So, just what is Jart? Find out at MaryJanesFarm!

 

Click here!

snapshots of June...

"I wonder what it would be like
to live in a world where it is always June."

-LM Montgomery 

June brings us sunny days, fragrant blossoms, and juicy strawberries. The days are long, fireflies twinkle, and there seems to be magic in the air as the summer solstice approaches. 

winter wheat is about ready to harvest

the prettiest cloudy skies

                                                    

Tinker Bell, posing, as always!

decorating for summer

the Goodyear Blimp passing overhead

And let me introduce you to Kipper!

A neighbor found this little guy who was in need of a family to bottle feed him.
Of course we said yes...everyone needs a home!

The vet said he was about 2 weeks old...born the same time that we lost Azzie.

Coincidence?  

Maybe.

Maybe not.

                                                                                       

And this is Cornelia - Nelly for short. 

Living in the country, it's not uncommon for cats & dogs to find their way here - or possibly be dropped off. She wasn't on the the local lost & found lists, and the vet didn't find a microchip in her.  A very friendly little lady...she's now a part of the barn cat family!

Bailey loves snuggling her stuffed pig!

In other news, our sweet Bailey was recently diagnosed with heartworm...she's on medication, as well as what we jokingly refer to as "house arrest" because she can't be outside for any extended amount of time. (It's a good thing she's a laid back sort of gal!)

The process to rid her of them is long...next month she will have an injection and stay at the vet clinic for observation. Once she's home we have strict rules...we can't let her do anything that will raise her heart-rate. No running, jumping, or getting excited...she stays inside, quietly, with only 3 or 4, 5-minute outdoor breaks each day, leashed so she doesn't move quickly. At this point we watch her closer than ever...she can't be left alone.

She'll get two more injections in August, and then it's still complete quiet for 8 more weeks. 

Trust me, she'll be spoiled rotten!

That's the latest from my corner of the world...enjoy the week friends, and if you're in the middle of the heat wave as we are, keep as cool as possible!

where did May go?!

How can it be June? The days are flying by with:

starry nights...

stormy sunsets...

and rainy afternoons.

I have a love/hate relationship with May...warm and dry enough to tackle outdoor projects (which seem to multiply), while indoors (mostly ignored while tackling the great outdoors), looks as if a whirlwind has blown through. 

Ahhh yes, time to bring back the forgotten English word:

Scurryfunge...hastily tiding up when needed! 

And with that, a quick post today, sharing a few snapshots from the merry month of May!

corn growing!

flowers blooming...

bees buzzing...

a little volunteer winter wheat

in the garden patch!

a happy mockingbird I named Molly

kept me company while I was
painting the greenhouse!

May and the start of Spring can feel overwhelming at times with outdoor chores, winter cleanup, and barn spruce-ups. Toss in unexpected visits to the laundry-mat because a washer repair took 3 weeks, then add countless efforts to get the rototiller started; which it refuses to do, and I won't even go into detail on the totaled car (no injuries)!

EVEN with all of that! 

May rewarded us with lovely rainbows,

and the prettiest flowers,

free for the picking!

Thanks for stopping by to visit and for saying "hi" over at the Rural Farmgirl blog...I appreciate it!

May Farmgirl post now up!

 

Here's the link...

MaryJanesFarm...Rural Farmgirl Post

a peek at our week...

First, a heartfelt thank you for all of the kind words on my last post...we're missing Azzie and his sweet, gentle presence. 

Sharing a few snapshots of what caught my eye in the last week...

the bell tower saved from an old church,

my poinsettia is turning red,

and my Christmas cactus is blooming.

and so it begins!

blue skies, 

field corn growing, 

a foggy morning, 

beautiful sunsets,

a friend shared 6 gallons of fresh milk!

a drone spraying a neighbor's field...

times certainly have changed.

the sunset that was just before...

the AMAZING Northern Lights!

never seen in our area,

absolutely stunning,

and breathtaking. 

Sending wishes for a good weekend...and a Hapoy Mothers’ Day! 

MaryJanesFarm…

 

A few of you have asked when my next post for MaryJanesFarm is, so I thought I”d make it easy to find! 

 

Just click here…

time flies, bringing both happy & sad...

Time to catch up, the weeks are flying by...

Backing up to Easter, this year for dessert I baked a Hummingbird Cake. I've read about them for ages, and so I thought Spring was a good time to try it out. If you like bananas and pineapple I think you'll like this 1970's spice cake.

My daughter created the best charcuterie board...her first try! It was filled with all kinds of crackers, cheeses, chocolate-covered almonds, olives, and the prettiest salami rose! We've decided she's in charge of food for special events/holidays from now on!

A friend shared her extra eggs with me, and they were perfect for Easter. They look as if they've already been dyed. Nope...these are the lovely colors the girls gifted us with - truly, no filter here!

Although we were lucky enough to be right in the path of totality for the Eclipse, my daughter and I decided it would be fun to travel a bit north to a state park, so we drove to Malabar Farm (home of Pulitzer Prize winner Louis Bromfield). Built in the 1930's, the home and farm are beautiful.

While waiting for the eclipse, we visited all the farm animals and walked through the barns. The home is open certain times for tours...we'll be sure and do that on our next visit (it's where Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall were married...please don't say "Who?" I'll feel so, so old!)

How to describe it? The eclipse was all the best words: stunning, mesmerizing, amazing. The temperature dropped, it was cool and quiet, and over far too soon. What a blessing to witness such a once-in-a-lifetime event.

This weekend I made Grandma O's Rolls -  Janice at  Prims by the Water was kind enough to share the recipe. I LOVE that the instructions included using a breadboard, which my old-fashioned self happily did.  Although not picture perfect (I need to work on my roll-shaping skills) they came out tasty and were great warm topped with butter. 

I'll make them again and try to get them just right - thanks so much Janice (and Janice's mom!) for sharing this handed-down recipe.

The weather's been a bit of everything lately, with tornado warnings, freeze warnings, and strong storms. Certainly an up & down Spring.

And while Mother Nature has kept us on our toes and busy, there's also been sadness. Last week we said goodbye to this fellow...Azreal (or Azzie as we called him.)

Azzie found his way to the farm about 12 years ago, and was immediately a part of the family. He got along well with everyone (2-legged or 4-legged) and was dubbed the Dog-Cat - because he was so friendly and dog-like...not aloof as so many cats can be. Also, amazingly, he was housebroken...not due to my training, that's just how he was, like a dog, he'd wait at the door to be let out with never an inside accident. 

Cozy on their favorite blankets, Azzie would snuggle Bailey and we'd find them curled up like this most evenings.

Azzie had fun poses while sleeping...we said he looked like he was jumping off the high dive, 

and that this one resembled a curled up pill bug!

About 2 years ago we noticed what looked like a scratch on his nose that wouldn't heal. The vet told us it was cancer, and sadly there was nothing that could be done. We kept it clean and sprayed it with antiseptic, and he bounced on through life as he always did.

But after this past Christmas, it became much more aggressive...and it was time to talk about the heartbreaking decision. I will be honest, I put off thinking about it because I hoped he'd pass in his sleep. I struggled with that decision...it was easy to put aside the thought when his behavior was as it always had been, but one look at his sweet face, and it was painfully obvious the time had come. 

Any of you who have been through this will know that the animals we invite into our lives are a part of our family. It's not a decision that was made lightly, or quickly with no thought. With a week to prepare Azzie was spoiled more than usual...mashed potatoes were a favorite and the kids picked up a Starbucks Pup Cup for him...a first that was thoroughly enjoyed. He slept by the warm fire, which he always loved, and he slept on my lap.

The vet's staff was kind, and we took our time saying goodbye...still, it was an incredibly difficult moment. Even though our hearts will always hurt, I'm eternally grateful that he found his way here years ago, and that we were able to spend 12 years of our lives with such a sweet boy.

Thanks for letting me share his story with you...