to cherish...........

Trust me, I'm not a morning person usually, but you get me at the lake house we used to rent, and suddenly, I'm up at dawn, and it's like looking at the world........

with different eyes...........

......touching life with care.....

~it invigorates your soul to be alone in a canoe~

beaching the canoe, and literally soaking up all the pleasures God has given us,

inspired me to share this experience, and even though you might not be able to go to a lake,

ride in a canoe, or perhaps not even be able to sit on a beach, there are experiences out there to see God's love just shining down upon you.......

we all hunger for more in life, it's our nature......not only to feed our bodies, but our souls too.....

so let's kick off our shoes and enjoy our lives....no matter what troubles you may have.....

what do you say? are you with me?

I am trying not to waste any day......especially with this love of my life by my side......

and to think he has given me five beautiful children............of our very own!.........truly to love and to honor, cherish...........until this day forward.............
sorry about the totally cheesy picture of us - it's the only one with me actually in the photo for a change! :-)

Sit......

are you frantic right now? trying to get that last swim at the beach?

make it to the last summer garage sales?

well.........let's take a sec. and sit.......

at least, that's what I'm doing.......it won't last long, but this "new to me" leather chair my brother in law just gave us fits mighty fine in our living room......and it's beckoning me to sit.

besides, I'm pondering thoughts inside me that have never surfaced before.....

and thus, my "new" thinking chair I believe

~and a special thank you for all the lovely and thoughtful comments about Ukiah Samson~

my mate........

I grew up sailing, in a modest little lass like the one I just bought for 50 cents at my neighbor's garage sale..........

and one of my mates wanted to help, so I got him swabbin' the deck!

(he's swabbin' the deck with a cotton swab)

very "punny" don't you think?

~he thought so~

Pun: definition: (pŭn) n.

A play on words, sometimes on different senses of the same word and sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different words.

autumn shutter idea..........

I know what you're saying:

What's with the pumpkins?

the autumn joy sedum?

well.........it's the shutter see...........I took these photos last year for an autumnal display at my front door.........and.............

I'm participating in: The Inspired Room

and their shutter display idea..... So.....if you are out and about this summer and find a shutter you love, think ahead for this fall for display at your front door, inside your kitchen, on your stairway landing, in the bathroom, living room, or on the buffet even, for an autumn display with the shutter as the backdrop!

~have a great rest of your day~

Ukiah.......

Just about a year ago, we lost our family dog Ukiah Samson to a tragic death.......

He was a Tibetan Mastiff.....his father actually came from Tibet.......surrounding monasteries and protecting the monks that lived in the hills...........needless to say......he absolutely loved winter......... He was gentle with every creature on the farm.....here, he is with Gilberta (i love this one)......
not much of a water dog, but if we were in the lake swimming, so was he.......

he did sleep alot....but his gentle nature and sense for what was around him always comforted us......

I have never had a more gentle dog......a dog to sleep on.....climb on......cuddle with......and if he wasn't running through the countryside, he was always right there........no matter what......

this is by far my favorite photo......bitter 2 fold because it was taken in the barn that burned....

our son was only 7 here, dressed in his chaps and vest, with his 'trusty dog'.....

and for fun, we took what we thought could be an old cowboy record cover (i love records)

all in all, we miss you Ukiah..........and life on the farm hasn't been the same without you......

i simply cannot write any more......i had planned on posting more pictures, but the tears (i know i'm overly emotional) are preventing my eyesight to be clear right now, forgive me......

but if you have ever owned a dog, you lost unexpectedly, that was the softest most gentle creature to both you, the farm animals and your children, then you will know why my eyes are glistening........very heavily.........

B&W Sunday.........

Jordan

~two of my favorite farm animals (at the moment)~

Sir Charles

those two animals bring joy to the farm, and thus to me ~have a blessed day~

you can also see Julie's B&W Sunday post......thanks Julie!

natural colors............

What do you think when someone says

"natural colors"............

......like what I have for a 'backdrop' of our entire home...

neutrals, like whites........

beiges........natural wood...........

keeping a 'neutral' background in a home will make any color you bring in from outdoors just explode with feeling...........

this bouquet was picked to remind me of my prayerful intentions I have spiritually committed myself to this week.....it's a part of my portfolio of passions

company's coming! have to go......enjoy your evening!

really..........enjoy it!! whatever you are doing......

hitting home............

There is one missing from this picture...........

when Beth Jansen took this photograph, she didn't know there would be another precious child to take a picture of.....

but this story is tragic........

this beautiful woman you see in the center of this picture, lost her life, along with her daughter Sloane, unexpectedly when a tree branch fell on their minivan and they were pronounced dead on the scene..........

This Catholic woman, who was open to life, and full of a life with a successful career and, from what I gather, a cheerful disposition, has made me jump into reality.........makes me remember that you never know when the end of your life is near........that you need to raise your kids EVERY DAY with love and kindness.......she will be missed by her now 10 month old and 4 other daughters and a husband..........

I have 5 children...........

to think what this family is going through.................i cannot possibly..............

pray for them please, and thank you Cindy for bringing this to my attention........


you can read more here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/03/AR2009070302678_pf.html

photograph by Beth Jansen

I quickly put together a collage of what Na-Da Farm Life is doing..........
~drying hydrangeas
~braiding and storing onions in the root cellar
~sewing a skirt (special order)
~and having fun with some vignettes around the house......

We have company company this afternoon, and then a dinner party tomorrow...

Hope you are all enjoying this BEAUTIFUL day, because it certainly will not happen again.....

seize the day...........as they say..............

and OH, by the way...............I am not sure about you all, but I'm very excited that summer is coming to an end, and I will soon be able to school the children! yeah! (and I'm not kidding)

Deer Lady............

I used to go to Estate Sales more often......but I've become QUITE the "homebody" in the past few years.......however.......this past weekend, the children and I took off and discovered a few things.......

One particular item captured my attention immediately, it is on glass, and it was worth every penny spent (even though my dear 8 yr. old son stepped on the corner and broke the glass - it's nothing a cut flower can't hide/fix).................

As you may have read before, my entryway is always clean and decorated.....to me, it immediately soothes me as I come and go from working in the garden, or in and out from walks in the prairie.........

We do, unbelievably enough, get quite a few visitors through the week, and you just never know who will pop in........and blending their slow drive, passing the gardens (short as it may be), to the inside of our home, is important indeed.........

This entryway may change daily, but with the prairie grasses in their glory right now, they are easily preserved and will be a part of my decor from now until the Christmas season.....

~be satisfied with this day, and then rejoice in your happiness~

Kindred........

I'm always greeted with a smile and a warm hug here at our Friends of the Meadow........

Her and I have quite a bit in common.......because we both like to be in the garden, amongst friends, and don't mind the hard work of the farm........

but most of all, we, as friends, understand our faith well, and that is what makes us have a special bond..........

a quiet understanding.........

we are not the same "religion", but we are kindred spirits nonetheless......

besides, we do laugh and smile alot when we are together.....

I was charmed (as always)..............with her many additions around her farm..............

Newly laid flagstone steps, lead up to a patio that is nestled under an old windmill............

"mr. pig"

.............new baby kittens for little darling to cuddle...........

and aaaah....the barn, and the meadow......

I can't help myself, but being around her barn, I still have "barn envy" every time I visit..........

Our girls are such good friends, and enjoyed a summer swing together............

as we toured the farm, her ingenuity and beautiful gardens incorporate both edible plants and flowers.......

love this idea, for I have done this myself...........

Hope you are having a joyful day.........