What could be sweeter ...

... than a basket of kitties?



These little cuties are the newest additions to our homeplace. Aren't they precious?

Postscript: For those of you that expressed your concern, though we can't spray and neuter every stray cat that visits us for a while, this Mama Cat does have an appointment with the vet to be spayed after these little kitties are weaned. Looks like she is a keeper for sure! :)

Blessings,
Lea

A Place For Me ~

Linda of Behind My Red Door recently posted about where she blogs. She prompted me to spruce up my journaling spot a bit. I really desired a place that just feels good when I sit down to business and pleasure.

This old computer has been all over this house. I've tried it in every room, but now that Jase has his own laptop, I've moved it into my bedroom where I can enjoy being surrounded by pretty, feminine things while I'm working. So I carved out a small and practical corner in our bedroom where I can do my sewing and enjoy my computer time.



So here is where I sit and visit with you. So many of the little treasures I've surrounded myself with are gifts from my sweet online friends. I love the old tag hanging on my lamp. It says ~ "The Lord bless and keep you! The Lord let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you! The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!" It's wonderful to sit down and be reminded of that blessing daily.



Mary created the pinkeep wall hanging and the Grandmother's garden quilt block. The workmanship is just amazing and so inspiring. Jeffrey bought me my own little Beatle Bug matchbox car so I could race with them ~ I thought that was so sweet. Other reminders of my friends are from Linda, Paula, Rhonda and Patricia. Thanks for making my special place even more special.



To my left, I have set up a table for my sewing machine and notions. I completed the stitchery on the wall named "Job's Tears" while I was carrying Colton. It's very special to me because it reminds me of yet another time that the Lord carried me through a trial. The first pinkeep I ever got was the little lady mouse sitting on the stacked boxes. My husband saw it at a yard sale on his way home from work years and years ago and brought it home for me. I've loved pinkeeps ever since.

The little white basket with the pink rose is my latest pinkeep creation. The small chest of drawers is a recent Goodwill find that I hope to paint black sometime in the near future ~ its on my never ending list of projects that I can hardly wait to do! My grandmother's old fruit jars are filled with an assortment of old buttons. Can you ever have too many buttons? And the two little silver containers are recent thrift finds that I plan to repurpose into pinkeeps. Aren't they just lovely?



And to my right, I have set up an antique ironing board. I really do use it for ironing when I'm making dolls or aprons. I don't mind leaving it up like I would a regular irong board. Of course, it is currently covered with fabrics and charm packs that I just can't bear to put away. But I love to look at them for inspiration. You know, I can look at them for weeks and weeks, and then one day I'll look and know exactly what I need to do with it. I couldn't do that if it was neatly place in a box out of sight, could I?

Behind the old ironing board is a very old ladder. I found that old ladder at a yard sale when I lived in Chicago. (I've been thrifting for a very long time!) It was at a house about 10 blocks from my home and I bought it without realizing it would not fit into my tiny car. Well I had already envisioned it with quilts hanging on it and could not leave it behind, so Jase & Luke who were just little guys ~ maybe 10 & 6 years old ~ carried that ladder all the way home for me while I slowly followed in the car. They thought it was great fun and of course, used it well to climb trees before I finally moved it indoors for my quilts. Such a fun memory!



Well now it has been sawed in two pieces and this one holds four old quilt tops that I have found in my treasure hunts. I especially like those that have incorporated feedsack materials. Three of them are all hand-pieced and the bottom one is hand quilted as well. I suppose I treasure them because I know how much work some dear woman invested in creating them. I often wonder why they were never completed and ended up discarded ~ but I take good care of them and their efforts are not forgotten.

So now you'll know where I am when I visit with you. This will probably be my last post for a while. I am hopelessly behind in visiting and can hardly wait to catch up and see what you've all been up to! Maybe I'll get to sneak in some time tonight.

Be sure to stop by Leslie of My Country Home to see what other gals are working on this Wednesday.

Most importantly of all, Jase is doing very well. His spirits are high and he is keeping busy with school and work. I can hear him down the hall laughing with his brothers ... life is sweet!

Blessings,
Lea

Autumn, Glorious Autumn!

Today was one of those perfect days. The kind of simple day that wraps its arms around you and leaves a sweet memory in your heart.

Our Little House in the Big Woods.Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home!
The forecast predicted a dark and rainy day, but I awoke to a warm morning with the sun reflecting off every shimmering leaf in the woods. It seems that overnight the forest was tranformed. Honestly, the beauty of God's creation just left me breathless!

Dear Cora, I thought of you and took these pictures especially so you could share in our autumn. We even picked some leaves just for you!

The boys' jeans hanging on the line

After I put on a big pot of white beans and hung out the laundry ~ Luke, Colton & I took our home learning outdoors, and had such fun. We took a nature walk, collected leaves, identified trees and gathered nuts. When we couldn't identify some of the nuts, we walked down the road to grandfather's house for some help. (And Colton walked the entire way with no wheelchair ... and no complaining which was quite a feat I can tell you!)

The road to grandparent's house.

Of course, grandfather knew right away what they all were ... and we were thrilled that they're all good for eating! A big THANK YOU to Sharon of Keeper of the Home where we discovered that the nuts laying all over the ground around here are hickory and black walnuts and are a great food source!

Colton and his Papa

Colton also got to visit his duck which was a gift from his grandmother. It had lost all of its yellow down and has turned into a soft grey and white duck. Colton chose to name him "Tinman". Of course, I thought it was the most clever name ever! LOL

Colton, Luke and Tinman

Then we visited the horses and gave them some delicious pecan leaves to munch on which made them very happy. They live in the field right outside the grandparent's home. One of the horses was a gift to Jeffrey from his mother, but we still don't have the needed fencing to bring him home yet. It will be so nice when we do. Can't wait to spoil him with a daily carrot!

Dakota

We had a front porch visit with Aunt Teresa and cousins Lily & Isabella. Luke and I shelled pecans for Colton & Lily who couldn't get enough! The pecans on their trees make ours look like tiny little things. Each half is as big as your entire thumb! Can't wait til ours grow up too.

Colton, Aunt Teresa & Cousin Lily

We gathered 5 large baskets of pecan and 2 types of hickory nuts. Colton said, "It's like manna from heaven!" And it was. Delicious food just waiting to be gathered.

Me, Colton & Luke with our pecans.

To gather the pecans, Luke climbed high into the tree and shook the branches. The pecans were good and dry, so they just rained from the trees. I laughed in amazement of it all! We couldn't wait for Jeffrey to get home from work to share our harvest with him.

Our manna!

And to end the day with a big bowl of white beans with bread & butter ... what could be sweeter?

Luke on the road home

Wishing you a blessed autumn,
Lea

More Chickens!

I had the pleasure of having my friend, Cathy and her boys, visit our home last week. It was a lovely autumn day and while the older boys cared for the younger ones, Cathy and I had time to just sit and share. We homeschooling moms call it a "teacher's conference". Cathy is passionate about frugal living and it was nice to glean from her knowledge of farm and family.

Cathy & me ~ Do you see that enamelware bowl & lid? Cathy brought cookies in her thrift store find bowl ... and I just happened to have my thrift store find matching lid. They needed to be together so they went to live with Cathy. I kept the cookies!

Cathy has a small farm with a wide assortment of animals ~ 8 goats, 2 sheep, 2 pigs, 9 dogs, a gazoodle chickens and 39 cats ... no that wasn't a typo! LOL And she shared with me 3 lovely white leghorn laying hens that we now refer to lovingly as the Dixie Chicks. Thanks so much, Cathy! I am so excited. We are now getting 3-6 eggs a day. Perfect for our family.

Cathy, a Dixie chick and Dalton

The other chickens still haven't quite accepted these new girls into their society, but I am hoping before long I'll see them all clucking around the yard in harmony.

Our two black hens (Cora & Juri) are so darling. One morning, I found Juri swinging on the front porch swing. Really, she was! Just as if she had always enjoyed a good morning swing. Then she walked over to one of fruit crates and laid her egg right at the front door. Now both black hens lay their eggs at the front door each morning. In fact, they wait in line to use the box. It is a real hoot to watch them ~ Better than the old fashioned milk men of the olden days.

Cora laying her egg on the front porch

We still have not prepared a proper hen house. Most of our free time is being spent chopping wood for winter. And we sure have needed it these past few days ~ it as only 25 degrees last night.

Photo of Brandy's hen house

But I am glad I was delayed because I discovered a lovely journal and adore the little hen house that they have created. It is both simple and so very practical. Brandy at In The Service of The King posted new photos of her finished coop and has shared "in progress" photos in previous posts. It is a perfect design that I think I am going to give a try.

Blessings & joy,
Lea

The Joys of Autumn

What a glorious month we've enjoyed here in West Tennessee! I do believe that I might enjoy autumn year round. Here are some of the fall pleasures I've been enjoying these past weeks:

Gathering muscadines ... using whatever means necessary to pick those juicy grapes. (Don't you love the hair? Remember I spent hours in the bucket of a dozer being lifted none-to-gently into the trees!)


Making homemade carmel apples covered in nuts and sprinkles.


Autumn decorating with natures gifts. Black was the perfect prim choice for painting these two old brass candle holders that I got from the local Goodwill store. What a find for 99 cents each!


Time to get stitching. I just finished these two little church-going chickens for mom. She and I are each making matching redwork Bible quilts. We're going to stitch 42 blocks representing Biblical truths. I just got my supplies today and can hardly wait to begin.


Fall festivals ~ This weekend we attended The Ames Plantation Heritage Festival. It was marvelous with all sorts of living history and demonstrations. Now I want to join a quilting bee, spin wool, bee keep and stencil every wall in my home!


Campfires at home ~ warm evenings of making memories with the family.






Take time to enjoy the simple things in life!

Wishing you joy,
Lea

A Special Blessing

Look what I found on my doorstep yesterday! My friend & neighbor, Tami, shared the joys of her harvest with my family. Thank you, Tami! Thank you, Lord!



Rejoice in all things,
Lea

An Unexpected Surprise

It was just your average Sunday afternoon after church. My husband suggested that we stop at a little flea market on our way home. By the time we got there, Colton was falling asleep in the back seat so I decided to stay in the van with him while Jeff and boys enjoyed a few minutes of browsing.

Well it wasn't long before there was a peck on my car door. I rolled down the window to see Luke outside saying "Boy, do we have a surprise for you!" Let me tell you, my mind went wild. What could they have found? An old stoneware bowl? Maybe an antique oil lamp? Or dream of all dreams, a vintage quilt top that someone else had overlooked?

Closing my eyes in keen anticipation, I opened them to find:



Oh my was I EVER surprised. Now I love the farm and enjoy the animals immensely. I talk to them all and make over all the kittens and even the chicken gets lovin'. But I have never had an indoor pet. We had talked about it recently and I agreed that our Luke really needed to have a dog right now, but I wasn't expecting to take one home that afternoon. So I was REALLY surprised.

Well, this little 1 1/2 pound puppy has stolen my heart. He is the sweetest little thing. He is an apple head Chihuahua and will get to be about 4 pounds. After pouring over names like piranha, Little John, jaws, Zorro (I can't wait for a girl so I can name it Buttercup, Emma or Princess) and many, many others, we decided on Napoleon ~ the little general.

And so the adventure begins ...

Have a blessed Sunday!
Lea

Beautiful Blooms

These summer days are so busy and I don't get nearly the time I'd like to post and visit. But today I did take some photos of my flowers to share. I can hardly wait to stop by and see all the wonderful things happening in your little corner of the world as well.

We are just beginning our homestead and though we don't have many plantings even a single bloom is just amazing to me. I love walking outdoors every morning to see if anything new has secretly sprung up when I wasn't looking! (Smile)



This little plant was found in the yard by my son, Jase. It was just a tiny green plant but Jase thought it looked special so we brought it to our flower garden where it bloomed one small but sweet flower last year. And look at it this year! It was standing straight up but it bent over the rocks after a heavy rain and then the blooms lifted their heads again to the sun. Isn't it breathtaking? They make me happy!



These daylilies were given to me last year by my sweet neighbor, Ms. Arbie. She was so generous and I planted them at both corners of the house. Even when they are not in bloom, I just love the flow of their green leaves. It reminds me of cascading water and adds such softness to the garden. Every time I look at them, they remind me of the friendship of this very special lady.



This is my little hydrangea bush that my sister & her family gave me last April on my birthday. I do believe this is one of my favorite cottage flowers. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind, I recall a charming old home lined with these gorgeous blooms. I can't quite recall where or when I saw them but thinking about it always makes me feel peaceful. These two little bushes are planted right behind my porch swing. I can't wait until one day they tower up so we can enjoy their beauty as we relax on the porch.



Here is another cottage favorite, the purple coneflower. I love it because it so wild and is the state wildflower of Illinois ~ so dear to my heart. Of course, it can be used medicinally as an immunity booster. Don't you just love how God created all these wonderful plants that are not only beautiful but keep us healthy as well?



Now I realize this photo does not look like much right now but just wait until next spring! My friend, RoseMarie at Sugarplum Cottage, was so kind to share some of her marvelous garden with me. And her garden is truly amazing. Just stop by to visit her for an inspiring garden treat! Well she sent me some bulbs for yellow & white iris, candy amaryllis and red amaryllis. I planted them all around this large oak right near our front porch. I can hardly wait until spring to enjoy their beauty. I am making a little handpainted sign for it, will border it in hand hewn stone and call this my Sugarplum Garden. Thank you so much for sharing Rose!



Today I am thankful for:
21. 6 beautiful brown eggs from a friend
22. Blooms & butterflies
23. The creativity of God
24. His word that brings comfort
25. Colton's sweet, innocent prayers

Blessings & joy,
Lea

Bountiful!

Isn't this a beautiful sight? A big bowlful of fresh plums. Jeffrey & Luke picked them from my father-in-laws organic plum trees. The trees were just laden with plump fruit. Their beauty was magnificent!

I couldn't help but think of the scripture that reminds us that all of creation is evidence of the Creator. Who else could but our wonderful God could create a tree with sweet and beautiful fruit for us to enjoy while resting in its shade. Thank you, Lord!



Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.



Today I am thankful for:
16. Yummy plums
17. An elderly neighbor who spoke words of encouragement
18. God's word
19. A new recipe
20. A ride in the country

Blessings,
Lea

Gardening for Wildlife

My friend, Cora of Hidden Riches From Secret Places, has sent me the most wonderful gardening book ~ Gardening for Wildlife published by the World Wildlife Federation. I do believe this is my favorite gardening book ever!



It is overflowing with all sorts of creative and inexpensive ways to attract birds, butterflies and other wildlife to our home. I plan to incorporate this book into our science curriculum this summer so the boys can enjoy its benefits as well!

Our property is forested with our home sitting right in the center. However, being a new home site, the wildlife tends to stay in the forest and "safe" places. My vision is to draw the creatures out and make our home garden blend into their natural habitat so we can enjoy them more.



So as a small step toward that goal, I mounted an old wooden birdhouse onto a cedar log and posted it at the entrance of our walking trail in the backyard. At the base, I've planted daffodil bulbs for a splash of color this spring. It's just a simple start but I'm so pleased with it.



Since Luke & I both enjoy woodworking, I hope to make a few similar birdhouses to tuck into little nooks & corners here and there throughout the summer.

Blessings,
Lea

Our Rustic Arbor

And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden. Genesis 2:4

For what seems like forever, I have dreamed of a rustic arbor on which to grow flowering vines and gourds. I've always enjoyed when gardeners create outdoor rooms with an entryway all blooming and green. It's almost magical and makes me think of the very first garden that God created in Eden. I can only begin to imagine its splendor.

And the earth brought forthe grass, and herb yielding seed after its kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was itself, after his kind; and God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:12

So my son Luke (14) & I began this project together for our eastern garden room. On a frugal budget, we hauled fallen cedars from the woods surrounding our home. Using hand tools, Luke cut the lengths for me and hammered them together. I just pointed and sat on the logs to hold them still! LOL If I had to do it over, I'd use bolts but that will be for my next arbor!



Here are some photos of that little area before our arbor.



We added the birdbath and feeder in April. It is surrounded by flowers from my friend, Tami, which will bloom for us next spring.



Finally, here is our very primitive & rustic arbor ~ its a good thing I like prims! It is surprisingly sturdy after we sunk the feet 1 foot into the ground. (Thank you, Jeffrey, for digging those holes!) I have already planted morning glories and moonflowers. The morning glories will bloom during the daytime and when they close at dusk, the fragrant white moonflowers will open to catch the moonlight.

I still need to add an A frame roof of twigs. I'm still working on and may add it later this weekend IF I can figure it out.



Luke & I are enjoying our success! I was trying to hide the fact that I was still wearing my pajama pants by using the watering can, but it didn't work! LOL Pajama pants or not, I still wore my apron!

If I only I could post a photo of the picture in my imagination. My vision for this outdoor room is so pretty. It is my hope to fill in the area from the tree to the arbor and then from the arbor to the house with flowering bushes & plants to make a screen of green so that when you walk through the arbor it will open up to an emerald room where we can picnic and enjoy crochet ~ one of our family favorite games!

Any suggestions? I'd love to hear your ideas!

Blessings & joy,
Lea

Farmgirl Pleasures

Yesterday, the boys and I had the pleasure of visiting with our friends Julie, David & Jireh of Principles of the Founding Fathers. Everyone ought to have such sweet friends as they are. We just love them to pieces!

And we had the distinct pleasure of spending time with Julie's parents, Mr. & Mrs. Smith as well.

Julie, Mr. Smith & me

Mr. Smith is an accomplished gardener and gave us a tour of his gardens & orchard while imparting to us some of his extensive knowledge of gardening. It was so exciting, and I took 4 pages of notes.

Here is a photo of one of his apple trees. He has grafted many different species of apple onto this one tree and it bears ... are you sitting down ... 13 different types of apples! Isn't that amazing? I can hardly wait to return in the fall for a peek at that!



He also has a tree that bears peaches, plums and nectarines! He tells us that in springtime the 3 distinctly different blooms attract lots of attention from folks passing by. I can only imagine!

Mr. Smith & Colton enjoying the new tiny peaches

This particular grapevine produced 30 gallons last year.



I so enjoyed listening to this soft spoken man share his passion of growing all things that I forgot to take pictures of some of his plants. He has strawberry plants that were in his mother's garden and are 40-50 years old ... and they're still bearing fruit!

Luke, Mr. Smith & Jase

I so admired the teamwork between Mr. & Mrs. Smith. He grows the bounty, and she turns it into delightful meals for her family. It is so simple yet so very beautifully a picture of teamwork within a marriage. I was inspired.

The boys & I were the very fortunate recipients of a loaf of Mrs. Smith's Strawberry Amish Bread. It was soooo good that (I'm a bit ashamed to admit this) it never made it home. We ate the whole thing on the ride home! LOL I didn't even get a photo.

Me, Mrs. Smith & Colton along with the unopened loaf of Strawberry Bread that has never been seen again!
But I did get a bag of starter so I can make my very own on May 16th when the starter will be ready. I'm so glad because the boys told me on the way home, "Mom, we hope we don't hurt your feelings. But this is the best bread we've ever eaten!"

Sounds like I may need to spend another afternoon with the Smiths to get some cooking lessons!

Blessings,
Lea