It's time to make the wreaths!

Anyone who experienced the 80’s should remember a commercial featuring that beleaguered Dunkin’ Donuts guy who meets himself coming and going while mumbling, “It’s time to make the donuts.”

I would like to thank all my clients for turning me into that guy! I am happy to have shipped so many Christmas wreaths this holiday season. 

For me, for a while now, it has been “time to make the wreaths!” Ah, but the end is in sight. While it was a joy to be so busy, I will appreciate a long winter nap before the Easter bunny shows up to remind me that it’s time to make the eggs!   

I've moved my business for the last time!

It was only a year ago that I moved my goods into the Cobbler Shop on Bjorklund Street. Though I declared it to be my last shop, I've moved out. Corona and knee surgery influenced my decision to make a new plan for The Feathered Nest. Our “littlebrick” property on the edge of town is no longer for sale. I'm delighted to report that our daughter and family will take up residence there soon. They have offered to “share’” the woodshop on the property. So...this allows me to use the renovated barn next to my new home as my studio. Yippe!

I jumped at the chance to install my business! It will be a fine place to receive clients. I have created a corner dedicated to cutting silhouettes.

Likewise, I’ve set up an egg carving station so I can demonstrate how my Victorian lace eggs are cut.

The balance of the space will contain a changing selection of seasonal wreaths and the vintage goods that I sell in my etsy shop online.

This really is my last shop. Maybe my best one. But defiantly the last one. I’m looking forward to settling in. Want to visit? Please email me for an appointment or stop in when the open sign is out!

Have you seen Sammy?

Sammy is 5 years old. He has long hair and is an orange tabby cat with a permanently curled tail. We took in this young stray 5 years ago. On Saturday, 8/8/20, Sammy did not come in for breakfast. He is a friendly cat and would engage strangers but has always come home to us at 502 West Main Street here in Bishop Hill.

If he has wandered off and is visiting you, please alert us. Likewise, if you have seen him around Bishop Hill, please call and let us know. Sammy is a cherished pet and we would appreciate any help in finding him. Call 309-737-0260 with information. 

Happy Midsommar to all!

As we celebrate Midsommar and the summer solstice this year in Bishop Hill, we reflect on what a fickle pickle our social interactions have become!

Unlike past seasons, there was no lineup of bands in the park today, no maypole, no revelers dancing like little frogs around it! Instead, most folks marked the day quietly, in the company of family and friends.

From the time they could walk, my little granddaughters have made this date special for me and today was no exception. We held a private party, punctuated with Midsommar flower crowns. This year’s headdresses were created spontaneously. The were made from what was on hand: white Dutch clover from the lawn, pretty purple clover plucked from the roadside, Annabelle hydrangeas and a few gold sedum blossoms from the garden.

However you marked this occasion, may it become a happy memory of a special day, the longest, brightest one of the year.   

Jelly, jelly, jelly. I'm on a roll.

Last week it was dandelion jelly. The experiment was so successful, I decided to make a second batch with my granddaughters Deirdre and Fiona. It has been hard staying away from my darling girls during the pandemic. They are two of my favorite people. We decided to risk a visit and, all the while, maintained a safe, six foot distance. Difficult to do, but so worth the effort if that's what it takes to enjoy their company.

Decades ago, back on the farm, I sold  jam and jelly at my roadside market. These were made from homegrown and wild gathered materials. I am thinking about launching a line of jellies next season - maybe by subscription -  something like a flavor-of-the-month club.
So... this summer I will be hauling out the canning kettle and dusting off some of my favorite recipes to review and refine. Maybe nothing commercial will come of it, but I am having fun experimenting, making something from nothing more than what's at hand.

It's time to plant the zinnias

It's hard to believe that the winter wonderland we woke to yesterday has given way to spring again. I’m so glad I have a calendar to keep me on track.

I was dreaming of armloads of zinnias as I seeded flats and set them out on a warm pad for germination. My calendar tells me I won't have to wait too long to add these transplants to the garden!

Another Day, Another Nest

Like the busy birds in my garden plucking material for their nests, I head to my workroom and spin a few myself using the delicate, airy grasses gathered last September in the golden glow of autumn. I pick blond rice grass and deep purple love grass each fall and set bundles aside to use as real Easter grass in spring arrangements. Shredded plastic may be OK for some, but nothing man-made can ever surpass the beauty Mom Nature delivers!

It's time to feather your nest!

time for spring

Hello again. I'm back blogging where I left off two springs ago! Even a broken clock is true sometimes - and it's no different with this blog featuring the spring activities that I enjoy every year. That idea makes the most recent of these (2017) posts seem current and fresh. However, I am starting over again with renewed interest in sharing my stories.

Feather your nest!

Given the uncertainty of the times it is a good idea to take stock and celebrate the small joys that fill each day, each season. Grab a  bit of wonder wherever you can. For me, it's all about nature,and that's what I plan to fill this space with: all the wonderful things I make from what is grown, gathered and gleaned from the center of my universe here in Bishop Hill, Illinois.