A PRETTY COUNTRY WEEKEND AND TWINING, VINING THINGS

I AM IN LOVE WITH THE WAY THE FLOWERS LOOK THIS TIME OF YEAR. THE MORNING GLORIES ARE PUTTING ON A SHOW IN THE CENTER OF THE GARDEN WHERE THEY WERE NOT PLANTED. RATHER THAN REMOVE THEM, I ADDED A TOMATO CAGE AND GAVE THEM SOME SUPPORT SO THAT THEY COULD SHOW OFF.

HOW CAN YOU RESIST A BEAUTIFUL SUNFLOWER? IT'S LIKE SUNSHINE IN A GARDEN!

THE 'GIRLS' LOOKING OUT OF THE NESTS. CURIOUS CREATURES!

WOW! I LIKE THIS ONE! MRS. WREN'S HOUSE WITH A BEAUTIFUL COLOR COMBINATION OF MORNING GLORIES. I THINK THIS IS A NICE DECORATION FOR A BIRD'S FRONT DOOR!

I WAS NOT SORRY THAT I PLANTED NUMEROUS PACKAGES OF LATE-SEASON BARGAIN SEEDS (10c/pack), ALL AROUND THE RAISED BEDS.

I HOPE YOU HAD A LOVELY WEEKEND. Blessings, Lori

Weedin' With The Chickens!

The weather has been so warm! I took the opportunity after work tonight to do some more raking and weeding. Three hens joined me! My chickens are very personable. They are almost like pets!

Hoping to get a picture ready soon of my newest book--it is finally in print! THE CALL FROM A DISTANT FIELD is ready after a couple years of work. It is the third in my courtship fiction series. I wanted to get some copies in time for our church sale on March 25--a benefit sale for our missions in Uganda. It seemed an appropriate way to announce the book since the story takes place in Africa and the mission described in the book is involved in farming to feed the people. Our church has a similar mission in Uganda. I didn't know this when I wrote the book, since I was not attending this church at the time. It is such an amazing thing to me that I want to donate a book for the sale. The proof copy came through in an amazing 5 days--never before happened in my publisher's experience! It was a blessed effort, I am sure, since I found out about the benefit sale only days before the book was in the final stage of corrections. I am thanking the Lord for the results! Blessings, LORI

FINE FARM FILIGREE AND FOUR FAT HENS

A bunch of "volunteer" marigolds in the middle of the garden! Aren't they bright?

I love this bit of filigree from the English Garden. The trumpet vine finally took hold and grew this year. The birdhouse with the beard is about to be engulfed. I just love this scene!

Who are you and what are you doing on my farm?

Roast chicken!

The bean pole in the veggie garden. Lots of herbs, beans, morning glories, and marigolds.

We are headed for Colorado Springs soon to see our grandbabies! So excited about that! Lots going on in our lives with job opportunities and so on. Clint starts a new part time job as soon as we get back from our trip. I will be working more hours this fall as well. My book is in the final stages of prep for publication and I am anticipating starting on our church's worship team in a month or so after a 9 month leave from music! Lots going on and lots to be thankful for! Rhiannon begins harvest tomorrow. The changing of seasons is evident in the air--another year about to close. It doesn't seem possible, but we are thankful for the many wonderful changes we've experienced this year! Blessings, LORI

COUNTRY COLLAGE--Weekend scenes from our house and our new property!

Though a bit blurry, this is a campfire-grilled tribute to our favorite lifestyle!

Rhiannon holding the campfire treat--a bag of popcorn from her employer!

A hen party at the amazing squash-growing compost pile!

Rat-killing attempt in the chicken coop--second night in a row!

The first egg of the year!

Mom snipping beans while we sat around the campfire.

Where I think the house should sit at the new property!

A picture of me standing between the two tracts of acreage we recently purchased.

One of the "fence gates" at the new property.

A big, old apple tree on our new property!

This morning Clint preached at a small church nearby. We spent the rest of the day enjoying the goodness of the Lord's outdoors by having a campfire and taking a trip to our new property where Clint had recently cut paths with the tractor. Beautiful day! I hope your Sunday was restful and enjoyable as well! Blessings, LORI

BACK TO THE OLD WAYS

I decided to title this post, "Back to the Old Ways," in honor of not having a picture to post! I used to post long articles in the old days, with no pictures.

I've been so busy I haven't had time to do much but work. Last evening I picked a good bunch of wild black raspberries in the fencerows of our farm! I thank the Lord for those each year. They make the best jelly ever! It was peaceful out there and I got a good extended time of prayer in while I worked. However, the garb I had to don for that work is interesting indeed. Long pants, long shirt, bandana (I want to avoid ticks!), straw hat (same reason), bug spray, and boots. Why do the berries always ripen in the hottest part of the summer so you can be so comfortable in that get-up?

The brambles and bugs are both very thick. But last evening I had an easier time that usual. My hands were barely even stained and I came out of the patches relatively unscathed--until I turned across our field and headed toward the beautiful patches at the east side of our woods. The sun had already dipped behind the front of the trees and the mosquitoes literally chased me. I couldn't get back out into the field and into the sun fast enough. It was awful. We've had a lot of rain and I suppose that accounts for the onslaught!

Getting very close to the publication of my third book, "The Call From a Distant Field." I am excited, of course. I have a small amount of re-reading to do then it goes to the publisher who is currently working on the cover. I hope it is out by September. I will be speaking for a ladies' prayer group later this month and had originally hoped to have it by then--my own fault!

Will try to post pictures again soon. I have lots of projects going on. We are very busy right now and I've been putting in more hours at work. I love my job and so that's ok. I welcomed four new chickens to the farm last week and they are growing fast. Our barn sale was a huge success and we're glad to have everything cleaned out! Blessings, LORI

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE COUNTRY--PEARLS OF COUNTRY LIFE

My new chickens escaping the pen after I spent time trying to secure it this morning before work--DON'T LOVE THAT SO MUCH.....








Having to post a sign like this during our barn sale, because a good tractor is one of the most valuable things in the country......................












More yellow lilies--another variety bursting into bloom..........

We took a ride this evening to observe the gardens of our friends in the surrounding countryside and I got inspired for this blog post. Wish I had had my camera with me as I saw several pearls of country life along the back roads.......

Waving to a fellow farmer as he turned onto our road and the same country song was blaring from his truck as we had on in our car........

Crossing a dirt road bridge over a small creek where some girls had placed tiger lilies and butterfly weed in the handrails for decoraton......

Watching abundant wildlife and farm animals--deer, cranes, songbirds, calves, horses, kittens, dogs, and ducks...........

Passing no less than 4 different places where our ancestors owned fields and farms in the 1800's all within a few square miles.........

Coming home to my own comfortable farm!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you will remember to thank God for a wonderful country to live in this Independence Day! Blessings, LORI

BOUNTIFUL BLESSINGS!

"Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks." Deuteronomy 28:4

I just wanted to share some pictures of summer's bountiful blessings with you! The picture of the roaster full of corn was taken during our annual sweet corn freezing operation. Rhiannon's generous employer plants a whole field of corn for the families of employees! We are so blessed by that. I never have to raise sweet corn because of their generosity. The corn this year was exceptional! The ears were 100% filled out and HUGE! All the rain we've had has made the gardens overflow.

The next picture is of a few hills of potatoes that I dug this afternoon. The garden is getting weedy since it's been so hot that I failed to get out there like I should. I decided to dig a few hills so I had a clear path for tilling. I was absolutely amazed to see red potatoes this huge. I have never seen them like this. We had a potato for supper--yes, that's right, a single potato fed both Clint and I with some left over!

The last picture is of a supper I cooked a week or so ago that was all from our property except the corn. A beautiful plate of sliced tomatoes--nothing like home grown! The herbed potatoes were some of the many, many potatoes we have this year, the corn is from Rhi's employer, and the fried chicken is the first I cooked of the chicks we raised this spring. I was really proud of this supper! I felt like a real Proverbs 31 woman!

I am thankful that we live in a place where we can eat the good of the land and enjoy the blessings of God!

EVERYTHING'S COMING UP ROSES!

Just thought I'd show you a picture of my newest rose--a climbing Pinata! Isn't it lovely? We just put this plant in two days ago. It had several buds and I guess it is loving its new home from the looks of things. I've had so much trouble with my garden the last while that I almost hate to plant a nice new plant. It sometimes feels like I'm sentencing it to death. I have high hopes for this rose. My mom gave it to me and it's so pretty and healthy. Another rose planted in the same area flourishes, so I think we'll be ok.

I had an adventure this morning. I got up early and before everyone else was ready to help me and I moved 21 teenage chickens (actually middle aged chickens) from their cardboard condo in my barn to their more permanent home--the coop! Actually no home is very permanent for them since their lives are already about half spent. They are meat birds. I decided to venture out and raise a flock of birds to be butchered and put in the freezer this year. My laying hens will be ready to be picked up just as the meat birds are leaving the premises. It only takes 6-8 weeks for these birds to reach full maturity for butchering. I made a deal with a neighbor who gets laying hens (chicks) late in the spring. They are going to be about two weeks old when I pick them up. I'll get about 6 and pay him for raising them for a few weeks. It eliminates having to use the light on them and so on. A very good deal. Then by fall we will be having a consistent bunch of eggs every day.

As I was moving the chicks, of course they flapped, fussed, and carried on considerably. They tried to avoid me and didn't want to leave the only home they've ever known. It reminded me of how we are as people. Sometimes we think we know what's best for us and miss the VERY best by dragging our feet and resisting change. If these chicks could have known that they were leaving a crowded cardboard box set-up for a larger more comfortable home complete with grass and sunshine, they would have hurried into the portable cage for the trip! But instead, it took me a good deal of time to round them up, capture them one by one and force them to move. I put them in a dog cage, 5-7 at a time, and loaded them on the truck for a trip to the coop. Once there, they were obviously happy in the new surroundings. Aren't we like that? Sometimes we resist change in our church, our job, our home, our lives, when in all actuality change would be the best thing. I couldn't help identifying with them--I too am probably middle-aged! I was anxious for them to enjoy as large a portion as possible of their lives out in the sunshine and fresh air. Our weather has been too cold to move them before now. As I have written before, change is strongly associated with life. If you are living, you are changing. Change can be a positive thing. Ponder these thoughts and see if the Lord has been trying to get you to change in some area. Don't be like my chickens, too stubborn to move! Blessings, LORI

Miscellaneous!

Hi, everyone! I haven't had much to say this week, so no posts! That's a first! But here are a few pressed flower pictures that I finished yesterday. I am getting some items ready to sell since I will be speaking at a Lenten breakfast at a nearby church in about 10 days.


We've been really busy getting my mother-in-law ready to move out of her home of almost 50 years. The house sold after about 2 weeks on the market! It was amazing in this economy! We will be having an auction and that means lots of work for our family leading up to that event.


Plus all that, the time changed last weekend and now we are on daylight savings time for the summer. That means longer days to work! I cleaned out the chicken pen today and all around the coop in preparation for new birds. Many tall weeds had grown up last fall after the chickens were not there to scratch. I let them go and now that they are dried they were easy to pull. I am thinking about buying a group of meat birds in April and then laying hens in June.


I also cleaned off about half of the English Garden flower beds today. This is the first really nice day we've had that I could work outdoors. I also was able to take a walk and hang laundry on the line. We sure hope spring is here to stay!


Spent the afternoon in town looking at lots with my mother-in-law and meeting with a builder. She plans to have a new home put up and I am very happy for her. I remember all the excitement of getting my new home about 7 years ago. Lots of decisions and it keeps you busy!


May I encourage you to keep reading the Bible diligently in these days? So much is happening that threatens to change the course of our lives. The only steady things are those that pertain to God; things like love, the Word of God, His care for us, etc. An unshakeable stability is found in the truths of the scriptures. All the earthquakes going on around the world remind me that all that can be shaken is being shaken lately, or so it seems. Let's not be one of the things that can easily be shaken. Let your foundation be built on God's word. Blessings, LORI