Welcome to an 1864 farmhouse…life is good!


Friday, October 16, 2020

campers, campers, everywhere!

 

As you probably know, I LOVE our little 1963 Yellowstone camper named Maizy...the story of how she came to be ours is here We laugh every time we read her owners manual that says she
"will sleep 4-8 comfortably."

13 feet long, 6'6" wide and about 6'3" tall...and that's without the cab-over!


courtesy of: Tin Can Tourists



Really...4-8 comfortably? Even 4-6 is a a bit of a stretch (okay, more than a bit)

I'm just saying, in my mind, she's a 2-person camper. Maybe if there were littles to tuck in one of the beds or the crow's nest, but honestly, nope...she's a 2-person gal. We did squeeze my daughter in the crow's nest for one sleepover and my 6'3" son on the larger back bed and it was, um, well, cozy might be the best word.


Maizy

So anyway, as I've been out & about, I've noticed lots of fun vintage campers, and I thought you might like to see them. Clever, classic, retro designs that make me smile..


I passed this shiny little Airstream today...



and saw this vintage lady peeking out of a barn...



a little Casita looks ready for a road trip...

 


while this camper was doing double-duty as a traveling food "truck" at a
favorite farm show.



Lastly, we spied this on the way to school one day..oh-so tiny, but look, it has
an airconditioner!




While reading a blog by MaryJane's Farmgirl Blogger Nicole...aka the Suburban Farm Girl, she wrote a great post about vintage radios (click here to read) and she inspired me. 

She shows snapshots of tabletop vintage radios that no longer work, and how she "hides" a smart speaker behind it...the look of vintage charm that "works"; how clever!

When we bought Maizy, she came with lots of goodies, one was a turquoise Zenith tabletop radio...the fun, colorful plastic version. A little sleuthing and I found out it's a 1961 Art Deco Tabletop Tube Radio. Because it didn't pick up anything more that just static, it has been stored away.

But after reading Nicole's post, I pulled out the radio, dusted it off, and tucked our tiny bluetooth speaker behind it. Soon I was on Pandora searching for the top hits from 1963...


and like magic, it's as if the radio was playing...as Nicole says, instant charm and atmosphere!  



There will only be a short time to enjoy Maizy...soon enough she'll be covered and safely tucked away for winter. In the meantime, she's just perfect for quiet, mother-daughter time.

My mother-in-law always said, these will be the best days of your life.

She was right...





Friday, October 09, 2020

zumpkin reveal!

Remember this? 

So...the questions is,  is it a pumpkin-shaped zucchini,
or a zucchini-skinned pumpkin?




The great reveal...


I'm saying a pumpkin-shaped zucchini...while it's not hollow to carve, it does smell like a pumpkin and those seeds, well they look like pumpkin seeds to me! Yep...saving them to plant next year!

Lately, the days have been ideal...mornings that start off chilly (38 degrees today) then end with brilliant golden shadows and a flurry of dust as farmers harvest corn and soybeans. We had a bonfire Wednesday; roasting hot dogs and enjoying ooey-gooey s'mores...one of my favorite ways to celebrate October.

And so my calendar tells me tomorrow is "I Love Yarn Day", I think it's time to whip up a little something cozy for winter!

Happy Friday; below are a few of my favorite pictures from this week.

cheery blooms...




















        smiling goats...










morning shadows...



my favorite farmers' market!


harvest-time...















a forgotten apron that was tucked away...

now washed & pressed, the colors are perfect for Maizy...
she's just inside the camper door alongside a vintage
gingham apron and a new apron made from
glamping fabric. They make me smile!
 













Sunday, October 04, 2020

harvest is at its peak!


The last couple of weeks have been picture-perfect...sun-shiny days filled with blue skies, just-right daytime temperatures and chilly evenings. Each morning is fresh and crisp with the rising sun, and then each night is aglow with an autumn moon...fall magic.

When October comes to the country, it's a gloriously busy time; harvesting the garden and "putting things up"  (as our grandmothers would say). Canning season is notoriously hot & humid, but not this year...temps in the 50's and 60's made it an easy task. With that done, we can now stack wood, order hay, and make plans for winter.

There is plenty of time to wash quilts, shake rugs, bake bread, light candles, make soup, sweep the porch...all the things that were easy to put off in the humidity of summer are now quickly done without a second thought. It's a happy time!

Today, sharing some snapshots of our harvest days on the farm...happy October!


 
























And today's burning question...

I planted zucchini alongside white pumpkins:
this is what I got...

pumpkin body
zucchini skin

Have I created the first ZUMPKIN?

(I'll be cutting into it to see if the inside is pumpkin-like
or zucchini-like, stay tuned!)





 
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