IN THE BLESSING JAR!!!!!!!

For the second year in a row the Sterling College Baseball team has had back to back 40+ win seasons. The boys finished up their conference season 24-4 which was good enough to make them co-champions of the  Kansas Christian Athletic Conference for the second year in a row. The team went on to win the KCAC tournament for the second year in a row. This team picture was taken after they won the KCAC tournament.

Winning the conference tournament got them a spot in the NAIA World Series Regional in Oklahoma City for the second year in a row. They won 3 straight games and in the Championship Game, beat the #2 ranked team in the nation. The team picture below was taken in Oklahoma City after winning the regional.

We were able to go to the game this last Saturday. It was so wonderful for our family to be there with all the other families! 

After the game, we all drove home and got in late that night. It was real special for all the guys because a firetruck escorted them from the south entrance of the City of Sterling to the baseball field at Sterling College. Waiting for them at the field were at least 100 students and fans. It was a night for all of us to remember. One of our boys said that he felt like a celebrity. Made me smile, they all worked so hard!

Winning the regional in OKC means that for the first time in School history they are going to the NAIA Avista World Series in Lewiston, Idaho! Their record as of now is 48-12. 

Now for the special part. My sweet man, myself and our two daughters really wanted to go to Idaho to support the guys. We have seen some of the baseball team come to Christ and start living for Him in this last year. My sweet man has invested a lot of time and Bible study with them. Anyway we had some extra money saved and we were really praying as to what we should do. Today I was talking to one of the main "sports persons" (I am not sure if I should name them at this time so I won't). I asked if they were going. They said yes. I said that we were praying about it and then he said, "I will take care of your gas!" I couldn't believe my ears. Of course I cried and said, "thank you". They are also looking into lodging for us. The Lord blessed us big time. We would appreciate prayer.....as we get ready. We have the farm taken care of and all our animals. So now you see why I said "In the Blessing Jar"!!!!!!!!!! I am going to get a lot of stitching projects ready for stitchin as we drive. Idaho is a long way from Sterling, Kansas! Yahoo!!!!!! 

Look at what was on the back of our dock at the college kitchen. A robins nest. Love the color of the eggs. This is exactly what the color of the eggs looked like! 

Hugs to you and may the Lord bless you all!!!!!!!!

Linda

It"s Momma's Day!!!!!!

Hello sweet ladies,

Happy Mother's day to you all. This morning I have been thinking of all of us who have lost their momma's. Today is bittersweet for me. This is the first Momma's Day with out my Momma. I thought a lot about it yesterday when I was out and saw all the daughters with their Moms. I haven't ever thought about it much, but yesterday it really struck me hard. I am so thankful that Momma is with the Lord. The best gift for her right now is that I continue to walk with the Lord and teach the next generation the Truth..........I will......to the best of my abilities. Leaning in hard trusting the Lord for His leading!

I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in truth........3 John 1:4

As you know we have a lot of college boys that the Lord has brought into our families life. It has been precious to watch how our 5 children here on earth have also adopted them right into their own lives and also into our grandkids. We have a bigger family now. Anyway this morning I woke early again.........I knew that one of our college boys had asked if he could come out to the farm and just do some "stuff" (our little farm needs lots and lots of work done to make it our own)......he loves to work. I will tell you later about what we did yesterday.....but we were gone. We told him of course......he loves to be out on the farm. It is peaceful and very quiet. I didn't know what he was going to work on........this is what I saw this morning. I stood their crying like a baby.......stunned. He had cleared "ALL" the area where my dream greenhouse is to go. A Momma's Day present to me.......from from a kid that is not even mine......to experience the love from this whole act of kindness was amazing to my heart. To think 3 years ago when we started working at the college I would have more kids to love on then I could ever imagine........but the fact that they love me......now that is a "GIFT"....straight from the Father's Hand. I am so excited!!!!! God is unfolding his plan for Prairie Flower Farm right before my eyes. Today we will be celebrating Momma's Day......I will have my own blood children with.......but also the ones that have been grafted into my heart........ones that I will spend eternity with...some who have found Jesus and want Him like we do.......it will be a celebration! We were told yesterday that "our presence at the baseball games have been noticed.....we keep asking them to church......maybe not today.....but maybe one day! 

I love you sweet ladies.......who faithfully come and are a part of my everyday life. May the Lord bless all you Mommas.......and those of you who feel like you have been forgotten.......ask the Lord to give you someone...their are so many kids that need a Mom. You can find them in the colleges.....the schools......in the Sunday School classes......or maybe right next door. 

If your Momma is gone......I am praying for you! If you have never been able to have a little one......I am praying for you even harder.......God has you in the palm of His Hand.....He knows what He is doing with your life.......some of it really stinks it seems......but it doesn't change His position or care for you! He is faithful..........I promise.

I will give you treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may “know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. Isaiah 45:3 Oh to know Him! 

Hugs from the farm, 

Linda

Hi....I am back!!!!!! It has been so busy!

Hello sweet ladies, 

So much has happened since I posted last. Life at the college has kept us all hopping...building on our daughter's round pen.....

and working around in my garden. I had to protect my rhubarb with old wire fencing so the chickens won't bug them. 

My potatoes are all coming up. This week the weather is warmer and so plants will be growing.......that means the weeds also!

Remember the eggs that the Momma hens were sitting on and little Birch jumped up on the ledge? Well, on Monday evening I went to roll the eggs and I heard this peeping noise. This morning he was still peeping. When I got home he had a little hole......oh my.......just a minute ago as I was typing this I heard him really peeping loud.....jumped up and saw that he or she is out. A little black cochin baby fluff just hatched!!!!!!!! How funny that I would be writing at this very moment when it hatched. 

I lost my camera out in the field somewhere......waiting on my new one to come in the mail. My daughter took this pic for me. It is still wet and very very small. It is still attached to the egg membrane. It is tired.......and so am I. Hope you enjoy this picture. Now about 49 more to go! 

Hugs and God bless you!!!!!!! 

Linda

Lil' Birch is growing!

Hello sweet ladies,

I am putting this post up on Thursday night. This morning the weather was unreal. Snowing and very very cold........the later the day went on...... the warmer the weather got. Not that it got very warm though. The one nice thing about when the weather is cold is the kitchen at the college isn't as hot. We are without an air conditioner and all the ovens going, makes for a very hot place. 

When we left the caf I got this picture of the clouds and trees. The trees are really turning green. All the moisture has made everything really grow a lot! Everything is budding and it is looking like spring.

When I got home I fed Lil' Birch and then took him outside to play and nibble on the grass.

I love the curls on his ears.......see how fuzzy his face is getting. The wool is really growing fast! Little ringlets on his body. Sweetness! 

He was always going back to my crabapple tree to eat the leaves. We have been working so hard trying to keep them watered during the drought......he is not going to eat them now!!!!! 

I put him back into the Milk House and went to get the Big Girlies (who are setting), some water and food. Also went to feed the little chicks. I noticed when I opened the door that Lil' Birch had hopped up on the ledge. The same ledge where I have a big nesting box. He hopped down and so I noticed the Momma's were not in their nesting boxes. The eggs were cold. Three nests. I was sick to my stomach. I got a bucket and carefully laid all the eggs into it and started up the incubator. I am afraid I have lost all the eggs. I am going to try and hatch them to see if I can save them. They were due this next Tuesday. Lil' Birch may be moving out this weekend to the pen he and his Momma shared. 

I moved Mr. Roo and Miss Betsy to the pen to be with Lil' Birch...if I decide to have him there. I hatched these two last year.........so glad I got a daddy and a momma to match. I fixed a basket with straw so maybe she will start sitting on some eggs out in the pen.

I will keep you posted on what happens with the eggs. I sure hope they make it. I had two duck eggs in for a lady at work. She was to take them to her daughter and granddaughter........so weird this had to happen. If it hadn't been so cold today maybe the eggs would have been okay. Has anyone ever had problems with this before. I would love to know what happened.

Hugs to your day and God bless!!!!!!!

Linda

We Have Three Winners!!!!!!!!!!

Good evening sweet ladies, the thunder is rolling over the farm on this Wednesday night. They say snow.......oh my.....trying to be happy! It will only stay around for a few days....right? 1 1/2 to 2 inches. The sun will be out again before we know it and then maybe we can finish planting our garden. All the baby chicks are tucked in the Milk House with Lil' Birch tonight........so they will be toasty warm as it snows outside it's door! 

Soooooooo here is the time.......... we have been looking for. 

We have three winners. One of my favorite things to do on my blog is to have a party and let who wins know they won!!!!! I will be contacting each lady.

The Regan Family Farm was so generous to give out 3 gifts. So here is who won!

If you are interested in buying any of the Regan Family Farm candles or soaps........please go here and you can purchase them.

Anne

who's blog is

Phamily Blog

 First Prize

Sage and Lemongrass Candle

Lori

who's blog is 

Here's A Hand

Second prize

Sage and Lemongrass Candle

and 

Aunt Lodi (Diane Stowe)

she does not have a blog

Third Prize

She won the 2 bars of Garden Citrus Soaps

I have sent out everyone an email to get your mail addresses. 

Thank you ladies for signing up for another party here at Prairie Flower Farm. You always make them so special. I will be copying all your ideas for the book that I want to do Lord willing! I really think it would be a fun thing to do and my wheels are spinning in my head. If you ever have some more ideas, don't hesitate to write them down and send them to me. 

I took a pic

 of my baby white pumpkins. I can hardly wait until they grow a little bit more and get them in the garden.......after the snow melts!

Well I hope all is well at your home........I am off to bed

can't believe this week is almost over. Next week and part of the next week and I am home on the farm. I have some fun things planned for us!

Love you all and God bless,

Linda

Oakley

Hello sweet ladies, (I am writing this on Tuesday evening) last night when we got home we had some young men working on our daughter's round pen for her horses. One of the guys was cutting some weeds around the posts. Oakley, our daughter's dog had been running around the farm and wasn't noticed by the guys as they were chopping weeds. She stepped close and was cut across her nose. It was a very deep cut........ everyone went into high gear. The vet is about 9 minutes from our farm...... so into the car the kids went. The doctor said it looked worse then it really was! 

He put in 10 staples across her nose. We picked her up today and she is doing very well. They said that when she would come out that she would probably be very laid back..........wrong!!! When she say Tay she jumped all over her. Good to have her back. God answered our prayers and more! 

Tonight I cleaned out the Milk House again! Moved all the little chicks out of the house!!!!! Put lights on the babies to keep them warm. Today it was 88 degrees.......tomorrow it will be 51 early in the morning and then it will drop down to 41 degrees. Thunderstorms and rain or the day. Snow in the forecast for Thursday. We just can't decide whether we want spring or winter...heehee! Hope you are enjoying your weather!!!!!!!!

Thank you to all who signed up for the candle party and visiting the Regan Family Farm blog and fb!!!  They are a precious family! Glad you got to meet them. I will let you know on Wednesday night who won!!!!!! Can't wait to see who the three winners are!!!!! 

Hugs to all you sweet ladies and God bless,

Linda

A Party.......with Regan Family Farm!!!!!!

Party is closed........we will always have more!

Hello sweet ladies.......... 

I have missed journaling. Work will be real busy with caterings and such for the next two and a half weeks......did you hear that? I can hardly believe the winter work is almost over and farming will be a part of our lives once again.......everyday at HOME for almost 3 months. EEECCCKKKKK!!! The heart of our life is being able to work our land and help feed a "little bit" of the world. We love every bit of it! Even the hard part of farming is good for us. We have always said it is a "job" of faith......you never know what tomorrow will bring on a farm.....but we have always know there is One we can trust......and Him alone....has walked us through the hardest of times.  Jesus has walked with us step by step and always been the One that has been faithful! Anyway to celebrate these last few weeks....it is time for a fun party! 

Remember when I told you all about the wonderful gift I received awhile back in the mail?  A candle and a bar of soap......from one of the "sweetest" families. I say one, because you are all one of my sweetest families also!!!!!!!! When I received the gifts, I just knew I had to tell all you sweeties about their products. The candle smells soooooo wonderful and they last for 60 to 80 hours. The $15.00 for a 14 oz......is well worth it.  The soap smells wonderful also! This is a cottage industry for their family and the whole family is involved, working together on their family farm! Sweetness!

Soooo.....without further ado.........let me introduce you to my friends........

Love love love this header!!!!!!!

Regan Family Farm....we met March 3, 2010........Kathy wrote me  when she found me off the Gooseberry Patch blog when they did a Featured Friday story about Prairie Flower Farm. Thank you Gooseberry Patch!!!!!!! She wrote me to introduce herself and we have been sweet friends ever since. I love this lady....she has blessed my life! They are a family of 11 (one little one in heaven). She has home schooled all of her children.......and still doing so. Love that part about her also! They also love the Lord with all their heart, soul and mind........such an encouragement to many!

Regan Family Home

Can't you imagine sitting on this beautiful porch in the spring thyme.....sipping fresh squeezed pink lemon-aid from a mason jar....... filled to the brim with chipped ice? Maybe they would have us "all" over sometime......heehee! One day I am coming! Kathy and fam get ready!!!!!!!

There family is full of energy and lots of fun!!!!!! When I went to her blog for the first time after she wrote me....... it kept me in stitches........I loved her writings. I was blessed.......a new sweet friend! They haven't blogged for some time, but you can read some of her posts from the past Here.

They raise Alpine and LaManchan goats. Their goats are milked twice a day, morning and evening. Everyone in the family has responsibilities to keep the farm going. That is one thing I absolutely love about farming.  Even the littlest one that is 4 knows how to milk the goats. I want her to teach me! If you follow them on their facebook, you will see that life on the farm is not always pretty as on any farm. Three days ago one of their Momma goats had babies........they were dead when they were born. All the children were there to witness life...... from beginning to end! Yesterday the Momma goat died. Very sad for their family......they would appreciate prayer I am sure. 

Party starts today and ends on Tuesday April 30th at midnight central time. I will let you all know who wins on

Wednesday May 1!

Now for the blog party.........they have a treat for you. There will be three winners. Can you believe they are being so so generous to all you sweet ladies? 

First prize

one 8oz Sage and Lemongrass Candle

Second prize

one 8 oz. Sage and Lemongrass Candle

and 

Third Prize

2 bars of Garden Citrus Soap

We can't wait to see who will be coming to our Blog Party!!!!!

Vote One

Regan Family Farm

you are invited to come over and sign up for their 

emails subscriptions at their New Candle and Soap website!

Vote two

Wile you are there leave a little note on their website under the Candle Scents or the Soap Scents on what would be your favorite scent. 

Vote Three

"Like" their

Regan Family fbook

Vote Four

Tell me if you would be interested if I wrote a book and what would you like to see in it? Farming, cooking, recipes, canning, quilting, stitching, crocheting, raising farm animals....chickens.......if you have any other ideas please leave a comment. 

I will need away to get ahold of you if you win. If you can't leave a comment here on my blog.....please leave me an email at 

prairie flower farm at g mail dot com In the subject line put 

"candles and soaps"

Hugs and God bless your day,

Linda

For those of you who would like to order from the Regan Family Farm you can go Here.

Their shipping amounts are very reasonable, I think. 

$0.01	$20.00	=7.50
$20.01	$90.00	=12.35
$90.01	and up	=26.08