wise words...

I am so fascinated and in awe of chalkboard art...just so pretty, so creative, and such talent! 

To some, I'm sure it comes easily...what a blessing. I've been experimenting with chalk myself, but until I have confidence enough to share it with you (!) I'll share this one.

Wise words, indeed...

source

"If for a while the harder you try,
the harder it gets,

take heart.

So it has been for the best people who ever lived."

~Jeffrey R. Holland, 1982

Well, keeping these words in mind, back to my chalkboard, chalk, and eraser!

Happy weekend, friends.

a frosty morn...

Why yes, farmers do sit around and talk about the weather...as do farmGIRLS!

Around here, the weather has been incredible for the last week...

Monday...4-1/2 inches of snow, 

it was so beautiful, fluffy and thick. I was disappointed

my camera just couldn't capture all that my eyes were seeing.

Barn cats can be found snuggling in their little red house under the mulberry tree.

Our clothesline...just waiting for quilts and warm breezes.

Tuesday...2-1/2 inches of rain,

I did not venture outside for photos of this downpour...it was a day best enjoyed with a steaming mug of chamomile tea and a good book.

Yesterday brought light snow that fell all day and was oh-so pretty. 

But today, we woke up to the lovely hoar frost covering everything it could land on. Every surface filled with sharp spikes, but so delicate at the same time.
This frost is always a treat to see, as it seldom visits unless conditions are
just right.

frost on a gate...

on the handle of a pump...

and this just made me giggle...frost on the toes of our angel weathervane!

And so that's the weather in our little corner of the Midwest;

they say Friday it will be in the 70's...ha, let's just wait and see!

So, how is the weather in your part of the world?!

Linking up with Our World Tuesday here and here.

happy Easter!

From our family, to yours...

random signs...

I'm always drawn to signs...some old with chippy paint, some new and colorful. When I see one that particularly catches my eye, either because of the words it shares or the beautiful hand lettering, sometimes they make their way home with me...

like this one hanging in a wonderful store stuffed with antique/vintage/primitive/retro goodies (I'd been looking at it for weeks!) And so it became a little birthday treat from me, to me.
Hand-lettered, what talent! 

And this sign that hangs by the back door everyone comes through. While it was found in the Christmas section of a country store, to me, it says much more. Why yes, this house does believe in Santa (!), but also in old-fashioned values, traditions, going to church together, family prayers, and simple pleasures.

Hand-lettered on slate and sitting in a corner of our mudroom, I'm reminded to visit the year 'round indoor farmers' market off the town square, the summertime farmers' market, the produce auction, and the individual veggie stands that pop up along the country roads.

A sign pointing me toward the Farmers' Market each Saturday morning...get their early for the best choices and take time to enjoy visiting with neighbors, too!

Last, but not least, one you've seen recently...

Just sharing a few of my favorites...and linking up here, at Friday Five.

and by the way!

source

Irish festival...

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I'm sharing a few snapshots from our visit to the Dublin Irish Festival last summer...what fun!  We'll definitely be going back again this coming summer...wonderful food, colorful clothing, toe-tapping music...fabulous!

Click here for a little music to get you in the  spirit...here's to St. Patrick!

Colorful Gaelic kilts on littles and bigger folks!

  

Sweet furry faces!

Oh-so pretty clothing (I think I "need" one of these!)

Amazing dancing!

And this was so lovely...

take a minute to read some of the heartfelt wishes placed upon the tree...

Truly a fun family day...a taste of Ireland only an hour away. We can't wait to go back!

thankful...March sunsets

As they say, good things come in threes...

no filters, no color adjustments, simply what was captured by my camera.

Thankful indeed.

Also thankful for the chance to link up at: it's a small town life and skywatch Friday.

happy Pi(e) day!

"Pi represents the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.
It’s an important part of the foundation of mathematics, most importantly geometry, where pi is key to equations calculating the area of a circle, A = πr2, and the volume of a cylinder, V = πr2h."  (source here)

A reason to celebrate? No and yes. Stay with me here...

No, the above explanation of Pi, at least to me, does not sounds like an enjoyable thing to celebrate; although contemplating infinity (as in the upcoming Marvel movie, Infinity War) does!

And yes, if we were inclined to celebrate Pi, technically March 14 is perfect (pi is 3.14...).

With all that said, I am completely unable to pass up the fun of Pi(e) Day...and I hope you're having some silly fun with it, too!

What's on our menu?  

Pizza Pie

Kentucky Pie

Toll House Pie

Moon Pies

Short and sweet...

the thought for the day?

A thought for the day...

don't be too quick to discard items that seem a bit worn or faded,

they carry with them the memories of times past...

and of a way of doing things that has almost faded in today's fast-paced world.

“Some old-fashioned things,
like fresh air and sunshine, are hard to beat.”

Laura Ingalls Wilder

(Linking up for Tuesdays Treasures here...for things old and lovely)

Monday murals...

A quick post this morning...our family has been under the weather lately, and so with everyone off to work and school today, it's time to tidy up the farmhouse.

You know how it is when no one feels their best...there's lots of resting, reading in bed, movie watching in jammies, and early nights. Needless to say, the kitchen sink is greeting me with oodles of dishes and so that's where I'm headed...turning up my favorite music and diving in.

And because I've been having fun linking up with Mural Monday, I wanted to share another pretty mural from a neighboring town...this colorful railcar mural is next-door to a terrific science museum. Again, what talent...one day maybe I'll catch these paintings in-progress!

Happy Monday all!

Linking up with Monday Murals here!

dream a little dream...

Okay, this book is what started it all. A couple years ago our teenage daughter had to have it and my, oh my, now I'm hooked and the chase is on!

What? You haven't read this yet? Then stop right now and click here.

Go...

Shoo...

Look at it!

And so, two years later, the search continues. Our daughter would love to find a vintage camper for sleepovers with her friends...what wonderful memories would be made during her senior year of high school. Me? I would be happy on family adventures while the kids are still home...sigh, I feel time is short. Where to find a lovely little camper without mortgaging the farm?

Recently I started a Pinterest page of favorites to keep us motivated...ahhh, 
Eye. Candy. here.

For ages I've passed an adorable yellow Shasta...finally, I stopped and asked where she found such a beauty.

Do you know what she told me? 

Are you sitting down?

About 3 hours south of us, she discovered it in a field...being used for storage!

The owner sold it to her for $100!  EVERTHING WORKED PERFECTLY.

Gulp...

Do you see my face? 

Do you see me shaking my head in disbelief? 

Do you see my mouth open in sheer amazement?

Before I stumbled to the car in a fog, I made sure she had my number, just in case she wanted to part with it someday. (But truly, would you? I think not.)

Sigh...

So, maybe as a sign, I found these a couple weeks ago...about the cutest birdhouses I have ever seen!

And for only $8 at our local dollar store...

And this Christmas ornament found it's way home with us from a local craft store...

So on this sun-shiny, blue-skied Wednesday, I'm dreaming a little dream, crossing my fingers, and scouring the newspapers for a sweet little camper I'd name Maizy.

Just for fun, a couple follow-up photos from last Monday's post. These murals are on the back of large old buildings in a nearby town...wouldn't it be amazing to see how the artists begin the process of these huge paintings?

Love this bike...it would be ideal for family outings!

And this photo shows a small-town canal.  Across the street from the mural is the best farmers' market! It's set in a brick, open-air building with overhead lights for gray market days, and ceiling fans to keep vendors and customers cool on hot summer days...brilliant!

What gifted artists!  There are two more murals near these, I'll share those next week. 

Happy Monday to all!

(Linking up with Monday Murals, here...)

rain, rain, go away!

They say that every inch of rain equals a foot of snow...truly, I would rather have 3 feet of snow than the 3 inches of rain we've seen since yesterday!

Muddy trails to the barns and chicken coop, muddy boots, muddy puddles everywhere, and little muddy cat prints on the trucks!  (Do you see the common theme here...mud?)

And so it goes...but with all that, it's still Friday; yay! I'm planning to bake some 7-grain bread (I'll share the recipe, we think it's really good!), serve up steaming bowls of homemade soup, and start a crackling fire. 

Yes...even with all the mud and rain, life is good, we just have to know where to look. 

Happy weekend, friends!

happy hearts day!

Happy hearts day to all!  

Linking up today at Wordless Wednesday here...

Monday murals...

During the week, my daughter has ballet classes in a nearby town...it's a 45 minute drive, but we pass by pretty farms and barns, beautiful old homes, and tempting antique shops...all that makes it a quick and pleasant drive.

Once in town, and across from their farmers' market, are several old brick buildings which have just been given vintage-looking murals..I thought I'd share a couple this morning, and then more again next week...what talent!

Happy Monday, friends!

(Today I'm linking up with Monday Murals here)

snow day!

You know the drill by now...it's -4 degrees and it's a snow day!

kids still snoozing - check
fire in the fireplace - check

stack of movies waiting - check

Biggest decision to make today? Chocolate waffles or chocolate chip pancakes!

Later we'll make snow ice cream...these are the days to hold onto!

irises, cherry delight, & cola cake...

This year's Christmas was more somber in its celebration...while we kept up with our family traditions, there was something, or better yet someone, very absent from our day.

Someone who welcomed me into her family with open arms, someone who loved her grandchildren with a passion, was always genuinely interested in whatever we were doing, and someone more than happy to have us in her home as often and for as long as we wanted to be there. And before we left, always asked, "When can you come back?"

 

The news of a loved one's passing is never easy to hear... especially someone so kind and sweet. We recently received a card that said, "I pray that you cherish and hold tight to all the memories."

We will do just that...memories of beautiful irises lining the walkway by the old farmhouse and of delicious food from her kitchen...homemade potato salad, baked beans, cherry delight, and chocolaty cola cake. Memories of a roll top desk we admired that somehow found it's way to our door, and help buying our first "real" furniture. Just a few of the many ways she shared all that she had.

Now, these sweet memories help take the chill out of the winter winds, and yet, each December will most certainly awaken a mix of emotions. Yes, life is a series of memories...and now is the time to recall all the happy ones we've shared.

two little words...

Overnight temperatures plummeted and sleet fell...pair both of those with an icy blast of wind and this morning we found ourselves bundled up top-to-bottom as we stepped outside. And while definitely not stylish, we were warm...that's the rule for today!

A blanket of fresh snow created deep drifts in front of the barns, but, as always, they are unable to slow our happy, tail wagging Wishbone from trotting briskly around the yard to see what's happened overnight. But soon enough, even she decides it's best to get tucked into a cozy blanket and settle down for a nap.

I feel glad to be home...another log is tossed on the fire and I'm settling in with a cup of herbal tea to read a book given to me by the daughter of a dear friend...The Little House Book of Wisdom. This young lady, a high school freshman, has such a love of all things old; old ways, old books, old homes. Few young people are fortunate enough to have this sense of history...a respect for the past and a sure knowledge that the small and simple things make the sweetest memories. And did I mention she plays the fiddle too? (Oh, some may call it a violin, but not us!)

The gusty wind whistles, but inside, all is well. And those two little words?

Simply Blessed.