SUNDAY: Kindred Spirits

What happens when two farm gals at heart from OLD TIME FARMHOUSE and THE COUNTRY FARM HOME get together for the first time face-to-face? . .Well. . . .I think a friend of mine predicted the outcome when she heard John and I were going to Kentucky and would be spending a morning with Old Time Cindy. . ."POOR JOHN!!!!". . .She knew what would happen. . .She knew Poor John wouldn't be able to get a word in edgewise. . .

And she was just about right. . .Cindy and I talked and talked. . .laughed and giggled. . .shared our hearts. . .and found that we truly are Kindred Spirits. . .We've suspected it for a while. . .ever since we 'met' while blogging and began emailing back and forth. . .How long ago was that? . . Hmmm. . .about two years I think?

I was excited for days before John and I actually arrived. . .and when the moment finally came, Cindy and I started chattering like a couple of old friends. . .as if we'd known each other for a lifetime. . .John commented more than once after we left that she and I were acting just like sisters. . .so much to say. . .so much to share. . .no hesitation to discuss even the most personal matters. . .

Good Friend. . .Sister at Heart. . .Kindred Spirit. . .

Yes, that's what I found. . .but I wasn't surprised. . .

 

Cindy is one of those rare and special persons. . .kind and caring. . .thoughtful and talented. . .genuine. . .AND. . .John wants me to throw in" a good cook, too". . .He has talked non-stop about the lunch of homemade soup, the black bean veggie burger, hummus and veggie chips (Cindy and I both follow a vegetarian diet) and a delicious cherry cobbler for John. . .I hear "Be sure to get those recipes from Cindy" a lot these days. . ."Okay Dear, once I get the internet back."

 

A Christmas Gift from Old Time Cindy. . .She made the scented red heart. . .
and there's homemade soap inside. . .I'll show the other gift sometime in the future. . .
She knows what I love. . . .

The time we spent together was too short. . .but it won't be the last. . .We're adopting each other by-the-way. . .because it's really true. . .Sisters aren't always by blood. . .Sometimes it's simply a meeting of the hearts. . .Kindred Spirits. . . .Someone you feel you've known forever. . .and hope to know better in the future.

There will be more trips. . .of that I'm sure. . .There's so much to share. . .and so little time. . .We have an awful lot of catching up to do. . .

If you haven't met Cindy at OLD TIME FARMHOUSE, you should. . .

As John noted when we drove off,

"SHE'S A KEEPER". . .

You know, there are moments in life when the heart is deeply touched. . .when a person knows that lives are woven together one with another. . .Blogging is such a wonderful place to see this happen over and over. . .Last Fall I was thrilled to meet yet another special lady who has followed The Country Farm Home and has been a source of encouragement to me. . .Rebecca lives less than an hour from here but I never would have met her had it not been for blogging. . . That's the amazing part of it. . .getting to know others. . .bonding. . .sharing. . .realizing we are not alone in our uniqueness. . .There are others who are just as unique but whose spirits speak to ours. . .

And. . .that was as far as I got writing this special post  way back on December 9. . .We had returned from Kentucky late December 8. . .By the time we unpacked the next day. . .shipped some loom orders. . .answered emails and phone calls. . .the day was pretty much gone. . .I was determined to get a post on the net the next day bright and early. . .to tell you of our adventure. . .when suddenly I had no internet. . .No storm. . .No power surge. . .just no internet. . .The rest I think you know. . .So, before the holidays were totally over, I had to share this story with you. . .It may be old news but I'm still smiling. . .

 

Thank you, Cindy, for opening your heart and home to this Farmer's Daughter.

It was a perfect day. . .

Sure wish I could visit with each one of you in person, too. . .We never know what Life will bring us, though. . .One day you may see an Arkansas car pulling into YOUR drive. . .

 

I so love surprises. . .don't you? (wink)



HEART-FELT SUNDAY HUGS to ALL

 

 

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

The packages are wrapped and loaded into the cart. . .

Sweet goodies are ready and waiting for our Christmas dinner. . .

The fire roars in the keeping room. . and Christmas music plays in the background.

Boo is sound asleep in his chair. . John is not far behind him. . .(grin)

I'm filled with Christmas Joy as I look on. . .

thinking what a true Farmhouse Christmas this is. . .

and feeling so Blessed. . .Who could wish for more. . .

 

Wishing You Many, Many

Farmhouse Christmas Blessings, too.

and Hoping that

All Your Wishes Come True

 

 

 

Ok. . .So I do have one more wish. . .

That I'll soon be back on the internet. . .and visiting with all my friends again. . .

Yes. . .Our net has been DOWN for weeks. . .but we hope to return after the New Year. . .

Maybe you could put a good word into Santa for us? (chuckle chuckle)
 



SUNDAY: In the Spirit of Christmas

The Christmas decorations at Bruton Parish Church are always gorgeous. . .

and reflect such a lovely spirit of Christmas. . .

As I step inside, they take my breath away. . .No photos can do them justice. . .the aroma of evergreens and beeswax candles fill the air. . .No matter which direction I turn there is a photo opportunity. . .So come along and visit with me. . .be inspired with evergreen wreaths and roping. . .candles and poinsettias. . .impeccable restoration and beauty. . .

 

Bruton Parish Church is located in the restored area of Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia, USA. It was established in 1674 by the consolidation of two previous parishes in the Virginia Colony, and remains an active Episcopal parish.

 

History walked here. . .for Bruton Parish was the church of many of this Nation's Founding Fathers. . .George Washington, Patrick Henry, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Richard Henry Lee, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., George Wythe, Francis Lightfoot Lee and Carter Braxton,  George Mason. . .

I've walked here many times, too (not that I'm famous lol). . .sat in the pews. . .worshiped in the services. . .spent many lunch hours in the quiet and stillness. . .and often heard voices from the past whisper in my ear. . .

 

Forgive me for the history lesson and personal experiences. . .Sometimes I can't help myself.

 

Christmas at Bruton Parish is a very special time. . .the true spirit of Christmas abides and it's celebration is displayed in part by the gorgeous decorations and attention to detail. . .See for yourself. . .I'll leave you to ooh and aah. . .

 

 

 

 

SUNDAY BLESSINGS

from the Colonies

 



Loom Scrap and Christmas Stars

Sometimes John surprises me. . .He gets the make-do spirit and comes up with a winner. . .I think I've told you before that he's an 'in-the-box thinker'. . .I'm the dreamer of the family. . .but I think I might be rubbing off on him after all these years. . .

 

He has tons of left-over wood scrap (sticks) from his loom making. . .We've used them in the garden and to stake the location of tree seedlings. . .We've found a few other uses, but mostly the wood has been stacking up into a huge mound.

 

A week or so ago, he was saying he had way too much left-over wood, so I suggested he do something with it--thinking he should put it on the burn pile. . .Well, he wasn't thinking burn pile. . .His mind was going in another direction. . .A few days later I walked into the garage (which right now is an over-sized storage room), turned on the lights, and literally saw STARS. . .little stars. . .medium stars. . .large stars. . .

 

 

John calls them Christmas Stars. . .I say we'll use them the year round--not just at Christmas--but since he made them we'll call them Christmas Stars. . .I've seen these at craft shows and in magazines. . .The concept is nothing new. . .And these aren't glamour shots I've taken of them. . .My purpose was to show you how easy they would be for anyone to make. . .

 

Cut the strips to the desired length

Play with the arrangement

(Notice that one end is under and the other end is over)

Don't try to make them perfect

Use short wood screws to hold them together

You're done!

 

I have the larger stars turned to the back so you can see where he placed the screws. . .When flipped around the screws aren't visible--as in the smaller background star above. . .If you leave them outside for a while, they will weather to soft gray. . .or you can stain or paint them. . .add twinkle lights if you want. . .I don't know exactly how I'll decorate with them. . .guess you'll have to wait and see. . .(grin)

 

 

 I'm so proud of John. . .

He might just shape up into an 'in-the-box' person, too.

His only comment has been,

"Even an old dog can learn new tricks."

I'm not sure that's the way the saying goes, but I sure won't be the one to tell him.

I like the way he's thinking. . .

 

 

 





The Country Farm Home Christmases Past

I made a discovery as I began looking for a photo for the Christmas header. . .

 



vintage farmhouse décor seems so versatile and always in style. . .I rarely buy new decorations each Christmas.  I simply go to the cupboards, the attic, the barns, the garden house--anywhere I might find make-do items. . . I do keep an eye on the trends and sometimes tweak them to my style. . .I believe any time you decorate, it should make you happy. . .make you smile. . .eye candy for your heart. . .

 

Vintage Farmhouse Christmas décor is timeless. . .whether done two years ago or last week. . .It all fits. . .which is why I'm sharing links with you today to Christmases past at The Country Farm Home. . .I was finding inspiration myself as I reviewed a few old posts, so I thought you might, too. . .Let's face it. . .Few of us look at old posts. . .such a shame because every blog is filled with inspiration from past Christmases. . .With easier access, they can be a huge source to get the ole creative juices flowing. . .

 

So here's Christmases in Review. . .Hope you'll take the time to click on the links and visit a few of the most popular Christmases posts. . .Not enough time? . . .Then enjoy the photos below. . .They put me in the Christmas Spirit. . .Hope they do the same for you. . .

THE TABLE IS SET FOR A HOLIDAY DINNER

This was my all time favorite table setting

and a hit with our guests. . .

They couldn't believe I put a bucket and boots on the table. . .
 

 

WARM AND COZY

I remember this was an impromptu idea one day while doing a little fire cooking. . .
 

 

 HOLIDAY CHRISTMAS IN BED

A Christmas treat for my Honey. . .

It includes a recipe link for my original recipe for Moon Pie Bread Pudding. . .
 







FARMHOUSE CHRISTMAS STYLE

I made some pretty unusual choices to decorate the cupboards. . .

but it's been my favorite. . .

 



 

 

FARMHOUSE WHITE CHRISTMAS

Another table setting that was a hit. . .all white and gold, crystal and china, memories and fun. . .
 







GREEN THE WHOLE YEAR ROUND

Fresh evergreens are my favorites to decorate with. . .

very simple to fill a crock or carrier with them and add vintage kitchen tools. . .

How easy is that?





 

 A LITTLE BIT OF CHRISTMAS IN THE BEDROOM

The theme for the entire house was natural objects, brown paper wrappings,

evergreens, red birds, lots of white and bright. . .
 



CHRISTMAS GERANIUMS & SWEET LITTLE BIRDIES

My love of geraniums inspired this post. . .



BY THE FIRESIDE

Another of my favorites because it was something I did special for us. . .

an evening by firelight, spiced bread and hot cider, candlelight, plump pillows, soft throws. . .Christmas music in the background. . .We decided to make this a  yearly tradition. . .
 

 

I can see--and I'm sure you can--that my photo taking and editing has improved over the years. . .Practice does make perfect. . .Although I haven't reached perfection, I have enjoyed the challenge and learned so much. . .I have so loved sharing this journey with all of you. . .Hope there will be many more years to come. . .

 

Thanks for strolling down memory lane with me. . .

Hope it gives you a little inspiration in making your own Christmas  a special one.

 

 

 

SUNDAY: It's a Man Thing

 

Mary Zarick has provided us with a hilarious story this Sunday. . .Since I'm about 75% Scottish, it especially hit my funny bone. . .but it's a story you don't want to miss. . .no matter what nationality you come from. . .
 

"Lay down what’s bothering you, breath in the fresh air

and LISTEN  to this story as told by an avid piper."

 

"As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Nova Scotia back country.
As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical man,

I didn't stop for directions.
  I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch. I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late.
I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play.  
The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around.  I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played like I've never played before for this homeless man.
And as I played "Amazing Grace", the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished, I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head was hung low, my heart was full.
  As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, "I never seen anything like that before, and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."
Apparently, I'm still lost....it's a man thing."                        

 

 



A Discovery: Bowl Butter for the Wooden Bowl Collection

 

Bet that got your attention, didn't it?

BOWL BUTTER? . .Yes . . .I've discovered bowl butter. . .and just in time, too. . .

 

Each year when Thanksgiving approaches, I pull out my bowl collection. . .I truly love wooden bowls--on the watch for them everywhere I go. . .When I started collecting, they were fairly inexpensive. . .Every now and then I do find a prize at thrift stores. . .but mostly the antique malls and shows are where I see the vintage bowls. . .All I do is admire them--way too out of my price range. . .Luckily, I have more than plenty. . .I probably need to sell some but cannot part with even one. . .

 

 

It's not officially the holidays without wooden bowls. . .They are so versatile and speak of times past. . .their patina aged over the years. . .something you can't reproduce. . .

 

Every Fall I go about gathering the collection for cleaning and oiling. . .That's the thing about wood, it tends to dry out in our hot summers and does need some care. . .In the past, I've used food grade mineral oil to protect the wood. . .This year I've tried something different. . .something I initially found on Pinterest. . .(How did we live without Pinterest years ago?)

 

  from creative culinary

 

I call it BOWL BUTTER. . .  Others call it WOOD BUTTER. . .and  some call it SPOON OIL. . . Whatever name you pick, this stuff is fantastic! Only two ingredients--beeswax and food grade mineral oil. . .easy. . .somewhat messy to make but it's worth it. . .I plan to never be without it again. . .I think it would work well on anything wood. . .including furniture. . .One lady uses it on her dry, chapped hands.

 

Look at the difference it's made with my own collection. . .from these very dry bowls. . .

 

 

to these BUTTERED ones. . .

 

 

Look how they shine. . .

 

I could have lightly sanded the original finish on some of them. . .but I didn't. . .I do love the bare spots, stains and dents. . .evidence of much use. . .These were the work horses of every Farmhouse. . .I love to be reminded of that. . .

 

 

For step-by-step Instructions to make your own Bowl Butter,

check out the tutorial at  CREATIVE CULINARY

This would make a nice Christmas gift for someone, too.

 

Speaking of the holidays, I can hardly believe Thanksgiving is this week. . .but there it is on the calendar. . .John will be smoking turkeys and hams at the church. . .The men's group has orders for hundreds of them. . .definitely an over-nighter for John. . .The good news is, I won't have to cook our turkey this year since he'll be bringing one home. . .but I will be cooking and baking all the extras. . .This will be a busy week for all of us, won't it? . .Family, friends, food, road trips, shopping. . .Well, however you celebrate. . .we're sending. . .

 

Have a simply wonderful week

. . .from our FARMHOUSE to yours. . .
 

SOS: Can Anyone Help Me?

 

I'm pulling my hair out with EMAIL ISSUES---and I need all the hair I can keep. (LOL)

For the past SEVERAL months, I have had the problem of returned emails,

especially when I try to REPLY to your Comments.

I reply. . .Many come back to me UNDELIVERED.

Same with some of the comments I make on YOUR BLOGS.

 

It's frustrating because as we all know, if ya don't SOCIALIZE your followers may think you don't care. . .and the thing is I DO CARE about ALL of you. . .I'm able to read your comments on my blog--and I do read every one of them. . .BUT. . .my replies are often returned.

 

I have researched and tried all I can find to do online. . .

Might help for a week or so but doesn't stick.

I'm not a tech-y kind of person but I do understand the basics.

It's interesting that many returns are from Yahoo--which is my own email host.

You would think they could get it right.

I've read all of their Trouble Shooting help and tried to contact them.

Nothing has worked so far.

 

IDEAS ANYONE?

I would appreciate any insights you might have.

 

In the meantime if you don't hear from me,

please know that my emails to you may be in the DEAD LETTER box

somewhere out in cyber space. (grin--frown)

 

The 'safest' is to COMMENT BELOW,

since I read your comments on the post itself.

 

or

TRY EMAILING ME with any help:

backatthefarm1938@yahoo.com

 

Thanks so much ahead of time!

You're the GREATEST