looking at the small things...

It was 47 degrees one morning when Bailey and I first went outside, and in the evening I can now hear crickets...a sign that Fall is on its way! 

Along with cooler temperatures and the songs of crickets, something else I notice this time of year are spider webs...lots of intricate and, to me, beautiful ones.

I thought I'd share these snapshots with you...my son noticed this early in the morning; hopefully, you can see the long trail, as it's somewhat hidden in the leaves.

It had to be 40-50 feet long! We can only imagine the little gal or fella who made this took a leap of faith from high in the tree, and swinging on the breeze, landed in this spot. 

And from the looks of the tangled knots, they wanted to know it was secure!

I'll start you at what I'm guessing was the end of the adventure, as that's what we noticed first:

And not that I'm crazy about spiders, but this was another instance of accidently discovering the small things. 

I thought the flowers were so pretty with the morning dew on them, so I began to zoom in closer...

Another little gal or fella snoozing in the flower fold...with the drop of water, it just made me smile.

the not shop, shop!

Funny title for a post, but that's what the kids call it!  

If you've been reading this blog awhile, you may recall a post here about a milkhouse on the farm. For a long while I've been thinking it could make a nice little spot for customers to pick up Cottage Foods...baked goods, jams, honey, breads...items our state doesn't require a commercial kitchen for bakers to sell. 

I can't open a shop, but I can have people stop by to pick up their cottage foods...that's why it's the "not shop, shop!"

And so finally, after ages of plotting & planning, on August 5, I had an open house.  I invited friends & neighbors to visit and sample baked goods, then give me an opinion on what they liked and thought would be best sellers. We had a grand time!  

Last week, was my first official day open...just for 3 hours in the afternoon, once the farmers' market on the town square closes at 12, my hope is people will swing by to see what's for sale here.

And so I turned the sign to "OPEN" and surprise, I had some neighbors, friends & people who were just driving by stopped in...yay, off to a good start!

Anyway, I thought you might like to see a few pictures of how the milkhouse looked before and then after improvements were made.  Yes, it was in really rough shape when I began...built in the 1950's and honestly, neglected for years (low priority, I admit). 

Visit YouTube™ for a song that was constantly going through my mind as I tried to keep thinking about and working toward the end, just click here: 

Panic! at the Disco, High Hopes  

BEFORE...

I swept, dusted, scraped paint, washed windows, filled cracks in the cement block, stained the floor, and then finally the fun stuff began. I had our local hardware store match paint so it would be the original color, then I pulled out spare items to decorate with...some goodies had been given as gifts over the years, others I found for a song at a mercantile shop, while still others were hiding in the barn just waiting to be dusted off. 

There's no electricity (yet - fingers crossed, someday!) so I have battery-operated twinkle lights in minnow buckets hanging from the ceiling, and twinkle lights in the old kerosene stove and the antique potbelly stove (which couldn't be installed because, hmmm, it was old, with no UL rating, so it isn't seen as safe for indoor use).

AFTER!

If you want to see what's happening at the "not shop" from time to time, you can click here -

Thanks for taking my little before & after tour!

August on the farm...

August? How can it be August already? 

My daughter just returned from a 7-week intensive at a ballet company where she was also an RA and it's so good to have her back...as the kids say, "The balance has been restored!"  

She double-majored in Dance and Psychology...so proud of her hard work! She graduated Summa Cum Laude in Dance and Magna Cum Laude in Psychology.  I love that she's chasing her dream as she enters her 2nd year as an apprentice with a ballet company.

 

My son goes back to college in just a couple of weeks...I'm losing my partner in crime when it comes to hot & spicy foods! A couple of nights ago we decided to use some of the garden's oodles of jalapenos to make poppers, and then last night, he whipped up some spicy Mexican Street Corn, he's quite the chef...it was delicious!

Oh yes, time does fly...

so, so grateful...these kids have the sweetest hearts and are a laugh a minute, and I can say without hesitation...I would walk through fire for them.

Sharing a few more photos from the farm...August's heat is hard on the flowers and garden, best to enjoy them while we can. 

blackberries are loving this weather

this is a Ruby Slippers hydrangea that my son gave me 2 years ago,
I love how it changes from this,

to this!

blue skies,

blooming flowers.

 

and buzzing bees.

That's a peek at August from my corner of the Midwest...hope all is well where you are, thanks for stopping by. 

"Above all, 
be the heroine
of your own life."

-Nora Ephron