You've got a friend in Pennsylvania

I want to start by saying thanks to those of you who are still reading my blog, though I've been neglecting yours this summer. Once school starts again I will get back into my blog-reading routine.

I just visited my friends in rural PA and had an amazing time that involved bonfires, apple-pie baking, and flea markets. Some of my favorite things.



They have a gorgeous old stone farmhouse and a bunch of acres with a barn, a chicken coop (but no chickens, yet), hog barn, a pond, large veggie garden, and lots of apple trees. They don't actually farm, but they're surrounded by fields of corn and soy beans, and lots of cow farms. It was hilarious when we went out because we had about three options for bars, and they were all about 20 minutes away it seemed. I'm used to things being a lot closer, I like to be able to bike to my entertainment.



That being said, I could totally live out in farm country. I occupied myself rather well when my friends went off to school/work; quilting, reading, and making wildflower bouquets. This bouquet is partly inspired by housemartin and her use of green berries in her arrangements.



The farmhouse has all of its doors painted chartreuse, which I wholeheartedly approve of.



They grow beautiful heirloom tomatoes too.



We also visited some of their friends who are running their own CSA and selling beef and veggies. I got some raw wool and I can't wait to clean it and spin it. It's going to be a huge project, but I'm about ready for something like this. It's Suffolk wool and it has a short staple, which is the length of the fibers. It's all smelly and dirty and full of lanolin grease and hay and burs right now. This afternoon I went through the first step which is "skirting" where you pick out all of the unusable pieces and "VM" or vegetable matter. I love all this new lingo. You can be sure there will be pictures to come.