Souvenirs:
Winter

Hi! I hope this Christmas house walk finds you all well!! come on in to our little farm house on the prairie...

more than half my day is spent in this little corner of the world... the kitchen
my kitchen = my expression = my love for my family = and oh such good and tasty dishes...
we ALL get involved in the kitchen! it's my favorite room of the house



these little candy canes are being bagged up for sale in the shop today! check back later!!!

collecting those little tins, I have made a lot of little treats for the kids
cakes and tiny pies
one of the things I really have enjoyed, is collecting small things like that — after all... I AM surrounded by six little sets of feet scampering about the farmhouse all day:)
totally not complaining

thos candy canes are vintage wire ones and the coolest quick decorating thus far this year

this may not look like a Christmas kitchen... but simmering on the stove is some raw milk I'm heating up for baby Daniel, with my cup of tea steaping in the background, and the chalkboard proclaiming I need to slow down and enjoy these last few days of Advent

nature inspires this family of mine... this farmhouse... this soul

yes, that is the mini-conservatory Jason made for me to use in the potager... it's sitting next to and apple ladder... which is all resting peacefully on top of a table Jason also made using reclaimed barn wood

we've "freaked" out a few people with letting our Percheron horse Jordan roam the property free and eat the cool grass... and this picture simbolizes so much to me
freedom

instead of taking all the pine trimmings and making thick swags, I am leaving them raw
extending their life from outdoors right into our home
unpolluted

a bunch of lavender grens as well as pine branches surround Mary especially since it's the feast day of the Immaculate Conception! Dear blessed Mother... so gentle and kind... may I always give my all to others through sacrifice Mary... help me to be closer to your Son

the girl's room...
all vintagey turquoise + red and simply so fun & cute!

this house most certainly is never 'totally tidy'... especially when you give your daughter the freedom to create in her 'vintage horse room'

back downstairs, in our once dining room (now turned living room) pinecones, dried oranges and an eskewed lamp;)... things are not perfect here

Daniel even got some new stuffed toys I hand stitched this holiday season... I couldn't resist letting him have them before Christmas day! he also loves playing with my yarn balls like a little kitty

he sure does love his sister... what a blessing a big family is!!

that's the end of the house tour for me...
in case you missed stop #8, it is my very good personal friend, who literally lives just 30 minutes from the farm: Traci Thorson... she's our official photographer for the farm events and certain other publications...
as well as stop #10: blondienc who has a great blog!
---------------------------------
I'm so excited to present to you the very special project all of us here on the farm have been working on together... especially Jason and I

We've compiled some simple and traditional holiday recipes and easy to make gifts in this
E-BOOK

AVAILABLE THIS FRIDAY! December 9th!!
it is an online e-book!!! We are so very excited to share this with you! (more on the book tomorrow)
We also have something else to share!!

the winter 2011 collection of hand carved spoons from NA.DA.FARM
Jason has been hand carving spoons they are so beautiful and special each spoon is one of a kind made from his own two hands truly beautiful
100% made by hand from reclaimed timber from the farm and other local wood
organic in nature... organically finish
each piece is sealed with organic olive oil... the safest sealant for wood used in the kitchen

We are opening up shop once again for some very wonderful hand crafted items from both Jason and myself... tomorrow!!!

From all of us here at the farm... peace + blessings,

Wishing you all a beautiful White Wednesday and a peaceful 2011...

the front and rear entrances to my potager (kitchen garden)

and no, none of these pictures were altered... this was a gift one morning...
and this is why I chose that spot for the Cake:

I turned the bend, and saw footsteps (of whose I don't know, because they stopped where I wanted the table set up)
and in case you didn't get to see my cake and setting, you can just scroll down my blog to the previous post and see more of what I did in our woods for Christmas...

xo+Cheers,

see you in a few days!

When you think of celebrating the birth of your own child, preperations are sometimes extensive...
invitations sent out...
fun and games planned...
and of course, the cake
SO I ASKED MYSELF THIS:
"what if I was to prepare a birthday party for Jesus... God's only son"
first off the pressure would be insurmountable... but knowing only He is perfect sure helps me... I had this whole photo shoot set out in my mind to have a white cake in the barn... with the animals around... and sort of "re-create" the manger idea
but then I awoke this morning to this:

It was as if God Himself whispered His sweetness on the farm
a dense fog surrounded our property, and beyond the woods you couldn't see...
beyond the prairie was mystery
beyond anything any one of us could ever do
I quickly baked the cake, but had an idea to put it in the winter-storybook-like woods
with silver... crystals... white... and the cake
for Him
How did I set about doing this? I thought for a moment... and came up with this:
Jesus is filled with awe and wonder (like the woods that surrounded this)...
He is masculine and bold (like the heavy metal table and strong branches)
He is sweet (like the cake)
and pure (as the snow that inspired this photo shoot)

Happy Birthday Sweet Jesus
and
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you!!!
xo+Christmas Blessings,

I don't normally repost, but I miss my very dear niece and her family... and this cake I made, entirely from scratch just for her last birthday here before they moved, is something I wanted to share with all of you, and her (again)...

hope you enjoy... (the music I added and snowfall goes with the 'storybook cake')

She has lived through the bitter winter before, but this year, the temperatures were much colder, after a heavy snowfall, ice showered the countryside... it was one of the most unpleasant winters she could remember... and even though it was Christmas, there was no sign or even a whisper of His blessed name...

she was determined to tend to those who needed her most, for they had no one... no wood for their stoves... no food for their bellies... and she knew, if she didn't help them... that no one else would...

Of course, leaving your home, to visit others, was forbidden in this gloomy and bemired land...

The evil ruler did not want anyone in his path to one day overpower all of humanity, even the smallest of children, and thus, sent a decree throughout the land "keep to yourself, and help no one, you must do what I say, or death"... Balmala rules cruelly over the land... without mercy... without regard to others... the most selfish person to have lived thus far... and Balmala especially has no mercy upon those who call themselves "believers"...

putting all fear aside, and bundled in her woolen cape, Elisabeth did what she was taught by her dear Grammy... she sometimes can still hear Grammy's words on such a cold, still day such as this; "do His will, no matter what the obstacles, and always give glory to the Father, and the Son, and to the... " "what was that?" Elisabeth was startled by a scraping sort of noise, and then the earth below her shook...

sometimes, after such a thing would happen, Elisabeth would feel, as though someone much bigger than her was watching her every move... not always an uncomfortable feeling, but rather, like a warm whisper within the trees...

and felt eyes were upon her back... but she wasted no time... she had one last stop... or as she thought.

Elisabeth was almost there... to a home no one has ever lived in...

and legend says, that the only way out, is through the basement... for if one traveled around back, they would surely peril from the cliffs below... but knowing this, and with strength from all the faithfully departed surrounding her heart, Elisabeth was guided forward, to hopefully... finally... find what she has been searching for, for the last 17 years...

*end of story... thank you for reading *

this is the way the cake looked all lit up with her birthday candles...

this weekend I took down the bird pictures and crucifix, and moved some furniture around as well -
(please click on images to be taken to their sources)
and thoughts are turning towards Christmas... but first, before anything, there is Advent

As eager as I am to spend another winter here, there are some changes going on with my decorating (surprise surprise)
some key elements I am focusing on: — Christ — simple — organic/natural — comfortable

and for the girls' room! color + vintage + farmhouse

peaceful advent blessings,

When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs? ~G.K. Chesterton

what G.K.Chesterton told me through this quote was that gratitude is simple and comes from the most basic needs of this life... how I need to remind myself of this fact daily... that the most basic needs are what we need to thank God for even legs
or in my kitchen... peppers

As I am stringing up the last of the peppers that we covered under our makeshift frost protector, I can't help but look at all the colors and variety now hanging down like jewels from our kitchen windows...
out the window it certainly looks like winter with branches bare, but as the trees loose their leaves and fall to the ground to blanket and help protect the flower beds below with their natural mulch: gratitude is there
gratitude is there in the morning with cutting boards waiting at the ready

gratitude is there with a clean kitchen and my tea kettle whistling

as Chesterton again had said: "Gratitude is the mother of all the virtues." from gratitude... it all starts... all other things flow... and all this week will be a self-enhancing inward journey for myself to find more and more gratitude amongst my life here on the farm...

in order to say 'thank you' properly, we have to first slow down and figure out how we would like to thank our Creator... for our life...
let's start with a thank you letter...
there is too much going on in my head at most times, but if I slow down and take out some writing paper (nothing fancy), I can begin to open up my mind to take in all that is going on... start the process of gratitude
today I will be starting that letter to Him
advent is right around the corner and I want to be fully prepared for the feast!! a lot to plan, yes, but if I break it up into small bits (starting with a thank you letter), more grace... more joy will follow
peace + blessings,

a pocket full of sunshine is what i really need

winter looms upon the horizon with all it's dusky softness and chilly breezes

a yearn for solitude and peace

a pocket full of sunshine is what i really need

over the meadows and through the woods i went... searching for a treasure — searching for the world

alone i was accosted by the sounds within my head

a pocket full of sunshine is what i really need

you cannot hear the warning, you do not know the hour of winter's icy blasts

to reach into my pocket, you will not find a nickel or a piece of gum, but seeds strung on a chain with Our Lord hanging there...

there are times when i could easily just find comfort elsewhere

but it's here He has called me and here i should be

peace + blessings,

After you have harvested your herbs -dry them in a very dark place — hang them or put them in a paper bag — top open — until brittle

grab your most cheerful child at that moment...

crumple crumple crumple

(just sit back with your fresh cup of tea and take your cheerful child's photograph... encouraging them along the way with tales of adventure)

we have so much sage that we use large plastic bags to preserve them

the more delicate (and not as abundant here on the farm) herbs get to reside over winter in beautiful blue mason jars... respectively...

To confess: autumn is my absolute favorite in the garden... we are organically growing our vegetables, so at this time of year I can gloriously pull off a slug here and there on the pepper plants and throw them to the chickens
since we have had a frost already, there aren't any other bugs (hallelujah)
but it's now time for cleanup and more garlic to plant
I'm hoping to find some time today to sew a pair of booties for Daniel and even my own cloth diapers (from an old sweater:)
peace + blessings,

I walked down to the barn this morning — coffee in hand — like I have for the past two months...

the same calmness was there... it's as though it was a dream... as though Friday and Saturday's sale was being lived out in my mind not in my reality

I tried not to have expectations — keeping myself blended into the event like an extension of the prairie — I walked about both days... meeting new people... seeing old friends... embracing family members and my sweet little baby...

looking in the barn just now — the branches are still up — the hay couches are gathered in the prairie lounge, the winter prairie room still sparkles with the crystal chandelier and bare white branches...

I am not here to say that "i'm glad it's all over"... or "i can finally get back to my life"...

like the dreamcatcher, I wove my life like a web, catching and blanketing everything that touched this weekend... giving me sustenance within, then letting go of the unwanted elements that were tangled up

dreams are not all good... in fact, most of my dreams are so strange i try not to even bother figuring them out

there were most certainly things that happened this weekend that weren't all 'heart warming', but each and every moment this weekend (and in my life lately) was accepted

trying to accept each moment in my life has opened my heart to beat even stronger within the connection with other people... and doing what i love... being on our little farm, baking, cooking, decorating, supporting others... all of this creates a very deep awareness of the complete cycle and connection between the earth and God

i like to think of me being caught in His web... His dreamcatcher... for He will take from me to give to Him...

picture taken Saturday morning, the second day of the sale/event

It's a bit after 6:00 am Sunday morning and here I am

instead of making coffee I heated some up from yesterday's second brew

for my mind was awake and my eyes were still shut

My younger sister came for a few days... we don't see eachother much... we don't see eachother enough!!

All this time I am devoting to making "prairie swags" and prairie this and that — all that wasn't going to be for sale... it got me thinking how much I am just making for fun... made for you...

when you enter onto our humble farm... don't expect grandeur... there's no 'fancy' here

there aren't playsets for children or a bin full of corn for the kiddies...

it's a place of peace...

resting your eyes upon the horizon of soon to be harvested golden soybeans... fiery red grasses and golden rod reaching towards the sky... geese flying overhead to usher in winter's call...

A small little farm

A humble little place

What you'll find here is your choice... you may not find peace walking in the prairie... you may walk for the heck of it and see only weeds, and look at the horses and chickens in disgust of their "smells"

You may just come to shop and find nothing while shopping and think it was a big waste of time

or maybe you choose... choose to really see with your heart...

In anticipation of spending time with your girlfriends, husband, or even alone, you wear your favorite worn in jeans and comfy jersey top (and a few accessories that express "you") and you make plans for a country drive... finding parking 1/4 mile down the road you grab your shopping bag, sling it over your shoulder and enjoy the walk up to the farm's gates... upon entering the farm, you walk past the kitchen garden coming to an end and glance at one of the perennial beds that surround the house... you look out and see the horizon... up is the very clean and clear blue sky... and if it rains, your umbrella pops up to keep you dry, or your unabashed childhood rings in and you enjoy the fresh rain upon you... the crispness of the day invigorates you... you don't know or care what is for sale... no expectations...

Browsing the wares under the tents... you find those perfect unique gifts for your niece and mother... you know you won't be able to purchase these things again, so you seize the chance. Talking with new people, or keeping quiet to yourself, being on the farm is energetic yet calming. You see the white pillar/posts swagged with autumn prairie... it leads you to the barn while your tummy starts to grumble with scents of pie and coffee, soup and whole wheat rolls... and music... the guitar playing is stunning... you order a cup of coffee and vow to eat a cupcake before the night's end... taking it all in, you listen while your eyes browse the shop... being inspired...
no regrets coming

The cupcake was delicious, and with your hands cupping your homemade soup bowl, you venture under the trees in the prairie to sip your soup and feel the warmth of the peace within your soul... a deeper connection with nature... within yourself... thanking God for giving you this opportunity to be outdoors with a warm bowl of soup. Your heart warms even more as your sweet friend and you laugh and talk as you walk the prairie... hearing the hum of the bees and picking a tuft of grass as it twirls in your fingers...
memories

Your life is utterly unique to anyone else's... your experience here on earth can be that of thanksgiving and connection

Don't disconnect with the good in life...

peace+blessings,

a wonderful thing occurs at the end of the growing season

picking and washing and preserving... it all comes together to savor the summer

a mass of cherry tomatoes are turning into red rubies for stews in the winter and sauce for the pasta
it's about 6:02 am and the stove is about to be fired up already

i spent the day yesterday glued to the computer... well, most of the day, reserving spaces for the upcoming sale in october... just about 40 people where/are invited, but it works as a first come/first serve basis for dealer spaces... one dealer cracked me up saying it was like purchasing Justin Beiber concert tickets... meaning, it was done in less than 3 hours for all practical purposes... an exhausting 3 hours of coordinating all the emails and phone calls... but we are happy to say that this sale is going to be so fantastic — with returning people and new people! Unfortunately, our barn is not big enough for all who were invited, if it was, we would have been able to fill that too! and I so wish we could!! and a few of my very favorite dealers are not able to make it due to family and life...
here's a sneak peek into my head right now: there is talk of a fashion show, live music both days, new windows and tables and chairs to gaze out into the prairie while eating your cupcakes and other baked goods while sipping your complimentary wine... yes, maybe wine instead of champagne... you just never know!

i will contemplate all of this while i am stuffing little red tomatoes and romas into my mason jars this morning

while thinking and dreaming of doing this someday with all of us here

i am sure most of you can relate to striving for that 'hold on' moment... that moment when you can sink into a pillow with a good book, or take that cup of iced tea and stir the honey slowly and watch it blend and think of nothing but where to sit and enjoy the shade on a sunny day

it's a wonder

this time... this last bit of time before summer's heat is all but gone, and that sun tea is no longer... those lazy days outdoors watching the children play... this time is so short...

it's a wonder

it is as though i am feeling just now settled into summer, when it's being taken away by the cooler nights and less hot days...

there are so many times when i can correlate myself to my surroundings... the lightness in my step when spring comes... the sauntering flip flops during summer... the shuffle of leaves in autumn and the crunch during winter... but i do have to admit, that lately, i am being drawn into a connection i cannot explain with our oldest son...

it's a wonder

his piano compilations make me stop in my tracks and almost drink the sound into my soul... the heartache of childhood leaving while the maturity of his heart growing

it's a wonder at all that anything gets done during the summer...

so much to organize and plan for school, the upcoming sale as well

the importance of being with my family supersedes anything right now... our bond is growing daily the more time we spend together, and I thank the Lord for allowing me to teach them at home... so very blessed to not have to shuffle them off every morning after packing their lunches...
a lot of our peace comes from a schedule and routine of sorts... even if the routine for the day is them sleepy eyed coming down the stairs to greet me for the first time of the day with a hug and groggy "good morning"... I love those times and savor every hug... it never gets old

it's a wonder... these kids... this place... this life...

like my cup of coffee losing it's steaming hotness, the summer is fading, and though I cannot go fill my cup back up with more summer time, I can take what I have learned this summer and and a bit more just to keep me going

peace + blessings,

the heat makes us pick super early in the morning and late at night
as soon as they come in, they get washed and kept in the cellar, while we wash and prepare the jars and lids

the next morning, it's time to dice/slice and start the brine

we went a bit "overboard" with planting cucumbers we enjoyed them so much while gazing out at the frozen tundra during the harsh winter

since we went overboard, we are able to share so much with friends and family... and I'm so glad
the garden is doing quite well considering the heat and due to planting so close together in most places, I am able to not weed so much (imagine that)
so I did some more sewing using a striped sheet and appliqued a sailboat on it for our daughter

I didn't perfectly line the stripes up... without a care I made this skirt...
she doesn't mind and neither do I
we had lost power from a terribly windy storm... the weather up here is quite peculiar lately and I almost caved and got an air conditioner almost
but once again, we chose not to it's almost a game now... letting it cool off inside the house and run around and closing the windows at just the right time... funny really... but with heavy drapes and quick feet, we are able to keep this old farmhouse cool enough... but we aren't using the oven, instead the grill and the side burner outdoors which I am hysterically calling my 'outdoor kitchen'... someday... someday!
I am however, taking a break from pickles, and am blending and juicing them galore quite versatile
anyone know of uses for cucumbers? I would love to hear how you use them in and out of the kitchen

xo+pickled blessings,

herbs are starting to be hung to dry in the kitchen...
and being that I don't have a summer kitchen outdoors (someday I hope!) it sort of feels like it with that ladder up there and the fresh herbs drying
when you are drying herbs, they shouldn't receive any sunshine — hang in smaller bunches from hemp twine in a dark place — I like this spot because I can snip here and there when needed in recipes, but soon the herbs will be harvested and dried in much bigger quantities for storage for over winter
this is the time I start thinking of food storage... canning... freezing...

I receive quite a few emails in regards to 'how I do things' with the grocery shopping/etc... and I'm working on that to show you who are interested but it takes time
I've been calculating things, making notes, writing this and writing that

August 15th is the big reveal of the October Barn Sale/Event theme as well!! I can't wait to let you all know about it!
back to the potager I go...

this table was noticed by me the moment it came out of Amy's car for the barn sale here...

I have to admit, it's kind of nice having a flea market come right to the farm...

the natural wax she put on it prevents it from chipping anymore, and the French hand towel made from flax is what i am using like a little table runner

the "curtain" is just fabric I strung up on a birch branch... just temporarily, to keep the heat out
if it was up to me, I wouldn't have any curtains
ever

but our big windows face the south... the heat pours in... good in winter... not so good in summer

we don't have air conditioning by choice, so everything is oriented in the rooms now for best light/views/heat control

this nook is so nice and cool in the crisp mornings, and watching the sunsets at night...

here's a closeup of the fabric... a nubby linen with a faded turquoise stripe

i grew up sailing with my Dad, and those memories are treasured and seem to be creeping out more and more in my sort of red, white, blue decor
you might already know how much I like Ralph Lauren's style, and seeing he's producing more of his quality goods right her in the USA, makes me like him even more
if only more of the big names did that... think of the jobs!

one of our old corn crib doors fell off awhile ago, and I recently used it for some food styling I was hired for by Jo Packham for a new book she hired me for (more on that later)
after bringing that in for a few shots, i really enjoyed it inside, and it is now very happy being in our nook

I am adding that same stripe fabric in my living room... not done yet sewing those

shopping at JoAnn Fabrics, at a 50% home decor is not so easy finding USA made fabric, but you can still find made in USA fabric, such as Waverly

it is a classic rose pattern I have always liked... and am very happy to work with it finally in our farmhouse

there is nothing like classic pattern and texture

there is a road trip I have planned with a good friend this weekend... if you follow me on Pinterest, you can see what's inspiring me in my pinboard entitled "road trip"
I'll be helping decorate a new shop in Indiana, and doing a photoshoot... but more on that later too
xo+blessings,

So how did you all do editing your homes over the weekend??
If you started making progress... that's good... but don't let it stay that way...
seriously... get rid of anything that doesn't mean something to you...
the thing about styling your own home, is to have it reflect you...
how do you achieve this??

buy what you love put odd characteristics together
I don't shop at Home Goods or Hobby Lobby for decor items... that just isn't me
I just sort of do whatever feels organic...
like when Gilberta started laying her eggs this past month, it seemed only right to put them out for display...

but it doesn't have that 'punch'
maybe it's because I have five kids and STILL expecting the sixth but whatever the reason... the eggs under the cloches just isn't what I'm thinking...

this is more of what I'm thinking:

via: trine thorson


via: Andres Schonnemann
I'm no professional... and my idea of 'style' is evolving it seems into an area that I didn't know existed!


via: living inside
I used to be all about antiques, but now, it seems, that I would like to add more eclecticism into the decor... some bold colors... just pops — keeping the background neutral — in white and tan...
just as life evolves, so can your style
LET IT HAPPEN!
the worst thing you can do is get in a rut... and not try adding a new look
if you like that large glass turquoise vase at the thrift store for $5 — buy it -
if you want to add an old school blackboard to your living room wall — do it
if you like all your kitchen utensils packed away for a change and nothing on your counters — super!
TRY a NEW style... by just editing what you have...

though my hands may be calloused from working around this farm in the summer, winter time they are inside tending more towards the interior once spring really comes, that fresh bouquet of flowers are just the right accent (like in this photo — with the peonies on the coffee table) 

via: amelia1
let's see where this will go...
xo+blessings,

Kurt has been around for a little while now
Sir Charles died this winter from natural causes... and well... I miss him
I never thought I'd miss a rooster
now, don't you go thinking I'm making chicken diapers and letting them sleep indoors (seriously)
but I do miss my Sir Charles... he was so nice and treated 'the girls' nice too... dare I even say "respectable"
Kurt came to us last summer as a chick... Sir Charles raised him like a son... taught him what to do, how to care for the girls and the ins and outs of the farmlife here
some of you might think I'm exaggerating... but truthfully... he really did teach Kurt those things — they do that



is that a smile I see??

he sure is a handsome beauty
he is very protective... and brave
his crow is regal and loud... but I still miss Sir Charles
as long as Kurt keeps the girls out of my mulch in the perennial beds, he'll quickly become my favorite
xo+blessings,

a choice

a blessing

a star-spangled flag...

lately when I think of freedom my arms want to burst from the sides of my apron as I look out my kitchen window to almost claim that moment's right upon me for freedom

even in the most oppressed nations, you can still feel the freedom inside you, but your arms are tied behind your backs to proclaim it... the country's leaders forbid such independence

when I used to work behind a desk, in a cubicle (that job only lasted a short time... my sense of self was being squashed between those stuffy desks and intensely stressful vibes surging through my veins to complete 'the job') I could not wait until that noon lunch time hit — to the second, I would grab my car keys and b-line to my tiny little car... hit the sunroof open, pretty much peel out of the parking lot and head to a local forest preserve...
I would sit in the sun, even in dead of winter...
it was freedom from everything

freedom for me is that direct connection between the land and myself

that is why so many people are claiming this word "farm" into everything they are doing... from style inside their homes... to their blog titles... their names...

The word 'farm' and 'freedom' harmonize...

people don't go into the city to feel freedom (well, at least no one I know)... but the country...

the farm

the wide open spaces...

like my arms out wide exclaiming my freedom... the sky that we gaze at and the wide horizons I dream of and that inspire me so much...

you don't have to be living on the farm to throw your arms up and proclaim your freedom...

you don't have to be a mom of six children to let others know how much you value life...

you don't have to wear the flag and carry a gun...

freedom comes from within...

you can see freedom grow by planting a garden... being able to plant those seeds you saved, and nourished and weeded and harvested and preserved... watching that little seed flourish...

that seed is planted in us

that seed is planted from our forefathers who loved God first and that is exactly why they came to this great country... to plant freedom here... to plant freedom to reseed itself and flourish...

to throw their arms out and breathe in that sense of awe and wonder

let go of all the complications and burst your arms into the air wherever you are and proclaim your freedom

peace + blessings,

if you live in an area where the winters are cold and icy, you know what I mean

the wind has been blowing so hard the past 12 hours, you'd think spring was here... but the wind chill is about 14* they say right now

we are thick with school, and everything else that comes with being indoors for a few months... the sounds of cards being shuffled, book pages turnings, and the kettle whistle blow to a serenade of the piano are most often heard on the weekends to pass the time

this cabin fever makes or breaks a family

though the children would much rather be outdoors building snowmen, the rain the follows the snowstorms prevents that from happening... but we are grateful for the moisture any way we can get it (even though it does make for a slippery gravel driveway with all that ice!)

Ah, the wind blows like she has a temper, like she too is tired of being cold

soon enough the warm air will blow... so I better start planning my garden and starting seed indoors like my mom has started I'm sure...

this week is broken up a bit, and the blessings of the ashes are on Wednesday to mark our eternal reminder that we are but ashes, that we come from the earth

what a beautiful thing

what a beautiful thing this cabin fever does to my soul, giving it rest, and those around me more rest

the toil we will endure soon enough will need all the strength we can gather
xo+blessings,

any way you look at it, I could say "it's unseasonable"
however I put it, however you take it, the weather has been quite unseasonable

bulbs peeking their heads up, children playing outdoors without snowpants and heavy snowgear
the snowshoes are still in the basement
the hot cocoa stays on the shelf

where is our winter? where is the bitter cold even my almanac had said would be??

taking each day as it comes
blessing the good Lord for allowing the children to play outdoors without getting frost bite
being able to leave on a whim out of the drive without having to shovel this first:

and this:


our driveway this time last year
even though the toughest of us still enjoys the snowstorms...

"it is unseasonable"
and it's allright by me

hope you are all enjoying this day!!
peace + blessings,