It's Time to Sow Rye Grass!

 Happy Spring everybody!  It has been beautiful here the past few days and one thing I love to do to start off the spring season is plant annual Rye grass.  Last year I planted a small chicken feeder that I have but this year...

 I brought out the big one...I was lucky enough to score this old feeder last fall and I've used it many different ways already!  I love it!

So, I've shared with you all how to do this the last couple of years...but here is a refresher in case you missed it....but don't worry....this is easy breezy!

Start with some annual Rye grass seed - of course mine came from Central Farmers Supply and only cost around 75 cents a pound.  And believe me, one pound is way more than you will need!

Check your local farm or lawn and garden store for seed availability.

Then you need some quality potting soil...

Fill the container you like with soil....and remember to think outside the box.  You could use a basket...perfect for Easter, galvanized metal, pottery, suitcases...simply use your imagination.

Next, liberally sprinkle with Rye grass seed...

 Lightly cover with a little bit of soil...not to much though.   Quick Tip: When covering your seed...only use the amount of soil that would be equal to twice the thickness of your seed.

 Next...mist generously...place in a sunny window...and your seed will be up in about 3-4 days.  Remember, to keep it moist, not letting it dry out.

 In no time, and I mean that...like in 10 days...it will look like this!

 And then you will have to give it a hair cut because it grows so fast!

 You can tell in this picture...the one in the front has that neat short hair cut and the others are kind of wild - which ever you like.  But before long...your grass will be having a bad hair day!  You will be trimming it several times over the course of the growing period.

 Enjoy it...place a few eggs in it for a great Easter centerpiece.  Your grass will live indoors and look pretty for about a month!

 So...get to planting...Easter is right around the corner!

Happy Spring!

Cathy

Old Man Winter...

 ...came in with a frenzy didn't he?  We received about 13 inches at our house and I have to say I LOVED IT.  I love the peacefulness of it...the quite...the stillness.  

I also understand that this type of weather definitely brings challenges and I sympathize with those who have to get to work to either care for the sick, or clean the roads, or deliver the mail, or pick up the garbage, or stock the shelves, or feed the animals, or be a first responder & on and on.  As much as I would like for time to stand still, thankfully we have dedicated people all around who make a way to help others and I am grateful.

 My hubby is a teacher...a wonderful agriculture teacher and yes, I am a bit proud of him.  So the good thing was he got to stay home with us...BUT, Shaun loves his animals and they have to be tended to...so out he went in the worst of the storm.  

 You can barely see him here rounding the dogwood tree...walking up what is suppose to be our driveway to get to the tractor.  The hay had to put out for the cattle.

Out my bedroom window, I watched the snow stack up quickly at the cabin. You can see it is nearly touching the bottom of the fence.

But in one day...the sun was back out...and our puppy, Snowball, was enjoying playing in the snow!

Life is now getting back to normal around here...however...

 ...I still can't get out of my driveway.  Maybe tomorrow.

Hope everyone is safe and warm!

Cathy

From Looking Back...to Looking Ahead...

 In my last post...I reminisced a bit.  But, in this post...I'm looking ahead to something exciting!  What I'm about to share with you is something I've wanted to do since we built our house 4 years ago.  Yes, I can hardly believe it...but, we were actually in our house 4 years Halloween Day! My oh my...How time flies!

You can kind of see how our place is laid out in this picture.  To the right of our house you can see a cabin, a glorious big Maple tree...

 

 ...and a barn.  It is an old tobacco barn that has seen better days...yet, it still has its charm.

  So...instead of thinking about it - I'm just putting it out there...  I'm gonna have a barn sale there next year!

My sister and I have decided it is time to make it official...no more talk...just action.  So we are giving ourselves a year...a year to clean (oh my...the groundhogs have made a mess out of that place), a year to haul out the junk that was there long before we built here, a year to shop for furniture and fabulous finds, well, I keep saying a year to prepare, but honestly, knowing me...I'll put it off as long as I possibly can.  Can't help it...that is just the way I roll!

But with all that being said...we have a cabin that my late father-n-law lovingly restored...

...a really neat cave that just kind of lures you in...

...and we even have an outhouse!  So what more do you need for a fun fall afternoon on the farm.

 So, y'all have to hold me to it...o.k.  And we'll look forward to seeing you next fall..for our first barn sale...right here at Cobblestone Farms!

Looking Back...

It is no surprise that many days I really miss the lil' store I use to have...and other days...honestly, not so much.  But if ever a season brings my anxiety about it back to the surface...it is definitely the fall of the year.  I loved the fall growing season, I loved the long days of working outside in the crisp air, I loved the smell of my store (I can still recall it when I think of it), I loved growing and picking pumpkins and the beautiful colors of the mums, I loved my annual Fall Harvest celebration which brings me to the thing I miss the most...I loved "my people"...the ones that came from far and wide to visit my special lil' place.  It was small & nothing fancy...but it was loved and nurtured by me and many others.

  I'm so thankful I had it.  

Here are just a few pictures that take me back to an extremely busy yet very happy time. 

Happy Fall Friends...what a beautiful time of year!

Chicken Feeder turned Fall Table Centerpiece...

 I have always wanted a chicken feeder like this but had never been fortunate enough to come up on one...but luckily...

 ...the other day at our local antique mall - I SCORED!  I didn't even look at the price before I picked it up and decided it had to go home with me.  It wasn't over the top expensive BUT it was little more than I expected.  Plus it still contained a left over feather or two and some nice dried up chicken droppings.  Oh well, nothing a good scrubbing couldn't fix.

It was super long - like 4 feet plus.  It had this neat bar across the top but I had to remove that in order to fix it like I wanted.

I had some gourds and three little ornamental cabbage I had intended on using.   I had to scratch the cabbage because I wanted to use it on my table and I knew it wouldn't fair that well inside plus all that dirt on my kitchen table - not the best idea!

So I began by folding up some old material I had so that all my fixin's didn't sink down to the bottom.  I simply rolled up about three big pieces and laid it in there.

 Next I topped it off with a layer of burlap because I knew some of it would be showing.

I began by simply layering in the gourds...

 ...Then I added in a little shredded grass for texture, a few walnuts and pine cones for some interest.

...took it inside and put it right down the middle of the table.  It is narrow and doesn't get in the way and I love it - just something a bit different.

I'm already thinking about what I'm going to put in it for Christmas.  I'm thinking candles and fresh greenery...but till then...I think we will enjoy it like it is.

Happy Fall Decorating!

Cathy