Welcome to Free For All!! | |||||||||||||||||
| Dost thou love life?-Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.-Franklin | |||||||||||||||||
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This page is dedicated to all those who enjoy creativity, country living, and just plain fun. Hi! My name is Pat and I'm not very good with computers, so please be patient. Most of my time is spent crocheting, persuing other artistic endeavors, as the pictures show, (I made the quilt, and tablecloth), and farming, which leaves me little time for learning html. So this page, like my lifestyle, will most likely be pretty basic, and simple. My husband, David, and I are living on a small, ten acre farm in eastern Oregon raising chickens, gardens, and goats. The farm has been in his family for generations, and it seems quite fitting to see our three grown children living near us in their respective homes, enjoying the same land as their great grandparents.On this page I am hoping to share some of the antics of farm life, perhaps a favorite recipe, a crochet pattern, craft idea, even a joke or two ... whatever pops up, and if you'd care to join in the fun, feel free to do so. I'm just an e-mail away. | ||||||||||||||||
| Cashmere | |||||||||||||||||
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A joke I heard from my dad many years ago .... Two farmers were standing out in the field bragging. The first one said, "My farm is soooo big it takes me all day just to drive across it!" The second farmer replied, "Yeah, I had a truck like that, too, once." Well, we don't have that problem here. Getting across this farm takes only a short time on foot. Less if you are skiing behind a goat! And I have done just that! Not on purpose I might add.We have eleven cashmere goats ... scarves and sweaters on the hoof! At least we hope someday. It takes a lot of time to process the fiber. Combing, dehairing, carding, spinning, and then making it into an article of clothing. If you've ever wondered why cashmere is so costly, that's part of the reason. It's very labor intensive. And also, I have heard it takes the average goat about two years to produce enough fiber for one sweater. | ||||||||||||||||
| Quick Pancakes, And Something Fun For The Kids! | |||||||||||||||||
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Sometimes around here we need a substantial breakfast but haven't the time, nor the inclination to be in the kitchen. That's when I make what this family calls "French Pancakes". It's a simple popover recipe, but instead of baking the batter, we fry it in the skillet like ordinary pancakes. Simply combine 2 cups milk, 2 cups flour, a teaspoon of salt, and three or four eggs. Mix well. A quick run in the blender works just fine. Fry in a greased, medium hot skillet, and be ready with your plate. They're great with maple syrup, jam, jelly, or orange marmalade! Enjoy! Now for the younger set, a little idea I learned in school and enjoyed. This could be a little messy, so perhaps the parents should supervise.You will need 2 pieces of plain paper (typing paper is good), a piece of heavy thread, or very thin string 2 to 3 feet long, water color paints, a glass of water, a small brush, and a large book, about the same size as the paper. Cover your work surface with newspaper, and an old shirt or apron over your clothes might be a good idea. Now you're ready to start. All you do is work the thread into the paint using the brush. Work it all in except for the very end you need to hold onto. Then once it is thoroughly covered in paint, pull it up and out, straightening it with the brush as you do so. Then lay the string onto one of the plain sheets of paper in any swirly design you wish, leaving the unpainted end sticking out past the edge of the paper. Lay the second piece of paper over this. Place the book over the paper layers, then gently pull the string out. Once the string is free from between the layers, remove the book, and separate the sheets of paper. You should have an interesting free-form design on both sheets. I used to make stationary this way. Have fun! | ||||||||||||||||
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