One of my fondest school memories (and there aren't too many) is from my fifth grade class project.  We made our very own puppets.  These were big, about 40 inches, and we got to create them how ever we wanted once the bodies were made.  We spent weeks on this project and I remember my Mom helping with the sewing.  When we finished our whole class put on a "muppet show" type play right before Christmas.   I have kept my puppet all these years, she is about 30 years old now and showing her age a little bit, but she still sits in my closet.  I have made a couple of these over the years for gifts and one year we made them for our little homeschool group. I have decided to make them again and put them on my etsy.  If you are interested in one, I will even personalize one for you (to the best of my ability!).  "Harriet" is for sale on my etsy or you can email me at tailspinfarm@gmail.com  

We sheared goat this last week.  I finished off the last ones today.  We do it ourselves, which can be interesting.  I learned how to shear by watching others do it.  I quickly found out that everyone has their own style and it is quite simple once you get the hang of it.  I use clippers that were recommended by the lady that we bought the goats from.

I had a note that my Friday's on the farm had been missed.  With school starting up and canning,  gardening and other various farm things being done, my time has been limited!  We are back into the full swing again and really are looking forward to a real Michigan winter.  Last year we experienced one of the warmest winters on record.  Our usual enjoyment of apples this fall is pretty much non-existent because of the weather and being the cheap skate that I am, I refuse to pay $10 a gallon for cider (at least for the good stuff grown right here). I took another knitting class and finished up my mitten last night.  I am thrilled how quick and easy mittens are compared to the socks.  I know what I will be making for Christmas this year, hopefully out of angora yarn which will be super warm! I will be teaching a couple more classes this fall, and doing a craft bazaar with my mother-in-law around the holidays.  I am still spinning and sending...

I am trying to get every last bit of food out of the garden and canned this year before the weather turns, which looks like it could be this weekend.  I had high hopes for this years canning, but with 100+ degree temperatures a good part of the summer it was hard to maintain any plants. Our green beans did real well and I have been canning those throughout.  Tomatoes have not done well at all, like in years past, but I have been able to get some sauce, soup, and salsa canned.  I am still hopeful that all the green ones in the garden will turn, if not I may be bringing them to the basement or doing some green tomato recipes.  The kids pick all the carrots yesterday.  I was quite certain that they weren't going to be worth the effort but when all was said and done I got 22 quarts canned last night and a huge bag in the fridge to eat fresh!  I need to go back out today to make sure none were missed in all the weeds that have done well out there the last coup...