We Have A Winner!...And Flea Market Trip

Congratulations 

to Cindy at 

APPLE STONE COTTAGE!

You're the winner of my 

First Year Give-Away.

Choosing the winner was a bit 

different than I had planned.

I was going to get DH to pull a

name out of the hat this morning

but I forgot that he was going to 

have lunch with his daughter on his

way home from work so would be late.

I was willing to wait.

However...as I got up to run to the bathroom

I knocked over the hat with all the names.

As I was coming back to the computer I saw

a little fuzzy feline running off with 

one of the names!

By the time I caught up with her she had

dropped the paper and had run off.

A light bulb came on and I thought

WHY NOT!

So Cindy...this is how your name was chosen.

THANK YOU

EVERY ONE

who took the time to enter!

Thank you also to those who have 

been with me since the beginning and 

who have faithfully followed along

on this adventure.

And to those who have just

joined up for the ride...

I look forward to seeing your

comments and I hope you 

enjoy your visits to our cottage in the country.

I look forward to many more happy

adventures together!

:)

Last month DH and I made it to the large

flea market that happens

every month except for July and August

not far from our home.

There were quite a few booths missing

this time but the weatherman had been

predicting bad weather so that probably explains it.

I had been looking for a large white enamel

pitcher but never did see one.

I did see lots of other items...

some even came home with us.

I love these teddies above

made from old worn quilts.

They may be raggedy to some

but to me they have history.

I love that old worn soft look.

And for $6.50 for both of them

I couldn't resist!

I also love aprons and this one

caught my eye right away.

Look at those hankie pockets!

See the button at the top?

How cute!

My favorite find was this mailbox.

It's an old one and attached to an

old farm hedge post!

It still has the name of the

original owners on the side.

The letters are pretty faded but in the sun

you can just make it out.

This baby will have a special place 

in the picket fence garden this summer.

I can't wait to get started planting

but I have to be patient.

So

CONGRATULATIONS 

again to Cindy!

Please send me an email 

with your mailing address etc.

:)

I hope you all have a wonderful week

and HEY...tomorrow is the 1st of March.

Spring will soon be here!

Maura :)

Wishy Washy Weather And Farm Friend Friday

I doubt I'm the only one who finds this

time of year frustrating.

One day it's beautiful and 78.

The next it's cool and foggy!

The last couple of weeks have been like this.

A mixed bag. Wishy Washy.

One day you're in Capri pants and tank top

and doing yard work

and the next you're back to jeans and sweater

and snuggled in front of the fire!

Home made Taco Soup and Corn Bread weather

Today we have a winter storm warning

with a 90% chance of

freezing drizzle.

Figures.

See the flock of Red Winged Black Birds on the tree tops in the distance?

Lizzy and Olly snuggling near the fire

Socrates the scarecrow waiting for spring in the background

The day after the chilly foggy day it was

78 and warm enough to hang the laundry

out to dry and catch a few rays!

Chelsea enjoying the warm weather with her buddy 'mousy'

Shep being 'King Of The Castle'

Buds on the lilacs the other day

It was so nice out that I took the opportunity

to do some pruning on the fruit trees

in anticipation of THIS....

Peach and plum trees last April

Cherry Blossoms on the farm

Peach

Garden shed/chicken coop

I guess I shouldn't complain as this

wishy washy

weather is something we have to endure

in order to get to SPRING.

Sometimes though...you just want it to come

a little sooner.

How's your weather?

I'm joining my good blogging buddy

Amy over at Verde Farm for

Farm Friend Friday

I hope you will hop on over and visit Amy

and Richie on their beautiful farm in

West Virginia

and check out all the other fun bloggers

taking part.

You'll have a great time...I promise!

Enjoy your day.

Maura :)











Mosaic Monday

Lilac Lane Cottage

It's hard to believe that in approximately

a month and a half the lilacs will be

starting to bloom again.

Early April 2010

Last week we enjoyed beautiful

spring temperatures

which fooled us into 

thinking spring was in the air.

On Sunday we enjoyed another

beautiful warm day 

but today it just barely got above freezing.

Just starting to open last April

Our Lilac Lane in April

Nearly opened

It's hard to be patient when you 

know that these beautiful

blossoms will

soon be

filling the air with 

their sweet scent.

"I am thinking of the lilac trees,

That shook their purple plumes,

And when the sash was open,

Shed fragrance through the room."

Mrs Anna S. Stephens - The Old Apple Tree.

I am joining with Mary at 

Little Red House for

Mosaic Monday

I hope you'll visit the lovely Mary and visit 

all the fellow bloggers taking part this week.

I hope your week is a wonderful one filled with

warm sunny days. If not...just remember

spring isn't far away.

Maura :)

Ice Storm 2005

It's time for

Farm Friend Friday

over at 

Verde Farm!

Today we spent the afternoon trimming trees

here on the farm that had been damaged 

a few years back by a severe ice storm.

This brought back a lot of memories for us

and so I thought I would post about it. 

This winter has been a tough one for most of us

here in the USA and Canada and overseas. 

Some places have been hit heavy by snow storms

that just keep coming and I'm sure we 

wonder if it will ever end.

So far here in Kansas we have had our share 

of snow and storms and even

a little ice....

but nothing compares to the winter of 2005.

This is what I saw around 9pm out our French doors.

It started around 4pm with rain turning to 

freezing drizzle.

By 8pm it started to sound like a war zone.

At first I heard what sounded like a loud crack

somewhere near the house. 

Then there was another and another right 

outside the window.

This was no little branch breaking...these were limbs!

My hubby had left for work around 3:00 pm so I was

alone ...and I was scared and I was worried for him.

We lived in the city at the time and we had HUGE

elm tree's on our 1 1/2 acres.

One very huge tree grew very close to the house 

with HUGE limbs that grew out OVER the house.

I figured it was only a matter of time before 

one of those limbs would come crashing 

through the roof.

Thank heavens that didn't happen...but the aftermath

looked like a war zone.

Hubby made it home safely but it was slow going

as the roads were treacherous.

The next morning we were shocked to see just 

how much damage the storm had done...everywhere

 you looked there were huge limbs either down or

hanging broken from the trees.

I couldn't hold back the tears.

Those beautiful old trees!

That whole day was spent talking to neighbors and 

surveying the damage but thank goodness no 

one was hurt or had their homes severely damaged.

The next day it was a whole different scene...the sun 

came out and the damage was transformed into

a glittering world of sparkling crystals.

This tree above is a Chinese Elm and was right out front of the house.

Not one limb was broken...the limbs and branches bent instead of breaking!

The other elms were American Elms that grow more upright.

This last photo is of the most severe damage

we received to the house other than bent gutters, 

bent fencing, bent BBQ shelf and chair.

All in all we were pretty fortunate.

Now we just hope and pray that this winter

goes out like a lamb. 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend 

(with NO snow) and for 

those of you who haven't entered my 

Give-Away 

..please do!

I will draw a winner on Monday Feb 28th.

Good luck!

Maura :)