Barns...

During one of my web wanderings, I came across this image explaining the architecture of sixteen different barn styles. You may or may not know that I have a great fascination with these structures. In the past, I have had an emotional reaction to being inside them.

I think I've told this story before, but I'll share it again. Years ago, I was talking with a friend about my reaction to being in barns. For no apparent reason, I just tear up and start crying. I have no real explanation for it. I've told people, for years, that I thought perhaps I used to be a pioneer woman in bygone days.

On this one occasion, I looked at my friend and repeated that, but then thought for a moment and said, "Or maybe in a past life I was a cow?" She broke out laughing, and I've been pondering that ever since. Whatever the reason, I do love these buildings and as a younger woman, always thought perhaps I'd live in a converted barn. Now, I'm happy to live on a property with our two small red-painted buildings - even though one was actually a machine shed and the other a wood shed. I do know the difference. 

At any rate, I hope you enjoy seeing this image, too, showing some of the different styles. I know, though, that the English and octagon barns are missing from this list. They're wonderful, too. 

Work went really well last night, and once I got home, Handsome and I enjoyed the rest of our quiet evening surrounded by furry creatures. It was really nice. I'm hoping to get back to my needlework this weekend and plan to show you what I accomplish on Monday. See you then!

A Ride In The Country...

Sheboygan County Octagon Barn

 

I took a drive down one of the back roads near home recently, and saw this fabulous farmstead and octagon barn. The barn is huge! It dwarfs the farmhouse, which isn't small. It's incredible.

 

There are so many wonderful things about being back in Wisconsin, especially where we've chosen to live. This area is steeped in history, and there are tidy farms scattered on nearly every road. Every turn reveals another treasure.

Sometimes the best travels involve taking an unfamiliar road. You never know what's around the corner, but it's likely that you'll find something beautiful if you take the time to look. When was the last time you took a drive in the country? Perhaps it's time?

 

Improving The Compass Barn...

Liljegren's Compass Barn

 
I was asked what a "compass barn" was yesterday. I thought I'd explain to you, too. When we purchased our farmhouse, there were three outbuildings on our five acre property. One is our large pole barn building (which we just completed paving); the wood shed (great for "Wednesday night beatings". I'm just kidding. Really.); and a machine shed (this building).

I found the metal compass in 2017, and Shelly spotted me on the tall ladder, so this acrophobic, but nimble sexagenarian could climb up and hang it. ("Don't look down. Don't look down.") Upon returning to terra firma, I christened our machine shed, The Compass Barn.

Inside Our Compass Barn

After the paving was finished in our larger building, we decided that we'd also improve the dirt floor in the Compass Barn. It was pretty unlevel and the sod was humped up in front of the barn doors, making it difficult to drive into the building.

I'm not ready to agree on reinforcing the walls of the barn. The light coming in between the boards is one of the things that makes me love it so. See the light shining on the floor. Yeah. That's what I'm talking about. However, I fully agreed that the floor could use a little upgrade.

Another View Inside Our Compass Barn

That square of concrete in the photo is a concrete pad that will act as a footing for a jackpost to support the hand-hewn beam that spans the building. The flooring is a material called "screening" over a sand base, and it's been wet and compacted.

My vantage point from these photos is through a doorway into a room that has a concrete floor. It housed a hog or two in its day, but it's completely cleaned out now. It has a loft above it, and I'm using the area below the loft as my potting shed.

There are also two windows in the "potting shed" area, and my plan is to take some old barn boards to make window boxes that I can hang under each window to fill with pretty flowers for the rest of the summer. I'd like to work on those while I can still enjoy them this summer. We'll see what I can find for boards around here. I find everything about this building charming!
 

Re-Grading The Drive

 

Last winter, the area out in front of the Compass Barn retained water, which froze the doors in place when it got really cold. We wanted to take care of that, as long as we were working over there.

The area is now regraded, and there will be gravel placed first, for drainage. Then, we'll have new black dirt trucked in to grade over the top. We're going to plant grass seed (and I'm hoping it will be mixed with clover) so we have a grass drive into the barn.

 

Our View Up The Hill In Front Of The Barn

 

The guys checked out the grade with a transit when they were all finished, and told us there's a 28" drop from the dirt fill up the hill, down to where I'm standing to take this picture. Add the gravel and dirt, and we don't think there will be any standing water from now on. It will run right down the hill past the barn, and it's going to look beautiful, too!

Tomorrow is a studio day. I'm working on setting up my first Primitive Gatherings "Twilight Garden" Summer Block of the Week. I want to get that done before Week Two arrives! I'm hoping to show you photos of it tomorrow. Gotta run!

Stark Beauty...

Southern Granary

  Traveling to get Bella. I love all farm buildings. ALL.  Winter, Summer, Spring, Fall.  Every season is a beautiful season for a farm building. 

There And Back...

Indiana Sheep Farm

 

Our Airstream has been at the Mother Ship (factory) in Ohio all winter for repairs to a soggy dinette floor. Once they affected the repairs (due to a manufacturing glitch, so "no charge"), they stored Aluminati until we could come to get her. Sweet, right? That's Airstream's stellar customer service for you.

 

Anyway, it's past time for us to pick her up, but they let us extend our stay because of the move. We decided on Monday that we'd head out yesterday for a quick "there and back" to get her and bring her home to the farm for the summer.

 

Ohio Barn

Rather than take our extended route to Madison, WI, down through central Illinois, we figured we'd just scoot through Chicago. Let's just say we won't come back that way. Too much traffic and construction south of the Windy City and into Indiana for our taste.

Although, once we got into the Fort Wayne, Indiana (and south, into Ohio), the countryside sure got pretty. Of course, I was enthralled with the barns. It seems they prefer white to red in Ohio.

Ohio Barns

We drove through some rain, but it was mostly overcast and cool. Just right for driving, and the dogs were content to sleep most of the trip.

Ohio Barn

 

We'll pick up our Flying Cloud this morning and get under way as soon as we can. We plan to sleep in our own bed tonight...with the moon shining on our Airstream safely tucked in our yard at the farm. It will be a perfect start to the holiday weekend.

Wisconsin Barns...

Brynwood Needleworks - FdL Co Barn

In the past week, we've spent quite a bit of time in the Wisconsin countryside. As Handsome has piloted our vehicle, I've been taking photographs of the Wisconsin barns I love so well.

Brynwood Needleworks - FdL Co Barn

There are many styles in the state, built by Americans of varying heritages. There are German, Dutch and English barns; crib, bank and prairie barns. They come in many shapes and sizes, and it would be nearly impossible for me to choose one style over another.

Brynwood Needleworks - FdL Co Barn

They come in many colors; showing patriotism, quilt blocks, advertising or nothing at all. Each beautiful to me in its own way.

Brynwood Needleworks - FdL Co Barn

Many of them are still in use on working farms. They house animals, crops or machinery. Wisconsin has a program to preserve barns, so although there are sad barns to be seen, I'm happy that many are being saved.

Brynwood Needleworks - FdL Co Barn

 

A barn of my own is still on my wish list. I've loved them all my life and can think of nothing I'd like more than to have one of these beautiful structures to call mine. It could happen, you know!

"Wisconsin Memories" Book...

I finished my memory book last night. I'm calling it "Wisconsin Memories", 

and I've filled it with items that come to mind whenever I think of Wisconsin.

I didn't do anything to change the layout of my front cover, except to add the silver

 owl bead. I threaded my seam binding behind it after I finished making the bow.

Why the owl? One day, I looked out the window of our home to see a Great 

Horned Owl sitting in the old oak tree on our hillside. He was looking right back at

me! We watched each other for a long time that day. He belonged on the front cover,

 right along with the acorn. They represent the woods and wildlife on our property.

The first set of inside pages only changed a little. I added our favorite photo of me

with Bannor to the page. I printed it on linen fabric and then affixed it to the lace.

This was taken by a staff photographer for the Department of Natural Resources. 

I was featured in an issue of the DNR magazine celebrating the 25th Anniversary 

of Wisconsin's Hunter Education program because I was  the administrator for 

the Hunter Education program in Fond du Lac, WI and I was the first only female 

to hold one of the top three positions for the state-legislated Wisconsin Conservation 

Congress in their now-eighty year history. I was State Secretary for the organization.

I served as the administrator for the Hunter Ed program, and as WCC Secretary

for ten years during the 1990's. The photographer captured my reaction as Bannor

surprised me with a kiss, and of the thirty or so images he took, this is the one they

used. It's still my favorite picture of me with my boy, so I had to add it to my book.

The left side page represents Mom Grace. She taught me to crochet my first granny

square, so I made this one using #12 pearl cottons. She also loves daisies, so I stitched

a bouquet for her. The heart is Swarovski crystal. That sweetheart ribbon at the top

was so very appropriate for her page...and it was a recent gift from my generous friend,

Sherry of Createology blog. She sent a whole card-full, and it came just in time to use.

Of course, the right side also represents our high ground woods at Hawk Hill. There

were many squirrels that lived there. This squirrel is a design from The Hearts Content.

I stitched him using one thread of floss over one thread of linen. Michelle Palmer

created the wooden button with one of her ink drawing of an acorn. I love her work!

The center of my book is very special to me. First, the heron (a pendant) and 

the feather remind me of the birds that were always visible around Handsome's

and my home - lovingly called Hawk Hill. The feather represents the resident

hawks that inspired the name for our home. I also sewed a whole page of silver-

lined beads beneath my "North Star" on the right. They stand for all the blinking

fireflies that used to fill our view on hot, summer nights in July and August.

The left side page is a tribute to my paternal grandfather. Printed on fabric is 

an image of my grandfather's pride and joy...his mill house in White Creek, WI. 

He personally built a home that overlooked the creek and mill, and lived he there 

for a number of years. I worked about a half hour away and visited him often

when he lived there. It makes me happy just thinking of him and his bright smile.

Below the mill house, I stitched ruched seam binding (the same used to tie the

book closed). I also added a charm of a frog on a lily pad and three abalone discs.

They added sparkle, and made me think of the water swirling below the dam.

I have multiple collections of British cigarette cards, so I made a pocket to hold

a few of the cards representing some of my favorite Wisconsin flowers - geraniums,

chicory and wild roses. I just liked the basket of blueberries button, so there it is!

Anyone who knows me well, knows I love barns. I've pointed them out and marveled 

at them since I was a child. I have no idea why. They just always captivated me. A

quilt and robin's eggs in a bird nest also seemed to go with the theme for this page.

My final set of pages has a vintage crocheted lace sewn to make a pocket of the

faces I remember most affectionately when I think of Wisconsin...all the beloved

dogs, long gone but never forgotten; our sons and their wives and children. Our

hearts fairly burst when we think of them; and one of my favorite photos of 

Handsome with our grandchildren. That little red head hanging on his neck, 

and the older two grands being silly and serious. We miss seeing them every day.

These are two of the photos that I placed in the pocket. There is a third - a family

photo taken of all of us in the studio of a photographer friend up north. 

The last page is my Brynwood page. I began Brynwood Needleworks in 1989

as the name of my cross stitch design business. Although I rested for a while, 

I've been Brynwood Needleworks ever since. Acorns and oak leaves were my

inspiration for the logo that was designed for me all those years ago. The pin

on the right side of the page was available to my customers - and I even have

a dozen or so of them left. I may have more of them made in the future to sell.

  So, there you have it. My completed labor of love - "Wisconsin Memories". I'm  sure I'll add more photos to my last page. My BFF and other family members will  be tucked into the pocket, too. I always think of them when my mind goes north. This was really a fun project. While I'm quilting, everything has a certain size and  place, but with this little book, my mind could wander and explore. I'm sure I'll make  more in the future, but for now, I'll just enjoy this one...my heart in a little fabric book.

Benton County Quilt Block Trail...

 When we stopped at the Golden Pond Visitor Center in Land Between

the Lakes yesterday, I grabbed this brochure for the Benton County

Quilt Block Trail. Are you surprised that it might have caught my eye?

Camden, TN is the county seat of Benton County and it's located near

the shores of Kentucky Lake (an impoundment of the Tennessee River).

The Quilt Block Trail runs all through Benton County, Tennessee.

The idea came about when one of the people who would begin the effort, 

read an article published by the Tennessee Farm Bureau about barn quilts.

 A public meeting was held at the Benton County Library to see if there 

was any interest in a quilt trail within the county, hoping to get twenty 

participants. With a grant from the Tennessee River Resort District for 

materials, the project began in the spring of 2010. This brochure was 

printed in 2012, and at press time, there were over 122 quilt blocks listed 

from one end of the county to the other! I suspect there are even more now.

 The quilt blocks were painted on 4 x 4 wood boards by volunteers and location

owners after their favorite quilt blocks were chosen. There are no duplicates.

 I'm just pointing out a few of my favorite blocks. I had seen some

along our trip route, but that was before I saw the brochure and learned

about this large-scale effort. Although I didn't see the actual block, I 

like this 4-in-1 block for the Underground Railroad Codes.

 I also have an affinity for barns, so the "cow" blocks appealed to me.

 I'd love one with the oak leaves and acorns on it!

 Of course, "Fall Flight" with the goose, reminds me of autumn in

Wisconsin. I can just picture flights of geese over the Horicon Marsh.

 When we got to the south end of the Trace, at Dover, I managed

to get a photograph of one such block on the side of the Regions

Bank Building. This is outside the "range" for the trail, but I suspect

that others have caught the Quilt Block fever and joined in the fun.

 Right across the street from the bank was this block hanging  from the local antique shop building. I really like the colors.
As I looked at all the blocks in the brochure, it occurred to me that it might be a fun project to make a quilt using the same blocks on the trail...all 122 of them. I'll put that on my "To Do List". That will be for another day.
We stayed at Clanton, Alabama last night and will be in Perry, Florida tonight. We'll be home tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it.

Farmer's Wife QAL - Barns and New Blocks...

My Wisconsin Barn Mosaic

In October of 2009, I wrote a blog post with this mosaic I created from all the barns I photographed on a trip to Wisconsin. (You can read that post here.) When I see barns, I feel something inside that's difficult to explain.

On more than one occasion, I've found myself spellbound by light coming into a barn between the boards. The last time it happened, I looked at Handsome with tears in my eyes. I don't know how I feel about reincarnation, but it's like I was meant to be there. It felt like home. Like I'd been there before. Like I knew that place.

Stock Photo from web

These deep feelings prompted me to want to create the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt...and the desire to share my project with some of you. Imagine my pure joy to find that twenty four other women wanted to join me in a quiltalong.

 We started in February with a list of quilt blocks from the book. I blogged and emailed the list to the participants, with a promise that this would be a no-pressure endeavor. We've been uploading our block photos to a special Flickr album, and we've also shared comments and questions among the group. It reminds me of the old-time barn raising, where everyone worked together to create something beautiful...the barn.

We're all working from the same book...The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt by Laurie Aaron Hird. We're also using either the templates from the cd inside the book, or plastic templates from Marti Mitchell's website.

This is how I'm using my book to chronicle my Farmer's quilt journey. I start by taking colored sticky notes and bookmarking the blocks chosen for the month. (I used pink stickies for February and yellow for March.)

You'll notice that there are still pink stickies in there. I haven't sewn those blocks yet (but will this month). Remember, I said that the group is "no pressure", and I'm proving it by showing how I'm working at my own pace.

As I stitch each block, I write the date that I created it, along with my initials. I'm also writing notes on the pages so that whoever sees my finished quilt years and years from now, they'll know what I was thinking as I created the quilt.

I keep all of my supplies (except the fabric I have on bolts) in one of those plastic organizers (like this) so that everything is in one convenient place when I sit down to work on my blocks.

I know farming folk who keep daily records of the weather, along with other information that serves as a diary of their farming life. They keep track of all the grains, seeds and supplies they purchase toward running their farm. Women keep detailed budgets to enable them to purchase the supplies used to run their households, but in days past, they also wrote down their inventories of precious possessions. In some cases, they cataloged their linens and fabrics needed to clothe and comfort their families.

I just added a new app to my iPad that I can use to inventory my fabrics, patterns and threads. How much easier it might have been for the farmer's wives of yesteryear had they been able to use technology as we do.

Before I end my thoughts for today, I'll leave you with the list of blocks that our group will create for March. There are ten this month.

These are the blocks:

• Block # 2 - Autumn Tints
• Block # 6 - Big Dipper
• Block #10 - Bowtie
• Block #15 - Buzzard's Roost
• Block #29 - Economy
• Block #31 - Evening Star
• Block #34 - Flock
• Block #51 - Hovering Birds
• Block #52 - Hovering Hawks
• Block $103 - Whirlwind

These block names make me smile, and some of them hold special meaning.

 I think back on the Autumn tints seen in crisp Wisconsin twilights when I could hear the last of the flocks of geese heading out to the marsh to settle in for the night. Gazing up at the evening stars in the sky with the Big Dipper the most prominent - the first constellation I learned to identify as a child. 

We built our home there and called it "Hawk Hill" for the red-tailed hawks that lived on our property year-round. I can still envision lying in the grass and watching the hawks hover, lift and soar on the breeze.

We have many new memories in the eleven years we've been in Florida. Days seem to pass so quickly, like a whirlwind in time. (No, I'm not going to mention the hurricanes.)

One frequently sees the buzzards that patrol for "opportunities" (meals usually provided when automobiles and wildlife collide), as they roost in the trees along the roads, or even perched on the street lights lining the main roads into town (makes me laugh out loud. "Welcome to North Port, my pretties!").

Better to focus instead on the afternoon and evening musical performances when Handsome dons his tuxedo and black bowtie. I think of a friend's favorite quote "Music softens life's hard edges."

And then, there is the wonderful time we spend in the Airstream. There, our furnishings are more sparse, and our life is spent enjoying the economy of our mobile accommodations.

I think you can see why this group of blocks will be so meaningful to me. I hope that all the other participants are making notes and sharing their thoughts as they create their blocks.  You can click on the QAL link at the top of my blog to find a list of participants and links to their blogs. (No link, no blog - yet!)

You might also enjoy clicking on the Farmer's Quilt book image in my sidebar. That's how you can get to the Flickr album with all our block submissions. Everyone gets to see the blocks being created by their friends, and they can upload their own for an online "bring and brag". Feel free to leave comments on their blocks. They're all so wonderful!

I'll share my newest blocks here when I finish the March group (and those I haven't completed for February), as well as in the group album.