Red Dirt Farm and Studio

Are you too experiencing these crazy mild temperatures?  I can not lie, I am doing a happy dance.  There was winter weather this week in the surrounding counties and even parts of ours, but it circled around our little piece of red dirt, and left us with cold rain and just a few flakes.  Today it was so warm I potted up a few pansies I had purchased months ago.  I planted several of them in the urns on the front porch when I got them and there were a few packets leftover I have been meaning to do something with, today was such a perfectly mild day to toil in some soil.

This whole full moon and eclipse events in the sky above has had me unable to sleep.  When I do sleep I have vivid dreams that leave me feeling shaken.  If you are a follower of astrology you then know, there is much happening right now.  I’m quite sensitive to these things.  How about you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After I took down the Christmas tree, I did some rearranging of furniture in our great room and brought my favorite been around forever, leaning to one side, white chippy painted table, that most people would have taken to the trash years ago. Yes, It’s one of my favorite wobbly full of character and patina happy objects.  I topped it with a collection of vintage canning jars, etched champagne glasses which hold long ago abandoned birds nests.  A few other favorite trinkets are scattered here and there, candles and twinkle lights make me happy. During the day, the sun streams in through the windows behind the table and all that blue, and green toned glass sparkles and shines.  It feels all purposeful and ritual good to light the candles and turn on the twinkle first thing in the morning before the sun rises and then again as sun goes down.

I’ve been enjoying taking photos of the birds through the windows, warm and dry, especially while the rain was falling.

I potted up some paperwhite bulbs in some vintage china pieces, then I went for a walk with Boo dog and chickens in tow to gather some fresh moss to top the pots and sprigs of Ivy. Once my big basket was full of rocks, moss, and ivy I headed inside to create.   I now have them for sale down at the farm stand.  I think they are so charming and lovely and it is just the kind of thing I would love to have sitting on my chippy white table.  Perhaps some of my customers will feel the same – but not so far.

Another little project I have been working on is making bird feeders from old china, something I used to do years ago.  The owner of the local art gallery where I sell my fused glass and mixed media is opening a section in the gallery into a garden art room.  I will be selling these pieces there soon.

 

 Gracie hatched a little chick, it is beyond adorable – aren’t they always.  Sadly she lost one chick.  I only have this one poor quality photo for now, I promise to share more later.

 

Saturday we watched the movie Down to the Sea in Ships.  A seafaring tale about life lessons and courage, honesty and being a person of your word.  Ethics and morals – imagine that.  A wonderful movie from 1949 with Lionel Barrymore, we particularly like his movies. I shared a box of tissues with Mr. Red Dirt.

The quilt on the footstool is at least a hundred years old, it was made by my mother’s grandmother, her name was Rebecca Haines (Hahn) depending on which document you read. Born in 1858 and died in 1934. That’s her in the black and white photo. My mom told me stories about her when I was a child.  I slept with that quilt on my bed for most of my youth.  Then it was tucked away and not used regularly.  It is quite heavy, made with wool patches from old clothing.  It was passed down to me in recent years and I consider it to be a prize beyond words.

 

My dad was taken to the emergency room again yesterday, another heart attack, tomorrow will be a day of testing and decisions about what the next course of action will be.  It is a stressful time for our family.  I tried to stay busy yesterday keeping away from the hospital as I have yet another dreadful stinking cold and didn’t want to expose him or anyone else to my germs.  I spoke to him a bit ago, and though he sounds tired he sounds like dad.

My heart is scared.

Mr. Red Dirt brought home an armload full of lovely flowers to cheer me.  The sunflowers are my favorite.

Thank you all for laughing along with me on my last post in which I talked about my disastrous attempt to make rutabaga au gratin.  I am happy to report that I made it last night without catching the house on fire or blowing anything up.  It was well worth the wait and I highly recommend you give it a try, recipe in the previous post.

 

Until next time, xo, Kim