certainly not bored!

August arrived and brought with it the chatter of cicadas and sun-ripened tomatoes, along with a good perspective on life that was found while sitting in a springy, vintage garden chair.

As the month's heat and humidity continued, I wiped my brow while prepping fruits that would become jam, and veggies to be canned or frozen. What a summer it's been...I've never before seen flowers so beautiful or tomato plants that have grown to 7 feet tall! 

So as today comes to a close, we're going to make some ice cream, and then I'll be found settling in to prop up my feet. August...I know you're feeling it too, the dog days are here, but then again, there are special delights only found in deep summer.

Below I'm sharing a few pictures, as the saying goes, of what's happening in our neck of the woods...happy Wednesday, friends!

GIANT Candy onions, HUGE 7-inch tomatoes, and BIG juicy blackberries!

A friend and I swapped my baked goods for her fresh milk...oh my! Soon cream became butter and ice cream, and milk was turned into cheese...heaven.

I made my grandmother's bread & butter pickles, sighed over a 1967 Galaxy, and marveled at the intense colors of the newest blooming flowers.

And found that at the end of each day:

All is well...

  

I just gotta say it...

There are 3 things that drive me crazy (well, more than 3, but let's limit it to that for today!)

1.

Back-to-school supplies in the stores in JUNE.  Yes, JUNE...I am a FIRM believer in letting kids be kids! Let them unwind, unplug, and enjoy the summer away from the stress of exams, deadlines, and projects. In my humble opinion, it's bad enough school starts weeks before Labor Day. In the little time that they do have off to recharge, it's important to do exactly that: recharge.

2.

Halloween candy and decorations in stores in JULY...the Independence Day sparklers are packed away before the 4th and monsters & mermaids are lining the shelves. I've quoted Jeffrey R. Holland before and his words are so true:

"Nature has its rhythms and its harmonies.

We would do well to fit ourselves as best we can with those cycles 

rather than frantically throwing ourselves against them.

Be calm, be patient, be happy with the season you are in."

3.

And truly, what's fueled this post:

Those who MUST tell me how "things will never be the same" or "you'll have to find a new routine". Let alone, "you've had them long enough."

While it was certainly no one commenting here, it was a face-to-face comment, I absolutely have to rant from my little corner of the world. 

May I just say it is not necessary to share these words with moms whose children are high school Seniors or in college. I was taken by surprise when the comments were made to me last week, and I found myself (through the tears beginning to well up in my eyes) unable to gather my thoughts to reply.

If I could go back a week, these would be my words...

As my youngest is about to begin his Senior year, trust me, there are some things you should know...

I am completely aware of how quickly time has flown...there is no need to point it out (especially to me, who is prone to be weepy-eyed at the mere thought of it.)

I am completely aware that my days will be different. 

And lastly, I am completely aware that the kids are no longer at any of these stages:

Please, I ask that we all be mindful of what is being said...or maybe, just don't say anything at all.

I am incredibly proud of my children and glad that we're a close family...and yes, that does make separations harder. 

Because of that, this has been what's fueled me for years...and why I feel the way I do.

"Motherhood never ends, but childhood does.
The magic years are unbelievably 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

snapshots from the farm and a free find!

Like so many of you, we're finding the July days filled from beginning to end...there is much to be done. I remember hearing that having much to do is a simple country pleasure, and that's absolutely right...gardens to harvest & jams to make are paired with star-gazing & taking walks. Much to do, but so much to enjoy.

So today's post is short & sweet: a few snapshots of what you'd see if you stopped by for a visit. 

zinnias in the old stock tank

bee balm 6 feet tall!

a little afternoon lunch

trying my hand at a 4 Sisters garden

tedding in the field after the winter wheat harvest

And a story to share, just because it just makes me laugh! 

My daughter and I were out for a little drive and passed a "FREE" sign by some furniture. At first I drove by, then we both looked at each other and said, "Hey, that little table was nice."

And so we turned around, went back and found that little table was really a vintage heavy-duty White 651 sewing machine in a lovely wooden cabinet. The farmer came out, in the pouring rain, and offered to put it in the car for us. I'm so glad he did...it probably weighs 50-60 pounds!

I'm searching online for a manual and will then give her a little maintenance, but what a find; a true workhorse that lives up to the saying, "They don't make 'em like that anymore!"

My friend says every vintage item needs a name...Maizy is our 1963 camper, Mae our 1950 stove, I'm thinking maybe Fern for this 1956 sewing machine!

seasons on the farm...

In our part of the Midwest, we enjoyed an amazingly cool and rainy spring...

rain during the day...rain at night.

That rain must be the secret, because our perennials have never been taller...bee balm is over 5 feet tall almost blocking the coop door, and there was no need to buy the old fencing to help "hide" the heat pump...the perennial sunflowers and rudbeckia hortensia are 6 feet tall. 

But now that it's July, we've finally settled into summer and the humidity is taking over...gone are my ideal temperatures of 65-70 degrees. Luckily, a pair of springy chairs, tucked in the shadows of our large maples, make a good spot to rest between outdoor chores. Weeding and watering are done early in whatever shade and cool might be found in the morning...and I use the word "cool" very loosely.

To me, these snapshots just say "HOT"...

Back inside, in an attempt to beat the heat, canning continues with red raspberry, and black raspberry jam, along with applesauce. I'm looking forward to blackberries, blueberries, and peaches! I may even try some hot pepper jam this year...does anyone have a good recipe they'd like to share?

So with flowers blooming, 

the grill in use, 

and the garden in, 

it's a blessing when the moon brings a coolness to the heat of day,

over the coop,

and over the fields.

And as the old hymn says,

"All is well, all is well..."

plump strawberries & sun-dried sheets...the joys of June

In our little corner of the world, the recent weather has been just perfect: partly sunny with a cool, almost chilly, breeze from the north. It has made gardening, weeding, and outdoor chores so much easier than they are in the dreaded heat and humidity we usually experience. 

What are we up to? Well, I'm tackling my To-Do list (does it ever end?),  our son is working on 4H projects; he's taking two cooking projects this last year and we've been treated to some terrific meals and sweet treats!  Our daughter is preparing to go to a month-long ballet intensive with a ballet company 3 hours away...her dancing is filled with such power, grace, stamina, speed, & heart. And hubby is mowing, mowing, mowing. 

Today's post is simply lots of snapshots...things you might see if you stopped in to visit.

fresh strawberries are here!

lupines have been replaced by baby's breath and rose campion

amazing clouds, 

colorful skies, 

the day's end at a nearby farm, 

and another sky I just had to remember. 

taking a side road home, we were blessed to see a mama and newborn calf!

oodles of these pretty Japanese Parasol mushrooms in the backyard,
but take a closer look:

tiny droplets on a spider's web

fields of winter wheat,

and corn that's already knee high.

So here we are, taking it all in. Now is a good time to stop, look around, and remember that time is fleeting. Yes, there's much to do, but let's remember the value of relaxing...balance is the key.

May...always a whirlwind!

For us, it always seems like May is a whirlwind of activity...I'm sure it is for many of you as well. School is wrapping up, which means the normal schedule is higgledy-piggledy, then there's the itch to finish up cleaning and organizing indoors before the flurry of outdoor activity begins. You know the drill: flowerbeds need weeding, the garden needs tilling, and the grass continues to grow and grow.

But in my effort to enjoy the simple pleasures, I've tried to slow down the May frenzy to look around me. I've found that this year, the perennial flowers seem to be bigger and more colorful than ever...maybe it was:

the late snow...

frosty mornnigs...

foggy days...

or summer-like heat. 

Whatever it was, they are overflowing with color and have never looked so pretty.

May also means my favorite little farmers' market opens, and now it's bursting with strawberries and rhubarb...so jam-making time is also at hand. Homemade jam is oh-so easy, and in mid-winter, when the snow flies, there's nothing like the taste of summer that can be found when opening a little jar of jam you've made yourself.

And where better to let those little jars of berry goodness cool, than on a Hoosier cupboard? If you've been visiting here for awhile, you know I LOVE old things, and a Hoosier-style cupboard is something that's been on my wish list for ages. I really haven't seen many locally, until one popped up in an antique shop off the town square. I took a close look, but you know what? It was just too perfectly, perfect. It didn't look like it had any history or that it had been worn from the daily use of a farm wife, so I put it out of my mind. 

Then, a few weeks later, I thought I'd search online; I was surprised to find one. It was about an hour away and the price was just too good not to look it over. So, on a Saturday morning, my daughter and I made the trip to see the cupboard...I'm so thankful for GPS maps! Oh my, we were driving through beautiful winding roads, over hills, and through valleys...and I had only a rough idea of where we were. 

When we finally arrived, I knew instantly it was coming home with me. It had been loved...it was not "perfectly, perfect", but had the signs of times past...a chip here, a worn spot there. Just my style. I'm not sure of the maker...looking at the hardware, it seems to match maybe a Boone, Kitchen Maid, or a Marsh brand. The numbers 9050 are stamped on the back. Anyone who might know, your thoughts are welcome! 

The woman selling it was like a kindred spirit...we had the same love for old things. Then, before we left, the price was dropped...by one-third of the asking price! She was anxious to make room for a Sellers cupboard she'd discovered...the cabinet of her dreams. This was just too good to be true!

OH. 

SO. 

HAPPY!

Oodles of storage room...

and she has her original sifter...

a perfect spot for summertime canning, the enamel top pulls out another 12 inches, it'll be great for making noodles or cooling cookies.

a closer look at the handwritten cookbook...I found this years ago, and it's so sweet. This page features Apple Dumplings and Huckleberry Pudding.

My grandmother's handwritten recipe cards are tucked under the cookie cutter...Bread & Butter Pickles, Green Tomato Relish, and other old-fashioned favorites.

It makes me smile every time I walk by...the simple things in life are the best.

I suppose I am a sparrow, a stay-at-home bird.

-Gladys Taber