Country Sundays--The Book

 Sunday Blessings

Country Whites Weekend #6--The Cover-up

Welcome to Country Whites Weekend!

We're having a party!

I look forward each month to visiting with each of you. . . .

Certainly glad you stopped by and will join Cindy and me 

for a weekend of inspiring posts from our blogging friends. . . .

Before

Before we party, I wanted to share with you my kitchen Pet Peeve. . . .

Yes, I said Pet Peeve--a constant irritation--

the one and only flaw--as I see it--in our farmhouse kitchen plan--

light switches and receptacles spread out all along the wall. 

They're such an eye sore. . . not grouped together. . . .

no rhyme or reason to it. . . .

a never ending challenge.

After

I was ill when the contractor wired the electricity. . . .wasn't around to keep an eye on it.

When I saw what he had done, I was almost sick again!

Instead of crying about it, I try to be innovative and hide them as much as possible.

My favorite cover-up--vintage platters!

They make charming backgrounds and are easily moved if a receptacle is needed.

In the above photos, you can see what a difference they make!

It's a plain and simple solution, but sometimes simple is best, isn't it?

I'd be curious to know if you have the same problem in your kitchen?
One of many things I so enjoy about Country Whites Weekend
is the sharing of ideas among friends.
I know I say it over and over again, but I AM so inspired by all of you!
So, let's see what you have to share this month!

Country Whites Weekend

The third weekend of every month…

Friday morning through Sunday evening.

Held jointly at

The Country Farm Home

&

Old Time Farmhouse 

Link here or there and you will show up on both blogs.

Features will be held the following Friday.

Be sure to check both blogs to see if your country whites have been featured.
You may link up to three posts!

Please Do:

Write your country whites post first and link back here to 
Country Whites Weekend with

Text or a link back using the Country Whites Weekend photo within your post.

Here at the party, be sure to link up your post url, not your blog url.

We’d appreciate it if you became a follower of both our blogs.

Take the time to visit at least 3 other party participants.

Please Don’t:

Link to shops, giveaways, parties and blog hops.

Link up something that you have already shared here.

Now, It's Time to Party!

Have a great weekend. . .

A Little Blog Spring Cleaning

Did you notice I did a little Spring cleaning?

I've been knee deep into clean-out, clean-up, simplify all around the farm for the last week or so. . . .It has actually been fun. . . .I'd grown so tired of walking in and seeing clutter everywhere.

How do you know when it's time for a change?

When you walk into your home (or other buildings) and don't smile. . . .

I wasn't smiling a whole lot. . . .

I was bogged down with "stuff."

So, I made the decision to do a thorough clean-out all over the farm. . . .
change to Plain & Simple everywhere--including new looks at

The Country Farm Home

and 

getting it accomplished for Country Whites Weekend
beginning tomorrow morning!

I certainly feel lighter and brighter already!

 I've only made a small dent in the task ahead for the farm. . . .

but so glad to have just a little bit of sanity online in my blogging world.

Doesn't take much to make me happy!

See you tomorrow for Country Whites Weekend linky party!
Til then, you'll find me with broom in hand. . .

. . .from my farmhouse to yours. . .

A Potting Bench for the Shabby Shed

Come with me. . .I have something to show you. . .

On our way, you might want to look once again at how we built the Shabby Shed. . . . and the story behind it. . . .Total cost. . . . $35!

Has it really been a whole year since we built this shed?. . . .How do the days go by so quickly? . . .We finished the shell of the building last summer. . . .and put together a potting table from a yard sale find. . . .That was about all the time we could spare. . . .We do have five acres of land and fourteen buildings to maintain. . . .Not much time for "playing". . . .

As I walked down our drive to the mail box--on a recent Spring day--it struck me that I rarely enjoy the blessings we have with the farm anymore. . . .It's not that I don't appreciate this legacy. . . .I do. . . .My mind is just too busy with keeping everything moving smoothly. . . .thinking ahead. . . .planning. . . .physical work, paper work, bills, phone calls, renovations, repairs.

On that particular morning it was breezy and sunny. . . .a beautiful day. . . .
The birds were singing--the wind was gently blowing through the trees. . . .
I could hear a tractor in the distance. . . .
I looked down at the gravel drive and suddenly I was transported back in time. . . .when I was growing up. . . .when I walked to the farm down gravel roads and enjoyed the silence of the day and the fragrance of
 cotton blooms. . . .

I loved going to the farm. . . .There was just something about it. . . .such a feeling of being a part of something bigger than my own little world. . . .yet, a peacefulness and a calm that's hard to explain. . . .I think I've said before that I relate to Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind, when she picked up that handful of Tara Plantation soil and held it to the sky. . . .
I've thought about doing the same thing. . . .But, that's another story. . . .

Well, I decided that Spring day that there will always be a long list of things to do around here. . . .I should do a little playing along the way. . . .After all, people pay money to come here and enjoy our way of life. . . .why shouldn't I?

This past weekend I had a few extra hours to do just that. . . .We didn't go junkin' away from the farm. . . .I went junkin' AT the farm. . . .

The result? . . . .A small potting area at the Shabby Shed. . . .
It's nothing fancy by any means. . . .I feel most at home with rustic farm style. . . .Plain & Simple. . . .After all, making-do was the norm. . . .not the exception. . .

Baby bed springs stored in the Widner barn by someone(?) makes a handy place for tools, seeds packets and such. . . .A great place to dry herbs, too. . .

The table below is small. . .but, enough room for me to work. . . .We bought it for $5 at a yard sale. . . .added a wider top with palette wood. . . .See A Typical Day for photos of that transformation. . . .

Found the white bowl and bee skep in Our Old Country Store. . . .The bowl has a little crack in it but will work just fine. . . .I love this bee skep. . . .tempted to take it indoors. . . .



Below the table. . . .pots and a watering can are handy. . .
Shovels and hoes within reach. . . .

 

The sun comes up on this side of the shed. . . .goes down on the opposite (of course). . . .The afternoons are shaded by the roof and catch any breeze coming our way. . . .a place of solitude. . . .of unwinding. . . .of reflection. . . .and now a place to "play". . . .

I love it! With the addition of a couple of vintage farm chairs, John and I can enjoy some time in the shade, looking out over the fields and bayou. . . .and I can start working on an herb garden for the log cabin. . . .You know me. . . .I'll be adding and tweaking and "making-do" all summer long. . . .Please do come back again!

Oh!. . . .I need to add one last thing before you go. . . .

Anytime

Don't forget. . . .

Country Whites Weekend starts this Friday, May 17!

Hope to see you there!

. . . from my farmhouse to yours. . .

Sharing this Post with: * Feathered Nest Friday * Be Inspired * Home Sweet Home * Simple & Sweet Fridays * Share Your Cup Thursday

Country Sundays--For Mom

Love and Miss You Bunches. . . .

To You and All Dear Sweet Mothers

Everywhere. . . .

I'm Dreaming of a White......Picket Fence

We've had a couple of beautiful, sunny Spring days. . . .It's my favorite time of the year to be outside. . . .Perfect for doing yard work. . . .and to finish projects started. . . . .five years ago?

If there's one thing John and I do well, it's finding bargains with the best intentions to go straight home and put them to work. . . .but then getting side tracked on something else. . . .We have plenty of plans, good intentions. . . .not enough time. . . .

Our white picket fence was one of those projects.

We bought all the parts and pieces five years ago at Lowe's, when they put summer items on sale. . . .paid $3 per section. . . .They were really trying to get rid of them, weren't they?. . . .We were more than glad to take them off their hands. . . .

All winter long I reminded John that this would be the year for the fence. . . .no matter what got in the way. . . .He was all for it, since he wanted them out of the barn. . . .Well, the weather hasn't cooperated much. . . .Looked like we might have a couple of pretty days this week. . . .So, we dropped everything and started working on that already five year old fence. . . .The rooster finally had something to crow about!

After a day and a half, our fence was up!. . . .True, it's not white. . . .yet. . . .and the arch has to be added. . . .but what a difference it made to the rose garden. . . .We both love it. . . .

Now, I can fill it with all kinds of shabby garden decor. . . .which means a trip to the barn to check what's on hand. . . .I've put off visiting the barn this Spring. . . .There's at least ten more projects there--waiting to be done--I know. . . .

Well. . . .we'll get to them one day. . . .I think that's called  "JOB SECURITY?"

. . . from my farmhouse to yours. . .

Sharing this Post with: *Feathered Nest Friday * Be Inspired * Home Sweet Home * Share Your Cup Thursday * Budget Decorating Party * Tweak It Tuesday * Make It Pretty Monday

After the Rain & Rose Petal Jam

 I was beginning to think it was gonna rain forty days and forty nights!

Yet, I knew something good would come of it. . . .Roses!

The sun did come out yesterday morning. . . .Aunt Mamie's roses were sparkling in the sunshine. . . .What a surprise!. . . .Made my heart go pitter-patter. . . .I grabbed my camera before the rain droplets disappeared. . . .

The bushes are absolutely covered with rose buds, ready to open for Mother's Day.
They never fail to be in full bloom for this special time of year.

Do you remember when everyone wore roses on Mother's Day?

Red roses if your Mom was still living. . . .

White roses if she was with the Angels.

My Grandmothers, Aunts, and Mom made our corsages
with roses picked from their own gardens. . . .

We'd wear them to church where the very air smelled of flowers. . . .

That's why Aunt Mamie's roses are so special to me. . . .We brought her five bushes to the farm a few years ago. . . .I'm almost certain a couple of them were my Grandmothers. . . .They're a sweet reminder of those precious ladies. . . .

Is it any wonder that I LOVE ROSES!

Speaking of which. . . .

What an unusual jam recipe I found. . . .

but I love trying new things, don't you?

Til Next Time!

. . .from my farmhouse to yours. . .

Sharing this Post with: * Feathered Nest Friday * Simple & Sweet Fridays * Home Sweet Home * Be Inspired Friday * Share Your Cup Thursday