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2018-A Year in Review

January 6, 2019 by Susan 6 Comments

The Wooly Bears enjoying some fresh greenery on the hillside.

Happy New Year!

2018 kept us busy here at Mosshollow Hill. If you have some time, allow me to take you on a visual journey of the past 12 months. Brew yourself some tea, coffee, or cocoa, cuddle up in a blanket, and feel free to take a break once in a while. We have a long way to go…

Winter

January found us nestled inside by the fire for much of our vacation until Brett and his friend set out on a San Jose Sharks road trip to see them play in both Toronto and Montreal. I stayed home and played around in the studio with Claudia, the winner of the Aromas Hills Artisans Raffle item. She and her friend spent the afternoon here playing with wool and experimenting with both needle-felting and wet-felting.

This was the only image I took! We were so busy creating, laughing, and playing.

In early February, the hillside came to life sprouting greens everywhere-some of which the wooly bears munched happily, and the chickens devoured whatever they could.

Jareth and the ladies helped with weed abatement in the soon-to-be-planted citrus grove.

The hens spoiled us with beautiful eggs from February through November, and we continued to provide them with delicious treats to enjoy, freedom to explore, and a lap if they wanted to roost.

golden-yolked and delicious
Morgaine supervises the laying.

Jareth continued to mesmerize young and old alike with his glorious plumage and charming personality.

Though we lost a few beloved ladies, their memories remain here on the hill and in our hearts.

Our beloved Mrs. Snodgrass-may she rest in peace.

Because we delayed in planting our pumpkins till August 2017, they weren’t fully ripe until February-which was an amusing visual.

Spring

As the days stretched a bit longer and grew a bit warmer, I played with our ladies’ wool. In lieu of vending this year, I decided to teach myself how to spin. With the help of some lovely friends and the spinning guild, Anne’s Web I was able to successfully spin some skeins from our ladies’ wool.

my first yarn!
looks legit

Have I made any more since? Ummm….not really. I have some lovely green merino and silk on my bobbins right now, collecting dust, and I’ll ply them soon. It’s not that I don’t enjoy it. It’s just that I want to do ALL THE THINGS! and often get sidetracked by other projects.

The Citrus Grove

Mosshollow Hill seems to be in a perpetual state of construction. In the spring we began building the retaining wall for the citrus grove as well as the new chicken gate and fencing.

setting the posts

building the wall

the new citrus grove with the blooming wisteria (note the lack of greenhouse in the orchard)

chicken gateway or entrance to a magical land?

This year, I opted not to participate in the San Benito Open Studios Art Tour because I wanted to visit other studios for a change (which was delightful). If you live locally, I highly recommend taking the tour. We have a lot of talent in this community. This spring, I had the opportunity to display my work at The Aromas Community Grange. The Aromas Hills Artisans take turns displaying their work, and I love how this arrangement looked. Beautiful and weird.

Thanks to the “hanging committee for a gorgeous display!

Summer

As our school year wound to a close, we created our project list for the summer (and of course added to it). It’s amazing what we were able to accomplish in addition to getting away for a camping trip in the Sierras with friends, storm chasing in the Eastern Sierras, and a Disneyland family vacation for me. While I was running around the Happiest Place on Earth, Brett was busy laying the ground work for our dog yard. We hope to add a puppy to the farm by next summer.

This entire blog entry could be described as the year in which Brett sank fence posts. A lot of posts.

digging the posts
digging more posts
stretching the wire

In addition to working on the dog fence, Brett built a grape arbor between the orchard and the side of the house below my studio. This area had once been a dumping ground for our construction waste and a haven for rodents.

digging the posts
“and more Lembas bread…”
building the arbor
completing the gate and arbor

The Succulent Fountain

If you’ve been to the Hill, you may have seen an old water fountain in the front. It’s been empty since we moved here in July of 2014. It sits right outside our front room window, and it had been bothering me for 4 years. This summer I decided to do something to make it more appealing.

I added succulents.

bleh-only a Lannister could find this appealing
improved…

I
LOVE
SUCCULENTS!

Over the past few months I kept finding more to appreciate about the succulent garden, and I’m enchanted by how they transform over time.

look at the blooming rock!
this reminds me of the sea

The Greenhouse

By the end of July we shifted gears and finally built the greenhouse that had been sitting in boxes on our front porch for m o n t h s. This took a lot of extra work because we needed to move some of the raised garden boxes out of the orchard which meant moving a lot of soil. We finished just in time for our annual summer gathering in August.

clearing the extra boxes happened over a few months

laying the weed cloth
checking the components
building the table and setting the water line

when the sun sets it’s time to call it a day

Just when we thought we were done for the summer, one final project popped up, and we finished it just in time for our party.

Installing the Septic Risers

If you’ve never had a chance to look at a sewage system, or your own septic system, you’re missing out. Seriously. One of my formers students once said that the sewage system was the greatest invention in human history.

In August we had our tank emptied, but in order to do so we had to remove the rocks covering the tank and dig out the lids. We could have paid to have this done, but in classic Mosshollow Hill fashion, we did it ourselves. In order to make this process easier next time, we installed risers.

the dig…

not really a path you want to take this time…

adding the risers
all finished!

The Sally Garden in September

As the rains continued to fall throughout the spring, our Sally Garden continued to bloom and take on new levels of gorgeous foliage and color.

By September, the passion vine covering the pergola and the plectranthus (or Velvet Elvis) bloomed in all their purple glory. I had filled the previously neglected (by me) and dying herb boxes with some purple annuals and perennials to a wildly successful effect.

the balloon flowers (on the left) are my favorites in these boxes

I love rocking chairs. Seriously. I love them.

Back to School and the Kids

For years we have wanted to adopt some kids. Nigerian Dwarf kids to be precise. An opportunity arose in August, but we didn’t jump in time. Then in September the two boys we saw needing a home popped up again and this time we jumped.

May I present Snackly Bellingham and Scrappy Duncan…

Because school had already started we needed to scramble to build an adequate but temporary shelter, so we used the old dog kennel the chickens lived in when we first moved here.

Of course we had to build something permanent, and since we already had the dog yard fenced in, we decided to add the goat barn within the new fenced yard. In October and November we built their new home, and it’s gorgeous.

Autumn

With school in session and the days growing shorter we found ourselves settling down more inside with the cats. The Lady Eboshi and enolA tolerate each other and provide endless entertainment for us.

The Lady Eboshi
enolA

Having made the decision to take time off from doing shows for the past year, I entered some pieces in the Santa Cruz County Fair. My Literary and Fandom Eye Moss on a Log is one of my favorite pieces, and I chuckled audibly when I saw that I had been awarded a 1st place ribbon with a special award for creativity. The special award means the world to me because S.C. County is filled with creativity.

Winter

As the year came to a close we hosted Thanksgiving, continued to play with the critters, and said some sad goodbyes to our beloved hens Lady Margaery and Lady Olenna just as the new year began. May they rest in peace.

We have already begun plans for 2019 (the chicken yard extension is nearly complete).

Scrappy Duncan wants to know what your plans are for 2019. Or maybe he only wants a neck scratch. It’s hard to tell with him.

Snackly wants to know what delicious treats he’ll get to eat in 2019.

The chickens are in for a treat when their new enclosure opens. Hopefully they’ll start laying again.

The wooly bears have a new album dropping soon, but they’re disagreeing on the name. What should they call it?

So if you have stayed with me long enough to read through all of this, know that I appreciate you taking the time to do so. I’m going to be updating our blog more frequently this year, with shorter posts. I encourage you to let me know what you accomplished in 2018 or what you hope to accomplish in 2019.

If you’re wondering, “How do they manage it all? Don’t they teach full time?” The answer is yes, we do teach full time, and it’s exhausting. No, we don’t manage it all. We have to set realistic goals, and that often means some things just don’t get done.

Like *ahem* up-to-date blog posts. Or cleaning. Or mending clothes. Or spending more time with all of the critters. Or grading everything in a timely manner. Or getting to see friends and family more often. Or even spending more time relaxing or traveling with each other-carpooling doesn’t count.

The point is we do what we can. As Gandalf once said, “All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you.”

In 2019 I started bullet journaling to organize the chaos of my wandering attention span, and I look forward to sharing my journey with you. A few days in, and it’s really helping.

For the time being, I leave you with Dottie contemplating the sunset. Happy New Year, Everyone!

Wool Processing

April 16, 2018 by Susan 3 Comments

Greetings, Wool Lovers!

In 2017, I made the decision to take a year off from vending in 2018. Because teaching dominates most of my time, I felt like I could never get into the studio to create anything new or even experiment with my fibers. In lieu of prepping for shows this year, I made a goal to get back to the wooly basics, but before I can dye it, felt it, or spin it, I need to process it.

When I first adopted our little flock, I learned about the process and was convinced that I could do it myself rather than send it out for cleaning. Jump to 3 and a half years later, and while I still do all the processing myself, I highly underestimated the amount of time each small batch takes. It’s been my goal to clean the previous year’s fleeces come shearing time.

I have yet to achieve that goal.

So let’s break it down, shall we? Why does it take so long?

We start with a wooly bear. An uncoated, free-to-roam-about-the-Hill, fabulously tangled wooly bear. This is Momma Klaus.

Once the ladies are sheared, I’m faced with this glorious mess.

Each pile represents a different sheep in the 2nd year we had the ladies. It took me 2 annual shearings to understand that I shouldn’t keep ALL THE WOOL! I learned to toss the truly messy bits filled with vegetable matter (or VM) as well as the disastrous bits near their bellies and rear ends.

No one wants to play with muddy-butt wool! It’s matted, filled with dingleberries, and only suitable for composting. Getting rid of this wool from the nether regions is called skirting.

Because we live in California, we’ve become accustomed to conserving water, so Brett built me a portable washing station. This allows me to roll the table around the driveway and give thirsty plants the dirty water.

Lovely. Isn’t it? At least the plants think so.

Of course, even the chickens enjoy the muddy-water action! This is an older picture, and I’m blown away by how much the salvias and Chinese Pistache trees have grown since then.

When the water runs clear, it’s time to take it inside. Keep in mind that this is after at least 5 submersions.

Don’t be fooled. Dottie’s wooly locks are still FILTHY! Time for hot, soapy water.

I use Power Scour to clean my wool because it’s earth-friendly, biodegradable, cruelty-free, and made in the USA.

Momma Klaus’s wool is particularly challenging to clean as she’s our sole white sheep and prone to get filthier than the others. You can see the difference the soap can have in this next picture. Her cleaned wool glimmers like unicorn hair!

Make sure you don’t let the water cool in between soakings because that allows the lanolin to adhere to the wool rather than wash it out. After repeated soakings, I’m left with some glorious wool.

The ladies have just had their annual shearing and are enjoying the weightlessness!

All of this, dear readers, is simply to wash the wool.

Next time I’ll break down what you can DO with the wool once it’s cleaned.

What do you like to do with wool?

Till then, get dirty!

Down by our Sally Garden

September 4, 2017 by Susan 4 Comments

This post is dedicated to Tri, a former student of mine, who asked me to post about what life is like on our farm. I hope he enjoys reading about how projects begin at Mosshollow Hill and how they take on a life of their own.

When our beloved 19-year old Sally-Cat let us know that it was time to say goodbye to her, Brett and I wanted to give her a resting place where she would never be forgotten. Instead of our pet cemetery, we chose to create a special place in our ‘back yard’. What started as a way to honor our cat took on a life of its own as we transformed our yard into a beautiful sanctuary.

This is what the hillside looked like when we first moved into our home in July 2014. The brick steps on the left and cement path below it led to a cement hexagon, and it was lovely.

Over the years the chickens, who have since been relocated to a new coop with plenty of open space, laid waste to the hillside threatening the stability of the cement patio where you see Brett standing.

We decided to transform the backyard, and in July of 2016 we made that our summer project beginning with the pergola construction. While I was away playing and vending at Leviosa, a Harry Potter convention, Brett worked diligently on the pergola.

When I returned, his work stunned and inspired me, and we began to build benches to reinforce the hillside in order to prevent more erosion.

Then Sally let us know it was time to say goodbye to her. After 19 years of love and cuddling, we buried her near the hexagon at the base of the pergola and decided to name this our Sally Garden. We decided to find a new home for the philodendron, plant a lavender garden, and landscape the formerly eroding hillside.

As the summer of 2016 came to a close and we returned to our busy school year, we watched as Sally’s garden grew and the nasturtiums crept across the landscape and up the pergola. Every once in a while we would trek through the nasturtiums to the old chicken coop or find Sidney and the cats enjoying the view from the hexagon, but it wasn’t a place where we spent much time.

By the time summer rolled around again, we decided it was time to finish off her garden with a gazebo to match the pergola, and a brick path and steps to match the original brick steps. We wanted it to feel inviting, but we knew it would be a tremendous amount of work.

Laying brick was physically exhausting, so we took a break after the path was finished to work on the gazebo over the hexagon.

Brett’s design allowed for bench seating as well as counter space for guests to enjoy a tasty treat or drink. As the start of the school year loomed, we finished the gazebo and turned to building the brick steps despite the heat wave in early August.

We completed the entire project just in time for our annual summer gathering where local musician, Jesse Martinez, performed for our guests including his delightful granddaughter.

Brett and I began our school year knowing that our beloved Sally Cat would approve of this endeavor and the joy it brings to all of us living at Mosshollow Hill as well as our guests. We’ll keep adding to it, I’m sure, but for now we enjoy our coffee under the gazebo on the weekends and feel her presence near the contorted filbert we planted in her honor.

Don’t you just love that name? Contorted filbert…it makes me giggle, and when I do, I remember Sally-Cat.

If you’ve had to say goodbye to a beloved pet, how did you honor your friend?

Curiosity

April 1, 2016 by Susan 4 Comments

“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”-Tolkien

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Literary Elements Come Alive

January 26, 2016 by Susan 7 Comments

As a child, I grew up reading, playing outside, watching movies, and imagining. At times, I found myself doing them at the same time-and often while wearing long skirts and dresses. The adventures of Anne of Green Gables, the Pevensie children in Narnia, the hobbits of the Shire, the resistance fighters in Robotech The New Generation and Star Wars, and the Potter children in Whangdoodleland all stirred something deep inside my soul.

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