Keep on knitting, keep on knitting...

So I may have mentioned before my pal Zoe..pictured here and looking stunning in a knitted hat from Hoppin Hill Farms.

Zoe has a rare form of brain cancer and is currently undergoing chemo. She is rockin' the hat look due to her hair falling out fast and furious. She looks good in hats...ok she looks adorable in anything!

In true Zoe style, the first thing she asked me today was "how was the goats" despite the fact the kid has been through Hell the last few days getting a G tube put in and having a radiation treatment and probably feeling like complete crud.

Kids, they are super amazing sometimes.

oh and yes, I am now her exclusive hat maker...I've found 2 new patterns and will be knitting the night away :)

Nothing says "I love you" like a faux mustache

It doesn't take a whole lot to make a bunch of teenage girls happy.
$2.00 worth of yarn and some knitting skills.

viola! faux mustaches!

Meet Baxter and Skippy...our new farm friends!

Brendan and Emily eagerly waiting for their goats to come out!

Goats in a mini van.....I've had stranger things happen

Emmie and Skippy...love at first sight

Brendan and Baxter

So Here are the newest additions to our farm! 2 Nubian goat boys, they seem to have settled right in..what a funny ride home in the van it was! Both are very well behaved and just cute as can be! Brendan is already asking if he can sleep out in the goat pen with them tonight!

When the Divas get together...all kinds of mischeif occurs

The Diva's spent the day on Federal Hill in Providence Rhode Island!
This is where we had lunch!

When shopping it's very important to keep hydrated! Here Dawn demonstrates how to do it properly.

Here is Dawn striking a stunning pose in De Pasquale Square!

My turn! My turn!!!

oh and yes, it's me and the giant metal chicken!

Time Flies when your havng fun!

Phew! It's been a busy month! So pictured above is Skippy and Baxter
our two newest additions to Hoppin Hill Farm, nubian goats.

Both are males, and just the cutest little guys with friendly little dispositions.
yes, we were going to get females at first..but the prospect of milking twice a day in the
middle of February and freezing my fingers off kind of changed my mind
it's all good that the children were going to "do the milking"
but after realizing they were neglecting their cat's litter box
I figured they were never going to milk frozen goats
I love my teenagers and their intentions are good...but let's be realistic.


so! that being said, we went with the boys :)

My Brain was hijacked by Pinterest!!

Where does the time go???

So I finally caved and joined www.pinterest.com because i couldn't stand
not being part of this "cult of cuteness" another minute.

little did I know, my time would be consumed looking for adorable teapot pictures and funny quotes to post on my boards!

wow! it gets addictive fast!!!

Plus, sorry to say, my camera has finally decided to just give up the fight and it now sitting in the "junk drawer" waiting to get tossed out. I love my little camera and it kills me to have to buy a new one...but with the holidays coming up fast and furious I'm going to want to capture all those precious moments.

like the Halloween post candy pig out meltdown
and the "I'm not eating this" Thanksgiving feast
oh my favorite, the snarling "you woke me up too early" under the Christmas tree teenager glare.

ahhhhhh those memories :)

I need a new boy toy to run away with....suggestions?

so back in the day...you know...long before children and other life distractions when you used to be able to stare into each other's eyes across the table and just eat at a lesiurly pace...and the meal did not consist of chicken nuggets..the hubby and I used to play the "people we were allowed to run away with if they came knocking on the front door" celebrity style of course. So over the years I have gone through quite a few "boy toys" and I'm feeling like it's time for a new one. My past men have been

Mr. Connery....mmmmm James Bond!

Mr. Crowe...Gladiator costume included.


Hugh Jackman...with or without the Wolverine blades.

So the verdict it out...I'm just not sure who to pick...nobody young..I am not into that vampire pale sparkly thing, and they cannot consider the 80's ancient times....I'm open to suggestion!

Oh and the husband has stood by his gal Nicole Kidman..although he does like her better with the red hair than blonde. I'm not too worried about her knocking on the front door. :)

Because you just never know...so be greatful for what you have.

Last week, my friend Jen brought her daughter in for follow up appointment with the doctor for possible Lyme disease, the doctor suggested an MRI, a large tumor was found in the right frontal portion of her brain, the next 24 hours were a blur as she was rushed in for a biopsy, and then the wait.

She is 9 years old, has a twin sister, is a dancer, cheerleader and has a silly sense of humor...and she has brain cancer.

I have had the privilege of knowing her family and also working with her and her sister in school. I can't put myself in their shoes, I have no words to express my feelings without crying, I can only be on standby (along with a fabulous group of other families) in case they need anything.

Her name is Zoe. She asks that we all remain opZOmistic about her getting well. I'm asking all my bloggy friends to pray for this little kiddo, I'll be knitting chemo caps for the darling this next week, and thinking of her and being opZOmistic.

And now....a word from Hyacinth the cat

Meow.


(what did you all expect, she is a cat!)

Family Fun Day!

This weekend we went to visit Davis' Farmland in Sterling, MA!
It was a perfect day weather wise, and the kids even put up with
my insisting they pose with Moo Moo the cow.

This Cow made us laugh...check out that slobber

The kids all fell in love with the baby goats

Ok, so did I...I think it needs to come home with us.

This sheep was very fond of my son who is autistic, hmmm I wonder if instead of a companion dog we could get a companion sheep?

such a fun day...and of course they had the most fabulous ice cream too, I had the Moo Moo Caramel....mmmmmm

after the storm....

Lots of tree branches down
lost power for 10 hours
whiney children by hour 6 of lost power

but!

We did not sustain any major damage
we were all safe
we had soup by candlelight.

My Dad still doesn't have power 2 towns over...he is coming here to use our stand up freezer...I'm hoping he brings ice cream..tee hee tee hee!

Batten down the hatches and hold on tight!

On Sunday we are going to get hit by Hurricane Irene
I don't think this is very nice
I've never done anything to Irene
She needs to stop being a bully


The kids have never experienced a hurricane
and are taking it VERY lightly...if not being a bit of a bunch
of pains in the rear ends.

I'm looking at the dead trees in the front yard and asking
them in my nicest most kindest way to please feel free
to fall towards the woods and not our house.

Do you think they are listening??

Blog Under Construction....

Hi All

the blog is going to have a facelift...it's going to take me a while to figure it all out..so no blogging for a couple of weeks..and ignore any crazy backgrounds or colors as well...takes me forever to decide what I like :)

humidity....who needs it!

Ugh I feel like slug!!! I despise humidity...it just drains all the energy right out of my body and brain. I would like nothing more then to just lie on the floor in front of the air conditioning...but alas...the children demand attention. It's nearing the end of summer here, so those nice cool days get the occasional "hotter than Hell" day thrown in for good measure..just so we don't forget summer was around. I don't mind heat..but that feeling of walking around in soup because there is so much moisture in the air really brings me down.

I cannot be held responsible for any emotional outbursts this week....read why below

I have an iffy tummy on a good day...but since I have gotten back from vacation my stomach has turned against me in anger :( so hellloooo elimination diet! yup, dairy is off the menu for a couple of weeks as well as......COFFEE.....I know I know..how shall I survive, it's tough, especially with two other coffee drinkers in the house..you can smell it brewing from every room. I just sit there with my green tea and glare at them hoping that the coffee turns to ash in their mouths and that locusts will eat them (ooh a little harsh, must be having java withdrawl) the sad part is, it's been a couple of days...and my stomach hasn't given me any problems. Matter of fact, aside from the headache from lack of caffine, I feel a lot better. sigh.

ok...enough rain!

it's been beautiful the last few days...and I've really enjoyed it! worked around in the garden, checked the bees really well (and got stung on the thumb...right through my gloves, but really it was my own fault, i was taking a lot longer than they liked) spruced up the herb garden, cleaned out the chicken coop....and of course today it rains :( which leads me to believe I need these boots.

Tea Towel Swap!

So a few months ago Dawn and I got paired as swap buddies for the Tea Towel Swap...which of course we found to be very funny because well, we are cousins and appeared to be the only 2 Americans in the swap...so it worked out really well...and who knows me better than her? So anyhow..since I was going to visit her we decided to just swap then save the postage :) here is what she gave to me! as always..i've been spoiled rotten.

aren't these just the cutest?? she made these bracelets herself!!

oooh so many lovelies!!! there is fabulous yarn from her friend Tara's mother's alpaca farm....mine came from a llama named "Quoddy". a delicious recipe that I cannot wait to try (maybe today!) yummy coffee, a bottle of wine (i drank that in no time) some fancy lip balm...'cause i'm fancy like that, a very fallish tea towel that is hanging in my kitchen and looks fabulous and some smell good candle tarts....again, she knows me best and I luuuuuuurrrrrvvv it all!

miss you Dawn :( but i'll see you in a few months! xxoo

.....I'm back!!!!

Hellloooo All!
the kids and I are back from our wild adventures in the state of Maine! It was a wonderful week of being unplugged from the computer and devoid of texting, facebooking, or any other kind of faux human socialization. Yes, the children actually had to play..and have fun...and talk to each other!

Proof that you can indeed dress us up, but you should question taking us out into public...me and Dawn at Quoddy Head Lighthouse.

My fabulous antique finds! Dawn nearly took me down over the butter churn...but she got a cool antique wash table..

I wonder what the poor are doing?? oh yes Daaaahhhling a little light lunch courtesy of the French Cellar in Machias, a little cheese, a little wine, a little chocolate..ahhh it was lovely, sunny day at Dawn's farm

The cousins at Roque's Bluff Beach...doing nothing in particular.

This was the 72 minute game of Uno..nobody is sure who really won, but they had fun!!!

I left the camera unattended for 5 minutes......

It's called Sunrise County because it's the eastern most point...so the sun rises here first....super.

campfire!!!!

Canoodling down the river!

This is the view from the house...I know, how I suffer.

ROAD TRIP!!!

We are packed and ready to rock...will be posting pictures when we get back as we will be sans internet access for a whole week......GASP!
I'm sure the teenagers will be cursing my name by the end of the week...all the updates they have missed
(OMG this morning I like ate a bagel LOL!)
I think they will be fine, really.

But do I care if they have to learn a week later that Suzy so-and-so broke up with Hunky-whatshisname or that one of their 800 friends on Facebook that they sat next to in the cafeteria once in 8th grade and asked them to pass the ketchup didn't make the volleyball team? Nope...i'm going to focus on being unplugged and relaxing, with some light knitting and of course chasing Gavin around the yard.

I'm even considering taking him out in the canoe...ooohh ahhh...wild woman on the loose!

Honey Sweetie Darling!

Nope, not this sweetie darling.....

This sweetie darling! whooo hooo!!!! honey!!!!! go bees go bees make some honey make some honey! You go girls! work that nectar!!!