Woke up to snow this morning - snow and wind, but not enough of either yet to create big drifts.  Thankfully, today's lessons are nearby and I made it to both homes and back without sliding off the road.  I'll be staying home tonight...

Here are a few pictures of the costumes I've been sewing for a friend.  She (and my mom) are in rehearsals for Pride and Prejudice.  I have not tried sewing regency dresses or Spencer jackets before this endeavor.  It was fun, in a complex sort of way. :)

Here's the full-length coat, in progress.
Pattern pieces, cut out.


Darts in fashion material and lining


Back and shoulder seams in


Collar basted in, ready to "sandwich sew" the outside and lining together around the neck-line edge. (I'm sure there's a technical phrase for this procedure, but I don't know what it is. :))



Sleeves ready to be put on



Sleeves in.  Now the skirt...


Skirt attached.  The lining is whip-stitched into place, and frog closures are made (from my knot tying book) and sewn into place.

The final product!!  Also pictured are my friend's other costumes, which I sewed as well - three gowns, a petticoat, and a Spencer.


Spencer jacket.

First church choir rehearsal tonight as the director.  Mrs. B is taking the requisite classes to renew her nursing license, so I'm directing for the semester.  I was so nervous this afternoon I was starting to feel sick - Papa prayed for me, which made all the difference.  All the folks in choir are VERY supportive, it's just that Mrs. B left some pretty big shoes to fill this semester.  We distributed binders/pencils, warmed-up, and practiced two songs, including one that will eventually be sung a cappella.  Whew.  Praise the Lord, it went well. 

This morning, Mr. Olsen and his draft horses showed up to mow our front pasture.  He said he'd mow for us, but we had no idea it would be with his horse-drawn mower!  Papa and I went out to see him harness the first team - two Percherons.  While he was attaching direct reins and other equipment, our neighbors' miniature donkeys came over and raised a ruckus, frightening those great big draft horses.  Mr. Olsen had to shoo them away so the horses would calm down. 

After hitching the team to a '47 mower (I think it's called a mower?), he cut down a swath on the perimeter of the area he's going to cut for hay.  He stops the team about twice while going around the rectangle. 


After going around once and a half, he showed Papa how and gave him the reigns.  He did a great job.




After a little more mowing, it was my turn to try!!  I over-steered like anything at first.  Mr. Olsen is so patient - he followed behind, and as his team was zig-zagging down the swath, he gently mentioned, "You're over-steering a bit there."  He gave me a reigning lesson later, to help me steer them "more discreetly."  It's hard to explain, it's so much by feel, but we got on better after that.  He let me make the full circuit.  It was incredible.  He was talking about how hay has been put up in that pasture for generations and what it would be like if all the folks who worked on the land over all those years could come together and talk.
 
I haven't ever driven a team before, but I went through a phase as a kid where I designed carts for just about any farm animal - horse, goat, sheep...  And today I got to sit in the seat and feel the reigns and try to guide the team.   Mr. Olsen said I could help out with putting the hay up as they're working on it, if I like.  I think I would. :)

More student quotes:

Counting a "short-short-long" rhythm: "Quota, quota, haf noat"


Identifying different rhythmic values of notes:
"And THIS is a pur-ple and it's REAL name is seventh note." 
(me: "Eighth note") 
"Yes, an EIGHTH note.  And THIS is a wrestle." 
(me: "A rest, like taking a break from making sound") 
"I know, it's a res.  And THIS is a half-quarter-note-dot!" (just to cover all the bases!!)  "And THIS is a quarter!"
(me: "How many beats does the quarter note have?")
"Two!  Three?  One!!!"  (Bartering for beats doesn't work...)


"What if you had a song with your arms crossed sooooooo far over each other..."


"Oh, Beethoven!  I know that dude!"