A Paris Reflection...

When we 'met' online a few months ago, it was like a reflection from my life amongst the prairie lands of Illinois to her home an hour outside of Paris in the l'Eure Valley.........

Sharon, from My French Country Home, and I have talked already about me coming to stay at her home she rents.......having our coffee and getting to know each other more.........I can already see it..........this is where it would be.........

(picture taken by Sharon of My French Country Home - of her guest house she rents to blessed individuals)

some of the earthly things we have in common are:

horses

love for our daughters

a sense of poetry

an ever growing linen collection

and the appreciation of living life on a farm

and well.....many more things as well.....

Sharon's posts take me to another place........deep within a friend's home and garden where I'm overwhelmed with attention to detail and beauty.....a ride in the country with her daughters as they picnic under the trees in a nearby valley.....

it's a definite daily read for me

she also has a wonderful shop online where you can find things like this:

authentic French bed linens....

A pure French linen Monogrammed Nighshirt

I even acquired about the home of her dear friend who happens to be selling their maison....talked it over with my husband even!! 

It is just perfect sounding.......but alas.......it's still for sale......

Sharon is so sweet for featuring me on her blog today!!  I hope you go say hello!!!

Relatives from the south are visiting this weekend, which we are all so excited about around here....she's expecting her 9th baby and I'm so glad she's coming!!  She's such an inspiration to wives and mothers......

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend....

xo+blessings,

Cucumbers to pickle...

you don't have to own a farm to have freshly made pickles...........

go to your farmer's market and purchase the yummiest (and organic of course ;) cucumbers - no matter what variety - but I prefer the 'good ol' standard cucumber - it has a nice straight shape.........

we ended up with a little over 10lbs. of cucumbers in one picking!  and my husband l.o.v.e.s. pickles...

after they were all cut, I first measured the "big white bowl" (my infamous bread rising bowl) so that I could calculate - after ends were cut off- how much we did gather for pickling....

since the bowl weighed 5lbs., after adding the cut up cucumbers,

we had about 5lbs. of soon to be pickles.......

the ends go to in the compost pile + chickens peck at them = nutritious eggs

cucumber facts:

~Cucumber contains erepsin, the enzyme that helps to digest protein. 

~Cucumber juice is also valuable for helping diseases of the teeth, gums

~The potassium content of cucumber makes it highly useful for conditions of high and low blood pressure. 

~Cucumber is best natural diuretic known

~Adding a crunchy cool cucumber to your salads is an especially good way to increase your fiber intake because cucumber comes naturally prepackaged with the extra fluid you need when consuming more fiber. Plus, you get the added bonus of vitamin C, silica, potassium and magnesium. 

~Besides....my grandmother (God rest her soul) used to put cucumbers on her eyes while sunbathing..........she taught me to do that down in Florida when I think I was 5 - hilarious - 

A blog I recently became a follower...A Country Farmhouse...had
the easiest looking refrigerator pickles

so I tried it!

and am very satisfied with the results!!

I added some peppercorn and mustard seeds, and fresh organic dill from the garden and a bit more garlic than they did, but overall, you adjust to your taste.......

it's cooling here...........my daughter thought it looked like a science experiement - which led to a whole bunch of things we talked about...like the correlation of cooking - how it is a science, but one you always can have fun with and experiment with = why I
love being at home with my children!!

enough pickles to last us for a few weeks.......we won't eat them for
a few weeks....if we can wait that long!!

get out there and enjoy that farmer's market!!!!!

~make sure you thank them....trust me...we like it when you do~

Inspiration...

 Recently, my outlook on photography and decor...even the way I view food, has been changed from a beautiful blog

she's from Germany...

Fräulein Klein 

I've come to know her as Yvonne...and I'm so happy to share her beautiful and inspiring 

place on the web with all of you!!

I asked her some questions, so we'll look at her beautiful photography and read her answers!!

   were you raised in Germany? And always lived there?

" I grew up in Germany. In the south, in Bavaria, about 150 kilometers from Munich. And I have also always lived here."

   Do you just have the two girls?

"Yes, I have just 2 daughters. Leni 7 years old, and Mia 4 years old."

this was a tea party she set up for her two daughters....isn't it dreamy??

What makes you purchase religious items? Is it part of your heritage? Do you like the beauty of it? Or is it your religion that draws you to those objects?

"Part from the religious objects comes from the family. But most are things that I found at the flea markets. It has less to do with religion, I find the things very decorative and I love old things!"

   Have you always decorated in the white style? If so…why? And if not…what made you change? 

  "I've always loved white furniture and a bright style. And collect old furniture for years, that I restore again."

   What decorating advice do you have for us women who love your look and would like to see it in our own homes? 

 "I personally like a mix of French, Scandinavian style with a touch of beach house look - simply bright.  I like to combine things I bought new with things I find at the flea markets with the charme of old times. And I especially love old linens."

     What is the camera that you use? 

 "I mostly use a Canon EOS 50 D!!!"

I love all her bits of trim to her photographs and writing style she adds to some of her pictures don't you? 

If you see my blog changing because of her charming style.......don't be surprised!! 

If only I had half her talent!!!  

I do hope you stop by and see her....you'll be so glad you did!!!!

xo+blessings,

*all photographs on this post are property of Fräulein Klein Blog*

Some of you may know my Creed - at least my Creed for life on the farm...

I believe in hands that work, brains that think, and hearts that love.......

Elbert Hubbard wrote those words, and they resonate within me.....

I spent the early part of Saturday sewing in the house...and I noticed I didn't hear a sound - from anyone! 

strange indeed for this house of 7 + dog........

when I walked outside, I heard small chatter in the garden.....all of my family was out picking beans, gathering cucumbers, searching for peppers and snapping crisp broccoli from their stalks....and weeding........

my husband and my oldest son weeded my whole entire potager all their own.....and when I grabbed my camera that was slung behind my shoulder, they both gave me the cutest heart shaped dirty hands that I have ever seen.........

I will never forget that moment of complete thankfulness for them in my life.....for them thinking of me.....

and the surprise on my face and the meal I cooked for them from the garden, hopefully, was testimony to them of how much I  appreciated their hard work...

even Gilberta helped me by picking carrot tops (as evident by it protruding from her beak)

Charity begins at home.........I truly believe that if we helped those around us, to our complete ability, that it would re-shape the world for which we live in....why don't you give it a chance!

xo+blessings,

built ins....

custom made bookshelves/built ins...*

Our first night in our apartment, in an old house nearly 14 years ago, my husband and I  both had boxes to unpack....

no joke, my husband had twice as much as me....

he was removing skulls....teeth....found artifacts...animal skins....rocks


and me? what was I unpacking??


I had ever since I can remember gathered sea shells by the sea shore...rocks (lots and lots of rocks)....bird's nests and other found objects from hiking and such...not to mention books....we didn't know we had this in common!


that is actually what started my interest in the 'museum room'

and now, it's not strictly in the sunroom, but has made it's way to these bookshelves....

a beaver skull I believe...talk about 'organic art'

isn't that the greatest thing about decorating? 
you can move and rearrange to your heart's content!!!



 a vintage glass lamp with a clean new shade rests atop a seashell hot pad found at a second hand shop....

after posting these pictures, I can see I'll be rearranging again!  like removing that little lighthouse and small grouping on the bottom there - the marble urn/book/candle - 

what a great way to test out your decorating....through your lens!

built-ins were custom made by my oh-so-talented and charming husband - it is bead board on the back, black walnut tops and double crown on the top

~Enjoy your weekend~

xo+blessings,

contemplative prayer....

a melodious life can be perceived by some as just a presumptuous feeling that can set you up to fly

 when you come out between the trees, you very bravely look down upon your pretentious self reasoning that the melodies you heard were all very well and good, when it was really none of your doing

none of your doing to hear what you are hearing........seeing what you are seeing......thinking what you are thinking.......and feeling what is in your heart

there is nothing relative about love or poetry........

from the depths of your soul let the ruffles and pleats of your dress be left alone to charm even the most melodious of bothers

contemplative prayer brings true music to our souls

(all photos of the farm and me, by me)

xo + blessings,

lemon and lavender

as some of us know, life can be scented like lavender fields and sunshine, or as sour as a lemon...

I consider my life a mix of both

and actually, cooking with lemon and lavender is delightful with chicken

I'm just saying....

too many people I meet are so down trodden with their lives!  savor the sweet and use the sour to turn it into something fresh

go ahead...........give it a try!

xo + blessings,