End Of Season...

Hickory Hill Farm Kitchen Garden November 2017

This is what was left of this year's kitchen garden last week, here at the farm. In the foreground is the last of this year's rosemary, basil and mint (overrun with morning glory vines). Toward the back are my beautiful lavender bushes that were so generous with their flowers this season, and on the left are those crazy, hybrid hollyhocks...still blooming! They look nothing like the heirloom hollyhocks I'd hoped for when they were planted, but they're still beautiful, and I just didn't have the heart to yank them out of the ground because they were mistakes.

Everything is now trimmed down for winter, and I'll be getting hay to cover the ground to protect the herbs and perennials from the freezing cold. Obviously, the southern exposure, the house, and porch offer a measure of shelter, but I want to give them the extra blanket before the snow falls. I'll do that by the weekend.

End of Season Fresh Pesto

I cut and processed the last of the sweet basil into pesto. I spooned the pesto into my herb freezing trays, and when they hardened up, I vacuum-sealed them for the freezer. Handsome doesn't care for pesto, but I (and my niece and my sister) will enjoy it this winter. (The ladies had sample jars from me and asked for more whenever they visited this summer, so I've got enough set aside to share.)

End of Season Rhubarb

 

I also trimmed and covered the rhubarb hills we planted this spring. They were quite prolific all summer, but I let them grow to feed the roots. What was there was growing well - and I didn't want it to go to waste - so I brought what I trimmed inside, washed and cut it up, and sealed that for the freezer, too. I'll thaw it out over the winter and make more strawberry/rhubarb jam when we run out of what I already canned.

 

I also have lots of hickory nuts to shell this winter. I left plenty outside for the squirrels, and will have lots of sweet nutmeats for cookies and cakes throughout the winter. When it gets cold outside, I may even share a few more with my furry outdoor friends.

 

The farm has blessed us in so many ways this first year, the least of which was what we grew ourselves in our tiny kitchen garden. I'll spend this winter flipping through garden catalogs as I plan for our 2018 plantings. For now, the soil and our plants can rest. I'll greet them again in the spring.

 

Painted Shelf...

Gifts From Friends

I thought I finished painting the shelf yesterday. When I was editing these pictures, I still saw a pink tinge in some of the images. Man, that dark brick stain is aggressive!

I've hung the shelf and placed my treasures on it already, so when I'll take it down to tackle that tinge is anyone's guess. I didn't see it when it was hanging up, so it's not top priority for now. I have other things to do.

The top shelf holds the artwork of my blog friend, Mary Wadsworth (the oak leaf tree on the left); a Jim Shore Labrador retriever; an antique acorn table cigarette lighter; a felted polar bear and owl from PeakVintage on Etsy; and a felted corgi from my dear friend, Marion (she owns Tag's brother, Trip).

More Treasures

The tiny bear (sitting on a chair) was made by my longtime Wisconsin girlfriend, Linda; the strawberry pincushion in back next to the chair, and the strawberries on the far right were created by my friend, Jacque. I wrote about them HERE. She also did the corgi cushion hanging in the middle of the next picture.

I placed my antique silver pincushions from England (the swan and shoes) and a dog (behind the swan); and a little basket pincushion, holding custom-made acorn and oak leaf charms (sorry, I couldn't find the Etsy shop for those).

I made the pincushion on the lower shelf (and offer smaller versions in my Etsy shop); the acorn straight pins were a gift from Jacque, too. Susan Pilotto of Mouse Droppings created my gorgeous, little mouse pincushion; and my Canadian friend, Margaret B. of The French Bear made my gorgeous white bear. The wooden acorn is an antique thimble holder.

Hearts

Some of my favorite heart shapes, and the corgi (which was hand stitched by Jacque) hang from the pegs at the bottom of the shelf. There's a pair of acorns hanging behind the corgi, too. (There's that pink tinge. grrrrr)

More Treasures

The brown velvet acorns were also created by Margaret B., and I love them! My friend, Shelly R. of Bungalow Bling created the cone. Isn't it pretty?

I love that little gap at the top of the shelf, too. I chose not to fill it with caulk, preferring the imperfection of it.

Studio Shelf

I originally had my hanging organizer located here, but I decided to move that and put the shelf here instead. I think it's better in this space, and I have another use for the organizer that was here before.

I think you'd agree that I did pretty well for a $15 find and a little leftover paint, wouldn't you?

Studio Stuff...

Studio Shelf

 

I purchased this shelf for $15 over the weekend. Today, I gave it the first coats of paint so it will match our farmhouse woodwork. 

 

It's going to hang in the studio, and will hold some of the sewing-related figurines, etc. that are scattered about the room. Mostly, they're precious gifts from my blog friends, or items that were received in online swaps. It will be nice to have them displayed in one place. 

This dark brick color is currently showing through the light paint, giving it a pink tinge, so I'm going to wait until the paint is completely dry and give it a good sanding before painting again. I think it will be a "process". 

I had a few other projects around the house, so I'll work on them at the same time until everything is done. I'll feel pretty accomplished when I get all of them done. Then, I'll be able to show you. 

Guess I'd better get back to it. I have things to do while the paint dries! 

November already? Whew! Time sure does fly.