small town softball excitement!

It's plays like this...

that lead to smiles like this...

for a team that ended the season League Runners-Up!

Last night's game was a jump up & down, cheer 'em on,
knock-your-socks-off competition!

What a season...congrats Sweet Girl to you and your teammates!
(We can hardly wait for Fall Ball to begin!)

retro fun...

We just discovered a little 1950's-style ice cream shop not far from town. Not only was the ice cream terrific, just stepping inside made us smile.

This fellow was at the counter,

while a jukebox was playing jazzy tunes.

The menu had sandwiches with fun names like The Hungry Big Jeff Hamburger, Ethen's Cheese Dog, and Kent's Kitchen Sink.

It was filled with people and laughter...the perfect place to cool off at the end of a hot summer day.

Ahhh, it made me feel one step closer to Mayberry.

midsummer night...

Today, the longest day of the year, is officially Midsummer Day. And while we have a long to-do list of chores and errands,
we'll still take time to celebrate a delightful summertime event filled with whimsy and imagination.

Legend says that only on this one enchanting night, fairies are visible to the human eye...and then, only if a feast is prepared
for them.

So, with that in mind, today we'll be preparing sweet treats and decorating around our fairy garden. Then, after the sun sets,
we'll find a quiet spot, hidden from view, and wait for the fairies to make their arrival.

These are the kinds of old-fashioned traditions we love...
ones that take us away from the fast pace of the modern world and slow us down, if only for a brief while.

happy fathers' day...

We love you!   

berry season...

It's the most wonderful time of the year...


well, for strawberry lovers it is! We'll be enjoying ours with homemade shortcake and real whipped topping. Not that
store-bought doesn't have its place, but for just-picked berries,
there's nothing better than homemade.

If you haven't tried making whipped topping before, it's really quick & easy. Simply pour a pint of heavy whipping cream into a chilled bowl and whisk until the cream thickens; add sugar and vanilla extract to taste. That's it!

Tomorrow we'll have black raspberries for dessert, and the kids want to pick mulberries off the tree. I'm thinking it's time to make Amish Fry Pies. Yum!

lots of rain + sunny days = blooms galore

I love hollyhocks, and this year blossoms of peach, black,
and pink are over 6 feet tall!

The false sunflowers are such a happy, cheery yellow.

Remember when I first found this fountain at a barn sale?

The flowers have filled in so much, you can hardly see it.

The peony bushes were so full of beautiful blooms...

I hated to see them go.

The rain has made sure that this is a very green late spring here in the midwest. And while the grass is growing almost quicker than we can keep it mowed, ahhh...the flowers are loving it!

discoveries in June...

The front doors are open and a gentle breeze from the north drifts in. Through the dappled sunlight of old maple trees,

the chattering of morning songbirds greet us. Off in the distance,

the contented sounds of cattle from the dairy farm can be heard. Ahhh...some country pleasures never change.

I've decided today is a perfect day for cleaning up an old pie safe. I've always wanted a pie safe, but, times being what they are, finding one in the right price range proved to be quite a task. However, one February morning, I happened to stumble on an ad that read, "1890 cherry pie safe...great finish, but has some issues including tin dents."

Curiosity got the best of me and I emailed the seller with a few questions...the price was almost a give-away. I pondered it over, but time, as it has a way of doing, got away from me.

However, the pie safe was always somewhere in the back of my mind. Four months later, I made a call...did the seller still have it? Could I come and see it? Yes to both!

Well, what do you think?

True...it needs a little love, but that's just fine with me. Wouldn't we all have a few dents if we were that old? Today I am rubbing it down with a bit of lemon oil and wondering about its history. What stories would it tell if only it could talk?

school days, school days...

Some things seem to signal that the school year is about over.

Things like the Kindergarten spring play.

Here's Little Man getting ready for

Where the Wild Things Are.

The softball season finds Sweet Girl about to steal base,

and everyone looks forward to the Field Days & Tug-o'-War.

Class parties, picnics, and field trips.

Is it possible, how did the school year fly by so quickly?

A verse from one of my favorite hymns goes like this...

Time flies on wings of lightning, we cannot call it back.

It comes then passes forward, along its onward track.

And if we are not mindful, the chance will fade away,

For life is quick in passing, 'tis as a single day.

Yes indeed, summer is coming.
My plan? To try my hardest to enjoy every day...
to make every-day days special, and special days extraordinary!

giggles...

This is why I always try to have our camera with me...

I just never know what I might capture!

Boredom sets in quickly sometimes...

and it wasn't even that long of a ride.

Hmmm, how's that summer road trip going to be?

on Memorial Day...

take time to reflect.

A hearfelt "thank you" to those who protect our country today,

and to those of the past who gave so much for the freedoms
we now enjoy.

how do I take care of these roses?

These roses have been here for many, many years,

and they and I have battled for many, many years.

I have trimmed them, and cut them to the ground...
   they refused to bloom.
I have watered, fed, and pampered them...
   they refused to bloom.
On the rare occasion when they have bloomed (a mere 4 times)
   I have even swooned over them.
They are obviously not impressed with my efforts.

This week, to my utter amazement, I see buds forming, and as the week comes to an end, this is our reward...lovely deep red roses with a yellow center. Quickly, I search my mind...what had I done differently this year? Was it the heavy rainfall we've had this spring? Was it because I didn't cut them back? I haven't a clue.

However, if you can offer suggestions...I would greatly appreciate them. What kind of roses are they and how do I make them happy?

In the meantime, until I learn the secrets of growing roses, we will certainly enjoy them. Paired alongside fragrant peonies, they are absolutely delightful.

this is why...

my sweet hubby built cold frames,

we visit the farmers' market on the town square,

and we planted a kitchen garden.

So, Sweet Girl and I decided if we're gonna do all that "work",

we might as well make it a lot more fun and wear cute boots!

can we get wet?!

I've learned that one of the best things about childhood is the freedom to dance in the rain and splash in all the wonderfully muddy puddles it makes. We just had an incredible rainstorm, and after bringing the kids home from school, they dash out of the truck, turning only briefly to ask, "Can we get wet?!"

Kids and the outdoors are a natural fit! How's that old saying go?
"Clean enough to be healthy, but dirty enough to be happy!"
Of course I said, "YES!"

Sweet Girl gets right on the tire swing...

Little Man quickly follows her lead.

Mark Twain is quoted as saying,

“Everybody talks about the weather,

but no one ever does anything about it.”

The weather is what it is, so make the best of it...

enjoy every minute!

porches...

Many of us live in small towns...towns in which most of the homes are trimmed with porches. It's a simple pleasure to find a porch with rockers swaying in the breeze, or a wonderful old porch swing with plump pillows...just the right spot for an afternoon nap.

Some porches in our town are dressed-up with regal pillars

and urns overflowing with ferns and ivy.

 Driving outside of town, we find porches with flower-covered latticework, Old Glory waving in the breeze, and enamelware pails filled with cheery red flowers.

Still other porches are simpler in nature...

practical rain barrels and only a tin star for decoration.

Most of us can remember fondly one special porch. And whether it was at Grandma's house in the country, or a friend's white clapboard house in town, each one has its own personality.
They were places where families gathered to catch up on the latest news, or relax at the end of a busy day. And yes, even a few romances began on a front porch.

My husband's parents lived on 100-acre farm before his father retired. It was an Amish-built home with a wide front porch,
a porch swing, and several of those terrific, springy metal chairs from the 1950's. We would enjoy sunsets, twinkling fireflies,
and just catching up. In those days, we lived in the city and a weekend escape to the country was wonderful.

Things haven't changed much, porches are the same today...
a simple pleasure no matter whether your porch is in a big city,
or on a country road.

yay, another wedding!

Sharing a happy note we received from Sarah...she's engaged! Congrats...and have fun as you and Brian plan your happily forever after. July is certain to be an exciting month!

wishing you the happiest of Mothers' days!

I read this years ago and it has always stayed with me...

"Motherhood never ends, but childhood does. The magic years are unbelieveably  brief, and every day, that little girl or boy is changing, edging a little closer to the door.

Remember that the essence of parenting isn't in the milestones, but in the everyday moments. So stop, pay attention, and make sure you celebrate them every chance you get."

- Unknown

recycle!

So, the kids find a pair of old boots in the barn...
what do they want to do with them?

I loved their idea and in no time at all the boots were filled with potting soil and hens & chicks. I remember a Design teacher telling me that you should have something in every room that makes you smile...I think that goes for the garden too!

happy May day!

a-Maying...

Of all the sweet customs of days gone by, the charming celebration of May Day is one I would love to see make a return.

My mother-in-law tells of when she was a child, and how her family would gather bouquets of wildflowers, then arrange them in baskets. Early on the morning of May 1st, they would sneak, ever so quietly, to a neighbor's door, hang a basket on the doorknob, knock and quickly run away to the next home. They loved seeing the puzzled looks on faces as neighbors wondered who had left the surprises.

For us, this old-fashioned custom continues. After breakfast, you'll find us secretly delivering baskets, then making a mad dash to hide. If we are caught, custom dicates we must scamper back for a thank you (and a kiss from Grandma!) And yes...while we're out, the May fairy always leaves a basket on our front door.

A simple pleasure...and while old-fashioned indeed, even today's modern families can create this sweet memory for their children, friends & neighbors. Why not begin celebrating May Day
in your home?

fairy garden...

I was recently asked about the fairy garden we created over spring break, so I thought I'd share a few photos.

We added tiny chairs and a watering can that were just the right size, and the kids arranged pieces of broken china for a walkway. The broken dishes continue to be a mystery...each year when we till our garden we find them, along with bits of colored glass.

Sweet Girl and I have always kept the pieces in a pantry jar because they are so pretty to look at.

We tucked in a pint-size wheelbarrow, bee skep, and a few

gardening tools.

When we were done, we set the garden under a greenhouse made from old windows (so the fairies would be sure to stay dry.) Notice the tire swing?

It makes me smile to see this every morning, and the kids love to check each day to see if the fairies have moved anything during the night!

barn sale find!

1...dust off an old metal tub sitting in the barn
2...hook up a fountain pump to a length of plastic tubing
3...add a vintage rainbarrel downspout and water

Put them all together and you have one happy girl!

And while old-fashioned and distressed isn't everyone's style,

I just love this fountain. There's something about taking a vintage item and giving it new life that appeals to me. I can hardly wait for the flowers around it to grow tall and to enjoy listening to the soothing sounds of cool water in the heat of summer.

merry days of spring...

April has proven to be dazzling this year...bright yellow daffodils, cherry red tulips, and fragrant hyacinths are tucked into a vase on the kitchen windowsill. Among the springtime flowers are yellow dandelions...picked by little hands and presented with love. While flowers to the young at heart, they are weeds to others. As a mother, these flowers will always be accepted and loved as gifts from the heart.

The farmers around us are tilling their fields and checking fences, while gardeners are raking flowerbeds and hoeing vegetable patches. My husband built cold frames last year and now they're filled with green shoots of lettuce, onions, carrots, and radishes. The kids spend their evenings laughing as they sway back and forth on tire swings, taking a quick break now and then to chase kittens across the yard.

Spring is a fine time for barn sales...I can hardly wait to visit the first one this weekend! It's always fun to see what some consider "junk" and then to be inspired by the clever way it's turned it into something amazing by someone else. I'm hoping to come home with lots of ideas...and maybe a trinket or two.

Even an early-morning April shower can't dampen our enthusiasm...our hearts are ready for this new season
as she races across the countryside!

April dreams...

April...this month is full of country pleasures. Birds are chattering, our magnolia tree is full of pink blossoms, and the sky is a cloudless sapphire blue. There's something wonderful about the scent of freshly mown grass...my husband loves it. In fact, the grass has been growing so quickly that he's mowed it twice already! We've packed away the heavy flannel sheets in favor of crisp cotton ones...ahhh, how wonderful they were to sink into last night.

Spring break has just ended for the kids, and while they were off, we visited a favorite historical site.

 I could easily live in this log cabin...

and would love to have taught school here.

We giggled our way through an egg hunt at Grammy's...

and locked up each other in the town "jail."

We went on a picnic, created a fairy garden, and visited a science museum. But of all the memories we made this Easter,

I'm guessing one in particular will rank among the top.

Warning: If an egg-coloring kit says it's spillproof, don't count on it. The memory of blue dye running all over the kitchen counter, down the cupboards, and onto the floor is sure to stay with us.

To quote Little Man, "It was a nightmare!"