Pumpkin Festival

This Saturday was busy with our town's Pumpkin Festival. There were baskets, mums, canned treats, homemade goods, pony rides, raffles and live bluegrass music. It was a nice cool day to visit with friends and share the festivities in town. I was only there for a few hours but I had so much fun. I got to judge the baked goods and the pumpkin cheesecake was the best I ever had. Our mill group raffled off a handmade oak chest with funds going to restore the old mill. We also promoted our Haunted Mill happening this Halloween.

Haunted Mill Spooktacular

Here is the banner for our haunted house in the old mill here in Summersville. We are kicking things off at the Pumpkin Festival on Saturday. The following October Fridays and Saturdays starting on the 14th begin our haunted house until Halloween. This is my first time helping set up a haunted house inside an old mill. So much fun in the fall!

On Cotton, On Fleece, On Knit...

We went back to the sewing factory that was going out of business to buy racks. These are pallet racks made for storing heavy things. And we also bought several yards of nylon, poly and knit to use as draping for the Haunted Mill in our town for Halloween. You can see how handy it is to have a heavy duty farm truck for tasks like these. We got it all home in safe without losing the any part of the load.

Ruby Red

Here is a 1935 Ford 3 window antique car a friend purchased to restore. The car is in good shape and looks pretty, just needs some proper restoration work done. The paint has bubbles and the radio is missing. All things my friend will take the time to fix. I think the front windshield that opens for air conditioning is neat.

New Machine, Sad Story

This past Saturday we went to a going out of business sale at the local sewing factory. It was a bittersweet purchase we made. We found out the sewing factory had 180 American jobs for the small town of Mountain View. This factory was open since 1991 and doing a booming business. Then manufacturers decided clothing contracts from China and South America were too cheap to pass up. And all the clothing contracts went outside the USA. This means Missouri families lost income, security, health care, their futures; all out the window in less than two weeks time.

The owner/friend was very saddened the loss of the jobs for so many in his town. I saw jackets from Bass Pro shop, LL bean, Lands End and more, sitting unfinished on racks. All these clothing companies decided made in USA was not good enough for their bottom line.

So I walked around the warehouse looking at threads, clothes, sewing machines, coffee makers, computers, shelving. I saw workers showing off their industrial machines, sewn items, threads, so proud of a lifetime of work. These industrial sewing machines, buttoners, sergers, embroiderers were all run on special plugs and compress air. Luckily, I have a neighbor who can rewire my machine for home use. I bought a Pfaff, with a walking foot for high speed quilting. The owners father sat with me for an hour showing me how to operate this great machine in the warehouse. He knew how to service all these machines. That knowledge was worth more than the machine. I took notes and photos and even got a well used copy of the manual.

I paid more for my machine that what a liquidator will be paying; .20 cents on the dollar. All these machines will be sold off for a song and end up sold for scrap metal. They are worth more as scrap. At least I saved one machine. Wish I could have saved the jobs instead.

Happy Neighbors

Our new neighbors put up their new greenhouse together. They took the time getting all the parts installed before winter sets in the Ozarks. After a full day of installation we all took a fun trip to the local mills. They got to see how clear the spring water is out here in Missouri. Seeing our clean air and clean water makes you feel great living here.

13 Little Ones

Yesterday at 6am my post office called for me to pick up my duckling shipment. I ordered 12 ducklings mostly females and 4 straight run. Today I realized I forgot the leg bands. They need to be removed ASAP as to not hurt the leg growth. So my husband and I removed the bands from the ducklings. Even at 48 hours old they grow very fast. I also found out I was shipped one extra duckling lucky number thirteen.

Cedar Says

This week Jeff, our contractor is installing a custom cedar and cultured stone firewall in our basement. Jeff is using the cedar trees from our property to frame the firewall and shelving. We like the natural look of the gray cedar bark. Carpenter ants were found in some of the logs and those had to be scrapped. But for the shelves, Jeff will show the bark and red heartwood. Since Jeff is a contractor and an artist we both agree showing the beauty of the tree trunks.

Nothing like the smell of fresh cut cedar logs in the house. This will be a nice place to have our hearth this winter.

Staining the House

Last week we had our house oil stained by our good friend and contractor, Jeff Royer. He also had his son over taping up/masking our house. They both did and excellent job. Now when it rains the water beads up nicely off the house and deck. Just in time too, as it is a rainy week ahead.

America Lost

I heard about the recent business flight on 9/11 where American fliers were arrested, cavity searched, stripped, the works all because of fear. Here is the truth from one of the flight victims:

http://shebshi.wordpress.com/2011/09/12/some-real-shock-and-awe-racially-profiled-and-cuffed-in-detroit/

Take the time to read what happened and understand this is not the America we all grew up in. This is wrong and our rights are being trampled all over. So thank you apathetic fearful Americans, thank you to our government, thank you to heartless greedy corporations, thank you to all the willing people who participate in hurting our citizens in the name of fear. You are making history repeat itself. It was called WW2, the citizens of Germany also lived in fear while in Nazi occupation.

Apathy and fear lead to the deaths of millions of good people right inside its nation.

And now we are doomed to repeat history because America lives in fear.

I wonder if the Patriot Act will make mandatory mini-x-ray machines for babies at the bus depots soon? I bet they will be so cute with balloons and rainbows painted on them. I wonder if our kids feet will get cold when they remove their shoes and get stripped searched at the airports? No matter, if they complain they will be shot behind the food court. Ah, the future of America is so bright, I have to throw up, thanks.

Stain Away

We are having our house oil stained again this year. This staining will last for 4-5 years before needing another coat. You can see the lighter color of the old stained versus the deep red pecan color of the fresh staining. The fresh stain will soften into the warm pecan as it dries. The staining takes only minutes to apply with a sprayer, it is the house wrapping that takes the time. All the shrubs, decking and windows need to be masked and protected from the sprayers. It takes 2 days of caulking, 1-2 days to mask and half a day to spray the stain. Cleanup also takes about another half a day. It is hard work but at least the weather has been helping our father and sons crew.

Personal Building Inspectors

We are having the wood on our house stained again before winter sets in. The weather has been dry and the wind mild, perfect for oil staining. While our windows were being masking off, our guineas came over to inspect the work. They were not jaded by bribes of crumbs from our crew. The crew passed inspection and work continued into the night and the guineas went home to roost.

Deck 'Em

Here is the latest of my neighbors addition project. Here is the first phase of adding a deck to his house. He learned that Ozark dirt is mostly rock and post holes are hand dug. Even a tractor auger has problems making holes in this stuff. Having dug several post holes for our barn, I understand the work involved. It is all coming together nicely for him.