Shakertown

Sunday, I took a little day trip with my Aunt Lisa, Cousin Elizabeth and Elizabeth's little cutie-pie.

There is no better place for a Day trip than the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill in Harrodsburg, KY. Nestled in the hills of Central Kentucky Shakertown, as we like to call it, has been a family tradition for our family for many, many years. When ever relatives come a visiting, we always schedule an outing to eat and wander around the Village.

The Trustee's house has some of the best traditional country cooking around. The corn bread is to die for and I have always loved that for lunch, you get a bowl of cole-slaw to pass around the table. It is just like eating a family dinner. I had the Chicken Salad Sandwich and was it ever yummie!

After Lunch, we strolled over to the gift shop. Then we took a nice little stroll down the path to visit w/ some critters and the larger gift shop.

The Cutie Pie enjoyed her PB&J

In the Trustee's Hall, make sure to look up!

Enjoy some of the most beautiful rock walls in Central KY.

Everyone is always happy to greet you.

Friends can be friends

Or they can take a nap.
Some times they sniff you for treats.

And sometimes they give you a good look see.

The mice are very friendly.

Candles are strung with great care.

There are big boxes.

Boxes you look down on.

And look up at.

Boxes of every shape color and size.

And boxes that like hanging out with friends.

Kentucky Honey.

Pretty earthy colors.

Lovely Mohair curls.

Reflections of all kinds.

Enough brooms to sweep yourself out the door with.

Smiles are had by all.

And giggles are shared with others!

The Littlest Rescue

Pulled this little fellow from the pool skimmer at Bill's parents house today. Isn't he adorable! I've always had a little 'thing' for salamanders and newts ever since I was a little girl.

Our new resident is the Small Mouth Salamander, Ambystoma texanum, and we are very happy to now have him living under our deck and hopefully eating nuisance bugs such as mosquitos! In the field behind our house Spot the Salamander has a creek to play in as well as many more bugs to keep him full and happy. Sure hope he is happy here:)

See Spot Smile!

See Spot Run!

Spot is a happy Salamander!

Visitor

We welcome visitors of all kinds! Yesterday morning, we had a lovely little visit perch right next to our deck in the back yard. He was enjoying patches of sun in our back yard when I spied him from the upper deck.

We especially like this kind of visitor as his meals consist of vermin and bugs and we are grateful he graced us with his presence!

I spy a snake.

A snake with lovely markings.

Good Bye Mr. Snake!

Masked Marauder Caught!

Slept in a bit this morning and woke up to find that my Dad had dropped off the masked marauder on my front porch. I had gone back to the shop last night a little after midnight and found the trap empty of honey bun and raccoon.

After seeing how ineffective the large trap was, I decide to switch to the little guns so to speak. I set up the smaller of the two traps with you guessed it...... More Honey Bun. This morning, the 'Masked Marauder' was caught red handed!

Just returned from letting the little fellow go and I think I am very lucky to have all my fingers and toes as the raccoon was a very unhappy camper indeed! I know he looks pretty cute in the pictures, but trust me, you don't want to have a tumble with any sized raccoon that has spent an evening in a little boxy cage. He's now free and will hopefully not wander into any open shop doors again!

Российское Колесо AKA 'The Russian Wheel

Almost. Done....... Yay! Here are a few updates to what I am calling the Russian Wheel, because the wonderful Lady who purchased it has been ever so patient with me during the painting process and shipping delays and.... Once finished, the little turtles will be making their way from my house to Russia! Isn't that AWESOME!?!

It is a Louet S17 and almost finished! I had wanted to mail it tomorrow (Monday). After checking the second coat of sealer this morning, I decided it really needed one more coat. So the shipping date has been pushed back to Tuesday or Wednesday depending upon how dry the final coat it.

Anyhow, enough gab.... Here are the Pics of the other side of the wheel!

It is hard to see in the pics, but the pond in the center of the wheel has blue sparkling glitter paint as well as metallic paint!

Little Turtle Details

The base and two frame posts.

Bobbins

Burglary .....

So I get this call earlier today from Mom. She was a bit on the frantic side. She came face to face with a thief while she was working in the shop this afternoon... He was wearing the cutest little mask and is apparently quite hungry.

I stopped by the local Tractor Supply and picked up a catch and release trap, zipped by the gas station for a package of 'Honey Buns' and was greeted by the cutest little masked robber.

About the time I had set the trap, my Dad and Grandfather showed up and this is where the real fun started...lol Dad found the light bulb stick, you know, those long sticks with a suction cup on the end? Well, he would fill the cup up with chicken salad and the hungry little raccoon would grab it and eat the chicken salad then wait for Dad to refill it again..lol An hour later, the little guy was back in his hide-y-hole in the wall taking a nap with a full belly!

Now, 3 hours later, I went back to check the trap and it was as clean as a whistle with out a Honey Bun in sight. And, sans our little raccoon with the trap door wide open! The side of the trap was a little bent causing the door to catch on it and failing to drop as it is suppose to...lol I think I have it fixed up and have reset it with a bit more of the Honey Bun. Keep your fingers crossed that this time it will catch our little furry friend so I can let him go in more 'Raccoon Friendly Zone' ;)

Here are a few more pictures of our little furry robber friend. Hopefully in a little while, I will have pictures of a trapped raccoon to show you!

Napping with a full belly of chicken salad.

Rudely woken from his after dinner nap!

My Dad....

Folks, Normally, I do not post about my political affiliations. I have never been one to crave the lime light and am normally just happy going with the flow. Today though, I am making a stand....

I'm sure like the rest of the Nation, you are tired of seeing waste and having your taxes raised again and again to pay for frivolous spending and borrowing. You hear day in and day out about organizations like 'GOOOH' (Get Out Of Our House), the Tea Bag Party, 'Restore America of Kentucky', Militias of this, that, here, there and everywhere..... the list goes on and on. While on some points I do agree with the groups, I ABSOLUTELY do not agree with their message that 'every Politician who has be elected for more than one or two terms is bad'. Because quite frankly not all incumbents are bad. In fact, some are quite good!

I am here to tell you about one such Politician who by the way has never voted to raise taxes. A man known through out his community for generosity, kindness, honesty and integrity. A Politician who takes the time to call back every one of his constituents and actually listens to what they have to say. Who literally has his phone number and home address listed in the phone book. He has attended countless meetings for community organizations, read books to children at school, community parades, given speeches at churches, schools, clubs, festivals, fairs, graduations, funerals, weddings, and so many other ways of giving his time and person that many people would have fallen under the pressure. Quite frankly, he has given his entire being to serving the wants and needs of his community.

This man is my father, Kentucky State Senator Tom Buford for District 22 which encompasses Boyle, Garrard, Southern Fayette and Jessamine Counties. He is a Republican who votes for what he knows is good for his community and who has faithfully represented his community for 20 years. He has never ignored the wants and needs of his community. I had often wished when I was younger for my Dad to be around more, but I have always know that by him serving our community that he would always stand up for the people. And I have always had great comfort in knowing that. By God, I don't know a better man any where.

I have to say, I am so very proud of both my Dad and Mom. See, my parents are both self made people. From nothing, they have both worked hard to separately create successful businesses, my Dad a Building Contractor and my Mom a shop owner. I aspire to some day being half the person they each are in their own rights.

I would like to ask you to take the time to help spread the word about my Dad, Kentucky State Senator Tom Buford. The link to his website is: http://www.senatortombuford.com and you can follow the campaign trail through the primary in May at our facebook fan page here: Tom Buford for State Senate

Craft or Bust and Then Some...

So far, this has been a very very busy spring for me. Thus the lack of proper posting on the blog. At the moment, I am hand painting a Louet S17 spinning wheel kit that will be shipped to Russia hopefully by the end of the week! Keeping my fingers crossed. So far, I have one side of the main wheel and all supporting frame pieces painted. Next to go are the flyer and bobbin parts! Starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel:)

What the S17 looks like when it arrives.

After lightly sanding w/ 320 paper and ready for the first coat of paint.

Painted a Russian Tortoise on one side. The other side will be a pond with turtles around it.

All supporting beams are painted coffee brown with metallic turquoise dots.

Next on the agenda is one of the craft or bust projects! I really do feel bad that I have not had much of a chance to post more about the craft or bust project. As I'm getting ready for the Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival next month. I sent 3 more skeins to Chris to send to her Sister and have a new skein on the bobbon. The single and fiber you are seeing are from Canty a lovely white alpaca Chris previously owned. Can't tell you how lovely this stuff really is!

Canty on the wheel

Canty punis

Spring it a cometh!

My favorite thing about Spring and the warmer temperatures is starting our garden. This year our maters will include Persimmon, Stripey, Black Krim, and Zebra. The other day, Bill and I picked up a little 6 pack of lettuce and a wide variety of poppy seeds. We have decided this year to broadcast the poppies all along our back fence for so vibrant and fun colors. We have reds, yellows, oranges, pinks and several mixes. It should make for a fun little back yard display:)

I have also picked out a variety of beans, carrots and other veggies to try out in the yard. keeping my fingers crossed that we do well with most of our garden. Will be nice to have some smaller grocery bills!