inspired by an old friends hubby!

Well it's been a LONG month (haha) since I posted! I just read As I said in June the weather was making our business crazy busy!! Plus I lost my Dad one June 14th, while still so sad to have him gone, I find comfort in knowing that he went quickly, and painlessly, plus he is back with "his Ginny" and free from the grip of the weirdness of Alzheimer's Disease.
Now back to the reason for the title of this post! This morning while checking in on Facebook I read a friends post linking to her hubby's blog and after reading about his Journey back to the Farm, I was inspired to get back on track with my own blog! (Aren't you all feeling so lucky this morning??)
So we have worked on retaining walls most of the summer and early fall, today we start a rehab job on our town hall. Just sort of suring it up, nothing too interesting!!
Mum Foster's Kitchen is taking off with a craft fair on November 5th at the Alburgh Legion hall, and another at the Alburgh Elementary School gym on November 19th, Photo North and Candace's jewelry will be at both as well. I am also working on a small retail space in my now vacant basement and the BIGGY a paper catalog!! More on all of this at a later date!
Have a great day!!

Well I missed the blog for the ENTIRE month of May, but I was pretty busy with afterschool programs (4 days a week) and flooding! Lake Champlain has been above flood stage for over a month and remains there still and for the foreseeable future as well! Every time the wind blows the roads are flooded and more shoreline is eroded. The wind, wave and erosion problem are what is keeping us busy. We have sandbagged more than I care to remember, and as of Friday the sandbags have become HUGE! On one property we used 3' square bags to save the remaining shoreline, and home! There are several (15 or so) videos that I posted on you tube that you can view by following this LINK . Become a follower if you'd like of either this blog, or my You Tube channel. So far this seems to be a pretty volatile summer for weather videos!!
What have you all been doing?

Happy Easter!!

Well only a few more days and it'll be Easter Sunday. We are going up to Dad's for the noontime dinner, and then over to Stacey's Mom's for the afternoon. I found her a cute set of square bowls, with apple blossoms and bluebirds on them, and a few Godiva chocolates for good measure!! Now I need a card, and I'm golden! My sister Maria is making a cheesecake, and I'm bringing up a jar of my Mum Foster's Kitchen Blueberry pie filling, and as well as a jar of MFK's Peach pie filling!! So the rest of the family can choose their favorite! I'll probably bring a jar of applesauce too since we're having Ham for the meat portion, of the meal.


At the last winter market I found (and ordered but they won't be ready until after Easter) the coolest Easter Eggs ever!! They are hand-knit by Julia right here in the islands and just adorable!! This little duckling folds right into a striped egg, and back out into the little duckling! The ducks head, is the filling for the egg, and the egg becomes the ducklings body! Very cool!! When the duckling is in the egg, the egg is really about the size of a real jumbo size egg. I'm so thrilled with this find!!
Well guess I'd better get onto other things! I hope you all enjoy your Easter or the holiday that you are currently celebrating!
TTFN
Ember

April

Wow April is here and 1/3 of it has passed already!! I can't believe how the time flies!! Stacey and I have been babysitting our granddogs for the last 2 weeks (1 more to go!!) It's been an interesting ride!! Going from our one little Sheltie to him PLUS 3 BIG dogs!! I'm looking forward to Frank and Lindsey to get home, not only to see their pics and hear all about their travels, but for a break from being "lead dog" every time I get out of my chair!! This song "every move you make" just popped into my head!! They are good dogs, BUT so big in our little house!!
My after school kids have completed their little rag rugs, and several are excited to sign up for next session again!! I'll post pics of the rugs which are about 6 inches wide, and 9 inches long, and SO CUTE!! I'm thinking I'm going to make a few for my Farmers Market table, for display enhancement, and maybe include one in a gift basket, with some jelly, etc. I'll have to keep thinking on that one!!
New labels are coming along nicely!! Have to do some re-registering with the state about the business name. Just filing it differently really, but one more thing to take time and of course a few $!! Oh well! having fun mostly and enjoying the warmer Spring temps and some sunshine! I even have my bedding hanging out on the line, and looking forward to sleeping in some fresh linens tonight!
The Snowdrops are now accompanied by a few crocus', the sun is shining, the ice is beginning to leave the lake, and the air temps are in the fifties! SPRING!!!

Mid March update!

Well, St. Patrick's Day is behind us, and still not looking at my beloved snowdrops!! We had another foot and a half of snow since last we spoke, but also some sun and rain! Today is windy as the devil, but the sun is bright and temps are supposed to reach the 5oish mark, so the Snowdrops have a chance to make it by Mum's birthday on the 22nd. One of my greatest memories, is of the few times before she passed that I was able to pick a Snowdrop bloom to her on her birthday, and was rewarded with a big smile and usually tears of happiness.
I worked up a "redesign" for the labels for "Mum Fosters Kitchen" including red poppies. Mum and Dad's wedding pattern was Hall's Red Poppy design, http://www.rubylane.com/shop/auntnelliesparlor/ilist/,cs=Pottery:By+Maker:Hall:Hall%27s:Red+Poppy.html and I can still hear Mum reciting the poem "in Flanders Fields by John McCrae.
http://www.greatwar.co.uk/poems/john-mccrae-in-flanders-fields.htm

I don't know where the time has gone, but since I started this post, a week has passed! My Snowdrops did bloom (well at least bud) in time for Mum's birthday! This photo was taken on Sunday the 20th, because snow was predicted!! I have been busy almost everyday substitute teaching, so haven't taken the new label layout to my "sign-guy" yet, but I'll get it there one day! The sun is out, and the wind is blowing still, but the temp is COLD! for this time of year even for us here in Vermont!
Yesterday I got my afterschool group started weaving rag rugs on the little looms the program bought! The kids loved them, and in the meantime, are learning a little history too! The weaving was inspired by Elizabeth Fisk from here in Isle LaMotte. Thank you to the Isle LaMotte Historical Society for letting me borrow this dvd, http://fisklooms.org/dvd.html as well as a copy of a Mrs. Fisk cartoon (this is explained in the video link) and an original Fisk Rag Rug! I can't tell how intrigued my students (3,4, and 5th graders) were with seeing such an old piece. My afterschool program is called "Bits of Vermont history" and my goal was for my students to make a mental and physical connection with Vermont history, during the 6 weeks of this course, and yesterday my goal was definitely achieved!! The kids will continue to get some weaving time each time we meet, and while they are weaving, I'll introduce some little bits of Vermont History! Do any of you have any interesting little bits to add?

Welcome March

Well March blew in with a grand old mix of weather! Sleet, snow, freezing rain you name it we had it yesterday! Today is cold and all the mixed gunk from yesterday is ICE! So guessing the drive to work will be special at best! Oh well, I'll allow a little extra time and hope for the best! There won't be too many more before real spring gets here. Today is the first day of meteorologist spring, spring will arrive on the calendar March 20th, and Spring will arrive in my heart when the first snow drops bloom!! That is a photo of last years first snowdrop bloom, anxiously awaiting this years! I took that photo on March 14th, last year, BUT with our record February snowfall in 2011, I'm guessing I'll have to wait until a little later this year! I've planted 1000's of these bulbs over the years, but thought they never made it, but it turns out I was just looking for them TOO LATE in the season! Well I'm off to work! Have great day, week, or month! I'll post when I can, and hope you'll all do the same!

Well February is nearly done, and behind it is the worst of the winter! We'll have more snow, and gray skys, BUT each day will be little bit longer, and the sun that we do see will be brighter and warmer, and each day be it gray or bright it's one day closer to Spring! This spring for me will be different from the last 20ish springs, as I won't be opening my greenhouse. I can work in my own gardens, rather than getting everything started for other folks gardens. I'll still start a few things, and will still do a few custom planters, but my main focus will be on my own gardens and cooking for Mum Foster's Kitchen. I've been substitute teaching fulltime for the last few weeks, so am looking forward to this weeks school break. My plan is to do my spring cleaning! But if Stacey has some thing for us to do together, I'll be with him and loving every second of it!!
What are your thoughts this blustery day???

National Wear Red for Womens Heart Health

So today I wore my red!! I was one of a handful where I work wearing red! I think the storm coverage in the news put Heart Health on the back burner. BUT whatever I remembered heart health today yay me!! ha ha!!

Question time

So I have a seemingly random question! Back in the day, when I was in first grade my teacher wore a "clip on chain" with little jewels on either end to hold her sweater together rather than buttoning just the first or second button. What was the piece of jewelry called?? I bought one at an antique shop a few years ago, and just want to know what it's called!!

NOOK AND CRANNY: FRENCH/SHABBY CHIC/PARIS INSPIRED BAGS ON ETSY

NOOK AND CRANNY: FRENCH/SHABBY CHIC/PARIS INSPIRED BAGS ON ETSY

There, but for the grace of God go I!

We never know what each new day will bring, (or with this blog each new post) We also don't know how we will react, this post is about how I reacted to a recent tragedy near my childhood home. To my knowledge I have never met Pete Johnson, nor have I done business with him, but I have farmed and gardened in this unique clime we call home, including a retail greenhouse and landscaping business (EmbersGarden.com).

So on January 13, 2011 we read this in our local paper http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=BT&Dato=20110112&Kategori=NEWS02&Lopenr=101120801&Ref=PH The next day we made a small cash donation! While 2010 wasn't a GREAT year for us, the first thought I had was something I heard my Mother say MANY times over the years "There, but for the grace of God go I!" That single phrase is what inspired me that morning to make a donation via Paypal, and it is that single phrase that inspired me to donate a Mum Fosters Basket of Goodness to the online auction. I have posted a link for you to follow directly to that basket, as well as to the entire auction! Bidding started this morning, and will end next Sunday morning Jan30th, 2011.
http://auctions.readysetauction.com/madrivervalleylocalv/catalog/item/166

Bid if you can, if you can't share the link!
TTFN
Ember

So I've been working on end of the year tax stuff ALL DAY! All I can say is YUCK!! For me at least the books are the worst part of being in business. BUT I have a good tax lady and all I have to do is collect it and send it to her and she does her thing! Tomorrow I go to review our insurance coverage, and then subbing in the afternoon.

First Post

Welcome to my blog! It's sure to be a journey and I'm glad to have you on board!!