts - or People are too Fat Anyway. There's even a helpful Household Hints section - "If your veils or lace collars get that tired look, you can crisp them by ironing them between two sheets of waxed paper."

This morning I happened upon this article in the New York Times. It appears that the author's daughter has revised and reprinted the book for its 50th anniversary. What great timing that I discovered this book this summer; I am so glad that I have the original on my kitchen shelf! So, I'm trying something new - after much wasted time trying to understand it, I think I've set up an account with Amazon so that if you are inclined to purchase The I Hate to Cook Book: 50th Anniversary Editionfrom them, I will earn a small commission. If this works and I make a little money, I will invite you over for dinner and Claire and I will cook an authentic meal from the original book!

To Market

2010-08-19T13:08:00.000-05:00

As planned I went to White Rock Market last Saturday to look at bicycles. I didn't find the right one, but am planning to see more that they keep in storage. More tales of The Knitted Bicycle to come. Other than a bicycle, I expected to purchase some nice fruits and vegetables. Like these:

What I did not expect to come home with was a kitten. Jill (who drove in from Paradise - west of Denton) found a kitten on the side of the road as she was driving through Boyd on Highway 114. There amongst her beautiful fresh baked breads and homemade jams was a sign that said "free kitten." He took one look, saw the sucker that I am and began loudly yowling to get out of his box and be on his way. I pretended to give the situation some serious thought, but I think we both knew from the beginning what the outcome would be. In all the excitement, I didn't get a picture of Jill's wares, nor did I come home with any. I will have to visit her again at the next market.

Little kitten is home now, named Nikolas (Nick or Niko for short), he has settled in quickly and gets along well with the rest of the crew. He even has his own facebook page which Claire is kindly helping him update.

Fresh from the farm in a tomato box.

The Knitted Bicycle - Part One

2010-08-02T15:14:00.000-05:00

Taking inspiration from Magda Sayeg (Knitta Please), knitting street artist, I am beginning to clothe non traditional things with knitting. Bicycles travel and are highly visible so what better place for some mobile stitches. Claire has the most groovy '70's bicycle, it all ready has great rainbow stripes on the frame and seat, so I added some to the handle bars.

At the next White Rock Local Market I will be shopping for one of Fred DeMetrovich's fabulous restored vintage bicycles for ME, so my next project is a helmet cover. I am starting with my horse helmet, which I will wear in lieu of a bike helmet (must be different). I am essentially making a giant hat for the helmet (photos in the next installment). A bike helmet is an odd shape and requires further study for design and shaping of a helmet cover.

My last non traditional knitted object was a steering wheel cover. It has held up well to daily use, although constant sun exposure has faded it.

More Knitted Bicycle accessories coming soon!

Berry Pickin'

2010-07-13T16:28:00.000-05:00

We went to gather blueberries from East Tx yesterday.

No,not here.

Here.

The blueberries came all the way from Blueberry Hill Farms in Edom, TX, but we only had to drive to Richardson. It was all a bit clandestine - people coming and going from a non-descript office building under the DART tracks to get their berry fix. Well worth it though, we got to savor the results of a trip to the berry farm with no bending and reaching in the hot sun, no extra miles on the car and no delivery charges. Only $20 for a huge gallon bag of hand picked the same day, fresh, organic, juicy, wonderful berries. They said they'll be back with more (let me know if you want some - I can hook you up).

Bluberries growing on the city sidewalk!

Picked fresh!

We have gone to pick our own blueberries for a few summers now, but it didn't look like we were going to make it this year. I was so excited when I received the email that the berries would be coming to us instead.

Claire made us a pie for breakfast!

Pet Food Crisis

2010-07-10T17:46:00.000-05:00

This morning we were out of dog food. And chicken food. And now cat food. The humans are in big trouble. A trip to the pet store and feed store is in our very near future, but in the meantime, I had to get creative with the snacks. The dogs had salad which was accepted eagerly, although some was put on the floor to be sorted through.

The chickens also had salad; they were very happy at this news. These used to be the ends of a watermelon. Chickens like watermelon.

The cats got lucky and polished off the last pouch of moist food in the cupboard (it was actually puppy food, but don't tell anyone).

I'd best be off to stock up before there's a mutiny at dinner time!

STORM

2010-07-05T13:59:00.000-05:00

There's nothing like a hurricane to put some excitment into a trip to the beach. A week or so before we planned to head down to the South Texas coast to Rockport, a large mass of clouds appeared in the weather forecast. Pretty soon these clouds were named Alex. One of the storm tracking models put landfall right on top of us. We weren't going to let that discourage us so off we went. The first few days of vacation included plenty of time watching the Weather Channel. The day before the storm hit, things got wild.

This is the bay coming over the sea wall. Note the electrical transformer in the foreground. We'll discuss it later.

Being the adventurous types, we found it necessary to go out for a drive during all of this. When we came home, the garage door didn't open. (This was the first clue). Perhaps it was stuck. The quiet house, lacking the hum of the air conditioner and refrigerator confirmed the real story - the power was out. It was still light so we were not concerned, surely it will come back on soon. At dusk we decided to look for flashlights. No. Back to the HEB. After a lovely candlelight dinner off the grill (aha, not electric) we called it a night.

I opened one eye in the morning to search for small red lights on various plugged in things. No. House still quiet. Coffee maker requires electricity - not good. Maybe it will be back on when we return from the restaurant. No. Whoever decided that it was a good idea to install a transformer five feet from the bay was not planning ahead. This is a coastal town where there might be some expectation of high waves. The guys who were out all night working on it agreed that it was not such great planning. Thanks to their hard work, the power finally came on. 24 hours after going off.

Alex ended up as a category 1 hurricane that hit about 250 miles south of us. The outer bands of the storm were quite large and covered a huge area. The high water and flooding was extensive.

These are fishing piers:

These folks didn't need a pier, they fished in the street:

The deck actually ends past the pilings:

Summer Solstice

2010-06-21T15:44:00.003-05:00

SUMMER SOLSTICE

. . . the pool . . . the beach . . . backyard bbq . . . the smell of sunscreen . . . water . . . sand in your toes . . . sunshine . . . fireflies . . . green grass . . . sunflowers . . . ice cream . . . straw hats . . . lemonade . . . sprinklers . . . air conditioning . . . sandals . . . flags flying . . . watermelon . . . long days . . . childhood memories . . .

A happy first day of summer to everyone!

Furry Visitors

2010-06-15T21:39:00.001-05:00

This morning I was in the kitchen preparing blue eggs for breakfast when I heard "Mommy, two big dogs just ran across the front yard; I'm going to go see them." Next thing I knew, we had Marley and Ruby in the backyard while calling the numbers on their tags. A man answered. "Oh. we're in Pittsburgh, " he said. Immediately, visions of two extra dogs for the next week ran through my mind. I thought quickly and asked if there was a sitter. Yes. He called home. Their daughter was just getting up and would come right over. Whew! Meanwhile, the girls had a great time playing with them. Our dogs (inside) were barking madly wanting to come outside and get in on the fun.

All ended well with a short walk down the block back home. The big lesson learned is that animals should always wear collars and tags with their names and cell phone numbers! Or in the case of our dogs, beaded necklaces with said information.

Flag Day

2010-06-14T13:03:00.001-05:00

Today is Flag Day, commemorating the adoption of our flag in 1777. Yesterday we went to a Flag Retirement Ceremony at Flag Pole Hill put on by Old Worn Flag. Here's some news footage. It was fascinating to learn the customs and procedures for respectful destroying of flags that are no longer fit to fly. A grommet from each flag is cut off to keep, then the blue star field is cut away from the stripes, separating the Union from the Colonies. It is no longer considered a flag at this point and the pieces are separated and burned. Boy Scouts were there in force to honor 100 years of their organization. A traveling Liberty Bell made an appearance and we got to hear Annie Benjamin sing songs about our nation. There was even a bright orange Lamborghini. It was all very patriotic and a great way to kick off the summer season leading up to the Fourth!

Blue Egg

2010-06-13T18:31:00.000-05:00

The beautiful blue prize we've been waiting for arrived today! Celine has given us a lovely bluish green egg. She looks proud, doesn't she? Based on her age, we thought there would be eggs last month so we've been watching every day. Now we have two laying hens so we can make a proper sized omelette! We have been gettting little brown eggs from Coco (they were supposed to be white). We also briefly had eggs from Sophie, but are sad to report that she passed on to Chicken Heaven just the other day. She had been acting slow and timid which seemed to be her personality, but all of a sudden one morning she took a turn for the worse and just drifted away. Be in peace, little Sophie.

Learn to Knit (or Remember How)

2010-06-09T15:08:00.000-05:00

"I haven't the time." The days are longer and life is more relaxed. Summer is perfect for learning something new.

"I haven't the patience." Knitting teaches patience. It can even be used as a mindful meditation practice.

I am offering individual or small group knitting lessons for adults and children. Talk to your friends about joining you. We will arrange a time that works well for all parties involved. We can meet in my home or yours or at a bookstore or coffee shop. Beginning materials and resource list are provided. The first session will consist of four lessons (one and a half hours each) over two to three weeks. Cost is $75 per person, per session. Follow up sessions consist of three lessons for $50. Leave a comment here to let me know you are interested and we'll communicate privately about details.

Consider this:

"Recent neurological research tends to confirm that mobility and dexterity in the fine motor muscles, especially in the hand, may stimulate cellular development in the brain, and so strengthen the physical foundation of thinking."

"Knitting and gardening reduce the risk of dementia in later life."

"Knitting teaches children success through persistence, concentration, control, follow-through and mastery and improves fine-motor skills, hand-eye coordination and brain development."

A Very Small Omelette

2010-05-09T12:34:00.001-05:00

We were given another little egg yesterday so today we made a small omelette with a little salt and pepper and a sprinkle of cheese inside. Farm fresh and delicious; nothing from a grocery store can top this!

We discovered Sophie in the nesting barrel shortly before yesterday's egg appeared. She was sitting on the fake wooden egg, meant to encourage laying, tucking herself in and adding straw around the egg. The wood egg was promptly removed to discourage any broodiness and not long after, a real one was in its place.

An Egg! An Egg!

2010-05-07T11:36:00.000-05:00

This morning we found our first egg in the nesting barrel! It is quite small and white, perhaps a slight tint of brown. This must be a gift from Sophie or Coco since they are the Bantams. The eldest of the others is Celine, her eggs should be blue or green so I don't think it's hers. If we receive another one today or tomorrow, we will have fresh eggs for breakfast this weekend! Hooray!

The Flock Grows

2010-05-06T14:05:00.002-05:00

We would like to introduce the newest members of the Poussins Urbaines Flock:

Clementine and Sophie came home with us last Sunday from Bageniece Farms . They are getting the hang of our routine all ready and the other chickens seem to have accepted them.

Clementine the Buff Orpington - about 12 weeks old - will lay brown eggs.

Sophie the unidentified (possibly a Buff-laced Wyandote) - a Bantam breed - will lay small brown eggs. We were told she is full grown, but she's about the size of our other Bantam, Coco who is not supposed to be full grown yet. We shall see!

The Scent of Spring

2010-04-30T10:03:00.001-05:00

I wish I could somehow post smells here to capture what I experience in my garden. It is a delight to walk out of the house on to the porch or to open the car door upon arriving home. In the evenings and early mornings especialy there is such a fresh sweet smell all around.

The rose bushes are all in full bloom, lining the driveway. As we drive along when the sunroof is open, the tall ones brush the car and petals fall in!

Honeysuckle covers the gate, curling and flowing everywhere, floating in the breeze.

Oxalis lines the side of the house with a slight but sweet scent.

Towering above everything else are the Chinaberry trees. They came up in the back yard along the fence years ago out of nowhere. Last year they bloomed for the first time. They have they most amazing fragrance. This is one I'd love to bottle!

All of this and it's just the end of April. I still have the Four-'O-Clocks, Moonflowers and Magnolias to look forward to!

Not In My Yard

2010-04-16T12:39:00.001-05:00

I received the story below in an email a few years ago and came across it again today. I saved it because it speaks such truth about the state of much of our Earth. In honor of Earth Day coming up, I thought it would be a good time to re-circulate it. I am proud to say that God would like things in my yard.

GOD: Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect, no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast of colors by now. But all I see are these green rectangles.
ST. FRANCIS: It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers "weeds" and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.
GOD: Grass? But it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees, only grubs and sod worms. It's sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?
ST. FRANCIS: Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.
GOD: The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast.. That must make the Suburbanites happy.
ST. FRANCIS: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it -- sometimes twice a week.
GOD: They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?
ST. FRANCIS: Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.
GOD: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?
ST. FRANCIS: No, Sir. Just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.
GOD: Now let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?
ST. FRANCIS: Yes, Sir.
GOD: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.
ST. FRANCIS: You aren't going to believe this Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.
GOD: What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they rot, the leaves form compost to enhance the soil. It's a natural circle of life.
ST. FRANCIS: You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.
GOD: No. What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter and to keep the soil moist and loose?
ST. FRANCIS: After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.
GOD: And where do they get this mulch?
ST. FRANCIS: They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.
GOD: Enough. I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?
ST. CATHERINE: Dumb and Dumber, Lord. It's a real stupid movie about ....
GOD: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.

A Perfect Week Off

2010-04-11T11:44:00.003-05:00

The end of Spring Break has nearly come, one day left. It has really been a great week. I packed Claire off to spend the week with her father. They spent a few days in Bloomington, IL with family at his father's memorial service - heartfelt sympathies to all. Then they drove across Indiana and Ohio and into Pennsylvania where Dad lives. Friday and Saturday they were in NYC - this part made me jealous!

I enjoyed plenty of time catching up with friends and family. Catching up way into the night with Gina; knitting and spinning at Heritage Farmstead with Laurie; Easter brunch with a group of friends; Easter dinner with family; a lovely afternoon with my cousins visiting from Nantucket; an evening with the "Chicken Whisperer" at the feed store in Waxahachie (yes); a small party with friends; White Rock Market (got some fresh baked bread); DFW Fiber Fest and the Main Street Arts Festival in Fort Worth with Janet. I love all the events of Springtime!

In between outings, the quiet and solitude of my time off has been renewing. I spent much of it outside in the garden. I went through all the old seed packets and seeds harvested from things I've grown. Some of them are 5 or 6 years old, but many are from last year. I planted: Birdhouse Gourd, Hyacinth Bean Vine, mixed squash (called "Summer of Squash"), loads of Morning Glories (I don't ever need to buy packets of these any more, they make so many seeds on their own), Alyssum, Comos, Zinnias, Sunflowers, corn, peas, basil and some cotton seeds (I believe they are from a trip out to west TX a few years ago, from the side of the road.

Then there was the battle of the Honeysuckle! It is so beautiful in the right places, but it is a choking vine. It had overtaken my rose garden. It was quite a job to get rid of it, let me tell you! I yanked and pulled and chopped until finally I think I got most of it. It forms giant matted roots that spread everywhere. No doubt there is still some lurking below the ground that will come back. But I'll be ready!

On the left is actually Rosenary, not a Honeysuckle bush. On the right are the roses, free at last.

The vegetable garden is sprouting and growing; I am even harvesting some. I have wonderful young lettuce and spinach and yummy sweet peas.

Later in the season there will be aubergines (of course), tomatoes, canteloupes, black beans, strawberries, potatoes and far less time spent in the grocery store!

FOR HIRE: Real Estate Investor's or Agent's Assistant / Project Manager

2010-04-09T12:18:00.003-05:00

What can I do for you? I can put time back into your day - time spent staging, prepping, overseeing jobsites, purchasing materials, researching properties, hosting open houses, marketing properties; I can do it for you. I can be at one property while you are at another. I can add the finishing touches to a property that isn't selling. I can check in on workers at a property while you are out sealing the next deal.
What can you do for me? You can look over my information below. You can consider how hiring me to work with you and your properties can improve your success. You can meet with me so we can get to know each other better and negotiate compensation that we both agree on - typically an hourly fee for my time and possibly a sales percentage. You can let me learn from your experience as we work together. You can relax and be happy with a job well done!

EXAMPLE PROJECTS:
Altair Dr., Garland, TX, 2009
Property held by Investor, on market over 365 days; evaluated need for minor renovations including landscaping, exterior painting and interior staging; updated text and photographs for property listing; hosted open houses. Investor received contract for sale within three weeks.

Graham St., McKinney, TX, 2007
Purchased estate property; researched real estate market and design trends; analyzed needs and developed comprehensive plan and budget for complete restoration of property; hired and managed sub-contractors; acquired needed materials; staged house for sale and marketed property to prospective buyers; secured tenants and leased property prior to sale.

STRENGTHS:
Extensively familiar with Dallas, Richardson and McKinney, TX neighborhoods.
Experienced in property research through Multiple Listing Service and County Appraisal District websites.
Strong interest in restoration and preservation of pre 1960’s homes.
Strong interest in green / sustainable remodel and design.
Currently researching available country / acreage properties for personal purchase.
Strong familiarity with rural McKinney, Fairview and Lucas, TX areas.
Ongoing restoration of personal residence, built in 1941.
Design and maintenance of organic flower and food gardens on personal property.
Will pursue Real Estate license in 2010.
Over twenty years professional experience and training in Early Childhood Education.
Extensive volunteer and non-profit experience.

BEFORE & AFTER:

STAGING:

Three French Hens Again

2010-03-29T20:45:00.004-05:00

Welcome Coco! She is a Black Rose Comb Bantam about 10 weeks old who will lay small white eggs. We made another trip today to Bageniece Farms planning to get another Buff Orpington but the only one we saw that wasn't full grown didn't take kindly to being held. Coco is little enough for Claire to cuddle and love. We saw some little month old Buff Orpington chicks that we will visit again when they are bigger. One of them may come home with us in April. Once home, Coco was introduced to the hen house while the others went out exploring, but is spending the night and tomorrow in the pet carrier until we can supervise all three together.

Coco explores the recently installed nesting barrel. This is an actual barrel from Crate and Barrel from their remodeling sale years ago. Does anyone else remember when they actually sold everything out of crates and barrels? Now the chickens have a crate and a barrel!

Chicken Antics

2010-03-28T22:09:00.001-05:00

We've started letting the chickens out of their house to explore the backyard in the evenings shortly before dusk. They have been enjoying their outings, gradually venturing further from homebase. They seem to appreciate last fall's leaves still on the ground. There is a veritable chicken buffet hidden under there. I wish they could spend all their time outside; they really love it, but it seems too risky to leave them out when we are away. So until we work out an enclosure attached to the hen house they will have to manage with supervised excursions. We must be ever on the lookout for vicious predators like this one trying to escape.

Tonight they discovered a pile of sand. After much scratching and pecking, Celine sat down and began fluffing her feathers and rolling in the sand. Sylvie stood watching for a bit, then joined in. They rolled side to side, under each others wings, flapped and fluffed and cooed. They looked so content; they seemed to be settling in to sleep. I suppose this was a bath. Someone who has chickens will explain this to me, right?

A near miss and a sad ending

2010-03-21T10:32:00.001-05:00

The weather the past week has been lovely, warm and sunny. A cold front was expected for early Saturday. I had heard that it would stay in the upper 40's Friday night so I tucked the chickens in with no worries. Saturday morning I went out check on them. I found little Colette in a limp and weak bundle of feathers. The temperature had gotten lower than expected. I scooped her up and brought her inside.

I had asked Dan who sold them to us about what to do in cold weather. I remembered he mentioned the hair dryer so I gave the little chicken a blow dry to warm her up while thinking of the next step. I dashed back outside to get the clip light from the hen house, found a 150 watt bulb and set up a chicken infirmary in our cooler in the bathroom. At this point I called Dan to seek further advice. He said I should get a thermometer and make sure it was around 85 degrees. The first thermometer I thought of was in the fridge, but it only goes up to 60 degrees. I remembered the thermometer on the front porch, got it and put it in the cooler. The bathroom was quite warm with the gas wall heater and the cooler is insulating. The temperauture went up and Colette soon started to peep and ruffle her feathers. I was thankful for saving her from a close call.

Crisis seemingly averted, I had to leave to go pick up Claire from a friend's house where she had spent the night. I checked on Sylvie and Celine again before leaving and they were fine in the hen house. The whole time I was gone I fretted over leaving and visualized over and over a safe and warm chicken. When we got home, we cautiously entered the bathroom. All was well. We had a peeping, happy chicken.

It was beginning to snow and the wind was strong. I thought it best at this point to bring the other two inside as well. They are bigger than Colette but still not fully grown. With the addition to the bathroom of two larger chickens, I was worried about the open flame of the wall heater so I turned it off. Colette appearing fully recovered by this time, I turned the cooler on it's side to make a cozy bed. We spent quite a long time siting in there enjoying our feathered friends. We finally decided we could leave them so we could eat dinner and do other things. All three were walking around, making noises, looking perfectly normal.

A few hours later, Claire went into the bathroom to find a lifeless Colette on the floor. I am so sorry that she was the one to make the discovery. I had been glad that she had not experienced the morning's adventures. I hooked up the heat lamp again, but this time it was too late. Our little Colette could not be revived. The thermometer in the bathroom read 65 degrees which I thought was okay since she had been outside this past week in the low 50's. I guess she was not as strong after what she had been through earlier. I have a small electric heater which I could have turned on in there or I could have left the heat lamp on longer. We could have checked on her sooner. So many things have been going through my mind. It is very sad.

This little bird had such an endearing personality. She came running to the hen house door when we came to visit. She came to us eagerly wanting to be held and petted. Being quite young, she still peeped constantly and made sweet little cooing noises. We became quite attached in a short amount of time, Claire especially.

Colette will be missed.

Chez Poulet - Phase Three - The Arrival

2010-03-15T21:39:00.003-05:00

Les Poulets Roulez! Today we are officially farmers. Three beautiful chickens have come to live in La Petite Maison des Poussins Urbaines. Please meet them:

Celine, the Ameraucana

Sylvie, the Barred Rock

Colette, the Buff Orpington,

the littlest one who will eventually be the biggest.

This afternoon we drove to Poetry TX (just north of Terrell) to Bageniece Farms where we met all sorts of great critters. Among them some very LOUD donkeys, a lovable Great Pyrenees who didn't want us to stop petting her, geese, turkeys, ducks, and of course chickens galore.

By far the most amazing were these:

And this one gets the award for most original nesting box:

The car ride home was uneventful with very little peeping and clucking from the back seat. Once home, Celine, Sylvie and Colette happily explored their new home.

Then they had dinner and tried out the roost.

Bonne nuit les poussins!

Wooly Morning

2010-03-15T20:40:00.001-05:00

Wool is good. Wool is soft. Wool is cozy. Wool is in a big bag on my porch!
Friday morning we arrived to witness the shearing o' sheep at Jacob's Reward Farm I was prepared for this to be an all day affair, but Danny the shearer is so fast that they were all shorn when we arrived! They look a little confused, but free and happy.

Determined to see some action, we hopped back in the car and headed to the next stop on the shearing tour, Heritage Farmstead in Plano - a true piece of local history with the original farmhouse and barns still standing where they were built over a century ago. On April 3rd they are having their Spring Festival with more sheep shearing along with wool spinning and knitting demonstrations.

Watch this!
Sheep Shearing from Jennifer Kate Stuart on Vimeo.
(If you are reading this on Facebook, you may have to click "view original post" to see the video). Amazing that a sheep can be liberated of it's fleece in about two and a half minutes (and all in one piece)!

After shearing, we helped a bit with skirting the fleeces. This is the initial cleaning up - removing any clumps of mud and poo along with fiber that is too short for spinning. We brought home a bag of the too short fiber (minus the mud and poo). It will be wonderful for felting projects and stuffing. I have a pet bed in mind to make for some lucky cats and dogs.

Signs of Spring in the Garden

2010-03-01T13:36:00.003-06:00

Two weeks ago there was six and a half inches of snow on the garden.

Today there are Daffodils blooming! The Crocuses have all ready done their thing and I missed them, I always forget how early they are. I found the beginning of the first Hyacinth just peaking its head out of its leaves. They are my favorite by far.

Dormant Perennials are coming up in all the beds.

Over the weekend, I finally got the salad garden started (rather late). Next weekend I'd better get everything else put out. A trip to the feed store or garden center is on the agenda this week! I think I'll plant multiple varieties of the things that we really enjoy eating the most. This way they'll mature at different times and give us a longer season.

The small farmer's markets should all be starting up again soon. I saw a notice for the McKinney Farmer's Market which resumes this Saturday! Mmm, can't wait for seasonal homegrown and local food, I've missed it over the winter!

Chez Poulet - Phase Two

2010-02-28T20:47:00.001-06:00

Much progress made on La Petite Maison des Poussins Urbaines! I am determined that these chickens are going to have very low budget accommodations. Thanks to the recent snow storm, we have a lovely roost.

And thanks to a Richardson resident providing a curb side shopping opportunity, we have the beginning of Chicken Condos (a.k.a. nesting boxes). I all ready had the wooden crate and would love a few more if anyone sees some somewhere.

I have read repeatedly that despite it's name, chicken wire is not the best thing to use for chicken enclosures. Predators can reach through it and small birds and rodents can get inside through it. Hardware cloth (which isn't really cloth but smaller wire mesh) is the thing to have. Someone needs to revisit the names for these things.

For good luck we have a horse shoe donated by the nice horses at Lime Ridge Farm.

And lest the chickens forget the date we have a calendar (on sale for $1 yesterday at Borders)

Farm Photos

2010-02-26T14:45:00.004-06:00

I spent an enjoyable sunny morning recently taking photos for the Jacob's Reward Farm Photo Contest. I was only allowed to enter three photos in the contest which was difficult.

With so many charming sights and adorable fluffy critters, how can any photos be left out? So, here are several more:

Operation Dog Necklaces

2010-02-16T13:22:00.000-06:00

Lucy and Francesca are house dogs who don't venture beyond the backyard very often. The clanking of their tags long ago grew tiresome and wearing collars all the time didn't look so comfortable. However, should they ever get out, they need some sort of identification so I had them microchipped and I made beaded necklaces for them with their names and my phone number.

After trying many different types of wire and clasps that all eventually broke; I have settled on ultra heavy duty steel cable and permanently crimped fasteners. These necklaces aren't going anywhere!

My household pliers didn't quite do the job so we loaded doggies in the car and set off for our neighborhood Lowe's where Chris and Philip went far above their call of duty to attach the necklaces!

Ravelympics

2010-02-12T14:54:00.001-06:00

Ravelympics start tonight! I am entering the Aerial Unwind event - bravely frogging a huge sweater to do over! Projects must be cast on during the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games this evening and be completed before the flame is extinguished in the Closing Ceremonies on February 28th.

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/jkstuart/snowbird

For good measure, I am also entering Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's Knitting Olympics. http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/

Chez Poulet - Decorating

2010-01-30T19:10:00.001-06:00

Jumping ahead just a bit to the decorating phase of La Petite Maison des Poussins Urbaines - found the perfect fabric today for window treatments (not that they'll be noticed by the inhabitants). Was not actually shopping for chicken decor, but French chickens on fabric?! Couldn't resist!

Chez Poulet - Phase One

2010-01-25T16:31:00.000-06:00

or La Petite Maison des Poussins Urbaines commence!
or City Chick Cottage gets underway!

I have recently been researching owning sheep. But alas, the City of Dallas will not allow me to have them in my small backyard. I suppose it would be impractical since they'd graze the whole place clean in one day. They will come to larger land in due time.

I can apparently have city chickens. There are only vague references to this in the City Code (sec. 51A-4.201 discusses agriculture) but I am assured by the kind folks at Dallas Animal Services that it is OK.

It has been many years since the little playhouse in the backyard has been played in. After a thorough sweeping out and a quick posting of old stuff to craigslist, I believe we are ready to roll! Next steps include screening the windows and building a door, nesting boxes and roosts.

I am reading two books that are quite helpful:
Keep Chickens - Tending Small Flocks in Cities, Suburbs and Other Small Spaces by Barbara Kilarski
and
Living with Chickens - Everything You Need to Know to Raise Your Own Backyard Flock by Jay Rossier

Local and Thrifty

2010-01-07T14:31:00.000-06:00

I have taken to purusing thrift stores in recent months for both the savings and the thrill of the hunt -scanning the racks for fine fabrics and well made seams. My conquests include Betsey Johnson, TSE Cashmere and Earl Jeans. Re-purposing still usable items of clothing is certainly a sustainable choice. I would like to also think of these things as locally grown to some extent. Yes, they have likely travelled far and burned a big carbon footprint in their first life, but in their new life, they have only travelled across town to the donation center.

This year I intend to shop locally and thriftily as much as possible.
I will support local farmers by purchasing local food, real food.
I will purchase building materials from salvage and surplus stores.
I will barter my services for what others can offer me.
When locally made choices are limited, I will buy my non-local goods from neighborhood merchants.
I will continue to shop in antique, consignment and thrift stores for unique re-claimed finds.

There is an Hermes Birkin bag waiting for me in a thrift store somewhere.

Blue Moon New Year Soup

2010-01-03T11:23:00.006-06:00

Warm and cozy for the cold winter ahead. It was a big hit on NY Eve and we've been enjoying the leftovers. This is what went into a big pot on the stove. You should add and subtract ingredients based on what is on hand. Most of my ingredients were organic.

Canned tomato sauce
Canned diced tomatoes
Canned mixed beans (black, kidney, pinto)
Fresh black eyed peas
Fresh onion
Fresh assorted potatoes (russet, sweet, new)
Frozen corn
Frozen mix of corn, black beans, onions. red and green bell peppers
Vegetable bouillon
Olive Oil
Italian Herb Seasoning
Mexican Seasoning
Garlic
Salt
Pepper

Any frozen ingredients go in first (I chop and freeze fresh veggies, especially onions and potatoes to have on hand), then everything else. It all sits and simmers for a few hours; add water as needed. Serve it hot and steamy in a big mug. Mmmmm....

beginnings

2009-11-28T17:04:00.008-06:00

aubergine is a country retreat for inspired travelers located on eighteen scenic acres in North Central Texas. We cater to artists, writers, musicians, dancers, knitters, dreamers and peace makers as well as the weekend visitor in need of respite from the city. We offer space for classes, workshops, meetings, studio use and overnight accommodations.

aubergine is giving. Through the generous support of our friends and sponsors, we are able to provide important opportunities to schools and non-profit groups. Our Friends of the Farm program lets school children experience what it is like to tend to crops and animals and learn about sustainable practices. Our Starving Artist program provides all artists with an inspiring place to create.

aubergine is preserving the past. Our guest cottages (as well as the studio, owner's residence and barn) are a collection of restored historic structures that were once in the path of development and were moved to our property to enjoy a new life. Cottages are available for rent daily, weekly or long term. Our property is surrounded by over one hundred acres of restored native Blackland Prairie which was converted to a conservation easement in 2011. This effort ensures that this land will remain in its native state and not be intensely developed for housing.

aubergine is sustainable. We make every effort to conserve resources. These efforts include: recycling and composting our waste materials; cleaning cottages between guests rather than daily; providing cloth or hand knit towels and napkins in all facilities and closely monitoring water and electricity use. The water well is our main source for filtered drinking water. Rain water runoff is captured in cisterns and in the pond and used for irrigation. Gray water and runoff from the septic systems is collected and filtered for irrigation. A wind turbine provides electrical power to the main house, studio and cottages which are also equipped with solar panels. We grow our own organic vegetables and have pecan and fruit tree orchards. Les Poussins de la Campagne (The Country Chicks) provide us with a daily supply of fresh, organic free range eggs. The knitting sheep generously give their wool for spinning and knitting. Organic cotton grown in our fields is often blended with their wool. We are soon expecting our first harvest of Afternoon Tea from our very own tea plants that have been maturing in the southern field.

aubergine is convenient; away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, but close to many nearby attractions. The shops, restaurants and thriving arts culture of Dallas are 45 minutes away. Nearby smalll towns offer you the charm of their historic homes and antique and gift shops.

aubergine is rejuvenating. Unwind with a relaxing massage. Experience healing and wellness in a session with one of our professional team members. Re-center with yoga and meditation. Hike the trails through the woods and down to the edge of the lake. Sit and reflect next to the pond. Relax in the salt-water pool. Borrow a bicycle or kayak for some invigorating exercise. Harvest from our garden and delight in the wonder of a local and sustainable meal.