springtime, plus a couple "steals" and deals!

Since my last post, Spring has turned her back on our part of the Midwest. The mornings are now filled with quick bursts of cold air, icy rain, and slate gray clouds continue to hide any blue that's surely hidden behind them.  

The lilac bush by the garden has given us just a few blooms. Monday I snipped several of them to enjoy indoors, fearing that once again temperatures would dip below freezing and they would be gone for another year.

I found some vintage aerial photos and it looks like the lilac is about 50 years old...does anyone have tips or hints for helping lilacs produce more blooms each year?

In the few days that were actually spring-like, it was wonderful to be outdoors enjoying fresh air and dazzling sunlight. Compulsive activity had me starting with the chicken coop - which, I have to say, I don't recall ever being so messy! I put on my headphones and an apron, found the broom, shovel, and wheel barrow, and then filled a bucket with hot, soapy water. When I was finally done, I felt the need to get a little creative, so I rearranged the run to give them a little dust bath area, along with some logs and branches for a "playground." Clever ideas can be found online, but I decided to skip hanging a chandelier...which truly was in so many coops. What do you think, am I dismissing it too quickly... I have an old one...maybe I should reconsider?

Well, that's the springtime in my post, now for the "steals" and deals...

My cold frames are alongside the chicken run and I've found it's just the right spot for a couple of those old, springy, metal chairs. There's a simple pleasure in sitting there as the day ends, with the twinkle of fairy lights and sounds of nature. 

Each year I pull out those retro chairs, with their chippy layers of multicolored paint from all of the owners before me. They were a steal at a flea market ages ago, just a few dollars each. Every spring I look at them and try to decide if I should sand and paint them...maybe even sandblast them so they look new. And then each year I decide not to...there's just something about them I love. They're still springy, and the layers of paint just seem to tell a mid-century story.

  

I thought I'd take a look online and see if I could find a couple more to add to the little seating area, and so:

Look what I found...better yet

LOOK
AT
THE 
PRICE

$4,320 for the pair...chippy paint and all.

Hmmm, I'm thinking I won't ever sand or paint mine (I wonder if they found a buyer?)

A few days later, at a sweet little shop in a nearby town, I found two more retro metal chairs for $8.50 each! The lady was anxious to get rid of them because of their rust, and asked me what color I was going to paint them. 

My reply?

"I'm not afraid of a little rust!"

My last "steal" for today, a zinc-topped table I've had my eye on. When the time comes, I'd like to re-do the kitchen in the old "unfitted" style, using freestanding cupboards instead of built in cabinets. I love the look of the dark blue-gray zinc patina and I learned that zinc has anti-bacterial properties making it a great surface for food prep - it was ideal for my kitchen dream!

A few days later I was back at the same little shop the yellow chairs came from, and decided to ask the price - it was unmarked. Because it had been there a long time she wanted to get rid of it...she asked me if $30 dollars was too much. 

I brought it home - happy dance!

On-line I found similar tables ranging anywhere from:

$295 - $800

The stars were aligned...what luck, and I couldn't be happier.

Soon I'll show you what I did with a freebie chair and old window box, and then tell you the story of a mini greenhouse that makes my heart happy.

Enjoy the week friends...

the golden days of autumn...

As September closes and we're on the doorstep of October, there is color everywhere. Not the summery colors we find in geraniums, sunflowers, and daisies, but the colors of fall. Yes, the grass is still green, but mixed in with that green are dark-brown cattails surrounding ponds, farm stands filled with yellow squash, orange pumpkins, golden sweetcorn, and orchards bursting with juicy red apples.

Here in our part of the world, the weather has become, for me, absolutely perfect. Sunshiny days in the 50's to 60's, and nights in the 40's. As October moves closer, we look forward to the wolf moon, bonfires, pumpkin carving, and glowing jack-o'-lanterns in the dark of Halloween night. It's time for warming soups, comfort food, crackling fires, cozy sweaters, and football games.

We are poised on the edge of cold and snow and want to be ready. Days have been spent stacking hay and firewood, cleaning goat and chicken houses, building tables to hold water tanks, counting food storage, cleaning and organizing freezers, and making any last minute repairs. I've been trying to keep myself busy ever since my youngest went to college, and because there's an endless list of things that need doing, I'm throwing myself into the middle of it with wild abandon, as the saying goes!

So while we enjoy the brilliant patchwork of autumn, knowing that a hard winter is most likely ahead, I'm working hard to enjoy the moment I am in. It's time to settle my noisy brain and appreciate the simple pleasures of this season, and savor each moment to the fullest...

beauty found in nature:

signs of harvest:

hay stacked for 
nosy goats and sleepy cats!

A Susan Branch quote says it best
(visit her here for magical inspiration)

enjoy the season you are in...

This is the season we are in...

 

and although we're setting out plump pumpkins and cheery mums, the season we find ourselves in, is Nutcracker season.

Sweet Girl finds her weekends filled with seemingly endless hours of rehearsals, aching feet and toes, along with pure exhaustion...but also, a smile so bright.
 
Yes...life ought to be enjoyed at every stage.

Thank you Sweet Girl for sharing this stage with us.

gussied-up clothespins!

It seems I use clothespins for more than keeping sheets on the clothesline!  They come in handy for chip-clips, bookmarks, keeping recipes together, and generally corralling any paperwork I have. Somehow all that paperwork seems a little less messy and looks just a bit better with a cute clothespin clip on it!

These are oh-so easy to make...just gather your favorite scrapbook paper, scissors, and a little decoupage glue (Mod Podge) and you're ready to begin. Simply cut paper to fit the tops of clothespins, then secure in place with a bit of Mod Podge.  Once the paper is secure, brush a thin coat of Mod Podge over the paper to give it a protective coating...just let dry.

It couldn't be easier!

So tell me; what will you use your gussied-up clothespins for?

Happy Friday...enjoy the long weekend!

fall magic...

The days are crisp now and the colors glorious. Bittersweet tangles over old wooden fences, the scent of woodsmoke is in the air each evening, and fields are covered with burgundy, gold, and russet leaves. This magical time of year has always been my favorite season, and I continue to be astonished by it's beauty.

The temperatures are below normal this fall, making us wonder if winter will be harsh. So amid the fun of hanging bunches of Indian corn, setting out arrangements of mums, and carving pumpkins, we're stacking firewood, bundling up the chicken coop, and reading up on how to keep the beehive warm & snug during its first winter on the farm.

October is a time of harvest...the fields of corn and soybeans that once surround our home have been removed, and our own garden has been put to bed for winter. Except; however, for two prolific pepper plants which continue to shower us with their bounty...I just couldn't pull them up yet! It's a time for tucking away baskets of potatoes in the root cellar and stocking up on needfuls for the winter days ahead. We feel an old-fashioned stirring that it's best to be ready for cold and snowy weather.

Apples are plentiful at the local farmers' markets, and in country kitchens everywhere, October means apple butter, jams & jellies are being put up for winter. Two of our favorites from the farmers' market are Dutch Apple Jam and Apple-Cinnamon Jelly...they are so good spread on warm rolls, buttery biscuits, or just-baked bread.

Yes, these clear October days are worth enjoying to the fullest. It's a fine time to walk a country road, bike thorough fallen leaves, or simply putter outside. These days are made for warming the heart when winter's chill arrives.

As I've heard, "Life is a series of memories..." so let's fill October with the best memories possible.

~fetch a plump pumpkin and give it a cheery grin

~take a walk, a  hayride, a Sunday drive and enjoy the brilliant trees

~rake all the leaves in your yard...then jump in them!

~visit a local orchard or farmstand...bring home a basket of juicy apples

~sit by the fire and read

~travel the back roads

~put extra quilts on the bed

~make s'mores around a campfire & tell stories

~laugh, make memories, enjoy every minute...

simple joys for March...

...if they're not already springing up in your gardens, stop at the flower shop and bring home a big bunch of tulips, daffodils, or hyacinths.

...don't forget to celebrate St. Patrick's day on March 17th. We'll be eating green eggs & ham for breakfast and wearing green from head-to-toe. I plan to whip up a traditional dinner of corned beef & cabbage, Irish soda bread, and colcannon. A quick visit to the library for some Irish music cd's and we're set for the day!

...take a walk outside when the sky is dark and the stars are brightest. Where we live, we can now see a beautiful night sky with Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter clearly visible. Later on this month,
Saturn will join them.

...now's the time for some spring cleaning, so let's get to it! Tie on your prettiest apron, turn up the music,
and dust those winter cobwebs away!

...try planting grass seed in an Easter basket...it's so easy. Simply line a basket with a plastic liner, add potting soil, then sprinkle on grass seed.Top with a bit more soil, pat down gently, then water well. When the grass begins to grow, keep the basket in a warm, sunny spot and continue to water. When Easter's here, tuck in some colorful eggs and chocolates...what a sweet gift for a friend!

...merry March winds are perfect for kite flying...be a kid again and launch a kite high!


Daffodils are popping up, puddles are everywhere, and sure enough, there's the hint of a gentle, green spring about to arrive. Outside we hear the chattering of small birds, feel a brisk wind, and enjoy a hint now and then of a mellow sun...yes, winter is almost past.

simple joys for December...

...be an elf! Surprise friends & neighbors with home-baked goodies, tie a wreath to your car bumper,
sing songs (who cares if we're off key?!), hang mistletoe, laugh, dance, take photos, make it the best time
of the year!

...settle in each night to read favorite Christmas books. Share the stories you loved hearing as a child.

...cozy up and watch classic holiday movies, pop popcorn, and make hot cocoa. You'll be making sweet memories that will last a lifetime.

...take a walk around your hometown and look in the shop windows and enjoy the twinkling lights on the
town square.

...get a live tree this year, or hang evergreen wreaths and swags around your home. There's nothing like the scent of fresh-cut greenery.

....sip eggnog and stir up some "real" hot cocoa (topped with whipped cream, of course!)

...light a fire in the fireplace to warm your toes.

...play Christmas music (it's okay, it's December now!) Pull our your favorites, then add some old classics to the mix like Andy Williams, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Perry Como. Oldies, yes...but goodies for sure.

...build a snowman or snowgirl...why not a whole snow family?!

...don't forget your animals at Christmas. Bake up some dog or cat treats, share crisp apple slices with horses, carrots for rabbits, and hang a wreath on the chicken coop!

...shovel snow for an elderly neighbor.

...read the Christmas story to your children (or grandchildren), hold hands, say a prayer, and make a Christmas wish. Take time to reflect on your blessings and slow down to enjoy the spirit of the season.

simple joys for November...

...create a fall wreath for your door, they're so easy and will be the perfect harvest welcome for family & friends. Simply cut a circle or square from cardboard to make a base, then cut a circle or square out of the center. Using tacky glue, cover the cardboard with colorful leaves from your own yard. Top the leaves with nuts & bittersweet berries, or mini Indian corn; glue in place. Set aside until the glue has dried, then slip a length of ribbon through the center and tie into a long loop for hanging.

...take time to write in your journal (Don't have one you say? Then it's time you did!). Make notes and jot down thoughts of all the things in your life you are grateful for. This is the time of year to slow down, take the days a bit slower, and really enjoy all of the blessings in our lives.

...make pine cone turkeys for your Thanksgiving table. Come on...you remember them, and the kids will giggle with delight as they help you create a whole flock!

...watch the Thanksgiving Day parades in your jammies. Parades are still as much fun to watch as they were when you were a kid!

...if you haven't done so yet, it's time (at least here in the Midwest!) to pull your flannel sheets out of the linen closet and lay an extra quilt at the foot of each bed. There's nothing like curling up under these cozy sheets on a frosty night. Although, I admit, it is difficult to get out of that cozy bed each morning!

...make a fire in the fireplace and settle into a cozy spot with a favorite book. If you don't have a fireplace, light candles to create that cozy glow. Enjoy the season you are in.

...don't rush out to go shopping the day after Thanksgiving. Instead, make it a day to relax...put on some Christmas music, set a pot of soup to simmer on the stove, jot down gift ideas, and really enjoy the beginning of the holiday season.

simple joys for October...

“Listen! The wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves, 

We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!”

-Humbert Wolfe

...visit a pumpkin patch and find a perfect, plump pumpkin! No matter how grown up we are, it's still fun to scoop out the seeds (they're yummy roasted) along with the "goo" and enjoy carving a cheery face.
A quick tip...at our house we cut out a circle on the bottom of each pumpkin, instead of around the top,
then sit the pumpkin over a candle. That way, as the pumpkin shrinks, the "lid" doesn't fall down inside.

...fill windowboxes, dry sinks, enamelware pails, and top mantels with goldenrod, mini pumpkins, bittersweet, gourds, Indian corn, and wheat. A terrific autumn welcome in no time at all!

...make a quick & easy hearthstring to hang across your mantel or window. Simply drill holes in tougher decorations such as acorns, chestnuts, buckeyes, and Indian corn. Then slide them on a length of
jute alongside colorful leaves, dried apple and orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and dried whole oranges
or pomegranates.

...short on time? whip up a quick & easy witch pumpkin! Turn a pumpkin on its side so the stem becomes her nose...add a mop of raffia hair and top with a hat.

...dress up when answering the door for little trick-or-treaters...they'll giggle!

...fill the slow cooker with delicious spiced cider, so good after a brisk afternoon spent raking leaves.

...take a hayride, enjoy a Sunday drive in the country, cozy up next to a crackling fire, invite friends over for a bonfire with roasted hot dogs, gooey s'mores, warm cider, and hot chocolate.

Don't miss it...
Enjoy every minute of October...her crisp mornings, glorious colors, spicy cider, crunchy apples,
colorful chrysanthemums, golden days and cool nights. A time of home, harvest, and hearts filled with joy.

simple joys for July...

...find a hometown parade on Independence Day! Wave flags, stand as Old Glory passes by, and enjoy the celebration of our nation.

...gather friends & family for an old-fashioned picnic. Toss out a red checked tablecloth and fill it with all the favorites...golden fried chicken, creamy potato salad, icy watermelon, and homemade root beer.

...find a barn sale or flea market

...spread a blanket in the backyard and look up at the clouds...what shapes do you see? A simple childhood pleasure that never grows old.

...make ice cream, it's easier than you think!

...if you're traveling for a family vacation, pack a Surprise Bag. Filled with little surprise treats for kids to pull out along the way, it can make a long drive pass a bit quicker for the kids
(and parents!)

...find a farmers' market. You'll not only take home some wonderful fresh foods, but it's a terrific way to meet neighboring farmers.

....celebrate Pioneer Day on July 24! Kids still love old-fashioned games like an egg & spoon race along with a 3-legged or sack race and shadow tag. Cook outdoors (try some authentic pioneer recipes!) using a tripod or over the fire pit. Tell family stories, dance the Virginia Reel, laugh, take pictures, make memories.

simple joys for June...

“Summer afternoon, summer afternoon;
to me those have always been the two most beautiful words
in the English language”
-Henry James

Dancing butterflies, the flash of a hummingbird, the low hum of buzzing bees are all signs that the earth has warmed, and is ready for Summer.

...it's time for the enchantment of twinkling fireflies
(or lightning bugs as they are also called.) Kids both big and little like chasing them around the yard (remember when you were a kid?), What magical fun!

...June is the month of strawberries! If you don't have your own berry patch, find a U-Pick strawberry field...what a terrific way to spend an afternoon! Then, it's time for strawberry shortcake,
ice cream, or berries dipped in melted chocolate.

...Bubbles are fun for kids of all ages, and it's oh-so easy to make homemade bubble liquid. Gently stir together: 6-cups hot water, 1/2-cup corn syrup, 1-cup clear dishwashing liquid. Have fun!

...create a secret garden in a corner of the yard, or make a fairy garden. Summertime is all about magic.

...Remember that June 21 is the Summer Solstice; the longest day of the year, so enjoy it! Have a picnic, cookout, sleep under the stars, or go to the park. Play games, light sparklers, let the kids put on a play or tell jokes. As it gets dark, hang a sheet and enjoy puppet shows...sweet memories in the making.

...when you plant a garden, save room for a pizza garden. Add basil, Roma tomatoes, green peppers, onions, hot peppers, any of your favorites!

...wear a straw hat, have a water fight, pitch a tent, visit the farmers' market, shop a flea market, nap in the shade.

Enjoy the Good Old Summertime!

simple joys for May...

...Happy May Day! For years we've enjoyed gathering flowers, tucking them into baskets or Mason jars, and then secretly delivering them to family & friends. I always makes me laugh to watch the kids sneak up to a door, deliver the flowers, knock, then run like the wind so as to not be caught! Oh, and of course, there's a basket on our front door as well...something the kids always look for.

...Mothers' Day is coming, so why not surprise Mom by planting a colorful cutting garden or a flowering tree outside her back door? Whether it's with your own mother, or someone that's as dear to you as a mother, she'll love the surprise.

...make final plans for your garden, our last frost date is May 15, so for us, it's time to begin! If a big garden is just a bit too much to tackle this year, why not grow tomatoes, peppers, or herbs in patio pots? Quick & easy to plant, just water when they're dry,
and you'll have the taste of summer at your fingertips.
No tilling required!

...put up a clothesline! There's nothing like settling into sheets that have been dried outdoors.

...rearrange your furniture, taking out what you can, and putting back only what you love...a simple way to create a fresh, new look for your home as the seasons change.

...dust off the grill, pull out your favorite summertime recipes, hang lots of buntings, and get out your white shoes...
Memorial Day is coming!

simple joys for April...

...visit the feed store and fall in love with the baby chicks and ducks.  You might just find yourself bringing a few home!

...while you're at the feed store, wander over to the shoe section. They have terrific rubber boots with farmgirl fresh designs such as horses, chickens, polka-dots, and flowers. They're sure to make gardening more fun in the muddy spring!

...this year, try natural dyes for Easter eggs...they're so easy! Make one batch of color at a time by simply adding one quart of water and 2 tablespoons white vinegar to a stainless-steel stock pot. Add one cup of your choice of the items below and bring to a boil; simmer 25 minutes. Add raw eggs to the water mixture and bring to a gentle boil for 30 minutes.

Check the eggs for color...natural dyes take a bit longer to dye eggs than commercial powders. When eggs are the shade you like, remove them, gently dry with a paper towel, and set aside
until cool.

red cabbage = dark pink
beets = pale pink
blueberries = blue/purple
raspberries = lavender
cranberries = light purple
yellow onion skins = orange
tumeric powder = yellow (1 t. for every 3 cups of water)

...bake a batch of hot cross buns...just because!

...buy yourself an Easter bonnet...okay, maybe not a bonnet, but how about a gardening hat? I have some favorites I just love and couldn't do without when the sun shines...how about you?

...remember, "April showers bring May flowers." And rainy days are wonderful for curling up with a book or movie. There will be plenty of time for work once the gardens begin blooming!

simple joys for March...

...take a little spring walk (bring along your gardening shears)
and cut some bare branches for forcing. Crabapple or forsythia would be perfect! Cut the ends sharply at a slant, then place them in a large vase of room-temperature water. In no time at all, you'll have brought spring indoors!

...celebrate St. Patrick's Day next Thursday! Wear green, bake Irish Soda Bread, serve a traditional Irish dinner, dance a jig!

...spring clean! Yep...I'm serious! You'll be surprised how good you'll feel when papers and cupboards are organized and dust bunnies have been swept away!

...if you know someone who has a late-winter cold, whip up a Sniffles Basket for her. Tuck in a Mason jar of homemade chicken noodle soup, a box of tissues, some cross-word puzzles, and a hot water bottle...she'll love it!

...feeling crafty? If so, then this is a quick & easy clipboard that you'll have fun creating and sharing wiht a friend (slip one in the Sniffles Basket!).

1 - Pick up a clipboard at an office supply store, and paint the board with acrylic paint.

2 - Once the paint has completely dried , use a sponge brush and decoupage medium to "glue" any cut-outs to the board.
(You could also skip the painting all together, as I did on the smaller sample, and "glue" scrapbooking paper on instead.)

3 - Once the cut-outs or scrapbook paper are in place and dry,
use decoupage medium again to protect the paper or images.

4 - Use your imagination to dress-up your clipboard!
Hats off to my friend Kris who gifted me with the larger board...she's a gem, and oh-so clever! Her board is filled with whimsical words and pictures...goodies she felt best described me. My version has a mini notebook attached, along with a clothespin that keeps my pen right where I can find it!

Hope you'll be making one of your very own soon...happy Friday!

February's simple joys...

...create handmade Valentines with oodles of ribbon, doilies, stickers, rubber stamps, snippets of fabric & vintage buttons.

...there's still time to begin forcing bulbs if January slipped by
too quickly!

...cookie cutters make the sweetest heart-shaped fudge, marshmallows, and brownies.

...curl up and watch classic movies. Some of our favorites are:
Casablanca, Father Goose, Operation Petticoat,
North by Northwest, The Great Race, and That Touch of Mink

...give packets of flower seeds to friends: forget-me-nots,
sweet peas, and daisies are oh-so pretty. Tuck the packets into little pots, or slip into envelopes and mail to far-away friends.

...use heart soap molds when soap making, then stamp each with conversation heart greetings

...stitch together a red ticking pincushion for someone who loves to sew

...wake up the family to heart-shaped pancakes, or use a cookie cutter to cut heart-shaped French toast

...write a note telling someone special all the things
you love about them!

January's simple joys...

...fill your pantry with cocoa, marshmallows, brownie &
  cookie-baking supplies

...make snow angels, build a snowman or go sledding,
   then come inside for homemade tomato soup
   and grilled cheese sandwiches

...watch old movies and stay in your pajamas all day

...force hyacinths, daffodils, or tulips and enjoy
   their fragrance in winter

...build a fire in the fireplace and roast marshmallows

...make snow ice cream or snow cones

...let your kids snuggle in bed with you
   on a snowy morning

...fill bird feeders to overflowing

...make "real" hot cocoa and top it with whipped cream
   and chocolate shavings

...put an extra quilt on the bed, then settle in with a favorite book

...make memories