Well here I am again in the month of Sept mind you...and altho I've been asked to put a few pictures of the progress in building the barn bathroom and kitchen on this blog...I need help to do that and help is hard to find due to the fact that most people I know do not have Mac...

however my report is more than .. fine as regards the new rooms...I am thrilled to tell you that they were done by my son Kevin with planning by both of us...in about 5 weeks...and exceed any of my expectations...took a shower in the new bathroom this morning and it was very workable...we are waiting to get the dryer exhaust through the cement wall...so although I threw my towel into the washing machine (in the barn bathroom that is) I need the dryer vent for that...

Hunters start again on Thurs...day after tomorrow...some of whom have been here other years and who will be happy about making their coffee at 5:00AM out in the cosy sweet mini kitchen...where I've been happily doing my last 3 crossward puzzles sitting at a table we brought from my dad's office in Altadena CA...it has been in an old granery changed into a cathouse..at present 11 of same inc 4 two wk old kittens...such a story...but will leave that alone for now...

Granted... all I've just written may confuse you...I only hope it will spike your curiosity to intend to follow any plans for music or quilting or the always expected John Steinbeck promised events...

Truth be told...there are ideas put on a backlist til the facilities were improved and now they are...so when the new year comes there will be plans unfolding ... retreats and festivals and more...

time for shuteye...hope you feels encouraged...JoAnne...I do

I guess it has been awhile...now is a momentous time to say a few words about the barn itself since I've been at a standstill with regard to workshops...with more important work in progress...there are walls going up on a new sturdy floor made of wood from the old school in Cooperstown which was torn down last winter...wood 2" thick...12"wide...24 'long...so the two new rooms within the 24 ' are a bathroom and a kitchen...to be....soon!!!...hunters arrive tomorrow so the ones later will be able to use the facilities...not these first three from Louisiana...boohoo

will keep you informed as to when the 24' bunkroom space devided into two rooms will start...sleep two bunks will be available when finished..using some old windows from the Law Office which were saved during the upgrading for new occupants there...do you have questions about that???...come and see... the center of the downstairs will not be heated but I want light to flow into the heated spaces we're creating so ..thus...the windows..Kevin (my son) is patient about all this...give him credit!!!...

lately I don't like periods or caps so do be patient with me...bye for now...me

This past weekend Kevin and Eli and Sam put the planer

to the boards for the floors of the bunk room, bath, and kitchen

of the barn...

now these boards are fir...old...2" by 12" by 24 '...and it 

was a considerable learning experience...as in...

there are 20 of these and they finished 4! 

luminous..is the finished product at this point of the process...

and when a glistening coat of protection is applied...

you will no doubt come from far and wide to look!!!

They were saved from the demolition of the Cooperstown

grade school from early 1900's. 

Today Kevin called to talk about the shower size..48"by 38"..with a seat!!

Why not?...  this will be handicapped accessible, after all...

dreams can come true...and this is a big one..God alone knows the

solution needed with this venture...lots and lots of hunters...hopefully...

just keepin' your fingers on the pulse!! 

Let's see now...where were we...guess I need to talk 

about a luncheon for a family who wanted to spend time

after a memorial service in a nearby cemetary for two

of the older generation passed on.  That was on th 29th of June.

They came from all over...23...all ages...cousins...

some stayed longer than others..in the B&B.

I served them in the barn, (or I wouldn't be telling you about it)

And we had meatballs and little potatoes...a bean salad loaded with 

herbs and greens from my mini garden..

along with fruit to die for and...a table

loaded with fresh uncut loaves of bread and Scandinavian

cheeses which I sliced while they sliced their bread of choice...

this is what breakfast is like in the hotels of Norway.

And on the ping pong table stood my 55-cup coffee pot

steaming... to pour into glass handled cups...and be enjoyed with

chocolate and sugared goodies.

altogether a warm and comforting togetherness!!!

Briefly here is the last episode of my

 barn which did not get into print before it happened...

and we seated around 30 for a not ordinary presentation of

 NORWEGIAN ART SONGS  sung by MARLA FOGDERUD

who has put this body of work into a form for the 

 Doctorate she will be finishing...

This happened last Friday evening...

ACCOMPANIST was DAVID   HENRICHSON-

UND official accompanist and teacher of piano.

The evening was glorious in the, "I want to pinch myself. 

.is this really happening in my barn ???",  unusual combination

.So what next in the barn, you are wondering maybe?

I'm needing to put in place Stitch and Bless Friends Day!  

 Monday of the month.

Quilt...Knit...Darn Socks...Patch Aprons...learn Hexogonal Pillow (Japan)

Buttonholing...Crochet Potholders...You think of it...

Come every Monday-  if it isn't a Holiday...

Come if you feel like it...stay home and pout if you feel like it...

But if you do come with  something you're working on

or were working on before the kids came...bring that.

Another name for this could be stitch and finish.

If you want to be here...just come...tiny dues for costs

coupla dollars for lights...so to speak... for lunch...

or brown bag it..

.I say 10 to 4....what say you... 769-2275...789-1771cell

 

Plans are afoot for a bathroom and kitchen and bunk rooms downstairs in the barn..we hope to utilize volunters to work with our family in this effort...two "boxes" insulated and heating within each box...flooring is already here from the school in town...fabulous unseen by most eyes...24ft by 12 inch by 2 inch..nails are out thanks to Eli and Zach and Kevin for Mother's Day.

 It will be planed and notched and laid down for THE mostest gorgest floor... in any barn you 'ever done seen'

Kevin is in charge...you know he's the guy that hangs around the fair grounds and museum...

til soon..I submit these thoughts for your consideration...JoAnne of the barn

 

                              

                                       

Hi...Sat before last the barn was in use by Stacey and friends.  They did their nails...talked...did zumba...talked...found the wine...talked...snacked on bread and cheese...talked...then talked...finally ate a real meal at the table for 10 in the main house...and talked...guess you could say they did what they wanted...all children not under foot...pleasure to have the dads do Sat duty in that regard...home by bedtime...next day Easter...things to do forgotten for 6 0r s0 hours...I heard them say..."let's do this again...Stacey and friends.

I want to give you something to think about from Easter morning in Kabul.  My granddaughter (Peter Dyrud's wife) is with the USAF there for 6 mo.  I will let you in on some of her doings from time to time.  Here is what Felisa wrote and sent ... a gift to us on the DAY of Jesus' greatest gift to us 

SUNRISE COMES SOONER

Sunrise comes sooner here

but the sparrows know the same tunes-

the sorrow

the celebration

The dusty hill takes shape

beyond the walls

upon walls

and I know that today

a young girl will pump water

from a well and haul

the yellow cans up

a steep path, home.

She would prefer to keep

doing little girl's chores.

Growing up is uncertain.

A morning you can see

your breath

Smoke seeping skyward

from the city's nostrils

mingles with our praises

incense blended in 

hope of fragrance

surging from young roses

yet to bud.

to bed to bed why do I start these blogging pieces at midnight maybe I think more quietly then but legs restlessly would walk to the place they lie upon feathers as they will  goodnight

It's that time - so here it comes -

I've a head full of new ideas and there just won't be time for much

since it's late and I'd rather lay my head on my feather pillow

But here goes...

Aside from the Steinbeck Fiesta in the middle of August and

Potting #2 in June, I do want badly to again fill the barn with workshops

(sorry - dates not set - yet)And so since we

are hosting again this coming summer ---

the Cold War Museum as well as the Missile Control Center

in the town of Cooperstown, for every interested traveler, I have an idea.

We lived in Moscow at the American Embassy where my husband, Brig Gen

Jim Wold was the Military Attache from May, 1975 until July, 1977.

These years gave us an involvement in Soviet life among the

Russian people. We absorbed their culture. As a result there is this

farmhouse on the prairie, (a dacha of sorts), housing a respectible

collection of memorabilia - books, art, for starters - which I would like

to introduce to you, in workshop space / time conversations.

I am trusting as I put these ideas on paper that you are already curious

- what is a dacha?

- how many books?

Well you will just have to inform me of your curiosity and we will go from

THERE

MEANTIME I AM MAINLY SNOWBOUND - ( a few minutes ago I listened to a

number of coyoties outside - very close ) - but tomorrow I will be able to drive the

15 miles to town for new tires and other errands -

since the reads have been cleared....including the path to my chicken coop!

Hello and Goodbye...thanks for the visit

I am getting antsy for something

these days the pinwheel pinheads

spin in my brain

they stop me in midsentence so

that I dont know what I was saying

and I'm not sure what I need to tell you

from the B&B bathroom window I count 22 of them

so does the promise of prairie go out the window?

from the corner of the barn at the fence I count 59 of them

Pinwheels

40 stories high and very close very close

and I wish all who believe this is good for people who love open

nature would come and buy my used to be best kind of green farm

for a million greeenbacks

just some wandering thinking going on up here in the sunroom in the dark of the night

when you can see  fl  as  hi  ng rr  ee  dd  li  gh ts ss  ss  

ok this is all for now

JoAnne of the industrial park 

It is now the 3rd of December

and

I want to talk to you about the intervening time since...

I last wrote, or rather, talked.

The barn has been a busy place since Sept-

full of hunters from all over the States.

It's bow hunting for the first two months

and

then in Nov we had a few rifle as well as bow hunters.

There are lots of deer out there and most hunters went home

happy!

Ducks and pheasant hit the dust as well - even some gueese

But I want to tell  you how my life has changed since Aug.

We now have wind towers to the north and east and south.

I've changed where I eat so that I can still look over untouched Prairie.

I now sit on the east side of my table whereas I used to (for 30 or so years)

eat on the south side, which I prefer no longer since the monsters feel 

like they're in my plate!

Some of you know that my byline from 1989 in all publicity has been

Come Find Yourself on the Prairie

Now I'm contemplating a "different" byline

COME FIND YOURSELF IN AN INDUSTRIAL PARK

where you will see sprouting for miles on the formerly natural prairie hills 

of the one and only Sheyenne River Valley, 112 white spires or missiles,

poised upward into the sky 360 feet - far above the prairie.

It is no longer quiet here -  with a sound not unlike an airport , and there is

a kind of Circus going on - red "Christmas" lights flashing nightly all year round,

 competing successfully with  stars and constellations.

And when the sun comes up in the morning, we offer flickering, spine tingling

mysterious lighting created by our graceful 90 ft blades spinning 100 mpr - 

again, successfully competing with exquisite sunrises.

HAVE I MADE MY POINT!

Actually, I have only now finished hosting three months of hunters

and they are not impressed (at least not favorably).

The flickering morning light confuse and seem to trick the eye

when watching for moving deer.  One hunter told me that after he

was sure his buck was dead, it still seemed to be alive and moving.

The table talk at every meal includes how it used to be year after year,

and is no longer.

You can feel that this is something to deal with as far as my

emotional acceptance is concerned.  The main problem is that they are too close

to my home.  If we could have known ahead of time and persuaded 

the Public Service Commission that no tower should be 

closer than a mile from where any person tries to sleep,

 I would feel somewhat relieved. 

But such is not the case.  The State feels that 1400 ft is far enough.

I count 57 "pinwheels" from the fence next to my barn.

My Workshops my become "Green" discussions.  We'll see.

Stay Tuned - bye for now - JoAnne  

Now you're maybe wondering what I meant when I referred to, "much much", in my life.

  So here it is...the whole truth...it's the USE of my BARN..something pretty unusual for me..

.and even for N.D.

  I hosted a mother and son for nearly two weeks while they 

turned the barn into a writing workshop.  And not your ordinary writing ....no no

This was Hollywood Style

I'm not kidding or even pulling your leg.

Ana flew in from Madrid, Spain,  and Erik from Los Angeles...

It seems they were needing more contact for their ideas than emailing

 back and forth, back and forth 

...this movie script that concerned things like --  War Clowns ??

and making decisions !! and being young.

 They were pacing and pasting ....( just try and visualize that pair of words).

I saw my barn walls covered, not with paintings and such, but with 4 by 6 cards

full of dialog and whatever words either of them had just heard in their head.

Mind you, life went on for me and even though Ana was giving morning

food to the cats and kittens, I did venture down into the lower barn to check on

chores, so I can tell you SPANISH was bouncing around above my head.

Actually, echoing, would also describe it.

The best part of all was that they liked my food.  

WELL

Can't you imagine what fun I had thinking up the next meal for folks who

sort of went gaga (I thought) over a fresh egg from the coop..

so I decided the barn needed a rest and so did I....and since the JS Fiesta wasn't

drawing even the dozen I'd hoped for

I cancelled ... or rather postponed ... and in a few weeks or even January

 (when the weather is cozy)

interested readers of JS will get a call saying, Wanna come?

What next..........stay tuned

by the way, have you noticed that after 15 months of blogging, I have A Follower.

WOW

bye for now..JoAnne, the dizzy one

It is now the 11th of August and the workshops would have started tomorrow.

I am sad to tell you that due to much much in my life at this time, I must cancell.

There has not been much interest in John Steinbeck, in fact none, so I realize the need for more groundwork, if I want to get it all together.  

After all ,this barn thing is very new and I have not felt ready to go out and do much in the way of broad advertising, so I'm not surprised what the response has been.  I also put a price tag on my JS Fiesta, and that was a risk that I think now was a mistake.  

So let's just accept the fact that I'm a kind of dizzy dame.

Forgive me?

JoAnne

Do watch for word of the concert during the Fall. 

So, here is where I want to be, on my blog, letting you know a little about our four days of JS (John Steinbeck)

 The first three days,  Aug 12, 13,  14,   we will have supper at 5:00 pm and proceed through the evenings as we please, reading the play of,  THE MOON IS DOWN.  - after listening to an intro of the story line.  Actually, I hope you will obtain and read the book before you come.  It is available on Amazon.

During each of these evenings we will also watch a Steinbeck movie of our choice.

It could go without saying, that we'll get into the mood of this writer and speak our piece when it must be said.  JS was a free soul and so can we be.

Sat will be somewhat different.  Let's

 meet around 2:00pm for further discussion led by local Steinbeck officianados.  Then after 6;00 we'll swing into a Sea of Cortez party with a great red and yellow spread of edibles...and whatever comparable liquid desired.I think of the Mexico time of  life for Steinbeck and feel it was an attempt to escape.  After all,he did a lot of that.  Maybe we could even swing some on the barn floor......because....the stage is now set for Roger, Merry and friends to tune up for a session of music that will sure fit the mood

JoAnne...and the barn...whoopie

 

You may ask what this will cost.  Here's the scoop.  For the four days,  including  food -  beverage -  movies  -  mental gymnastics.....

$150.00

For the first nights.....

$35.00 per night.....

For just music around 8:00pm....

$20.00

I'm hoping you'll go back to my writing about JS in previous blogs, if you want to see why I'm doing this...happy reading....til I hear from you with a,  "yes,  I'll be

 there, see you then!"  Call me with your questions.

Good Afternoon

The Barn has been a busy spot in the last month

Weaving and Knitting and Potting

FYI

19 participants for the 3 day WE WEAVE workshop

that included the evening performance by three students

from the Cooperstown High School, Kaia and David Lunde

and Christine Berge doing the State Speech Winning

Skits...which we so enjoyed !!!

FYI

basket making was hands on for six "workers"

labeled such because they certainly did put a lot of

energy into this project and produced baskets made with

material from ND Dogwood succors and twigs and twine for 

twisting the handle to the rim--

we did some weaving of wall hung wreaths, mostly from the left

over branches which were unsuitable for the baskets--

our thinking throughout these 3 days was that as we create

together, we are weaving ourselves with each other--

this was a fun idea and all agreed the time was relaxed in

that sharing another's attempt to learn

on May 30--- 11 of us watched and listened to our instructor 

Rene Fuglestad  brought us into the world of CLAY---

and what fun that was---I can't tell about the

many things we attempted to do--except that I did turn a pot

on a wheel for the very first time and it was not bad--and in my own Barn

Imagine!!

next year--2nd annual--we will throw and turn and then fire in a pit

RAKU

if you don't know what that is--come and find out next May or June--stay tuned!

June 7th we successfully served our Master Creator with Worship in

song and scripture and prayer while Rene turned 

many pots on the wheel

in the Barn

40 of us wove our spirits together during this hour unlike any other ever experienced.

centering the pots is vital or they fall apart--and so we thought about 

the need to center our own lives in Christ so we won't be out of balance--

 the POTTER and the CLAY

Isaiah 64:8 " O Lord, You are our Father: we are the clay, You are the Potter: we are all the work of your hand."

I will list the scripture references and you can look them up in the Bible when 

you want: Genesis 2:5-7; Isaiah 45:9,11-12; Jeremiah 18:1-6; 2 Corinthians 4:5-12; Romans 9:20-21; Jeremiah 29:10-11;

So---I've had the clay here since Ren left it for any of us that might want to

fool around...and now I have a bird with old nails and shells and gravel stuck on 

...and yesteray I found branches that resembled a head and a tail

..at least to my eye

...and, oh-my, you should see it

THIS IS WHY I WANT TO SHARE MY BARN WITH YOU

IT'S FUN

FYI

so look here to see some details as we look forward to August, 12-15

we will spend time with John Steinbeck's, "The Moon is Down".  I now have 

a copy of the movie, given to me by a new friend, Dennis Stillings,

and a copy of the play...and you must read the book..you have  2 months...so

get busy

for our never before 

 

John Steinbeck Fiesta

at Volden Farm ..701-2275 ..voldenfarm@ictc.co

voldenfarm.com

til then, JoAnne says dosvedanya

(Russian for goodbye)

Good Morning...here I am again to correct the mistakes I made as I was doing this last night...first of all...the dates for the Weave workshops are the 14th and the 15th and 16th...that is Thurs and Fri and Sat of May

The next mistake is in the phone #..1-701-769-2275...instead of the 760 which I had written...sorry

But the one great thing about blogging for me...is that I can make the change right up front..so to speak...

and I love fooling around with punctuation so that people (friends) will say to me"you know you forgot all the periods and comas" and I can say..."I know" haha

=============

new info on potting WORKSHOP

two dates ... May 30 will be the first day to create lots of pots!

that way Rene Fuglestad who is the teacher, will take them home to Moorhead and fire them so that when he comes back the following Sat the 6th of June ... all of you guys who have potted ... will then be able to glaze ... what you did ...

Now this seems like rough info cause it is ... so here's more ...  Rene will have a couple of other teacher/potters with him and they have different specialties ... that sounds like fun to me ... and you too ...

W want to cover all the expense of their driving and also the materials, so there will be a charge of at least $75 a day ... to also cover a couple meals.  This will be an estimate until we get a better handle on reservations ... OK?

So get back to me on all this ... plus ...

HERE IS THE REAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEKEND

The Sunday 3:00 PM Service with Music and Words glorifying God

REN THROWING POTS ALL THE TIME 

while we watch and listen 

I cannot believe my barn will be the locale of all this creative energy

all for now ... bye ... JoAnne signing off

PS ... I forgot to say that we will have a chance to see the pots that Ren makes and they will be on exhibit and offered for sale in the barn

I do have some in the house for you to enjoy seeing as well

the latest on May Workshops

Hope you are thinking about coming to the barn on either the 13th, 14th or 15th of May.  "We weave" will be a combo of days,crafts, music,time for yourselves if you need to just enjoy quiet in the Prayer Chair or some other corner of the space we have for you here at Voldenfarm.

So here's a brainstormer for a barnstormer!

we gather together to weave together as we gather we gather to be woven together as we weave what we gather together to gather to weave together what we gather - waving weeds or bending branches

for each weaver

now we consider knitting together and to be knitted as we gather together to knit

it remains to be seen what will become woven

baskets wreathes placemats purses 

we will see

Cost will be by the day:

    night stay with 3 meals and the full day and evening offerings

   $150

    full day with 2 meals and evening $75

For this workshop supplies will be found or provided as I see now -

evenings will be music and readings as we choose..weaving creatively the variety of old and young and you and me and all

Exodus 31:3-6

"And I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge and all kinds of craftmanship."

Exodus 35:35

"He has filled them with skill to perform every work of an engraver and of a designer and of an embroiderer, in blue and in purple and in scarlet material, and in fine linen,and as a weaver,as a performer of every work and makers of designs."

workshops in a tabernacle or a sanctuary

Call JoAnne at 1 701 760-2275

or voldenfarm@ictc.com

we would like to have at least a half dozen

OK?

Hello, My plans are formimg.  This Workshop is called -  TO WEAVE !

Hopefully, May 14 will be a day to gather from the hills and woods - grasses and twigs for making baskets and wreathes, as I mentioned in the previous blog.  Together!

May 15 will be a day of weaving, using strips of favorite fabrics, into whatever, maybe pads to use at table or on seats or wall.  Maybe to frame, to do whatever comes to hand.

In the evening we will weave poetry, speech, music, young and old doing what our skills allow.

Come and be...Come and see...Come and do...Together!

May 16 will be a day of knitting...to learn or to let fly the needles into bags or ? Together!

These works will be crafted along with Spiritual encouragement, using Biblical words that

describe our need and/or ability to create, be alone in God' Word or world here in our gardens or any corner we may choose during the days or day we spend at Volden Farm.

Cost will be negotiated whether time - bed - food - involved - so that there will be cover 

charge or rather charges covered.  In other words - expenses appreciated.  Thankfully.

Actually, minimal suggested costs will be posted closer to registrations.

My barn is intended to serve a purpose for increasing realization of who we might become by being together in the air of country and basics.  We all can learn  creatively by watching and doing - from each other.

Remember, " Salads to die for " and eggs of all sizes and colors..fresh for the picking from 15 gorgeous finely feathered friends.  How I love my chickens!

So here also is a date in June for the Potter and Clay, Rene Fuglestad and Us.

Sunday, June 7 at 3:PM in the Barn..we will begin a service like no other.  Music and Words for our thoughts about creating our lives for a best possible path.  Think about what that could be molded?  Anticipate?  Come.

Bye for now...JoAnne 

And this is a day of bright sun in my windows even though it was -20 this morning.

I want to look beyond winter into the month of May in my barn.  Maybe by that time the 12 foot Winter Tree covered with lights and toys, will be taken down and out.  And for a couple weekends we hope to consider other types of gardening, even as we did last May

Now, I like to plan on gathering  the fresh branches of Red Dogwood and working together to twist and twine them into either a basket or a wreath.  If you would want to come with us , please E-mail me at voldenfarm@ictc.com

and ask about the dates and availablilty of first come first get a bed in the B&B

while you relax and have fun.  Remember to look up my website as well

www.voldenfarm.com

And above all, please be patient with me as I now have a digital camera which is bursting with pictures to share with you.  I only need to learn that new tech..

Some news...my chicken house has winter inhabitants since all summer I asked around for enough of them so they (the two remaining after the slaughter by a couple of huge Raccoons) would not freeze.  You see I need at least 15 to keep each other warm without heat in their house.  I was able to get 15 new( to me) ones and they are being named and they are also giving me 1 or 2 eggs a day in spite of the cold.  One Rooster is Lazlo and the other, Big Red.  As for the hens, I'm waiting to share their names until they are all named.  For now, suffice it to say that they are gorgeous.  I love my chickens.

More news..An old large wood stove with nice art deco designs is installed in the barn for cooler days as Spring comes around.  I have tried to warm the barn now, but have realized I will need more insulation under the floor and tighter windows and doors if I want to use it in the dead of winter.

Oh well..this is almost all...but to say music and probably a Potter are in the calendar for June.  Tune  in for more as the ideas come.  OKay?   

Bye...from me, JoAnne

Christmas

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Day

At least I hope it is a good day for anyone who is looking at this.

I am connecting with you by trying to make my wishes for this coming year come to life on this page.

Wishes for me and for you. I,m satisfied to tell you that I have ideas and plans that only God as given me and only He can bring to fruition. Do you feel that way? The impossible can become possible. I am the person who can say this with living conviction and experiences since my husband Jim passed out of my life.

I'm in a really new place due to God becoming my "sidekick" and showing me He is ready and waiting to give and care before I could even dream of what has happened in the last six years.

The barn is only a beginning of this story.