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 :)

My One Year GIVE-AWAY!

Our Lilac Lane

On February 24th 2011

it will be one year since I 

started this Blog.

I still find it amazing that I actually

had the nerve to do such a thing.

But...I did it...and I've had a ball.

I have met some WONDERFUL 

people through Blogging..

made some friends..

I have even got to visit far away countries

without ever leaving the farm!

When I sat down and wrote my first post

and then hit that PUBLISH POST button

I didn't know what to expect.

I really figured that it would just go out

into Cyber Space and that no one would 

see it or find it interesting enough 

to leave a comment. 

I can still remember the thrill I got

from seeing that first comment!

Driving up the lane to the cottage

Catherine from 

Le Monde De Catherine

who lives in France

and has a wonderful Blog 

was the first person to leave me

a comment.

I was THRILLED!

She was so kind and helpful

and yet here she was....a stranger.

She told me where I could get pretty

backgrounds and then how to 

get music and she was the first blog 

I followed.

We are now good 'blogging' friends and

one day I hope that we will get the chance to

meet in person.

Blogging has opened up a whole new 

world for me.

Living way out in the country like we do

you sometimes feel a bit isolated

but Blogging has brought 

the world to me.

And for that I am truly grateful.

SO.

To celebrate my first year I am having a

GIVE-AWAY!

First there is a wonderful Banner

from 

Maryjane who's blog is called

The Beehive Cottage

Maryjane makes beautiful banners 

and tags and mini journals.

The winner may choose a banner

from Maryjanes collection!

She has quite a few to choose from.

Second I have a wonderful purse by

The Sak

It's a perfect size for taking to garage sales

or flea markets and you can slip it over

your head and shoulder so that you can

use BOTH hands to HUNT for treasures ;)

Third is a medium sized Journal

with an attached pen

that you could use for writing 

down idea's for your next

blog post ;)

Forth is a set of

3 pretty tea towels

and a dish cloth.

The tea towels have

cloth tabs on them so 

you can hang them up.

Fifth is a Russian Jade

Necklace with matching

Earrings.

The earrings have

stainless steel 

shepherd hooks

Sixth is a pretty Bookmark similar to these.

So...if you would like a chance to win

this is what you have to do.

1) Leave me a comment here telling me

when you first started blogging.

2) For a second chance to win...already be

a follower or become a follower.

3) For a third chance to win mention

my give-away on your blog or add

it to your sidebar.

The draw will be made on February 28th

THANK YOU to those who have found my blog

interesting enough to follow.

Maura :)