I started out with three bunnies that we 'thought' were all female. I also have 18 chickens. We put them all in the chicken coop which has a large indoor and large outdoor area. The outdoor area is also covered on top with chicken wire. The bottom edges has the wire going under ground for a little ways inside the area. Our bunnies did mate, 'as one turned out to be female' and they all dug tunnels under the doorway of the indoor part of the coop, 'The hen house'. The tunnels lead all the way to the other side of our hen house and out into the open. We live way back in the woods in the country in northern Michigan. Our bunnies only go all the way out occasionally but mainly stay inside the caged area. They have a good 10 by 14 feet to run in the outside part and seem to feel safe there. One time a wild rabbit did make it through the tunnel to the inside and I'm sorry to say, my male rabbits killed him. Nothing else has ever come through the tunnel to the inside. My rabbits run up to me when I enter to feed them and the female stands up on her back legs looking up at me. It's so cute how they greet me when I enter the area. I realize they might not make it long with the tunnel there in case they go out and something gets to them. But the life they do have now is worth every second since they're so happy. I also will not have them neutered or spayed as I want them to live as wild rabbits would live, as I believe they should have the chance to live, breed, roam, etc. My chickens don't even seem to care that they're there and sometimes my rabbits will share the indoor area with my chickens at night as I leave their door cracked open a little for air. 'The chick coop door is open to the outside caged area'. All my animals are very happy and healthy. In face, my chickens are laying more eggs now that it's winter and everything I've read said they would slow down. They all get the right foods and plenty of treats. When my grandchildren visit, I sometimes let them go in a pet and play with the chickens and rabbits so they're used to people. They DON'T pick up the rabbits though mainly because sometimes children don't pick up animals in a correct way and I don't want them hurt. So far, all is well and I will most likely find homes that also allow some amount of free range for the baby rabbits which should be ready any time now to go. Hope all this information helps someone who would like to try some amount of free range with their bunnies. Sheri

Wertach, keep looking at all thrift stores. Some are better than others. You might also ask on FreeCycle. Cut the collar off above the collar stand. If fraying, you can use zig zag stitch. (Get a decent used sewing machine ;) ) Here are some links that might be helpful. What you seem to want is a Henley or Nehru style collar. He lets can be made looser and in cotton broadcloth or linen instead of the traditional knit fabric. Note the link for the Civil War period costume shirt. Perhaps you can find someone to sew you up a few or you can learn. I take it that you're not aiming for Brooks Brothers. Men's Henley or Nehru collared shirts https://www.google.com/search?q=men's+shirt+sewing+pattern+nehru+collar&client=safari&hl=en-us&prmd=sivn&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&fir=vJbbDZk7u-BEQM%253A%252C3h8T-6KZhWPrHM%252C_%253BFVELkYEZ2kZEnM%253A%252C7eB3A5jX3EDfdM%252C_%253BKmjWyHzD9812rM%253A%252CE0dTP_xA1Ohp0M%252C_%253BQv-mfuSqqNCp-M%253A%252CE0dTP_xA1Ohp0M%252C_%253BOEwL2nu6rdrk9M%253A%252CMsBVegirwvis6M%252C_%253B1ttsTqOrzADUPM%253A%252C-uFFSq4TooeyPM%252C_%253BBh3VzSPEaQuYHM%253A%252CY-fsvw0o3zBcQM%252C_%253BwVLxkb0f5HNorM%253A%252CfzkYG1pY43DfCM%252C_%253BvBU687xnRpd9FM%253A%252CrogslHIEL3jeYM%252C_%253BahW9mp-Ww76KpM%253A%252CFAt0BG8DjDaCOM%252C_&usg=__gAQhy_8XabWjRzf39rsokD1GYCs%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwje2LeGwv_MAhWE2D4KHdaxBX8Q7AkIGw&biw=1024&bih=672#imgrc=1ttsTqOrzADUPM%3A https://www.etsy.com/listing/231536560/mens-nehru-collar-short-shirt-kurta-in?ref=market https://www.etsy.com/listing/244074836/pre-summer-clearance-vintage-1970s?ref=market https://www.google.com/search?q=sewing+pattern+men's+henley+shirts+long+sleeve&client=safari&hl=en-us&prmd=sinv&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&fir=lerCpYnkE3jM0M%253A%252C_xAOkJPo3su9oM%252C_%253BASf7pT9NrvFqPM%253A%252CirnkXeIEFR2Y_M%252C_%253BaX0O80SgQzVhGM%253A%252CEnaBwzSHuRQfJM%252C_%253BUubfcAid_NZ43M%253A%252CSSNfZBl_faVznM%252C_%253B3_COxMfdHTOK2M%253A%252CInE0xmC7ePoP9M%252C_%253BNREgQ6TL5nVW7M%253A%252CSSNfZBl_faVznM%252C_%253BkBDl0ZwQ_1wXjM%253A%252CRPrfkm2mcBKH3M%252C_%253BXiWbXN738UPrzM%253A%252CAhkYyBNgZ-tvWM%252C_%253BwSK6rB2V_qmZsM%253A%252C_xAOkJPo3su9oM%252C_%253BlWEQ6iN61mFxkM%253A%252CnpYDkeq96yKdmM%252C_&usg=__YSecoyMzp9y12wLyqWMqL90y0cU%3D&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwje1Piiw__MAhVMbj4KHcIeCW4Q7AkILw&biw=1024&bih=729#imgdii=6Pseg0lzgiY8LM%3A%3BjBgWuwLv4aV46M%3A%3BjBgWuwLv4aV46M%3A&imgrc=jBgWuwLv4aV46M%3A https://www.etsy.com/listing/248600625/mens-civil-war-confederate-regimental?ref=related-7 *** Burda pattern - Men's Linen Shirt (for garden shirt, you could have made with cotton) http://www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/mens-linen-shirt-062011

There are times when trees need trimming. Some flowering tree get shoots up from the base, creating a thicket around the tree. Others get low branches that can allow vines to easily grow into the tree. To see this go into the woods and look at the wild trees. In a woods situation sometime the lower branches will naturally die and fall off. In a yard the only thing you get is a mess of dead branches, live branches and vines around the base of the tree. Prune the tree to allow air to get into the middle of the tree, and remove the sucker that grow on the inner parts of the main branches, but do it in Tree time not yours. The one in the picture will not need any trimming for a many years,

One of the greatest cons about sewing anything from a vintage pattern is finding the suitable fabric for them. Almost everyone of the vintage ones in the catalog is a garment that requires a woven fabric. Those were from a time when good quality woven fabrics were plentiful. Now, it is rare to find anything nice and woven and that does not have synthetic stretch fibers that completely change the hand of the fabric and make it unsuitable for most of those old patterns. Good woven fabric has been replaced by fabric made from old soda bottles/petrochemicals. Just horrible!! I did some American Girl doll sewing too and I found the free online patterns to be very good, but I think that they cater more to the adult who sews for their own doll. I was sewing for a doll for my young grand daughter and needed items that were easier for her to handle and that she could relate to better.. The Pixie Faire patterns are good and are intriguing and almost make me want to go and buy myself a doll and sew for her. One problem that I had with sewing these small doll items is that it is difficult to buy small measures of trims like lace and ribbons. My local Joanns, being the rat hole that it is, does not offer much of a selection by the cut measure. Most ribbons are sold on the spool. For many of these little items all you might need is about a foot of something that will serve for many items. But, it is non existent. I was sewing for the Wellie Wisher doll and I did end up buying a pattern for her. If you have the essential elements of bodice, pants and skirt you can create all kinds of things on your own. Online is a great resource for patterns for many things. That includes patterns for knitting, also. I have never looked through the pattern catalog and been so uninspired. And, I have been tripping through pattern catalogs for a very long time. I have one from probably the early 80s, Butterick, I think. It is a real relic of days gone by and that will probably never return. Last time I looked at the modern printed version, it was quite thin and the layout was different. Different layout is fine, but the offerings were pretty thin, as well. And, they are all so dated, even the ones that are NOT vintage or inspired by vintage. So many old shirtdress patterns! When is the last time you saw someone wearing a shirtdress? I have read conflicting assessments of Joanns in this year of the virus. It looks like they are continuing to try and steer that ship into a different direction. It looks like they are quickly moving away from garment sewing and more towards the glue and glitter stuff, and the offering of places for "makers", as those who were formerly known as "crafters" are now known. I find much more inspiration online, and the ability to share through blogs is great. It seems that Australia may still have some fabric availability. I see some intriguing pattern companies out of Aus and I read about folks there going on vacation to places around the Pacific nations where the textile trade seems to be stronger. They blog about buying fabrics while on "holiday". The style offerings from these foreign designers and pattern drafters offers a different view from the old and stale and tired offerings of the big 4. About the only thing that I feel that I can count on anymore is linen that I get from an online source. I like a comfortable and simple pattern and unstructured pattern to go along with it. There is much beauty and pleasure in simplicity of design. Yeah, I, too am vintage and have some vintage patterns. But, my older and wiser self is also bigger and better than that one that wore that size. There was excellent styling in those offerings just a few decades ago. Now, not much at all.