More Ohio Countryside

Good morning,

Here are just a few more images that I took on our way to visit my brother in Canal Winchester, Ohio.

I've always admired the barn above when we have traveled between Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio.  When driving in the other direction in early evening, the sun sets just beyond this barn on the hill.  I used to go to business meetings in Dublin, Ohio, and often returned in the evening to see this beautiful barn.  Of course, I was driving so couldn't take pictures back then.  I took today's picture going in the other direction while My Honey was driving.

Hay in the field.  While on a ship looking at a distant shore in Norway some time ago, a similar row looked like chickens all lined up in a row.  Now every time we see them we say, "Oh, look!  More chickens."  Silly, but it brings back fun memories.

My brother and his wife live in Canal Winchester, Ohio, a lovely little town East of Columbus.

My niece and nephew, now grown, went to school here.

We enjoyed an afternoon with my brother and his wife and went out for an early dinner to a local restaurant.  It is always good to be able to spend time with family.

All the best,
Lois

Barn Artist

Good morning,

Here's a barn we saw on a recent road trip in Southern Ohio.  Behind the tree you see the logo of the Ohio Bicentennial that we have seen on this barn before.  The advertisement on the side is new.

I just checked out his web site.  More power to this entrepreneur who is surely making barns very beautiful with his artwork!

Enjoy,
Lois

Just North of the Mason Dixon Line

Good morning,

This farm is just North of Cincinnati which is on the North side of the Mason Dixon Line. 

This is part of the same farm.  It is difficult to see, but there is a Confederate Flag on that flag pole.

We were stuck in very slow traffic on the expressway so I was able to snap these pictures.

For my international visitors, that this the flag of the Confederate States of America from back in the Civil War also known as the War Between the States in the USA 1861 - 1865.  These states are located in the Southern USA so this flag is out of place in Ohio.

All the best,
Lois

Bread Baking Day

Good morning,

I spent most of the day baking lots of bread so that we will have gifts for people we are visiting, a neighbor, and for ourselves.

Above you see braided egg bread rising in the oven. 

I brush it with egg before baking and it comes out so very pretty. 

I also made several smaller loaves.  Above you see them after the second rise and ready to bake.

I have quite a few recipes published here on my blog if you would like to see them.  There many different types of bread as well as techniques to make them.

The house smells so wonderful when bread is baking!

All the best,
Lois

Red Bouquet Survival

Good morning,

These wonderful tulips have survived in a very small piece of ground between our fence and driveway for 35 years.  All the rest of the row I planted so many years ago have long stopped appearing in the Spring.

Survival of the fittest for sure!

It is so wonderful to be home in the Spring to enjoy all of these flowers.

Happy Spring,
Lois

Have you ever...

Good morning,

Have you ever stopped at an outlet mall of a couple hundred stores, but were only looking for a specific item...

...not found it, and just left without doing any other shopping?

We just did.   It feels very good.

;),
Lois

Front Garden - Enjoying Now and Planning for Future

Good morning,

These are the images I took of the front garden to document progress and to help me locate where things are planted when I want to add bulbs in the Fall.

The image above is of a very old section of the garden, located just in front of the stone wall around the porch on the left side.  As I have in the back, there are day lilies coming up in front of the tulips and daffodils to cover the latter as they fade. 

This is what we call the Red Bud Tree section of our garden.  There was originally a Red Bud Tree at the far end of the section you see here, but it got so big and parts of it damaged from storms that we took it down.  We suddenly got two volunteer Red Bud Trees that grew from the roots of the tree we removed.  The volunteers placed themselves beautifully in the strip of flowers we had along the stepping stones to the side of the house so we didn't argue with them and continued to garden around them.  There is a bird feeder in the spot of the original Red Bud Tree, lights along the stepping stones, and I have to turn over and clean out that bird bath that is mounted low to the ground so the other critters won't tip it over when they come to drink.

These tulips were planted many, many years ago.  They still thrill us every year with their vivid pink color.

The violets are all volunteers, of course, but I have seen them for sale in magazines.  Did you make chains with these flowers when you were a child?  Did you take bouquets of them to your Mom?  I remember doing both.  What great memories.  You'll also see clover in the grass.  We don't use any chemicals on the lawn for a number of reasons, but mostly because of the dogs.  Instead of trying to kill what we don't want, we encourage what we do want and it all works out just fine.  Violets are also edible and make pretty embellishments to Spring canapes. 

 This is the newer garden around the flag pole.  The daffodils are fading at the moment and the red tulips just coming into their own.  The pink pedals on the left have fallen from the magnolia tree nearby.

 And, finally, here is another older part of the garden.  I just love that so many of the flowers come back stronger and stronger every year.

We are still benefiting from gardening and planting we did 35 years ago when we moved into this home.  Love it!

Do you take pictures of your garden to document where things are planted to help you to plant months later for the next season?  Or, am I one of the few who does this?

All the best,
Lois

Linking to 

Floral Friday Fotos

Ohio Farms

Good morning,

All of today's images are literally drive by shots (shootings). 

Beautiful horses!  These images were taken just North of Cincinnati. 

Many of the farmers were hard at work in their fields.

 And, this is a zoomed image of a beautiful farm that looks as if it is put together with Legos.

 Beautiful farm land ready for another season of growing.

All the best,
Lois

Linked to

Good Fences

Needlework and Wood Update - April, 2014

Good morning,

My how time flies!  Another month has passed so here is the April Needlework (and Wood!) Update featuring the items finished since the March Needlework Update. 

Above is a Sweater of Green Cables.  I finished this one while we were traveling, listed it in our on line shop, Evensens Productions, and it was sold within the hour.  It is now living happily in Texas.  :)

This is a royal purple lap blanket.  It is already spoken for and has been given to a hospice patient.

This is a reversible cowl in shades of off white and beige...

...and this one is off white and turquoise.  These are so very comfy to wear and I love that they keep us warm without getting in the way while driving, walking the dog, or reaching to pick up the kids.

We're restocking for Fall with this cables and lace hat and cowl set...

...and another set in burnt orange. 

This is a crocheted mobius cowl; a mobius is a tube with one twist.  The twist makes your scarf lay flat in the front.  This scarf takes on an entirely different look when "bunched" and worn looped twice around your neck.  It is in the shop with several images of different ways to wear it.

 This is a special order knit mobius made for a man.  Beautiful!

This is also a special order that has gone to live with a gentleman in Australia where it is getting cold at this time of the year.

Of course, there are always...

...a few turtles hatching every month.

This turtle was made to accompany a baby blanket.  The set is listed in the shop now.

And, this little lady was made to accompany the matching baby blanket.  This set, too, is available in the shop.

It's nearly swim suit time again so time for some Zero Calorie Cupcakes.  The pink cupcake sports a little piggie wearing a bib that says, "Feed me!" 

I made more cloche/chemo caps to add to that new section of the shop. 

 It's good to have some pretty ones available and many different styles.

 I also have some plain styles that are suitable for a man or a woman.

 This chemo cap was a special order and has been delivered.

 Two more plain caps above...

 ...and another with a flower and little caterpillar.

 Now that we are home My Honey has made some more bird houses for the shop, too!

He uses a variety of hard woods to make unique little bird houses.  I absolutely love these!  They are just precious!  They are darling hanging on house plants, in your kitchen window, or on your Christmas tree.

So, that's the update for this month!  I sometimes surprise myself when I look at the list of what we have made in one month.

Thank you, once again, for your support and encouragement!  Thanks to you the shop has been a great success and we are enjoying it tremendously.

What have you been up to?  I love seeing what you are making, baking, and growing.  Thanks for sharing all of your talents with the rest of us on your blogs.

We now return to our regularly scheduled blogging.  ;)

All the very best,
Lois

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EvensensProductions.com

Stop into the shop to see our hand crafted creations.

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Yum!

Good morning,

Erik is one happy doggie with his beef bone.

Of course, Penny has one at the same time.

They will be busy for hours.  

Yum!

;),
Lois

Linked to

Camera Critters