spirit...souls...boys...

living within the seasons doesn't require anyone to celebrate a made up holiday

surely you aren't surprised that we don't "celebrate" Halloween

yes......the pressure is there from family......friends......loved ones to include the children in activities that are in essence.....fun

however

we'd rather gather together to celebrate all the people who gave their life for Someone....Something....more important than a bag full of candy....the day after is much more spiritually enhancing

it seems today's "holiday" has overshadowed the essence of this time of harvest + saints + souls

even though racing around a neighborhood and getting all six of your children in and out of the car to run up to beg for candy from strangers while inundating them with sights and sounds of the demonic may sound like fun to some....it doesn't to us...

however

dressing up and enjoying the seasons does...as does raising our children to always think of what He wants from us....what we can do for Him....to be strong...to be faithful

raising four boys, we do so in the spirit of this idea, being open to their ideas and activities they want to do on the farm with their friends

it is not uncommon to see at any given day an "army man" ducking down into his man-made foxhole (seriously...the oldest two boys dug a 3' deep x 12' foxhole in the back prairie)

recently the two oldest boys had a few friends over (as did our oldest daughter last year at this time) to play

be free

be boys

a surprise meal of "mush" and a slice of bread for the soldiers

(the mush was browned sausage with a homemade white sauce)

the meal was served from a cast iron pot and an old ladle that was used to plop it onto the tin plates

it was hilarious......

when I came out of the house and rang the bell....they all came running as I yelled "chow time!!"

an order of "line up!" was issued as a plate and metal spoon was thrust into their chests

the dish was plopped on and one kid just stood there...so I said "move along soldier!!"  he looked at our son and said "what is this?"  I responded "slop!...now move along...."

the grin on my face told him I was not feeding him something rotten :)

that boy's brother then said... "I don't care what it is...I'm starving"

our kids....our boys are starving for their imaginations to be fed....they need the necessary food to help them grow in strength upon temptations......there is no denying that the world can influence your thinking and try to coerce you to do things you don't really want to do ("but everyone else is doing it")

grow together as a family.....starts by praying together as a family.......and listening to their hopes and dreams

whether you choose to celebrate this day or not: stay safe in both spirit and self 

peace + blessings,

how to preserve herbs (*many* pictures included)...

After you have harvested your herbs

-dry them in a very dark place -

hang them or put them in a paper bag - top open - until brittle

grab your most cheerful child at that moment...

crumple crumple crumple

(just sit back with your fresh cup of tea and take your cheerful child's photograph....encouraging them along the way with tales of adventure)

we have so much sage that we use large plastic bags to preserve them

the more delicate (and not as abundant here on the farm) herbs get to reside over winter in beautiful blue mason jars....respectively........

To confess:

autumn is my absolute favorite in the garden.....we are organically growing our vegetables, so at this time of year I can gloriously pull off a slug here and there on the pepper plants and throw them to the chickens

since we have had a frost already, there aren't any other bugs (hallelujah)

but it's now time for cleanup and more garlic to plant

I'm hoping to find some time today to sew a pair of booties for Daniel and even

my own cloth diapers (from an old sweater :)

peace + blessings,

the shady grove...

slowly we learn

quickly we grow

being totally open to learn determines how rapid our growth will be

the morning light casts shadows upon the once tiny arms and tiny little toes

stumbling upon the day, you use your self will and strength within to get to safety

growing

learning

do not whither within this morning light dear Daniel

my baby....

the newness of your birth has faded as quickly as the prairie grasses 

i will find a shady grove to keep the shadows...

bird silhouettes...

I took down an old rabbit hutch I had on top of this cabinet, and started putting out all the nests we have collected here made from the horses hair and even our dog's long fur....mostly wrens' nests...with some of our favorite feathers....it needed something........some color....creativity....

inspiration via Country Living magazine........

we unearthed this plate while digging up the first perennial bed here.........

and this plate is from my late grandmother.... 

instead of painting on the pumpkin like CLiving did, we chose to paint on the glass to create a 3-D art effect

(when I say "we" I really mean my oldest daughter....she did a great job!)

a small collection of old glass bottles hold feathers and nests.......

my youngest daughter painted this hurricane.....it's a bird with a top hat.....and I think it is super creative and super cute!

the old silk top hat I traded with Polly at the 2010 October sale.... 

the best thing about this craft is that the glow of the candle illuminates the bird silhouettes and it is painted on with acrylic paint......so it washes right off with warm water......

go HERE for the bird silhouettes

- we cut out the birds we liked, taped them onto the glass, used a small brush to paint the outline around the bird, and then filled it in with the black paint

- just use a regular old black acrylic paint

The black birds are migrating right now, and their stop over at the farm has been noisy, but welcome.

peace + blessings,

the other part of the room switch...

when I recently switched the dining and living rooms, the 'new' dining room had been sorely forgotten with creating a space to reflect the season/farm/us

friends of ours were having a garage sale....a nearby farm.....and this little $35 table was just what this room needed

she even gave the kids and me free pumpkins...thanks Mary!

{{ a bit of country

{{ nests and gathered feathers from years on the farm

(here's a funny tidbit of a story involving the non-coincidence of our "campers": our friends John and Mary came by about a week ago to drop off the flyer of their garage sale they were having because Jason forgot to tell me the details - and that very day, the male "camper" that is here found out that he needed to get a new crankshaft.....their engine is literally out of their truck....the whole thing......and John is a mechanist....he has a barn dedicated to this purpose.....he fixes up vintage cars for a living.......a shop to make any car lover drool....so their engine is now residing on another farm while they live in our barn in their camper - where it is warm and he can clean his tools and parts of the engine.....basically.....if John and Mary hadn't come over to give me that flyer, we might have totally forgot that he would be able to re-work the engine for the campers and order the necessary parts....isn't that just so amazing??) 


truth be told....it's been a rough few weeks......(nothing to do with our new camper friends here)

gone are the warm sunny mornings with busy hands in the garden......I am running on this lonely habit of preparing......preparing meals and more food in the potager....putting up swags and hay couches

having the 'campers' here from Colorado for the past few weeks, with her being a spry 26 year old, I understand even more these miles and years that have separated me from my youth......oh good gravy......like I'm old or something?  no, i know that i am not old.......but i can't help but feel my bones more.......the shape of my hands - the wrinkles on my face - the heart hurting from a recent blow of betrayal.......all of these things have shaped the last two weeks since the sale and by gosh did i need to decorate and make things fresh

here's two of my pumpkins now...

changing up my surroundings makes me forget second guessing myself + my strength + my loves

family......friends..........feathers........finds from the farm
(that's a lot of 'f''s)

here's to a fabulous fall weekend.....and enjoying that hot cup of coffee in the chilly mornings
and another big thank you to all of you who have given me your sentiments about the farms through emails, letters in the mail and sharing your photographs......we had such a great time with you all here!!

peace + blessings,

minimalism...

in this life...there is no room for minimalism

what we thought we could do...we can do even more

giving yourself completely in this existence creates this awareness in the world's reality

how often do you really take the time to listen to your spouse/lover/friend (or all three ;)

do you think just because you are "together" you can just give what you have given and keep on that way

the truth about love is that is takes a balance between the extremism of being a doormat to your mate and beckonining to their every will, and the other side of that extreme of complete narcissism

there are no two ways about it...a fine balance

sometimes it might take the other person to dive head first into the problem or situation and come up and explain how much he/she has learned from that mistake

other times it could be that you both get blind sided and have to deal with a situation together

are only giving minimal love to someone?

it's a rude awakening to realize that you are...or might be....

ask yourself this:

"what is the most I can do"

love does not destroy freedom...it makes you realize how fragile you are...how to look with childlike fascination upon the newness of life bonded with another human being....

where is the minimalism in that?

within this life there is no room for minimalism

within this life is the fullness of faith

of devotion

of love

peace and blessings,

vintage tea...

never before have I given a whole area to a dealer "in the shop" at the event........

but this time I did

to Jennifer Rizzo........this has been her third sale here.....and her most successful!!  She had the space with the vintage tea cups hanging from branches.......that created this whimsical perspective on vintage tea.......

her new line is a reflection of vintage iron stone.....patinae silver trays......funky coffee mugs......

she had this throw for sale that was a crocheted afghan with hand crocheted flowers bunched and adorned everywhere (sold right away)

                             

actually, most of what she had for sale sold.....she had THE COOLEST funky orange tufted couch (with sold right away)......like an antrho catalog it was.......she had hats, fingerless gloves, these super cute tea towels with pom pom fringe and hand embellished prints of birds........

let's just say she's a busy girl trying to re-stock her shop right now.....

she has some new items listed and will be doing so all week and I for one, cannot wait to get my hands on a hat and some jewelry......

if you know Jen, you know her funky vintage side and creative soul and how they come together on this new line...oh! she has a giveaway...I almost forgot!!  Go here to enter....

thank you to you all who have taken the time out to email me about your experiences here on the farm at the sale...I have had such a good time this week reading them...it means so much to me!!!

peace + blessings,

no matter...

you are on your way through life

i didn't know you


i don't know the day or life you have had
we are seperated by many miles and a few years

while i was wearing leg warmers you were swaddled in your mother's arms

would it matter if i knew your name + background + the shoe size you wear?

i didn't know you
you might be a passerby...your on your way while i am on mine

the nest you have woven amongst the golden hues and gray skies will never be forgotten

 



i stitched it for them, and they hung it in their window....so sweet....

  if you were here this past weekend, you would have noticed a turquoise truck + camper on the old barn foundation

on Thursday of last week, my oldest son and I were headed to our neighbor's farm to get some straw to lay down in the prairie lounge....we passed this turquoise truck...hood open.....one with his head in the engine, the other behind the wheel.....I stopped to see if help was needed....no was the answer I received......

again, we passed them, now with our truck filled with the straw

I thought to myself how they looked familiar without knowing them.....how I needed to get home and get to work....how if they really needed my help they would have said so right??

Jason left for work when I came home....but called me 45 minutes later telling me he was towing a couple to the farm who were stranded........not surprised, I put on my shoes to greet them onto the farm

She recognized me

We started talking..........and talking...........and talking.........not knowing how our paths are so very similar in life...........deep within our souls, our experiences......

If you saw a naturally beautiful soul behind the bakery counter at the sale this past weekend, it was her....
moving to their new home

passing by the farm but never leaving my heart

we are close enough in this world to see with our hearts and not our minds, or pre-conceived ideas

it's quite simple to realize that in this world help is always there for me...I am the one who needs to accept it

acceptance is love

no matter what - trust  - love  -

no matter what the age difference or demographics are
no matter if we both love baking and biking
no matter if we love the nature that surrounds us
no matter if both of the men in our lives are carpenters

there is much more in common with each and every person if you just stop to notice it....

age, tattoos, color of skin....it really doesn't matter when it comes to the human experience does it.....

I feel so very blessed beyond measure that I met them....and that God had our paths cross....they have been for more than one reason....they were there for me and I hope I have been there for her....for them both....



peace + blessings,

share your photographs...

there are lots of pictures

but just from other people :)

so many of you came and took photographs...and I would so love to see them....If you have photographs to share of this past weekend, and would like to share, leave a comment here with the link to your post if you would like, and I'll be right over.....

(all the above photos are from ART on the farm)