Farmhouse Friday Week 6 - Be Mine Valentine

 

Happy Valentine's Day (Al bought me these roses, Oreo cookies and Funyuns - teehee).  

What's going on at the farmhouse this week?

Monday was baking - sourdough and pretzel sourdough bread, sourdough discard coffee cake. 

Tuesday was Ladies Bible Study at my house (why I did baking) and working at the office/shop, lot drop of listings.

Wednesday was leisure day...ahaha 

Thursday was going to Orthopedic Surgery Center day.  I met with the surgeon now 4 months since surgery.  He seemed pleased with my progress and how I am healing.  I told him my little prepared speech about how good of job he did on me considering all my other issues.  He agreed aqua therapy best for me.  I start Monday.  

Friday was sister's tea day.  I made chicken salad, tomato soup, green salad with homemade croutons, fruit salad, brownies and orange craisin scones.  

Here is the recipe:

Orange & Craisin Scones

2 C flour

1/2 C sugar

1 T baking powder

1/2 t salt

Mix together and use a cheese grater for cold butter

1 stick butter (1/2 C)

use pastry blender until little chunks appear

Zest of 1 orange

1 t Vanilla

1 egg

1 C craisins

1/2 - 3/4 C heavy cream (add until comes together)

I find heavy cream makes best scones.  Try not to handle it too much, heat from your hand will melt the little chunks of butter.  You can roll into a disc and cut in traditional scone shapes for large scones.  I did 1/4 C measure balls and flattened down with hand - makes 12 scones.  Bake on parchement paper, brush each with heavy cream, bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.  Lightly brown on top and bottom.  Orange glaze is powdered sugar mixed with the juice from the 1 orange and small amount of zest.  When scones cool, drizzle on top.  

My plate we made with the grands.  I love it.

Maybe the groundhog was wrong.  We've had beautiful warm (high 30-40's) here.  We have a south facing deck that we added just over a year ago.  It is always so warm out there.  I actually challenged myself to use my walker and get out there and enjoy some vitamin D.  Since my challenging mobility issues of almost a year now, this has been my "spot."  

Now I need to find a way to get over there....in the greenhouse.  

I had some weak moments on Monday with my challenges in the kitchen and baking.  I wasn't full of faith at all.  It even carried over into Tuesday at my work.  I had a customer come in and I shared my negative thoughts about my disease (not shining my light).  He quickly came back with 2 stories that lifted my faith.  As dark as my moments sometimes feel, there is always something or someone's situation that can be darker.  I've tried to "let my light shine" through all this, but some days are harder.  

I don't know about all the crazy news....horrible, unbelievable things...but, I'll have you know....when I believed it before the "files" came out...some said I was crazy.  I can NOT tell you how many "you were right Jacky's" I received this week.  Oh, there is more "Jacky is right about."  Jacky learned not to share them with everyone.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Farmhouse Friday Week 5 - For the Vintage Shop Hop

 

Oh it was a "puttering" kind of week.  I can't believe it's already Friday!  Nothing too exciting happening at my farmhouse this week.  Well, nothing that the rest of you aren't doing too.

We did start something fun for our online estate sale business:  Town Hall Trinkets Online Estate Sales  We do Tuesday night "lot drops" (lots that we 'drop' on our Facebook group feed at 7 pm).  For fun in February, I thought of JUNKO like BINGO.  Each customer, who wants to participate, makes a JUNKO card like this

Each fills in their own squares with items that they think we might have for sale in the "lot drop."  If you have JUNKO you bring it into the shop for 10% off an item.  If you have JUNKO and you actually said SOLD on an item from the "lot drop" to purchase, you get 25% an item.  These will be redeemed at the Vintage Shop Hop Event on March 6 and 7.  

Did you see the February 2026 calendar?  Equal numbers of days that fill first Sunday through last Saturday of the month.  I think this is so cool.  

My favorite quote this week from my daily devotions.  Something to strive for.

After our wet felting last week, I decided to make some Spring or Easter felted art for the Vintage Shop Hop.  I came up with these heads (I had some round balls made already for pumpkins-wink, wink) that I plan to do something cute with.  I will share the finished ones later, closer to the event.  

We finished "The Durrells of Corfu" this week.  We so enjoy taking a little break in the afternoon and watching an episode or 2.  It's been my favorite part of the day.  Normally, Al doesn't like shows like these.  However, the one's we've picked, he likes!   We had no idea this was based on a real family.  At the Vintage Shop Hop, I will have several pieces of vintage clothing that look very much like Louisa Durrell's style.  

So yesterday, we started Poldark.  We are getting into this one as well.  I know, we could do something more productive.  My broken femur recovery, IMB disease, -45 below, snow, Winter in Wisconsin isn't just our excuse.  January and February are our well deserved break from all the time we spend doing things outside all Spring, Summer and Fall.  

I really miss the sauna!  Al is trying to figure out a ramp into it for me.  In addition to a bar that goes across in front of the furnace (wood fired) so if I trip, I don't fall into it.  I've been walking more with the walker, but this morning tweeked my back and can only think of how good a sauna would feel and heal.  He is in the sauna now.....perfect day, 32 and dusty light snow.  

This was my week.  How was yours?

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Farmhouse Friday 2026 - Week 4 Back to Work

 

The dogs are following me around like I'm a toddler.  I do drop many things while I try to work.  Here we are waiting for cookies to come out of the oven.  I made sourdough discard lemon cookies.  My granddaughter was coming over to "play" with me and I wanted to bake a treat.  

She told me that she would rate them 100 out of 100.  She said "crispy edge, soft center, crunchy yet tender, frosting is amazing!"  I guess I will make these again.  

We made felted soap.  I've never made that before.  

My friend, Michelle, makes the soap:  Little Bull Falls Soap Works check out her website.  

I went back to "work" - I'm really self-employed, but my friend, Lisa and I share a work and selling space.  We took off most of January.  We are going to keep doing consignments for our on line estate sale business.  I will keep working and trying to do things for as long as my body lets me.  However, we are being very selective as to what we do.  

I made some potato soup, it was yummy.

Another inspirational quote from my daily devotionals this week.  

Tomorrow, I have my last in home therapy and evaluation.  I made a break through with my walking with the walker in the house this week.  I was so afraid I would fall, but I just made myself walk again and again.  I had therapy today too.  She told me that I NEED to keep this up, even if she wasn't here to remind me.  I told her I come from a long line of people who never follow through...it's true...but, I know how important this is for me to keep moving and I WILL do it with the Lords help.

Blessings from from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Seasonal Mindest - Lesson 1 Creation/Life

 

Seems this concept, seasonal living or seasonal mindset is everywhere of late.  It's not a new concept.  People have lived this way since the time of creation.  Oh, but there wasn't social media, so that didn't count...ahaha.  I do feel that social media plays a role.  No time in history have we had access to so much information.  What we spend our time looking at or listening to, can build us up or tear us down.  

I've shared about seasons of a woman's life, but now thinking more of a "study" on Seasonal Mindset.  So let's begin our lesson here at how we were created.  I'm taking notes from nature and lessons from the Bible for this study.  

In Ecclesiastes 3:1 says "to everything there is a season."  

In the "Spring of our life" we are a bud or blossom.   We are new, young, growing, vibrant, supple and energetic.  We are busy trying to attract - bee or other pollinators.  

Proverbs 31:30: "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised".  

Jeremiah 29:11:  "I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

In the "Summer of our life"  we are the fruit or flower.  We are bursting with productivity, beautiful, peek performance, satisfied and growing steady waiting until the harvest. 

Psalms 127:3:  "Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him."  

Proverbs 31:17:  "She sets about her work vigorousley; her arms are strong for her tasks."  

In the "Fall of our life" we are the harvest or beautiful display of colorful leaves.  We are fulfilled, happy to supply our families needs, adaptable to change (pumpkin to pie) and looking forward to slowing down to rest.  

Proverbs 31:27 "she looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.  

Galatians 6:9 "and let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

In the "Winter of our life" we rest.  We are wiser, accomplished in our tasks and complete.  We become weaker, dependent on others to help us but relying on our experiences to help us rest. 

Proverbs 16:31: "Gray hair is a crown of splendor, it is attained in the way of righteousness."

Proverbs 31:26:  "She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." 

Our life, how we age, grow, change and pass on, we were created to be seasonal.  Nature shows us in all her beauty.  The bee loves the nectar, he busily carries legs full pollen back to the hive, he feeds the baby bees, fills combs to become honey for us to enjoy.   

We can get caught up in wishing our season away; "when I leave home, when I get married, when we buy a house, have children, get my perfect job, pay off my debt or retire."  These stages of life, we should look forward to, but don't forget to enjoy the one you're currently living in.  This is the social media pit fall.  It's all too much, therefore this slowing down, seasonal living is why this topic is trending.  

Remind yourself, that each stage of life is a season.  Be present in the season you're in, good or bad.  Live it, feel it, enjoy it, miss it when it's over and look forward to the next.  Time passes on and carries us along.   

Psalms 104:19:  "He made the moon to mark the seasons, the sun knows it's time for setting." 

Ecclesiasetes 3:11:  "He has made everything beautiful in it's time, Also he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."  

Seasonal Mindset - Lesson 2 Family/Home 

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin,

Farmhouse Friday 2026 Week 3

 

My sister shared that with me.  

Well, we've had quite the week here.  So COLD we woke this morning to -24 (wind chill like -40).  LOTS of things closed today.  

I had a lazy week....I wanted to do more...but, we started watching All Creatures Great and Small (PBS/British show).  So, between that, PT, posting a lot drop, marketing for the Vintage Shop Hop Event we are taking part in and some cooking and baking, it's already Friday evening.  

Sour dough discard brownies.  

Another good quote from my daily devotional this week.   Well, this is a short one.  Not much to talk about...that's unusual for me.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

 

Not much more needs to be said.....

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.  

Farmhouse Friday 2026 Week 2 - First Outing

 

Well, this is my first outing other than church and doctor.  I'm happy I was able to go.  This studio has handicap parking, no stairs and a bathroom large enough for my wheelchair.  Things you need to think about when you have mobility challenges.  We then went to lunch for one of my favotites Pho 76.  I love Pho!

I had my in home physical therapy.  Started back "working" with our lot drops on Tuesdays.  Went through a large amount of books, made lots for next week's drop.  Did some puttering around in the kitchen.  

Saucy Asian beef and noodles - so good! 

More sourdough bread, so that means more sourdough discard to work with.

Sourdough discard cinnamon scone

Sourdough discard maple, cinnamon crisps - cracker or cereal.  When I make this again, I will make them smaller and thinner.

Not much else going on here.  I probably could have been more productive.  I'll blame it on January. 

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.