from one home to another...

Several weeks ago, I passed this sad scene.



The newspaper reported that a truck had apparently lost control and crashed into this house. Luckily,
no one was living in it at the time, and there were no injuries. While driving by one day, I could see back into the kitchen of the home. That's when I spied this...



It immediately caught my eye. Now, our home isn't decorated in vintage/1950's style, but anytime I see an old porcelain over cast iron sink, it always makes me stop and think, "Ah, I would love to have that in our farmhouse kitchen."

And so I drove by the house several times with the sink on my mind. Finally, I did a little sleuthing, found the owners of the home, and worked up the courage to knock on their door. If the house was going to be torn down, would they be interested in selling the sink? They were gracious and friendly, they took my name and number, and then the weeks went by with no phone call.

Then, this past Monday, they called...if I would like the sink I could have it for $25! I was thrilled, and said yes, I definitely still wanted it! And so Saturday morning, we'll be picking up this 100-pound beauty before they level the home.

A little online snooping found this vintage sink, that looks like a pretty good match, selling for $125.
I'd say I scored the bargain of the day!

Our new sink will stay safely tucked away until we remodel our kitchen. Of course, it might be just right in our bathroom too...lots of room on the drainboard for a basket of hand towels and soaps, hmmm, this might be a hard decision!

And so, it's a happy Friday here...hoping it's a great day for you as well!

(And since it's Friday, take a minute to visit some new farms at Verde Farm ... it's terrific fun!)

kid-size gardens...

This year Sweet Girl and Little Man wanted to have their own little gardens. So we added a couple of 4x4 raised beds to our vegetable garden and let them plant whatever their hearts desired.

Sweet Girl chose zinnias in every shade of pink, orange, yellow, and purple...




while Little Man had bold, yellow sunflowers (some grew to 10 feet tall!)...


along with some yummy watermelon!

Sure, it was educational to have them read seed packets, then plant & tend their own little gardens, but what was the most exciting was to see them enjoy watching THEIR gardens grow! Picking flowers to give to Grandma and biting into that first slice of  juicy watermelon was the best!

Now as we enjoy the welcome coolness of sweet September, and are harvesting the bounty of our garden, the kids are already talking about what they want to plant next year. I can't wait to see what they dream up!

remembering 9/11...

From the Mountains,

to the Prairies,

to the Oceans white with foam;

God Bless America,

my Home sweet Home.

Emily Dickinson was right...

The morns are meeker than they were --

The nuts are getting brown --

The berry's cheek is plumper --

The Rose is out of town.

The Maple wears a gayer scarf --

The field a scarlet gown --

Lest I should be old fashioned

I'll put a trinket on.

Can you feel the change? A season is ending...we're teetering somewhere between summer and fall. Only six days ago we sweltered through a softball game where temperatures reached 99 degrees. However; the last few days, temperatures have been only in the 60's.

Yes...summer is ending and while we might be reluctant to accept this fact, something inside seems to tell us it's time to move on. The goldenrod is now in bloom and will provide the honeybees with their last bit of nectar to turn into honey for their winter food storage. Each day we can see them in our gardens working busily while time allows.

As for me, I feel the need to be busy as well...it's time to tidy, put the gardens to bed, double check the wood pile as well as our food storage. My mother-in-law and I are ordering Concord grapes, and soon the kitchen will be filled with the sweet scent of grapes waiting to be turned into jams & jellies. It's time to freeze green beans and dig potatoes...earnest nesting is how I heard this once described.

And so it's a time of change...but that's okay. It's comforting to know as the seasons come and go, each one brings along with it something wonderful...something perhaps we've forgotten in the past year. Here in the Midwest, the summer sun has taken on a coppery glow, the crickets are chirping, field corn is drying, and soybeans are yellowing.

And so it's good to remember, that to every ending, there is a new beginning.

the road not taken...

Running an errand last week had me traveling over the river and through the woods...
well, not really, but it certainly seemed like it. Once my errand was complete,
I chose a slower, 2-lane road for the journey home.

I'm so glad I did, or I would have missed this old school house
(you know how I love old buildings)...

Here she is at a different angle...

 then I came across a barn full of character...

Up the road a bit more, I spied a windmill spinning in the most beautiful blue sky. 

No touch-ups here, the sky was actually that vivid a color blue.

So glad that I stumbled upon this path home...

it certainly reminded me of this poem by Robert Frost:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both,

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;


Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,


And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.


I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.



a bee in my bonnet...

Here's the story of a gal who loves honey. Now, she has dear friends who have had beehives for many years. However, while interested in the process, the gal never really went beyond simply enjoying their gifts of delicious honey on on homemade biscuits with butter. Yum!

Okay, so that gal is me (as if you didn't know that already.)
Now I do have an interest in bees...and while our dear friends would have made the most excellent mentors, sadly several years ago they moved to Wisconsin.

So, what do I do with this new interest in becoming a beekeeper? Well, I've been reading all I can get my hands on, and tagging along as our neighbors learn the ropes and harvest their first honey. I helped uncap their frames yesterday...sticky business, but really interesting. Was the moisture content right? What about the temperature and humidity in the room?  I learned a lot!

Here are a few snapshots taken this week of our neighbors tending their hives...

questions...questions...questions...

How far from the coop should the hive be?

I want it close to the garden and fruit trees, and I want to keep an eye on it, but I don't have a strong wind-break. Should I surround the hives with straw bales in the winter, or is wrapping the hive with tar paper a better idea?

So...do you have bees? Any tips & hints?

I'd love to hear the story of how you got started!

summer's over...

Well, not officially; however today is the first day of school,
and each of us see it a bit differently.

For them...

-up early; excited to catch up and visit with friends again
-backpacks were filled days ago with supplies
-"Can we go  yet?" (45 minutes before school begins.)


For me...

-the house is quiet...
                    which isn't bad, a little quiet time does a person good
-now's the time to catch up
                    on a summer's worth of lazily letting the chores slide
-but it's too quiet...

I promised Little Man I'd bake a checkerboard cake for after school...better get started.

Miss my sweet ones!

today's giggle...comparing eggs!

Oh those girls...
   same age
   same feed
   same TLC

But oh, the difference in eggs!

(PS...LOVE the double-yolkers)

a few more vacation snapshots...

How I Spent My Summer Vacation...

splashing in the lake, playing in the sand,
eating ice cream alongside the docks, and, of course,
finding the perfect Christmas ornament to remember it all!

kayaks lined up along Lake Erie's sandy shores...

kids in a funhouse, having, well, FUN!

 a 25,000 sq. ft. model train layout...
and you know how we LOVE trains!

the detail in the layout was amazing.

the circular stairs leading to the top of...

Marblehead Lighthouse

A great time was had by all, and next visit, we may spend a week
in one of the yurts available for rent!

Family...Fun...Making Memories...Laughing
It's the small & simple things that matter.

How does that saying go?
"It's not the years in your life,
but the life in your years that matters."

lake Erie getaway...

A few days off gave us the time to visit Lake Erie last weekend.
We couldn't have asked for better weather...it was ideal
with a cool breeze and temperatures in the 70's. A most welcome change from the typical August dog-days of summer!

Here are a few snapshots of our time there...we will definitely be going back to visit again.
 

a restored lighthouse...





beautiful old homes like this...



and this.





seagulls flying overhead...



best buddies...

 

exploring.

my first attempt at adding some texture, color changes,
and getting creative...
Rural Revival  you've inspired me!



dressing up the clothesline...

A few weeks ago I came across some gingerbread trim at our local hardware store, and the wheels started turning. Hmmm, it might be fun to add some trim to our clothesline...give it a bit of character. 



And so in no time at all it was up and in place! I love it when something so simple makes me smile.

happiness is...

counting one egg for every chicken...whew, no roosters here!

(By the way, eggs are adding up, any good recipes to share?!)

lemon shake-up...

After visiting two fairs and finding that nothing beats the heat like
ice-cold lemonade, I thought I'd share my quick & easy recipe.
It's ready in no time at all and  keeps me going on these hot, humid summer days!

juice of one lemon
crushed ice
1/3 c. sugar, or sugar to taste
1 to 1-1/2 c. ice cold water

Combine juice, ice, sugar, and water in a Mason jar, or jar with a
tight-fitting lid. Secure lid and shake to fully blend.
Serves one.

it's fair time!

Searing sun, temps looming around 100 degrees, and humidity that makes me melt...that's how the last few weeks have been. It's up and outside early to work, then waiting until sundown to wrap things up.

However, with the heat of summer comes fair time...and we can't miss that, no matter what the weather's like! Our county fair is on a hillside, so we always have a plan: begin at the top where all the animal barns and merchant buildings are, then work our way down to the rides and food. By the time we get to the bottom, the kids are absolutely itching to jump on every ride, and hubby and I are so hot we need an icy lemonade shake-up (or several!) to help us beat the heat. We were tickled to discover we had won 6 blue ribbons and 4 red ones...the anticipation is always high as we search for our names!

A couple of days later we visited the state fair. Again, another scorching hot day, but lots of fun, food, and animals at every turn. There's just something special about the fair...it's a feeling and an excitement we never outgrow. It's the hope of winning a blue ribbon, watching the spinners & weavers working at their craft, watching excited kids show their animals in competition, and the aroma of fair food in the air.

I hope you'll have the chance to visit a fair near you. In the meantime, here are a few snapshots of ours...

fanciful chickens of all breeds





the museum has so many interesting wagons and farm equipment



an old log cabin is on display,

next on my wish list!

there was a sign above this little beauty that said, "Win Me!"

famous butter cows...sculpted from 1500 pounds of butter!

newborn calf only 3 days old

mama to be...we were hoping to be there for the big event!
(my inner vet would have loved it...for any James Herriot fans,
I'd need a "bucket of hot water, soap, and a towel, please."



2-week old piglets




a little post-breakfast nap



chickens...



and still more chickens




I love the look in this lady's eyes
just as this fella let out a very loud
and cheery cock-a-doodle-doo!