My huge livingroom window

Here is my huge 11 1/2 foot wide livingroom window that faces south here in northern Illinois. I have shears hanging that are adjustable. There is a 3 1/2 foot overhanging soffet outside that totally blocks the sun in the summer. NO summer sun comes thru the window, tho the light is brite. Winter when sun is lower in the sky, we get sunshine coming thru for several hours. The window sill is 18" from the floor.

I would like to put a 30" tall and 4 foot wide table in front of the window for my African Violets. They will not be next to the glass, shears will block some sun or all in winter, depending on their needs. Also block some light in summer, depending on needs again. I have a humidifier on the floor. We also have baseboard hot water heat running under the entire length of this window. We keep the thermostat set on 66-68 in winter. It's very comfortable in winter in front of the window! Summer is nice too. I also plan on table lights....needed or not, per my book "Growing Violets For Show".

Here is my store bought AV. it's been sitting on the window sill the latter half of the winter and is beggining to flower. There are 3 more sets of buds peaking out from under the leaves. Now, the center leaves are thicker and cupped under. Outer leaves are "spooned" out somewhat. Too much light? Too cold on the window sill? Otherwise it likes the window since it hasn't bloomed for many months until I moved it to this window.

I also have several of my scented geraniums here that I dig up in fall to overwinter in the house. Along with a few jade plants and a varigated ficus that I "rescued" from Walmart, nearly bald of leaves.

So! All you AV owners! Will this window work for my AV's with the above destribed changes? Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

Hand made goats milk soaps!

I offer hand made, cold process, all vegetable goats milk soaps in a variety of scents, unscented and oatmeal and honey. (well, NEARLY all veggy oil, only animal fat is in the goats milk!) I offer 4.5 - 5oz bars for $4 a bar or 4 bars for $15 plus postage. I also have non-goats milk soaps, same size bars for $3.50 a bar. Contact me to scents and blends available. It changes often!

I do not to "craft shows". It's way too much work for shows that aren't advertized well and unattended. So only available by mail order. THANKS!

My pencil art

I wanted to share some of my pencil artwork that I have created. Most of these were drawn when in my early 20's. Some were commissioned portraits. Obviousely my specialty is horses. These are all pencil (graphite). I'm self taught and don't remember when I started drawing. I haven't drawn anything for a number of years because of eye problems that I've suffered; inflammation causing retinal vasculitis, vitritis, gloucoma and cateracts. Surgery on my left eye has left me unable to see close up (less than 4 feet) so makes working with small things very difficult. Am hoping to overcome this setback and try to do some work in the near future. I do appologise for the quality of my photographs of my work. They survived our house fire back in 1999 and many are smoke damaged. They were also taken with an old 35mm camera, then scanned to my computer. All of these pieces were sold except the two Arabs in motion. I have that original, but was damaged in our fire. I didn't burn, but was water damaged. I did loose other originals, that burned away and could not even find the frames. I hope you enjoy my work!

ALL bunnies adopted!

I understand a few out there may have thought the abandonment of these angora rabbits to be a gag our farse, but it sadly, true. HOWEVER! ALL of the rabbits and bunnies have been adopted into new homes! I recoved just under half of what it cost me to "rescue" them and find homes, but I feel it was worth it. Thanks to everyone whom gave homes to them.
Tami

*UPDATE* to bunnies needing homes

The doe with litter of 5 bunnies is now in a new and very loving home! I also found homes for 6 of the 12 crossbred English/German bunnies, yippee! I decided not to keep any of these bunnies for myself as I found a buck with a split penis in the bunch. So, I'm happy to report that ALL the bunnies posted on this blog has found new homes!

I am no longer planning on going back for the other 9 adults left. There seems to be no interest in them and I simply cannot take them in permanently as I don't have the room nor the finances to do so, unfortunetly.

I wish all the new "parents" of the adopted bunnies well, and hope they enjoy their bunnies and have fun with the fiber they produce.

Speaking of fiber, I just clipped my doe Alexis down. She had approximately 13 weeks growth on her and I got a total of 8.1 ounces of prime, matt free fiber from her! This was a summer fleece. Alexis got a treat of fresh broccoli out of the garden for being SUCH a good girl while I clipped her down. Alexis's pic is in a previous post.

I have some nice fawn colored baby alpaca that I plan on blending Alexis's fiber with. Should make some wonderful! fine yarn.

Pics of MY rabbits, not available

8 week old 50% German 50% English doe I'm keeping. Sire is D'Lynn Saul, super nice purebred German buck I lost this summer. Saul was out of registered German parents, mostly Samson stock. So this little girl and a brother I will keep. Brother below.

Here is a 50% German 50% English buck I'm keeping, brother to doe above.... sire is German buck, D'Lynn Saul. Ya, I know. His ears look huge! I could NOT get him to sit still. They really aren't that big! Or, hey! His body will catch up as he grows;-)

Pic of my 65% German tort doe, Alexis. She's ready to clip! Dense, dense, DENSE! coat.

Another pic of my tort 65% German doe, Alexis. I got her June 20 and she was clipped down. I have not TOUCHED her AT ALL with a blower or brush! NO MATTS! Other than a few little ones on her ear furnishings and small one on one cheak I need to cut. Super nice, "no grooming" type coat! Hoping to breed her late winter, early spring.

Pic of my purebred English doe "Sweatie", turned 5 months old TODAY! Sired by Countryside Patriot. She has never, EVER! been groomed! And I just had her out today for a petting and NO MATTS. I do, however, trim her face.

Sorry my garage is such a mess. I've had to do a lot of moving things around to get "fostered" bunnies and cages inside.

I do not keep my rabbits in air conditioning or with fans, but hoping to have my garage air conditioned next summer. Sooner or later, my husband will break down and build me a rabbit barn, complete with air conditioning in summer! He's already thinking about it......

I haven't shown for a number of years. I wanted you'all to see how I care for my angoras...and hope these bunnies needing homes get the care they desirve as well. However I do need to replace some cage floors. These cages I got at Farm and Fleet and they tend to rust easily. Even just the humidity in summer will make them rust. Oh bother, it's always something, isn't it?

I hope you enjoyed taking a peak at my rabbits.

Bunnies needing homes

Here are pics of the bunnies needing homes. Sorry about condition. This is how they came. They have been still together, but weaned early. They are now just 8 weeks old and have been weaned for at least 2 weeks. They were thin. They are not groomed her.