PIcket Fences

These are a few photo's of our former home.

We built the porch and picket fence and arbor ourselves.

Some of these photo's have been re-posted.

(You can click on the photo's and  they will enlarge)

Don't you just love picket fences. There's something very 'cottagy' about them...a home with a picket fence looks cozy and inviting...a place you want to spend time at.

Pair a picket fence with a garden...and it's pure HEAVEN! I had a house like that with a picket fence and arbor that my hubby and I built ourselves. It was a labor of love.

I miss that picket fence and garden and arbor. We have a plan though for here at the farm. If all goes well we will build another picket fence and arbor and flower garden here at our little farm cottage.

I can't wait!

I hope you enjoy warm weather and soft breezes and the scent of spring 

at your 'cottage' today. 

Old Barns

I LOVE this old barn. It's made partly of stone and built into the hill. The hill is on the north side

so the animals would be very cozy in the winter.

(You can click to enlarge the pictures)

This February we had to drive to Kansas City. I took my camera along for the ride as I knew there were a few old barns I wanted to get photo's of. I LOVE old barns...they are HISTORY. If barns could talk can you imagine the stories they would tell!

Old barn "yep I remember way back just after I was built in 1889 seeing old Mrs. Fidler out there

with a broom fighting off that mean old rooster every day until one day

he ended up in the stewpot....". 

This is a HUGE stone barn that has 4 stories. To get into the big red door out front (main floor) you travel up

a dirt ramp and on the long right side of the building there is a door that you can drive right into the lower floor or basement below.

I just had to take a few photo's of windmills.

I want one so bad I can taste it!

Another old barn with a stone foundation and partial stone walls.

Ok this isn't a barn it's a stone school house. But what you're not seeing here (because I was too slow)

is that it had two outhouses...a girls and boys!

Wouldn't you just love to have THIS on your property.

This poor old barn isn't in good shape nor is the house,

but I loved the cupola.

The date on it reads 1911

I LOVE this farm. Who'd have thought Kansas would have rocky hills like this!

See that thing in the middle of the photo and a bit to the left?

It's this....

THIS is what m 'farmboy' wants to make!

I don't care what kind of windmill I end up with

as long as I END UP with one.

This poor old barn has seen better days.

If we don't get to ours soon it will look like this one.

Must be a pumpkin farm!

This is the top of an old L shaped barn in our little 'home' town.

It has 4 cupulas on it! One day I'll get over there and get some good pictures of it.

This is our old barn. It's not fancy but it's a barn and it's old

which makes me happy.

We have an old barn and an old corn crib but they aren't very pretty to take pictures of

as years ago someone put tin over the wood and tar paper.

I guess that was to stop the wind blowing through the gaps.

The old barn is in bad shape on one side as termites have been allowed to eat away at the old wood

on the lean-to. Our plan is to repair the damage and tear that tin off.

I love the 'Dutch' doors.

I hope you have enjoyed looking at the old barns. I know not everyone likes old beat up buildings as much as I do but I'm sure there are a few of you out there.

And for those of you who don't admire old buildings...I hope you enjoyed a little bit of Kansas scenery.

Have a wonderful and safe day!

A Few Of My Favorite Things

The clock my 'farmboy' bought for me one Christmas and the rooster

I found at a garage sale years ago for $10. They had two of them...I still kick myself for not buying the other one!

I thought I'd share with you just a few random photo's of 'things' from around our little farm cottage. Some are things I've found at garage sales and some are 'treasures' that are dear to me and I've had for years.

My Ironstone collection (part of it). Every piece was bought at garage sales!

The platter is Spode from the late 1800's that I paid $12 for. It has a crack but is still sturdy.

I LOVE this platter! The two shallow bowls are from the mid 1800's. The Pinwheel candle

holders were my mothers.

Catherine this photo is for YOU! The Eiffel Tower was bought from the little shop

ON the Eiffel Tower. These Blue Willow dishes I've had since about 1980

These two photo's are of the sheer curtains in my dining and living rooms.

I love the embroidery on them.

This pint mug means a lot to me. It was taken from a Pub in England around D Day

by my father. He even brought home a half pint mug too!

(Naughty)

It was during this time that he met my Mum.

Here's a close-up of the pint symbol

I hope you've enjoyed seeing a few of my favorite things. I'll show you more one day soon.

Take care and have a WONDERFUL week!

Thoughts Of England And Missing My Sister

Pictures that remind me of England....and my sister

Last Month it was 11 years since I last saw my sister Janet. She lives in England in a small village not far from London. If you have been reading my blog the last few months you'll recall that I only discovered I had a sister in 1991...which was quite an unexpected shock but also one of the happiest days of my life.

I have seen Jan 5 times since then...thankfully for a couple of weeks each visit. You can cram

a lot of missed years into a couple of weeks..let me tell you.

When Jan first came to see me way back in Oct 91 I lived in British Columbia Canada in a small

ski village in the mountains.

We did a lot of sight seeing when she was there...she saw water falls and lots of beautiful sights while travelling logging roads and mountain roads in Provincial Parks all around our area.

We had a wonderful time. She returned with her husband and son the following summer and then once more by herself a few years later.

My daughter Angie and I travelled to England in 92 and then in 99 I went by myself.

That was the year Jan took me to Paris! 

 April in Paris...oh my!

(one day I will post about it)

I now live on a little farm in Kansas and I am really looking forward to

having Jan visit us. 

It is a wonderful feeling when Jan and I get together

 it's like a little piece of ourselves that was missing has been found

once again.

The bad part is saying goodbye as we know it will be a long time until we see each other again.

It's been much too long since we sisters have been together

and I'm feeling the 'need' to put my arms around her

and feel her love.

Hopefully one day soon we'll get that chance. 

'A Sister Is One Who

Reaches For Your Hand

And

Touches Your Heart'

Author unknown