new farm ad

Grace

the local news station recently did a story on this photo. i haved loved it always. My grandmother had a copy and i bought this one at an auction shortly after were married and its hung in the same spot for 20+ years.

Dinner with Friends

past

Ancestors

Say it now - it's not that hard

Last night I watched a show on PBS about Robin Williams and it reminded me of a totally do-able New Years resolution idea ... Rather a wish. I wish for people to say wonderful things about each other BEFORE they are gone, not after. Not only in Robin's horrible instance, but in every instance, on any given day, for any random reason.

I remember one day i was in a store, i think it was Michael's, and a young girl who worked there said to me, "You have the coolest hair". WHAT? Most days i completely loathe what my hair looks like. I enjoy having it, I know i am blessed it exists. But it's 'cool'? NO WAY! I still smile when i think of how random and how nice that was to hear. Not my shoes...my hair? No way! *smile*

What if you told one person, in some way, how awesome you think they are or how sweet something they did was? Come on! Don't wait, don't just THINK it, say it out loud. Better yet, get the message to the person's eyes to see or their ears to hear! Now, while we are still here... cuz I am not entirely confident in the ability to read facebook status' or that twitter coverage in heaven exists. Truly we have no idea what an impact compliments, positive thoughts or seemingly small encouragements could make on a persons heart, or in the very least make them smile. Make their day?  It's my mission. Especially this new year.

So, happy 2015 *smile* May it be as awesome as you are. (and that, you are)

Christmas project

somewhere along the line, i ended up with a box of Emma Bade's silverware. Emma Bade is Kenny's grandmother... we live in the home she  and Albert built on the family farm, the farm that has been in the Bade family since 1859.  I have wanted to do something special with the silverware, beyond keeping it to myself and/or using it. So i came upon this idea, of painting a folk art scene of the Bade Barn on the Emma and Allie spoons, and then decorating them up cute for each of Kenny's siblings & one for each of their kids to have as a keepsake. Along with the spoons, i decorated a photo of the farm that i took and then embellished it with the Lutheran table prayer, in English and German.
I love that my daughter and her cousins all have a heartwarming sense of their heritage and ties to this farm, they are genuinely proud of it. Getting photos from the kids, of this gift hanging in their homes... it doesn't get any better than that.

 

 

 

yea, we're pretty much BFF's now - juss sayin'

 

i got a random envelope in the mail from a dear cousin. Absolutely no clue as to what it could be. I open it all casual-like and ....pause.... SQWEEEEEEEEE no way!! I ain't too proud to admit that i did a ridiculous mini happy dance and squealed like a little girl at a Backstreet Boys concert (ok, so that's dating myself...i digress)  I am a huge fan of  Ree Drummond, a.k.a. The Pioneer Woman! Long before she had a show on the Food Network, i was an avid follower of her blog, have her book, have her cookbooks, love her humor & writing style, loved her photography tips & subject matter, general fan of her life. I've felt we were kindred spirits... camera-toting, farm wife, barn mom, calf-shit-dodging, accidental country girl soul sisters. So what she wrote on the photo was... perfect. SO COOL! ok, so i gotta tone down the fan-girl crap. It was just so neat to get this, and let's not forget the thoughtfulness of my cousin Theresa for doing this for me!! She works for Land O'Lakes which happens to be a sponsor for Ree. LUCKY ME! If you live under a rock, or haven't discovered THE Pioneer Woman yet, check out her extensive website empire ... http://thepioneerwoman.com/

Tiny cow art

 

made as a donation for the Shorthorn Lassie Fund Raiser Auction

kind farmer

this captures the kind of farmer my dear husband is

new favorite picture

Farm marriage interaction

so i wake up to see the first one on the countertop, where we usually leave notes for eachother. So we proceed from there:

(Daisy is our chihuahua, Dexter is our dearly departed cat ... the 2 of them would "wrestle" in a special quite comical way.  these cows are toys Ken found for our nephew - or i'm thinking we should keep them.... this is fun)