Harvesting and warping

Last week, we got a little farm stuff done.  On Wednesday, Tom mowed the back field (behind the fenced pastures) while I did animal chores and then we replaced the rotting wood posts in our fencing.

For a few months I have been slowly finding time to wind cotton yarn onto a warping board to create a rug warp.  I finally got it done and this last week have been threading it onto my loom (sleying the reed and threading the heddles).  This morning I got it onto the loom and wrapped on (beamed the warp).  I need to get it tied on the front apron and then I can start weaving!!  I plan on finally make a rug with locks from a grey Lincoln fleece I bought years ago for this purpose.  Then I plan on making another rug with our natural colored Shetland rovings.  Then I should have more warp to make something else (haven't figured out what yet).

Before the storm hit today I managed to look at our pitiful garden (thanks to our lousy spring).  I pulled up the remaining tomato plants and hung them upside down  to try to ripen the green tomatoes.  I did manage to pick one red tomato (our entire tomato harvest for the year).  I picked the last of the green beans and picked some small but ripe ears of corn.  Most of our corn hasn't ripened yet (and probably won't) but at least we have a little to eat and freeze.  I then picked the grapes.  We actually have a surprisingly good grape harvest this year.  The grapes came with the place, and I don't know what kind they are.  They aren't sweet enough to eat, and there's not enough to make wine so I make raisins with them.  The raisins turn out really tasty from these green sour grapes.  So I have the first batch of raisins started now.