Barter........from farm to city

Bartering is alive and well! at least at Na-Da Farm it is............

Instead of my husband trading his woodworking for a cow, or my hand sewn quilt for my children's education.............

it's jewelry.............

.........just for me.............

in return for a skirt, sewn by me...................

When I first started blogging, and looking around at other's handiwork, I noticed Tracy's sense of style with jewelry...........her art.........her hand made pieces are uniquely beautiful, and I compare them to what I see in Sundance.............except, I'm able to know the artist..........personally........

I first contacted Tracy to tell her how I liked her jewelry........then I decided I want one...........soooo...........I asked her "how does the barter system sound?"......................
and to my surprise, she accepted!

being this was the first time making a skirt for someone outside of my close circle of friends and family, I was a wee bit nervous (to put it lightly)..............God bless her........she lost weight, and the skirt is a little big (better that than the other)..................she seems happy with it......and I am more than thrilled with my end of the deal..................

she even created some drop earings with my favorite turquoise jem inside............and.......an adorable Autumn Greeting sign: and she has many other items she creates...............at her Online Shop...............

Thank you Tracy for this beautiful gift of your art, warmth and creativity....and barter....

oh dear Texas..........

Okay..................so........................

I want to be at Round Top in TEXAS!!

(said with absolute whiniest voice I have)...........and to get my mind off it........which is quite hard..........I sew...........

and no, I don't want to sell there.................I want to shop................
how many of these pumpkins do you think I'd have to sell?....to be able to have mula to spend?............well............maybe when I retire it'll still be there.................


can you tell Anne Marie needs a break? if you were with me the past few days making applesauce, running my son to tackle football, taking all produce in and shelling those pretty little beans while homeschooling and baking bread, and serving home-cooked meals and dealing with an almost 2 year old while wrestling with my other 4 children, well, you'd want to go to Texas too, or maybe New Zealand..............to be a sheep herder..........without electricity............and become a hermit...............you know...................alone..........................................ha! phew...........now that's just a joke folks.....there is no way I'd trade my life now for anything (except maybe some extra cash for Round Top ;)............

these beans come from 'over-ripened' yellow wax beans and also green (pole) beans from the garden....

I hate to waste a thing here on the farm

and these will go well in a vegetarian chili or just sauteed with butter and fresh parsley....

~their colors are beautiful.....don't you think?~

hold on........

life is so precious, and can be so sweet...........

but just as anything precious, you have to hold onto it carefully.......

as my nephew holds on to the past and looks into the future..........

as I desperately hold on to my children........

but there's a freedom within that we cannot ignore......

to always hold on.........

and trust in that freedom, so we can experience life to it's fullest........

and that comes from within

and should always glorify God, and not ourselves

please visit Erin's art and gardens to see more B&W Sunday.....

unaltered............

consuming yourself with worry, is as if you are deep within an early morning fog.....

even after you see some light, the fog still surrounds you...........

it's all in the power within yourself to look upon the day as an

existence just to consume yourself...............

or an opportunity to step back, and surround yourself with the beauty of both God's creation of man and nature.........

all photographs were taken out my back door of the prairie, and have been completely unaltered.....nature was the artist...........

have a peaceful day within......by looking out.............

autumnal blessings.........

When I was a wee little 'lass, to get to my Hungarian grandparent's home, I had the privilege to exit out of the back patio door from my childhood home, and pass through

the apple orchard my father and mother tended upon our land....

some of my fondest memories were walking through the orchard in both springtime amongst the tree's blossoms, but in pure awe of the fruit which this biblical tree bore in bounty for
not only my family, but all who were in a 20 mile radius.....


they would bring crates full to anyone who wanted them~
and I will never forget the excited and proud feeling I had in adoration of my parent's for
sharing our harvest amongst others.......
~as does our dear neighbor Ginny~
our orchard is quite too young yet, but I hope to bless many people with this
well deserved fruit which comes in abundance, faithfully, every Autumn........

Autumn Blessings!!

cablooeeey........

GOOD MORNING!!

oh my.........where to start.............power board when 'cablooeeey'.........was in the shop since Wed...

school is in.......freezing veggies........and wow..........I seriously have NO idea how I have time to do my online journal here!........


no worries........and it'll take a few days to get my hands busy on the keyboard again ;)

and a personal thank you to Carole and Julie :) you guys are so sweet I swear......
and a sorry for not hosting B&W Sunday -

cozy......

Anyone feeling cozy?...........like you want to just cuddle???........and sit outside in the evening and enjoy the sunset while sipping hot cider?

(or having amaretto cake, a scone and coffee for breakfast?*)

I totally do

I'm sure there is a more eloquent way of saying that I do, but I totally do want Autumn to wrap me up with it's organic beauty and give me that comfy feel..........nothing like it......

funny thought......

sometimes I feel like I'm making "you" gag with cuteness and hugs and love and all that stuff from me on the farm.........at na-da farm..........but truthfully; it's like that most of the time

no joke

now, it's not all the time like that - but really - with no tv or video games, laptops or black berries, or any of those things - there's time for being together - not watching movies together, but just cuddling.......playing games.......picking veggies.......grooming horses........mucking stalls (see; not all glamorous here)

this is farm life.....I mean na-da farm life.............

I truly hope you feel like we are talking with each other here, and you have come to know me and my little ole' farm.......because I feel like I've come to know some of you too :)

if we could meet, and sit down long enough, you would see that I love to talk......and work things out.......and encourage you..........and make you laugh (that's my favorite part), but most of all, I hope that we can work together to create a peaceful life together..........(are you still with me here?)

If you haven't noticed, I really don't divulge my "personal side" too often.......I kind of guard against doing that.......because truly - there is so much going on in my head, that everything I write and show you here is like me; on a whim.........nothing planned out

(I leave that sort of thing to schooling and laundry day)

peace and blessings today.......to all of you

and don't be surprised to see more recipes here...........it's that time of year for schedules :) and menu planning ;)

*this delicious cake was made by Angela, and yes, I did eat it for breakfast......she also brought the adorable flower basket with her home-grown ladies' mantle.......thank you Ang! and so sorry that picture of me is absolutlely awful with us sipping morning coffee! I just can't take a good picture!!

**and did you see the look on our faces while square dancing? we aren't quite sure if this is how your promenande!

Na-Da Farm style party decor II.......

found in an old attic, my husband brought these home to my delight!

just right for a little na-da farm style party

(can they really be from 1879??...I certainly didn't stencil that on there, and neither did the elderly couple they came from!!) *see Kasey comment- thanks - no one has told me that yet

harvest tables have to be one of my favorite things.........

and I had thought of just using barn wood tops - well, maybe some day, but for now......the rooster (all be it) vinyl cloths wash up super well, and with over 100 children - it was just great)

we also lined up straw bales as seating (lent by our cutie pie dairy farmer Otto - which also lent us the trailer for hay rides) - zero dollars

(except, we did give him a 'thank you' wad)

on each of the walls, I took these old windows I was using in the summer house, and added them to the walls by the food tables.....

kids' area for dining.........

(don't forget - all these table cloths were made last year before the party) what party is complete without a blue cow leaned up against an old altar rail?
beats me!

so for pretty much no money - just alot of hard work, we had one of our most successful parties

little lass even danced in her dress I made for her new Novice competitions in Irish Dance.......

it's all about the people for us here on the farm.....

that is exactly why we have it - not for us - for our guests.....

and they could care less it was potluck!

the people are what make the memories, but the decor is what sets the scene......

and last but not least.......

the outside privy

instead of people saying: "oh man! I have to use the outhouse!!!??!!"....

I wanted them to say: "Awesome!! I get to use the outhouse!"

I used an old ironing board to hold the 'wash stand' of some antique silver pieces, and ironstone dish for soap, and hung some antique aprons on a line....

inside I placed sage from the garden (to smell nic-er) and some more of that lace you see on the chair above......and an antique photograph...........

well.........it took me over 3 days to rest and recuperate - but ALL worth it....every minute....