Dew Drops – Joy in Simple Things

 

I am really and truly “simple”.   I don’t need fancy things and I don’t have the “keeping up with the Jones” mentality.  It really doesn’t bother me if I don’t get a birthday or anniversary card from my husband.  I just want him to help me do the stuff around here I can’t do.  I often remind him….”you are pretty lucky, you know, most women would get mad if you didn’t buy them flowers or cards”  This is true…I use to work with plenty of women who demanded that their husbands or boyfriends bought them this or that…or took them here or there….if they didn’t – they would get mad and pout.   I just wanted to let him know that he could have picked one of those types… (smile). 

Don’t get me wrong, I like flowers and cards.  But, I would rather have an old rusty piece of something to put in my garden that he picked up at an auction for a $1 or so.  Or have him – like he did do for me this year – dig out my raised beds (again) and help me weed thru the quack roots (again) so I can plant some stuff.  We really work together as a team – and we make a good one too.  I’m so thankful for him and that Jesus had him picked out just for me – He knew what I needed.

I was walking around my yard the other day, taking pictures of stuff to put on here, and I saw my hosta leaves…how pretty with that drop of dew on them.  Even the little specks of dirt in the drop.  I wonder how many times in a day we neglect to look at the smallest things and see beauty.  Or, even be thankful for it.  I am reminded of a song we sang at church years ago…”From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised”  Psalms 113:3  Help me Lord to be thankful in ALL things and to see the beauty of your creation, even as small as the dew drops.  Blessings from Wisconsin!

I'm a part of Prairie Flower Farms "Builing our Homes" link.

Chicken Pictures

 

My chickens LOVE scraps – I am sometimes blessed with “days (few) old”  bakery from the grocery store.  Here my chickens are enjoying their treats.

 

 

I have this old rusty wood stove next to that tree.  I usually have a potted flower in a pot on the top of the stove.  I haven’t planted one this year.  This hen is sitting on top of the pot….if she only knew…

 

All of my chickens LOVE perching in this old maple tree next to the coop.  We had lost several branches off this tree earlier this spring.  The ladder we used to cut off the branches is laying on top of this old stove.  I can not tell you how many times I look out my kitchen window to see a rooster looking at himself in that old mirror…crazy roosters!

  

This old nesting box if from my husband’s grandparent’s farm.  The chickens love sitting and roosting in the sun. 

This is the other side of my old chicken coop.  Thanks for stopping by and taking a look.  Do you have a chicken coop or any funny chicken stories?  Blessings from Wisconsin.

Butterfly Pictures

Blessings from Wisconsin!

Added:  January 9, 2012 - for Country Garden Hop:  I can only dream of this now - so until warmer days....

My Garden Tour

Blueberry bushes

Our old tub and sink

Raised beds…

 






I used this old rug to kill weeds for future plantings – next years flower bed addition.  That rug was on this side all last year and winter – I just peeled it back and planted (will add to) flowers/plants.


Old bee hive my husband bought me at an auction for $1

Our dear old dog…he was the best!  As I find rocks in my garden, I’m adding them to my path and around stuff I don’t want to weed.

I started using old plates as my boarders – with buying out estates I have plenty to work with…

I found this little picture/plaque at Goodwill for $1.99.  It has a scripture on it.. “all things work together for the good of them that love the Lord”  I’ve been looking for things like this to repurpose as decorations in my garden.




This is an old rusty “dump rake”  It belonged to my husband’s grandparents.  It was on their farm about 2 miles away.  When they sold the farm we pulled it back to our house.  I LOVE it!

This old bird house has been on top of that bee hive for years.  The vines growing around it is Hops.

busy bees…


I’m a part of the Barn Hop.  Blessings from Wisconsin!

added link 1/2/12 :

Busy in the Garden

I know I haven't posted in a few days. I (we) have been busy working in the garden and yard. I would post pictures, however, I can't get them to upload. My daughter who has a blog - Obessive Creative Dissorder - I have a button link on the side, is going to help me. Do any of the rest of you have your kids help you with electronic tech stuff? I am so clueless sometimes. Hopefully I can upload a few posts I've been working on when I get the picture thing figured out. Thanks for reading! Blessings from Wisconsin!

No More Excuses - Week #5

So I stated in a previous post "No More Excuses" about my issues with getting healthy. For me, it isn't about losing weight - although I do need to - but it is about becoming more healthy.

I know my family eats "well", we raise our own meat (beef, sheep, chickens -haven't done pork in awhile), can and preserve my garden goodies and have 2 chest freezers and a full pantry. So it isn't that we don't eat "good." I do however, make bad choices as to how I prepare it... and I HATE to exersize! Its not like I don't, anyone who lives on a small farm, gardens or has animals, knows how to work and therefore, exersize...but, its not the right exersize.

So my update for week #5 - what have I learned:

1. Eat whole foods, in natural form, raw. This helps to get you "moving" :) if you know what I mean... I've been trying to make my diet 50% raw. This has been a challenge, anyone have tips?

2. Drink ALOT of water! I actually had to make myself at first - now I thirst for it...I'm a Wisconsinite and I LOVE milk - I changed to 1% - I just can't do Skim or Soy, that would almost be "sinful" for this Dairy State Girl :). I use to drink like 4 huge glasses of milk a day, now I only allow myself 1 glass and the rest water.

3. Keep busy, if your hands are working then they can't feed you chips. Note: Don't buy chips and fatty snacks, if they aren't here, then you can't eat them. My family doesn't "need" them either...(my husband and girls do not have weight issues, only me...).

4. Write everything you eat down. Some days, I just wrote "BAD DAY."

5. Stay motivated - I've had a few comments from bloggers this really helps. Any ideas on how to stay motivated...other than not being able to do the things you want the way you want. Pray for help.

6. Exersize - start out small. These past 5 weeks, I've mostly worked in the garden and farm type work still. I have pushed myself more. Like counting how many wheel barrow loads of poop I scoop...I have made an effort to walk more by going the "long" way from the compost/manure pile to the garden :)

7. Any tips for me....please leave me a helpful comment.

Blessings from Wisconsin!

A Tour of Our Rural Wisconsin Hobby Farm

I have a few photos of our hobby farm to share with my followers.  I know most of you have been here, however, I have made some new friends on here and wanted to share these pictures with them.

We moved to the "country" in 1994.  Since that time we (I am blessed to have a handy husband, he did most of this himself - well not the pole buildings) have totally remodeled this old house, added a shop and studio for me, a play house for the girls, a pole shed for my "junk" a pole shed for Al's tractors and tools, a pump house and outhouse.  The barn was build after WWII and our neighbor has the same one.  They were built at the same time.  Our house - part with kitchen - was originally a small 2 room home early 1900's and the front part with second story was built just before WWII and then the gentleman - Mr. Netzinger - went off to the war.  His intentions were to brick the whole house, but that never happened.  He did return from his service, however, he didn't brick it.  Ringle use to have a brick yard and MANY homes in our county - even state - are made of Ringle Brick.  Our farm, like so many in Wisconsin, was a small dairy farm.  We removed the stancions (spelling?) and put in stalls for horses and goats (now sheep).

Home Sweet Home

My shop and studio and my pole shed....I am a hoarder....they both are full of stuff.  I "buy out" whole estates and sell them - this is my job....unfortunately...I have a hard time parting with stuff.  I've been guilty of making "connections" with other people's stuff.  My kids have grown up in this and they will say..."was this Elva's, or this is the Dr. Forrester chair...." etc.... 

Al's building - machine shed - in in the background.  The chicken coop has the ladder up against it.  We had to take down some branches. 

Pump house and outhouse (ornamental only.....)

Hope you enjoyed...Blessings from Wisconsin!