2019 Farmhouse Decor Roundup {Part 2}

Hi Friends! I hope your week is going well. Are you getting ready for Easter? We're looking forward to a family vacation later this week, and as always there's loads to do to get ready to leave. At last count we're up to 25 animals... and with that comes a lot of little instructions for when we're away. And then there's the packing... But I'm not complaining that we're heading to a sunny and warm destination! :) It's always worth the prep.

Today I'm rounding up more of the top posts from this year so far (in case you missed them). 

If you missed Part 1 you can find it here!

Processing Wool Into Yarn {A Little Dream Come True!}

Processing Wool Into Yarn {A Little Dream Come True!}

 Ever since getting our Babydoll sheep last spring, I dreamed of having their wool turned into yarn and made into knit hats for our three boys. (I had no idea about the process of turning wool into yarn, but figured there had to be a way!)

I was blessed to find a special person, Kim, who was up for the challenge. And a challenge it was, as we had only very short lambswool from our sheep's first shear. (Many mills require a minimum length of 3" - ours was nowhere near that!) 

As if that weren't enough, it was November and I was trying to get the yarn in time to have hats made for our sons by Christmas. (Most mills require 6 to 12 months for processing!) But with Kim's help, our sons opened up their wool knit hats on Christmas Eve, made from their own sheep's wool! 

Today, I'm excited to share what I learned about the steps it takes to process wool into yarn. Kim was kind enough to send me pictures as she went, explaining the steps she took. So let's get started!

Snow Day!

Hi Friends ~ Thanks so much for stopping by! We are on our third day of official no-school snow days here in the Seattle area. I think it's the longest stretch we've had since our kids have been school age! We got about ten inches of snow - not exactly the polar vortex of the east, but that is a ton for our area. 

Merry Christmas from Our Little Farmstead...

Dear Friends ~ We hope you've been having a very blessed Christmas.

Our Babydoll Southdown sheep: George, Teddy, and Winston wanted to wish you Happy Holidays!

An Update on Our Babydoll Southdown Sheep...

Hi Friends! We've had our Babydoll Southdown sheep for about five months now, so I thought I'd give you a little update. We've really enjoyed having sheep - they add personality to our mini farm, life to the barn, and are about the sweetest animals you could imagine. 

They are helping us keep grass and foliage down in certain areas on our property, and I am thinking of ideas for how to use their cozy wool. But primarily, they are our pets. ;)

Introducing Our Babydoll Southdown Sheep...

I'm happy to introduce you to George, Winston, and Teddy, our new Babydoll Southdown Sheep! (If you follow along with me on Instagram or Facebook you have already been lamb-spammed by me. Sorry, but they're just sooo cute!)

~ Signs of Spring ~

We visited these adorable sheep not far from our house last spring. Aren't they the cutest?! I was convinced that this spring we would be welcoming some sheep to our little farmstead... But for now, we are aware of our limitations, which include anything with hoofs. Stay tuned. (As in 2 - 5 years. Maybe. :)

And while it's not quite time for spring lambs yet, there are

 little signs of spring popping up all over the place! 

We are welcoming the changing of the seasons early this year in the 

Pacific Northwest. First, with the crocus...

Budding branches...

And daffodils...

This will be our second spring living here. I can safely say that I am a novice gardener (and that may be overstating it :). These bouquets of green have only appeared within the last week or two. I remember something florally growing up out of them last year, but am at a loss. Iris? Anyone? 

I've done a little research and I believe these delicate, deep purple flowers are a type of buttercup. Validation or correction, please. 

Lenten rose?

Since moving from a yard of ~9,000 square feet to an over 2 acre property, we're trying to become more realistic about gardening and yard maintenance (though I still have my dreams!).

Instead of thinking, "Today I'm going to clean this yard up," I  think, "Two or three wheelbarrows-full of clean-up is better than nothing."

Another thought I use to encourage myself is, "Well, it may not look great, but at least it won't look like an abandoned house!" This is what I tell myself most often. Seriously. And for some strange reason, it is a real motivator. Whatever works, right?

I used to think leaf clean-up was something you did in the fall. And it is. If you do it in the fall. We started then, but you guys, there were SO many leaves. You all told me to do a little bit each day and to stay on top of it. We did. But then we stopped. So here we are and life goes on... In fact, it goes on quickly with three growing boys.

And that is what I remind myself most often. We didn't move here for a magazine-worthy yard. We moved here so that our tres hermanos could have some wide open spaces... some room to roam and explore. 

We're thankful for the memories already made and look forward to more to come...

I do hope to learn more about gardening each year. One of the things I enjoy about blogging is learning from others. Thank you to those of you who have shared your gardening tips. Please, keep them coming! ;)

xo

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