The Mint Needle

Oh how I've missed this little space on the internet! Happy first day of winter everyone! It feels so good to be sitting down and reflecting on the weeks that have passed as the new year approaches! So where have I been, you ask? For starters, we took a wonderful family trip back out to Colorado to see some snow before it reached Ohio. Then between my growing girls, work, and family life, the days just seemed to fly! We are still enjoying fresh eggs as the chicken coop got re-vamped for the winter months. They are not producing as much as they did in the summer, but I have yet to buy some eggs from the store. (I still smile when I pass that section in the super market.) Yes, we put a heat lamp in the coop, which I'm aware is frowned upon. But these Ohio winters could be brutal and the nights get very, very cold. So how does it all work? Well.... it's kind of a chicken coop, inside another chicken coop. A giant cold weather tent keeps them safe from the harsh winds and ...

"Autumn is the second Spring, where every leaf is a flower" ~ Albert Camus My favorite time of year has arrived! Here's to a season that promises tons of color, caramel apples, pumpkins galore, soft sweaters, bonfires, and boots! I'm not sure if it was the horrible humidity in Ohio this summer, but I've never looked forward to cooler weather more than this year. The nights have been amazing and for the first time, we've been able to keep our windows open all day long! Fresh air is truly wonderful!  I spent the last day of summer taking pictures of a Sawtooth Star quilt top that has been a slow and steady project. The best feeling, is seeing your idea come to life with every stitch. I didn't have an actual pattern to follow. Instead, I did my usual of picking out some fabric, and saying - "this would make a cute block." It was pure bliss hanging it on my sis in-laws giant white barn for some pictures! I als...

And just like that.... the middle of August is here.The 'back to school' checklist is finishing up and I can't help but feel...."where did the time go?" One of my resolutions this year was to stop planning so far ahead, stop making myself all these little reminder notes of things that needed to get done. The result... an enjoyed summer that flew by. A little bitter sweet if you ask me. But that's all about to change. My seize the day attitude has put me behind in appointments and workload throughout the house. We are officially playing catch up just days before the girls go to school. On another note, I finally got to cross off homemade Strawberry Rhubarb pie off my summer list! Hip, hip, hooray! You can find this delicious pie recipe  here ..... Oh, and the best pie crust ever! Right  here  :) This quilt top got finished too....   A blend of Dear Stella Foxtrail Fabrics that had me at the threads. Those little foxes... owls....

Hello friends! It appears as though I had no choice but to skip a blog post for June. Summer has delightfully occupied family life  and I know that everyone can understand when I say..... it's been a good 'busy' kind of summer. The hens are producing beautiful eggs everyday and I can't help but think how happy I am that we made the decision to pursue chicken raising. And.... a little unexpected turn ended up occurring in my life...personally. For those of you that don't know, my real job, the paying one , is that of a nurse. And I love it! So when my boss offered me a teaching job through our facility, I knew I couldn't pass it up! What could be better than sharing your passion with others? Instead of sewing and finishing aprons, quilts and patterns, I was getting my lesson plans ready! So far, it has been an amazing experience and I'm still feeling astonished with the way things fell into place:) I knew that between the girls, vacations, gardening,...