Down on the farm..............................

When one is on the farm, one must look at the stuff on the farm.   The more I look at it - the more I realize that the apple did NOT fall far from the tree in my case. Our ENTIRE family is crafty and it appears that we must constantly be creating or we will die.  So it is in the genes.

I went out to have a look at Dad's shop yesterday and OH BOY - the tools are different, but the set up is so similar to the quilting studio.  I had to laugh. So bear with me while I post this - it is pretty funny and so describes me.

This is my Dad's cutting table - OK - so it is a welding table.   He is in the process of creating something which is that big square piece hanging out in front. And when my brother was here - he made something for him so he just temporarily welded that pipe in the right most corner as a jig.  I so get this set up.  And the table is on wheels.   Then he has a bunch of clamps which used to be in a pail.  Makes more sense to have them on the welding table - so he added a bar to the table to hang the clamps on.  You can see them at the front of the table underneath - by the blue leg on the left. 

He just recently got a plasma cutter which I will go into more another day because I am very INTRIGUED by the darn thing.  Anyway now he is rigging up a mechanism that he can use to cut straight lines, circles and who know what else.  The movement for the cutter is EXACTLY same principle as the long arm quilting machine.

This is part of the mechanism.  That round tube thing is the cutting tip.  But he had to get the cutter working first and made up the missing parts.  Yep - MADE THEM UP.   Let's not waste timing ordering the parts - let's just make them. 

The tools so NEATLY laid out in the tool box.  OK - so mine aren't quite that neat

The tool box - also on wheels.

The lathe - this thing is 17 feet long.  Yep - my quilting machine is 14 feet!!!!!    It was next to this machine that my Dad weathered out the tornado from several years ago.  He lay right beside it and wasn't hurt, but the building around him was completely sucked away.  Pretty wild!!!!!

A work table - with WHEELS.   

A little tester that he made.  Yep - if the tool is too expensive to buy - let's make one.  It amazes me always that he can create something from nothing.  

And this is his version of a label!!!!   Just use letter punches and punch into the metal.  I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have to say that I am pretty proud of my parents - they taught us so much about life. Thanks Mom and Dad,


So I was off to visit a friend of mine and I took the back roads (well I call them back roads, but they are not really).    To say that there is water in Saskatchewan is an understatement.

This is one of the roads I went over . While the road was fine - you can see that earlier in the year - it was NOT.  

Another section of the road. 

That water is not far off the height of the road - a HUGE problem in this area. And this is NOT even close to the area that was flooded. 

And I saw this scenario several times - I don't think I will be venturing down this road.  I bet it is pretty soft with the water at the exact height of the road surface. 

My friend - the coyote!!!    That field is a field from last year that had not be cultivated or planted this year. 

More water flooded a farm yard 

Then I arrived at my friend Susan's farm. Well their family farm. I first met Susan several years ago through a series of bizarre events. My parents and I were driving down the highway and saw this pink thing off in the distance. As we got closer, we realized it was a quilt block on the side of a granary.  A BARN QUILT!!!!!!!

Susan's barn quilt - because this are is so FLAT - we could see that sign for miles. 

Here is the link to the day that I discovered the barn quilts.


Barn quilt blog


She has another one as well - this is the second one. I just love them.

Second barn quilt

 Well this year - they got a massive shed built on the property.  I had seen a picture of it and I was intrigued by the size. So I had to see it. The building is 60 by 120 feet.

This door is 57 feet wide, 20 feet high.  HUGE!!!!!    And it opens in less than a minute.   AMAZING!!!!!   I told you it doesn't take much to awe me. 

Inside the shed is HUGE, but a good place to put all the equipment over the winter. 

The door is fully open. 

And there is even a door at the other end as well. A DRIVE THRU shed - perfect. No backing up required!!!!!!!

And her sewing bird house. 

Anyway - I had a great visit with Susan and her husband.  I got my package which I will share with you tomorrow.    I got to see the carousel that wasn't allowed as carry on luggage from Toronto to Saskatchewan, but was allowed as carry on from Europe to Toronto.  Go figure.  Anyway - I rescued the carousel for them a couple of months ago.

Myself and Susan

I love to check out other quilter's dens. And we all have the same stuff - the UFOS, the scraps, the tools.  I have to laugh because Susan has gold fish - shoot - I should have taken a picture because her fish are BIG.  She sews in the basement - yep - so do I.  Anyway - we had a great visit and then back to the farm.


Thanks Susan and Cam - had a great time.


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!