home about archives blogfriends recipes cottage

Monday, February 28, 2011

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


Congratulations 
to Cindy at 

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 :)















Thursday, February 24, 2011

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


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 :)










Monday, February 21, 2011

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
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 :)




Thursday, February 17, 2011

Ice Storm 2005


It's time for
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 
..please do!
I will draw a winner on Monday Feb 28th.
Good luck!

Maura :)



LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...