A little play on words. . .true. . .but I love this little sign I picked up in Missouri for only $7. . .It is perfect for my FARMHOUSE KITCHEN. . .I remember Grandmother swore by lard for her biscuits and her special recipe for tea cookies. . .Of course, the lard was processed outdoors in a big black 'witche's' pot over an open fire. . .FALL was hog killing time and making lard was just one of the activities surrounding this event. . .Only MEMORIES today. . .
We've been planning this floor for months now. . .hoping we could find someone to put it down for us. . .In this part of the country, there's a waiting list for up to two years with the few contractors around. . .This year alone we finished the breezeway porch by ourselves. . .We repainted the checkerboard floor in the keeping room by ourselves. . .We repainted the kitchen cabinets, hung new fans and chandeliers in the kitchen. . .by ourselves. . .We painted and hung new curtains in the bedroom. . .New windows throughout the house. . .plus all the maintenance required for the twelve buildings on our farmstead. . .all by ourselves. . .So you would think we'd get a break and not have to tackle the bathroom floor. . .
Life just doesn't work that way for us. . .but now that it's down, we are very proud of it. . .My goodness. . .just look at how much it added to the bath. . .I absolutely love it. ..
This is the last of this year's big projects. . .I think we ended the list with the best of all. . .AND we can SMILE and say. . .'WE DID IT!. . .Who needs a contractor anyway? . .(grin)
WOODENWARE and FALL just go together. . .at least for me. . .Their beautiful patina from years and years of use seem to add to the golden browns of the season. . .Not to mention the colors of our cotton fields that reflect the same woodsy feeling. . .and you all know how I love my cotton. . .
Just a couple more shots of our PLAIN AND SIMPLE FARMHOUSE STYLE. . .gearing up for two photo shoots coming soon. . .We finally finished the heavy work. . .and put down a new floor for the bath. . .I'll share later. . .Still so much to do and so little time. . .but I suppose each one of you could say the same. . .Life just gets busier and busier. . .doesn't it?
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| STRAW HAT AND ROSES |
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| PILLOWS, PILLOWS, PILLOWS |
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| GRAY, WHITE, BLACK, RED |
YOUR WON'T BELIEVE THE CHANGES I'VE MADE TO THE FARMHOUSE BEDROOM. . .with just a little gray paint on one wall. . .a 'new' vintage vanity. . .a change in bed linens. . .and, , ,
Maybe I have gone a little overboard but it seems everywhere I turn there are barnyard critters--the inanimate kind--to collect. . .and it's sure been fun to do just that. . . Afterall, this IS a farmhouse with a farmyard filled with barns and outbuildings. . .It's true. . .the only animal stock we have is Little Bit, the rescued cat who lives in--and thinks she owns--John's workshop. . .She roams the barns and buildings all day but at 4:00, she's ready for her treat and shows up on schedule. . .John trained her from a kitten to expect a treat at 4:00, so that he can lock her in the shop overnight. . .We have several coyotes roaming around that would love to have HER as a treat. . . How she knows the time, I have no idea. . .but she never fails.
Other than Little Bit, we have no other domesticated animals. . .We do have Sissy and Fred, the barn owls. . .And then there's Faith. . .the dove I nursed back to health a couple of years ago. . .But even though they fly around and 'talk' to us, they are still wild. . .and take care of themselves. . .
It wasn't always this way. . .There were mules, cows, horses, pigs, oxen, and chickens filling the two barns and the chicken coop. . .and roaming around a large pasture where we now grow our cotton. . .
I sort of miss all the animals of my childhood but not enough to own any now. . .Collecting tin, metal and wood ones are fine with me. . .
I HAVE begun staging other areas of the house for the COUNTRY RUSTIC magazine photo shoot in October. . .We have changed a few things. . .are painting a lot. . .and as I dig out accessories, I'm playing with how to display them. . .So I may share a few quick photos with you along the way, maybe without much of a story, but with lots of ideas. . .The house often looks different in photos than in the actual setting. . .As they say in the interior decorating realm. . .I'll be auditioning them to you. . .
As a side note. . .Yes, it HAS been a long time since I LAST blogged. . .but this Summer has been a whirlwind of unexpected happenings. . .We've had rain, wind, floods. . .and a drought. . .and another flood. . .Then out of the clear blue sky, the opportunity to buy a weekend home in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri popped up. . .but more about that later. . .And next was a mammogram that concerned the doctors. . .and more tests. . .ending with three biopsies. . .Ouch. . .We didn't breath for about a month while that was going on and were all relieved when the biopsies were non-cancerous tissue. . .I will be followed with a mammogram every six months for a while, though. . .I can deal with that. . .
Which brings me to the real reason I'm telling you my story. . .I started to keep it to myself but then decided . ."No. . .Others need to be encouraged". . .to get those mammograms done. . .I am now a believer. . .Radiologists have come a very long way in the last few years in their ability to detect changes which might be pre-cancerous or early cancer. . .In my case, there was NO MASS to see. . .There were only some indicators that there might be a problem. . .Had cancer been found, it would have been so early that the chance of cure was 97%. . .I looked at my own x-rays and believe me, there was nothing there for the untrained eye to see. . .Scary. . .But you sure won't catch me ignoring another mammogram!!!!!!. . .I'll be there with bells on. . .
How about you? . .Please don't ignore having a mammogram done. . .Don't wait until you can feel a lump. . .It's the first step and best detection of very early cancer. . .Your family and friends need you. . .Take care of yourself. . .
from: women welfare foundation
Okay. . .I'll get off my soap box. . .
And, I'll be back soon with snapshots of our projects. . .
Sorry I've been gone so long. . .
Over the past seven years, our vintage bathroom has taken on so many styles it's hard to imagine. . .I've shared them all with you and you can revisit those posts with links at the end. . .I have gone from rustic to cottage and back again, but one theme has remained. . .It's been FARMHOUSE all the way.
There's a reason for this. . .and it's simple. . .We live in a 1930s cottage farmhouse. . .and I believe in matching the decor to the era in which the house was built. . .It is not a new home with a farmhouse flair. . .It is not perfect in all ways either. . .The walls have cracks. . .The floors creak. . .The furniture speaks of a time past. . .The decor has evolved with REAL farmhouse items. . .and few reproductions. . .There is certainly plenty to choose from in our barns. . .
So many times I have looked at those older posts in which I proudly displayed our collections and thought, 'In reality, did they live with this much stuff'?'. . .My answer has always been, 'I think not.'. .For years I've thought it was probably because they had little money. . .which was often true but I think there were other reasons, too. . .
Most of our tenants and managers had large families. . .There was little room to spare. . .They didn't always have separate bedrooms either. . .Space was at a minimum and filled with the necessities. . .They utilized every room in the house daily. . These families were not trying to make a decorating statement. . .They were living the life and hard work of a farm family. . ..The farmhouses themselves were busy 'bee hives' of activity.
With that thought in mind, I have scaled down a lot. . .I have begun to look at each room with the actual use of it in mind. . .For example, the bath. . .filled with the necessities and not much more. . .A chair to sit in while changing clothes. . .A wooden tub filled with towels. . .and maybe for soaking tired feet. . .A bowl and pitcher for quick sponge baths. . .Soap and toiletries at the tub. . .Bags hung on the wall for dirty clothes. . .
There was only one more thing I decided I should add that isn't necessary but sure pleases the eye. . .No matter how basic the farmhouse was decorated. . .I remember flowers from the garden beds. . .or the wild ones from the ditch bank. . .brightening rooms. . .These memories come from my Grandmother who had a green thumb like few others. . .Outside and indoors, her home had color everywhere from her flowers. . .
I think I love this look more than any other. . .
There's another plus, too. . .Without the clutter, the bath is so easy to clean and quickly dust each day. . .That's a big plus in my book, because living on a working farm brings lots of dust and dirt our way. . .Each morning, a quick lick-and-a-promise is often all the house gets. . .as we head out to other chores. . .
I suppose you could say I'm still learning about living a simple life on our cotton farm. . .thanks to those who came before me. . .
