Christmas 2014

Blessings to you and yours

from the

Jackson Family

Yes, We're Still Here!

There is no excuse for lack of posts, but lots of reasons for me not writing...

One of my goals this summer was to clear the garage of all fiber that needed to be skirted and cleaned.  The weather cooperated enough for me to get through 20+ bags of fiber.  Unfortunately, I lost a great deal to moth infestation, but even with the loss, I have LOTS of wonderful fiber to spin this winter.  I still have about 6 bags/boxes to sort, but considering how much I started out with, I'm pretty happy to have accomplished so much.

Our dream is to someday transform our garage into my 'studio'...that is my incentive to keep the fiber process moving so my spinning/weaving/sewing studio will someday become a reality (and it won't have to be emptied of bags of fleece to start the process!).

This summer I also taught needlework classes to four lovely ladies.  We started with knitting, moved onto needle-felting, and tucked in a bit of embroidery.  It has been a joy working with such eager learners and I hope to continue offering such classes.  There is a possibility that I'll be teaching similar classes as an after-school activity at a local Christian school starting this month.

The Unadilla Artisan Guild has kept our whole family busy with Katelyn managing lawn care (with occasional help from Marc), Rachael creating needle-felted items, Wayne working on glass, and me keeping inventory rotating/increasing.  Wayne has done a lot of 'manning' the store during the summer hours.  It's been a rough year for our little shop and unless a miracle happens, it looks like the Guild may be closing its doors on December 31st.  BUT there are still lots of items to make and provide for the gift giving season so we're not slacking off on production.
 
Unadilla has an annual Fall Festival in September, which we have been a part of for several years.  This year was our best year ever resulting in good sales and special orders. 

Abundant Blessings Farm was also invited to provide inventory to a new boutique The Happie Place near Albany, NY.  We started supplying inventory there October 1st and look forward to see this new boutique flourish.

We took a very quick trip to Maine in August to enjoy a family reunion.  It's always great to get home to see family even if it's a short trip.  I got my annual dose of "salt air" so I'm recharged until my next visit. :-)

This month we'll have a booth at the Oneonta Community Christian School's annual Vendor Fair.  Last year we were invited to fill in a vacated booth reservation.  Our participation in the event led to the summer needlework classes.  We look forward to being a part of this event and supporting a great cause.

A fun picture of Matthew and Hannah

Anyone who knows Matthew knows that he has a way of turning on the charm for an audience--in this case, for the camera.  I copied this picture from his facebook page, which shows him hamming it up with the love of his life.   :-)

July Days

I've been taking advantage of the past few sunny, dry days to sort and wash fleece and wool.  One of the advantages of a solar hot water tank is that we have PLENTY of hot water on sunny days to do some major washing.  I have washed approximately 8 large batches of alpaca fleece and a small amount of wool in 3 days.  The weather is supposed to hold tomorrow, so I hope to add another batch of wool, but at the bare minimum a couple more batches of alpaca.  The alpaca is easier to 'skirt' (get rid of the waste fiber, vegetable matter,  and separate into quality grades).  Wool is much more time consuming since the lanolin makes it harder to get the vegetable matter out, but the luster of the wool makes it worth the extra effort.  Our shearer gave me a beautiful fleece filled with color variations which will make an amazing yarn...unfortunately, there are LOTS of shavings and hay caught in the wool.  I washed a small sampling of that fleece today and can hardly wait for it to dry so I can card and spin it.  My goal for the summer is to clean ALL the fiber stored in the garage and have a good start in carding it so it'll be ready to spin in the cooler months.

Last Wednesday I had my first handcraft class here on the farm.  Three little girls and a mom learned how to knit and started working with needle-felting.  We plan on meeting again this week to check on their knitting progress before they go on vacation.

The Abundant Blessing Farm dream is slowly coming true!

Celebrating with Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Jackson...

The newlyweds join their guests at the June 28th reception/open house

 Matthew & Hannah were married May 24th in Jackson, Mississippi so we held a reception/open house for friends and family here in NY June 28th

We had beautiful weather and a wonderful

Cutting the cakes

 time with dear friends and family...I just wish

Hannah, her Aunt Cathy, and her Mom Susan

Linda catching up with friends and former neighbors Chuck & Carol

 we had taken more pictures!

Here are a few to give you an idea of the great time we had...

Dear friend and former neighbor "Ms. LaVerna" with Nathanial and friend BreAnna

Matt with friends Jason, Pastor Lindmark, Gracie, & Mike

Bob Bonta chatting with the Berggrens

The Moms with Aunt Cathy and LaVerna

A Special Ride for Fathers' Day

A gentleman from our church collects antique automobiles.  He stopped by this evening to give Wayne, Jonathan, and Ian a spin in his 1931 (a great year, right Mom & Dad?) Chrysler. 

Ian kept saying, "I feel like Sherlock Holmes!"

I doubt our 2009 Chrysler will be around as long as this one!

Birthdays & Busy Days of Spring...

Jon's 11th birthday was in May.  He's decided that skateboarding is the "newest" fascination...subject to change at any moment!

Jon's former respite worker "Mr. Steve" gave Jon a very special present...He came and played ball, shot off rockets, and enjoyed birthday brownies with Jon for a few hours. 

J

Wayne asked the kids to dress up for my birthday dinner--this is crazy Katelyn's get up!  She certainly gives me lots of laughter.

This is my birthday 'lobstah' (Maine version of lobster)

Nathanial bought this for me while in Jerusalem to replace the one that was broken a few years ago.  (I had purchased the original during my visit to Israel back in 1996)

Ian turned 9 on the 6th.  Our gang has almost left the 'single digit years'!

A baby blue jay from the nest outside our family room window had a close encounter with our black lab...it recovered on the shovel Wayne had been using to spread wood mulch on the flower bed.

Katelyn doing a solo at the final performance of the season with the Little Delaware Youth Ensemble.

Congratulations, Rachael!

Our family hit another milestone today...Rachael received her high school diploma!  We had a wonderful time with friends as we celebrated with ice cream cake and great conversation. Great job, Rachael!

A New Daughter!

May 24, 2014 Matthew married Hannah Johnson and in so doing, added a new daughter to our family!  We weren't able to attend the ceremony, but we look forward to a reception/open house here at the farm later this month.  Welcome, Hannah!  (More photos to come as I figure out how to transfer them from FB to my blog page) 

Mothers' Day 2014

 

 When the kids asked what I'd like for Mothers' Day, I had just one answer..."Having all my kids home for the day."  I knew that would be asking a lot since Nathanial would have to come from NC and Matthew has a lot of commitments in Bath, but my kids gave me my wish and it was WONDERFUL.



Wayne started off with a rough day and had to make a trip to the ER for pain.  Thankfully, he was able to come home after we got out of church and enjoyed the rest of the day with us.






The 6 eldest went for a walk with me around Buck Horn Lake.







I am abundantly blessed!

I also have to share a picture that Wayne took before the sheep got sheared.  The baby goats thought that it was great fun to use the sheep as "mountains" and would play "king of the mountain"-- jumping on and off the sheep, riding them around the barn/barnyard,  and knocking each other off.  The sheep would occasionally tire of their hitch-hiking and would walk under the loft of the barn and knock them off their backs.  Now that the fleece is too short for the goats to get a footing, the sheep surfing has stopped, but it certainly was entertaining while it lasted.

Signs of Spring...

Crocus in bloom, green grass, buds on the trees, and SNOW!  Yes, we are getting a bit of snow tonight with temps 40 degrees lower today then they were yesterday (74 yesterday afternoon!)  New York in April, ya gotta love it!

Last week was a week of being on the road...Wayne had tests done Wednesday in Albany to rule out the return of the cancer.  Praise God there is NO cancer!!!  He goes back to Albany to the oncologist/hematologist for a recheck on Friday when he'll have some blood drawn off since his red blood count is elevated a bit, but we are very thankful that his symptoms are not from the return of cancer.

Rachael went to visit a college on Schroon Lake, NY (3 hours from here) last week for a couple days.  She's decided that Word of Life  Bible Institute isn't where she's supposed to be heading in the fall.  She still doesn't know what she's going to pursue, but she'd like to do something with her art.

Marc visited Otsego Academy which is a 2-year post-secondary residential school for developmentally challenged individuals. (45 minutes from home)  He's prayerfully considering attending this school which teaches life and vocational skills to young adults with the goal of apprenticeship into a regular job at the end of the 2 year course and life skills to live more independently.  It will be a BIG step for Marc, but we know that stretching out of his comfort zone is what has brought him this far and that God has big plans for him.   If Marc does attend Otsego Academy he will come home on weekends to see the family, friends, and farm animals.

I'm busy trying to organize things at the Town Office before my last day (the 30th) to make the transition easier for my co-worker.  I'm really looking forward to being back home and being more involved with the children's homeschooling and focusing more on  home life instead of ruminating over office issues.  It will be a challenge to 'let it go' since the office is visible from home, but I know this is the right thing to do for the family...and for me.

Our neighbor came and cut down our dying maple tree last week.  Thank you, John!!  He and our other neighbor, Ray, helped Marc and Wayne cut up and move the branches and logs.  What a major blessing since hiring a tree service to just 'drop' the tree would have been $500!  We now know where our firewood for next year will come from.

The sheep and alpaca are due to be sheared within the next few weeks.  I'm awaiting schedule confirmation from the shearers.

The baby goats are in with the mama goats and sheep in the barnyard...even the little female that we didn't think would make it.  They are so fun to watch.  The kids run and jump, twisting in mid-air.  The big sheep stand in the midst of all the kids' activity and occasionally let out a deep 'baa-aa' as if to say, "Why am I in the midst of this craziness?!"

We are 'chicken less' right now.  The old hens were sold to a local farmer and the plan is to buy chicks in the near future to replenish our stock.  I'm thinking that my herb gardens may thrive without the constant scratching of the foraging chickens this year.  In the meantime, we're enjoying the eggs from another local flock owner who needs help emptying his fridge from all the eggs the 'girls' are providing.

The peepers are serenading us most evenings but I have a feeling they won't be tonight!  The 'old timers' tell us spring isn't really here until the peepers have frozen 3 times...I think tonight is the 3rd!

New additions to the farm...

We've tripled our goat herd in one week's time!  Josephina gave birth to a boy and girl last Tuesday...

 and this a.m. Mavis added another boy and girl to the herd. 

We weren't sure if the little girl of the first set was going to make it, but she's gaining strength every day and is doing well now that she's been pampered a bit.  She's in a dog kennel enjoying the comforts of the mudroom and bottle feeding.

Josephina and her son are back in with the sheep and have access to the barnyard again.  In a few days we'll try moving Mavis and her 2 back into the main pen, but for now they are bonding in the kidding pen.

Temps hit the 60 degree mark this afternoon...spring has sprung!

Wayne's Winter Project

Here is the window Wayne is making for some friends. 

Mid-March Fun

Yesterday Wayne and I drove out to Bath, NY to see Matthew in a musical production of Les Miserables.  Matt was cast as the innkeeper and he did a great job of acting sleazy.  The production is amazing--as are all the productions at the Family Life Ministries Center.   Experiencing such wonderful acting/singing in south central upstate NY is not what you'd expect.   (Check out www.fln.org for further info on all they do.)  It was such a great show that I'm planning on driving out again in the morning with the '3 middles' to see the matinee tomorrow afternoon. 

We also had the wonderful blessing of meeting Matthew's girlfriend Hannah.  We look forward to spending lots more time with these two.

The four of us went to the Corning Glass Museum Friday afternoon.  The displays were really interesting and the galleries were filled with beautiful glass artwork.  We watched demonstrations on glass blowing and forming as well as glass breaking.  (I now know why my Pyrex bake ware shattered the way it did when it hit the floor a few weeks back.  It was 'tempered' so if it did break, it would shatter into little cubes instead of sharp shards).

The red-winged blackbirds have been sighted in our yard and a woodchuck ran across the road in front of us on our way home today...Spring is close!!!

March 2014...Really?!

I can't make any excuses for not updating the blog...life has kept us busy and I've neglected the posts!  I hope to be more consistent in updates and to do a total overhaul on our website in 2014.

The biggest news is that I plan on resigning my position at the Town Hall by the end of April, which will free a bit of time to focus on our home business.  I'm really excited about being home 'full-time' again and look forward to developing new avenues and projects for Abundant Blessings Farm.

My current project is developing classes for teaching children and parents traditional handcrafts.  I'm also working on a presentation of the process of turning wool/plant fibers into fabrics using the traditional crafts of our ancestors.  In our modern culture we take for granted the ability to go to a store and buy an item of clothing, but our ancestors invested much time and effort in producing the necessities of life.  I hope to develop an interesting program to help this generation realize how blessed we are and to see how much we take for granted while at the same time, giving them an appreciation for the traditional handcrafts.

We're expanding our garden with the intent of selling produce at the local farmers' market this year.  I'm starting seeds this week for the long-season plants.  Herb seedlings are going to be added to the sales potential, too.

Add the adventures of supplying inventory to the Unadilla Artisan Guild,  homeschooling the remaining 4 school-age children (with one due to graduate in June), 2 goats due to deliver at the end of March, normal household activities, doctor appointments, and music lessons,  and you can imagine the activity level around here.

2014 looks to be a busy and exciting year!