'secret' giveaway...........

what would you say, if I told you I was doing a giveaway?

from my hands on the farm into your home?

well........I am!

and the items I will be sending you are a secret......but surround the blessed season of Christmas..................


if you want to join in on the 'surprise giveaway', then leave a comment here on this post......

what? you want a hint?

okay okay

here's a hint:

why? why am I doing a giveaway?

many reasons, but I'm over the 200th post thing..........

and I'm also over the 200 follower thing.........

~you have until November 9th to enter~

and I haven't done one in awhile, so why not? right?

since there is no such thing as luck............Godspeed!

weekend rememberance......

A very welcome 62* this morning (rainy, but warm).......

the rooster is out with the ladies already, as well as his new chicks to watch over (quite the handful Sir Charles has now......)

when I arrived home from my little vacation, I called out to Gilberta and looked for the kitties, and whistled to Sir Charles.......I truly missed the farm.......

I am at peace here......so comfortable.......it's my nest..........

however........

the nest I stayed at is a close second (as is my own mother's "lake" home)......

My mother-in-law (let's just go with the "minlaw" abbreviation from now on eh?)....

My "minlaw" names each room, as a B&B would, and I was privileged to stay in my husband's old room......the "man room".......

and found in my suitcase were love letters from the children, and this drawing from my daughter.....(framing that one - it's one of my favorite Saints)

did I cry you ask? yup - sure did - especially when my son tells me how much he misses me and that I'm the best mother in the world, and how he'll miss the fun on the farm with me

(he's 12 and my little man)

My favorite room, which one of the other ladies stayed in, is called

"The Flower Room"...........

~lovely lovely~

even the views are spectacular of my "minlaw" prairie......and an exquisite tree......

that same tree from the window is truly glorious!

as is the comfort that surrounds her home, and the fantastic vignettes she creates within her nest.....


thank you "minlaw" for such a lovely weekend.............

p.s. "minlaw".......I'm sure you are glad I didn't post those other pictures aren't you??

White Wednesday.......

~hearts I hand stitched for this past weekend~

scented with lavender, and christened with a charm......

one for each of the three dear ladies I spent the weekend with
(and also a White Wednesday participant for a change......
for more white wednesday, visit: Faded Charm)

~thanks for visiting na-da farm~

10 things.......

So, I have now had 3 requests to do that "honest scrap" thingy, and to give you 10 things that you might not know about me...........so here goes.............

AND OH!! let's take a walk through the farm together as we chat.........

1) I used to be a platinum blonde, and right before that had dread locks done in Florida..... (a.k.a. Anne Marie hates her hair).....2) I once tried out for an MC Hammer dance video............
(p.s. didn't have a chance)

3) if i could choose one profession, other than being a mother, it would be a hermit...always praising and thanking God for everything He's done for me (without distractions)...which brings me to a thought......I think I'll start that now.......within my vocation of wife/mother!
4) I praise God for everything He has done for me.......;)

5) I have written over 4 books.........and never have had the nerve to attempt getting them published.........

6) I have what I call "I can do that" disease.........even if I'm at an art show, and see a welded bench, I don't buy it, but simply say "I can do that"........(p.s. I don't know how to weld)

7) my couch doesn't stay in the same place more than 2 weeks..........

8) to get over heights, I taught myself how to repel down a cliff........solo......

9) when I used to teach kickboxing and personal trained people, my 'style' was a lot like that of Turbo Jam's 'founder'.......Chalene Johnson........I secretly want to attend a Chalene Johnson aerobics class with my sista Chris...."yee ha! my sista!"..............

10) when I get home from vacation, only then, do I relax..........(I don't like vacations so much - the farm is my home and truly a daily respite)
and one more thing..........that you might not know about me..........I adore all of you and your comments.......and now understand the power of an online journal..............

p.s. please don't be offended if I don't send it out to 10 people I know okay?

B&W Sunday.......

my biggest fear?

(as far as trivial things are concerned- not of the moral nature)

~is to perform in front of other people ~
I love playing my guitar, and even singing, but alas......I will just admire this stage I saw during a travel, and maybe someday, I'll overcome that fear...........
i would pick a venue like this though - for sure -
have a blessed day!

see more B&W Sunday with the lovely:
~ Julie

~ Carole

~ Csillagos

my heart's delight.......

this gives me so much pleasure! showing you these photos of my root cellar..........

the first time we found this room (yes - found it), was from an old hatch in the entryway floor upstairs.......like a secret!............

with bravery and a vacuum, it was transformed into a once-covered in cobwebs room to a cleaned/patched storage room 

Since there was no opening to that room except through the upstairs floor, we hired someone to use a diamond saw to cut an opening....

I once held a wine tasting party in there with an old bistro table, candles, and my record player (it was such a memorable evening)

however...

it is much more useful now, than a just a wine cellar - now a root and wine cellar

these are the potatoes and cabbage from the Potager that were waiting in their French Champagne crates........so elegantly........

~farm fresh potatoes are creamy white inside with a wonderful fresh taste~

let's step into the cellar no?

quite a step down -

it was a cistern before (they would collect the water from the well, hold it in the cistern and then pump it up to our farmhome's kitchen)

my husband made the crates, and now hold everything I need to store.....

*funny fact: the word "store" - I like to call it my na-da farm little "store"*

~fresh sage drying~

once gracing the top of our windows on the outside, now re-purposed as a coat and basket hook in the basement, just outside the cellar door......

my basket is empty!.........let's fill it up for supper shall we??.............

one of my favorite photos of my home now (hilariously in my basement of all places).....

there we are: all ready for a cabbage/potato and beef (which is roasting up in the kitchen) ........

If you have a basement, you can have a storage area for food: there are many market's still open - and you can store those you know!! stock up - and help support those farmers (please)......

a good read needed.......

I implore you! I need a good book to read!

give me your suggestions.........i beg of you

wow! the emails and comments here have been great (for just a few hours) - I think I have stumbled across a lovely mutual chord between alot of you!! awesome! so, to answer you briefly:

I usually read historical fictions (such as, but not limited to: Willa Cather novels, and Lori Wick - a new favorite, and practically all of James Michener :)

THANKS EVERYBODY! and keep the requests coming: and Amy: I would love to exchange books with you - but mail it? silly girl; let's just meet for coffee!!

rising up.......

one could say I 'have risen up'........and after being knocked down like I was, it really didn't take much to get 'up'......when you have five children, and a farm, well......you really don't have time for that sort of thing........really...........


so I got out an old cookbook (Searchlight) and started thinking........
I don't know how to can! so, I taught myself, and I pretty much want to can everything now.....

with all those apple peelings, I made SO much apple jelly that is (pat on the back) oh so good.....

but the best part of all! was that I got my mind off of my 'heartbreak' with adding more work (I know; a little ludicrous)...........and......I got to use my old kitchen hutch to a more advantageous way.......

much more in the 'keeping' of the old farm house, and to look over and see my hard work shimmering in the sunlight through the old wavy glass fills me with a

wonderful sense of accomplishment -

this was the before........

then the after: